It’s not often love brings people to MarketSource, but such is the case for Ken Wardle, whose fiancée Karen recommended he explore a career at MarketSource three years ago…and the rest is history. We’re glad she did because he has a wealth of knowledge drawn from a unique and fascinating career. In fact, in his short time here, he has already been promoted twice.
“Being able to foster growth opportunities for others has been a driving force in my career.”
Before joining MarketSource, Ken spent 20 years in the restaurant business, working his way up from an hourly position to new restaurant opener—the latter of which saw him opening 13 restaurants across the U.S., as well as one in Egypt and another in South Korea. “Opening new restaurants and training the staff really shaped my approach to serving others,” he explains. “Taking a group of people who knew very little about the brand and helping them become a fully functioning restaurant staff will always hold a special place in my heart.” He eventually turned this skill into a management career, learning all facets of the business from front- to back-of-house.
At MarketSource, Ken works as a launch recruiter for our retail business, connecting great people with great opportunities. “As part of the launch team, I help staff all new retail programs and assist with any expansions or overflow when needed,” he says. “Helping people find new opportunities—as well as training and developing them—has been a passion of mine since my time in the restaurant business. Being able to foster growth opportunities for others has been a driving force in my career.”
In fact, one of his favorite parts about being on the launch team is the opportunity to tackle new programs and challenges. He also credits being in an industry where he can provide a service that plays a part in improving someone’s life as a key factor that fulfills him daily.
Curiosity has also served Ken well throughout his career. During his time in the restaurant industry, his former general manager and mentor taught him to look at each situation differently and customize his approach. He uses that skill to build relationships with applicants: “You have to learn about each individual, what drives them, and what their goals are. It’s important to find someone’s ‘why’ and use that information to help them get to where they want to be.”
Ken’s “why” includes continuous improvement and learning. When the commercial side of our business was looking for assistance in launching a major program, he immediately volunteered. For four months, his ability to adapt allowed him to successfully assist his colleagues and then seamlessly jump right back into being a top performer in his original role.
“The best advice I’ve ever received was from an old friend who told me that there is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone.”
When asked for some general lessons he has learned in his career that might be helpful for others, Ken says, “Set goals and know what you need to do to achieve them. While long-term goals are important, I believe it’s even more important to set short-term goals that you can continuously work toward achieving. Know that no matter how experienced you are, there is always more to learn and someone who has more knowledge or a different perspective than you. Strive to continue to grow and be willing to change as the business evolves. The best advice I’ve ever received was from an old friend who told me that there is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone.”
#GrowthMindset #MarketSourceStrong