Ed Rensi started his climb to CEO of McDonald’s as grill man in Columbus, Ohio. Eighteen years later as CEO of one of the most famous corporations in the world, Rensi led McDonald’s to serving their 50billionth hamburger, practically invented the Chicken McNugget, doubled US Sales to $16Billion and increased the number of McDonald’s locations from 6,000 to 12,000.
Take a listen as Under30CEO Co-founder Matt Wilson interviews McDonald’s “Chief Hamburger Griller, French Fryer, Shakemaker, and Cheerleader” and learns how his experience running a global corporation is translating into his new restaurant chain Tom and Eddies…
(…and a special thank you to our ghetto call recorder for sneaking that obnoxious message in on us–yes we’ll buy it again!)
1. What is the difference between growing a big corporation like McDonalds to building a startup with only four locations?
2. What type of business systems translate from McDonald’s to your own venture?
3. How is the transition from a quick serve restaurant to sit down restaurant and how does your experience translate?
4. How do you beat out everyone else in one of the biggest corporations in the world to win the coveted CEO position?
5. What characteristics did you have that made you fit to lead a corporation like McDonalds?
6. Tell us about your invention of the Chicken McNugget!
7. What are some things you can pass on to the Under30CEO demographic to make them successful?
8. Is being well rounded over-rated? Or should you train to your strengths?
9. What are some things that entrepreneurs can do to surround themselves with people who are smarter than them?
10. What’s it like to run a public company and how do you deal with the scrutiny?
11. Now that you don’t have Wall Street analysts breathing down your neck, who asks you the tough questions?
12. Is it true that McDonald’s is in the real estate business more than they are in the hamburger business?
13. What are some parting words of advice for young people who want to be CEO of a major corporation?
Category: Entrepreneur Interviews