2020 – The Year of Change

How do you sum up almost 12 years of life? I don’t think one can – at least not properly. There are so many memories to try to encapsulate in one post, that I would be foolish to think that I could recall all of them. In fact, the biggest fear of writing this post is that someone or something will be unintentionally left out. So please allow me to generalize to a great degree.

On May 31, 2008, I married the love of my life – Rebekah Linder. I met her the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2006. I was just finishing up work at the Greenville Spartanburg Airport, and had been invited by my cousins to drive up to the Charlotte area to have home-made chili with their friends. I’m still foggy-brained over whether this was a set up or not, but nonetheless, I was a single 25 year old that loved chili. So I went.

It was that evening that I met my future wife. She was nothing I “thought” I wanted in a girl. I had always imagined I’d marry a southern girl who loved sports, and yet here I was, crushing over an opera singer from WinscAHsin (or however you are pronouncing that accent in your head – lol). We were engaged a year later, and then in May of 2008 we were married.

Though I lived in a couple other states during college life, Greenville, SC, had always been home. So for the first time in 27 years, I found myself putting down roots in a different place. We settled in Matthews, NC, in an apartment complex called Paces Commons – starting out life together above another young couple with two little girls, Angie and CR Braniff – now known around the world as https://www.youtube.com/user/branifffamily – Check them out and subscribe! We are so thankful for their friendship, even to this day.

During the stay in the apartment I began a 4 year tenure at the Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN Radio). It was an honor to serve alongside Dr. Lowell Davey and see many people give their lives to Jesus. Shortly after starting work at the station, we built our first house in Fort Mill. Both of our kids were born while living in that home on Haddington Drive.

Then, after much prayer, we began the process of pursuing our own Chick-fil-A franchise. What a journey! Those details are in this blog somewhere back in the archives. We sold our home and moved into a rental in the Wesley Chapel, NC, area in case I was offered a franchise location and we would be moving somewhere across the country. Nothing stretched us more than this experience – professionally, personally, and spiritually. So many sacrifices, yet willing to be tried and tested to see if that was what God had in store for us. Though it was not His purpose for us at that time, the friendships forged during those 3 years with CFA was immeasurable and invaluable.

Through connections at Chick-fil-A, I was introduced to Ryan Homes. I had never been in sales before, and actually couldn’t stand sales people. But real estate intrigued me, and I quickly discovered that sales, done correctly, is simply building relationships and meeting needs. I accepted the position and went through the process of building another home back in Fort Mill. It was during this move that we joined the church family at Harvest Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC, and got involved teaching the college SS class, as well as in the music ministry (my wife that is – Haha!)

Fast forward 3 years to today, where we have taken the time to assess where we are in life, how much time we are spending together as a couple, with our kids, with others, etc. What we discovered is that we have very little margin in our lives, at a time when our kids are at very impressionable ages.

So after a lot of thought, prayer, and counsel, we will be transitioning to Greenville, SC over the next couple of months! It will be good for my kids to grow up around grandparents, uncles/aunts, and cousins for a few years at least. I am staying with Ryan Homes, but my drive to work will be less and with family around, I won’t feel like my wife is alone on the long days.

The email to my pastor was the hardest. Our church family at Harvest Baptist is special. I pray that we find something like Harvest in Greenville. We will miss you, Charlotte! You have become home. We were married here, our kids were born here, and our closest friends are here.

But a giant step of faith is good for the soul. It stimulates growth, necessary change, and new opportunities for impact and influence. So here’s to meeting new friends, reuniting with old ones, and learning new hashtags. See you soon, #GVL!

PS – Have you ever gone through a big move? Share all your tips and tricks!

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She had the “it” factor

This morning I took my kids to a Chick-fil-A that I have only been to a couple of times here in Charlotte. It’s not anywhere near our normal route, but today it happened to be the chosen chicken palace for us. We weren’t there to eat, but I told the kids they could play on the playground and I’d buy them a couple chocolate milks.

