Randy Goff was raised in Ohio and has been married to Dianna Lynn Clark of the same hometown for 32 years.  The Goffs have three sons, Tyler, Kyle, and Nick, and a daughter-in law, Michelle (married to Tyler).  Randy previously served 20 years in the Air Force as a fighter pilot where he served in various assignments throughout the world.  Randy and Dianna currently have two Chick-fil-A franchises in the Spartanburg, SC area and have been living in Spartanburg for the past 10 years.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• [2 min 25 sec] Tell us about your family. Married 32 years. Run their restaurants together. Three sons and daughter-in-law. All in their 20s.
• [3 min 34 sec] Tell us about your current vocation and how God has led you to this point in your career. Air Force fighter pilot. Served in Air Force for 20 years, inspired by his dad, who also served in the military for 20 years. At the 17-year point, he knew they needed to make a change. Air Force life was hard. Moved 10 times in 20 years. Wanted to plant roots somewhere. Been a Chick-Fil-A operator now for 10 years. Inspired by a friend who was a CFA operator at the time and the book Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People: Doing Business the Chick-fil-A Way by Truett Cathy. Truett’s story of how he used his business to impact people for Christ. Self-awareness is a key to finding your career calling. Some people are naturally self-aware, but self-awareness can be learned.
• [10 min 00 sec] Biggest career challenge: While in Air Force, was up for promotion to major. Although promoted, he did not get named to Intermediate Service School, which was key to future promotions. Very disappointed in that. However, he persisted and found an alternative path to the school and was able to get in.  Biggest lesson learned: persistence. There are usually other ways to get where you want to go. People see heart and will respect those who don’t give up, who exhaust all options in order to pursue their goals. Also, was grateful for God’s grace during his time of disappointment.
• [14 min 02 sec] What was your biggest career success? Randy defines success as achieving a goal that you desire to accomplish. Getting his second CFA franchise. Very unusual and difficult to get a second store. Only about 10%-15% of operators have more than one restaurant. Very competitive to get just one store. Last year 30,000 people applied, but they only needed 100 operators. No preference given to someone who already has a store. The good results he’s had with his first store helped him earn his second store. Results matter. Life is a competition; you’ve got to have some results to make your case. Good stewardship of where you are now can lead to more opportunities later. Excellence plus competitiveness is a great formula for building a business that impacts others for Christ.

SECOND SEGMENT

• [22 min 59 sec] Time where you were confused about which career path God wanted you to take. About 2.5 years before retiring from the military, thought he was going to join the staff of his church. About 7 months before retiring, that changed abruptly. For the first time in his life, he was unsure what he was supposed to do. The uncertainty surrounding his next career steps was scarier than going to war. One day while praying in the car for direction, God gave him peace that He (God) will provide. About a month later, he and his wife felt led to pursue the Chick-Fil-A opportunity. Doors opened swiftly, and they began their CFA journey. Lessons: 1) Don’t feel like you are unique when you worry over career choices and how to provide for your family! 2) Pray before making a decision about anything, including career. Story of how God worked out the timing so that Randy could retire from military and have a vacation with his family just in time before starting CFA training.
• [33 min 07 sec] Have you ever had a challenge to your faith in the workplace? How did you react to it? Many times, even as a CFA operator. While in military, there was one individual who he clashed with. This fellow knew that Randy was a Christian, and he was always finding ways to get under Randy’s skin. The Lord impressed upon Randy that He loves all people and how Randy reacted to this fellow would make an eternal impact on this guy. He tried to react calmly and godly. People need to see God’s love in us.
• [36 min 34 sec] #1 personal habit that drives career success. Being grounded in Scripture daily.
• [37 min 57 sec] #1 business habit that drives career success. Measures all kinds of things in business. You need to know where you are at in order to be able to get where you want to go.
• [39 min 51 sec] Productivity tool. His calendar app, Weekly Cal, on his smartphone. Wunderlist
• [42 min 58 sec] What three things would you recommend to a business owner to do in order to be successful: 1) Know your why (referenced books by Simon Sinek.) Randy’s why is to impact people. 2) Got to have a heart for excellence. If you don’t have credibility via excellence, the business won’t work out. 3) You have to have a heart for people. Business is about more than making money.
• [46 min 05 sec] How are you using your current career to impact others for Christ? 1) By living their lives transparently with their employees. 2) Teaching work ethic, what it means to be a team player, and other life skills to their employees, which are mostly young people. 3) Serving people in a godly fashion. Serving people where they are at is a pathway to the human soul. 4) Prayer in the business. 5) Pay for counseling when their people need it.
• [48 min 42 sec] #1 book (besides the Bible) that you would recommend. Good to Great by Jim Collins. When leading people, you have to ask good questions. Great by Choice by Jim Collins and Morten Hansen. The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni. (Culture is everything in the organization.)
• [51 min 03 sec] Advice for high school seniors. Anything you do will require some upfront sacrifice before you obtain results. We expect things to happen instantly, but most things don’t. Sometimes it takes years, even decades, of sowing before you will reap.
• [52 min 56 sec] Best way to connect with you. randy.goff@cfafranchisee.com

Resources Mentioned:

• Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People: Doing Business the Chick-fil-A Way by Truett Cathy
• Weekly Cal
• Wunderlist
• Books by Simon Sinek
• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• Great by Choice by Jim Collins and Morten Hansen
• The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni

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Robbie Romeiser is a commercial real estate broker, real estate instructor, and author of the daily devotional Today’s Quote From God (www.TodaysQuoteFromGod.com). Desiring to help his own children follow God’s calling in their lives, Robbie founded Career Callings (www.CareerCallings.net) to help people find, prepare for, and pursue the work God has called them to do. To have Robbie speak at your church, business, professional association, or civic club, please email Robbie at robbie@careercallings.net.