Seek Opportunities Where the Lines Aren’t Long: Interview with Kevin Sherman, CEO of Tractor Beverage Co.
I recently went one-on-one with Kevin Sherman, CEO of Tractor Beverage Co.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Kevin: My leadership at Tractor Beverage Co. stems from a background of humble origins and family resilience. Growing up in a family led by a hardworking Cuban immigrant mother, we faced financial struggles and health challenges, yet were united in our efforts to overcome them. Early work, starting with a job as a dishwasher, taught me the value of perseverance, respect for the service sector, and empathy towards its workers. These foundational experiences, combined with my exposure to socio-economic disparities through various roles—from work with the Apache Nation to educational leadership in LA—shaped my understanding of service and leadership. This journey, marked by a deep connection to community and a drive to address inequalities in food access, ignited my passion to ensure that organic, nutritious food is a right for all, not a privilege. My path to Tractor was shaped not by a single epiphany but by a life full of lessons in the value of accessible, healthy food, guiding our mission to transform the food and beverage industry.
Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?
Kevin: The essential steps to growing and scaling a business revolve significantly around trust and humility. Launching a new venture demands immense trust—not just in your vision but also in the people you choose to bring it to life. It's crucial to find partners or team members whom you trust implicitly to execute your vision. Equally important is the humility to recognize when it's time to step aside and let others lead. This combination ensures that a great idea doesn't just remain a dream but transforms into a successful reality. The challenge many entrepreneurs face is balancing the role of a visionary with that of an executor. Both qualities are indispensable for a business to grow and scale effectively.
Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Kevin: Effective leadership is a complex blend of visionary courage, inclusivity, intuitive decision-making, a willingness to embrace risk and failure, and a purpose-driven approach. Effective leaders challenge the status quo by staying confident in their mission. They prioritize building a team of diverse thinkers to avoid echo chambers, enrich strategies, and propel the organization toward its maximum potential.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Kevin: Prioritize ongoing education, actively solicit constructive criticism, and tackle new challenges head-on. Personal development, achieved through attending workshops, seeking mentorships, and broadening one's network, is crucial for gaining new perspectives and techniques. Developing emotional intelligence and adopting a mindset focused on growth is key to effectively managing relationships and creating a supportive team environment. Moreover, mastering the art of active listening and setting a strong example in behavior and ethics can build trust and inspire your team. By dedicating themselves to these practices, leaders can significantly boost their leadership quality and contribute to their organization's success.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Kevin:
Trust your instincts and embrace risk. As an entrepreneur, your intuition is a powerful guide. Trust in your gut feelings and move beyond any doubts by focusing on your passion. Recognize that mistakes and risks are not just inevitable but essential for fostering innovation and driving progress. Allow yourself the freedom to experiment and the grace to learn from every outcome. This openness to exploration and learning will not only fuel your journey but also pave the path for breakthroughs and success. Remember, the greatest achievements often come from stepping into the unknown and trusting your inner vision.
Cultivate courage to conquer the giants. In the competitive arena of the food and beverage industry, courage is not just a virtue—it's a necessity. This field is notoriously tough, dominated by a few large companies that won't hesitate to use their resources to maintain their market share. As an entrepreneur aiming to break into this industry, you must be prepared to face these giants with bravery. Remember, courage inspires your team, and it embodies essential virtues like prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice, all of which are critical to your business's success. The story of David and Goliath isn't just a tale; it's a reminder that courage, combined with strategic thinking and moral integrity, can lead to victory against the most daunting opponents. Let courage be the driving force behind your venture, and watch as it paves the way for innovation and market disruption.
Clearly define your leadership vision and company mission. As an entrepreneur, it's essential to establish two clear destinations: your personal leadership journey and your company's overarching mission. Your leadership vision should be transparent, reflecting the core values and principles that guide your decisions and actions. This clarity allows your team to understand and trust in your leadership, recognizing the fundamental beliefs that drive the company forward. It's about more than just generating profit; it's about valuing each team member's contribution and growth, sometimes even beyond the confines of your company. Encouraging your team to pursue their highest potential, even if it leads them elsewhere, demonstrates a genuine investment in their well-being and fosters a culture of trust and empowerment.
Equally critical is articulating your company's mission. This overarching vision provides the direction and purpose behind every effort, ensuring everyone is aligned and motivated towards a common goal. For instance, at Tractor, our mission to revolutionize the food service beverage industry by eliminating harmful chemicals through organic farming is the compass that guides our strategies and operations. This shared destination not only inspires our team but also drives our decision to become an employee-owned company, making our collective mission personal and enhancing our commitment to change. Remember, a well-defined mission and a leadership vision rooted in genuine care for your team's interests are powerful tools in building a successful, aligned, and motivated organization.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Kevin: For team management, clarity in values and mission is essential. Communicate your principles to build trust and guide your team. Make sure the company's objectives are transparent and understood by all, aligning team efforts toward common goals. Support team members' growth, even considering paths outside the organization, to encourage empowerment. Adopting an employee ownership model, like we did at Tractor, can further harmonize individual and company aspirations, deepening engagement and ownership. Ultimately, leading teams effectively revolves around providing clear guidance, ensuring mutual respect, and promoting a sense of collective ownership.
Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing, and branding?
Kevin: To effectively build and market your brand, start by leveraging your unique story and mission, just as Tractor Beverage Co. did with its farmer-founded roots and commitment to creating a healthier planet. This approach not only distinguishes your brand but also fosters a deeper connection with your audience, reinforcing your dedication to impactful change. Focus on ensuring that your products reflect your brand's values. This is crucial for building trust and credibility in a crowded market.
Further, embrace your role as a challenger within the industry, using this position to innovate and differentiate your brand from established giants. Direct engagement with your audience through diverse advertising channels, like Tractor's national ad campaign, can significantly expand your reach and influence. Strategic partnerships with like-minded businesses can further extend your brand's visibility and appeal. By continuously seeking innovative ways to challenge the status quo and by prioritizing product integrity and mission-focused messaging, entrepreneurs can navigate competitive landscapes successfully and create a lasting impact.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Kevin: The best piece of advice I've ever received came from Dr. Grady Spires, my college philosophy professor. As I was contemplating my future after graduation, he advised, "Seek opportunities where the lines aren’t long. That’s where you can truly make a profound impact." This wisdom has since become my guiding principle. Following this advice, I chose paths less traveled, such as teaching on the Apache reservation, participating in missions in Uganda and Tanzania, and eventually becoming a principal and founding a literacy/mentoring center for latchkey children in South Central Los Angeles. These choices led me to roles that were not crowded with contenders but were rich with opportunities for significant impact. Embracing these unorthodox and challenging opportunities has taught me invaluable lessons and allowed me to contribute meaningfully, affirming that true fulfillment and growth often lie beyond the conventional comfort zones.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Kevin: Leveraging business and financial success to drive positive change, especially in reducing the gap in access to nutritious foods and beverages, is a deeply personal mission for me. My ultimate goal is to diminish the socioeconomic barriers that dictate who gets to eat healthily and who does not. It's about creating an environment where healthy eating isn't a luxury for the affluent or confined to specific zip codes, but a universal standard accessible to all. Ultimately, I dream of a world where we can all sit down together, regardless of our economic status, and enjoy the wealth of health that comes from real, wholesome food and beverages.
Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.
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