Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy talks business, leadership and faith

Business leaders and community members gathered at the Acworth Community Center on Tuesday to hear advice from Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy about success in business, leadership and faith at a lunch and learn event.

Cathy, son of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, shared his journey as a proud father, community leader and family business owner with friend and author Ira Blumenthal. Blumenthal, a Cobb Business Journal columnist who has counseled high-profile brand clients such as Coca-Cola, Disney, Marriott, Nestle and American Airlines, has been friends with Cathy for close to 30 years.

A student at heart, Cathy stressed the importance of always challenging himself to expand his mind’s horizons. He told the audience he’s always reading books, listening to podcasts, meeting new people and continues to wear a Chick-fil-A “in training” badge on his lapel because he’s “always learning.”

“I’m 69 years old and I have a growing passion in my life to really encourage people in a positive way and to help them accelerate their progress for success and to collapse the learning curve so that you can be more successful quicker,” Cathy told the audience.

When asked about how he finds purpose, Cathy said it was all about finding a calling in life or “what God has wired you to do.” He said as leaders gain seniority in their roles, they should become more articulate about defining a compelling purpose that connects with people’s hearts, self and mind.

“One of the things for me is, when things really move me emotionally, I take a lot of notes about that,” he said. “Why did that move me so emotionally? And when I do, I begin to recognize that’s God’s prompting me ... to live a life of meaning, to live a life of purpose.”

Cathy encouraged the audience to “carpe diem,” or “to seize the day.” He said passion was even more contagious than COVID and the world needs more significance and meaning.

“This is the one and only life you’re going to live,” he said. “This is no dress rehearsal, this is the real deal... You want to make sure (your life) is full of meaning and purpose. Otherwise, you’re not going to hear the words, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant.’ And we all aspire to hear those words.”

At Chick-fil-A, that purpose was developed 40 years ago during a company retreat, Cathy said.

“We’re here to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that’s entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A,” he said.

For the Cathy family, business doesn’t always stop at the dinner table and having a strong familial unit is what has aided the family in its success, Cathy said. Though his parents grew up in dysfunctional homes, they set a precedent about raising their children with love, a family tradition that has continued with Cathy’s seven grandchildren. Chick-fil-A is in its third generation of familial management; Cathy handed the reins of CEO to his eldest son, Andrew T. Cathy, in November 2021.

“Multi-generational family businesses are absolutely incredible,” he said. “If you can sustain the passion, the mission of it from one generation to the next, you’ll get smarter from one generation to the next.”

With continued growth in the fast-casual food industry, competition isn’t about unveiling a new milkshake flavor, Cathy said. He jokingly and candidly stated in all likelihood, the folks at McDonald’s have learned how to replicate the taste of a Chick-fil-A sandwich, but what separates his restaurant from the rest is the service. Investing in people is the smartest choice, he said. According to Blumenthal, most quick-serve restaurants have a turnover rate of 170% for hourly employees, while Chick-fil-A has a turnover rate of 10 to 15%.

“We want to take on service and make that our competitive, sustainable advantage,” Cathy said. “Our point of difference... It’s difficult for people to replicate, because of our culture, because of our values, purpose and how we invest in people.”

When asked what the future holds, Cathy mentioned several projects he is working on, including the continued expansion of Trilith Studios, the filming site for several Marvel Studios projects, in Fayetteville and efforts to add an engineered “cap” to the Downtown Connector in Atlanta. The connector project would create about 10 blocks of suspended parks and green space in Midtown.

“It’s about where the puck is headed,” he said. “We as leaders, we’ve got to put ourselves in a place where we can anticipate where things are headed next. That’s the real value that we present.”

All proceeds from the lunch and learn event will benefit the Expanding Horizons Program, an initiative that creates unique learning opportunities and mentorship through educational field trips, recreational activities and leadership for Acworth’s local youth.