"Every failure can be a stepping-stone to something better." -Colonel Sanders Until the age of 65, Colonel Sanders was a failed businessman. He careened from career to career, trying his hand at everything -- from farming to manufacturing acetylene lamps. He was fired from a number of salaried positions for brawling, and none of his entrepreneurial ventures took off. However, his final business, Kentucky Fried Chicken (today branded as KFC), is now one of the world’s most successful fast-food businesses. The franchise model, which was the key to KFC’s success, was born out of necessity after Sanders’ restaurant was forced to close. He traveled across America with his secret recipe, ultimately building the company into a $2 million behemoth.