Undercover Boss: Cinnabon President Kat Cole

Kat Cole, the president of Cinnabon, goes undercover on a fake reality show to find new business ideas and improve her company. Before immersing herself in the challenge, she seeks advice from her former boss, Hooters CEO Kobby Brooks. Kat’s goal is to adapt to new situations and rules, including a strict dress code and hairstyle, and to learn from her employees.

Cinnabon’s Success and Leadership

Cinnabon sells over 100 million cinnamon rolls annually, and Kat attributes this success to their secret ingredient, MAA cinnamon. As a leader, Kat emphasizes the importance of taking action and not sugarcoating facts, encouraging employees to be hungry for success and willing to adapt to changes. Her personal mantras as a leader stem from her upbringing in Jacksonville, Florida, with a troubled Vietnam veteran father and a mother who left him to start a new life.

Going Undercover

Kat goes undercover at a Cinnabon in New Jersey, posing as a contestant on a fake reality show where employees will decide if she deserves seed money to open a cupcake shop. Unaware that she is actually the boss, employees evaluate her customer service skills, with a focus on upselling, offering additional items, and making customers feel like guests. Kat also works at a cream of wheat plant in Wisconsin, a partner of Cinnabon, to see if they apply the same quality standards as Cinnabon bakeries to their retail products.

Meeting Employees and Learning from Their Stories

Kat meets various employees, including Myra, a take-charge young girl who is physically guiding her and giving directions. She also meets Erica, dressed as “Mocha,” who provides a fun and welcoming experience for customers. Kat learns about the personal stories of her employees, including their struggles and challenges, and is impressed by their dedication and hard work.

Improving the Business and Rewarding Employees

Kat reflects on her experience and identifies areas for improvement, including reducing food waste and providing for those in need. She rewards employees for their dedication and care, including Linda, who receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington DC and an extra week off. Kat also provides support for employees’ education and personal development, including a $10,000 education fund for one employee’s girls.

Launching New Initiatives and Providing Opportunities

Kat announces that Cinnabon will provide support for a breast cancer fundraiser and rewards a young woman for her efforts in facilitating the event. She also provides opportunities for employees to become Cinnabon franchisees, with the company covering the franchise fees and building their bakery. Kat emphasizes the importance of never giving up, believing in one’s dreams, and hard work, and wants to pay it forward by providing similar opportunities for others.

Conclusion and Future Plans

Kat’s journey as an undercover boss comes to an end, but she reflects on the importance of her experience and the lessons she learned. She is grateful for the mentorship and opportunities she received and wants to continue providing similar opportunities for others. The scene cuts to a preview of an upcoming episode of Undercover Boss, where a boss will go undercover to investigate and improve their company.

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned

Importance of adapting to new situations and rules
Leadership and taking action
Customer service and making customers feel like guests
Reducing food waste and providing for those in need
Supporting employees’ education and personal development
Providing opportunities for employees to grow and develop
Believing in one’s dreams and hard work

Key Vocabulary

Term	Definition	Example Usage
Undercover Boss	A reality TV show where a high-ranking executive goes undercover in their own company to learn about its operations and employees.	Kat Cole, the president of Cinnabon, goes undercover on a fake reality show to find new business ideas and improve her company.
Leadership	The ability to guide, direct, and influence others to achieve a common goal.	Kat emphasizes the importance of taking action and not sugarcoating facts, encouraging employees to be hungry for success and willing to adapt to changes.
Customer Service	The assistance and support provided to customers before, during, and after a purchase.	Kat evaluates her customer service skills, with a focus on upselling, offering additional items, and making customers feel like guests.
Upselling	The practice of offering customers additional products or services to increase the sale value.	Kat focuses on upselling to increase sales and provide a better customer experience.
Food Waste Reduction	The practice of minimizing the amount of food that is discarded or wasted.	Kat identifies reducing food waste as an area for improvement and provides support for those in need.
Employee Development	The process of providing employees with training, education, and opportunities to improve their skills and advance in their careers.	Kat provides support for employees’ education and personal development, including a $10,000 education fund for one employee’s girls.
Franchising	The practice of allowing individuals or companies to operate a business using a established brand and business model.	Kat provides opportunities for employees to become Cinnabon franchisees, with the company covering the franchise fees and building their bakery.
Mentorship	The guidance and support provided by an experienced individual to a less experienced individual.	Kat seeks advice from her former boss, Hooters CEO Kobby Brooks, and wants to provide similar mentorship opportunities for others.
Corporate Social Responsibility	The practice of companies taking responsibility for their impact on society and the environment.	Kat announces that Cinnabon will provide support for a breast cancer fundraiser and rewards a young woman for her efforts in facilitating the event.

Watch The Video

Undercover Boss – Cinnabon S4 EP3 (U.S. TV Series)

Vocabulary Quiz

1. What does ‘upselling’ mean in the context of customer service at Cinnabon?

A) Reducing the price of items to make them more affordable
B) Offering additional items to customers to increase sales
C) Providing discounts to loyal customers
D) Limiting the variety of products available

2. Which of the following is a key takeaway from Kat’s experience as an undercover boss?

A) The importance of strict dress codes in the workplace
B) The need to reduce employee benefits to increase profits
C) Reducing food waste and providing for those in need
D) Focusing solely on sales without considering customer experience

3. What is the term for a person who is given money to start a business, as Kat pretends to be on the fake reality show?

A) Entrepreneur
B) Investor
C) Contestant receiving seed money
D) Franchisee

4. What is the name of the ingredient that Kat attributes to Cinnabon’s success?

A) Mocha flavoring
B) Cinnamon sugar
C) MAA cinnamon
D) Vanilla extract

5. What is one way Kat decides to support her employees after going undercover?

A) By increasing their workload without additional compensation
B) By providing opportunities for them to become Cinnabon franchisees
C) By reducing their benefits and perks
D) By ignoring their personal stories and struggles

Answer Key:

1. B
2. C
3. C
4. C
5. B

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Use of Gerunds and Infinitives

The use of gerunds and infinitives is a crucial aspect of English grammar, particularly at the CEFR C1 level. Gerunds are verbs ending in “-ing” that function as nouns, whereas infinitives are verbs beginning with “to” that can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. In the context of the provided text, gerunds and infinitives are used to express purposes, intentions, and actions. For example, “Kat’s goal is to adapt to new situations” uses the infinitive “to adapt” to express purpose, while “Kat emphasizes the importance of taking action” uses the gerund “taking” to function as a noun. Understanding the correct usage of gerunds and infinitives is essential for effective communication and to convey complex ideas.

Grammar Quiz:

1. Kat’s decision to go undercover is an example of her ____________________ to improve the company.

believing in taking action
desire to adapt to new situations
commitment to learning from her employees
dedication to reducing food waste

2. The purpose of Kat’s visit to the cream of wheat plant in Wisconsin is ____________________ the quality standards of their retail products.

to evaluate
evaluating
to be evaluating
being evaluated

3. Kat’s experience as an undercover boss has taught her the importance of ____________________ to her employees’ needs.

listen
listening
to listen
being listened

4. The company’s decision to provide support for a breast cancer fundraiser is an example of ____________________ to give back to the community.

their commitment
committing
to commit
being committed

5. Kat’s journey as an undercover boss has come to an end, but she will always remember the lessons she learned from ____________________ with her employees.

to work
working
to have worked
having worked

Answer Key:

1. c) commitment to learning from her employees

2. a) to evaluate

3. c) to listen

4. a) their commitment

5. d) having worked