| Whether you like KFC or not, the story of Colonel | | | | and has to shut down his restaurant business |
| Harland Sanders is truly amazing. This story is | | | | because a new highway was being built where his |
| inspirational because it's an example of how | | | | restaurant was located. Colonel Sanders decided |
| perseverance, dedication, and ambition along with | | | | to retire and lived off of $105 in the form of |
| hard work can create success; regardless of your | | | | social security checks. Not wanting to accept this |
| age. | | | | as his fate, he decided to franchise his chicken at |
| Humble Beginnings | | | | the age of 65. |
| Harland Sanders was born September 9, 1890 | | | | The Comeback - Relentless Perseverance |
| near Henryville, Indiana. His father died when he | | | | He started travelling by car to different |
| was just 6 years old, leaving him the man of the | | | | restaurants and cooked his fried chicken on the |
| house with a mother and two younger siblings; a | | | | spot for restaurant owners. If the owner liked the |
| brother and a sister. He picked up the art of | | | | chicken, they would enter into a handshake |
| cooking very quickly and mastered many dishes | | | | agreement to sell the Colonel's chicken. Legend |
| by the age of 7. During his early years, Harland | | | | has it that Colonel Sanders heard 1009 "no's" |
| worked different odd jobs such as farm-hand, | | | | before he heard his first "yes". |
| streetcar conductor, soldier, fireman, self-taught | | | | Ok, let me repeat that. |
| lawyer, insurance salesman, and steamboat | | | | He was turned down one-thousand and nine times |
| operator. | | | | before his chicken was accepted once! |
| Mastering Chicken | | | | The deal was that for each piece of chicken the |
| At the age of 40, he was cooking for travelers | | | | restaurant sold, Sanders would receive a nickel. |
| out of his service station. His cooking fame | | | | The restaurant would receive packets of Colonel's |
| spread and soon there were huge lines for his | | | | secret herbs and spices in order to avoid them |
| food. Sanders then moved across the street to a | | | | knowing the recipe. By 1964, Colonel Sanders had |
| motel/restaurant to service the high demand. | | | | 600 franchises selling his trademark chicken. At |
| During this time, Sanders had also been tinkering | | | | this time, he sold his company for $2 million dollars |
| with his special herbs and spices to make the | | | | but remained as a spokesperson. In 1976, the |
| perfect fried chicken. | | | | Colonel was ranked as the world's second most |
| The Secret Ingredient | | | | recognizable celebrity. |
| During his search to make the perfect chicken, he | | | | The Legacy |
| was approached by a pressure cooker salesman | | | | Fast forward to today. KFC is one of the largest |
| who convinced Sanders to invest in this product | | | | fast food franchises in the world. Over the years, |
| to quicken his cooking process. He ended up | | | | the company has been owned by RJ Reynolds |
| investing in 12 pressure cookers. Somewhere | | | | (now Reynolds American; NYSE: RAI), Pepsico |
| around this time, Sanders also ended up reaching | | | | (NYSE: PEP), and is currently under Yum Brands |
| his trademark 11 herbs and spices. | | | | (NYSE: YUM). Yum Brands family also includes |
| Some say that his 11th secret herb/spice was | | | | Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers, and A&W |
| nothing more than regular sea salt. Whatever it | | | | Restaurants. This brand is the largest restaurant |
| was, it worked and sold a lot of chicken. In 1935, | | | | operator in the world in terms of units. |
| Sanders was made into an honorary Colonel by | | | | It's amazing how the man started at the age of |
| the governor of Kentucky for his cooking skills. | | | | 65, when most retire, and built a global empire out |
| Forced Retirment | | | | of fried chicken. |
| Fast forward to 1950. The Colonel is 60 years old | | | | Now... I'm hungry. |
