June 14, 2022 • 36 mins
Derrick Hayes, Founder and CEO of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks in Atlanta, shares with Gam and Rodney how he built his businesses, why he wanted to be an entrepreneur, and how serving his community is at the forefront of all he does.
Guest Information:
@officialdhayes Derrick’s Instagram
@bigdavescheesesteaks Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Instagram
@bigdavescheesesteaks Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Facebook
@BD_Cheesesteaks Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Twitter
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Locations:
DOWNTOWN
57 Forsyth St NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
DORAVILLE
6035 Peachtree Rd SuiteC-107
Doraville, GA 30360
Host Information:
@gammynorris Gammy's Instagram
@gammynorris_ Gammy's Twitter
@gammynorris Gammy's Facebook
@gammynorris Gammy’s TikTok
#PositivelyGam
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
What's up, everybody. I'm Gammy d Rodney, and this is
positively gam As many of you know, we love food
and we're very excited to have today's guest on the
show because he owns multiple restaurants and has cracked the
code on how to make the perfect G steak. I
had to have my husband, Rodney on today because he
(00:28):
also is an entrepreneur, So hey, babe, he love how
you doing. I'm doing good. Before we get into the episode,
I just want to talk a little bit about your
own entrepreneurial journey, because you've been an entrepreneur since we
met years ago, and all of your businesses you're extremely
successful right now, So talk to us a little bit
(00:51):
about that, because I think it's important for people to
understand that. You know, sometimes you start something and it
doesn't all ways work, but that doesn't mean that you
have to give up. I've always wanted to own my
own business. Like a lot of people don't want that responsibility,
but I've always wanted it. Even as a child. I
(01:12):
wrote a paper in the third grade and I talked
about owning a business and going back to the neighborhood
and employing people and helping out in third grade. I
kind of always had an aspiration to do this. So
as I got older, my first little entrepreneurial thing was
(01:33):
I was probably twelve years old. I started going to
the candy factory and buying candy and catching the bus
to affluent neighborhoods and selling candy. And I remember, I
still remember my whole hook. Hello, my name is Rodney.
I'm taking part in the program called Youth Opportunities A Unlimited.
It's a program that helps keep young men like myself
(01:55):
off the streets and out of trouble. Would you help
out by buying box of candy and giving a small donation?
And you know, me and a friend of mine, we
made a lot of money doing that. Now we're gonna
go down a different lane because certainly our guest today
is on a similar journey, but in a different direction.
So let's get into the conversation. Derek Kay's He's a
(02:19):
restaurant owner, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He owns Big Dave's Cheese
Steaks in Atlanta and Dinky's, which is a restaurant he
launched with his partner Aisha Pinky Cole, who started Slotty
Vegan this week we're going to be talking about finding
your aspiration and entrepreneurship. Welcome to Positively gam Derek, and
(02:42):
congratulations on your new baby girl. Thank you for having
me such a blessing. Yeah, we're excited to talk to
you because my husband is he's an entrepreneur as well,
so I was I really wanted him to join us
for this conversation. So what Before we get started, I
need to ask you about the Essence cover that you
(03:03):
did with Pinky, because you know, I was blessed to
be able to do an Essence cover with my daughter
and granddaughter, and I mean it was a phenomenal experience
and I just felt, oh wow, this is It was
an iconic moment for me. So how did it feel
for you and Pinky? It was so real to be honest,
because you know, if you make it to the cover
(03:25):
of Essence, it's like legendary, So absolutely entrepreneurs where it
ain't a celebrity figure. You know, it's two people that
really you know, believing in the community and you're getting
recognized through essence. Through that, it was an epic So
it was like feeling you know what I'm saying, Yeah,
for sure, and then you're doing it with you know,
your partner, you know. Yeah, yeah, it was exciting, I'm sure.
(03:50):
So I heard you were originally from Philly. Yeah, West
Philadelphia born and raised. Okay, so what brought you to
Atlanta at what inspired you to start Big Dave's Cheese Steaks.
So back in the nineteen ninety six, my grandparents moved
back south to Athens, Georgia. So I used to come
(04:12):
back and forth, you know, for the summertime. And then
in two thousand and one, you know, I started getting
a little travel going to Old Brook High School, and
my mom my dad was like, you're going, and so
we all got sent to you know, to I got
sent to Athens, Georgia. I graduated from Overbrook in two
thousand and five, so I'm an alumni Brook High School.
