How Identity Has Influenced a President at Nature's Wild Berry's Career
Hank's most impactful WP Carey experience wasn't academic, but rather the development of "social ability"—learning to create inclusive, memorable events, like the "rager" parties held every five weeks, where "every party had to be better than the last one." This ability to foster fun and connection translates directly into Hank's current success at Nature's Wild Berry, bringing "that energy" to work and ensuring "we're all included."
Networking, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Social Skills, Teamwork
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Hank Watt
President
Nature's Wild Berry
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
NA
Business & Related, Finance
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Strategic Management and Executive
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. The fundamentals of finance and economics were impactful in shaping his career path, even though he didn't pursue a finance career.
2. His social skills and ability to create a positive and inclusive environment were developed during his time at WP Carey and are now applied in his professional life.
3. The experience of organizing large-scale events and parties taught him how to create memorable experiences and foster a sense of community
Transcript
What was the most impactful experience during your time at WP Carey?
WP Carey is a phenomenal school. I remember professors talking about LTP, that if you want a product to sell, all you need to do is lower the price. This was built into my mission statement for Nature's Wildberry.
Understanding economics and the fundamentals of finance helped me understand why I didn't want to pursue a finance career path for myself, even though I got a degree in finance. But if I'm being totally honest, what impacted me the most going through ASU and WP Carey was my social ability.
They taught me how to have a great time. Every five weeks, we could throw a huge party. Even if the cops came, they wouldn't be able to do anything because that was the rule. We had a network where everyone would throw a party every other night, rotating from one person's house to another.
We made it a rule that every party had to be better than the last. This meant things like getting jacuzzis craned over our house, or having casino nights where guys wore ties and girls dressed to impress. We even had valet, the whole thing.
It was about making people feel like they could have fun around us. Bringing that party, that energy, to my work and to the people around me made me feel like we were all included.
Advizer Personal Links
Linktr.ee/natureswildberry