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Hilary Schneider has a proven track record of driving growth and sparking creative innovation at large consumer technology companies. As a five-time CEO, Schneider has led companies through a major transformation, guided by her commitment to empathetic leadership, relentless optimism, and an enduring athletic attitude.
But it wasn’t always the case for Schneider.
In fact, she credits two simple words with helping her to seize new opportunities with gusto: Why not?
“Early in my career, when I was an investment banker at Drexel Burnham, I took on a role in corporate development,” Schneider said. “Soon after, I was offered an opportunity in an operational role in which I had no experience.”
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And Schneider added, “I’ll admit, I didn’t know if I could do that! And it was easy to stay in my current role with narrow powers. But I said to myself, ‘Why not?” The worst case is to fail, and learn something. So, I accepted the role and didn’t I never look back. Those two little words – why not – They’ve been indicative signs of getting myself out of my comfort zone ever since.”
Moving toward affirmative action and embracing change has been a hallmark of Schneider’s career, and most recently during her tenure at Shutterfly where she has held the position of CEO since January 2020.
Schneider said, “As a long-time customer, I have always known this was a great organization with two strong Lifetouch and Shutterfly brands, and that it had a strong culture and values perfectly aligned with mine. He also knew that such strong assets could be developed to meet the changing needs of consumers and create More value to employees and shareholders alike.”
As CEO, she now oversees the Lifetouch, Shutterfly and Snapfish brands, as well as vertically integrated manufacturing across six production and execution facilities. Shutterfly’s infrastructure is tailored to the intricacies of custom design allowing its family of brands to deliver customized items to customers at a rapid pace.
Schneider ascended to her executive position at Shutterfly just weeks before the pandemic began. She soon stopped face-to-face listening tours, staff meet-and-greets, and visits to production facilities, and instead moved into a 24/7 war room with her command team.
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Not only did Schneider need to keep the company’s manufacturing sites operating and mitigate the impact of the pandemic on school photography, but it also had to meet a massive increase in demand within its consumer business. The rapid pace of change and the need for reliable communications require transparent and deep-rooted leadership.
Schneider launched what will now become the company’s much-acclaimed Snapshot series, a weekly 30-minute live broadcast where any employee has the ability to ask any question that the executive team will answer in real time. It has become her signature leadership vehicle for helping teams navigate change and stay connected to the long-term vision of helping people create products and capture moments that reflect their unique personality.
I learned from a mentor early in her career that weakness is an invaluable leadership asset. She’s carried this lesson through her various executive roles, and it’s still at the heart of how she leads today, often sharing her personal cell phone number with employees if they have questions that their line managers can’t answer.
“Over the past two years, the epidemic has become a powerful clarifying force,” Schneider says. “It forced me and my executive team to fine-tune our purpose and vision for the Shutterfly family of brands. We strategized and reorganized; inventory and investing. I truly believe we came out of it stronger for the future.”
The pandemic has blurred nearly every line between personal and professional — and Schneider has woven many lessons from her personal life into how she leads. She compares maneuvering during a crisis to something her children have learned in team sports – to always be in a “standby position,” an upright position that allows an athlete to move in any direction as quickly as possible. In times of change, such as in an athletic endeavor, you must move quickly and spin in a new direction if necessary.
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As Shutterfly is successfully navigating post-COVID recovery, Schneider has made a file
A strategic bet with the acquisition of the global design market, Spoonflower, doubling the total addressable market for Shutterfly and deepening the company’s reach into home decor. She also launched the first-of-its-kind NFT Card NFT collection by Shutterfly in partnership with Iris Apfel with sales benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of America. It’s all part of Schneider’s always-mathematical stance as she looks to dig around corners to see what’s next.
So what’s next for Shutterfly and Schneider?
Shutterfly and its family of brands are powerful agents of the power of self-expression, helping consumers create products and capture moments that reflect their unique personality.
Shutterfly’s unique brand portfolio enables all dimensions of personalization and custom design, from photography (Lifetouch) and enterprise (Shutterfly Business Solutions) to premium home décor and design marketplace (Spoonflower) and from affordable (Snapfish) to mainstream (Shutterfly).
And the Shutterfly family of brands is ready to do just that.