(04:35):
But um, my dad was my biggest inspiration of my
my company because before he passed away from lung cancer,
you know, when he was on his death I promised
him that I would get out the streets and changing
my life and do what I need to do to
you know, represent our family the right way and bring
our generational curses. And I'm doing just that, you know
with my brain. And it's actually helped me mature along
(04:55):
the way. So, you know, me taking my Philly flavor,
pittting it down into Atlanta, Georgia, being able to show
people that I got the real chief stay outside the
Try state and it's never been done. And I'm making
a history. So it's a good villain. Yeah, that's amazing.
What's the meaning behind the name though? So the meaning
is my father, My father was Big Dave. I felt
(05:17):
if I you know, I honored after him. It's like
my father name still lives on forever, and now I
did just that so that he didn't go on his
name still carrying on through his his his boy legacy. So, Derek,
did you always want to be an entrepreneur? Hey man?
You know, coming from Philly, you always entrepreneur. Now, you know,
I tell people I didn't know. I just was a hustler.
So I knew I wanted better for myself. You know.
(05:39):
I used to sit around on the nere but block
so I played basketball, But I always just wanted to
be somebody. I knew. I was a vessel. I knew
guy bring me in as well to carry on my
beliefs and my wants in my life to show that
you could do it too, And that's why I've really
been my whole life. I've been a big dreamer. I
always told people, oh man, I'm gonna be this. I'm
gonna be that, you know, And I worked and talk
myself into that. Think the power of tongue is very
(06:01):
important because you speak it, you're gonna live it. And
if you live it, you can seek it. So you're
gonna keep on moving to your mission. I agree wholeheartedly,
and my path was similar to yours. Can you share
your experience with starting your business? Oh man, it was
a roller coaster ride, so to be honest, When I
came back to Atlanta in two thousand and fourteen after
my my father passed away, I just really ain't know
(06:22):
what I wanted to do. I was trying to get
in the real estate game, and then you know, I
started losing money not knowing what I was doing, and
I said, you know what, I'm gonna open up a restaurant.
But before I did that, it was called Days Philly
What Ice? I used to sell What are Ice? Nobody
Atlanta knew what it was, so I can't get nobody
to walk through the door. And I never got discouraged.
But I started to, you know, feel like a lonely
person on that island. You know, I'm this Philly guy.
(06:44):
I thought I was gonna come here and start making
a bunch of money, and I can't get nobody walk
through the door. And one day my blessing was Eve
walking through that front door, you know, the rapper Eve.
She said, if you wil me and this chief steak
is good, I'm gonna put it on all my social
media networks. And she and let me tell you, I
made that chicken steaks like my life depended on it
because I was you did money, so you were already
(07:06):
doing cheese steaks, though no, I literally jumped into this,
like I grew up in the kitchen with my grandfather.
So my grandfather is the biggest part of my cooking
experience because when I moved to Athens, he said, listen,
if you don't go to church with me on Sundays,
you gotta finish off my Sunday dinners. So he taught
me how to make spices. I know, I'm not to
make any dishtion me coming from Philly. You know, I
(07:27):
ate a cheese steak in Atlanta, and I said, oh,
this ain't real. I knew my lane I was gonna
jump in. So my blessing was I know how to
make season and like, I know how food is gonna
taste before it actually get cooked into the food. I know,
I want to hit your raw tongue and that's my
gift and that's how I really was able to, you know,
make my brain grow. But in two thousand and eighteen,
I was represented in Georgia to represent for the Sandwich
(07:48):
Competition while I ring top ten in the world on
a barbecue grill where I was disadvantaged and everything, and
I still did that. So I feel like in life,
you take the obstacles with you know that's given to you,
and you give it you all you know, and you
give it everything, and you won't feel like, you know,
you fell short. And that's what I did. You know.
