Mike Dickinson graduated from Muhlenberg College and was accepted to the Medical College of Philadelphia. However, he decided to take a year off and work to earn some money before starting medical school. He accepted a job as a manager at Grotto Pizza. His general manager told him, “Be careful … the restaurant business will get in your blood.” Little did Mike know that was exactly what was about to happen. He never went to medical school, and on Feb. 12, Mike was named the next president of SoDel Concepts.
After deciding the restaurant business was where his heart was, he approached Matt Haley in 2005 and said he wanted to work for him. Matt was running three restaurants with 88 employees. Today, SoDel Concepts operates 21 restaurants with 3,000 employees. Mike said the growth over that time has always been deliberate, adhering to the company’s one-, three- and five-year strategic plans. With the restaurants now in a stable state post-COVID, and with the recent acquisition of Surf Bagel, Mike believes Surf Bagel represents the most immediate growth opportunity for the company. With shorter daytime hours and no dinner, Surf Bagel attracts a different demographic to its company. It also provides a schedule that is easier on families for folks looking to become managers and move up in the organization.
Mike said SoDel is always focused on the unexpected, and it’s prepared to deal with whatever challenges come. The company never expected it to show up as a pandemic. When the governor shut down the state, SoDel laid off all 768 non-salaried staff. Within four days, every restaurant had transitioned to online ordering. SoDel hired 200 people back that first week, 200 more people the following week, and by the end of April, SoDel was fully staffed again. SoDel leadership realized, within 48 hours of closing, they were going to be able to save the company, so they then focused on saving their people. They emphasized preserving jobs with new programs like take-home wine dinners, and they added benefits like an Employee Assistance Program, paid time off and paid prescriptions.
COVID has forced businesses to take a hard look at their culture. But SoDel has always made it a point to lead with culture. The foundation of the company is built upon three pillars: “Cook beautiful and simple food, develop the people we work with, and make the world a better place.”
The last pillar is a tribute to founder Matt Haley, who was always looking to give back to those not as fortunate. As a result, SoDel tries to touch many of the at-risk people in the area. SoDel uses its kitchens to prepare food for Meals on Wheels. The SoDel Cares Foundation gives away about $100,000 every year to community organizations. And if you’ve ever attended a charity gala or event in the area, there are always SoDel gift baskets and gift cards for purchase to support that particular organization. The company also urges its senior executives to donate time to local boards and organizations to try to make a positive difference.
When asked what the most enjoyable aspect of his work at SoDel has been, Dickinson quickly points to seeing growth opportunities for so many of the staff members who started off as bussers or waiters.
As SoDel has grown, so have the possibilities for upward mobility within the company. Mike finds it extremely rewarding to see people who developed that same love for the restaurant business be able to remain in their hometown and build a career with SoDel Concepts.
Between COVID, supply-chain issues, inflationary food prices, etc., SoDel has certainly had to deal with challenges. But as Mike says, “Restaurants, by their nature, are counter-punchers.” When food prices like crabmeat soar, restaurants find a variety of ways to deal with that, whether it be changing recipes, adjusting portion sizes or finding alternatives. Similarly, if an oven breaks down and it’s going to take 15 weeks for a replacement to arrive, the staff just figure out how to keep things going.
With an outstanding business culture in place and knowing that his company will do the right things for the right reasons, Mike takes great pride in being able to help lead SoDel into the future. While Mike admires those who have gone into medicine and have worked so hard to care for our community, he’s never looked back on his decision to follow a different path. He’s always been interested in caring for others and trying to make the world a better place. He’s just doing it in a different role.
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This column provides an opportunity for readers to connect with the personal side of business leaders in area communities. Many of our local business owners and CEOs are thought leaders in their community, and they can provide valuable insights and ideas on issues of common interest to all of us. Successful businesses are essential for a healthy and growing society, especially as people continue to move to this area looking for employment opportunities. This column will highlight leaders who are not only successful, but also making a difference in our communities.
Jeffrey Fried has been an executive in the healthcare industry for over 40 years, including serving as the president/CEO of Beebe Medical Center for 24 years. After leaving Beebe Healthcare, Jeff started his own consulting and executive coaching company, and has coached executives in a variety of industries. In addition, Jeff has partnered with a company called Vistage, the oldest executive coaching company in the country, where he serves as a local chair on the Delmarva Peninsula and leads/supports a group of medium-sized business owners and CEOs. Jeff and his wife Sherry reside outside Lewes and between the two of them have three children and five grandchildren. Last but not least, they are the parents of two rescue dogs.
