Millions in Sales: Lasting Significance - The "Do the Did" Mindset with Chick-fil-A Operator Ben Hardy

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Welcome to the Do the Did Podcast.
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We interview folks of success and significance and ask the question How did you do that?
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On today's episode of the Do the Did Podcast, I will be interviewing Chick-fil-A operator and franchise owner Ben Hardy, my husband.
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I'm really looking forward to unpacking his story on how he did that his career today.
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And so, Ben, I want to start off from the very beginning.
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Tell us a little bit about just, you know, where you were born, who you are, a little bit about Ben, the person himself, and then walk us through that journey of determining that you wanted to own and operate your own Chick-fil-A franchise.
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First and foremost, I'm a person.
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I think sometimes people look at what I do and say, oh, he's the Chick-fil-A guy.
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Or they say, Oh, do you have any free sandwich coupons?
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Or and it's like, okay, I I am in in the hospitality business.
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I am in the restaurant, you see me.
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But yeah, I'm a person first, right?
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So I I put my pants on just like everybody else.
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I was born in Augusta, Georgia, and I I moved around a lot of different places in my early years.
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My dad is in full-time ministry, and every time we would move churches, we would, or he would take a different job, we'd move around.
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But eventually we landed in Snellville, Georgia.
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So when people ask, where are you from?
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Like fourth, fifth grade, we landed in Snellville, and then eventually we moved to Lawrenceville, Georgia.
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So I just tell folks that I'm from Gwinnett.
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Right.
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And I had education-wise, I had a number of different paths that I went on.
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I started in public school, jumped around to different public schools.
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I was homeschooled for three years.
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Then I went to private school for sixth through tenth grade, and then I graduated from public school.
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So it's it's an interesting journey because I kind of have the experience of all of those.
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And people will ask me sometimes, well, well, what do you recommend?
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Or which was better?
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In the season that I was in, I think that was probably the best thing for me.
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For your journey.
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For my for my development, my journey.
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And it's ultimately what God had for me.
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So public school, you have kids who put uh or come from a variety of different backgrounds.
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And so you have to navigate having conversations with folks around uh, oh, your home life's different than mine.
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Then you go to homeschool, and then you have mom who's the teacher, and then you have mom who's the mom.
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Right.
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And me, uh so I have an older brother, Rob.
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Well, we drove my mom nuts.
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So, I mean, and what's funny is she would constantly threaten, if y'all don't straighten up, I'm gonna take you to I'm gonna take you to public school.
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And there was times where we actually called her on their bluff.
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Said, okay, well, then take us.
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Fine.
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That's fine.
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And eventually, though, we landed in a small private school, Hebrew and Christian Academy, Duluth, uh, Dekula, Georgia.
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And and that was great.
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And I I love the the biblical foundation.
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I love the scripture memory and the the everything centered around the gospel.
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The challenge that I had during that season was I felt like everybody was just kind of like me.
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And there wasn't diversity, a background of thought, and everybody was kind of the same.
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And so I started wrestling with this idea and really praying like, God, would you give me a story?
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Would you give me like a testimony?
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And I went on a mission trip to Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
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And uh I felt like that was able to really connect with God, and I realized that that point, that was kind of a turning point, and where I needed to get out of my bubble of what I had grown up in.
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I love my family.
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I have a very healthy relationship with my mom and my dad and my brother.
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I needed to kind of start separating from that and really defining what is identity and what is my purpose.
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Now, those are some deep conversations and deep things to navigate at 16, 17 years old.
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As I talk to people, they're like, You were doing that at 16 and 17?
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I didn't know any different.
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So at that time, I it was just what I what I knew.
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So when I transitioned from small private school to large public school, I didn't have any friends.
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I didn't know a soul.
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So I you know, I had I told you my my brother Rob, I have an older brother.
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When we were in the small private school, everybody knew me as Rob's little brother.
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Right.
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Yeah.
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If I'm going to church, it's like, oh, you're Bruce's son.
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The the first moment that I stepped foot in that building, nobody knew me.
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In fact, I looked, I sounded, I dressed a lot different than everybody else.
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So that was weird.
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It was very uncomfortable.
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And if you've ever been nervous or anxious, uh you ever get like a little lump in your throat?
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Yeah, right here.
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Like that lump in my throat became became normal.
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You ever get like a turning in your stomach where you're just uh I discovered it later to be anxiety.
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You get that turning in your stomach of like, oh my gosh, how's this gonna play out?
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What's today gonna look like?
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That was like an everyday thing.
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Well, and I think in that time we weren't really as aware about anxiety symptoms as well.
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So it was something that you were feeling and experiencing, and you were also really young.
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So it was not something that you could necessarily name, but it was something you struggled with daily.
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I struggle with daily, but I also struggle with it every day during the day and every step of the way.
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Yeah.
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I mean, you think about navigating not only where am I gonna sit, but am I gonna make it to class on time?
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And who's who's gonna sit next to me and are they gonna make fun of me?
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And and if if I if I throw myself out there to introduce myself, are they gonna be kind to me?
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Are they gonna be friendly?
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And I did that a few times, right?
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And it's just like everywhere I turned, I felt like I just couldn't find any friends.
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So then at every part of the day is the to me, it's either the most fun or the most awkward time in high school, and that's the lunch hour, right?
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That's where you get to uh let your hair down and really be yourself.
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That's where you get to have real conversations with folks, have a break, have a break, and then obviously eat.
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Well, two things.
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One is I like to eat.
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I'm a really we can tell the restaurant business, right?
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But I'm also I was a slow eater, so it's hard to have conversation with folks and eat and talk at the same time, and I just felt like I couldn't get in on any of the circles.
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Now, this was junior year in high school, you got to remember that.
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So everybody already had their clicks and their circles of folks.
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So I'm here kind of on the outside trying to get in, and it was just weird, and um, so it wound up being to where like I just didn't like the feeling of sitting on the outside, and it it's weird thinking about and even vocalizing it, but I mean, most of my lunches, I actually just sat in the bathroom in the stall because I I didn't want to have to navigate who was I sitting next to or who was letting me in or not letting me in.
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And there's times where you're sitting on the edge of a table and you're on the outside, and that person next to you, they kind of just turn their body to where you can't even get in on the conversation.
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Right.
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So you're left out.
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So I was just feeling like I'm really left out.
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I felt like I had something to contribute.
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I'm like, I'm not that bad of a person.
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Why were they not letting me in?
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So, but I will say that a couple things happened during the season.
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One is I started journaling heavily.
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Okay.
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So for a guy, that's weird, right?
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Because you're getting kind of getting into your personal stuff and your emotions.
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I just started journaling, like, hey God, where are you?
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Hey God, I feel this way.
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Then I started opening the Bible and was like, okay, I can be anxious, I can be depressed, I can ask the question, why am I here?
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Or I can look for some answers.
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So that's what I started.
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I just started digging through the Bible and I was like, okay, God, you say right here, don't be anxious for anything.
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But in everything with prayer and thanksgiving, make your request known.
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So I'm like, okay.
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So I'm gonna make my request known.
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So then it that turned into a prayer that I would write.
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Dear God, would you please help me find one friend?
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And that was your request was for friendship.
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Yep.
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Yeah.
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So then he what's interesting is uh throughout the course of that first semester, I had one friend in every class.
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Wow.
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And that's what I prayed for.
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Yeah, and he answered it.
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He answered that, right?
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And so I was like, let's start small.
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Let's then it was like, okay, then it got into what's my purpose?
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So I found Rick Warren's book, Purpose Driven Life.
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Such a good book.
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Classic, great book.
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If you're if you're looking at, you know, where do you start on your journey and your purpose?
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Because my thought was I don't want to waste a moment.
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So if if I know my purpose, that can help me get laser focused.
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And then I don't waste a moment of my day, I don't waste a moment of my time.
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So junior year, I'm sitting here going, where do I find right?
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So like sports was not my thing.
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People look at me today and go, Oh, you played football, didn't you?
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No.
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You definitely got the athletic build.
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I I I didn't I didn't hit my growth spurt till like freshman year of of college.
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Oh, okay.
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Okay, so like I was the shortest, smallest kit.
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When I went to the small private school, I I was the second shortest in the whole class.
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So a lot of people say, Oh, well, you did that athletics.
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No, athletics wasn't like my identity.
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I I couldn't that's not where I found community.
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Uh I found a lot of my community at church.
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I was in the band at church, and so we had a little bit of community there.
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And but then I was like, okay, I discovered this program called Work Study, and I realized that there was all this anxiety around class and school, not the schooling part, but navigating the people side.
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So I tried to figure out how I can get out of class as early as possible.
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So I discovered work study, and that let me get out of class at lunchtime.
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So I didn't have to sit in those awkward lunch scenarios.
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And with work study, I would get out and go to work, and uh I worked a number of different jobs.
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My first job was maintenance at a church, and man, we did everything anybody didn't want to do.
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So, which was cool because I got a lot of different experiences.
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Talk about IKEA furniture.
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Man, I put together some furniture.
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Uh, you know, when you got all those extra pieces at the end, you don't know what to do, and we just threw them away because we didn't want anybody knowing that we had extra, right?
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Or you you think that's our IKEA sponsorship, I was hoping to get in this podcast.
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So uh Coke machines, we service Coke machines, uh changing light bulbs, taking out trash.
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Um, and then in the summertime when it was hot and the grass was growing and the weeds were growing, we would spray weeds, we would pressure wash, we would do lawn care, uh, we would in the fall, we'd blow the leaves.
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I mean, really anything that needed to be done and andor the things that no one else wanted to do, that's what we got to do.
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So we I had those experiences.
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The challenge that I found in that workplace was that the more productive I was, my compensation didn't increase.
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Right.
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I was paid by the hour.
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Sure.
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So if I came in and I had a list of projects of things that was like, hey, congrats, Ben, you got all this stuff done in record time.
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Why don't you go home?
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And I was like, well, that's really kind of not a very good incentive.
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So I was like, where how can I work hard and then be compensated on how I work too?
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And and then I thought, okay, what is an industry that I could pursue as a long-term play?
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So I um I was navigating these conversations with my mom, and my mom has always been someone I could go and talk to, and I love that about her.
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And she uh she said, Well, what about the restaurant industry?
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I said, Well, I love serving people, and if you serve them well, chances are they're gonna tip you better and they're gonna want to come back.
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And then she was like, you know, you could you could even, you know, be a manager one day, or maybe like I thought, well, if I learn it, maybe I could have my own business one day.
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Right.
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You experience what it's like to have good bosses and bad bosses, and then for me, I was kind of like, man, I want to be a part of the solution of providing a great place to work for folks.
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So that went from the maintenance position to a bus boy.
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When I was 17, I wasn't old enough to get the liquor license to serve alcohol, so it couldn't be a server.
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And that's where the big money is, that's where the money is.
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So I started busing tables, and what I discovered was if I turned the tables faster, the servers would tip me above and beyond.
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Sure.
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So I could go by and get the bus tub from from the bar staff, and then I got an extra 20 bucks that night.
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I found ways to get faster and proficient at everything I did, and I made really good money.
