Latest news with #ToddGraves
Entrepreneur
a day ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Raising Cane's CEO Shares His Mindset for a Billion-Dollar Success
Todd Graves was turned down by every bank in town when he started. Here, he sits down to share his mentality on success, leadership and building a billion-dollar brand. This story appears in the July 2025 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe » When Raising Cane's opened a new restaurant in Miami, it hired local influencers to hype it up. That included two of the city's buzziest names — Hanna and Haley Cavinder, twins who rose to fame while playing basketball for the Miami Hurricanes, and cofounded the TWOgether fitness app and Hustle Beauty brand for athletes. Recently, we asked the twins what entrepreneur they'd most like to talk with. They circled right back to that chicken restaurant — and said they'd love to meet Raising Cane's billionaire founder, Todd Graves. They'd seen his business from the outside, but they wanted to understand it from the inside. And Graves, who believes that partnerships are the key to success, was eager to meet and learn from them too. So we brought the three of them together for a conversation. In turn, they drew up a game plan for growth — in business and in sports. This conversation was part of a new series we call The Playbook, produced in partnership with Sports Illustrated. We pair entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial athletes for career-spanning conversations. Here's an edited version of their conversation; you can watch the full video here. Related: 5 Work Ethic Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Elite Athletes Haley Cavinder: When you started Raising Cane's, did people understand what you wanted to build? Todd Graves: I got turned down by every bank in town, because it was a weird concept back then: Just chicken-finger meals. Other restaurants were adding more items to add more sales. The only model I could think of was In-N-Out Burger — which primarily sells hamburgers — but nobody in Louisiana, where I started, had heard of that. But I just believed in myself. I said, "If you can serve a 'craveable' meal consistently, over and over and over, it's going to be a success." So I knew I had to take it into my own hands. I worked in oil refineries, I worked as a boilermaker, I worked in commercial fishing in Alaska — all to make money for this business. The fishermen in Alaska could see me working so hard for this chicken-finger dream, and they'd tell me, "You're going to make it." That was my first encouraging group. Image Credit: Courtesy of Jeffrey A. Salter | Sports Illustrated Haley: Once you got going, what was the hardest part? Todd: When we started, we didn't really know what we were doing. We were open seven days a week — and we still are. But back then, the college students I hired wouldn't show up to work. So I'd call friends, call family: "I need you to come help me cover this shift." I didn't do much sleeping. We were open every night until 3:30 a.m. By the time we got out, it'd be 5:30, and then we had to be back opening at 8:30 every morning. Haley: Jeez. Todd: There is not a balance of life at a startup. You have to put 100% into it. It's why I started Cane's when I was y'all's age. I opened up at 24, and at that time I could devote everything. It was that drive, that passion. Look, I profited $30 my first month, and I was thrilled. Because it meant I could pay my people, I could pay my vendors, I could pay rent. That's when I knew this was going to be a success. The next hard phase was going from one restaurant to two. I didn't know how to build teams. I got as much advice as I could, but it was more about learning through trial and error. I burned through people. I felt bad about that, not knowing what I was doing. Then I learned to get the most out of people and be able to coach 'em and lead 'em to where they became managers. Now we have 75,000 crew members, and I have a platform to teach them. For most of them, Raising Cane's is their first job. So I tell them: "Work hard. Have fun. Let's deliver quality product. Let's earn our money." Related: Smart Entrepreneurs Don't Leap Without Looking — Here's How to Strategically Approach Starting a Business Haley: Darn, you make a good coach, too! Hanna Cavinder: You played football, correct? I feel like that started with the athlete mindset. Todd: A hundred percent. I learned leadership through sports. For example, when someone does something wrong in business, leaders might think, Oh, I'll talk to them about that in a couple days. But coaches don't do that! They course-correct right then. Haley: In the moment. Todd: And the culture is: Everybody's always trying to get better. Mistakes don't mean you're bad. We have a culture where it's okay to make mistakes — but we need to learn from 'em. How has playing basketball helped you with starting and growing your businesses? Hanna: We learned consistency and discipline. You have to show up every single