When Sunset Station General Manager Bryan Lindsey heard many students at Hollingsworth Elementary were homeless and hungry, he came up with a plan to help. He started a campaign, “Jeans and Jerseys,” that allows Station employees to wear jeans and football jerseys on game days if they donate money to the school. The program is one of the many ways Lindsey is trying to bring community service front and center at Sunset Station and instill a sense of pride and camaraderie in workers.
What is the best business advice you’ve received?
The best business advice I ever received was from Station Casinos’ founder, Frank Fertitta Jr. Eighteen years ago, he and I were walking the gaming floor at Palace Station. I was amazed at how friendly all the dealers and team members were. I commented on how everyone was so happy, and he said to me, “Every one of our team members is like family. When they are treated with dignity and respect, and they have the opportunity to express their ideas and opinions to us directly, it immediately improves their belief in you, the company grows and so does your guest loyalty.” I will always remember that moment.
Explain the Smart Start program.
Smart Start is a 14-year-old community partnership among Station Casinos, the Clark County School District and the Public Education Foundation to provide financial support, volunteers and needed resources for 10 at-risk elementary schools. Each Station Casinos property is paired with a school where team members volunteer for back-to-school supply drives, serve as homework helpers, host teacher-appreciation events and much more.
Sunset Station partners with Hollingsworth Elementary, but I’ve been lucky to be involved with a variety of other schools, too. I have always been a firm believer in giving my time and resources to help local schools and charitable organizations.
It’s important to me to include all team members, and we encourage everyone to participate. To me, there is more power in our team when we create an environment of inclusion.
What can others in the community do to help?
There is a big need for simple things: school supplies, books, canned food, clothing. Some of these schools need as much help as they can get.
We have done winter clothing drives, shoe drives, food drives, Reading Week, Thanksgiving dinners for families, Christmas gifts for every classroom. My favorite event is one we do with the management team every year around Christmas. We build bicycles for the 12 top scholastic achievers from each grade, and we present them with a brand new bike and helmet.
It’s a great team-building exercise, but even more so, it is incredibly rewarding and amazing to see the children’s faces light up.
Businesses can be the conduit to bringing the community together and serving in a much larger capacity. From team member incentives for donating to organizing a canned food drive dropoff, the possibilities are endless and very rewarding.
If you could change one thing about Las Vegas, what would it be?
Since my family and I moved here in 2000, it has been an amazing ride. But if I could change one thing, it would be the traffic. It has gotten better recently, but we have a long way to go.
What are you reading?
I am re-reading “Leadership from the Inside Out,” by Kevin Cashman. It’s an amazing book on authentic leadership. It gives countless examples of what I get to do to constantly change and improve myself to be a better leader.
Sometimes leaders just go through the motions and never really realize their true purpose. I know that my purpose is to be the best husband and father that I can be, then be the best leader I can be and provide a fun and inspiring environment for our guests and team members.
What do you do after work?
I enjoy family time. We have two daughters, 9 and 11, and they are extremely busy with activities. You can usually find me at the aquatic center pool in Henderson or stopping by the Gymcats gymnastic center to see them flying across the bars.
I also enjoy advancing my Brazilian jiujitsu skills and volunteering my time with charitable organizations. Oh, and a nice glass of red wine from the cellar with my wife by our pool.
Blackberry, iPhone or Android?
You are going to laugh, however I still use a Blackberry for work. I know, embarrassing. I get grief for it all the time from my friends and family.
I do however have an iPhone as my personal device, and it’s OK, I just can’t type on the thing! It is mostly used for staying connected on all the social media sites, and videos and games for my daughters.
Describe your management style.
It is one of encouragement, recognition and motivation. Twenty years ago, when I was first moving up in my career, so many of the bosses I had thought that screaming and yelling was the way to get people to be motivated and successful. I never subscribed to that leadership style, and it has worked for me. I have found that a foundation of trust and authentic leadership where everyone knows where they stand is best.
When objectives are clear and everyone knows your vision, it makes my job easy. If all the departments are in alignment, moving together in the same direction and working toward a common goal, that is when true synergistic relationships are built and the results follow.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Continuing to advance my career and expanding my role and responsibility. I love working with and developing people and organizations.
What is your dream job?
President of the UFC! I love mixed martial arts and am friends with a lot of the UFC fighters. Watching what the Fertittas have created worldwide has been nothing short of incredible.
What is something people might not know about you?
I was a Greco-Roman wrestling United States national champion and competed at the world championships in Helsinki, Finland.