Colonel-Harland-Sanders

ColonelHarlandSandersBusinessMagnate,FolkFigure.HarlandSanderswasborninIndianaonSeptember9,1890andoverthecourseofhislifetimecametoexemplifythetrueAmericanentrepreneurialspirit.Sanders’fatherdiedwhenHarlandwasonly6yearsoldandhehadtohelphismothercareforhisyoungerbrotherandsister.Thismeantdoingmuchofthefamilycooking.Hegothisfirstjobwhenhewas10andforthenext30years,Sandersheldavarietyofjobsrangingfromstreetcarconductor,arailroadfireman,insurancesalesmanandservicestationoperator.ItwaswhileoperatingaservicestationinCorbin,Kentuckyin1930thatSandersbeganservingfoodtotravelersthatstoppedathisservicestation.Heservedhiscustomersonhisowndiningtableinthelivingquartersoftheservicestation.Asmorepeoplestartedcomingtotheservicestationjustforthefood,Sandersmovedacrossthestreettoamotelandrestaurantwherehecouldseatmorepeople.Overthenext9years,heperfectedhisfamous,andverysecret,friedchickenrecipethatisstillusedtoday.Asthepopularityofhisfriedchickengrew,SandersfamebegantospreadacrossthestateofKentucky.HewasevenmadeaKentuckyColonelbytheGovernorofthestatein1935.However,inthe1950’sanewinterstatehighwaywasplannedthatwouldbypassCorbin.Recognizingthathisbusinesswasdoomed,Sanderssoldoffhisrestaurantoperationsandafterpayinghisbills,wasreducedtolivingonhis$105amonthSocialSecuritychecks.Confidentinthequalityofhisfriedchicken,at62yearsold,Sandersdevotedhimselftofranchisinghisfamouschicken.Hedrovealloverthecountry,cookingbatchesofchickenforrestaurantownersandtheiremployees.Ifthereactionwasfavorable,heenteredintoahandshakeagreementonadealthatstipulatedapaymenttohimofanickelforeachchickentherestaurantsold.By1964,ColonelSandershadmorethan600franchisedoutletsforhischickenintheUnitedStatesandCanada.ThatsameyearhesoldhisinterestintheU.S.companyfor$2milliontoagroupofinvestors.However,heremainedapublicspokesmanforthecompanyandtraveledallovertheworldonbehalfofthechickenhehadmadefamous.Untilhediedattheageof90,ColonelSandershadtraveledover250,000milesayearpromotingthechickenempirehefounded.