News

Jan 14, 2024

Elizabeth Haberberger owns a Dale Carnegie business training franchise and competes as a ninja warrior

After four years as a teacher in the Francis Howell School District, Elizabeth

After four years as a teacher in the Francis Howell School District, Elizabeth "Liz" Haberberger decided to pursue a career with Dale Carnegie, a worldwide business which provides courses in professional development.

"Teaching is a really tough job but also very rewarding. I loved getting to see kids learning and impacting their lives. I left because I wanted more autonomy and control of my day to day. Teaching is pretty structured and I thrive in more creative environments," she said.

Haberberger, who grew up in St. Charles, quickly moved up the ladder at Dale Carnegie Training of St. Louis. In 2018, she became president and bought 10% of the franchise. Two years later, she bought out majority owner John Sedgwick.

"Dale Carnegie believes what I believe; life equals relationships. The ability to connect and work with others could not be more important and those skills are often neglected in formal education," she said.

The local franchise interacted with about 7,000 people last year, Haberberger said. "Some of them went to weeks, months, or a year-long development experience while others might have only been part of a 2-hour workshop," she said. Her business has grown from four to 10 employees since 2020.

Haberberger also is a ninja warrior, competing in leagues and traveling to North Carolina this month with the goal of making the primetime television show. Her LinkedIn page includes inspirational messages, videos of her workouts and a tribute to her sister Dolores "Dolo" Boschert, who died a year ago at the age of 23 while lifting weights.

Can you explain what the Dale Carnegie training approach is? People first. We meet all our participants where they are and truly believe each person has inherent greatness within them. It's our job to help them see the amazing ability within themselves and be confident enough to let it out.

How did you learn how to conduct training for business executives? How is it different to work with adult learners compared to children? Dale Carnegie is the only (International Organization for Standardization) certified training company in the world and has a rigorous certification process. I've completed that, been re-certified twice and am constantly reading and learning to keep my skills sharp. The main difference is adults don't look at you as the one who has all the answers. Adults want you to guide them down a path so they can find the answers for themselves.

What was the transition like to go from teaching to working at Dale Carnegie? Teaching is a different world. Quite frankly, it was a hard transition at first. I was used to so much structure in my day. The ability to create and have more autonomy in my world was amazing, but not always easy.

You have been described as charismatic and a dynamo – lot of energy. How would you describe yourself and what are you looking for when you hire? I would describe myself as effortlessly energetic. It's a gift I have always had. There is always a smile on my face, whether I'm on a call, in a training or at the ninja gym. I don't even do it on purpose, it's just my face. I often will ask people in trainings to think of the most enthusiastic or energetic person they know... they say, "its you." When we hire, we are looking for people who are on fire about Dale Carnegie, his teachings, and our core values. If you don't absolutely love what we do, you can't work here. My entire team has insane passion around what we do. We are always looking for people with a growth mindset, positive attitude and an ability to make things happen.

How did you become interested in American Ninja training? I Googled it one night. There was a gym close by and I went to check it out. I was hooked immediately and train there three to five times a week. I compete in leagues and love to do OCR — obstacle course races. It's a great mental and physical challenge for me; gives me something to work hard for and an opportunity to overcome fear and choose courage on a regular basis. The best part is my kids also do it.

What does leadership mean to you? Leadership means you value people and results equally. True leaders know how to achieve results...through their people. They genuinely care, listen, show appreciation and create environments where people want to be.

What impact did your late sister have on you? Dolo was an absolute light in this world. She was one of the most hardworking, dedicated and positive people out there. She lived for the moment and had a drive like I've never seen. She was always there for you and willing to put in the work. I think of her constantly and will always channel her spirit when life gets hard. She is always there and her memory will live on forever.

So how do you win friends and influence people? Simple. You read "How to Win Friends and Influence People" (by Dale Carnegie) and do what he says. (smiling) Literally, that's it; show genuine interest for others, appreciate people's efforts, listen to them, make them feel important and try to see things from other people's perspectives.

More about Elizabeth "Liz" Haberberger

Age: 34

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Family: Husband, Andrew; two children: Jack, 9, and Emma, 6

Favorite business leader: Some of her local mentors are John Sedgwick, Derek Glanvill, and Marc Braun; favorite national and global leaders are Allan Mulally, Patrick Lencioni and Elon Musk

Favorite fun fact about Dale Carnegie, the man: He is from Missouri. He grew up a poor hog farmer in the middle of the state.

Favorite TED Talk with link: Kelly McGonigal - How to Make Stress Your Friend

Most-visited restaurant in St. Louis: Sybergs

Favorite inspirational quote: "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with," by Jim Rohn or "People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing," by Dale Carnegie

Favorite place for a business meeting: "I train for 'American Ninja Warrior' and I love when people agree to go work out at the gym with me and then grab a coffee. It's the best way to connect with someone and learn about them as a person — plus, it's a ton of fun."

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The Champions for Diversity & Inclusion program will honor individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to advancing diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace and in the St. Louis community. Nominations are due June 30.