078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Ryan Hawk interviews Kat Cole about her unusual rise from teen Hooters waitress to global restaurant executive. Cole argues that long-term leadership success depends on balancing courage and confidence with curiosity and humility, giving generously, and building trust through authenticity. Her career story illustrates how volunteer leadership, risk-taking, and constant learning can create outsized opportunities.

Main Topics: Balanced leadership traits: Cole says productive leaders combine courage/confidence with curiosity/humility; either pair alone becomes ineffective or destructive. Career origin story and rise: She recounts starting work at 15, joining Hooters at 17-18, learning every restaurant role, and using those experiences to move into corporate leadership. Risk-taking and first-time learning: Cole repeatedly accepted roles she had never done before—international openings, VP, president—arguing that doing something for the first time requires vulnerability and courage. Giving as a career strategy: She says giving back through industry associations, mentorship, and helpfulness built her reputation and directly led to major career opportunities. Authenticity and trust-building: Cole explains that sharing her personal story helped her build trust quickly with new teams and made her leadership more credible and approachable. Confidence development: She attributes her self-assurance to childhood responsibility, supportive parenting, sports, repeated failure, and learning that mistakes are survivable. Books, learning, and public impact: Cole highlights formative books and frames leadership as ongoing learning, with curiosity and humility as the essence of being a 'learning leader.'

Key Arguments: High-achieving, productive leaders balance courage/confidence with curiosity/humility; imbalance creates either destructive bulldozers or passive students. Cole’s career advanced because she said yes to unfamiliar opportunities, learned quickly, and treated each new role as a first-time challenge. Her reputation was built not just on her resume, but on years of visible service and leadership in industry associations and nonprofit roles. Giving is possible at every level; it can be time, attention, introductions, advice, or resources, not just money. Authenticity speeds trust: when teams know the person behind the title, they respond differently and more openly. Confidence grows from repeated exposure to failure, supportive relationships, and the realization that mistakes are rarely catastrophic. Short-term winning by takers is dangerous because it normalizes destructive behavior and can shape organizational culture negatively. Cole believes leaders should focus on where they can create the greatest impact rather than chasing titles or politics for their own sake.

Data Points: Age started working: 15 - Cole began working in malls while her mother was a single parent. Age recruited to Hooters: 17 - She was recruited as a hostess while in high school. Age became a Hooters waitress: 18 - She became a waitress/"Hooters girl" after turning 18. Age when she traveled to Australia for work: 19 - Her first international opening assignment was in Australia. Days in Australia: 40 days - She helped open the first franchise in Australia. Age moved into corporate role: 20 - She moved to Atlanta and started a corporate training role. Company revenue at corporate start: $700 million - Hooters was about $700 million in revenue when she began her corporate job. Age became vice president: 26 - She became one of the vice presidents at Hooters. Years at Hooters before moving on: 15-16 years - She says she spent 15-16 years at Hooters before moving to Cinnabon/Focus Brands. Time spent as president of Cinnabon: 5 years - She led Cinnabon as president before moving to the parent company role. Time spent interviewing for Cinnabon job: 4.5 months - The interview process for president of Cinnabon lasted months. Delay before starting Cinnabon: 4-5 months - She waited to start until the Hooters sale was completed. MBA detail: MBA without a bachelor's degree - She returned to school and completed an MBA despite not finishing her undergraduate degree. Brands under Focus Brands role: 6 brands - She oversees Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Moe’s, McAlister’s, and Schlotzsky’s.

Pivotal Quotes: "By default of it being the first time you've done something, you're not going to be awesome. Like you will suck at something when you do it first." — Kat Cole: She explains why first-time roles require courage, vulnerability, and fast learning. "The real trick to building trust is to giving trust." — Kat Cole: She describes how authenticity and vulnerability helped her lead unfamiliar teams. "Everyone's got to have a first. You got to do something first for the first time." — Kat Cole: She justifies accepting roles she had never done before, including VP and president.

Implications: Listeners can learn that leadership growth comes from balanced traits, visible service, and embracing first-time challenges. For organizations, hiring and promoting based on character and contribution—not just résumés—can uncover exceptional leaders.