General Manager (GM) Lexxy Husted remembers a time when she definitely didn’t want to be the boss at her Taco Bell, our remodeled Allendale, MI restaurant. Today, she’s Allendale’s GM!
I love my people, my job and the opportunities I get from it.
Lexxy Husted, GM
Lexxy ended up on the fast track to leadership at a time when Allendale needed her most and helped us turn a struggling location – with no manager and poor hiring practices –- into a profitable, fully staffed restaurant.
She joined as a crew member in 2021 after serving as manager of the on-campus dining center for her alma mater, nearby Grand Valley State University. She knew her experience in foodservice would serve her well, but didn’t think anything of the job becoming a career.
“I went in and immediately felt comfortable,” she says of joining the Allendale team.
From College to Career Climb
Lexxy’s leadership development didn’t launch in the most conventional of ways. Not too long after joining the Allendale Taco Bell, Lexxy’s mentor and supervisor suffered the first of several strokes. Being a helpful person at heart, Lexxy knew she had to do something.
“I thought, I have to step up and help this woman,” she recounts. ”I’m gonna have to stay here and help her.”
And stay she did! As time went on, Lexxy was encouraged to take the next step in her career. One of her cheerleaders, Area Coach (AC) Connie Horan, knew she had potential and pushed her forward. Six months later, Lexxy was promoted to team trainer.
Whenever I doubt myself, I always have someone in the company that says ‘yes, you can do it.
– Lexxy Husted, GM
It’s at this point, Lexxy says, that she really picked up on Border Foods’ care for its people. Territory Training Leader (TTL) Tranquility “Tran” Devereaux worked closely with her to prepare her for a Shift Leader position; six months later, she was promoted again!
For Lexxy, Tran’s one-on-one training meant a lot – it meant someone “higher up” cared enough to make sure she was getting the proper training needed for her to make a difference at her restaurant.
Allendale went on to become a training store, which Lexxy says gave her the chance to do outreach and train others.
Lexxy was acting like an Assistant General Manager (AGM) long before she received the next promotion. And at two years in, she knew she didn’t want anyone else to come in and take over her Taco Bell!
She thought, I’m going to stay here, and I’m going to keep doing this and get better, she shares. “I’m going to see what I can do to improve everyone’s experience [on] the job.”
[pull quote] “Border Foods is really good at recognizing people for their achievements – picking out the people who are putting in the most effort.”-Lexxy Husted, GM
Caring for the College Crowd
Lexxy ended up in Allendale much like many of her college-aged crew – as a student at Grand Valley. She obtained a degree in psychology and a minor in women, gender and sexuality studies.
I love helping others – it’s who I am as a person.
-Lexxy Husted, GM
She originally wanted to become a therapist for LGBTQ+ teens and go back to school for her masters. But having a friend working at Taco Bell changed that plan!
What Lexxy didn’t anticipate back then was how her college education would impact the team she leads today.
“It has helped me so much,” she says. “A lot of being a manager is understanding the people.”
Lexxy says her team members, several of whom are part of the LGBTQ+ community, know they can talk to her anytime about student life or their class schedules, and she will listen and accept them for who they are.
“A lot of them were already customers,” she says. “They were coming in and seeing: This is a place where I can feel accepted.”
According to Lexxy, the majority of the Allendale team have been with her the past three years; many for all five. They stay through college, sometimes work through the summer, and many continue working at Taco Bell long after graduation.
And what keeps Lexxy around? She’s very attached to her team and enjoys the training piece of her job. In fact, Allendale’s goal is to achieve training location status again.
And we think they can do it! If you’re interested in joining a team with high standards like Allendale, hop over to our job board and check out our open positions.
