Editors’ Note

Representing the third generation of Golden family leadership, Justin Golden takes special pride in how the company continues to be a family business in the truest sense of the word. In his role as Chief Executive Officer, he is focused on connecting the company’s past to its present and future, embracing growth and innovation while fostering Stephen Gould’s distinct culture and way of working. He is also an active participant and fundraiser for local charities and causes, including the River Fund, where he sits on the Board of Directors. In his free time, he enjoys unwinding with family and following Premier League football – he is a die-hard Liverpool fan. Golden is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

Company Brief

Over the course of the past 80+ years, Stephen Gould (stephengould.com) has been recognized as a leader within the packaging industry, growing to become one of the largest privately owned packaging sales organizations in the U.S. Throughout its history, it has evolved its expertise from a simple industrial packaging supplier to a complex turnkey partner, with the ability to design, prototype and produce packaging across all mediums, while also providing supply chain management, warehousing and logistics services.

Will you discuss your career journey?

I often say that I grew up with, in, and around Stephen Gould. I started officially working there in seventh grade and every summer following. I’ve been fortunate to see firsthand every function of the business in action – from clerical to sales to operations and finance. This experience gave me a tangible appreciation for how every part of the organization contributes to our success.

Over time, I had the opportunity to take on increasing responsibilities, from Sales Manager to Vice President and eventually President of our global packaging, design, and supply chain solutions business beginning in 2016. In particular, I was proud to drive the opening of the New York City office in 2007, which represented a return to our roots, as we originally started on the Lower East Side over 85 years ago.

This year, stepping into the CEO role as the third generation of family leadership, has been incredibly meaningful to me. Stephen Gould finds itself at a tremendous moment of opportunity as we look to bridge our company’s heritage with our future ambitions of enhancing growth and innovation. It’s both a privilege and a responsibility to build on what’s been created over more than 85 years.

How do you define Stephen Gould’s mission?

At its core, our mission is to be a true partner to our clients, helping them bring ideas to life and products to market in the most efficient, innovative, and sustainable way possible. That requires the ability to help them solve a multitude of challenges. That’s why we’ve evolved from a packaging supplier into a fully integrated partner spanning design, engineering, production, and global supply chain solutions. That integration is really at the heart of our mission: distilling complexity for our clients and delivering end-to-end solutions that create value.

How important has it been to maintain a family culture as Stephen Gould has grown in size and scale?

Maintaining our family legacy and culture is incredibly important to me. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from my dad, observing firsthand how he has built and maintained the culture here. That’s given me a deep appreciation for how it’s a real differentiator for the company, especially as we’ve navigated growth and increasing complexity. Even as we’ve expanded to more than 40 locations globally, we’ve remained a family-owned and family-led business. That allows us to take a long-term view and prioritize relationships. As we scale, we’re looking to do it the right way.

We’re also intentional about hiring; finding talented individuals who value a culture rooted in family and connection is a major requirement. We know our people, invest in their success, and that ultimately drives stronger relationships and better outcomes for our clients and Stephen Gould.

Will you provide an overview of Stephen Gould’s services and capabilities?

We offer a fully integrated suite of services that spans the entire product lifecycle. This includes everything from design and engineering to prototyping, packaging production, and even contract manufacturing. From there, we support supply chain management, warehousing, and global logistics, essentially acting as an extension of our clients’ teams. We work with some amazing brands that span across industries and drive commerce across the globe, such as Delta, Verizon, GoPro, Walmart, Revlon, Barbour, Burt’s Bees, LVMH, and many more.

What makes us unique is the ability to bring all those capabilities together under one roof, reducing complexity and enabling speed to market. This also allows our clients to spend less time having to manage so many steps along the supply chain lifecycle and look to Stephen Gould as a one-stop shop partner. We’re constantly evolving alongside changes in the supply chain landscape. As new challenges and opportunities emerge, we adapt to meet them. One good example is our work with reverse logistics programs; this is an area that remains largely untapped and often overlooked, but we see it as critical to driving efficiency and sustainability for many of our clients.

How do you focus your efforts leading Stephen Gould?

My focus is really centered on three areas: our people, our clients, and our forward-looking strategy. First, investing in our team is essential. I’m highly cognizant that our success has and will be driven by the strength and expertise of our people. Second, deepening client relationships so that we continue to be a trusted partner is a key priority. And third, ensuring we’re constantly evolving and innovating our capabilities is critical to providing valuable solutions for supply chain challenges, today and tomorrow.

As a private, family-owned company, we have the advantage of being truly strategic. We’re able to make decisions that position us for sustainable growth rather than short-term gains. That perspective will always remain a core principle as we lead Stephen Gould forward.

How critical has it been to build the Stephen Gould team?

Everything we do, from innovation to execution, comes down to having the right people in place. As we’ve scaled, we’ve brought in a number of experienced and talented individuals to deepen our expertise and meet the evolving needs of our clients. But as I mentioned earlier, we remain equally focused on hiring individuals who share our values. That’s key to reinforcing our culture and strengthening the trust across the organization.

We’ve also reached a point, especially as a third-generation business, where building a strong leadership team has been essential. I can’t, nor should, lead the organization alone. Surrounding myself with the right leaders, at both the executive and board level, has been critical to driving transformation and aligning our global organization in ways that fully leverage our collective expertise.

Will you highlight Stephen Gould’s commitment to social responsibility and supporting the communities it serves?

Stephen Gould is committed to supporting the communities where we live and work, both through company initiatives and individual involvement. On the company level, we publish an annual CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) report, which details our efforts to reduce emissions, invest in employee development, and partner with suppliers and clients to drive more sustainable solutions. Personally, I’ve had the privilege of being involved with organizations like The RIVER Fund, which focuses on supporting underserved communities.

More broadly, we also think about responsibility through the lens of sustainability, which is an important consideration in the supply chain industry. We’re committed to helping our clients develop smarter, more efficient, and environmentally conscious solutions across their supply chains. Just recently, we were able to redesign and restructure our supply chain for a leading fitness tracking product with an eye toward greater sustainability. We significantly streamlined production and lowered the overall carbon footprint of the project. Work like that is really meaningful and exciting for me.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

I believe in empowering teams and giving people the tools and trust to succeed. I grew up playing competitive soccer and I think that experience has shaped how I still look at situations through a team lens. I often lead with the saying, “instead of fighting over slices of the pie, focus on ways to make the pie bigger.”

I also naturally enjoy connecting the dots and finding solutions. Leadership is about setting a clear vision, but not being inflexible about how you carry out that vision. If you’re going to surround yourself with great people, you also have to be open to their ideas and learn continuously from them.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Be curious and be willing to put in the work. Early in your career, it’s less about having all the answers and more about gaining experience, learning different parts of a business, and asking the right questions. It’s also important to give yourself the space to experiment, make mistakes, and step outside your comfort zone. The errors and our response to them are where a lot of real learning happens. It’s how you build a strong foundation.

I’d also emphasize the importance of relationships. The connections you build with colleagues, mentors, and peers can have a lasting impact on your career. And finally, stay patient yet persistent. Growth takes time, but if you’re committed and open to learning, the opportunities will follow.