Bæjarins beztu pylsur (English: The best hot dog in town) often shortened to simply “Bæjarins beztu”, is a popular hot dog stand in central Reykjavík, Iceland. In August 2006, the British newspaper The Guardian selected Bæjarins beztu as the best hot dog stand in Europe. In an interview with Insights Success, the CEO of Bæjarins beztu pylsur, Baldur Ingi Halldórsson has shared few key insights about his organization.
Below are the highlights of the interview between Insights Success and Baldur;
Describe your background and what did you do before you started or came into this business?
I am the 4th generation running the company so before I worked all sorts of jobs but the hot dog business has been something, I’ve taken part in since I was a young kid. My other background has been in owning and operating an internet café in early 2000. And I use to operate a brick layer contractor company and a net cafe before I went full time into the family business. Those experience gave me a good insight into making money and running a company. Another thing that prepared me a lot for doing my job today was working with addicts and alcoholics. Those years taught me a lot about people and people communication what motivates people and what people need to be content in life. Since being a CEO these days requires a lot of communication with different people as in my business a lot of young people who work very differently from my generation and the generation who use to be my boss.
What is your role in the company?
I am the CEO of the company and handle keeping the engine running. I look at the company as an engine and each location we have is a small money-making machine. I like looking at my work as tending to a machine which has ofc other inputs than regular engine’s the inputs usually are inspiration tough love fatherly advice and teaching life lessons.
What are the cutting-edge franchise services/solutions offered by Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur?
We offer a very in-depth teaching of how to make our hot dogs and a personal communication with me. With low employee costs small overhead and low cost for new units it should be possible to grow very fast in a big market.
What people, what books, what life factors have influenced and impacted you?
How to fail at almost anything and still win bigly is a book I am very fond of as well as the power of now teaching you meditation in regular life.
I look at failure as a learning experience and take joy in failing learning and adapting. I often say to my employees when the mess up “That’s great now you’ve learned something and won’t make that mistake again”
What is the operating philosophy that the business has been built on?
Service quality and price! We strive to make the bezt hot dog we can and make a point about not leaving any customer behind! If your dog is not up to your standards, we make you a new one free of charge.
We just want to sell people good hot dogs that’s our number 1 goal!
What are some of the vital attributes, in your opinion, that every leader should possess?
Ego management, using mistakes as a teacher and communication skills.
How do you maintain balance between your professional & personal life?
Wake up very early every day to get in some gym/podcast time for myself. Then I work throughout the day and spend evenings and nights with family. I find time every year a few times a year to take a week or little more off and I spend the time with the family. As well as trying to incorporate family into my hobbies like playing badminton and mountain hiking.
As a CEO/leader, describe a challenge you overcame.
I am 4th generation hot dog sales man. My biggest obstacle in my current job as CEO was to get the company out of my mothers and grandfather’s pockets(mind).
Getting all that knowledge out of their heads and into writing or appropriate format, as well as modernizing the company.
How do you sustain your entrepreneurial/leadership spirit in this changing technological era?
I am young and grew up in the computer era so I don’t see this as changing more like things are finally coming technology wise that I’ve been waiting for since I was young.
For example, since we have a lot of young employees communicating with them via “messenger or other online messenger apps” results in better communication and more clarity and ofc history of communication. I find it that I can better communicate with the younger generation that way rather than phone calls or face 2 face talking.
Hiking mountains alone gives me enthusiasm and strength and doing it more and better than most gives me a lot of enthusiasm for being a leader.
Baldur Ingi Halldórsson | CEO | Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
