Hello Partnership Educators,
A young, nineteen-year-old girl walks on a plane headed to Australia to start her company's first franchise in that country. Her manager saw something in her that she didn't really see in herself, leadership.
You might not guess that she would have such confidence and energy if you took a look at her childhood. Growing up in a home in Florida with an alcoholic father wasn't easy. Katerina, then nine-years-old, remembers the day her mother decided to leave her father and go out on her own. A very bold and risky decision since her mother was not educated in a way to sufficiently support three young children. But leave she did and Kat watched as her mother worked multiple jobs to support her children. There were many weeks when $10 was the meal money for four of them.
That was many years ago and this young, hard working teenager has been leading ever since. Behind the rough and tough childhood, there was a leader who once didn't think she would have what it takes and learned through others that she did. Whose mother still to this day writes in her cards at birthday time, "Don't forget where you came from, but don't you dare ever let it solely define you." An entrepreneur who tells other young entrepreneur's to find a way to see every challenge as a chance to learn and lives by a clear motto about all the people she meets inside and outside her business.
"When I am around people my heart and soul radiate with the awareness that I am in the presence of greatness. Maybe greatness unfound, or greatness undeveloped, but the potential or existence of greatness nevertheless. You never know who will go on to do good or even great things or become the next great influencer in the world. So treat everyone like they are that person."
You might know who this person is as you are waiting on a flight and wanting a wildly delicious snack. The smell of sweet and cinnamon delight. That's right, Katarina (Kat) Cole who is currently president of Cinnabon Inc. But she started by waiting tables at Hooters and later becaming a 26-year-old vice president of training and development of Hooters corporation and help it grow from 100 to 500 locations and go from $300 million in revenue to $1 billion. She attributes this to her strong mother, her first manager, and other adults in her life that helped her see herself as more than she thought was possible.
Thanks for your efforts in believing in our kids and helping them see the possibilities. Have a great weekend!
Rob
Superintendent
Redding Elementary School District
New Millennium Partnership
5885 East Bonnyview Rd.
Redding, Ca 96001