Founders ✓ Claim

Key Takeaways

Top maxims from this episode:
- “Never sacrifice quality for speed.”
- Focus on one thing and do it better than anybody else
- Always be raising the bar; the best are never satisfied
- Praise costs nothing but means everything
- Stay in the game long enough to get lucky
“Nothing ever happens unless someone pursues a vision fanatically.” – Todd Graves
Entrepreneurs have something to prove; they want to prove that their vision about the world is right
The word ‘delegation’ is used way too much in business; trust your instincts and keep working in the details
Take more risk and hold onto your equity so that your dream remains in your possession
The best entrepreneurs treat every ‘no’ they get as fuel
You want to work with people who are more concerned with contributing to a high-performing team than with titles or pay
Money will come when you do things for the right reasons
The best investors are not investors; they are entrepreneurs that never sold

Todd Graves is one of my favorite living founders. He owns over 90% of Raising Canes — a business that is worth at least $20 billion. Todd's maxim is "Do one thing and do it better than anyone else." It is impossible not to be inspired by his terminator levels of determination. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

Episode show notes: ⁠https://www.davidsenra.com/episode/to...

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Chapters

(00:00) The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Sleep and Business Obsession
(02:13) The Birth of Raising Cane's: Overcoming Skepticism
(03:29) Inspiration from In-N-Out Burger
(07:17) The Importance of Quality and Focus
(14:49) The Journey to Success: Hard Work and Sacrifice
(19:21) The Early Days: Building Raising Cane's from Scratch
(21:23) Financing the Dream: Unconventional Paths
(32:28) The Relentless Pursuit of Success
(33:02) Commitment and Oaths: The Camping Trip
(34:02) Fanaticism and Relentless Focus
(34:53) Learning from Others and Continuous Improvement
(35:06) The Never-Satisfied Mindset
(36:04) The Importance of Founders in Business
(39:55) The Purpose Beyond Profit
(51:52) Financing the Dream: Credit Cards and SBA Loans
(55:47) Building the First Restaurant
(57:56) Expanding the Vision
(58:59) Positive Motivational Management
(01:00:51) Creating a Coaching Culture
(01:01:42) Intrinsic Motivation vs. Titles
(01:02:41) The Importance of Being Present
(01:06:35) Respect, Recognition, and Rewards
(01:09:12) The Power of Encouragement
(01:18:10) The Myth of Delegation
(01:22:57) Focus on What You Do Best
(01:30:07) Dining at Jiro in Tokyo
(01:30:59) The Franchise Model Debate
(01:32:50) Challenges of Franchising
(01:35:21) Building a Business Authentic to You
(01:37:07) Financing and Expansion Strategies
(01:49:13) Surviving Hurricane Katrina
(01:55:48) Lessons from Estée Lauder
(01:58:06) Final Thoughts and Reflections
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My conversation with Todd Graves

Podcast Notes Playlist: Startup