Kentucky Fried Kitchen - KFC. It used to be called Sanders’ Café, a modest gas station kitchen in Kentucky. Sanders’ Café was the baby of Harland Sanders. When his business was burnt into flames by fire, his resilience was brought to bear. He rebuilt the spot with a hotel and a restaurant that became extremely popular with travellers – until a new interstate highway diverted traffic away. Then in his 50s, Sanders hung up his apron and prepared for retirement; but he did not retire in his retirement. For Sanders, retirement is just another phase of active living. In this new life, he armed himself with confidence; that there was a larger market for his secret-recipe chicken. He set out selling it to restaurant owners door-to-door. The uniqueness of the KFC-Sanders’ story is embedded in how the successful fast-food chain made the quick leap from homegrown restaurant to international franchise.
SANDERS’ RETIREMENT EXCUSES
Harland Sanders had every reason to go to bed. First, fire outbreak. When his first business was doing quite well, fire set in. The fire interrupted everything and brought the business to a standstill. But Sanders did not standstill. Instead, he stood up and bounced back stronger; this time building a full-blown restaurant and a hotel.
If your landlord ejects you, what will you do? If you get fired, what will be your line of action? If you lose your parents who have been your lifelong benefactors, will that be the end of your life? If you graduate from college without a job, how will you respond to such a scenario? When you are kissed by a misfortune, it should not be the beginning of the end. You must see it as the beginning of a new and purposeful life. An unemployed graduate should not sit down with their arms in the air simply because nobody is willing to employ them. If your landlord serves you eviction notice, it may be an indication for you to consider owning your own house through outright purchase, new construction or mortgage. When your employer disengages you, it does not necessarily mean you should be out of job. It may be an unequivocal announcement for you to get entrepreneurial and start your own business. Don’t stop when the unexpected happens; press on.
Sanders had another reason to declare the finality of his venture when the new interstate highway diverted traffic away from his base. He could have blamed the metropolitan authorities. “Things were going fine until the new road was constructed,” he could have said. “If I had not been sick, I would have passed my exam,” some of you would say. “I would have been better off if I had come from a good background.” Yes, certain things that are outside your control have derailed you. But you can move on. Sanders moved on when his business began to ebb. And he did so big time!
IT’S NOT TOO LATE
Many people will not start a new enterprise after a major flop especially when they are advanced in years. For Sanders, age could not bar him. He started his franchise business in his 50s. Yes, you may be late but you can catch up. You didn’t begin early but you can start. You may be behind time but you are not behind life. This may be November but the year is not over yet.
In 2006, when J. H. Mensah appeared before the Appointments Committee of Ghana’s Parliament to be assessed for a cabinet role, a member of the committee raised concerns about his age. The octogenarian remarked that, once he still had strength and life, he will not retire from politics. Even if he was not a minister of state, he would continue to function as a politician. J. H. Mensah would not allow his age to dictate the direction of his life. You don’t have to give up simply because ‘time is not on your side.’ If you are not attaining your personal goals timely, it doesn’t mean you should abandon them. You are not too old to upgrade your educational status. It’s not too late to get married. You still have life ahead of you. Live it!
Guess what! At age 87, somebody appeared before the United States House of Representatives to testify against compulsory retirement. Who was that? Harland Sanders.
You are as late as you think. You are as defeated as you interpret situations. You are as successful as you decide to be. Even if you are 50, you can go back to school, you can find a suitable partner, you can realise your dreams.