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So much so that when I was looking at the next step, I was talking to my manager, and he's like, I'm a little hesitant to promote you as a server because you're such a good job as a busboy.
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And I was like, Yeah, but I'm also thinking long, like I want to keep growing on my journey.
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This restaurant was full service Monday through Sunday, and the culture was challenging because uh it's one way customer facing, it's another way behind closed doors.
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Right.
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And if you make a mistake, you know, somebody might throw throw a plate at you or might curse you out.
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Um and the the folks that were serving alongside of us, and they're in in a lot of ch a lot of tough situations.
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Well, and also too, people are people, and people have feelings and they have emotions and the ways that they express them.
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And I think that kind of started your journey on finding a company that had the culture that aligned with what you were looking for.
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And so talk to me about that.
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Culture, culture is big, right?
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So I I wanted I didn't mind the long hours and working hard.
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I didn't mind just customer service, hospitality.
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I didn't like working on Sundays.
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And that was family day, that was God's Day.
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I went to church.
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I told you I was involved in the band.
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Well, we played, we played on Sundays in the worship team.
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I'm a drummer, where I say I was in my previous life.
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You're still a drummer, you're always drumming.
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Even when I'm driving, I'm like doing the little tap tap on the on the uh on the car steering wheel.
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So I was like, okay, how can I achieve that?
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But the also other thing though is I like the fast pace.
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So I was like, how can I be a part of maybe a faster food environment?
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We saw during the time that I was there, we saw some challenges with the economy because our price point was a little higher.
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So I thought, okay, maybe a lower price point.
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And I was talking to my mom again, and it's like, where do you know what restaurant do you know that's closed on Sunday, that does a great job, that's like fast food, you can kind of get in and learn and grow.
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She was like, Well, what about Chick-fil-A?
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Now, I had experienced Chick-fil-A for many years as a customer.
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In fact, that back in the day they used to do this first 100 promotion.
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Yes.
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If you were one of the first 100 customers, now we camped out overnight.
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Okay, so you get there like the night before, you got a tent, you sleep in the tent, and then in the parking lot of the Chick-fil-A restaurant, all for the golden prize of 52 coupons, which represented free Chick-fil-A for a year.
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Which was worth it.
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I was all about that.
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It was totally worth it.
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So the number one meal, the chicken sandwich, waffle fries, and a sweet tea for me that was for me with Polynesian sauce, like that was my go-to.
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So I thought, man, I love the food.
00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.200
I love the environment.
00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:12.640
I and so I asked my mom, do you know anybody that works at Chick-fil-A?
00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:15.279
And she said, We actually know two owners.
00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.480
I said, perfect.
00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:23.039
So let I would just like to do a like an informational interview with one of them.
00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:24.799
Which one do you know better?
00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:28.240
So there was Brian over here, and there's Brad over here.
00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.839
What's funny is you worked for Brad.
00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:32.559
I did.
00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:34.640
We could have met sooner.
00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:36.240
I didn't know that.
00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.519
I didn't even know you.
00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:38.400
Right, right.
00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.359
We did not know each other.
00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.319
We didn't know each other.
00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:42.000
We didn't meet till college.
00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:44.400
So there was a conversation of who do you know better?
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:46.000
Well, I know Brian better.
00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:51.119
So I sat down with Brian at his restaurant and I just said, Tell me what you do.
00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:56.480
He's like, Well, we run a restaurant, but what I really do is I invest in leadership.
00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:06.480
I invest in people, I give them a platform for how they can achieve their goals, and I partner with them, and um, and it's a really good working relationship.
00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:22.880
I said, Okay, so you're investing in people, but then you're also serving customers and making sure that we're a part of their daily routine and you're making an impact on customers, and you're making a difference in the lives of the people that work with you, work for you.
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:27.039
So at the end of that conversation, I said, How do I come work for you?
00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:28.640
Which is kind of weird, right?
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.200
Because like I didn't apply and like fill out an application.
00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:39.119
I kind of just like knocked on his door and got an informational interview, and I and then I wound up asking him for a job.
00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:45.039
But knock on that door, seek, and you will find.
00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:48.160
So I think that's proof right there that it happens.
00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:51.119
So now I took a pay cut.
00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:55.680
So I was making really good money as a server, especially on the weekends.
00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:13.680
And you know, I think my my message to folks today, because we live in this instant society, instant gratification society, is how oftentimes do we take a pay cut or a lateral move to make a better long-term path?
00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:16.240
Because we want everything now.
00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:20.559
So initially it hurt, but I was thinking long.
00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:27.599
And and I always knew I could probably go back if I want if I needed to make quick money, I could probably go back.
00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:30.720
I um left the door kind of open when I left.
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:36.480
So I took a pay cut, I was making$7.25, and I started as an entry-level team member.
00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:39.279
I stood August 13th, 2007.
00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:41.680
I remember that day like it was yesterday.
00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:44.000
And that also happens to be my mom's birthday.
00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:47.359
I was about to say, I was like, there's a reason why you remember that.
00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:49.599
It's his mama's birthday, y'all.
00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:53.519
And the uh the first day was challenging.
00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:56.960
I was thrown in, just like all of us are.
00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:01.920
And I remember somebody saying, Hey, you need to you need to clean that counter right there.
00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:09.440
So I looked around and I found the squ the closest squirt bottle I could find that looked kind of like and it said degreaser on it.
00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:12.160
And I thought, well, that sounds like a cleaning solution.
00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:14.000
So I'm spraying everywhere.
00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:17.279
And then somebody ran over to me and was like, Stop, don't do that.
00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:20.400
And they're like, Degreaser, that you can get somebody sick.
00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:24.480
And I'm like, Well, the counter was greasy, so I was trying to de-greasify it.
00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:33.119
And they were like, No, that's not for so at that moment in time, I bring that up to be like, okay, I didn't like the feeling of you're wrong, don't do that.
00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:39.680
So you're starting over and it's something new, and it's a new restaurant, new pace.
00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:48.480
You're starting from ground zero, whereas before you had kind of grown into this proficient level, and so starting starting ground one.
00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:58.559
So we found the uh we had these things called DVDs back in the day, and um it had all of our training modules on it.
00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:04.079
So I took all those DVDs home and I watched them.
00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:07.039
Now, I will say, I'll pause here for a second.
00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:09.039
I'm 18 at this time.
00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:13.039
I started at Chick-fil-A the summer before college.
00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:19.359
And my plan was go to Georgia State University, business major.
00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:21.599
So I got a BBA in marketing.
00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.680
And I I lived at home.
00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:25.200
So I lived in Lawrenceville.
00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:31.119
I commuted to Georgia State two or three days, and then I commuted to Lilbourne to work.
00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:40.319
I drove past three or four different Chick-fil-As to go to work every day because I had committed and I had a relationship with the owner.
00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:46.160
And the other thing too is not every day was easy.
00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:50.000
There were times where I could have quit.
00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:52.319
I could have gone to work somewhere else.
00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:55.200
In fact, I had a lot of friends in college.
00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:59.039
And they asked the question, Why are you working fast food?
00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:00.079
Come on, man.
00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:04.319
I mean, like, and I wasn't even like, I mean, I started as a team member.
00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:04.799
Right.
00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:07.519
And they were probably saying, Why are you flipping burgers?
00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:11.759
You know, that's the common phrase they like to ask us all the time.
00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:14.799
And and what would you say in response to that?
00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:16.400
I was like, I got a plan.
00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:17.839
I I'm working my plan.
00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:25.279
And even when I I worked my way out, so team leader, I think it was like three to six months, it was team leader.
00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.200
I knew nothing about leadership.
00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:31.920
I just knew about management of like, do this, don't do that.
00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:34.079
And if you do this, great.
00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.319
If you don't do it, I'm gonna get mad at you and I'm gonna ret you up.
00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:42.559
Well, and positional leadership is described as the lowest level of leadership.
00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:42.960
Yeah.
00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.359
Oh yeah.
00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.400
You at least had that one.
00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.119
That was it, man.
00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:46.559
It was like, what's my name tag say?
00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:48.799
Do what I say, uh I'm your boss.
00:23:49.039 --> 00:24:04.240
Like, and so what what I learned quickly was even though my heart posture was care of doing the right thing, if if I if I showed anger or frustration, I actually lost any sort of influence and they didn't feel cared for.
00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:10.799
So the very thing that I uh desired and hoped for was not uh where I was landing.
00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:12.079
So I had to search within.
00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:16.000
And I had a lot of true tellers who gave me that feedback.
00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:17.440
Ben, you look angry.
00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:19.839
Ben, you don't look like you're having a good time.
00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:24.400
You don't look like you're somebody that would somebody would want to work for.
00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:33.039
I had uh I had my GM one time, or maybe it was my operator, one of them, and sat me down and they said, Let's review this film real quick.
00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:35.359
Well, you think about that for sports, right?
00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.480
You know, film study.
00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:39.440
Play the film back, check your face, Ben.
00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:40.960
That's what it was.
00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:44.480
Yeah, it literally, and I was like, Oh, I do look pretty angry there.
00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:51.839
I mean, my body language was screaming, I'm mad, I'm upset, and I had no self-awareness whatsoever.
00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:53.119
So it was a struggle.
00:24:53.279 --> 00:25:06.319
So you talk about like entry-level leadership, navigating, going to school full time, full time, working full time, and my whole goal was to not have any student debt.
00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:07.200
Right.
00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:23.920
So I need you to pause right there because I do want to say there there is definitely, and we could probably do a whole nother uh conversation on that in general, but there is this common misconception of people just solely being a student and focusing on that.
00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:33.440
But I want to emphasize on what you did to do that was that you were a full-time college student and a full-time Chick-fil-A.
00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:34.400
Do you remember?
00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:37.519
Well, it taught me a lot of things.
00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:39.680
It taught me time management.
00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:40.400
Sure.
00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:42.400
I commuted to school.
00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:52.400
So there was times where I would take the bus from Duluth, Georgia to downtown, and I would literally be studying or reading or writing or doing my homework.
00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:52.880
Right.
00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:54.480
Because you didn't have a minute to spare.
00:25:54.720 --> 00:26:01.279
It forced me to be very disciplined, very diligent with every moment of time.
00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:06.400
Now, looking back on that, I'm thankful for that because I I stayed out of a lot of trouble.
00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:06.880
Sure.
00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.640
Because I didn't have any downtime.
00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:10.799
I did not have any downtime.
00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:14.480
It every moment of my day was calculated.
00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:26.640
And what I realized was I was racing against the clock, or at least what I thought was, because when I sat down with my operator, he said, Hey, Ben, your journey really starts after you get your degree.
00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:28.720
So what what did I think?
00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:30.960
Oh, well, I'll get my degree faster.
00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:38.079
So I took summer school and I took mini mesters, and it was really like, How much can I pile on?
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:41.279
And what I learned, look Hold on, pause right there.
00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:47.759
You took summer school, you took mini mesters, yeah, but then also you graduated a whole year early.
00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:50.960
You had AP credits from your focus from high school.
00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:53.920
Well, I took AP classes, yeah, but I didn't get any credits.
