When Pam Hare was 21, she moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. And she needed a job. After spending some time working for her brother at a local drive-in, Taco Bell reached out to hire her. “I had never even heard of Taco Bell,” Pam says, admitting that she grew up with Taco Johns. But her small job at Taco Bell was soon to become a career.
“It was something I did every day, and I loved it,” Pam says.
Fast forward 38 years, and today Pam is a Border Foods Region Coach responsible for 28 restaurants and roughly 850 team members. And, she still “loves every minute” of it. So, we caught up with Pam to learn more about what makes her team tick, why she gets up in the morning, and (of course) her favorite item on the menu.
Border: When you think about your team, what’s working?
Pam: Our number one daily focus and desire is to simply be successful. I have a lot of competitive people on my team and they share knowledge, best practices and communicate daily. My team is very geographically diverse. So, to combat that issue, last year we completed a 13-week challenge where general managers paired up with others across states. They had to communicate weekly. Those folks really got to know each other and they’re still talking today.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I’m approachable. No one is afraid to ask a question. There is no stupid question. And, if I’m busy, my team knows they can reach out to one of our amazing area coaches for an answer. There’s nothing we can’t tackle together.
What do you enjoy about your job?
The people. My husband and I chose to not have kids, so my team is really my forever family. Many of them are closer to me than some of my own family. And not just team members. I love to get to know the customers, too, and make them feel important every time they walk through the door. As a Border Foods team member, you don’t realize the impact you have on people’s lives. One smile can make them feel special.
What are you looking forward to in 2019?
I’m excited that Border is thinking about growing and I’m excited about the Upper Peninsula and where they’ve taken their results in the last year. We have such a great team with great knowledge, and we want to continue to share that across the company. We’re ready to welcome new team members and really show them what it means to be part of the Border family.
What’s your Taco Bell order?
Easy. Cheesy Gordita Crunch.
