Zero Hour | 炸薯条、刷盘子……商业领袖的第一份工作

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights how early experiences in the fast-food industry have shaped the success of several prominent billionaires, emphasizing the valuable lessons learned from humble beginnings in terms of responsibility, process optimization, and resilience [3][4][6][21]. Group 1: Early Experiences of Billionaires - Jeff Bezos started working at McDonald's at the age of 16, where he learned the importance of punctuality, reliability, and pride in even the smallest tasks [3][4][6]. - Huang Renxun worked at Denny's at 15, where he developed a strong work ethic and overcame shyness, which later contributed to his entrepreneurial journey [12]. - Other billionaires, such as Todd Graves and Sebastian Siemiatkowski, also credit their fast-food jobs with teaching them essential business skills like inventory management and customer service [10][11][12]. Group 2: Lessons from Fast-Food Industry - The fast-food industry instills a sense of urgency and the need for efficiency, which many successful entrepreneurs apply to their businesses [7][21]. - The experience of working in fast food helps individuals understand the importance of customer needs and operational processes, as seen in Bezos's approach to Amazon [7][8]. - The article notes that many billionaires are willing to hire individuals with fast-food experience due to the skills and resilience developed in such roles [21]. Group 3: Success Stories - Peter Cancro, who started working at a sandwich shop at 14, eventually bought the store and grew it into Jersey Mike's, which now has over 3,000 locations [14][16]. - Andrew Cherng and his wife built Panda Express from their experiences in the restaurant industry, leading to a chain with nearly 2,300 locations and annual revenue close to $6 billion [18][20]. - Steve Ells founded Chipotle after working in a high-end restaurant, demonstrating how early experiences can lead to significant entrepreneurial ventures [16].