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Nothing Bundt Cakes CEO Dolf Berle said that some of the biggest lessons shaping his leadership came long before he reached the C-suite – including from his first job on a dairy farm.
Berle told FOX Business that the “discipline around success routines” he learned through dairy farming still influences how he takes care of himself and runs a business.
“For me, the habit that has made the biggest difference is the discipline around success routines – both in terms of self-care, but also running a business – that came out of my youth in dairy farming,” he said.
Before taking the helm of Nothing Bundt Cakes, Berle held leadership roles at Topgolf, Dave & Buster’s, Lucky Strike Lanes, House of Blues and ClubCorp.
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Berle has earned degrees from Harvard University and the University of Zimbabwe and has won world and national championship medals in pole vault, heptathlon and decathlon. He also competed on “American Ninja Warrior.”
Another lesson that has shaped his leadership is the importance of vulnerability.
“The best piece of career advice that I’ve received is that it’s OK to be vulnerable because people connect through vulnerability,” he said.
Berle said that openness can help leaders better understand and support their teams.
That approach also shapes one responsibility Berle said he prefers not to delegate, which is delivering difficult news.
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“When there’s something very difficult or very hard that needs to be conveyed to a partner or to someone you’re working with, I like to do that myself because I really want to explain why we’re doing what we’re doing,” he said.
“I want to try to be compassionate around the feelings that this may cause for someone, but also be clear about the fact that what we are doing is for the good of the overall business and the team going forward.”
Berle also pushed back on the idea that being a CEO is “glamorous.”
“I think some people think that being a CEO is glamorous, and actually that is not the case,” he said. “It’s a servant role. It’s a role that deals with many of the most difficult things.”
He added, “It’s very meaningful and fulfilling, but I don’t think it’s glamorous.”
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For people looking to enter the food and beverage industry, Berle said two things matter, including finding the right people and finding a business that is growing.
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“First of all, this is a people business, so you need to respect and also enjoy the time with a team,” he said. “And the second one is that I think the most joy comes from being part of a growing business.”
If he weren’t leading Nothing Bundt Cakes, Berle said he’d pursue a very different calling.
“If I were not doing this job, I would try to be the next Mr. Rogers.”