What what I really like to is that you know,
you said you started with the water ice and it
(08:13):
didn't work, you know what I mean? And sometimes you know,
that's part of entrepreneurship. Sometimes you're not successful in everything
that you know you do. I really like that because
sometimes you start a business and you're not always going
to be successful. But it's important that people know that
you don't have to give up. You just kind of Okay,
(08:33):
this is not working. Let me figure out what else
we're gonna do or what else I can do. And
I think that Rodney, you can speak on that as well. Rodney,
because you know, in your entrepreneurial journey, you've had a
couple of businesses that you've had that didn't always pan
out the way you thought, but you kept going. Many
(08:56):
I've had I've reinvented myself so many times I'm not
even you who I am anymore. But now you're still
going forward, you know. I tell people, just finish your race,
no matter what that races, Just keep on moving your
feet and you're gonna get to the end of that race.
And how I started various businesses like you, and they
(09:17):
didn't work out, but I just, you know, kept, you know,
I persevered, and I finally found my niche and I've
been doing well for the last probably twentysomething years. So
tell people what you do, babe. So I own several
mental health agencies. I also am opening up a psychiatric
(09:40):
rehabilitation program with my youngest daughter to help her on
that entrepreneurial journey. And create that generational wealth for my
kids as well. So Positive Pathways is a mental health
agency that provides residential housing for people with developmental disabilities
or intellectual impairment. We all so provide job placement, support, staffing.
(10:03):
We do wrap around services, so we have psychiatrists, therapy, nursing, medical,
pretty much anything a person needs to thrive in life,
then we provide that for them. Yeah, but most of
the individuals that we have at Positive Pathways are you know,
(10:24):
pretty high functioning people. They can navigate in the community,
they can speak to their needs and wants, so we're
not trying to run anyone's life, though. I'm kind of
a voice for the voiceless because this is kind of
a population that people don't think much of it does.
I also am opening up a psychiatric rehabilitation program with
my youngest daughter to help her on that entrepreneurial journey
(10:46):
and and create that generational wealth for my kids as well.
So yeah, yeah, and that's what I hear that you're
trying to do as well, Derek, and I really love
that about you, know, this journey that you both have
been on because I really feel like kind of back
in the day when we were growing up, like my
(11:07):
mother pushed us to all go to college, and then
it was kind of like get a good job, go
to college and get a good job, or start a career,
but not necessarily your own business. That that's a whole
different mindset. And I think it's really important when you're
(11:29):
talking about generational wealth because I became a nurse. I
loved my career, but that was not a career that
was going to provide generational wealth for my family. So
you know, that's not always the path for everyone. But
I really love that that you both of you have
kind of focused on that and that has been your goal. Yeah,
(11:52):
because what I try to teach people is it's okay
to you know, no matter how old you are, the
mistakes you made, as long as you still got reference.
But they still do something. And I watched my parents,
my grandfather, they always blew collar workers and left there.
You know, we didn't have much left behind. So I'm
trying to change that trajectory and just say, okay, well
(12:14):
I'm now using my mental my brain more so in
building you know, our generational wealth that way, so that
when I'm dead and gone, i leave resources. That's the
main thing that we could get everybody think about just
the money aspect, but the resources is bigger than the
money because that's relationship building. That's saying, Okay, I'm leaving
something behind so you can have this resource to be
able to get to the next level. So what I'm
(12:35):
trying to do for my family, I'm starting a program
if you hold at three point two three point five
g p A well, provide scholarship for you to go
to college once you graduate high school so that you
don't have to take out financial aid or government loans.
How can I jump above the gun when I'm already
a couple hundred thousand and that you know, when I'm
getting a job thousand dollars a year. Come on, that's
(12:57):
not it's not really gonna pick me and its situation
where I could be a Boston break generational curses. So
I'm gonna provide the resources first so that we can
break our generational curses that way, So that now you
can stand on your own tintoes and don't say, Okay,
I need this person to give me anything. No, they
gave me a resource and that's more important. Wow, that
is a really good point. I love that. And that's
(13:20):
another way for you to expand or or market your
business as well. Now I know, you know, you said
Eve came into the restaurant and promoted it on social media,
But what other things did you do to grow the
brand and have it become more popular? To be honest,
I just was like very consistent at the time. A
(13:43):
lot of the Philly rappers and producers as a like
uh DJ Drama, Ian Kennon, like who's all of them
was in the middle of, you know, building themselves. So
I was able to you know, come to the studios
and be around that culture and sell them food like okay.
