The CEO Who Revived Popeyes by Serving Others with Cheryl Bachelder

Today on The Servant Leadership Podcast, we hear from Cheryl Bachelder, a highly respected business leader who transformed Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen into one of the most successful restaurant brands in the world. Cheryl has built a career on servant leadership, leading with purpose, and driving results. As the former CEO of Popeyes, she took the company from declining sales and struggling franchisees to record-breaking growth—all by putting people first. Under her leadership, Popeyes experienced unprecedented success, with franchisees thriving, customer satisfaction soaring, and the brand reaching new heights—all while fostering a culture of trust and service. Cheryl has also held executive roles at KFC, Domino’s, and Chick-fil-A, making her a leader in shaping how businesses succeed through servant leadership. In her book, “Dare to Serve,” Cheryl shares her bold philosophy on leadership—how putting others first isn’t just good ethics, but great business. I’m excited for her to share today how servant leadership can empower your team, accelerate growth, and drive real results.

Timestamps:

00:00 Cheryl Bachelder's Intro

01:08 Welcome Cheryl Bachelder

01:22 Cheryl's Career Journey

05:43 Popeye's Transformation Challenges

09:21 Keeping An Attitude of Servant Leadership During Transformation

12:40 Servant Leadership As A Driver of Company Results

13:34 Biggest Misconception of Servant Leadership

14:57 Defining Servant Leadership

17:00 Measuring Courage/Daring and Humility

18:40 Valuing Humility

19:21 Practical Steps To Turnaround An Organization

22:13 Building The Right Team

23:48 Finding The Right People

25:20 Discerning When/How To Stop or Change

26:54 Focus On The Vital Few Priorities

28:35 Next Stage Of Cheryl's Journey

32:25 Advice For Working Mothers

35:11 10-Rapid-Fire Questions

37:13 Closing

Cheryl Bachelder Links: https://cherylbachelder.com/

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