00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:54.880
Oh, you didn't get credits.
00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:55.200
Okay.
00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:55.359
Yeah.
00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:57.839
So you but you graduated a year sooner.
00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:16.559
You got your four-year degree in three years because you realized I want to pursue franchise owner operator status, and I need this degree, so I need to put every effort to move forward and do what other people aren't willing to do in order to get what I'd like to achieve.
00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:18.880
So you're hyper focused on that goal.
00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:19.599
Yep.
00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.160
Okay.
00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:20.799
Yeah.
00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:23.119
So that was that was an eight-year goal.
00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:25.599
So it took eight years to accomplish that.
00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:30.160
And people ask me all the time, you know, was it glorious?
00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:30.640
No.
00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:34.640
I wanted to I can't tell you how many times I wanted to quit or thought about quitting.
00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:38.799
Being a Chick-fil-A operator was an eight-year goal, right?
00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:40.799
Not the college part that we were just talking about.
00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:44.640
Being a Chick-fil-A operator, it took me eight years to accomplish that.
00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:45.279
Okay.
00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:45.920
Yeah.
00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:50.480
So, you know, eight years is a long time.
00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:59.200
And now I think it's I think it's Lincoln who said it's not about the time that you have, but what you do with your time.
00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:04.319
So it's not like I was just sitting there watching the clock going, okay, here I hope eight years comes quick.
00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:06.960
And it's not, and it's not a recipe, right?
00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:10.319
So it's not like if you want to be an owner operator, it takes eight years.
00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:13.519
Some people think like, oh, it's a recipe, you gotta do it.
00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:15.039
Everybody's journey is different.
00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:18.160
I'm just sharing with you like my story, right?
00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:25.759
So I I the great thing is I learned every part of the restaurant business, every part of the Chick-fil-A restaurant business.
00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:27.200
I did every position.
00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:33.279
Some of that was by choice, some of it was by chance because that per that cook called out that day.
00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:38.880
Well, if I'm the leader, if I'm the manager and we have 500 biscuits going out by 6 a.m.
00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:43.839
and the person who's assembling biscuits didn't show up, well then that falls on me, doesn't it?
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:44.319
Right.
00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.519
And we got to get it out.
00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:47.359
Well and leaders go first.
00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:49.200
So you were gonna do that.
00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:56.720
It's one thing to watch, uh it's one thing to watch a module or a video on how to assemble biscuits, and it's another thing to get in there and do it.
00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:58.559
So you gotta do the work.
00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:00.799
And there's no shortcuts.
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:09.200
There's no and I think this this day and age of everybody wants everything quickly, it's like there's no shortcuts.
00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:12.400
You you have to work the process.
00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:30.559
And my big thing right now is if you look at a cake and you look at all the cool ingredients of a cake, where there's eggs and milk and flour and all the other things, and whatever flavor you like, and then you pop it in the oven, it's still a cake.
00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:40.079
But the difference of a great tasting cake and a raw, a raw cake that's not ready to eat is time and temperature.
00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:45.119
So for me, it's like, well, did it take me eight years to become an operator?
00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:52.480
I think I had a lot of the ingredients there, but I needed time and temperature.
00:29:52.799 --> 00:30:06.240
So temperature was like the pressure and the stress and figuring out how to navigate priorities and failing and struggling and but doing the work, like you said, you do have to do the work.
00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:06.880
Doing the work.
00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:10.799
And I had, man, I had so many people, even people that I interviewed.
00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:20.079
So there was a time where I was over selection of interviewing and selecting um employees that joined our our Chick-fil-A team.
00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:23.359
I sat down with people who were like, Why are you doing this?
00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:24.400
Why are you?
00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:26.960
And and it was always, oh, you're just a manager.
00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:29.680
And I'm like, no, I'm a I'm a senior manager, you know.
00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:31.359
And they're like, You're a manager.
00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:34.960
And and I was like, in my mind, I'm like, no, I'm an operator.
00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:42.640
Like, title, I didn't I did not let the title that I was define who who I was and how I saw myself.
00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:48.480
I was always acting like, okay, if this were my store, if I were the owner, how would I approach this?
00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:49.839
And I think that helped me.
00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:51.359
That did me well.
00:30:51.599 --> 00:31:04.559
Well, and I think that that's a good piece of advice for other people that are listening that are hope hoping to one day achieve a certain level or a certain status, is are you already functioning under that title?
00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:07.119
Have you already given yourself that title?
00:31:07.279 --> 00:31:10.400
Are you already acting like the owner operator?
00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:11.759
That was your goal.
00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:23.440
So you said, I know that today my name tag says manager, but I'm gonna take extreme ownership of everything that I've been entrusted with right now in this level and treat it as if it were my own.
00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:37.599
And so um talk to me a little bit about just your process from working in the restaurant at Chick-fil-A Lilburn to uh interning at the Chick-fil-A corporate office to the leadership development program.
00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:51.039
Well, uh I I was uh presented with an opportunity to to be an intern at the support center, which is uh 5200 Buffington Road by the airport in Atlanta.
00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:52.079
That's the hub.
00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:54.240
That's the corporate office.
00:31:55.200 --> 00:32:02.079
And um I did a marketing internship, and then later on I had the opportunity for an operations internship.
00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:04.000
Well, uh a couple things came from that.
00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:08.960
One is I got different experiences, and two, I was able to build some relationships with people.
00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:15.119
And in life, uh what you do is important, but who you do it with is also super important.
00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:18.799
And now I will say, I'm I'm gonna caveat a little bit, okay?
00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:24.720
I'm gonna kind of kind of pull over to the side because I I was laser focused on what I wanted.
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:30.480
And then in July of 2008, I met the woman of my dreams.
00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:32.640
So that's you.
00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:51.920
Now I will say, I will say, if you go back to me and you look at 20 uh 20, 21-year-old Ben, my plan was work my thing, achieve my business results, get uh get get all my business things settled, and and then start looking for a wife, and then maybe do the family thing and all that.
00:32:52.079 --> 00:32:54.559
And I wanted to be a dad and all those type of things.
00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:58.160
But when you walked in, uh I was working behind the counter.
00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:03.039
When you walked in as a customer, I said, Oh, hold on a second.
00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:06.799
Uh and my world changed.
00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:08.960
Now, it's a long story.
00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:11.440
We could we could do a whole nother That'll be another one.
00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:14.240
Leela's got her version of the story, I've got my version.
00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:17.759
Well, and my version is the correct version, so we'll share that another day.
00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:26.720
But but basically, we got to talking, you worked at another Chick-fil-A, and that Chick-fil-A was across the street from where I went to church.
00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:32.880
One Wednesday night after band practice, the guys wanted to go eat at Chick-fil-A, uh, sugar loaf and satellite.
00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:42.240
So then I was a customer with my friends, and I walked in and I saw you, and that light was beaming down on your head just right.
00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:50.480
And uh then you asked me to marry you, and uh we'll just let him go on with that version just for the sake of the podcast.
00:33:50.640 --> 00:33:51.680
Let me realize back.
00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:55.519
Okay, the real version is you said, Hey, it's good to see you.
00:33:55.680 --> 00:34:00.799
Um then eventually I found you on Facebook and we chatted a little bit and then got connected.
00:34:01.119 --> 00:34:06.160
Chick relationships can happen, and that I think that is definitely a phrase.
00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:12.639
And and we'll definitely we'll share my story because y'all know I'm itching to talk, but this is about Ben.
00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.760
So let's go back.
00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:16.480
So we so let's let's rewind and recap.
00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:22.320
So you were talking about just your education and that you were hyper focused on your career goals.
00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:25.119
You knew that you wanted to a Chick-fil-A owner operator, right?
00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:28.559
And you were working at Chick-fil-A Lilburn, stewarding it.
00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:36.639
You met me, yay! Yeah, um, so you also you knew what your your mission was going to be, what you wanted to do in life.
00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:37.039
Right.
00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:38.800
You met me as your mate.
00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:43.760
We both had a Christ-centered marriage and relationship that we walked into.
00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:48.800
Um, and then you were afforded these opportunities of internships at the corporate office.
00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:49.280
Yeah.
00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:51.440
So right after that, we got married.
00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:51.920
Yep.
00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:55.360
We got married in July of 2011.
00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:55.840
Right.
00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:56.719
Amazing day.
00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:57.360
Great day.
00:34:57.760 --> 00:35:02.880
Um, and and then from there, we we together joined.
00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:07.679
Um, I was the participant of the leadership development program at Chick-fil-A Inc.
00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:12.320
Now, the program has evolved over the years, but and and and even before that.
00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:19.519
But the premise of the program is the program is a learning opportunity, it's a development opportunity.
00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:21.679
It's not necessarily hand holding.
00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:26.480
It's literally we're gonna throw you in the fire and we're gonna test you and see what you're made of.
00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:27.119
Right.
00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:34.079
We uh as an interim manager, my role was to manage corporate operated restaurants.
00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:48.159
So anytime an operator retired, left the restaurant, relocated, left the system, or God forbid, passed away, that restaurant would become corporate operated that next that very next day.
00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:51.360
And that's where Chick-fil-A Inc.
00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:53.360
would send in her managers.
00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:56.079
So every three to six months we moved.
00:35:56.480 --> 00:35:58.400
And sometimes we got no notice.
00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:01.679
I mean, I remember one day I got a call and said, Hey, we need you.
00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:05.119
You're in Texas right now, we need you in Wyoming tomorrow.
00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:29.360
And so that added to that pressure that we've been talking about, about that temperature of all uh of just the pressure of like, let's show up, we have to come in, we have to restaff, sometimes replace equipment, sometimes uh come in and retrain or get things caught up to speed, uh, making the food correctly and in a food-safe manner, uh, and making sure that we prepared it for the next franchise owner.
00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:33.599
And so that added that that temperature and that pressure was happening during that season.
00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:36.239
How many transitions did we do during that?
00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:41.280
So that was seven transitions in a two-year time.
00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:43.920
So every three to six months we were moving.
00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:48.159
You think about three to six months, that's a short window of time.
00:36:48.719 --> 00:36:59.920
But that's those those were the stories that I was able to tell because uh once you get to a certain level in that program, you start interviewing to become a franchise owner.
00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:06.239
Well, in the interview, it's not just about who you are and your character, it's can you get business results?
00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:10.159
So you gotta tell the stories of how you got business results.
00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:18.719
Well, I remember one assignment I walked in, day one the the entire kitchen didn't show up.
00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:39.119
So we had our checklists that we were given of things that are required as you know, you gotta get the business license and you gotta you gotta get the health permits and you gotta do all these things, you gotta input all the team members in the system and so that they can get paid and the payroll, and you gotta check all the boxes, right?
00:37:39.360 --> 00:37:43.280
Well, well, you're a restaurant, your entire kitchen doesn't show up.
00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:47.920
Well, set the list to the side and now you're making food in the kitchen.
00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:52.320
And that particular assignment was a three-month assignment.
00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:55.199
I think I lost 25 pounds from not eating, right?
00:37:55.440 --> 00:37:57.440
Working so working my tail off.
