Ep 302 | Kat Cole

Written By Yasmin Nouri

Saying Yes Before You’re Ready, Listening to Your Intuition & Not Letting Your Past Define You

Listen on

 
 

Kat Cole is the CEO of AG1 (formerly known as Athletic Greens), the global health company that pioneered Foundational Nutrition support with a comprehensive and convenient daily supplement.

Kat has built an incredible career grounded in resilience, grit, and a passion for leadership. Growing up, Kat witnessed her mother’s strength firsthand when, at just nine years old, her mom left her alcoholic dad and became a single parent to Kat and her two sisters. From an early age, Kat learned the value of hard work and determination. As the first in her family to go to college, she supported herself financially by working at Hooters, and ultimately left school to take on a corporate roles with the company. By the age of 26, she was Vice President, leading global growth through franchising, training, and operations and helped lead Hooters’ sale to a private equity firm in 2010. Kat went on to spend over a decade as President and COO at Focus Brands, where she led a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of global restaurant brands with brands like Cinnabon, McAlister's, and Jamba under her leadership.

In this conversation, Kat dives into her journey from childhood to becoming a powerhouse in business, highlighting how curiosity, a strong work ethic, and embracing change have fueled her growth from the very start. She shares her biggest lessons from running multiple brands at scale, how she gets involved to be the most effective leader, and why she prioritizes quality and constant improvement to keep brands fresh and relevant. We also discuss her experience taking a year off, her insights as an angel investor, what she looks for when investing in brands, and how she got involved with AG1. Kat also talks about the importance of listening to intuition and trusting your gut with every decision, as well as her grounding routines that keep her balanced and focused, and so much more.

Show Notes:

  • Why we shouldn’t let our past solely define us. [03:34]

  • Kat’s childhood and early upbringing. [05:37]

  • Kat’s career journey, leading her to AG1. [07:58]

  • Kat’s curiosity and drive to achieve success. [10:54]

  • The importance of not knowing the truth. [16:25]

  • How Kat cultivates comfort in new situations. [20:01]

  • Leadership and creating a safe environment. [24:25]

  • Valuing opinions and listening to your intuition.[26:40]

  • Taking a year gap to reevaluate her career path. [31:36]

  • Leaving Focus Brands and transitioning to AG1. [35:20]

  • AG1’s commitment to product quality. [38:33]

  • AG1’s product iteration and innovation. [41:41]

  • The necessity of change and evolution in business. [46:06]

  • Kat’s grounding routines and self-care practices. [49:41]

This episode is brought to you by Beeya:

  • If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.

  • Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10

Follow Yasmin:

Follow Kat:

Yasmin Nouri
Previous

Ep 303 | Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Next

Ep 301 | Kym Gold