Behind the Magic of The Elf on the Shelf, with Christa Pitts, The Lumistella Company (Executive Perspective, Episode 16)
In this episode of Executive Perspective, host Danny Vander Maten interviews Christa Pitts, co-founder and CEO of The Lumistella Company, the brand behind the beloved The Elf on the Shelf, Elf Pets, and Elf Mates. Christa recounts her journey from childhood experiences with the elf tradition to her early career in sales and as a QVC program host. The conversation delves into the company’s family roots, the rigorous challenges faced, and the unwavering belief in their product that transformed a family tradition into a global phenomenon. Key insights cover the importance of hiring for growth, fostering a strong company culture, the role of family support, and thoughtful leadership. The episode also highlights the cultural impact of The Elf on the Shelf, crucial moments that propelled its popularity, and its global expansion. Further discussion includes Christa’s Madam Founder podcast, which features inspiring stories of female business leaders.
Executive Perspective is sponsored and presented by Cresa Atlanta. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.
Christa Pitts, Co-CEO and Founder, The Lumistella Company
Imagine being applauded for “revolutionizing the essence of Christmas.” That is precisely what American businesswoman and entrepreneur Christa Pitts is celebrated for.
Christa serves as the co-CEO and founder of The Lumistella Company, a dynamic enterprise behind the enchanting brand, The Elf on the Shelf®. Under her strategic leadership, more than 25 million The Elf on the Shelf brand Scout Elves, Elf Pets, and Elf Mates have been adopted in 24 countries across five continents, solidifying a massive global reach.
Considered a scion in branding, Christa’s journey began as a QVC Program Host, amassing 2,000 hours of live, unscripted television experience. During this time, she honed her expertise in understanding the mechanics of sales, the intricacies of advertising, and the significance of brand authenticity.
This wealth of knowledge proved invaluable when she joined forces with her mother and twin sister to share their cherished family Christmas tradition with the world. Highly regarded for her business acumen, Christa is a sought-after keynote speaker and tv media personality. She is frequently requested to share her perspective on diverse subjects, from being a woman in business to supply chain-related issues on mediums including MSNBC and CBS.
Over the years, she was featured hundreds of times on prominent platforms and stages, including The Today Show, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. Recognizing the power of her work, Entrepreneur Magazine has named The Lumistella Company “A Christmastime IP Giant.”
A symbol of empowerment for women in business, Christa’s voice resonates with many. Most recently, she was named the 2023 Southeast Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Of The Year®. Christa embodies the spirit of breaking barriers and redefining what it means to lead with passion, resilience, and unwavering dedication.
Christa is the host of Madame Founder, a podcast series devoted to successful women entrepreneurs and the stories they tell on business, leadership, and empowerment.
Website | LinkedIn | Madame Founder podcast
The Lumistella Company
The Lumistella Company is a dynamic, fast-paced organization where the magic of Christmas thrives all year long. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, it is a family-owned global intellectual property company. Founded in 2005 with the launch of The Elf on the Shelf® Christmas phenomenon, the company rebranded as The Lumistella Company in 2020 to reflect its growth into a global corporation focused on consumer products, brand experiences, and entertainment-based content.
The Lumistella Company’s core consumer brands include The Elf on the Shelf®, Elf Pets®, and Elf Mates®, along with a variety of related brand extensions that bring the characters from Santa’s North Pole to life. Through brand experiences like pop-up shops, photo opportunities, virtual gaming, and destination activities, the company creates magical, immersive connections to Santa’s universe.
The Lumistella Company fosters strategic partnerships with best-in-class studios, publishers, music firms, product companies, agencies, and live entertainment production companies. Its subsidiary, Scout Elf Productions, LLC, is dedicated to the art of storytelling through animation. The company’s mission is to inspire the magic of belief and a love of tradition at Christmastime by creating characters, stories, and lore that bring Santa’s North Pole to life for children worldwide.
With a strong culture built around creativity, fun, learning, and respect, The Lumistella Company continues to build on timeless traditions and enhance family Christmas celebrations. At its core are the values of Family Focus, Integrity, Respect, and Excellence (F.I.R.E.), which create an exceptional work environment. The company is always seeking talented individuals who thrive in a fun, innovative, and fast-paced environment to join Santa’s team and help deliver new expressions of Christmas traditions.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction to Executive Perspective
00:58 Meet Christa Pitts: CEO of The Lumistella Company
03:12 The Elf on the Shelf Tradition
05:25 Christa’s Career Journey
11:57 Founding the Elf on the Shelf Business
19:36 Challenges and Successes
24:32 Recognizing the Need to Delegate
25:08 Hiring for Cultural Fit
25:24 The Importance of Culture
29:43 Challenges and Growth Phases
34:37 Global Expansion and Traditions
40:26 The Madam Founder Podcast
43:19 Conclusion and Contact Information
About Executive Perspective
Executive Perspective features executives and business leaders from a wide variety of sectors. Host Danny Vander Maten and his guests cover industry trends, insights, challenges, success strategies and lessons learned. Executive Perspective is underwritten and presented by Cresa. The show series is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. A complete show archive can be found here.
Executive Perspective
Danny joined Cresa in the Spring of 2016 and brought a diverse background with nearly 10 years of experience in finance, business operations, and strategy to his client’s real estate transactions.
At Cresa, Danny’s primary responsibilities include strategic planning, lease analysis, negotiations, and cost mitigation. As a registered Certified Public Accountant with an active license in the state of Georgia, Danny provides unique financial insight into every critical aspect of the transaction.
Cresa is the world’s most trusted occupier-centric commercial real estate firm. They strategize for the best possible results for occupiers everywhere. Cresa thinks beyond space. Partner without conflict. And apply their integrated expertise to make your business better.
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