E51 The Long Game of Leadership with Harvey Nelson

Todd Bertsch and Harvey Nelson in the BOLT Podcast Studio

Season Two launches with Harvey Nelson, entrepreneur, mentor, and lifelong explorer, as we walk through the SPARK Framework (Curiosity, Mindset, Action, Growth, Impact) using stories that are funny, raw, and immediately practical. From hitchhiking across America to leading through real business crises, Harvey shares how small, repeatable choices build resilience, how focus and priority beat busyness, and why people-first leadership creates lasting success. You’ll leave with simple, doable moves: stack one-inch wins, take the next brave step, and let curiosity guide you to better questions and a bigger life.

Why curiosity lowers fear and opens doors.
Hitchhiking lessons: people, discomfort, and learning fast.
Small bets build risk tolerance and resilience over time.
People-first leadership, even helping great talent move on.
Crisis story: storm + freezer system failure and “next step” thinking.
Mental fitness in action: pause, reframe, choose a micro-action.
Priority over time: focus, say no, protect what matters.
Self-awareness tools: gratitude, visualization, and “rambling” writing.
Takeaway: one-inch wins and “be who you want to become.”
Closing line: “Life becomes what you make it—so make it be grand.”

Harvey Nelson Bio

Harvey Nelson is the co-founder and former co-CEO of Main Street Gourmet, which he helped build and lead for 35 years into a nationally recognized company known for innovation, quality, and community impact. A lifelong entrepreneur, mentor, and board leader, Harvey has served corporate and nonprofit organizations across multiple industries and has been recognized with numerous honors, including Inc. 500 recognition, two-time U.S. Small Business Administration Small Business Person of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

Beyond business, Harvey is deeply committed to giving back. He currently serves as Chairman of the Akron-Canton Foodbank Endowment, founded the award-winning Muffins for Mammograms initiative, and has spent decades mentoring students, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. A mathematics graduate of The University of Akron, Harvey is also a poet, author, adventurer, and lifelong learner—though he’d most like to be remembered for returning a lost wallet…still wondering who took the $500 inside.