24 Who Do You Think You Are?
Dave Anderson
“You know, there’s a saying that goes,
‘If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plan.’”Dave Anderson is an enrolled member of the Chippewa and Choctaw tribes
and is the founder of Famous Dave’s of America, recognized as one of
the “Hottest Restaurant Concepts” in America by Nation’s Restaurant
News. Dave’s award-winning restaurants are remarkably unique and he
is widely recognized for his extraordinary palate, devotion to detail, and
dedication to constant improvement.
In Dave’s own life, he has experienced frustration and bankruptcy
as well as tremendous success. He firmly believes God has had His hand
over his life. Dave also believes that if it weren’t for other people giving
him second chances, he would not be where he is today, having helped
found three publicly traded companies on Wall Street and creating over
18,000 new jobs. He has been awarded a Bush Leadership Fellowship,
received a Master’s degree from Harvard University (without having an
undergraduate degree), and been recognized as “Emerging Entrepreneur
of the Year” (in Minnesota and the Dakotas) by Ernst & Young, NASDAQ
and USA Today.
Today, Dave devotes himself to making a difference in his com-
munity and in the lives of others less fortunate. As an avid public speaker,
he shares his optimism and inspiration with youth groups and commu-
nity organizations. Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network recently recognized
Dave’s leadership development work with Native American youth. Most
recently, President Bush appointed Dave to the President’s Board of Ad-
visors on Tribal Colleges and Universities.
Dave is also the author of the best selling book Famous Dave’s
Life Skills For Success, The Ultimate Manual for Achieving Your Very
Best. All profits from the sale of his book are donated to help people in
recovery and to provide leadership training for at-risk youth.
For more information check out one of Dave’s websites:
http://www.famousdaves.com http://www.lifeskillsforsuccess.com or http://www.lifeskills-
center.org