Nearly four years after taking the top spot at Durham's Spoonflower, Michael Jones is leaving.
Jones, who led the custom fabric maker through its 2021 acquisition by Shutterfly, announced his departure on LinkedIn Thursday. He's been senior vice president and chief consumer officer since January.
Jones was replaced as vice president and general manager of Spoonflower by George Goeth-Chi Chao earlier this year.
“As many leaders know, when you decide it is time to move on from a company that you love so much, you always worry about who you can hand it off to that will make sure it continues to thrive,” Jones posted, adding that Chao, with his background in e-commerce and manufacturing, was the right person for the job.
Jones said that when he took the Spoonflower job, he had no idea how impactful the next four years would be.
“I never imagined we would survive and thrive during the Covid-19 pandemic, that we would help artists, makers, DIYers and interior designers continue to monetize their incredible talents, have the company acquired by Shutterfly and nearly triple revenue,” Jones wrote. “It has truly been one of the most important chapters of my life that I will always cherish.”
Jones told the Triangle Business Journal he had always planned to stay two years post-acquisition.Up next, he’d like to spend more time with his children.
He’d also like to devote more time to ventures like the Triangle Tweener Fund and Bull City Venture Partners “and help where I can.”Jones serves as a limited partner in both firms.
“Beyond that, I am going to help my wife with carpools, homework, college applications and just chill,” he said.
Spoonflower did not return a request to comment for this story.
Spoonflower was founded by Gart Davis and Stephen Fraser in 2008. It grew to be a platform where artists could earn commission by creating designs to be digitally printed on fabric, wallpaper and home décor.
Jones, a veteran of eBay and ChannelAdvisor, joined as CEO in early 2020. In 2021, Spoonflower was bought out by Shutterfly for $225 million.
Earlier this year, the fabric maker announced it would close its new production facility on Alston Avenue, a move that meant more than 100 layoffs. Shutterfly told TBJ it planned to maintain a Durham office, though it would be shifting production to facilities in South Carolina and Arizona.