So I was able to start, you know, the brands start,
you know, getting out there and getting popular. But I
(14:04):
think more so, you know, it was the relationship building
that I was making in my hard work. I think
anybody that was following my stories team out to Nascity
and my home ground, how bad I wanted to drink
to really work, and you know, me having forty some
tattoos on my body, being a black man, I looked
just like them. So I was able to represent our
culture and in another way in business and didn't have
to be an athlete or you know anything of that nature,
(14:27):
but it wanted up making me philanthropists do it. So
I didn't know I was gonna be doing this already,
got to start written from me. There you go, there
you go. So when did you know it was the
right time to expand your business? The people? Baby do
it right? My first I don't ready know the answer
to these questions, but I know no, Like I started
(14:49):
in this shell gas station, the seven hundred and something
square feet and I started having two three hundred people
in line, and the gas station on her like started
pitting then on a pump, sing don't park. And I
started having trouble with Walmart all those on everybody parking
in the lots. So you know, I just you know,
I said, you know what, it's time to go. So
I went and built my my landmark location. That's fifty
(15:09):
seven Foresight Street, that's right across street from Georgia State
downtown Atlanta. And when I built that, I built the
monster And from there it's been up. And you know,
I'm naturally known on off of my hard work and
my philanthropy work, and I don't care about people. So
it's a blessing to me. And let me tell y'all
something I literally I had nobody that I wanted to know,
really meet that bad That was my idol. And I
(15:30):
got booked to do a job for Will at the
other new movie premiere, and that was one of the
things that I was waiting because we was on the
front of the cover of Essence. We both from West Philly,
we both graduated from Overbrook. So for me, that was
real huge for me. You know, that was really like
something that I wanted to happen, and it did. So
dreams do come true. Absolutely, No, I just did the
(15:52):
new one, the other new movie. He just came out
with Richard. No, not King Richard. It was the Will
that I forget, the new one that he just came
out with. It's somebody that he just got through working on. No,
somebody playing him. It was a fresh principle. Man. Oh
bel Air Bellaire, got it, got it, got it. Yeah,
So I did bell Aire. I was there, you know,
(16:13):
I was supposed to just come, you know, as an act.
And they started making the cheese sticks. I'm like, no,
Will this cheese I got to jump in this thing.
Gotta be right. I don't fit. Took the cheese sticks.
I'm like, I don't care. Listening about my tea I
don't play. That's amazing. Wow. So now what has been
(16:44):
the most gratifying thing about becoming a restaurant owner and
what is the most challenging aspect of it. I'm gonna
start with the challenging and I'm gonna get you the
glory of it. The challenging is making people understand who
you are and what you're building. So when you were
hired them, they really say that, Okay, I'm not working
at a job. I'm actually getting a career. And a
(17:05):
good part about that is the glamorous part of it
is I actually am able to do that because some
of these guys been with me five years, four years,
and I've seen their maturity levels go up. I've seen them,
you know, whether they knew they couldn't be corporate there
on my corporate team now, so big changing lives. So
when I opened up a big Dave's in these lower
income communities, I'm hiring at least sixty people a location.
(17:28):
So I'm taking sixty humans and saying, Okay, I'm gonna
give you a job. Now, I'm gonna give you a career.
And a lot of these people, you know, only just
had high school education just like me, and now they're
doing just as well as somebody that you know, got
bachelor's degree. You know, So you know, I provide life
insurance for one K plans medical benefits then on everything
(17:49):
with my brands. When you're working there, you know, you
actually have a career and you can take care of
your family. But the big beautiful thing, but the biggest
thing of it all is keeping um employees. You know,
even people understanding your mission in your dream because when
you start scaling, you know, the culture has to stay
the same, and that's what really people understand. Like having
food is one thing, but the culture and why people
(18:10):
really believe in your brand. You're selling the culture, You're
selling who you are, so that gott to stay in
the company. And you know, that's been you know, a
challenge that I you know, I was fighting and now
that I finally got that point on how to do it,
so I feel real good about where I'm going with
my brand. So it sounds like that your efforts to
give back and uplift the community are really important to
(18:32):
that brand. Oh yeah, that's what I'm hearing. Yeah, Like
without that, I understand, I'll tell anybody you know, I
got good food, but without that, I wouldn't be as
big as I am now because in the pandemic, when
everybody's you know, didn't pivot, didn't know what that that week,
I gave out a thousand meals to the community. They
was pulling up in their cars, just taking it like
a drive through. I had my employees with like heater bags.
