Yahoo Finance From Minimum Wage to CEO: How My First Job Paved the Way for Financial Success
When starting a minimum-wage job, it’s hard to imagine yourself as financially successful. However, climbing the corporate ladder from an entry-level role to CEO might not be as unrealistic as it seems. Jeff Flowers, CEO of Swensons Drive-In Restaurants, a drive-in restaurant chain located primarily in Ohio, has been leading the company for almost 10 years.
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His work with the company has origins dating back to 2001. “Like a lot of young people in the Akron area, the first thing I did once I was enrolled at the University of Akron was go get a job at Swensons as a curb server,” said Flowers.
At that time, the minimum wage for servers in Ohio was a little over $2 per hour, he said. And while he made closer to around $10-$15 per hour with tips, it wasn’t the money that persuaded Flowers to stick with the company after he graduated college. With a mechanical engineering degree, Flowers had to choose between taking an entry-level engineering job or an entry-level management position at Swensons.
He opted for Swensons, working night shifts as an assistant manager. “It certainly was not a step right from curb server into the executive suite,” he said. However, with patience and dedication, Flowers climbed his way from assistant manager to general manager, then to district manager, vice president and finally CEO.
He could also draw upon skills he learned in college, despite not formally entering the engineering field. “I think engineering really helped impress upon me problem-solving. And, whether that be problem-solving in the engineering field, or problem-solving selling burgers, fries and milkshakes, problems are problems,” said Flowers.
“You need to be able to really take a step back and be able to determine how to assess the issue, get down to the root cause, and solve the problem instead of spending a lot of time chasing around symptoms of the underlying issue.”
While not a requirement for financial success, Flowers’ story highlights the value a college degree can provide, even if you change direction. “There were certainly periods of time during my college career that I said, ‘You know what, I really like this place Swenson’s, I think this is something I want to do long term.’ And I could have just quit school, but having that dedication to see it through was very important for me,” he said.
His work as a curb server also helps him in his work as a CEO today. To start, he said he gained an appreciation for what it takes to deliver a great experience. He also draws from his experience to create more practical ideas for the business overall.
“It’s easy to sit in the corporate ivory tower and come up with great ideas,” he said. “But if it can’t be executed or if it’s not going to improve the guest experience, then, it’s just not worth it,” he said.
The takeaway from Flowers’ story is this: if you currently work a minimum or low-wage entry-level job, don’t feel like you’re wasting your time. You could be learning valuable skills that help your career and finances later. And even if you’re not planning to work for that company beyond your current role, you can apply learned skills in areas like problem-solving and communication to work that pays more.
“I certainly wouldn’t have told you 20 years ago that I would have worked my way up through every level of the organization,” said Flowers. “But I love this brand. I love the people that I work with. I love what I do. And thus far, that’s been very successful for me.
“Follow your passion and the paycheck will follow,” said Flowers.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: From Minimum Wage to CEO: How My First Job Paved the Way for Financial Success