As soon as we entered the door, an excited voice welcome us in! I later discovered her name was Finese. She had a big smile on her face while she swept the dining room. I ordered the milks and sat down near the playground. She interacted with my kids before they scampered off into the play area. I asked her what she knew about Truett Cathy. She told me he started Chick-fil-A with a Dwarf House and it grew and grew and he was a great man with Christian faith and that she loves working for Chick-fil-A.

She then noticed that my kids were running breathless in and out of the playground door and had consumed their milk. She volunteered to get them some ice water because after she drinks chocolate milk, she can always use some water. She didn’t know I was noticing everything about her. I noticed how she listened intently to me, while continuing to work. I noticed how she encouraged and complimented. I noticed how she brightened everyone’s day. She cared about me, she cared about my kids, and she didn’t stop working. She had the “it” factor. The perfect balance of work ethic and personality. She made us feel like a million bucks.

When it was time to go, I called the kids down from the slides and gathered socks and shoes. But before I left, I walked up and asked to see Finese. By this time, she had rotated over to the drive-thru window. I asked if I could speak to her. Her manager called her over and the two of them and about three others gathered at the end of the line. I told them that I wanted to say that Finese is something special. That food is food, and even though it’s good chicken, it’s the people who are the secret sauce of Chick-fil-A. I let them in on the fact that I used to be a director at Chick-fil-A as well as train all around the country… and that Finese is one of the best I’ve ever seen.

I then gave her my silicon “Just Truett” bracelet. It’s been my personal bracelet for about three years, but it was time to pass it on to someone who embodied Truett’s heart for service and for people. The world needs a whole lot more Fineses… and Chick-fil-A is blessed to have her!

CFA

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Mission Accomplished!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” 

It was almost two years ago that JUST TRUETT began. A simple idea. An idea that, two years later, I would have never believed would have reached so far and impacted so many. But that was my purpose for it. I wanted something simple, yet tangible. Something that would cause the 16 year-old new hire to ask, “What does ‘JUST TRUETT’ mean?” And in that moment, you have the opportunity to share the life and legacy of a man who not only mastered the chicken sandwich, but someone who also impacted lives. Thousands and thousands of lives.

When he passed in the fall of 2014, everyone knew who he was. Then, as time went on, I began to walk into stores and ask random employees about Truett Cathy. Sadly, many of the younger ones would respond that they didn’t know who he was – though his likeness in the form of a cardboard cutout was standing over near the playground. It was then that I really saw the importance of the JUST TRUETT t-shirt. A simple, yet perfect way to explain who he was and how he served. To the young new hire, “Do you know what you do when a guest comes back into your restaurant incredibly upset because you forgot to place a straw in their bag at the drive-thru window? You ‘JUST TRUETT’! You do what Truett would have done. You treat them and serve them how Truett would have treated them and served them.” And right there, that opens up the conversation of who Truett was, and you not only teach them the correct response in handling a tough situation, but you also get the opportunity to tell his story at the same time.

Right from the beginning, I wanted to do things the right way. I asked Dan Cathy for permission to use his dad’s name on the t-shirt, even though ‘Truett’ is a first name used by many throughout the years. I also did not add the CFA logo, the Cathy name, or CFA font. Why? Because I wanted it to be a simple shirt that only those “inside” CFA would understand the meaning. A shirt where it was “understood” that it was associated with CFA without being technically a CFA shirt.

It took off immediately. Operators and staff across the country were catching my vision. From Dan Cathy, to Mark Cathy, corporate staff, operators, team members, and even raving fans and NFL players – they loved and appreciated the mission and mindset behind the shirt. Operators were messaging me with stories of how they used the shirt to teach classes on leadership. Friends had me ship the shirt to England to wear during the overseas pop-up events. And during the floods in Houston, shirts were shipped down to a local store to use while serving the community. It was making an impact and it was serving the purpose for which I had prayed it would serve.

To this day, as promised to Dan Cathy, I never made a dime off the t-shirts in profit. If anything, I took a loss and it was worth it to me. I loved this! It was a fun mission and it served its purpose well.

