64. The Intensity Required to Make It to the Top with Sarah Jane Cobb

<p>Sarah Jane Cobb&#39;s path to becoming a Chick-fil-A operator wasn&#39;t linear—it was relentless. Starting as a 15-year-old team member working for gas money and a social life, Sarah went on to study broadcast journalism at the University of Tennessee, where she built a successful news career alongside her husband David. After moving to Memphis to be closer to David&#39;s family during his father&#39;s ALS diagnosis, Sarah made the unexpected decision to leave journalism at 26 and return to Chick-fil-A. She spent a year and a half working for an operator, then two and a half years in the Leadership Development Program before planting herself in Springfield, Tennessee with her husband to build results and apply for restaurants. Today, she operates the Chick-fil-A in Glasgow, Kentucky—a dream she didn&#39;t even know she had at 15. Sarah&#39;s story is a masterclass in intensity, persistence, and doing whatever it takes to earn the next opportunity, even when &quot;whatever it takes&quot; meant working for free to gain experience. Her advice? Be intense. Be relentless. Make people wonder if you&#39;re crazy. Nobody gets anywhere great by being mediocre.</p><p>Get Jacob’s Book for Free: <a href="https://www.masteryourfirstjob.com/free">https://www.masteryourfirstjob.com/free</a></p><p>Visit Our Website: <a href="https://wavesbusinesscoaching.com">https://wavesbusinesscoaching.com</a></p><p>Connect with Jacob on Linked In: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobkarnes/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobkarnes/</a></p><p>Subscribe to the Waves Business Coaching Podcast:</p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@wavesbusinesscoaching">https://www.youtube.com/@wavesbusinesscoaching</a></p><p>Spotify: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3pbBD2zFZKsq588qJOh9QW">https://open.spotify.com/show/3pbBD2zFZKsq588qJOh9QW</a></p><p>Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/waves-business-coaching/id1714852483Visit">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/waves-business-coaching/id1714852483Visit</a> our Website: <a href="https://wavesbusinesscoaching.com">https://wavesbusinesscoaching.com</a></p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Introduction and Early Life03:52 Career Beginnings in Journalism06:56 Transition to Chick-fil-A09:42 Navigating Personal and Professional Changes12:29 Deciding to Leave Journalism15:13 Lessons from Journalism to Leadership18:05 Communication Skills in Leadership20:34 The Grit Behind Journalism and Leadership23:01 Mindset Shift: From Victim to Hero25:10 The Importance of Clarity in Communication26:59 Reflection and Accountability in Leadership28:36 Building Trust Through Consistency30:09 The Power of Authentic Networking35:31 Be Intense: The Key to Success39:14 Continuous Improvement: The Journey Never Ends</p>