day, regardless of the highs and lows. Haley: We also learned how to get the most out of a group of people. When you all have one common goal, it doesn't matter what someone's past is, or where they come from. You just ask: How can we all accomplish this? Also, recognize that we all have different strengths and weaknesses. That's true even for Hanna and I, but we have one goal: to be successful. And you can't fake it. If you feel like your coach is just saying empty things to you, you don't want to show up for them. You need people to think, I want to show up and do this because they really care about me. Todd: That's true. The crew's happier. They're working better. It affects quality. It affects everything else. Hanna: Also, we learned how to respond to things outside our control. It's like, "Okay, the coach didn't play me. I can't control that. So what can I control and still have success?" Related: Why Every Athlete Should Think Like a Startup Founder Image Credit: Courtesy of Jeffrey A. Salter | Sports Illustrated Todd: You're years ahead of your time. I literally tried to control everything and make everything so perfect. One of the biggest lessons I learned was: Concentrate on progress rather than perfection. For example, I wouldn't release my first training manual because I kept thinking, I've got to make it better. But people were like, "Hey, just do version one. Then work on that." That was good advice. You've built a great community for your businesses. What is your secret sauce for bringing people together? Haley: When we started our health and fitness businesses, we thought a lot about having a purpose. And that purpose is to help young girls. That allows us to stay happy and in a good mindset. Hanna: That helps us through hard times, too. For example, we both had an eating disorder — but we were able to turn it into a positive for other people by making an app to help them eat better. It was like, "We're going to impact a little girl, or somebody who's struggling in life, and that's a win in itself." Todd: That's purpose. Haley: That's the passion that keeps you going. Todd: Look, if you love what you do, you'll do it till the day you die. In business, people often value money and wealth more than purpose. That's why so many great entrepreneurs sell out early on. Then their company is bought by private equity, and it doesn't have the same values. You lose that special founder deal. People ask me, "Hey, what's your endgame?" I'm gonna grow old and die with this business, and the kids are gonna take it on and keep those values going, and then hopefully their kids, and we'll just keep those values going forever. Hanna: There's never an endgame. Todd: I love that. Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Raising Cane's giving out free chicken fingers on National Chicken Finger Day
National Chicken Finger Day is on Sunday, July 27, and Raising Cane's is giving out a free chicken finger to anyone who buys a Box Combo that day. The company announced the deal on July 16, saying this is the first time it's open to all customers, not just members of its Caniac Club. Raising Cane's has more than 900 locations across 40+ states and says it will open over 100 new restaurants in new markets in 2025.(Pexels) The chain made up the holiday in 2010 and trademarked 'National Chicken Finger Day' in 2019. Since then, it says it has given away over 150,000 chicken fingers on the day. Raising Cane's has more than 900 locations across 40+ states and says it will open over 100 new restaurants in new markets in 2025, according to USA Today report. Also Read: KFC launches new campaign with free buckets of chicken but there's a twist: Here's how to get one National Chicken Wing Day The company says founder Todd Graves came up with the idea to celebrate their chicken fingers. This holiday is separate from National Chicken Wing Day, which falls on Tuesday, July 29. To promote it this year, Raising Cane's teamed up with Snoop Dogg. He'll appear in a Christmas-in-July-themed ad driving a Cadillac sleigh and saying 'yo yo yo' instead of 'ho ho ho' while handing out chicken fingers. Are other restaurants joining in? Wingstop isn't offering any deals, but on July 24 it filed to trademark 'National Chicken Tender Day', also on July 27, in what looks like a dig at Raising Cane's. 'Some say that chicken fingers, strips and tenders are the same, but Wingstop isn't buying it,' said Mark Christenson, the company's Chief Revenue Officer. 'By filing a trademark application to register 'National Chicken Tender Day,' Wingstop is giving the finger to fingers and staking our claim on our distinctive crispy tenders that fans crave.' Huey Magoo's, based in Orlando, is also celebrating. It's giving away five free Tender Bites with any three-piece or larger Tender Meal bought on July 27.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Free Raising Cane's for National Chicken Finger Day 2025: How to get deal
