John Schnatter is the founder, and up until 2007, was the CEO of Papa John’s; a business that is currently worth about $750m and on it’s way to becoming a billion-dollar company.
Below is a short but inspiring excerpt from an article that was written about him in 1997 by Nation’s Restaurant News.
“I don’t deviate much from my schedule,” he says. On a typical day he gets up at 5.30a.m., lifts weights and runs three to six miles before arriving at his office between 7.45 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. He takes care of administrative matters and meetings in the mornings before either having lunch with one of the officers or swimming laps.
In the afternoons he returns phone calls and visits stores or attends more meetings. Some days he gets home between 7p.m. and 9 p.m., and on others he gets there around 5 p.m. to spend time with his wife and two daughters.
Later in the evenings he reads for 90 minutes. “I read books on psychology and why people think the way they do,” he says. “I also read the history of successful companies. I read about one book a week.”
On Saturdays he either works or spends time with his children. Sunday is church-and-family day.
“I keep things very basic and simple because building a business and raising a family are plenty if you want to do it right,” he says. “Occasionally, I do a few speeches but very little socializing or parties.”
His minister, the Rev. Robert Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian Church, who is also a golfing partner, describes Schnatter as “very thorough and intense in everything he does. He’s always trying to grow. He has a strong work ethic from youth and solid moral values.”
Russell also notes that Schnatter is a generous contributor to the church and the community. His largest donation to date was a $5 million pledge toward building a new, $56 million stadium at the University of Louisville, to be named Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
Focused as he is on work, family and church, Schnatter says he eeps his life as simple as his pizza concept. That enables him to never lose sight of one of his primary Papa John’s goals: “We want to be the biggest [pizza] delivery company in the world.”
If his performance so far is any indication, he just may make it.