<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidstever/" rel="nofollow">David Stever</a> is the former CEO and CMO of beloved ice cream brand Ben &amp; Jerry’s. David started with the company back in the early 80’s, working as a tour guide at their factory in Waterbury, Vermont. Over time, David ascended within Ben &amp; Jerry’s, helping to grow the then start-up into an iconic, multinational corporation. Over the course of his decades-long career there, David led marketing initiatives, drove massive brand growth, expanded global market share, and helped facilitate reinvention and product innovation, all while keeping Ben &amp; Jerry’s social mission front and center. He joins Roy to discuss his journey from tour guide to C-Suite, the many learnings he took from founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the profound effect of pursuing a triple bottom line, and much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Highlights from our conversation include:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>David’s initial interest in the ice cream industry and how it evolved into his career (1:32)</li> <li>Working with Ben and Jerry in the early days (3:50)</li> <li>Leadership lessons learned through periods of massive growth and scaling (6:13)</li> <li>David’s strengths and keys to success as Ben &amp; Jerry’s CMO (8:48)</li> <li>What surprised him the most when he transitioned from CMO to CEO (13:48)</li> <li>What it means to do “business as unusual” (15:29)</li> <li>The influence of Ben &amp; Jerry’s blend of activism and commerce on his leadership (18:12)</li> <li>How David defines Ben &amp; Jerry’s unique culture and how he helped sustain it through the years and through acquisition (20:26)</li> <li>Successful hiring throughout Ben &amp; Jerry’s different phases (22:48)</li> <li>Qualities David sought in his top leadership team (27:40)</li> <li>What he believes is often overlooked when assessing prospective talent (28:47)</li> <li>David’s next chapter and what he’s most excited about in looking ahead (31:00)</li> </ul> <p>Visit <a href="https://howihire.com/" rel="nofollow">HowIHire.com</a> for transcripts and more on this episode.</p> <p>Follow Roy Notowitz and Noto Group Executive Search on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/notogroup/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a> for updates and featured career opportunities.</p> <p>Subscribe to <i>How I Hire</i>:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-hire/id1477653356" rel="nofollow">Apple</a></li> <li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7HQxrWSu1iLcFxRiDTIxX4" rel="nofollow">Spotify</a></li> <li><a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ea434992-ddda-4a89-80b0-03196c39c883/How-I-Hire" rel="nofollow">Amazon</a></li> </ul>