00:37:57.679 --> 00:38:04.480
And we both ended up in the ER room because I was also six months pregnant with our first child.
00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:04.800
Yeah.
00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:15.679
So we have the pressure of getting the restaurant up to speed staffing-wise, but also our personal life of dealing with becoming parents.
00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:17.199
Yeah.
00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:20.800
Well, and and that was uncharted territory for both of us.
00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:21.199
Right.
00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:24.079
So we were kind of just figuring that out as we went.
00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:29.840
And so we had our first son, Benton, he's 12 now, and we had him on the road.
00:38:30.159 --> 00:38:34.559
And uh after the first assignment, you gave birth to Benton.
00:38:34.719 --> 00:38:34.960
Right.
00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:38.639
And then he moved all across the the US with us.
00:38:38.880 --> 00:38:39.519
To Maryland.
00:38:39.599 --> 00:38:46.239
And so I was, you know, four weeks postpartum, and you were assigned to a restaurant in Maryland.
00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:46.639
Right.
00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:50.159
And so we drove to Maryland when with a one-month-old baby.
00:38:50.400 --> 00:38:52.559
And I was there for 26 days.
00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:54.880
My assignment was 26 days.
00:38:55.039 --> 00:38:55.199
Right.
00:38:55.360 --> 00:39:01.679
So we had all this facility work because remember, the goal of that transition was to prepare that restaurant.
00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:07.119
So the people, the facilities, the equipment for the incoming franchise owner.
00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:08.320
Chick-fil-A Inc.
00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:12.480
wants a consistent experience for every franchise E that comes in.
00:39:12.639 --> 00:39:14.559
They pay the same franchise fee and all that.
00:39:14.639 --> 00:39:16.960
So they should have somewhat of a consistent experience.
00:39:17.199 --> 00:39:23.519
Well, I mean, we had all sorts of equipment and challenges and things that we had to navigate, but a short amount of time.
00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:28.960
So it was very much like, okay, how do we get all this done in a short amount of time?
00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:30.800
And oh, by the way, I got a new baby.
00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:54.079
So the picture that I remember of Benton in my lap smiling at me while you're over there doing interviews, because that was my chance to get a moment with him, and then I'm me handing him back to you, you putting him in a car seat, taking him to the office so you can input team members in the HR payroll and onboarding, and then while I'm doing more interviews, right?
00:39:54.400 --> 00:40:02.079
We hired, I think it was nine people every week, and we were losing we were losing people because there was a grand opening happening down the store.
00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:05.119
So as soon as we got people hired, other folks were leaving.
00:40:05.599 --> 00:40:07.280
A grand opening happening down the street.
00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:07.760
Yeah.
00:40:08.239 --> 00:40:20.559
And uh and and uh and and so yeah, I mean, but what I learned through that is is like, okay, you gotta pro you gotta have a plan, work your plan, and then pivot quickly.
00:40:20.880 --> 00:40:25.760
Because you you come in, you got your plan, and then all of a sudden there's fires that that come up.
00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:29.119
Now, fortunately, there were no literal fires, uh, thankfully.
00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:31.119
Yes, we do thank the Lord for that.
00:40:31.360 --> 00:40:35.119
Uh, but but there's there's there's those uh there's things that come up, right?
00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:48.159
Where um I remember another assignment where you know signage was falling off the building and hit a car, and uh, I remember a customer was out in the parking lot throwing up, and I mean it's just constantly navigating different things all the while.
00:40:48.239 --> 00:41:00.559
Of you're like, well, I was supposed to be in the kitchen pumping out the food or training a new team member, but now here I am uh mitigating that risk and and trying to work through those challenges.
00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:04.239
So I I got to experience a lot in a short amount of time.
00:41:04.800 --> 00:41:11.440
And what that taught me was it taught me it built a ton of character because I had to learn perseverance.
00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:14.719
I had to learn, okay, one day at a time, one step at a time.
00:41:14.880 --> 00:41:16.320
I had to learn resilience.
00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:21.760
I had to learn, okay, continue, don't, don't, don't falter, keep pushing ahead, keep pushing ahead.
00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:24.719
And there was a lot of challenges in there.
00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:28.960
I remember one time uh uh I had a bad interview, it didn't go well.
00:41:29.199 --> 00:41:34.400
And so then uh and the reason why it didn't go well is because I didn't communicate well.
00:41:34.719 --> 00:41:36.800
So I had to get some tough feedback.
00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:38.719
I had to sit and actually work.
00:41:38.880 --> 00:41:47.440
I had to uh you had some friends at the corporate office who gave me some coaching on how to interview and how to communicate because I was struggling with that.
00:41:47.599 --> 00:41:51.199
My thought was if I get the results, everyone will see it.
00:41:51.440 --> 00:42:03.519
And what they were looking for is I appreciate the results, but can you communicate confidently how you got those results so that we have the confidence in you to be able to partner in business with you?
00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:13.039
So let's talk about how many no's you got before your first opportunity of Alexandria Mall.
00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:21.280
Well, so I became an operator in July of 2015, and I had gotten a couple no's before then.
00:42:21.599 --> 00:42:24.400
Um, probably it was like three or four.
00:42:24.719 --> 00:42:28.079
Uh I was told no to a specific restaurant in California.
00:42:28.320 --> 00:42:31.679
I was told no to the whole South uh West region.
00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:34.480
They said, Hey, we're not even gonna consider you for that region.
00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:39.440
And that was tough because the main restaurants we were looking at at the time were in Texas.
00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:55.679
In that season, what I learned is, and I'm thankful, God's bigger than Chick-fil-A, God's bigger than my relationship with my wife, God's bigger than achieving a status of owner operator on a name tag, right?
00:42:55.840 --> 00:43:00.719
Because being in the center of God's will is the best place anyone could ever ask to be.
00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:04.880
Now, what that looks like physically may not be what we dream in our minds.
00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:14.559
And uh I remember my leader at the time, my corporate manager saying, Hey, you need to be able, you need to think about a backup plan.
00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:17.360
What if Chick-fil-A doesn't work out for you?
00:43:17.920 --> 00:43:19.519
Well, I mean, I was all in.
00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:22.880
I mean, at this point, I was seven years in.
00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:25.039
Like I had already worked through all these things.
00:43:25.199 --> 00:43:26.960
I'm like, I'm invested, I'm all in.
00:43:27.039 --> 00:43:28.800
I don't, I don't have a backup plan.
00:43:28.880 --> 00:43:29.519
What are you talking about?
00:43:29.760 --> 00:43:44.480
Well, I remember you coming home too and saying, like, hey, if if this doesn't work out for me, like, let's start researching, you know, Subway, McDonald's, some other franchise options because I know I want to do the quick service restaurant industry.
00:43:45.039 --> 00:43:52.400
And I remember just feeling deflated at that moment, thinking, You done drug me all over the country.
00:43:52.639 --> 00:43:53.039
Right.
00:43:53.440 --> 00:43:56.239
I had your baby on the road, you have to make it.
00:43:56.400 --> 00:43:59.039
And I think actually that was a direct quote from me.
00:43:59.199 --> 00:43:59.760
I'm pretty sure.
00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:03.199
That's what I said, which at the time was how I was feeling.
00:44:03.280 --> 00:44:10.239
But I don't know if I was the most encouraging wife in that moment of just thinking about the pressure and the struggle that you were having.
00:44:10.400 --> 00:44:14.880
But it also kind of forced you to, hey, you got to be successful.
00:44:15.039 --> 00:44:16.800
And I think that that's huge too.
00:44:16.880 --> 00:44:26.559
Uh maybe people that are are listening today, they may not have someone saying that, or they might have someone saying that and they might be getting offended by that.
00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:37.760
When in reality, my love at that moment to you was a tough love of you will be successful, you will do this, and I gotta see you achieve your goals because I know that you're gonna knock them out of the park.
00:44:37.920 --> 00:44:57.760
And so if there's anybody here that's thinking about that and that and they're going through a struggle, if you don't have somebody saying that to you right now, hear, hear me say, This is Leela's like tough love moment of you you've already put in the work, you will be successful, you will hit your goal and knock it out of the park.
00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:07.519
And you need somebody to say that to you sometimes, even if it is tough, especially in the moments when you were wanting to quit and you were willing to start to research another option.
00:45:07.920 --> 00:45:10.400
Well, and in that time, a couple things happened.
00:45:10.559 --> 00:45:12.159
So, yes, that was tough love.
00:45:12.239 --> 00:45:13.280
I needed that.
00:45:13.679 --> 00:45:15.360
And you're great with tough love.
00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:16.559
I'll I'll give you that for sure.
00:45:17.440 --> 00:45:18.480
Thank you so much.
00:45:19.280 --> 00:45:26.320
It it it made me go deeper in my why because I realized that there were other options.
00:45:26.719 --> 00:45:34.800
But then I realized as I did my research, I was like, you know, okay, yeah, there's other franchises, but this is really the one that God's called me to do.
00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:37.199
And quitting is the easy thing to do.
00:45:37.840 --> 00:45:41.199
And if if it was easy, everybody would do it.
00:45:41.519 --> 00:45:41.760
Sure.
00:45:42.159 --> 00:45:47.760
So a lot of times, and maybe the encouragement somebody needs to hear is just keep your hand on the plow.
00:45:48.480 --> 00:45:49.360
Just keep going.
00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:50.639
Don't give up.
00:45:51.039 --> 00:45:52.400
Because giving up's easy.
00:45:53.840 --> 00:46:01.039
And if everybody quit, or or or if if if success and significance were easy, everyone would do it.
00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:05.840
And so be willing to do the things that other folks don't want to do.
00:46:06.239 --> 00:46:11.039
And that's that's how you you kind of start separating yourself, differentiating yourself.
00:46:11.360 --> 00:46:14.880
And that leads to other opportunities that wouldn't be there.
00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:24.880
There were people that I started working with when I was a team member who were even over me that over time I I surpassed because I just stayed steady and committed.
00:46:25.440 --> 00:46:32.880
So walk walk me through your interview process for your first Chick-fil-A restaurant opportunity.
00:46:33.280 --> 00:46:39.760
So my interview process, and once again, everybody you talk to, you're gonna get a different pro different experience.
00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:41.679
There's not one way to go about it.
00:46:41.840 --> 00:46:45.599
There's not one right way or it's it's different for every candidate.
00:46:45.760 --> 00:46:47.599
Mine was a two-year process.
00:46:47.920 --> 00:46:51.360
So literally, I'm working at Chick-fil-A Inc.
00:46:51.519 --> 00:46:59.280
as a corporate interim manager, and then I'm interviewing with um this group over here in franchisee selection.
00:46:59.519 --> 00:47:04.079
But all the while, all of my reports, all of my data, they have access to.
00:47:04.239 --> 00:47:08.000
So it was a two-year live interview.
00:47:08.239 --> 00:47:11.840
And then you go through, there's a there's an application process.
00:47:11.920 --> 00:47:17.119
You have to get recommended by the the management staff that I worked with.
00:47:17.280 --> 00:47:23.599
There's um there's a long, extensive essay period that I had to fill out.
