At 65 years old, Colonel Harland Sanders faced failure after losing his restaurant and living on a small social security check. Instead of giving up, he hit the road with nothing but a pressure cooker and his secret fried chicken recipe. He knocked on doors across America, offering to cook for restaurant owners. After 1,009 rejections, his first yes came from Pete Harmon in Salt Lake City, Utah. That partnership turned Kentucky Fried Chicken into a fast-growing franchise and sparked the beginning of a global empire.