← Home
Masters of Scale · August 20, 2026 · 32m 54s

How Barnes & Noble made a comeback, with CEO James Daunt

James Daunt

James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble and Waterstones, shares the strategies behind turning around two iconic bookstore chains. He discusses the importance of local control, how his team is preparing for an onslaught of AI-written content, and the role of BookTok in attracting younger readers. The conversation reveals how a decentralized, community-focused approach can revive physical retail.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Preview

•
Local control is the key to great bookstores
Daunt attributes the turnaround of Barnes & Noble to giving local store managers autonomy over their curation, events, and displays.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
•
Preparing for the onslaught of AI-written content
Daunt outlines how bookstores are beginning to grapple with an expected flood of AI-generated books.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini

2 more ideas & all timestamps

This episode is in its early-access window. The full breakdown unlocks free in about 71 hours — Pro members read everything the moment it lands.

Read it now with Pro$10/mo · founding $96/yr
Was this useful?