00:47:23.679 --> 00:47:25.039
There's an online application.
00:47:25.360 --> 00:47:27.119
And then the restaurant focus interview.
00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:34.320
Well, even before the focus interview, there was a there was a in-person Zoom or um video conference.
00:47:34.559 --> 00:47:35.840
They didn't have, I don't think it was Zoom back.
00:47:36.719 --> 00:47:37.280
There's a video interview.
00:47:38.079 --> 00:47:38.159
Yeah.
00:47:38.480 --> 00:47:42.079
And uh after and once again, yeah, there's time in between.
00:47:42.159 --> 00:47:48.239
So it's not like, you know, today and then next week and the next, you know, there's there's weeks or months in between each step.
00:47:48.480 --> 00:47:58.480
And then uh and then there's a uh in-person interview with multiple people where they grill and drill you and talk about everything and press you because they want to see what you're made of.
00:47:58.719 --> 00:47:58.880
Sure.
00:47:59.119 --> 00:47:59.280
Right?
00:47:59.360 --> 00:48:02.639
You squeeze somebody, you know, whatever comes out is what they're made of.
00:48:03.599 --> 00:48:09.599
And and then once I made it past that point, then it was like, okay, now you can apply.
00:48:09.760 --> 00:48:12.400
They said, we see you as an operator candidate.
00:48:12.559 --> 00:48:15.760
Now you need to apply for restaurant specific opportunities.
00:48:16.000 --> 00:48:21.840
Okay, and this is where the focus interview came in, and that's when you started interview for Alexandria Mall.
00:48:22.159 --> 00:48:25.280
And then I was getting towards the end of my time.
00:48:25.440 --> 00:48:30.880
It's a two, so the leadership uh at that time, the leadership development program was a two-year program.
00:48:31.280 --> 00:48:36.639
At the end of that time, when you time out, you expire and you're out of the program.
00:48:37.039 --> 00:48:46.320
So I knew that within that window, I'm the the most viable candidates are the ones who are actively uh in the program who are actively interviewing.
00:48:46.480 --> 00:48:53.199
And I knew that if I left the program, um some of my credibility would would be uh compromised a little bit.
00:48:53.280 --> 00:49:02.239
So my time was coming to an end, and I was talking with franchisee selection, and I got a call from from someone, and they said, Hey, you need to look at this opportunity.
00:49:02.480 --> 00:49:03.519
I said, Tell me more.
00:49:03.840 --> 00:49:06.239
And they said, It's in Louisiana.
00:49:07.920 --> 00:49:11.280
And I was like, Louisiana.
00:49:12.159 --> 00:49:14.559
I I'd never even thought about Louisiana.
00:49:14.719 --> 00:49:17.440
Like, I mean, I've heard of it, but I I never visited.
00:49:17.519 --> 00:49:21.440
I didn't I never thought about it as an opportunity, but okay, I'll I'll look at it.
00:49:22.000 --> 00:49:26.000
So I came home and I told you about it, and you were like, I'm a little hesitant.
00:49:26.079 --> 00:49:28.079
And I said, Well, I think we just need to visit.
00:49:28.639 --> 00:49:29.519
So we visited.
00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:34.480
I remember getting off that plane, and you looked at me and you said you said what?
00:49:35.760 --> 00:49:37.280
Well, this ain't about me.
00:49:37.519 --> 00:49:38.480
You said what?
00:49:39.519 --> 00:49:41.679
I said, I do not want to live here.
00:49:41.920 --> 00:49:43.119
And I started crying.
00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:43.599
Yeah.
00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:49.280
And you say, I think the way I remember it is, if you choose to move here, I'm not coming with you.
00:49:49.840 --> 00:49:50.800
I don't remember that part.
00:49:51.039 --> 00:49:52.639
That's the way I remember it.
00:49:53.599 --> 00:49:56.159
So it was it was tough.
00:49:56.320 --> 00:49:58.559
It wasn't like the picture perfect world.
00:49:58.639 --> 00:50:03.280
It wasn't, but I just remember having peace about it because it was an opportunity.
00:50:04.159 --> 00:50:12.320
And I remember having later we prayed about it, we had a conversation, and I said, if God opens the door, we got to walk through it.
00:50:12.639 --> 00:50:13.920
I interviewed for it.
00:50:14.079 --> 00:50:16.639
I I put my heart and soul into that interview.
00:50:16.800 --> 00:50:32.159
I remember um going back to the airport in my full suit and literally drenched in the inside, and all my undershirts and everything were drenched from all the sweat that I went through, and I was like, I felt just so empty.
00:50:32.239 --> 00:50:34.800
Like I left it all out there there on the table.
00:50:35.039 --> 00:50:40.480
Well, I was flying back to an assignment that we had in Salt Lake City, Utah.
00:50:40.800 --> 00:50:44.400
So, and that's a whole nother conversation, but we were getting it handed to us.
00:50:44.480 --> 00:50:52.880
I mean, it's high volume mall, and I really couldn't even have afforded to to leave because they needed me there, but I left for that interview for that day.
00:50:53.039 --> 00:51:03.840
And I remember, I mean, I think I was on Fry's like a a week later, and I felt my I heard my phone ringing, and I was like, and I looked to see who it was.
00:51:03.920 --> 00:51:05.199
I was like, guys, I gotta take this.
00:51:05.360 --> 00:51:07.199
It's franchisee selection.
00:51:07.840 --> 00:51:24.800
So somebody else took over Fry's, and I went and I took the phone call in the office, and and it was Amy Millard, franchisee selection consultant, and she said, Hey Ben, we want to move forward with you as the final candidate for Alexandria Mall.
00:51:25.039 --> 00:51:27.119
I remember that like it was yesterday.
00:51:27.360 --> 00:51:29.519
And we actually have a picture of that too.
00:51:29.760 --> 00:51:38.800
We have a picture of it of uh when when I came out of the office, and because you had walked over and you and um you said, What was the call?
00:51:38.880 --> 00:51:39.920
What what happened?
00:51:40.239 --> 00:51:43.440
And but I'm telling you, in that office, I cried.
00:51:43.599 --> 00:51:50.320
She told so she said that I started bawling, and I didn't, you know, and I'm trying to hold back my emotions and all this side.
00:51:50.480 --> 00:51:56.719
And she's like, I'm assuming you're by not responding that that's a good thing.
00:51:56.880 --> 00:52:01.599
And I was like, Hold on, let me get it together for a minute.
00:52:01.760 --> 00:52:05.199
And I was like, this is amazing, it's a dream come true.
00:52:05.360 --> 00:52:06.239
I'm honored.
00:52:06.320 --> 00:52:10.320
Uh yes, I'd love to, uh I'd love to pursue next steps.
00:52:10.639 --> 00:52:16.719
And um I'd love to say in this story, like, and we all live happily ever after.
00:52:17.039 --> 00:52:17.679
But that wasn't it.
00:52:18.000 --> 00:52:24.960
And it was all downhill after the well, we got no, no, no, we got a big hug, and then I said, I gotta hop back on register.
00:52:25.039 --> 00:52:27.519
Yeah, because it's it's about to be lunchtime.
00:52:27.599 --> 00:52:27.760
Yeah.
00:52:27.920 --> 00:52:28.639
And you hop back on.
00:52:28.960 --> 00:52:32.480
I went back to fries and trying to shovel us out of the red.
00:52:32.559 --> 00:52:44.400
And um and so and so And I think that's crucial for people to know is like you know as we're doing the work, the work didn't stop in the moment of finally getting the title.
00:52:44.639 --> 00:52:44.960
Right.
00:52:45.119 --> 00:52:51.039
Now it's like the next level of work started of preparing for our our first business.
00:52:51.199 --> 00:52:59.840
And so getting our business license, moving to a new state, finding where we were gonna live, bringing our child along, and taking over the mall.
00:53:00.159 --> 00:53:04.320
And you finally got Chick-fil-A owner operator on your name tag.
00:53:04.559 --> 00:53:09.440
We rang the bell, it was an extraordinary, joyous time for us.
00:53:09.760 --> 00:53:12.239
We were on cloud nine, then what happened?
00:53:12.400 --> 00:53:14.320
Well, then it's like, let's get to work.
00:53:14.880 --> 00:53:21.679
And I looking back, I probably didn't celebrate that moment because I was just focused once again.
00:53:21.760 --> 00:53:23.760
I I should have celebrated a little bit more.
00:53:23.840 --> 00:53:25.840
That was eight years in the making.
00:53:26.880 --> 00:53:30.559
And I don't even think we went out for like a nice dinner or anything.
00:53:30.960 --> 00:53:31.199
We didn't.
00:53:31.440 --> 00:53:32.719
I don't think we had the money for that.
00:53:33.199 --> 00:53:38.159
We didn't have the money for that, but we didn't have the time because we had to get we had to get the ball rolling.
00:53:38.719 --> 00:53:49.360
So we we we moved to Louisiana, we were able to find a house, and um fortunately I had started investing when I was fifteen.
00:53:49.599 --> 00:53:54.079
So I pulled all my money out of a 401k and I had a down payment on a house.
00:53:54.880 --> 00:54:04.559
And that was that was a blessing to be able to to move there and and have a house and somewhere somewhere for Mama Bird to call home and then have a nest.
00:54:04.880 --> 00:54:10.480
And the first time we were able to give Benton, our son, a room and he was two and a half years old.
00:54:11.280 --> 00:54:20.639
I think that was important because yeah, I mean, we had lived on the road for so long, we wanted somewhere to call home and to put roots down.
00:54:21.119 --> 00:54:28.639
So July twenty fifteen, I took over that restaurant, and man, we put blood, sweat, and tears into that thing.
00:54:28.880 --> 00:54:32.000
Um you wind up having a miscarriage.
00:54:32.480 --> 00:54:37.679
Um in the first month of the first month that was there, it was cow appreciation day.
00:54:37.760 --> 00:54:39.440
Uh well let's rewind.
00:54:39.599 --> 00:54:45.360
So you you became an operator, and in the first month of business, the mall was not turning a profit.
00:54:45.440 --> 00:54:46.400
It was not profitable.
00:54:46.719 --> 00:54:48.559
Well, it was stru we were struggling.
00:54:48.800 --> 00:54:52.000
And uh in thirty days you did turn a profit though.
00:54:52.159 --> 00:54:56.400
Yeah, and what was that what was that first Chick-fil-A operator profit check back?
00:54:56.800 --> 00:55:13.119
That check was like two hundred and something dollars, and I think I put in sixty, seventy hours every week, and but I was like, because it had been unprofitable like six months before I took it over, and so I was like, it's gonna be profitable.
00:55:13.360 --> 00:55:14.960
I gotta make an income.
00:55:15.199 --> 00:55:18.000
We gotta like do this, we gotta do this thing.
00:55:18.239 --> 00:55:27.599
So I felt good that okay, we saw a profit, but I really felt torn between everything you were going through emotionally.
00:55:27.679 --> 00:55:29.360
I didn't even know how to be there for you.
00:55:29.519 --> 00:55:29.760
Right.
