What Is Kat Cole's Net Worth?
Kat Cole is an accomplished American businesswoman with a net worth of $100 million. She has held significant positions such as COO and President of Focus Brands and President of Cinnabon. Before her tenure at Focus Brands, Cole served as executive vice president of Hooters.
Kat began her career at Hooters as a hostess and was quickly recognized for her talent, eventually training new owners and employees at the first Hooters in Australia. By 26, she had advanced to Vice President of Training and Development for Hooters.
As president of Cinnabon since 2011, Cole facilitated partnerships with major chains like Burger King and Taco Bell. She appeared on the show "Undercover Boss" in 2012, becoming its youngest CEO to feature at 34. In 2021, Cole was appointed President and COO of Athletic Greens.
Early Life
Kat Cole, born Katrina Cole on March 18, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida, experienced a tough upbringing. After her parents divorced when she was 9, her mother single-handedly raised Kat and her two younger sisters. Kat worked at The Body Shop in her teenage years before becoming a hostess at Hooters. Cole initially enrolled at the University of North Florida to study engineering but abandoned her studies for global opportunities offered by Hooters. Despite this, she earned an MBA from Georgia State University in 2010, after taking the GMAT and undergoing multiple interviews, supported by letters of recommendation from prominent CEOs, including Ted Turner.
Hooters
During her first year at Hooters, Cole worked in various roles including cook and manager. Her manager nominated her as the best employee at the Jacksonville franchise, leading to her transfer to Sydney to train new owners and staff at Australia's first Hooters. This experience broadened as she traveled to other international locations for similar training purposes.
At 26, Cole became vice president of training and development at Hooters, overseeing its expansion from 100 locations to 500, and from $300 million to $1 billion in revenue.
Cinnabon
Kat joined Cinnabon Inc. in November 2010 and became its president two months later. Over the next three years, she expanded the company's footprint by 200 bakeries and cultivated partnerships with various restaurants and grocery retailers. By 2013, Cinnabon's sales were an estimated $1 billion. In an episode of "Undercover Boss" in 2012, Cole worked anonymously in different production and retail roles at Cinnabon. In 2015, she was elevated to group president of Focus Brands, which owns several prominent food brands including Auntie Anne's and Moe's Southwest Grill.
As of December 2021, Cole serves as the COO and President of Athletic Greens. Chris Ashenden, the company's founder, praised her: "Kat is a world-class leader, experienced growth executive and all-around special human. We are thrilled to have her join Athletic Greens as our business is experiencing outstanding growth and the global opportunity for simple, effective daily nutrition solutions continues to widen. Kat's track record of building great businesses, leading teams, innovating, and strengthening brands will power Athletic Greens to grow and deepen relationships with our dedicated global community of AG1 customers."
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Personal Life
Kat met Daley Ervin at a social impact event in Baltimore, and they became engaged in 2015. They were married at Burning Man in 2016, and she described the wedding as "one of the most magical experiences of my life" owing to the active participation of their guests. The couple has two children, son Ocean and daughter Arrow. Cole is actively involved in charitable efforts, including mentoring entrepreneurs and young women and contributing to sustainable development initiatives in Africa. She has served on the board of directors of the Women's Foodservice Forum and held leadership roles in the Georgia Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation.
Awards
Cole's contributions have earned her numerous accolades. In 2007, the Women's Foodservice Forum named her Volunteer of the Year. The following year, she received the Elliot Leadership Institute's Motivator of the Year award. In 2010, Cole was honored with the Georgia Restaurant Association's Crystal of Excellence (GRACE) Award.