Today, I was asked by the family, through the CFA legal team, to discontinue the shirts. They expressed their gratitude and the efforts made to continue Truett’s legacy, and even though the shirt is technically not a CFA shirt, they need to be careful with their name and I completely understand that.

So as of today, I will be shutting down the Just Truett facebook page, the instagram page, and discontinuing production of the shirts. Those who have the shirts, please continue to tell the story – it must still continue to be told.

To all of who who have used these shirts to create a REMARKable experience for your team and your guests, and to all of you who have made a positive impact on those you have been in contact with because of the shirt, I thank you. Thank you for getting behind me, knowing my motives and heart were pure in this effort and for supporting JUST TRUETT throughout the past two years. I am forever grateful.

I humbly and respectfully bow out, knowing that I love the Cathy family, the brand, and the raving fans. And you never know. Maybe I’ll be adding to his legacy by owning and operating my own CFA restaurant one day. Only the Lord knows. To Him be all the honor and glory. Amen.

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One Year.

It’s been one year since I left Chick-fil-A. I remember September 9th, 2016, well. My team surprised me with cakes, cards, and banners strung across the ceiling over the order line. So many friends came to see me off that day, including my family, my operator, guests that had become family, and even Buffalo Bills fullback, Mike Tolbert and his family – a family with whom I had built a relationship through a little window on the side of the chicken coop.

People often ask, “Do you miss it?! Are you coming back? Are you going to apply for a store again?” I do miss it, sure. But I’m where God wants me right now. And I believe that is the BEST place to be – where God has you NOW. Will I ever apply again? I don’t know. Right now I’m focused on being the best Sales and Marketing Representative for Ryan Homes that I can possibly be. We are settling down in Fort Mill, SC, and have a new home church in Harvest Baptist in Rock Hill, SC.

So I write this brief post to say that there is life outside of Chick-fil-A. When you taste and see and are a part of the culture that is Chick-fil-A, it’s hard to leave. Really hard. But when you realize that God always knows best and that He knows what areas of your life need fine-tuning and stretching, He will find a way to move you, in order to better you.

I stepped into a position at Ryan Homes that has stretched me and is stretching me in every way imaginable. I knew very little about sales, blueprints, construction, etc, but I’m learning daily, and growing in knowledge and experience. It’s fun. It’s a challenge. It’s life outside of Chick-fil-A, and it’s ok. Why? Because personal growth doesn’t just happen in a restaurant. It happens where God plants you.

So I challenge you, my fellow Chick-fil-A’ers who have also been turned down for the Leadership Development Program and/or for Owner/Operator: Step out. Step away. Do something new. Stretch yourself. Just because you aren’t wearing Oobe doesn’t mean God can’t use you!

I’ve learned over 36 years to never say never, but only to trust God and His timing. So let’s never stop learning, never stop leaning, never stop loving, and never stop leading. And simply trust that God has amazing things in store for our lives!

Love you all and am so incredibly thankful for you. Oh, and come buy a Ryan Home from me! 🙂

Tolbert

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One fantastic year of #JustTruett

It has been exactly one year since I wrote this post about launching the Just Truett t-shirts, and as I sit and reflect on what has probably been the craziest and busiest year of my life, I cannot help but praise God. I am not where I thought I would be at this time, but the journey has been a blessing and the future is bright.

As most of you know, I was turned down this past May to own and operate a Chick-fil-A in Montana. It was a long shot from the get-go, and corporate had told me they had chosen someone over a year ago, but I still gave it my all and went for it. I’m so happy for the operator they chose for that particulate location. He’s a great guy and a super fit for the Flathead Valley of Montana.