00:55:29.920 --> 00:55:36.000
We lost a baby, I I didn't even know how to be emotionally present for you.
00:55:36.400 --> 00:55:44.400
I was just focused on the restaurant, and all I could think of was in caring for my wife and my family and providing for them.
00:55:44.880 --> 00:55:51.920
We got to make money, but like I knew that mall wasn't the long-term end goal, and all of our family was in Gwinnett.
00:55:52.320 --> 00:55:55.840
So I was like, okay, we're in Alexandria, Louisiana.
00:55:56.639 --> 00:56:01.280
And you got hyper focused again on how to maximize the mall opportunity.
00:56:01.519 --> 00:56:02.320
So we did.
00:56:02.480 --> 00:56:04.079
I mean, I built a team.
00:56:04.159 --> 00:56:08.800
I uh in that season, I selected every team member that came through.
00:56:09.360 --> 00:56:13.519
And we had the most team members we ever had at one point in time was 27.
00:56:13.840 --> 00:56:19.679
I remember that because everybody that we hired, Black Friday was was the busiest sales day of the year.
00:56:19.840 --> 00:56:23.679
Okay, and we basically hired them and said, You're required to work this day.
00:56:23.840 --> 00:56:29.039
And I remember everybody that was on payroll worked that day at some point in time.
00:56:29.360 --> 00:56:34.000
And now also in that season, I worked every Thanksgiving day.
00:56:34.239 --> 00:56:38.320
So we Chick-fil-A was closed, but I was doing pre-prep.
00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:46.000
So I would go in and juice lemons for the next day, I would make sure chicken was allocated or you know, thawed.
00:56:46.239 --> 00:57:02.079
I would, and uh, I remember one time our parents came to visit, and I had my dad back there uh making salads and wraps for the next day to pre-prep for the busiest day of the year when everybody else was having their turkey dinner.
00:57:02.639 --> 00:57:07.199
The kids were making care packages for the team, energy drinks because we knew Black Friday was coming.
00:57:07.360 --> 00:57:07.599
Yep.
00:57:07.760 --> 00:57:19.519
And so after those three years at Alexandria Mall, uh, tell us, you know, just briefly, you know, we talked about how the mall was struggling when you took it on to make a profit.
00:57:19.760 --> 00:57:25.440
You you turned a profit around in 30 days, six months you were able to increase the sales.
00:57:25.679 --> 00:57:31.440
After that first full year, how much of a sales increase were you able to produce out of that recipe?
00:57:32.159 --> 00:57:35.280
13.5% was our sales increase.
00:57:35.519 --> 00:57:36.960
That's that's great.
00:57:37.280 --> 00:57:42.079
And man, that was we fought for every percent.
00:57:42.239 --> 00:57:42.559
Right.
00:57:42.880 --> 00:57:44.400
I mean, we were scratching and clawing.
00:57:44.480 --> 00:57:45.840
We were getting we were taking the crumbs.
00:57:46.079 --> 00:57:59.840
We went back to door knocking, though, again, we were knocking on doors saying, can we cater your next event to all the major d anchored department stores in that mall and all of the major businesses in the area that corresponded to our uh jurisdiction?
00:57:59.920 --> 00:58:05.039
Uh because if we were doing anything, I set up a kiosk on the other side of the mall.
00:58:05.280 --> 00:58:08.079
And uh we would set up during peak times and sell.
00:58:08.320 --> 00:58:12.800
I remember one day we thought it was a success if we sold seven sandwiches down there.
00:58:13.119 --> 00:58:13.599
Sure.
00:58:14.000 --> 00:58:18.079
I mean, uh we we set up inflatable cows all over the mall.
00:58:18.239 --> 00:58:21.440
Uh we had a Alexandria zoo right across the way.
00:58:21.519 --> 00:58:27.199
We would go set up a table and a tent, and we would just f funnel sandwiches from the mall over there.
00:58:27.360 --> 00:58:31.519
Anything we could scratch and claw and get to sell, we were doing.
00:58:31.840 --> 00:58:34.880
And that that led to that 13.5% increase.
00:58:35.039 --> 00:58:42.239
And then the final year that we were there, um, what was the that last year, full year's worth of increase in sales?
00:58:42.480 --> 00:58:45.199
We we had we had steady uh sales.
00:58:45.280 --> 00:58:50.159
I think that last year was like seven and a half, eight percent, which was unheard of at that time.
00:58:50.400 --> 00:58:52.000
And God had blessed our business.
00:58:52.159 --> 00:58:55.360
And it was, I mean, yes, we were we were stewarding it, right?
00:58:55.440 --> 00:58:59.199
Like it's not like we were just sitting on our hands praying for God to bless the business.
00:58:59.360 --> 00:59:02.480
But I mean, it l those sales came from from God.
00:59:02.559 --> 00:59:03.760
I mean they definitely did.
00:59:04.000 --> 00:59:09.920
And and the the people, the talent that he sent us, the leaders that we had, I mean, it was a God thing.
00:59:10.159 --> 00:59:12.400
And the involvement with the community that we had.
00:59:12.639 --> 00:59:14.559
It was a very close-knit community.
00:59:14.719 --> 00:59:21.280
We had a very supportive uh church system uh in Alexandria, and that was very helpful for us.
00:59:21.519 --> 00:59:25.199
Now, let's talk to everybody about how you ended up in Conyers.
00:59:25.679 --> 00:59:31.119
Yeah, so we were there were three things that we wanted when we were looking at relocating.
00:59:31.280 --> 00:59:39.599
We wanted to be close to family, we wanted to be a part of uh establishing deep roots in a community, and then we wanted a long-term play.
00:59:39.760 --> 00:59:44.880
We wanted somewhere that had potential for growth long term.
00:59:45.360 --> 00:59:47.280
And we were looking at a lot of different places.
00:59:47.440 --> 00:59:50.400
We were looking at Texas because we had family in Texas.
00:59:50.639 --> 00:59:56.960
We were looking at we were looking at Georgia, but at that time, people were telling me you don't, you're not gonna get back to Georgia.
00:59:57.119 --> 00:59:59.519
It's impossible, it's too competitive.
01:00:00.000 --> 01:00:16.960
And the way the the the way the system works is is that if you are uh a Chick-fil-A operator, you get kind of first priority for other restaurant opportunities for relocating uh um ahead of external candidates.
01:00:17.119 --> 01:00:26.719
But at that time, there was a lot of existing operators that were trying to get back home because um, I mean, Atlanta, Atlanta is the hub for Chick-fil-A, right?
01:00:26.800 --> 01:00:30.000
So a lot of people were homegrown in that metro Atlanta area.
01:00:30.079 --> 01:00:33.519
They had taken opportunities outside of the Atlanta area trying to get back.
01:00:33.679 --> 01:00:44.320
I mean, I remember going up against guys who had freestanders doing significantly more in sales volume, and they kept telling me, you're a low-volume mall guy.
01:00:44.480 --> 01:00:45.840
I mean, you're you're not competitive.
01:00:46.000 --> 01:00:48.159
So I think I got six no's.
01:00:48.800 --> 01:00:53.280
And and every now remember, each no is a 22-week interview process.
01:00:53.519 --> 01:00:53.840
Okay.
01:00:54.320 --> 01:00:56.719
So think about the emotions of that.
01:00:57.280 --> 01:01:01.599
Preparing, putting yourself in the mindset of how would I, how would I look at this area?
01:01:01.760 --> 01:01:03.920
We visited every all of those locations.
01:01:04.000 --> 01:01:07.599
We went and visited the chambers, we looked at what would what would it be like.
01:01:07.679 --> 01:01:25.440
I put together business plans and proposals for every uh every one of those, and then there's a process of okay, online application, you know, same thing of the phone interview, and then if you get an in-person interview, and uh eventually, eventually got an in-person interview.
01:01:25.840 --> 01:01:31.199
And this is six no's after you already have Chick-fil-A operator on your name tag.
01:01:31.360 --> 01:01:31.760
That's right.
01:01:31.920 --> 01:01:44.159
You already have an active functioning franchise agreement with them, they've seen your business results already, and they've chosen a partner in business with you already, but then you were asking to relocate and you had six no's.
01:01:44.320 --> 01:01:49.920
Yeah, and I'll tell you, it I'm I I told you in the beginning, I'm originally from like Snellville.
01:01:50.079 --> 01:01:53.519
There was a I got told no to a Snellville store.
01:01:54.239 --> 01:01:56.480
That hurt for me.
01:01:56.880 --> 01:01:58.079
I thought I'm from there.
01:01:58.159 --> 01:01:59.920
I I should be the best fit for that.
01:02:00.000 --> 01:02:01.599
And and we had great numbers, man.
01:02:01.679 --> 01:02:04.079
We were and I felt like we told the story well.
01:02:04.320 --> 01:02:05.440
And I got told no.
01:02:05.679 --> 01:02:09.360
Now looking back, I'm thankful I see like God's divine intervention.
01:02:09.519 --> 01:02:11.840
Like hindsight's always 2020.
01:02:11.920 --> 01:02:13.840
But in the moment, man, that was painful.
01:02:14.320 --> 01:02:15.920
You start questioning things again.
01:02:16.079 --> 01:02:20.639
The enemy starts putting doubt in your mind of like, are you really good enough or are you working enough?
01:02:20.800 --> 01:02:22.800
And you know, or are you doing enough?
01:02:22.960 --> 01:02:28.480
And so navigating that, our second son Charlie, was born in Alexandria.
01:02:28.639 --> 01:02:34.239
Yes, so uh, we always say that he was the best thing that came out of Alexandria in the time that we were there.
01:02:34.559 --> 01:02:39.119
And so we're like having a newborn and like navigating, trying to relocate.
01:02:39.920 --> 01:02:51.440
And eventually God opened the door for us to to come to Conyers and um went through a 22-week interview process, got selected for that store.
01:02:51.519 --> 01:02:52.960
I remember that phone call.
01:02:53.679 --> 01:02:58.480
I um I think I got a text and they said, Hey, can you call us?
01:02:58.639 --> 01:02:59.679
Can you jump on a call?
01:03:00.079 --> 01:03:00.800
And I I left.
01:03:00.880 --> 01:03:02.719
I walked right out the back door of the restaurant.
01:03:02.800 --> 01:03:04.320
I got went and sat in my truck.
01:03:04.400 --> 01:03:06.800
I mean, I remember exactly where I was.
01:03:07.679 --> 01:03:11.199
And it was uh it was Amy Rich and Oscar Shepard.
01:03:11.360 --> 01:03:12.239
They were on the phone.
01:03:12.800 --> 01:03:23.039
And Amy said, Ben, we'd like to move forward with you um as as the um as the operator for uh Conyer's freestanding restaurant.
01:03:23.199 --> 01:03:25.199
And once again, I just was speechless.
01:03:25.280 --> 01:03:26.400
I I was bawling.
01:03:27.039 --> 01:03:31.360
And she's she said, and and then Oscar came on and said, Ben, are you still there?
01:03:31.599 --> 01:03:33.519
I said, Yeah, I'm here.
