I’m a HUGE proponent of “enjoy the moment” and don’t get too focused on the future. However, if there are no plans, no goals, no VISION… you will fail. Period. Now that I have almost nine months of experience at my local CFA store, it is definitely time to begin planning ahead.
For those of you not familiar with Chick-fil-A, there are a few “paths” to take in the journey to hopefully becoming an Operator one day. You can apply to become a Corporate Trainer, a Grand Opening Supervisor, or an Interim Manager (IM)…. to name a few of the more standard routes. Andre Kennebrew (CFA Corporate Talent Scout) recently visited the Charlotte market to explain these paths, and how extremely competitive it has become. Basically, there is so much interest out there, that they can afford to take only the “cream of the crop”. WOW! Honestly, I wanted to walk away from that meeting discouraged… thinking that there is no way that I can make it with only nine months experience up to this point.
Thankfully, my Operator, Dean Sandbo, encouraged me when he mentioned that he could see me in the IM program. This was the path that my wife and I have been desiring since day #1. Andre had mentioned two things that stood out to me in the meeting in regard to the IM program. 1) They were seeing more and more 30-ish year-olds from other backgrounds than CFA enter the program. 2) They are OK with families with children. I thought to myself, “This is the time… if I am ever going to take it. My kids will be under school age… and we are not tied down to Charlotte at all”.
Some of you are wondering what the IM position entails…. I will sum it up for you! Think of an interim pastor filling in at a church. It’s basically the same principle. For “up to” 2 years, my family would potentially bounce around the USA while I stood in as an interim operator until corporate found a permanent operator for that specific location. I could be in Texas for a 3 months… then moved to Chicago for 6 months… then New Jersey for a month. You just never know. It all depends on the need. At any point during those 2 years, they could pull me out to inform me that I am ready for my own store…. or, I could spend two years traveling around the country, and at the end…. discover that I don’t have what it takes to be an Operator. Again, nothing is guaranteed. It’s a Christian-based organization, and there is definitely a lot of FAITH involved!! But I know this is where God wants us…. and I am going to do my ultimate best to pursue the IM program. It’s really, really tough to get in… but with God, all things are possible.
To wrap this post up, my plans are to remain in my local CFA for another year (ish)…. and then hopefully hit the road, or go another route. I would definitely appreciate your prayers on our behalf. Even though I often feel SO incredibly inadequate, my love for the CFA brand, my guests, and my team members is out of this world!
Below: Andre Kennebrew (center) talks with team members interested in a long-term career with Chick-fil-A
HOUSE OF PRAIN 
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