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After a prolific 20-year NBA profession that additionally noticed him launch platinum-selling music and star in field workplace smash motion pictures, Shaquille O’Neal has turned his championship mentality and larger-than-life persona to his entrepreneurial portfolio. The basketball star’s in depth enterprise holdings embody Big Chicken, a fast-casual hen idea that displays his love for daring flavors and large parts.
The model has greater than 350 areas in growth throughout 19 states and two international locations and is even on 4 Carnival cruise ships. Large Hen will also be present in arenas, airports and stadium venues.
Even because it has expanded, Large Hen stays true to its household roots.
“It was my mom’s creation,” O’Neal says of the genesis of Large Hen. “So, we introduced her [Lucille O’Neal] down, and he or she labored with the chief cooks on how the macaroni ought to style, how the hen must be battered, and everyone was receptive to that.”
Lucille’s Mac N’ Cheese is now a preferred menu merchandise, together with the namesake Large Hen sandwiches, hen “Dunks,” ice cream and extra.
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Main a champion group
For O’Neal, the Large Hen model’s success is not nearly making money; it is about making a championship group that fosters group and offers memorable experiences for everybody concerned.
“Whenever you’re raised by a drill sergeant and raised by self-discipline, you all the time float, and also you all the time assault your goals,” O’Neal says.
When launching Large Hen, O’Neal took a singular strategy to advertising by constructing the model in public.
He leveraged the ability of free promotion — and his already huge recognition — by means of the Big Chicken Shaq Show on Fb Watch and throughout his social media accounts. On Instagram alone, O’Neal entertains an viewers of greater than 35 million followers.
His philosophy is easy: You do not want a large price range to get the phrase out. Utilizing instruments like free social media accounts and grassroots advertising efforts, he confirmed how any model can achieve visibility with out breaking the financial institution.
“All it takes is as soon as,” he says, highlighting how helpful word-of-mouth advertising may be to Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media.
O’Neal’s technique for connecting together with his on-line viewers mirrors this total ethos. The entrepreneur makes use of his platforms to entertain, encourage and inform folks about his newest ventures. “Sixty p.c of my posts are to make you snort, 30% to encourage you and 10% to indicate what I am concerned in,” he says.
This steadiness displays O’Neal’s bigger mission of bringing mild into folks’s lives by means of meals or leisure. “I need to snort as a result of once you snort, it releases these endorphins within the face and helps you relieve stress,” he says. “I perceive that. I understand that. I need to make folks snort.”
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Rising Large Hen
Having already loved an unimaginable quantity of success in his profession, O’Neal understands the significance of selflessness and teamwork. His message to potential companions is evident: By becoming a member of Large Hen, you are not simply opening a profitable restaurant. You are becoming a member of a successful group to create one thing actually particular.
Although it is comparatively new to the franchising house, Large Hen is owned by a trio of business titans, together with O’Neal, Authentic Brands Group and JRS Hospitality.
“I am not on this to grow to be a trillionaire,” O’Neal says, emphasizing the significance of collaboration and development. “I hope the folks need to develop with us. They need to assist us win championships as a result of there is not any different idea like this.”
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