The Love Behind a 22,000 Person Team with Peter Herschend

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast we welcome Peter Herschend. Peter and his brother Jack built one of the largest family entertainment organizations in the world, but their story didn’t start with theme parks, acquisitions, or millions of guests. Peter shares how Silver Dollar City grew from a 5,000-visitor cave operation into a nationwide portfolio of parks and attractions that now serve over 15 million people across over 40 properties. Some of their brands include Dollywood, the Harlem Globetrotters, many resorts, additional theme parks, and more. In this episode, Peter walks through the decisions, values, and convictions that shaped an entire company culture. Peter talks through Christ being at the center, a deep commitment to loving employees, and a long-term view of stewardship that spans generations. Join us as Peter unpacks the principles that have guided decades of leadership, and why servant leadership is the only way to build something that lasts.

Timestamps:

00:00 Opening

00:09 Peter Herschend Intro

01:02 Welcome Peter Herschend

01:31 Peter’s Journey - It Started With A Cave

04:06 Business Opportunity In Marvel Cave

06:57 From Cave To Silver Dollar City

08:15 Building Silver Dollar City

10:38 The First “Board” Meeting

12:48 Moving To More Businesses As A Defensive Measure

16:11 The Rise Of Dollywood

17:56 “I’d Like To Build A Theme Park”

18:48 A Business Meeting With Dolly

21:07 The Size Of Their Brands Today

21:57 Decision Process Behind Acquiring Businesses

23:23 “Who” The Property Is

24:28 How The Property Operates

27:18 Setting Values And A Strategic Plan

28:47 Learn From Your Mistakes

31:00 Importance Of Businesses Knowing Who They Are

32:04 Servant Leadership - Loving Your Team

33:37 A Common Thread - Leaders With A Christ-Like Love

36:20 How Peter And Jack Are Involved Now

38:12 Removing The Steel Ceiling

39:52 Ensuring Long-Term Business Success

42:20 Intentional Relationship Building With The Younger Generations

43:45 Importance of Educating the Younger Generations On Ownership

46:32 From Track Injury To Education Leadership Impact

48:58 Valuing Children’s Education Over Social Issues

50:57 Ten Rapid-Fire Questions

52:44 Importance Of A Servant Leadership Podcast

54:24 Closing

Learn more about the Herschend Family's brands:

https://www.hfecorp.com/

https://www.silverdollarcity.com/

https://www.dollywood.com/

Servant Leadership:

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