Friday I went to Atlanta to the 80 acre compound that serves as Chic-Fil-A headquarters to meet with billionaire Chairman and founder Truett Cathy. Although he is getting on up in age, he was as mentally alert and as sharp as any 20 year old you might meet. It was one of the most interesting meetings that I’ve ever attended.
Like most CEO’s I’ve spent an enormous amount of time counseling and advising others, but I’ve never had anyone that I could seek out in order to obtain advice for my own questions. This was my opportunity to ask a man of infinite wisdom who has achieved tremendous success a few questions that I have concerning my life as well as how he handles certain aspects of his own life and businesses.
Truett Cathy was raised in the great depression and suffered through incredible poverty and tragedy including losing both of his brothers on the same day in a plane crash, losing his restaurant in a fire, and nearly dying during a colon operation. He and his wife had faith in God and were tenaciously tough, and in spite of their hardships worked very long difficult hours in their Dwarf House Restaurant in Hapeville where they both spent 20 some odd years cooking on a grill, (it’s in his museum now). Not surprisingly his emphasis was to provide outstanding customer service and excellent food at fair prices.
At age 42 he had an idea for selling a fast food boneless chicken breast sandwich as an alternative to the typical hamburger that others were touting and he opened his first fast food restaurant in a mall which was the first fast food restaurant to go into a mall.
Today Chic-Fil-A is a privately held company which owns some 1500 hundred restaurants which generate nearly four billion in sales. He also has real estate holdings that are mind boggling and many other assets, too innumerable to detail here.
My impression of Mr. Truett is that enjoying material possessions resulting from his staggering wealth pales in comparison to what he has been able to do and continues to do with his fortune to help those less fortunate and thereby honor God. He has taught 13 year old boys in Sunday school for 60 years. He and his wife have raised three children, 12 grandkids, and 28 foster kids and established the WinShape foundation at Berry College where among other things 1200 underprivileged foster kids get the education that they need to help shape them into winners. Truly this generous kind man is glorifying God as a faithful steward of what has been entrusted to him in a manner that few ever do.
His philanthropic efforts for all kinds of causes are heralded all over the world and his office is adorned with photos of all sorts of famous people including Presidents such as Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. and Jr, and Warren Buffett, Billy Graham, Tony Dungy, and even Roy Rogers. He has a mannequin of Willie Nelson sitting on his couch and since it looked out of place I asked him about it. He smiled and stated that it is the only way he has found to keep Willie out of trouble and behaving himself.
I had lunch with his wonderful assistant Martha, and then met with him for one hour and fifteen minutes and he gave me some good advice on a variety of subjects. If I had to winnow it down to the most poignant of all, his answer to the following queries would rank highest:
- What is the single most important thing I could do as a leader? His quiet but resolute response: “Be the person you say you are”
- What would you tell someone who questioned you about spending part of your wealth on material things for your own enjoyment instead of just giving all that money to the poor or whatever? “I believe God desires for us to be successful and wants us to enjoy the fruits of our labor, don’t you? He surely doesn’t want anyone to fail and would be disappointed if they did.”
- Work ethic question: Straight out of his excellent book – “If it is to be it is up to me” – God gives us opportunities to plow a field, but we have to plow it ourselves if we expect to make a harvest”. (This reminded me of my life’s verse Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.)
- Best advice for employees: “Work hard and have fun. If you aren’t having fun, find something else to do.”
- Refusing to open Chic-Fil-A on Sunday. “Statistics indicate that 20% of all fast food sales are made on Sunday. I’ve found that I can employ and keep the types of employees that I want in my organization by allowing them to have this day off to allow time to worship God and spend time with their families. We only have three per cent employee turnover. I value that more than the extra revenue. It was an easy decision.”
He gave me an autographed copy of his latest book, “WEALTH is it WORTH it?” (Buy it!) I immediately said I would read the book right away, but could he please answer whether or not it is worth it. He didn’t hesitate to answer, “Yes! But only if you give it away.” Then he asked that the last few pages of his book be read out loud and then we close out our meeting with a prayer. (See verses below)
We shook hands and I left with a smile on my face that is still there today.
Eccl. 2:4, 12:13
I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.
Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.