After much prayer, I decided to leave Chick-fil-A in September and go into real estate (though I still enjoy consulting and helping others in their own journeys). I obtained my NC Real Estate license and have almost completed my training to become a Sales and Marketing Rep for the Ryan Homes brand of NVR, Inc. Real estate class was no joke, but I love learning, growing, and expanding my horizons, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Along with changing careers, we lived 3 different places in 2016. We had been renting, thinking I was going to become a CFA operator in some part of the country, and therefore did not want to be tied down owning a house. After signing on with Ryan Homes, we settled back into Fort Mill, SC. I am pretty sure my wife was pumped to finally “settle” somewhere. 🙂

Since so much happened this year, I did not have much time to focus on promoting Just Truett shirts…. yet I was inundated with stories from operators and staff around the country telling me how they were able to use them to tell the story of Truett Cathy and his heart to serve others! Love getting feedback like that.

It has been exactly one year since I began to really promote the t-shirt and teach others the meaning behind the shirt. As I promised Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A and Truett’s son, I did not make a profit selling t-shirts. I had a few people in the chain who were skeptical about the shirts, and/or the motive behind the shirts. Was I making money off of someone who is deceased, am I trying to gain attention, or maybe I was simply using Truett’s name to launch some larger venture later. None of these can be further from the truth.

This year, 210 shirts were purchased/donated across the country…. actually, one went to England as well for the pop-up event Chick-fil-A does for a day. They were used for conferences, events, in-store service, and other venues. With some of the funds, we were able to give $500 to a Chick-fil-A team member who had lost her brother in an accident and needed a vehicle. People have used the t-shirt in so many incredible and creative ways…. I am overwhelmed reading them all. I recently started an Instagram page to try to document those who have sent photos wearing the shirt. You will see operators, corporate staff and even Mike Tolbert of the Carolina Panthers!

I just finished running the numbers, and to those who doubted I was doing it for the right reasons and simply trying to make a profit…. I ended up negative $225 at the end of the year. And that is OK! Why? Because my goal from the very beginning was to create a simple shirt that reminded us all daily to serve as Truett served, to care as Truett cared, and to love as Truett loved. It’s a model of service that continues to this day in Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country, and hopefully this shirt helps in a small way to carry on his legacy.

A special thank you for everyone who purchased a shirt or multiple shirts this year. Because of you, so many lives were impacted this year. May God bless you! tc

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The IMPACT of a Simple T-Shirt

WOW! God is using the #JustTruett shirt to impact lives all across the country. Just received this note from a Chick-fil-A operator:

“Kent – thanks for the shirts. We were able to do our first Just Truett at our recent AList event. I had invited Mark Cathy to come and share the Cathy family story and some other items with our group of about 400. The guy in the middle is a local Youth for Christ rep that we asked to come and let us interview him on stage about his work in the community. We then surprised him with a $500 check for YFC, a $500 check for his family and lastly free CFA for a year. It really blessed them as well as everyone present. Great night!”

For those of you who have purchased them…. you all are a part of this. I don’t make a personal profit. I make these simply as a reminder to serve, love, and lead in the manner that Truett did. What a legacy!14997151_10207832100859942_1628228861_n

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The End of an Incredible Journey… or is it?

Most of you know by now that this past week brought the news that I will not be moving ahead in my journey to own/operate a Chick-fil-A. At least not now. This news did not devastate me, nor was I angry. I know the system and how it works, and I knew this going in almost 4 years ago. I simply was not competitive enough. Chick-fil-A has 50,000 individuals per year starting the process to become an owner/operator. I made it to step 5 of 7. The top 400 of 50,000 or so. And I am very humbled and grateful to have made it that far. I am in a tough spot at my age. Mid-thirties with a family makes it difficult to be a solid candidate for the Leadership Development Program (on the road living in hotels for about 2 years opening up/running Chick-fil-As around the country), and I am not in my 40’s or 50’s with a wealth of experience from past employment. On paper…. I don’t compete. And I completely understand that from corporate’s point of view.

The only frustrating part is that I don’t know where I fit in…. or how to become THAT competitive. I feel like I have done everything in my power to become prepared to operate a store, and who I am and the endless energy and passion I have for Chick-fil-A would go far beyond simply making a local business profitable. But I am not upset. I know God has a plan, and I know that it is a perfect plan for me and my family. Sometimes it is God’s timing, or sometimes it is a completely new plan – only time will tell.

