Building Hobby Lobby's Legacy—One Leader at a Time | Mart Green
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What are the early mistakes in hiring?
Yeah, I'd say early mistakes that I learned was sometimes I knew that I didn't have the right person, but I kept just hoping it would work out, making that hard decision to sell somebody a different career. So I would say early on I did not let people go as early as I should have, even though I knew I'd hired wrong because I was learning how to hire. So obviously my skills weren't too good at doing that in the beginning. I learned through the process that actually it's a double negative. One, I'm hiring somebody that I don't need, is not able to do the job. And two, they're not getting ready to go to their next opportunity.
Hey, it's great to have you back for another episode of the Leadership Podcast. And today, I have a guest that is going to encourage you, equip you, and inspire you in a massive way. I want to tell you about my very good friend, Mark Green, who is the founder of Bardell Christian and Education Supply with over 40 locations and over 800 employees. Mart is the Ministry Investment Officer of Hobby Lobby, a business started by his family with over 1,000 stores across the United States. He is one of the most successful business leaders truly that I know anywhere in the world and one of the biggest forces for good, making a difference in the world. Mart has a new book out called Learning to be Loved. I'll show you the book if you're watching.
It's a great book, the everyday believer's guide to a rich relationship with God. Outside of all these business and ministry accomplishments, this is one of the most humble men that I know, one of the most generous men alive today. and full of integrity. It's an honor to have you on. Mart, on one hand, I've got five trusted voices that I call when I need good advice, and you are on that hand as one of the five top most trusted voices. And so I'm really excited to introduce you to our leadership community. Welcome aboard.
Well, thank you, Craig. And you've given me a lot of advice in my life. So I have less than five I get that from.
Well, maybe I've given you advice before you ask, and that's one of my weaknesses. But I'm really glad to have you on, and I want to hear a lot of your story. But one of the things I like to ask early on, because it's interesting to hear from our guests – Was there a time in your life, maybe early on, before you had any of the success that you see that you recognize, oh, wait a minute, maybe I have some leadership gifts or the ability to make a difference in people's life? Do you remember the first time you recognized that?
Yeah, that'd probably be when I was 19. And the situation was Hobby Lobby did start in our home. I was nine years old when my dad went and borrowed $600. And so when you borrow $600, you got to use child labor and free labor. And so mom was free labor and we were the child labor. So we glued frames for seven cents each. And this is how Hobby Lobby grow slowly, one store at a time. And I was actually at college and I called my dad one time and I was just talking to my dad was an entrepreneur. He talked about open a barbecue stand and different things. And none of that was interesting to me, but he talked about Christian bookstores. And so I called him back a week later. So are you really going to do that someday? He says, well, if you'll come home, I'll help you get a loan.
So I was going to college. He wasn't helped paying for it. So I was going to semester, working a semester. So I'll just go home next semester. I'll work and I'll try this thing. So when you're 19 and you start a new business, you realize everybody's looking to you for all the questions, all the answers. It's not always easy because they're looking for the boss. When I didn't give the answer they wanted, when somebody come in, they didn't get the answer they wanted, well, I want to meet your boss. And I'm like, well, I'm the top of the list. I am the leader.
How did Mart Green recognize his leadership gifts?
So we've had a lot of meals together, spent a lot of time together. I did not realize you were 19.
Yeah, yeah. So that's why I said a little bit crazy. So I came home. I have no clue what I was doing. I learned a little bit from my dad, obviously.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What are the early mistakes in hiring?
0:00–3:38
2
How did Mart Green recognize his leadership gifts?
3:38–9:22
3
What is the importance of empowering people?
9:22
4
How to deal with underperformance in the workplace?
8:36–12:38
5
What were some early successes in building Hobby Lobby?
12:38–20:09
6
How does Mart Green continue to grow personally and professionally?
20:09–26:21
7
What is the significance of maintaining relationships?
26:21–31:10
8
How does Mart Green define himself as a leader?
31:10–56:01
Speakers
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