Kat Cole – Wild Business Growth Podcast #359: AG1 CEO, Cinnabon President, Hooters Girl

It’s all about quality. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth podcast guest, Kat Cole. Kate is the CEO of AG1. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast platforms, and watch on YouTube.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Full Transcript
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth podcast Summary

Episode 359: Kat Cole – AG1 CEO, Cinnabon President, Hooters Girl

Kat Cole, the CEO of AG1, joins the show to share her journey from Hooters Girl and President of Cinnabon to tripling the revenue of the top daily health drink. Hear why Cinnabon smells so good, the unique way Kat became CEO of AG1, what’s led to the growth of AG1, their marketing strategy, and the leadership skills she learned from her tough childhood. This episode covers everything from word of mouth to “Welcome to Moe’s!” Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What’s something people would be shocked to learn about Hooters
• Why is Cinnabon in so many malls & airports
• What is AG1
• How did Kat get into grad school without an undergraduate degree
• What crazy fitness things does her husband Daley Ervin do

Connect with Kat at DrinkAG1.com, on LinkedIn, and on social media @KatColeATL @DrinkAG1 @Drink_AG1.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro, Hooters, and Cinnabon
  • [0:27] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:30] Connect with Kat at DrinkAG1.com, on LinkedIn, and on social media @KatColeATL @DrinkAG1 @Drink_AG1
  • [3:09] What’s something people would be shocked to learn about Hooters
  • [4:44] How did Kat move up the ranks at Hooters
  • [9:34] Why does Cinnabon smell so good
  • [12:26] Why is Cinnabon in so many malls & airports

• The AG1 Story
  • [18:01] How did Kat become CEO of AG1
  • [22:49] What is AG1
  • [27:28] What’s led to the growth of AG1
  • [32:59] What is AG1’s marketing strategy
  • [38:31] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Kat every Friday
  • [38:32] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • [38:34] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23

• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [39:13] How did Kat get into grad school without an undergraduate degree
  • [41:47] What crazy fitness things does her husband Daley Ervin do
  • [43:35] How did her tough childhood help teach her leadership skills
  • [46:52] Connect with Kat at DrinkAG1.com, on LinkedIn, and on social media @KatColeATL @DrinkAG1 @Drink_AG1
  • [47:40] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [47:44] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Kat
  • [47:46] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [47:47] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
  • [47:48] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [47:52] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding and professional-looking podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Kat Cole on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And buy them some AG1. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!