I want to thank my wife first of all for everything. And by everything, I mean the sacrifices, large and small, that she has made over the past 4 years. She was my biggest cheerleader, and she was ALL IN just as much, if not more, than I was. She is incredibly strong with a heart of gold. She will make an amazing operator’s wife one day, if that is what God wills. I love her dearly and desperately wanted to reach my goal for her. Love you, sweetheart.

Thank you also to the many Operators, Grand Opening Supervisors, trainers, Corporate staff, friends, guests, family, etc who cheered me on since day 1. I never once had someone tell me that I would never make it as an operator, but rather hundreds, if not thousands, telling me to keep going…. that they would love to help me and serve with me one day.

Though I am at peace and trust God with corporate’s decision, guests of mine are crushed. I returned to work this past Friday, and guest after guest walked in shocked – I don’t know if they were more shocked at the decision or that I had a smile on my face. Many operators reached out to me. Some told me they cried, while others expressed that if they had to go through the process today, they would not even make it.

You know what all this tells me? That this journey was not in vain. The people I know now that have impacted me, and that I may have impacted…. I wouldn’t have met them 4 years ago. The massive amount of support and outpouring of love during this journey and after the news came last week has been humbling. I don’t deserve any of this…. but God, in His goodness and grace, allowed me precious time with individuals all across this country. These moments are priceless to me!

I love Chick-fil-A and I will always love Chick-fil-A. As of now, I am still serving at my local CFA as a director working 50-55 hours a week. And until God moves me, that is where I will be. Is the journey over? I honestly don’t think so. I try to force myself to lose the desire to own my own store… and then I clock in and do life with my team, and after hugs and high fives and accomplishing goals together…. I realize I can’t stop pursuing my dream. It’s what I do. It’s who I am.

Many have asked if I am upset or mad. Almost telling me with their eyes and tone of voice that it would be ok to say yes. But no. I am at peace. I am at peace knowing that God is good all the time. Never is He NOT good. And though people all around the chain know I would make a tremendous operator, the one person who could say no, did say no. And they did their job well. They have to make sure they choose the best fit for every opportunity. To play God and to judge their decision would be foolish. To trust God and wait on His will and timing is obedience. So I choose to obey. I choose to wait. I choose to continue to be full of joy. I choose to keep on serving faithfully.

I leave you with this story from this past Saturday.

A mom and her little girl were getting into line to order when I walked by them to grab something from outside. She stopped me and told me that she had used me as an example when teaching her kids a lesson that week. I recognized the mom, but didn’t know her personally. She went on to explain that her 9th grade boy was telling her how his friends in the same grade were out partying/drinking and making poor decisions. Her son then said that he doesn’t have to hang out with that crowd and wants to make wise decisions. I bent down and asked the little girl what the mom had said about me. The little girl looked up at me and said, “Mommy said that she wants me to marry someone like you one day”. I was shocked, as I had never spoken to them before. The mom then began to tear up and told me that she can tell simply by the way I serve people in the restaurant that I am someone that she wants her boys to look up to and her daughter to marry. It was all I could do not to get all emotional! WOW! Do I deserve those comments? No. Any good in me is by the grace of God alone. But God used that instance, just mere days after receiving a “no” answer, to keep that flame burning inside of me.

To you that have followed this journey…. thank you! You are appreciated far more than you will ever know. I truly hope this isn’t the end. I have insane faith that it is not. In fact, I  check my email throughout the day thinking that I will receive one saying that they have changed their minds and have a store for me. But if that day never comes, I thank God that He used CFA to bring you into my life. May God bless you. #JUSTTRUETT

 

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She needed someone.

Yesterday, I took the Chick-fil-A Cow over to a local elementary school around 2:00pm to greet parents and kids in the car line as they left to go home. Spirit Night for that school was later on in the day at our restaurant, and we were there to give hugs and high-fives as a reminder to parents to come out and support the local school.

