THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED THE PILOT

Retention strategies have failed. The demographic future is bleak. Big companies and big governments have a plan—do you?

In this eye-opening book, The Retention Trap, Butterball Farms CEO Mark Peters challenges leaders of small and mid-sized businesses to break free from a cycle that prioritizes costly wages and benefits without addressing the deeper issues that lead to employee turnover. For thirty years, Peters focused on traditional methods, only to discover that they often miss the mark and fail to deliver lasting results.

It wasn’t until recently that Peters uncovered the sophisticated strategies used by large organizations—strategies that many small and mid-market leaders may overlook as they focus on the immediate demands of their business. These approaches, while proven effective on a larger scale, can be adapted to suit the unique needs of smaller businesses. This book reveals how to make those strategies both accessible and impactful.

Peters urges you, as a leader, to shift your mindset. Instead of fearing turnover, delve into what truly motivates your employees. By embracing this understanding, you can cultivate a culture that is both enterprise-centric and people-centric, turning talent investment into a powerful competitive advantage.

With 40 percent of workers actively seeking new opportunities, the competition for talent is fiercer than ever. Peters’ insights are both timely and essential. The Retention Trap encourages leaders of small and medium size enterprises to learn from the strategies of large organizations and apply their entrepreneurial problem-solving skills to create thriving workplaces that attract and retain top talent. 

 Mark Peters is the Chief Executive Officer of Butterball Farms, Inc., which was nationally recognized as one of The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® from 2018 to 2025. Most recently, named a Top 101 Companies to Work For® in the nation. The second-generation family business, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is America’s leading producer of culinary butter and margarine and creates custom butter flavors for some of America’s biggest brands. 

Peters began as a factory worker in his father’s company at the age of 12: an experience that taught him first-hand about the challenges that frontline workers face. At 30, he took over the company determined to lead a financially successful business that would also enrich the lives of its workers.

In 2003, he organized a pioneering group of CEOs and community leaders to found The  SOURCE, a not-for-profit organization that has helped hundreds of workers navigate personal challenges that were interfering with their jobs and delivered an average annual return on investment of 200 percent to its partner organizations.

This West Michigan-based model has been replicated in nearly 12 states; and Peters is currently expanding its mission to help frontline workers not only maintain their jobs but progress into better positions within or across partner companies. 

His second book, The Retention Trap,  was published in June of 2025 and highlights the need to rethink talent and focus on investment rather than retention.

Recognized by numerous companies from Ernst & Young to McDonalds for his leadership, Peters is an engaging speaker and storyteller who has addressed TED-x and other audiences. He lives in Grand Rapids with his daughter and dog and is an avid boater, biker, and skier.