5 Lessons in Leadership: Dixie Group Chairman and CEO Dan Frierson

Navigating nearly six decades of industry upheaval with a steady hand and an eye for innovation, Dan Frierson’s journey from yarn to luxury carpets embodies the transformative power of adaptable leadership in the ever-evolving world of floor coverings.

Frierson has been one of the flooring industry’s most prominent executives. His flooring career began in 1966 when he first joined Dixie Yarns, and he is now chairman and CEO of The Dixie Group. Following in the footsteps of his father, J. Burton Frierson, who came to Dixie in 1925, Dan Frierson paid his dues, initially working every job in the plant and operations during the early years before being appointed CEO in 1980 and chairman in 1986.

In the early 1990s, it became clear that Dixie’s customers would be heading overseas, searching for lower-cost alternatives to apparel manufacturing. To ensure the company’s survival, Frierson led the challenge of transforming the business from a textile company to a carpet company. Dixie purchased Masland Carpets in 1993.

“We had been selling them yarn for 40 years, and we had talked in the ’80s about maybe trying to get together,” Frierson said. This gave Dixie a foothold in the carpet business.

From 1993 to 2000, Dixie made over a dozen carpet-related acquisitions and divested its textile and apparel assets. The big one came in 2000 when Dixie acquired Fabrica International. The deal helped secure Dixie’s brand as a luxury floor covering manufacturer and further burnished Frierson’s credentials as a leading flooring executive who was unafraid to take risks. We recently spoke with Frierson about what advice he would give to others embarking on careers in flooring.

5 Lessons in Leadership

1. Adaptability and Flexibility

Frierson emphasizes the importance of being flexible and adapting to rapid changes in the industry. Reflecting on his career, he said: “Things didn’t change as quickly, but today things do… So rapidly you either change with it or you get changed by it.”

2. Encouraging Innovation and Risk-Taking

Frierson actively promotes a culture that encourages trying new things without fear of failure. “What we preach along with our values, which revolves around people, is the willingness to try new and different things. And if they’re not successful, not to look at it as a mistake, but it’s a learning experience.”

3. Focus on Quality and Customer Satisfaction

The Dixie Group has built a reputation for high-quality products and prioritizing customer satisfaction, even during difficult times. “There’s a tendency in every business in difficult times to dumb down products, and to me, that’s not positive and it’s not good for the industry. We like to make product that makes our customers not only happy, but thrilled.”

4. Long-term Focus and Employee Recognition

The company maintains a long-term focus and recognizes long-serving employees. Frierson recently attended a luncheon at Dixie’s yarn plant in in Roanoke, Alabama, where associates were honored for 25 years of service. “You recognize people for their commitment,” he said.

5. Creating an Enjoyable Work Environment

Frierson emphasizes the importance of creating a workplace where people enjoy their work. He advised, “You got to find something you enjoy. And my advice is if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you need to find something you do enjoy because it’s very difficult to do something well if you don’t enjoy doing it.”