01:03:33.760 --> 01:03:36.880
I'm sorry, I'm just fighting the tears here, but I'm here.
01:03:37.119 --> 01:03:40.960
And um super excited and and and thankful.
01:03:41.119 --> 01:03:46.480
And and it's crazy because we had been told you're not competitive enough.
01:03:46.639 --> 01:03:51.679
We had been told um it's it's too hard to get back to the southeast region.
01:03:51.840 --> 01:03:57.039
And my prayer during that season was God, I don't even care where we go, I just want to be in the center of your will.
01:03:57.519 --> 01:04:02.639
Going back to that same prayer you did when you were in high school of just I want to be in the center of God's will.
01:04:02.880 --> 01:04:03.119
Yeah.
01:04:03.280 --> 01:04:07.519
And when God opens a door, it's clear, and then you just you run through it.
01:04:07.599 --> 01:04:08.880
So we ran through that one.
01:04:09.119 --> 01:04:14.559
And uh I I remember so March of 2018, I remember day one.
01:04:14.639 --> 01:04:20.960
It was wild because I pulled up in the parking spot, I parked, and I looked at the restaurant, and we had a line of customers.
01:04:21.360 --> 01:04:27.119
The drive-thru was was wrapped around, and I was like 13 car stack drive-thru.
01:04:27.440 --> 01:04:31.199
I I'm like, we we ne in the mall we didn't have lines, right?
01:04:31.360 --> 01:04:32.480
I didn't know what that was like.
01:04:32.639 --> 01:04:37.679
We were the ones scratching and clawing for sales, and I see I see cars lined up in the drive-thru.
01:04:37.840 --> 01:04:39.440
I'm like, what a blessing.
01:04:39.920 --> 01:04:47.199
And I've just I had a God moment there, and I was so thankful, and just like I felt the Holy Spirit come over me, and I'm like, oh man, this is amazing.
01:04:47.360 --> 01:04:52.800
And then I looked and I looked longer, and I was like, those cars aren't moving.
01:04:54.159 --> 01:04:57.599
After a few minutes, I was like, uh, we got work to do.
01:04:58.079 --> 01:05:01.679
So uh so later on that day, I actually went through the drive-thru.
01:05:01.840 --> 01:05:05.840
It took 33 minutes to get all the way through, and I was like, that's why I wasn't moving.
01:05:06.239 --> 01:05:07.199
Got a lot of work to do.
01:05:07.360 --> 01:05:14.639
So day one was kind of like I had a lot of friends and family come out and fellow operators and you know, congratulations and take pictures.
01:05:14.960 --> 01:05:24.639
And it was so special too, because the the previous operator of that restaurant had been friends with your uh late grandfather, and so that was really, really special.
01:05:24.800 --> 01:05:29.440
But he had also been uh the operator leader of your operator, Brian.
01:05:29.599 --> 01:05:29.840
Yeah.
01:05:29.920 --> 01:05:40.800
And so I worked with Brian Shepard in Lilburn, and and Brian had actually worked under the leadership of Gene Robinson, and Gene Robinson was the operator, long-term operator at at Conyers.
01:05:41.199 --> 01:05:45.679
And it was such a sweet thing to have both Brian and Gene there day one.
01:05:45.840 --> 01:05:47.760
My parents were there, and it was awesome.
01:05:47.920 --> 01:05:54.960
And and in Chick-fil-A family legacy, Gene was essentially like a Chick fil A grandpa to you.
01:05:55.360 --> 01:05:56.159
It was so sweet.
01:05:56.239 --> 01:05:59.760
And I had Amy Rich who selected me, she came out day one.
01:06:00.239 --> 01:06:01.119
And she congratulated me.
01:06:01.199 --> 01:06:03.280
I mean, it was just, it was such a sweet day.
01:06:03.519 --> 01:06:06.079
And then after that, it was like, all right, let's go to work.
01:06:06.320 --> 01:06:08.159
I mean, it was let's get the drug.
01:06:08.719 --> 01:06:09.920
There was a lot of work to do.
01:06:10.000 --> 01:06:13.280
And uh we had limited leadership.
01:06:13.360 --> 01:06:21.119
Uh, I remember, and we ooh, we had made some real so we interviewed everybody that was existing because we took over an existing store.
01:06:21.280 --> 01:06:26.639
We interviewed everyone that was there, and we wound up selecting half of the folks that were there.
01:06:26.800 --> 01:06:38.320
And that was a really, really hard, bold move because we actually needed more than half, but we only selected, I think it was 65, maybe.
01:06:38.559 --> 01:06:39.199
Yeah.
01:06:39.679 --> 01:06:43.119
And and it on the outside, it looked like it was it was nuts.
01:06:43.199 --> 01:06:44.159
Like, what are you guys doing?
01:06:44.239 --> 01:06:45.119
This is ridiculous.
01:06:45.280 --> 01:06:56.800
I remember, I distinctly remember Friday nights, you and I would, or you would take the kids, drop them off at grandparents, you and I would close, and then we would spend the night and then get there at open.
01:06:56.880 --> 01:06:57.920
We would open the next day.
01:06:58.079 --> 01:07:00.079
It'd be like me, you, and a couple team members.
01:07:00.400 --> 01:07:01.039
Open to close.
01:07:01.360 --> 01:07:03.039
Open to close, we're struggling.
01:07:03.199 --> 01:07:08.079
Uh, I remember one day I had been there like two days, open to close.
01:07:08.159 --> 01:07:13.920
I left on a Saturday at like six, maybe, or I don't know, five or six.
01:07:14.320 --> 01:07:21.360
And I saw this lady waiting on her food, and she looked, you could tell from her body language, she looked really upset.
01:07:21.679 --> 01:07:24.639
And I was like, Well, before I leave, let me just check in with her.
01:07:24.719 --> 01:07:27.840
So I was like, ma'am, I I see you might be waiting.
01:07:27.920 --> 01:07:28.800
Have you been waiting a while?
01:07:28.880 --> 01:07:30.880
And she's like, I've been waiting forever.
01:07:31.119 --> 01:07:33.519
And I was like, Oh, wow, I'm so sorry.
01:07:33.599 --> 01:07:34.159
Well, let me check on.
01:07:34.400 --> 01:07:35.280
So I check on the food.
01:07:35.360 --> 01:07:37.360
I say, Your food's actually coming right up.
01:07:37.440 --> 01:07:39.199
And and she was like, Are you in charge?
01:07:39.360 --> 01:07:41.280
I was like, Yes, ma'am, I'm the I'm the new operator.
01:07:41.360 --> 01:07:44.800
And she's like, Well, and she just started ripping into me.
01:07:44.880 --> 01:07:54.320
I mean, she told me all the things that I was doing wrong and how she had eaten here for years as a customer, and and how I I was the worst operator ever, and the previous guy was better.
01:07:54.480 --> 01:07:57.280
And I and I agreed with her.
01:07:57.360 --> 01:07:59.760
I was like, current state, yes.
01:08:00.000 --> 01:08:04.159
And I hate that that's your experience, but just so you know, we're committed to making it better.
01:08:04.239 --> 01:08:07.440
We're committed to to getting getting it right.
01:08:07.920 --> 01:08:20.159
And well, I think I think we both had the joy of uh our customers telling us just how non-delightful we were at that time.
01:08:20.479 --> 01:08:21.760
And we agreed with them.
01:08:22.000 --> 01:08:23.600
We knew we had a lot of work to do.
01:08:23.760 --> 01:08:31.520
We knew we had to get the restaurant turned around, we were able to get it turned around, and then in 2020, we were afforded this opportunity.
01:08:31.680 --> 01:08:38.000
We had started this wonderful construction of a new building with a double-lane drive-thru stack.
01:08:38.079 --> 01:08:42.640
I mean, we felt like we were getting, I don't know if people still say this, getting a Cadillac, right?
01:08:42.800 --> 01:08:47.760
A Cadillac freestander with a double-lane drive-thru stack, and it was snazzy.
01:08:47.920 --> 01:08:49.520
And then what happened in 2020?
01:08:49.680 --> 01:08:50.399
Does anybody know?
01:08:50.720 --> 01:08:51.600
Well, we all know, right?
01:08:51.680 --> 01:08:52.720
The world shut down.
01:08:52.960 --> 01:09:03.039
Now, I mean, so so March, March of 2020 was when COVID really came to a head, and and we were all drive-thru only.
01:09:03.119 --> 01:09:04.960
Well, we were still in the old store.
01:09:05.199 --> 01:09:07.439
And the construction of the new store had begun.
01:09:08.159 --> 01:09:12.640
Construction of the new store had begun, and we opened that new store in November of 2020.
01:09:12.800 --> 01:09:18.479
But you think about like the picture for the listeners, that old store is 30 years old.
01:09:18.800 --> 01:09:20.560
Single-lane drive-thru.
01:09:21.359 --> 01:09:28.640
We used to call it the uh the death trap, like the the the circle of death, because once you got in the line, you couldn't get out.
01:09:29.840 --> 01:09:30.960
So we had them.
01:09:31.039 --> 01:09:36.479
No, but um we were trying to move it, but we were we were limited on what we could do, right?
01:09:36.720 --> 01:09:46.000
And so November of 2020, we uh we closed the old store on a Saturday and we opened the new one on a Thursday of the next week.
01:09:46.159 --> 01:09:47.920
Right in the middle of COVID.
01:09:48.159 --> 01:09:51.039
Everybody's wearing masks, we couldn't get masks.
01:09:51.199 --> 01:09:52.479
Your mom made masks.
01:09:52.960 --> 01:09:55.520
Yeah, my mom sewed some masks for our team members.
01:09:55.600 --> 01:09:57.119
We had cute little cow print.
01:09:57.199 --> 01:09:59.600
I think we bought out all the cow print from Hobby Lobby.
01:09:59.840 --> 01:10:01.199
Shout out to Martha Para.
01:10:01.600 --> 01:10:12.319
Yeah, she went to work on her sewing machine with elastic and cow print materials, provided masks for our team, and uh we opened as drive-thru only.
01:10:12.720 --> 01:10:19.199
And at the time it was kind of unheard of to have the lot size that we had and the two lanes all the way around.
01:10:19.359 --> 01:10:26.319
And uh it was a lot of challenges, but a lot of blessing in that time, and and uh we continued to operate that store.
01:10:26.399 --> 01:10:28.159
Um we still have it today.
01:10:28.399 --> 01:10:38.079
And then in November of 2023, we had the opportunity to take on an existing location, the Salem Bridge location, as a second store.
01:10:38.800 --> 01:10:45.439
So um we've we fought through all of the challenges with COVID, just like just like everyone did in retail.
01:10:45.600 --> 01:10:48.399
And uh we built uh we had a lot of momentum going.
01:10:48.640 --> 01:11:02.800
We had a really healthy leadership team, and we had some really uh strong systems for developing talent, retaining talent, and we had the opportunity to open an to take on an existing store as a second location.
01:11:03.199 --> 01:11:08.720
And so November of 25, it'll be two years that we'll have had that restaurant.
01:11:09.039 --> 01:11:13.199
And it's a blessing, you know, it's it's a responsibility and it's a blessing.
