Todd Graves, entrepreneur and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers founder, is a successful business man originally from Monroe, La. The popular fast food restaurant notorious for its delicious chicken tenders, crinkled French fries and Texas toast began as a college dream. Graves envisioned a restaurant that served fresh, high quality chicken fingers for a reasonable price.

When presenting his business plan as class project as an LSU graduate, he ironically received the lowest grade in the class.  The professor doubtingly told him that a restaurant only serving chicken fingers would never work. As an aspiring entrepreneur, Graves set out in the large city of Baton Rouge, La to fulfill his dream of owning a successful restaurant regardless of his professor’s opinion.

Several businesses and bankers Graves turned to for financial assistance in starting his business disagreed with his ideal of opening his restaurant as well. Many potential investors throughout the community simply rejected his business plan. This didn’t stop Graves. He set out to earn the money needed to start his business by working various jobs such as refineries in Louisiana and fishing for sockeye salmon in Alaska. He later earned his first loan to begin building the first location of the original Raising Cane’s in Baton Rouge, La on Highland Road, near LSU’s campus in 1999. By 2006, the franchise of delicious chicken fingers had grown to over 50 locations, most located in Louisiana. Graves has earned several national titles and awards for his restaurant and booming entrepreneurship over the last decade that has now become one of Louisiana’s top fast food restaurants. As a six-figure millionaire, Graves still finds every opportunity to give back to the people who have given so much to him in order to make his business successful.

Graves has inspired many young entrepreneurs of the Monroe area to fulfill their dreams of owning their own businesses as well.

Tejal Patel, a sophomore marketing major, said “I would love to run a business. I have always dreamed of owning my own food truck. I enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, and I get a lot of my inspiration from the Food Network. ”

Patel’s ideal of a successful business is unique; she wishes to serve a blend of both Indian and American food. Patel also said: “I think it’s awesome that Todd Graves took negative feedback and used it to fuel his success. Sometimes the simple ideas are the best ones. His success has inspired me. People may laugh at me for wanting a food truck and it’s frustrating at times to hear jokes about something I’m so passionate about, but his accomplishments are proof that no idea is too small.”

Jordan Raborn, a sophomore business management major, said: “ I’ve always dreamt of owning my own clothing boutique, the ultimate American girl’s dream! Todd Graves has inspired me that as a Louisiana native, also raised in Monroe, that I too can have such a successful business starting from a the bottom and growing into a large franchise.”