National Chicken Finger Day is this Sunday, July 27, and fast food chain Raising Cane's has a freebie offer for customers to celebrate the occasion. The company said in a news release on July 16 that it is offering a free chicken finger to all customers who purchase a Box Combo on July 27. This marks the first time the company is making the deal available to all customers and not just Caniac Club loyalty members, the company said. The restaurant chain created the fictional holiday in 2010 and even trademarked the phrase "National Chicken Finger Day" in 2019, according to a news release, and touts that it has given away more than 150,000 chicken fingers on the day alone. Raising Cane's says it has over 900 locations in more than 40 states, and plans to open more than 100 new restaurants "across several new markets" in 2025. New Raising Cane's locations: Raising Cane's is opening 5 restaurants next month. Did your state make the list? When is National Chicken Finger Day? National Chicken Finger Day, which is Sunday, July 27, is an unofficial holiday created by Todd Graves, the founder of Raising Cane's, in 2010 to "recognize and celebrate (the chain's) delicious chicken fingers," the company says on its website. (The event is not to be confused with National Chicken Wing Day, which is Tuesday, July 29.) The chain has tapped rap legend Snoop Dogg to help spread the word about National Chicken Finger Day this year. The rapper will feature in a Christmas-in-July-themed ad spot where he rolls up in a Cadillac sleigh and swaps "ho ho ho" for "yo yo yo" while delivering chicken fingers. Are any other restaurant chains celebrating National Chicken Finger Day? While Wing Stop is not offering any deals or discounts on the day, the chain announced on July 24 that it had filed an application to trademark the phrase "National Chicken Tender Day," which it says is on July 27, in an apparent jab at Raising Cane's. 'Some say that chicken fingers, strips and tenders are the same, but Wingstop isn't buying it,' said Wingstop's Chief Revenue Officer, Mark Christenson, in a news release. "By filing a trademark application to register 'National Chicken Tender Day,' Wingstop is giving the finger to fingers and staking our claim on our distinctive crispy tenders that fans crave.' Meanwhile, Orlando-based restaurant chain Huey Magoo's is also celebrating National Chicken Finger Day by giving away five free Tender Bites with the purchase of any three-piece or larger Tender Meal on July 27. Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Get free Raising Cane's on National Chicken Finger Day 2025
USA Today
4 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Free Raising Cane's for National Chicken Finger Day 2025: How to get deal
National Chicken Finger Day is this Sunday, July 27, and fast food chain Raising Cane's has a freebie offer for customers to celebrate the occasion. The company said in a news release on July 16 that it is offering a free chicken finger to all customers who purchase a Box Combo on July 27. This marks the first time the company is making the deal available to all customers and not just Caniac Club loyalty members, the company said. The restaurant chain created the fictional holiday in 2010 and even trademarked the phrase "National Chicken Finger Day" in 2019, according to a news release, and touts that it has given away more than 150,000 chicken fingers on the day alone. Raising Cane's says it has over 900 locations in more than 40 states, and plans to open more than 100 new restaurants "across several new markets" in 2025. New Raising Cane's locations: Raising Cane's is opening 5 restaurants next month. Did your state make the list? When is National Chicken Finger Day? National Chicken Finger Day, which is Sunday, July 27, is an unofficial holiday created by Todd Graves, the founder of Raising Cane's, in 2010 to "recognize and celebrate (the chain's) delicious chicken fingers," the company says on its website. (The event is not to be confused with National Chicken Wing Day, which is Tuesday, July 29.) The chain has tapped rap legend Snoop Dogg to help spread the word about National Chicken Finger Day this year. The rapper will feature in a Christmas-in-July-themed ad spot where he rolls up in a Cadillac sleigh and swaps "ho ho ho" for "yo yo yo" while delivering chicken fingers. Are any other restaurant chains celebrating National Chicken Finger Day? While Wing Stop is not offering any deals or discounts on the day, the chain announced on July 24 that it had filed an application to trademark the phrase "National Chicken Tender Day," which it says is on July 27, in an apparent jab at Raising Cane's. 'Some say that chicken fingers, strips and tenders are the same, but Wingstop isn't buying it,' said Wingstop's Chief Revenue Officer, Mark Christenson, in a news release. "By filing a trademark application to register 'National Chicken Tender Day,' Wingstop is giving the finger to fingers and staking our claim on our distinctive crispy tenders that fans crave.' Meanwhile, Orlando-based restaurant chain Huey Magoo's is also celebrating National Chicken Finger Day by giving away five free Tender Bites with the purchase of any three-piece or larger Tender Meal on July 27. Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Raising Cane's Founder Todd Graves Donates $1M To Support Texas Flood Relief Efforts
