Eric Schiffer: Hollywood Socialite and Wonder Guy
Eric Schiffer has been referred to in many circles as one of the top entrepreneurs in the U.S. What else can be assumed about a businessman who found a way to quintuple his company’s revenue by buying 30,000 domain names and developing 1,500 to 2,000 sites per month? SEO techniques, Schiffer said, helped put the numbers over the top.
Many media sources also have labeled Schiffer a socialite. He has been seen with celebrity friends like Paris Hilton, Lance Bass and Corbin Bernstein. An actor in his own right, Schiffer appeared in the 1996 film “Gentlemen’s Club,” in which a woman turned the tables on three wealthy friends who form a club devoted to pleasure-seeking.
Schiffer’s corporate career involves some major shaping of small businesses. Since January 1, 2005, he has been the CEO and Assistant Corporate Secretary of 99¢ Only Stores. He has been with the company since 1991. A graduate of Duke University (BS in engineering) and Harvard Business School (MBA), he worked for the venture capital firm Oxford Partners from 1987 to 1991.
It is clear that Schiffer is able to wear many hats well. On top of all his other accomplishments, he is a best-selling author. Schiffer wrote the book “Emotionally Charged Learning: Secrets to Competitive Advantages for the Second Half of the Knowledge/Entertainment-Based Economy.” The book is about how to approach the learning process as an emotionally driven act. It has been described by one reviewer as “…one of those rare books” that gives the reader important research findings, and then tells the reader “in a clear, concise and compelling manner” how to apply that research to transform any company.
The publication of this book should come as no surprise to those who know that research is what drives Schiffer. He dedicates a lot of time (three to six years, sometimes) to research projects whose findings he later translates into books or speeches. He is considered a thought leader because he shares this kind of information with executives across the country. They use his research to create valuable learning tools for their own companies and organizations. Schiffer is also a member of Mensa.
It is rare to encounter a person who can wear so many hats so seamlessly. Schiffer can hang out with all the A-list names in Hollywood and still find time to generate ideas that transform the world. He gives new meaning to what it means to multitask.