Shaquille O’Neal knows success is a team effort—on the court and in business. With Big Chicken, he’s applying the same leadership philosophy that won him championships: surround yourself with the right people, trust them to execute, and build a strong culture. With 4,700 franchise applicants, Shaq and CEO Josh Halpern are focused on quality over speed, ensuring Big Chicken grows the right way. Employees don’t work for Shaq—they work with him, reinforcing a culture of collaboration and excellence. This conversation originally took place on Restaurant Influencers.

• 
  
• Building a Championship Business – Shaquille O’Neal believes success isn’t about doing everything yourself—it’s about surrounding yourself with the right people. Just as he trusted his teammates on the court, he relies on CEO Josh Halpern and the Big Chicken team to lead with expertise. His approach is about vision, empowerment, and letting specialists do what they do best.
  
• Culture-Driven Leadership – At Big Chicken, employees don’t say they work for Shaq—they say they work with him. That distinction speaks to the company’s strong culture, where leadership values trust, collaboration, and humor. For Shaq, leading with respect and keeping the energy light helps drive long-term success.
  
• Commitment to Quality and Growth – With 4,700 franchise applicants eager to join, Big Chicken isn’t expanding just for the sake of growth—it’s doing it the right way. Shaq and his team are building what they call the “Harvard of franchise systems,” ensuring that each new location meets high standards and is set up for long-term success.
  

• 
  
• Shaquille O’Neal Restaurant Influencers Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU-OR5zb7ms
  
• Big Chicken Online: https://www.bigchicken.com/
  
• Big Chicken Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigchickenshaq/
  
• Big Chicken TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bigchickenshaq
  
• Big Chicken Franchise Information: https://www.bigchicken.com/franchise-information
  
• Shaquille O’Neal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaq/
  
• Shaq (aka DJ Diesel) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@djdiesel
  
• The Big Podcast w/ Shaq: https://open.spotify.com/show/0guAc2jbnOD2TviAU8K9eN?si=aee160104df4462c
  

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.