In the wake of the deadliest flooding disaster in Texas, Raising Cane's founder and CEO, Todd Graves, has pledged $1,000,000 to the American Red Cross to help fuel relief and recovery efforts across the Texas Hill Country. Over the Fourth of July weekend, catastrophic flash floods tore through communities along the Guadalupe River, claiming at least 104 lives statewide, 84 of them in Kerr County alone, including 28 children. The before dawn on Friday, as powerful waters swept through camps and homes, ripping sleeping families from cabins, tents, and trailers and carrying them miles downstream through a torrent of tree trunks and overturned vehicles. Survivors described clinging to trees in the dark, desperately awaiting rescue. Among the most heartbreaking losses were the 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic who were confirmed dead. Ten more, nine girls and a counselor, remain missing as of Tuesday. Debris now litters the banks of the Guadalupe River, where twisted trees lie tangled with mattresses, refrigerators, canoes, and even a water-warped family portrait, haunting reminders of what once drew families to the Hill Country for rest and recreation. The National Weather Service initially issued flood advisories on Thursday, followed by multiple flash flood warnings early Friday morning. As conditions rapidly worsened, they escalated to flash flood emergencies, a rare and urgent alert signaling immediate, life-threatening danger to the public. Against this tragic backdrop, Graves announced the million-dollar donation to the Red Cross, which is currently on the ground providing emergency shelters, cleanup and relief supplies, mental health services, financial assistance, and family reunification support, both in-person and virtually. "Our hearts break as we witness the devastating impact of the flooding in Kerrville and the surrounding communities," Graves said in a statement, per a press release sent to The Blast. "We're deeply saddened by the lives impacted and the loved ones lost, and our hearts and prayers go out to everyone affected." He added, "We're sending prayers and strength to all those facing this tragedy and are incredibly grateful for the heroic efforts of first responders and organizations like the American Red Cross for providing critical support and aid to those in need." With more than 200 Raising Cane's locations across Texas, the company has grown alongside the very communities now facing unimaginable loss. The brand's deep roots in the state and its long-standing commitment to community support make this donation more than a symbolic gesture, it's a promise of continued partnership and compassion. "For the past 20 years, Raising Cane's has been proud to serve the people of Texas, and in times like these, we're reminded just how important community really is," Graves said. Stories of heroism and resilience are beginning to emerge from survivors who braved the floodwaters, risking their lives to save others. Among the many heartbreaking stories to surface in the aftermath of the Texas Hill Country, flooding is that of John Burgess, a devoted father who was swept away by the raging waters while clutching his two sons in a desperate attempt to save them. Burgess and his wife, Julia Anderson Burgess, had traveled to the area from Liberty, Texas, over the Fourth of July weekend to pick up their eldest daughter from a nearby camp unaffected by the floods. They were staying at the Blue Oak RV Park, a popular spot for families celebrating the holiday. Lorena Guillen, the park's owner, recalled the harrowing night the floodwaters arrived. Speaking to the New York Post, she described how her husband pleaded with Burgess to throw him the children as the waters rose. "The man was holding tight to his babies, and he just got swept away," Guillen said through tears. "My husband was in the water trying to ask them, 'Please throw me your baby!' But it was too late." Guillen added that the Burgess children were so excited to be there, like so many families who had come to enjoy what was supposed to be a joyful holiday weekend. In total, all 28 RVs parked at the site were destroyed, with cabins and trailers crashing into trees under the cover of night. "We heard people screaming throughout the night," she said. "The cabins from the RV park next door came floating, and they were getting smashed against the trees." As the search for the missing intensifies and communities begin the long road to recovery, Graves' donation is poised to provide vital resources, not just for today, but for the difficult weeks and months ahead. There are several ways to support flood victims and the first responders working tirelessly in the aftermath. To find out how you can help or to make a donation, click here.
