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Justin Grooms is CEO of Bolt, an e-commerce solution used by retailers and brands like Casper, Revolve, and Benefit Cosmetics.
How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? Bolt improves online checkout for retailers and connects them with our network of 80+ million shoppers. My role as chief executive is to ensure that we’re perfecting our product to live up to our responsibility of putting our merchants’ businesses first. That means being in constant communication with new and existing retailers about their challenges in order to align our offering to their pain points.
One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? One of Bolt’s core values asks our team to bring a “founder’s mentality” to our work, and that has been my approach to my day-to-day. In reflecting on my nearly six years at Bolt, I’m astonished at how much some things have changed while our vision for e-commerce has remained unchanged. In my time here, we’ve pivoted from being an SMB-focused checkout solution to a holistic e-commerce platform for enterprise retailers, all while building a network of shoppers that powers a new era of personalized, friction-free shopping. I truly believe that if I had the chance to found my own company today, it would be exactly what we’re building at Bolt.
What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Bolt’s upcoming mobile app, hands down. (And I’ve worked on some fascinating projects in the defense and AI spaces in the past.)
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Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? The trend I’m most excited about is the role shopper identity can play in offering personalized buying experiences. This trend extends well beyond retail and has the potential to reshape each and every commerce touchpoint—on any buying surface. At Bolt, we’ve been building a robust shopper network for years. This network allows retailers who use Bolt to instantly recognize customers from the moment they land on their ecommerce website. What we’re building is really similar to what Amazon does today. Think about my Amazon homepage versus my daughter’s or you, the reader—they’re all wildly different and optimized for each and every person. This is what we’re offering to retailers—the ability to instantly connect with millions of customers and give them that truly tailored shopping journey. We’re thrilled about the role shopper identity can have not only in boosting ecommerce performance for our customers, but in offering shoppers experiential buying that feels authentic to their interests and sense of self.
What’s your go-to coffee order? Black coffee (or Irish coffee).
Worst piece of advice you’ve received? Have a good backup plan.
What was your favorite retail product when you were 15? Then: Green Day Dookie vinyl, specifically remembering the experience of listening to the album in store before I bought it. Now: Oliver Peoples eyeglass frames that I just purchased this week. They were my first prescription glasses, and the curated experience of being led from an optical exam through trying on and selecting frames, with helpful, opinionated people helping me through the process, with seamless handoffs, was just delightful.