“I don’t think entrepreneurs are created — entrepreneurs are born.”
So says Todd Graves, the billionaire founder and CEO of Raising Cane’s, the chicken finger casual dining chain with over 900 restaurants nationwide.
Graves joined twin sisters Hanna and Haley Cavinder, former University of Miami basketball players who became trailblazers in the NIL space, to talk about the drive it takes to succeed in business on a new episode of The Playbook.
On each episode of The Playbook, produced by Sports Illustrated and Entrepreneur, athletes and entrepreneurs come together to share advice and lessons they’ve learned along their paths to greatness.
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Although their businesses might vary greatly — Graves runs a restaurant empire while Hanna and Haley are influencers who created the TWOgether fitness app and co-founded Hustle Beauty for athletes — there is crossover in how they pursue their passions.
It starts with showing up like an athlete. “It was very seamless when we got into the NIL space and then started our own business,” Hanna says. “All of those traits from college athletics carried over. The discipline and routine and the commitment to give 100% because there are other people relying on you.”
Graves feels the same way. “You might be tired one day, but people show up to our restaurants and are willing to pay good money, so you’ve got to deliver.”
Graves, Hanna and Haley also believe in the power of connecting with customers through authenticity. “People love founder-driven businesses because a founder cares, and their business is an extension of them,” Graves says. Haley adds that being positive and honest on social media has been the key to nurturing their community of millions. “That really helped us when we started the health and fitness side of things,” she says. Putting out genuine content that spoke about mental health helped them build lasting relationships with their followers, and they say the feedback they’ve gotten keeps them fulfilled and eager to do more.
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Watch the entire conversation to get these amazing entrepreneurs’ insights on how getting a “no” can be the best thing to fuel your drive, and learn the pivotal moments that showed them that they were on the right path. As Graves notes, “Champions are always thinking, Hey, what can we do next?“