A Concept to Challenge Your Status Quo
"I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it." - Bill Gates
Last week, a founder confided in me: “We’re open longer, offer more, and work harder than our competitors-so why are we still behind?”
It reminded me of Cook Out, the fast-food chain open until 4AM, serving everything from burgers to quesadillas and milkshakes in 40+ flavors. You can even make a corndog your side. Hustle incarnate.
But here’s the kicker: Cook Out makes about 20x less per location than Chick-fil-A-$392k vs. $9.3M. Chick-fil-A closes early, is shut on Sundays, and their menu is famously simple. Yet, they’re the #1 fast-food restaurant in America by revenue per store-four times more than McDonald’s or Starbucks.
Cook Out is the hustling entrepreneur. Chick-fil-A is the Strategic CEO.
Think of it like elite sports: The amateur trains every waking hour, trying every drill, burning out before game day. The champion? They focus on the right drills, prioritize rest, and show up ready to win.
Margin, mission, and mastery always outperform hustle. Chick-fil-A wins not by doing more, but by doing less-better, and with boundaries. They don’t chase more hours or more options. They build margin, simplify operations, and scale with purpose.
Here’s your challenge: Stop being Cook Out. Start building your Chick-fil-A. Don’t let the grind become your growth ceiling. Scale by intention, not exhaustion.
Share this with your leadership team-because the next level isn’t about more hustle, but smarter, more purposeful execution. Ready to lead with margin and mastery? Forward this to another CEO who needs the reminder.