(18:53):
They was passing the food out. And then I fed
forty hospitals, two mills plus that whole month. Gave about
twenty six thousand all of so the businesses around me
can get read back open. So I think, you know,
just the parts of the stuff, you know, through us
giving back and letting people know who we really are.
Like right now, man Pinky, we're doing a life insurance
initiative where if you make thirty five thousand dollars a
(19:14):
less than income, you can get a fifty thousand dollar
life insurance and Credential has partner with us nationally. So
we got this campaign going and we're just trying to
get other people to jump in and understand the mission
because a lot of people don't know life insurance is
just not a life and the death thing is financial
literacy so if you've got life insurance and your policy, girl,
you can actually share with your loved ones. So we're
teaching these young brothers that you know, don't wait till
(19:37):
it's too late to something happen. Have yourself insure now,
because it's a sad situation that if something happened when
you got you know, your mother she got four or
five kids and something happened to one of her children,
that's a financial burden on her, you know, out here
in the streets if she don't have a coverage because
she got to figure out how to do it. And
I'm tired of seeing go fund me. And yeah, I
thought that was a really interesting camp pain because that
(20:00):
was something that that I would never really think about.
And when I first read about it, I was like, okay,
life insurance. That's kind of like to pay for funerals.
But I didn't think about the perspective of you know,
helping or or providing for generational wealth and that you're
leaving money for than those that are left behind. I
(20:21):
didn't think about that aspect of it. Yeah, because we
have multiple programs on it, like when you man, you
don't know. I was about to jump out of my
seat when you were sitting there and telling me what
you do? You know, because right now we got health
and wellness programs PTSD. I have PTSD. I come from
West Philly. I hadn't seen so much stuff in my
life growing up. You know, it's just human nature. But
all of this stuff stops you before it's too late.
(20:42):
So we're trying to have these programs teaching these brothers. No,
it's okay if your mentor ain't there. It's okay to
ask people for help. It's okay that you know, leading
your hand and say, you know, I know the right way.
I really need this. I'm really trying to get people
to understand it's okay to ask for help because nobody
got it all, ain't nothing out of all. Y'all need somebody.
So you and Pinky also opened Dinkies together, a vegan
(21:05):
GeSe stake place. What inspired this endeavor and did the
two of you always want to work together? No? Actually,
how Man Pinky met was funny story. We both had
popular brands in Atlanta, and I used to be in
the studio and they used to be like man girl,
she got lines like you, if not more, I said,
nobody got lands me, and then I actually seen it,
and I'm like, man, when she's selling honestly, uh, you know,
(21:28):
I tell people George Floyd a situation, no sad situation,
but it was a vessel to so many other things
in the world. Because when my windows got broke out
in the riots, Pinky reached out to me um and
asked me that I need help, and I was like, now,
I don't need no help, but she was like, well,
let's link up. So we linked up and we really
just jumped right into trying to help the community. And
(21:49):
I was like, man, I met me. I don't care
if you know a person five minutes, you know they
so you know they hear, if you know, if you've
seen you. I felt like I was looking at my
own self in the shadow. It scary, like everything my wants,
my dreams, my beliefs, everything community. So I don't really
have a relationship partnership. I tell people, like, my relationship
(22:10):
with her is deeper than just us being you know,
boyfriend girlfriend, Like we really got something special and we
really want to take over the world together. So man,
that is a beautiful thing. I'm just grinning from ear
to ear and listening to that especially because you know
you're selling meat and Pinky is big and like it's
just an amazing It just sounds like it's a great journey.
(22:33):
I just and I want the listeners to know that
we actually wanted to have both of you on. But
you know, Pinky just you know, just had a beautiful
baby girl, so it wasn't the right time for her.
But maybe we'll have you guys back at a later time.
But that partnership just really just sounds really strong and
it just sounds like a blessing. But I gotta babe,
(22:54):
who do you think? Who do you think has the
last word? The s they collaborate? You think they collaborate, Yeah,
I think they. I think it's at think he might
have pent in that though. So it's more like it's like, alright,
(23:15):
so I know one of my strong points and I
know where her strong points. So we use each other
and we're able to collab and make it right. But
our biggest thing was never know because you made the
comment because everybody you know say, you know, I'm not
vegan and she is. But what's more important than human
life when you out here attecking and that's what we know.