01:11:13.359 --> 01:11:15.840
You know, people look at me now, my role is a little bit different.
01:11:16.000 --> 01:11:20.239
So, you know, I started, I told you, like I used to interview everybody at the mall.
01:11:20.479 --> 01:11:27.920
Um, now I'm I'm involved with uh like leadership selection and and certain interviews, but we have a talent team now.
01:11:28.079 --> 01:11:46.960
I mean, when when we took over Conyers, you were the executive assistant, you managed my calendar, you were the marketing salesperson, you were the so you you were the executive assistant, you were the the sales and brand growth person and marketing, and then you were the talent person.
01:11:47.119 --> 01:11:52.239
And then eventually we we we were able to hire for for each one of those positions.
01:11:52.479 --> 01:11:55.680
But like, you know, the the role changes over time.
01:11:55.840 --> 01:12:02.479
That's why we say, like, and that was really the heartbeat behind do the did, is people say, Oh, well, Mr.
01:12:02.560 --> 01:12:03.840
Ben, I want to do what you do.
01:12:04.079 --> 01:12:11.119
Because they think that maybe I just walk around and poke and pick and uh they walk around or they think I come in and you just get free food.
01:12:11.439 --> 01:12:11.680
That's right.
01:12:11.760 --> 01:12:13.920
Everybody thinks that all you do is get free food.
01:12:14.000 --> 01:12:15.279
I'm like, well, I still pay for it.
01:12:15.600 --> 01:12:17.279
And you hand out coupons, right?
01:12:17.359 --> 01:12:21.039
And yeah, and you do all the fun things, and and then everybody else does everything.
01:12:21.199 --> 01:12:22.640
This has got to be turnkey for you, Mr.
01:12:22.720 --> 01:12:22.880
Ben.
01:12:23.119 --> 01:12:35.520
And I'm like, if you only knew, like, and and it's still not like I'm very active in the business, and I'm I'm engaged with customers on a regular basis at both locations.
01:12:35.680 --> 01:12:37.119
I'm engaged with team members.
01:12:37.439 --> 01:12:42.960
You're leading our our uh men's leadership mentorship program that you do in our restaurant.
01:12:43.439 --> 01:12:49.279
We have six guys that I I handpicked to uh we go and it's a men's mentorship.
01:12:49.439 --> 01:13:02.239
We do a book a month and we we literally talk about not just Chick-fil-A leadership, but we talk about like how do you lead as a dad or as a father, uh, as a community member, as a spouse.
01:13:02.399 --> 01:13:10.399
We talk about um holistic leadership, not just the one slice of of Chick-fil-A or your vocation or your job.
01:13:10.720 --> 01:13:14.319
And that's one thing you do to pour into others.
01:13:14.560 --> 01:13:14.800
That's right.
01:13:14.960 --> 01:13:17.840
But then you also receive from your collective group.
01:13:18.000 --> 01:13:27.279
And so you go and grow yourself continuously through that group of other businessmen that gather together, and you guys gather, I believe, monthly.
01:13:27.520 --> 01:13:29.199
Yeah, shout out to the collective.
01:13:29.520 --> 01:13:34.960
It's a it's a collective group of of business owners, and we talk through business challenges and struggles.
01:13:35.119 --> 01:13:44.880
We also talk through uh what goes on at the house and and spiritually and and we invest in each other, we encourage each other, and we sharpen each other.
01:13:45.119 --> 01:13:48.239
We we ask each other um hard questions.
01:13:48.479 --> 01:13:52.720
And uh, and so that that also helps me stay accountable.
01:13:53.039 --> 01:13:58.079
Um they check in on me and make sure I'm doing the things I say I'm gonna do.
01:13:58.159 --> 01:14:03.840
Uh, and and that way I can be the best and the sharpest so that I can pour into and invest in other folks.
01:14:04.159 --> 01:14:08.880
And you have that through the collective, and then you're also a part of an operator market team.
01:14:09.039 --> 01:14:09.600
That's right as well.
01:14:09.840 --> 01:14:17.359
Shout out to 20 East, 20 East Atlanta operators, which stretch all across that interstate, and you guys meet regularly as well.
01:14:17.520 --> 01:14:17.920
That's right.
01:14:18.079 --> 01:14:24.560
Share ideas, exchange best practices, but ultimately gather together to best represent the brand.
01:14:24.880 --> 01:14:25.600
That's right.
01:14:26.000 --> 01:14:32.960
Yeah, so I I would say, like at the core, when you look at my story and my journey, and we're still writing it, right?
01:14:33.039 --> 01:14:35.199
So, and I want to do this for a long time.
01:14:36.640 --> 01:14:41.439
In 2009, my operator encouraged me to create a personal development plan.
01:14:41.840 --> 01:14:44.479
Still do that today, and we we have our leaders do that.
01:14:44.560 --> 01:14:46.960
It's something that we do across both organizations.
01:14:47.760 --> 01:15:03.920
Um a one-page personal development plan that has been critical in the the success and significance of me and my family and what we've been able to achieve, and then how we've been able to influence other folks.
01:15:04.159 --> 01:15:22.960
Um, that putting people uh around me to hold me accountable is huge and sharpen me uh because it can be really isolating to be the business owner because everybody thinks, oh, well, well, you you got it all together, or you don't have any problems, or well, yeah, none that I talk to you about.
01:15:23.359 --> 01:15:28.960
Or they or they might think you have 250 team members across two restaurants, you're doing okay.
01:15:29.199 --> 01:15:29.520
Right.
01:15:29.680 --> 01:15:35.600
They say, Oh, well, you know, business has got to be healthy and good, and and your drive-throughs seem packed all the time.
01:15:35.840 --> 01:15:36.000
Right.
01:15:36.079 --> 01:15:39.359
That that's what customers tell me, you know, and my friends are, you know, how's business?
01:15:39.439 --> 01:15:44.479
And they, I mean, if I tell them we're we're having challenges and struggles, they don't want to hear that.
01:15:44.640 --> 01:15:47.119
They want to hear everything's great, it's it's it's awesome.
01:15:47.279 --> 01:15:47.920
Never better.
01:15:48.079 --> 01:15:48.880
Living the dream.
01:15:49.039 --> 01:15:51.439
And and in a lot of ways, I am, right?
01:15:51.520 --> 01:15:56.479
I I am living the dream because I'm in the center of God's will, I'm doing what He's called me to do.
01:15:58.159 --> 01:15:59.840
Days and weeks are challenging.
01:16:01.359 --> 01:16:05.119
It's still challenging because I want to get better every day.
01:16:05.520 --> 01:16:09.279
I want to get better, I want my teams to perform at a higher level.
01:16:09.600 --> 01:16:22.560
And the difference is now I'm I'm doing it from a different perspective, from a different vantage point because we've created all these positions for other folks to have ownership and and shared responsibilities.
01:16:22.800 --> 01:16:24.720
So now I'm more more of a coach.
01:16:24.960 --> 01:16:29.920
I'm not necessarily on the field as the quarterback touching the ball every play.
01:16:30.239 --> 01:16:35.359
I'm coaching to the folks who are who who are running the place.
01:16:37.680 --> 01:16:44.159
So when we wrap up our time together, we told the story of how you did that.
01:16:44.800 --> 01:16:51.520
Is there anything else that you want everybody here today to know how you did what you do?
01:16:54.399 --> 01:16:58.000
I would not be where I am if it weren't for.
01:17:00.479 --> 01:17:04.079
I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for my support system.
01:17:04.560 --> 01:17:09.359
I have an amazing family, I have an amazing wife, I have three amazing boys.
01:17:09.680 --> 01:17:11.920
Shout out to Benton, Charlie, and Walter.
01:17:12.560 --> 01:17:17.920
And I I have an amazing support system and they help sharpen me.
01:17:18.000 --> 01:17:20.960
You guys help sharpen me, encourage me to be my best.
01:17:21.680 --> 01:17:25.359
And I am not a uh one man band.
01:17:25.520 --> 01:17:28.720
I am not a self-made individual.
01:17:28.960 --> 01:17:34.159
Uh I am who I am because I've had so many people pour into me and invest in me.
01:17:34.479 --> 01:17:39.760
So my impact, like my future is like I just want to do the same for everyone else.
01:17:40.000 --> 01:17:44.159
Like I look at the two fifty the 250 plus, and we're growing.
01:17:44.319 --> 01:17:47.119
So, you know, next year we'll probably have 300 team members.
01:17:47.279 --> 01:17:50.239
I look at those folks as like I want to steward them well.
01:17:50.880 --> 01:17:54.720
I I I want to provide opportunities where somebody can believe in them.
01:17:54.960 --> 01:18:01.039
I want to provide a healthy culture where people can be their best, bring their best, and achieve their goals.
01:18:01.279 --> 01:18:03.119
And we can win and partner together.
01:18:03.359 --> 01:18:11.279
But I think if there's anything I want anyone to hear, it's hey, it's all about the people you surround yourself with.
01:18:11.600 --> 01:18:20.640
And and it's not about you, it's about how you can make a difference in the other folks, others' lives around us because that's the impact.
01:18:20.720 --> 01:18:21.520
That's the difference.
01:18:21.760 --> 01:18:28.000
At the end of the day, I want to serve many hot chicken sandwiches the right way, just how true Kathy wanted it done.
01:18:28.159 --> 01:18:28.640
Yeah.
01:18:28.960 --> 01:18:34.000
And and when we do that well, that gives us a platform of influence to make a difference.
01:18:34.319 --> 01:18:39.119
Well, and I love Dan Kathy's quote too of master, mate, and mission.
01:18:39.279 --> 01:18:43.520
And I think that really kind of encompasses the three things that you're talking about.
01:18:44.000 --> 01:18:44.720
That's right.
01:18:45.039 --> 01:18:48.880
Dan Kathy, he's the one of the sons of the founder Truet Cathy.
01:18:49.600 --> 01:18:51.840
And he was the CEO for a long time.
01:18:52.000 --> 01:18:53.840
Now he's the chairman of Chick-fil-A.
01:18:54.560 --> 01:18:59.760
And he um he took me on the vision and values tour when I first became an operator.
01:19:00.079 --> 01:19:07.199
When I was an intern, he took he took us on a bus tour of of the city to see all of the history of Chick-fil-A and where it started.
01:19:07.600 --> 01:19:10.479
And that was one of the things he was all he would always talk about.
01:19:10.640 --> 01:19:14.079
Who's your master, uh, who's your maid, and what's your mission.
01:19:14.399 --> 01:19:19.439
So much of my story stems uh from my personal mission.
01:19:19.520 --> 01:19:24.159
And my personal mission is to help other people find their purpose.
01:19:24.800 --> 01:19:38.960
And I I do that by by meeting with people, influencing them, and providing them a safe place to work where they can find their mission in life, and ultimately that's what leads to significance for me.
01:19:39.520 --> 01:19:45.680
Ben, thank you for sharing how you did that, and thank you to everybody for listening to the Do the Did podcast.
01:19:45.920 --> 01:19:48.399
Now we want you to go out and do that.