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Stephen Lease, ’16

Stephen Lease is an entrepreneur, explorer and professional disruptor. After playing it safe — and failing at his first five companies — he decided to change things up and has been challenging the status quo ever since.

As the CEO and co-founder of goodr, he has built the company into one of the world’s largest independent eyewear brands. goodr is anchored in fun, authenticity and accessibility, delivering high-performance and fashionable products at unapologetically affordable prices. He operates from a simple belief: Everyone deserves to look good and feel great.

Over the past decade, he has led the strategic vision and direction of the brand, which continues to take goodr to new heights. But more than growth and scale, Lease is focused on how great work gets done, building a next-level team and culture rooted in professionalism, creativity and the courage to move forward without all the answers.

Lease is also known for running the Grand Canyon, playing golf barefoot and developing a reputation for ideas that are equal parts inspiring and mildly concerning to his leadership team.

Today, he continues to believe that life is a journey, business is an adventure, and if you want to see change in the world, it’s up to you. Because life comes from you, not at you.

He is honored to be back at ÍøÆسԹÏ, where he first began figuring out what he didn’t know — and is excited to confirm that the process never really stops.