A successful real story
We focus some topics in this article. Like :
1. KFC Founder
2. Colonel Sanders biography
3. Harland Sanders success story
4. KFC history
5. Kentucky Fried Chicken founder
6. Colonel Sanders early life
7. KFC franchise growth
8. Sanders Court and Café
9. Pressure frying technique KFC
10. Kentucky Colonel honor
11. Colonel Sanders retirement and success
The KFC Founder’s Journey to Success
Colonel Sanders, the iconic figure behind KFC, is widely recognized for his finger-lickin' chicken. His success, however, was hard-won through perseverance and relentless effort in the face of misfortune and poor judgment. This success was far from immediate (see his detailed timeline in the Careers of the Founders interactive content).
Born in Indiana in 1890, Sanders learned to cook after his father’s death when he was only six. Dropping out of school and leaving home as a teenager, he had a brief stint in the US Army before turning his attention to the railroads. At 16, Sanders began working with the railroads in Alabama, eventually becoming a fireman. However, his career was cut short by temper issues, resulting in a string of failed jobs and ventures throughout his 20s and 30s.
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Sanders’ early endeavors included a short-lived legal career and a stint in insurance sales. At 30, he started a ferry service on the Ohio River, only to see it become obsolete due to a new bridge. His next venture, an oil lamp business, also failed as electricity became more widespread.
Despite these setbacks, Sanders remained driven. He adhered to his own two rules: "Do all you can, and do the best you can." In 1927, he managed a Standard Oil gas station in Nicholasville, Kentucky, but was forced to close it during the Big Depression. Nevertheless, this venture set the stage for his future success.
In 1930, Sanders opened a new service station in Corbin , where he began selling his homemade chicken to truck drivers. Although he faced more challenges, including a violent altercation with a competitor, his restaurant, Sanders Court and Café, became successful. In 1935, he was honored with the title of Kentucky Colonel by Governor Ruby Laffoon.
Despite subsequent difficulties, including a motel purchase that faltered due to World War II and a fire that destroyed Sanders Court and Café in 1939, Sanders rebuilt and innovated. He introduced pressure frying to speed up cooking, a technique that would become central to his chicken franchise.
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In 1956, a new highway bypassed his service station, prompting Sanders to sell his assets and pursue franchise opportunities in his 60s. He had already secured his first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in Salt Lake City in 1952. A chance encounter with a burger joint owner, Pete Harman, led to Harman adding Sanders' chicken to his menu, which proved highly successful.
With a modest Social Security check, Sanders began actively seeking franchisees in 1956. His secret spice blend and pressure cooking method quickly gained traction. By 1963, at age 66, Sanders had expanded to 600 locations, including international franchises. In 1964, he sold the business for $2 million, and it went public two years later. By 1970, KFC had 3,000 restaurants across 48 countries.
Today, there are around 20,000 KFC outlets in 118 countries. Sanders’ legacy is a testament to how success often comes after many trials and failures. His story reminds us that the path to success is rarely direct, especially for those who achieve their greatest triumphs later in life.
