Justin Golden - Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Gould | Real Leadership

What does it take to become the third generation to lead an 87-year-old family business…and still make it your own? Justin Golden is CEO of Stephen Gould, one of the largest independent supply chain solutions providers in the country. Founded in 1939 as a small packaging storefront on Manhattan's Lower East Side, Stephen Gould has grown under three generations of the Golden family into a global partner for some of the biggest names in consumer products, tech, aerospace and retail, spanning more than 40 locations across six countries. Justin spent nearly two decades earning his seat, starting as a sales manager in 2007 before becoming VP, then president, then CEO this past January. What makes this conversation compelling isn't just the family business success story — it's Justin's honesty about what generational leadership actually requires. In this episode, we cover: How Stephen Gould's founders built a profit-sharing platform for independent sales agents that still drives the business today The story behind Stephen Gould's shift from a roughly $2 million mom-and-pop operation to a $1 billion national and global supply chain partner How Justin's early years — from filing invoices in 7th grade to getting kicked out of a Manhattan office building by security — shaped his leadership instincts What it took to break down decades of decentralized silos and connect intelligence across 200+ independent agents The real tension Justin and his father worked through once they were both in senior leadership roles together Why Stephen Gould brought in its first fully independent board members in 2022 — and what ‘family owned, professionally run’ means in practice How Stephen Gould has evolved from a packaging supplier into a full-spectrum supply chain partner across aerospace, cosmetics and beyond How Justin is already thinking about setting up a fourth generation for success This episode is a candid look at what it really takes to protect a family legacy while still having the courage to change it.   Key Moments 01:56 - Stephen Gould's Origins: A Storefront on the Lower East Side 04:51 - The Profit-Sharing Model Behind Stephen Gould's Growth 10:21 - What Stephen Gould Does Today: A “Swiss Army Knife” for Supply Chain 19:09 - Lessons From the Warehouse Floor: Starting in 7th Grade 23:15 - Working With His Father, and Working Through the Tension 27:35 - Favorite Leadership Story: Kicked Out by Security, Then Buying the Bar a Round 35:11 - Bringing In Stephen Gould's First Outside Board Members 42:34 - Defining Legacy for the Fourth Generation   Show Notes Justin Golden — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/justindgolden/  Stephen Gould — Company Website: stephengould.com  Stephen Gould — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stephen-gould-corporation/  Jim Weaver — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jim-weaver-36457418  Real Leadership Podcast: realleadership.oningroup.com  Real Leadership — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/104897916/  The Onin Group: oningroup.com/clients