Dairy Queen CEO Troy Bader says the job interview with Berkshire Hathaway Inc. BRK BRK CEO Warren Buffett that landed him the top seat at the Blizzard maker felt less like a cross-examination and more like a seminar on curiosity.
What Happened: Warren Buffett "was just the opposite" of arrogant, Bader recalls in an interview with Business Insider, grilling him for lessons Buffett could borrow.
"It was the fall of 2017, I'll never forget the day… I was very anxious going in," Bader said, wondering which "questions" Buffett might lob that he'd "never even thought about." "From Warren it was just the opposite," Bader added. Instead of chest-thumping, Buffett spent "the first 15 or 20 minutes" probing a niche Bader knew well for another deal.
"Warren is a constant learner. He wants to know what you know and what he can learn from you." Buffett drilled into Dairy Queen's future and Bader's love for it, “digging for something more, that energy, that passion, that connection to the business.”
Bader's first takeaway: "Anybody you meet, I don't care who they are — they know something you don't.” The second: even the “smartest person in the world” can be outperformed by “somebody who has that passion.”
Buffett snapped up Dairy Queen for about $585 million in 1997, joking he brought a "modicum of product expertise" as a Blizzard devotee. Today, the chain licenses more than 7,700 restaurants across 20-plus countries. While Dairy Queen is barely a slice of Berkshire Hathaway, Bader said Buffett “is actually paying attention to every business… This is his life, this is who he is.”
Why It Matters: With Berkshire's 94-year-old chief stepping aside at year-end, Bader's encounter offers a peek at how the Oracle screens for passion and ethics in the sprawling empire.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates earlier shared a story of when he joined Buffett on a hands-on Dairy Queen shift—operating the register, greeting customers and perfecting the Blizzard's trademark upside-down presentation. Gates praised Buffett's habit of defying convention, from investing in beloved brands to starting his mornings with Oreos and ice cream.
Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings gives Berkshire Hathaway’s Class-A shares a Growth score of 91.32% and a steady Momentum of 82.05%. Check to see how BRK’s Class-B shares compare.
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