We're on we want to went to say so. And
(23:37):
then on top of that, I was able to, you know,
be with somebody that was eating healthier, so I started
looking at options that was better for me. So you know,
it was a blessing all the way around. So I'm
happy right now. You know, I got three beautiful girls.
I got one boy on the way, my first boy,
and I can't wait to see him because I didn't
think I can make boys, So big blessing for me. Yeah,
(24:01):
I'm a girl maker to Derek. So got the new
queens for sure. So do you have any advice for
people wanting to open up their own restaurants or who
want to be entrepreneurs? Don't have no restaurants, It's like no, no,
but you don't want the competition. You don't want to
eat or really give it to y'all like straight so
(24:25):
and and normal businesses. You might have maybe percent profit margence.
You have percent in the restaurant not to make any
mistakes on your bottom line to make money. Yeah, so
it's a real tdous business. But not only that, you're
dealing with so many different people and there's so many personalities.
If I didn't love what I do and love people
and love the energy I get for myself out of it,
(24:47):
I wouldn't do it. So I think, if you're gonna
get in the restaurant business, don't get in it just
for money. Years a lot of money in the restaurant
Business's not saying that, because you can scale your brand
and you can make millions of dollars. And that's that's
the evidence, the part where really enjoy doing it and
coming home at night you lay your head on the
pillar and wake up in the morning and say, I'm happy.
You gotta really love what you do. And that's in
any business in the world no more. Because anybody start
(25:10):
making money, you're gonna get used to the money. Once
you get used to it, all of us humans, you
get the bigger bag, Get the bigger bag, get used
to that bag. But in your dream and what you're doing,
you gotta really want to do that, because you can't
just do it for the money. So I would tell
anybody that passionate restaurants spaces your passion. Jump in it.
If you want to be a serial entrepreneur, jump in it.
(25:30):
But you have to dedicate your time and your dignity,
to your beliefs, to what you want with your life,
for it won't happen no matter. I have to agree
with that. And Rodney, I think that you can really
speak to that because your business is something I would
never I just would never engage in it. Speak on
that bag. And I know how passionate you are about
what you do, and that is so important, particularly in
(25:53):
your business. And I think there are a lot of
people who do what you do that are in it
for the money, and you can't be You have to
put your clients first. A little bit about that, babe.
Twenty seven years in and I still wake up every
day feeling like I'm gonna make a difference in somebody's life. Wow,
that's the energy and the commitment that I have to this.
(26:15):
And you know, I mean, the bag is going to
be there, but you gotta have that type of love
and passion for it in order for to be happy
with it. Yeah. So I remember going my first three years,
I didn't make no money, you know what I'm saying.
I just stuck with it. I had I got down
to basically nothing and just figuring out how to pay
my bills. But the thing is, if I never went
(26:37):
through all of those roller coaster rides, I wouldn't been
ready for the success I have right now. So any entrepreneur,
you know, we show our wins, you know what I'm saying.
We show our wins on the Graham or social media,
but man our day to day, you know, we need
to show more of that. And that's what I try
to do to people, like I showed them like, yeah,
I make a bunch of money, I have a lot
of success, but it also can be taken away from
(26:59):
me if I do the wrong things. That don't you know,
continue to move forward because in the business you're trying
to scale, you got to give a thousand percent every day. Yeah,
and that's the hit if. I mean, if it was easy,
everybody would be doing it, right. But I think also
for YouTube babe, you know, it's like what you do
is you're providing a service, and I think people don't
(27:19):
recognize how challenging it can be when you're dealing with
the intellectually impaired. Your work is really a service to
the community, and it certainly is not just about making money,
and that's important for people to understand. Right Well, I
mean my goal was to give back to the community.
That's you know, I wanted to be in the helping profession,
(27:40):
so that was part of it. Initially I didn't you know,
I could do a lot of things that make money,
but it was about giving back and being, you know,
to be impacts. That's why I tell people like, there's
a lot of people out here that has no money
and doing well, but what impact are you? May in
a difference with where you when you got the ball
(28:02):
in your hands, like who are you impacting? To do
better and bring them up, Because at the end of
the day, once you got everything you need and everything
you want, you can't just sit on it and don't
share the information. If you ain't gonna get nobody no money,
at least give them the information, give him the game,
and if they don't want it to receive it, then
you leave that on them. But I don't want people
around me just to depend on me. I want builders.
