Credit: Courtesy of Texas Roadhouse
Kent Taylor was turned down more than 80 times by would-be investors when he sought funding in the early ’90s for his new venture, Texas Roadhouse. But the Louisville native and former college track star refused to give up on his dream of an “affordable, Texas-style” restaurant, and finally raised $300,000 in startup capital from three doctors in Kentucky. He went on to grow the chain to more than 600 locations in 49 states with revenues of $2.8 billion and a market cap of $6.5 billion.
Known for his humor, empathy and a unique brand of servant leadership, Taylor was beloved …
