---
title: Mitzi Perdue, Transformational Leadership Lessons Learned In Life
description: Mitzi Perdue saw Transformational Leadership up close and personal as the daughter of the co-founder of Sheraton Hotels and the wife of Frank Perdue.
image: https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-33090487.jpg
---
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Oct 20, 2020
# Mitzi Perdue, Transformational Leadership Lessons Learned In Life
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
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## Inspire your people to go the extra mile
**. **
---
---
***[\[ LISTEN NOW ON APPLE PODCASTS \]](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-whisperer-wes-schaeffer-hosts-the-sales-podcast/id655310847?mt=2)***
## **[Transformational Leadership Tips](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/meetings/wes15)** you'll learn today on **[The Sales Podcast](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)**...
- Daughter of the co-founder of Sheraton Hotels
- Wife of Frank Perdue, Perdue Farms
- His greatest deficit became his greatest asset
- Frank Perdue was actually shy
- His dad had him selling feed corn to overcome his shyness
- Known as the "marketing icon of the world"
- How to choose an ad agency
- Studied advertising and interviewed 60 agencies
- It was hard to differentiate a commodity
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKJsN2DPesL%2BSx5rDkcXlsdEnbLfm%2BN9P%2Bg%2Fjc8LzZRm3R6R%2FipC0VrCtxaGhlnFIu%2FbDmZJlWmHKIEbRh8MfA%2BUHo7RU7vy3LI1tvGDsHcye1z4iNB2QHC0%2Ba3S4Wnu%2FAevWDa%2BoQW%2Bm25o3k8mWoZoZgYxZ%2BkllIBWycvEJ3hzUtinkYG&webInteractiveContentId=178194433547&portalId=443614)
- His competitors could say everything he could say about his chickens
- His agency said he needed to be the face of the brand
> Success in life depends on other people."
- Frank Perdue spent hours practicing his lines
- He would "give to the camera"
- Frank was great at inspiring his staff to go the extra mile and stay with him for life
- He knew the names of the frontline workers and their stories
- He was an egalitarian
- Mitzi was big into hospitality and wanted to entertain every employee at the company—16,000—but have them over 100 at a time, three times a month, for 17 years
- William James,...
> The deepest principle of human nature is the craving for appreciation."
- Frank Perdue served at the buffet line to demonstrate and live servant leadership
- Invited farmers and vendors and suppliers to dinner
- Ernest Henderson was known for not sticking with things and he "sucked" at human relations
- Success in life depends on other people
- He read "[How to Win Friends and Influence People](https://amzn.to/343pILb)"
- He became a student of human nature
- "Inspire, don't require."
- Ernest Henderson started buying hotels during the Great Depression
- He would reassure his employees
- The first investment in his new hotels was behind the scenes to support his staff
- Ernest Henderson was 40 in 1937 when he bought his first hotel
- He knew German, French, and Italy and was in the import/export business
- He would buy cameras and equipment after WWI at a great exchange rate
- He and his brother and college roommate pooled their funds to make the first purchase
- She started "Win This Fight" to combat human trafficking
- [Mark Victor Hansen](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/mark-victor-hansen) loves this cause
- Give yourself at least an hour of downtime to rest and reset your mind and body during stressful times
- Stress hormones can shorten your life
- A trafficker with five girls in his "stable" can earn $1,000,000 tax-free
- Law enforcement needs more resources to stop these sex traffickers
## Links Mentioned In [The Sales Podcast](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)
- Get her book at [Mitzi Perdue](https://mitziperdue.com/)
- Get her book, "How To Be Up In Down Times"
- Help Mitzi Perdue fight human trafficking at "[Win This Fight](https://www.winthisfight.org/)"
- Get Frank Perdue's book, "[Tough Man, Tender Chicken: Business and Life Lessons from Frank Perdue](https://amzn.to/347m1UM)"
- [Leadership lessons from Hurricane Harvey](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/hurricane-harvey-leadership)
[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)
## Related posts
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## [The Best Persuasive Techniques Include Leading With This](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/persuasive-techniques-to-get-what-you-want-offer-value-first)
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
Jun 13, 2025
(Hint: You've been taught—and taught by—the most persuasive techniques since you were a baby.) The...
[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/persuasive-techniques-to-get-what-you-want-offer-value-first)
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/mike-mark)
[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)
## [Learn the 'Hollywood Sales Method' With Mike Mark](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/mike-mark)
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
Oct 19, 2019
Hire Top Sales Talent With This Process
[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/mike-mark)
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-sales-podcast-episodes-11-20)
[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast), [Email Marketing Best Practices](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/email-marketing-best-practices), [Marketing Automation](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/marketing-automation), [Digital Marketing](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/digital-marketing), [Entrepreneur](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/entrepreneur)
## [The Sales Podcast Episodes 11-20 | Amy Porterfield, Jill Konrath...](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-sales-podcast-episodes-11-20)
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
Jun 02, 2019
Episode 11: Amy Porterfield Episode 12: Pamela Slim Episode 13: Kelly Perdew Episode 14: Barbara...
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