(28:24):
I want people to be creators. So I want to
be able to say I want to be around people
smarter than me. I can learn off of you, you
can learn off of me. So I think that's we're
moving forward in this generation. We need to push more
of a stead of people just wanted to be this
one thing, and I'm absolutely push that the best way
I can. Absolutely What other goals do you have? Are
you hoping to achieve it in the future, Derek, So
(28:48):
for when I'm gonna keep on, you know me, gonna
keep on going on with the Life Insurance Initiative. I'm
about to open my third location or this summer in Jonesboro, Georgia.
Then I'm leaving the States so I don't over saturate
the market because I got out of traffic and eight
rows in the market. My seasonings. I'm gonna write a book, documentary.
I gotta have a whole lot of list of things
(29:08):
I want to hit them with, but we're gonna take
it one time at a time so that it could
be you know, like I said, everything I do is
a thousand percent. I wanted to be the right way,
not rush just to be in the media. I want
to give his people, you know, the real patient days,
the right way. So you can understand this young brother
really got it out the money and came from nothing.
I really skipped a lot of things to get here,
and I'm blessed from that. And that's my mission, you
(29:29):
know that I'm on and by the end of it,
all My ending dream is for people to really know
me around the world, see my restaurant everywhere, and I'd
be a real impact to all the communities. That's all
I really care about, you know. I feel like, you know,
God already gonna bless me with the money aspect of it.
That's something I don't worry about. I'm more so worried
about people really believing in my change making that I'm
(29:50):
trying to do for them. That's all. Well, Rodney, and
I want to know if you're bringing a big Dave's
cheese steak to Baltimore. Hey, you know what's OK, California,
I'm coming to Baltomore because listen, I did a pop
up in Baltimore. Man, it was probably two thousand people
through that day that came through there. I was like
the East Bottomore. The lines was so long. Yeah, let
(30:13):
me know what you want to do in the l
A for sure, for sure. Yeah. I went to school
in Philly, so I'm familiar with the Chief Steak game
in Philly. Yeah. Now were Baltimore. We love we love
a good cheese steak here too. I got you. Just
let me know what we could do, and I definitely
want to talk to you about your line of work,
so we could partner up on you know, some things
(30:33):
you know in your field with mental health. That's awesome.
And let's not leave Pinky out either, because we need
Pinky to bring a slutty Vegan to Baltimore and l
A become in both places. Pinky about to put him
everywhere she coming. So that was time for the segment.
(30:59):
Whendn't you like to know before you go, Derek, I
have a couple of rapid fire questions I'd like you
to answer. Firstly, what book are you currently reading? So
I actually I would to say a book I like
to like to research. So I'm studying Warren Buffett right now.
And the reason, I mean, the reason why I'm studying
(31:19):
Warren Buffett is because you know, I can only speak
of people with color because I'm a black man. But
when we came success, you know, we start getting money,
we don't know how to stay leveraged. We gotta live
above and beyond. And one it's a multi billionaire and
he still lives in his home, you know. So I'm
just trying to teach myself, you know, good habits so
(31:39):
that I can have it later on. So I think
the only way you could do that and see other
people you know before you and put it forefront and
really did that. And that's what I'm doing. So I
just like the research. I go on Google, I watch
YouTube and just hear stories and how people really made
their fortune. I be Warren Buffett is. You know, he's
one of the richest people in the world, and he's
very stingy, black of a better word. He holds his
(32:02):
money close to his chest. But everybody, his kids didn't
even know he had money, like they you know, growing up,
they didn't They found out he was a billionaire, and
they were like, what aspect of it? But from the
aspect of just like the knowledge of just being able
(32:22):
to have such a fortune and know how to control it,
because you know, we all are guilty of it. You know,
when you're comfortable, you live more than you really have to. Honestly,
you know, it's some things in this world that we
don't need that we have, but we look we trick
ourselves and say, well, we only live once. That's why
I can't. That's you too. But also if you know
that it's like this, I just said this to a
(32:43):
friend of mine. He said, somebody asked him for fifteen
hundred dollars, and I said, well, what was the cause?
