In the modern marketplace, it can be challenging for parents to balance working and caring for their children. Out of necessity, thanks to rising prices, inflated rates, and the American dollar’s decreased value, parents must work more to provide for their families adequately.
The idea of working a nine-to-five shift every weekday, but having early mornings, late evenings, and the entire weekend to spend with your family is a notion as outdated as it is aspirational.
In 2024, parents have to work more, meaning they have to put their children in childcare more, which costs more money, and necessitates even more work. It’s a vicious cycle that can be challenging for everyone, even billionaire CEOs.
Todd Graves, billionaire CEO and co-founder of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, recently shared how he struggles to balance work and parenting. Graves works 90-hour work weeks, and doing that regularly alongside parenting can prove tricky.
The 52-year-old billionaire manages over 800 restaurants and has admitted that building a successful business caused him to miss much on the personal front in the early stages of his career and his children’s lives.
Graves revealed that he worked twelve to sixteen hours daily to build his business. Even after becoming a billionaire, he said that he spent such long hours at work that his wife sometimes brought their children to the office so he could spend some time with his family.
“I can’t tell you how many 15-, 16-hour days I’ve worked in a row. I had to miss a lot of stuff,” Graves said.
However, Graves, who owns a company estimated to be worth several billion, has revealed that he determined a way to distribute his workload throughout the day, allowing him time for family and friends. During vacations, for example, Graves says that he wakes up at 4:30 am to work so he can join his family by 11 am and spend the rest of the day with them.
“I’m as busy as anybody I know, I travel as much as anybody I know, but I can work my schedule where I can make most of the things I need to be at with kids, family, or important friends,” Graves said.
Unparalleled Dedication
The billionaire also noted that starting a business takes dedication, and making it successful requires you to “multiply that by infinity.” Graves previously revealed that in 1996, he worked ninety hours a week in an oil refinery in California and fished for salmon in Alaska to launch his network of chicken finger restaurants in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Now, Raising Cane has more than 800 outlets in the US and the Middle East and could end this year with nearly $5 billion in sales, as per the outlet.
Hiring Great Workers Helps
Elsewhere, Graves also revealed some of his top “red flags” when hiring employees. He says that often, when reviewing resumes, one of his most significant concerns is the prevalence of job-hopping across venues.
He said he views frequent job changes every two to three years as a significant red flag, questioning the applicant’s motivations and loyalty. “I question that, because it’s like, ‘Are you in it just for you?” the CEO told CNBC Make It.
In Graves’ experience, job-hoppers have tended to prioritize titles and control over teamwork, often using language they think hiring managers want to hear, rather than providing authentic answers. During interviews, he looks for inconsistencies in candidates’ responses to detect insincerity.
This way, Graves strives to hire great workers who can assume responsibilities and allow him to spend more time with his family, without worrying about his company.
