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#20 - Kat Cole, Brand, Distribution, & Leadership
Manage episode 295288768 series 2903307
Bio
Kat Cole is the former Chief Operating Officer and president of Focus Brands. Her journey began as a Hooters hostess at age 17, and within 2 years she was traveling around the world launching new locations for the company becoming a Vice President at 26. In 2010 she became the president of Cinnabon, turning the company around during the recession. That was part of Focus Brands — the parent company of Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli, and Schlotzsky’s. For 10 years at Focus she was a turnaround artist of its franchise businesses and grew global, multi-channel retail offerings to more than $1 billion in branded sales.
Times
- 1:00 - Into to Kat
- 3:15 - How did her career accelerate so fast?
- 7:30 - What is brand?
- 9:30 - What goes into brand?
- 12:45 - Interactions & brand
- 16:00 - Is brand centralized or decentralized in the org chart?
- 19:00 - Who are the brands that impress Kat?
- 20:30 - How to think about distribution
- 26:00 - Store in store concept
- 28:30 - Grocery store distribution
- 32:30 - Future of the restaurant industry
- 34:45 - Thoughts on ghost kitchens and virtual brands
- 39:30 - How has travel impacted Kat professionally?
- 47:30 - How to become a better leader?
- 49:15 - Where to find Kat
Links
39 episodes
Manage episode 295288768 series 2903307
Bio
Kat Cole is the former Chief Operating Officer and president of Focus Brands. Her journey began as a Hooters hostess at age 17, and within 2 years she was traveling around the world launching new locations for the company becoming a Vice President at 26. In 2010 she became the president of Cinnabon, turning the company around during the recession. That was part of Focus Brands — the parent company of Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli, and Schlotzsky’s. For 10 years at Focus she was a turnaround artist of its franchise businesses and grew global, multi-channel retail offerings to more than $1 billion in branded sales.
Times
- 1:00 - Into to Kat
- 3:15 - How did her career accelerate so fast?
- 7:30 - What is brand?
- 9:30 - What goes into brand?
- 12:45 - Interactions & brand
- 16:00 - Is brand centralized or decentralized in the org chart?
- 19:00 - Who are the brands that impress Kat?
- 20:30 - How to think about distribution
- 26:00 - Store in store concept
- 28:30 - Grocery store distribution
- 32:30 - Future of the restaurant industry
- 34:45 - Thoughts on ghost kitchens and virtual brands
- 39:30 - How has travel impacted Kat professionally?
- 47:30 - How to become a better leader?
- 49:15 - Where to find Kat
Links
39 episodes
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