February 15, 2024
This paid production is sponsored by the Prairie Family Business Association.
Duck Commander's dynamic and affable CEO, Willie Robertson, is more than just a TV personality, he's a living success story.
From humble beginnings in the Louisiana bayou to fame on the hit reality show “Duck Dynasty,” Robertson's journey is one of faith in God, hard work, perseverance, and the strength to stay true to his roots. This is a moving testimony. .
Mr. Robertson will share his family business success story this spring in Sioux Falls at the Prairie Family Business Association's 32nd Annual Family Business Conference.
The April 17th and 18th conferences are sold out for in-person attendance, but there is an option to attend virtually.
“We are thrilled to welcome Willie Robertson and for our family to learn from his incredible story,” said Prairie Family Business Association Executive Director Stephanie Larscheid. Ta.
“Our conference has a reputation for being the kind of event that families come to every year, and speakers of this caliber are a big reason why.”
With his unique Southern charm and unmistakable beard, Robertson captivates audiences with his story of growing a small family business into a multi-million dollar empire. Currently, he runs the business with his wife Cory and his entire family. He shares the secrets of his success, from overcoming obstacles in the business world to embracing the values of faith, family, and freedom that have always guided him.
“It's always fun going to Sioux Falls, we're going to have a good time together,” Robertson said.
We interviewed him to get a preview of what to expect from his appearance at the conference.
What are your first memories growing up in your family business?
I think I did all that work on Duck Commander. I actually started my own business when I was in the fifth grade, which played a big role in me becoming a CEO decades later.
What made you decide to join the family business? Was that always your intention, or were you thinking of going in a different direction?
I never thought of myself as working for the family business. When I was in my 20s, I led a Christian youth camp. I had no intention of going back and working for my father. But around age 30, I looked at it from a completely different perspective and knew I could grow. I went to see my dad and ended up becoming the leader of the company.
Duck Commander was obviously a very different business when you started working there. And you helped make it grow significantly. What do you think is the biggest factor in your success?
There is no doubt that the effort was the best. We didn't rush things. We took our time and let it happen. We weren't trying to go too fast. A big factor for me was technology. Technology is changing and we thought online would be a big thing for us. I helped them transition to an online presence and it was a huge change. I developed relationships with many important people along the way. We learned early on about building a brand image. Even before “Duck Dynasty,” entertainment was a big focus to drive product sales.
Few family-run businesses have experience appearing on reality TV. Why did you decide to adopt this concept? And how do you think it helped you build your business and family?
The reality show was my wife's idea. She watched reality TV and thought it would make a great show. Before the show was actually made, almost none of us believed it. And my wife was right and I was wrong. This is not unusual. “Duck Dynasty” had a huge impact on our business and family. It has been a crazy journey, but it has opened many doors for my family and business that I would not have opened otherwise. We have focused on staying grounded and putting our beliefs first.
How closely do you work with your family to continue your business? Are there any strategies you employ to balance business and family?
We remain close as a big family, but we all have different things going on now. The show gave me many of those opportunities. A lot of it has to do with our greatest commonality: faith. To be honest, I don't really think about balance. Achieving truly great things in life sometimes requires an imbalance.
You also have a third generation working in the business. What do you think helped you in your efforts to transition and integrate them into the company?
Everything will start over again. They didn't grow up with the same challenges that I did, so they might have a little less of a hunger to really succeed. The next generation may be given better opportunities, but success will never be given to us. The principle is the same. Hard work, relationships, etc. I love that all the kids have different talents. The trick is learning to work together as a family and business.
What will you be sharing with the audience at the Prairie Family Business Annual Conference? What do you hope they will take away from it?
I'll tell you our story. Let's talk humorously. Anyone who knows our family knows that we often joke. We love having fun. I will also tell you that without faith, everything we have would not have been possible because our family was almost completely separated. There's a movie that just came out called “The Blind” that shows where we come from and where we're going. If that had happened, there would have been no business and no family.
Register now for the 32nd Annual Family Business Conference and click here to learn more.
