# The Container Store: Kip and Sharon Tindell

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-12-23
- Length: 1h 02m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell

## Summary

Kip and Sharon Tindell, co-founders of The Container Store, discuss creating a new retail category for home organization in 1978 by sourcing industrial products for consumers. They detail their bootstrapped growth strategy, the development of core company principles to manage rapid expansion, and the strategic acquisition of Alpha Industries to offer custom closet systems. The episode concludes with their reflection on the decision to take the company public in 2013, a move they now regret as it distracted from their customer-centric culture amidst the rise of Amazon.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell#t=0) Introduction: The Idea of Selling Empty Boxes
- [14:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell#t=886) Sourcing Industrial Products for Consumers
- [31:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell#t=1886) Bootstrapping Growth and Company Principles
- [43:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell#t=2581) Acquiring Alpha Industries and Custom Closets
- [46:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell#t=2798) The Decision to Go Public and Regret
- [50:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell#t=3016) Competition with Amazon and Changing Retail
- [59:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-23-the-container-store-kip-and-sharon-tindell#t=3578) Retirement and Reflections on Success

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- The Container Store (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Alpha Industries (company)
- Amazon (company)
- IKEA (company)
- Neiman Marcus (company)
- Costco (company)
- Leonard Green (company)
- Stanley Marcus (other)
- Garrett Boone (other)
- John Mackey (other)
- Marie Kondo (other)

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- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-19-afterschool-podcast-episode-1-rich-brilliant-willing) (Core77 Podcast)
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## Citing this page

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