We arrived a couple minutes ahead of schedule, and before the mass exodus of children, a lady pulled up curbside and walked towards the door, phone in hand. I overheard her saying these words as she passed me: “[desperation in her voice] My husband is in surgery, and I literally have no one here.” The voice on the other end [speakerphone] replied: “I know. I wish I were there.” To which the mom passing me says: “I wish you were here too.” She then disappeared inside the school.

The Cow and I began walking towards the other end of the parking lot to greet the bus line, just as she reappeared with her elementary-aged child. She situated her daughter in their vehicle and opened her door to leave. That’s when I seized the opportunity to make a difference.

“Hey! Did I hear you say your husband was in surgery?” She stopped, looked up and proceeded to tell me that he was indeed in surgery and that it’s been an awful day. I then told her that we were providing dinner for her family that evening. Anything she wanted. Nugget tray, wrap tray, fruit tray…. anything. I gave her my number and told her to text me with the order, along with where she needed it, and what time she needed it delivered.

As she stood there crying, I placed my arm around her and told her this is what we do. We look for opportunities to be there for people. To be a blessing. To make difference in people’s lives. She then then told me she is so very thankful for Godly people in her life. Interesting! She did not know I was a Christian. I reached out to her in a time of need, and I was wearing a Chick-fil-A uniform… but how interesting – equating what I did to Godliness.

That has a lot to do with why I want to be a Chick-fil-A owner/operator. We do what we do to the Glory of God. It’s in our Corporate Purpose. It’s in our DNA. This story is not to pat myself on the back. Not at all. Because I know, with confidence, that given that opportunity, anyone wearing a Chick-fil-A uniform would have reached out. It’s who we are. We are people lovers, and we desire to make a difference in our communities for God’s glory!

She did text me back that evening and asked if she could simply run by the store and order herself since it was close by to the pharmacy for her husband’s meds. That worked out even better because then those on staff at the store were given the heads up and were able to be involved with being a blessing to this family as well. What she probably will never know is how much of a blessing she was to us and our crew. It keeps us keeping on! #JustTruett  

 

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Pro Tip: Build Community INSIDE first!

The secret game changer to a Chick-fil-A restaurant? Build community within the walls. When I took over Hospitality Director, I wanted to be intentional about building community INSIDE the store…. because only then could we truly and genuinely impact the community OUTSIDE the store. This past year we have had two gym nights, played flag football twice, conducted a Sunday afternoon Bible study for 6 weeks, invited two Carolina Panther players (Mike Tolbert and Thomas Davis) to come to the store and sign autographs/take pics to raise money for their foundations, a store Super Bowl party next week, and will be visiting a children’s hospital with plush cows and gift cards wearing our “JUST TRUETT” t-shirts. Hanging out with your CFA family outside of CFA changes everything. It molds and makes you into one team/one group. It helps tremendously with the all-too-common Day vs. Night, Front vs. Back. Communication is enhanced, as well as trust…. because they feel invested in. Try it! It’s a BLAST!

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Encouragement. It does a soul good.

Chick-fil-A President and CEO, Dan Cathy, often asks groups this question: “How can you tell someone needs encouragement? They are breathing!” Everyone needs encouraging. That’s just how we all are wired. It provides that “oomph” to keep on keeping on.

I love encouraging people, and I have a keen awareness that people need it. Why? Because I need it. Yep. Even with my incredible energy and love of life… I need it. Especially in the middle of this journey that I am on.

Tonight, I received a facebook message from a Chick-fil-A operator in the northeast:

“I wanted to shoot you a quick note and share with you what an encouragement you are. I am thankful and inspired by your optimism, joy and passion. I don’t know too many guys that live life with your level of Christ-centered energy. So thanks. Even on the hard days.”

Wow! Little did he know that I am in the middle of the operator interview process, waiting for the next step to be scheduled. 2016 is up in the air for me and my family, but we serve a God who is in complete control, and a God who gives friends who encourage. Just at the right time.

 

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