From Marketing Intern to CEO: Inside Betsy Hamm’s Leadership Journey | Leadership Backstage

In this episode of Leadership Backstage, we sit down with Betsy Hamm, whose career journey spans from a marketing intern at Hershey to the CEO of Duck Donuts, one of the most beloved franchise brands in the world. Betsy takes us behind the scenes of scaling a family-owned business into an international franchise, navigating rapid growth, maintaining consistency, and leading through major organizational change. She also opens up about the challenges women face in leadership, why strategic planning matters, and how relationships and team culture drive long-term success. From surviving early career mistakes to launching a new business of her own, Betsy shares actionable lessons, candid stories, and leadership insights for anyone navigating growth, franchising, team building, or entrepreneurship. Episode Breakdown00:00 Introduction to Leadership Backstage 00:15 Meet Betsy Hamm: From Roller Coasters to Donuts 00:59 Betsy’s Career Journey: From Marketing to CEO 03:08 The Rise of Duck Donuts: From Local to Global 06:24 Challenges of Franchising & Maintaining Consistency 10:14 Navigating Rapid Growth & Scaling 16:43 Transitioning Leadership & Private Equity 24:40 Working with Founders & Driving Change 29:30 Universal Business Strategies 31:05 Learning from Mistakes 33:09 Proud Moments & Career Highlights 34:48 Launching a New Venture 37:00 Supporting Women in Leadership 46:01 Professional Development & Growth 54:05 Strategic Planning for Business Success 56:49 Closing Thoughts & Contact Info #LeadershipBackstage #BetsyHamm #DuckDonuts #WomenInLeadership #Entrepreneurship #Franchising #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipPodcast #CareerDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CEOInsights #LeadershipJourney