If the cause was worth the fifteen hundred dollars, that's
probably better than your cause brought in the club. That's
not gonna hurt you one bit, you know. So I
look at it that way. And a lot of people
you know that do business with me, far as accounts
and everything like that, they don't see out on me
a lot of things because I am ana giver. I'm
not like a I'm not like a person that makes
(33:06):
foodish decisions. But if I see somebody in time I
need and really entice situations. Hard for me to walk
away from that because I've been in situations at times
where I couldn't feed myself. So I love what I'm
hearing that you're time to learn and study and figure
out how to make your wealth work for you instead
of spending it on, you know, frivolous luxury items. I
(33:30):
love that. Yeah. Absolutely. What is one thing you want
to get off your chest? The one thing I want
to get off my chest is for people to really
understand that everybody's not gonna look like you. Some people
are gonna be different for me. I'm not your every CEO,
but I know I stand for the community. I know
I stand for the culture. I know what I represent,
I know my heart. So give people they chance and
(33:52):
don't wait till they dead and going to get them
they flowers like I want people to really understand that
people got to stick together now days. What's a model
that you live by? My motto I live by life
has not attracted me. As a marathon. You gotta keep
running your race until you really finished, until you know
that your race is the race you rain and that's
the mission, and you're happy about what you put out
(34:12):
into the world. As long as you're happy with that,
you can live with that. So run your own race.
And you can find me at Instagram at Big Dave
Cheese Steaks, Facebook at Big Dave Cheese Steaks. My location
is fifty seven four Side Street, downtown of Laying in Georgia.
My second location is in Doraville Street Road. Come check
(34:33):
me out. I'm building my third location right now in Jonesboro.
I'm happy. I'm excited. You know, the West Philadelphia kid
is ready to go. So here's my takeaway from this conversation.
And it's just one and it was really important to me,
and that is that resources are off times more important
(34:54):
than money. Let me say that again, resources are more
in important them money. So if you can provide the resources,
it's a great way to help someone get to the
next level. And that's our show this week for Positively GAM.
Thank you Derek and Rodney for joining me. You can
follow me online at Gammy Narris and Rodney at I
(35:17):
Am Rodney Narris. Also help us out by leaving a
five star review on Apple Podcast and by hitting the
follow button on I Heart Radio. Stay radifl we all.
Positively gam is produced by Red Table Talk Podcast and
I Heart Radio. Executive producers are Adrian Vanfield, Norris Valin,
Jethro and Jada Pinkett Smith. Our audio engineer is Calvin Bailiff,
(35:43):
and our associate producer is Irene Bischoff Burger. Our theme
song is produced by d Beats.
What's up, everybody. I'm Gammy d Rodney, and this is
positively gam As many of you know, we love food
and we're very excited to have today's guest on the
show because he owns multiple restaurants and has cracked the
code on how to make the perfect G steak. I
had to have my husband, Rodney on today because he
(00:28):
also is an entrepreneur, So hey, babe, he love how
you doing. I'm doing good. Before we get into the episode,
I just want to talk a little bit about your
own entrepreneurial journey, because you've been an entrepreneur since we
met years ago, and all of your businesses you're extremely
successful right now, So talk to us a little bit
(00:51):
about that, because I think it's important for people to
understand that. You know, sometimes you start something and it
doesn't all ways work, but that doesn't mean that you
have to give up. I've always wanted to own my
own business. Like a lot of people don't want that responsibility,
but I've always wanted it. Even as a child. I
(01:12):
wrote a paper in the third grade and I talked
about owning a business and going back to the neighborhood
and employing people and helping out in third grade. I
kind of always had an aspiration to do this. So
as I got older, my first little entrepreneurial thing was
(01:33):
I was probably twelve years old. I started going to
the candy factory and buying candy and catching the bus
to affluent neighborhoods and selling candy. And I remember, I
still remember my whole hook. Hello, my name is Rodney.
I'm taking part in the program called Youth Opportunities A Unlimited.
It's a program that helps keep young men like myself
(01:55):
off the streets and out of trouble. Would you help
out by buying box of candy and giving a small donation?
And you know, me and a friend of mine, we
made a lot of money doing that. Now we're gonna
go down a different lane because certainly our guest today
is on a similar journey, but in a different direction.
So let's get into the conversation. Derek Kay's He's a
(02:19):
restaurant owner, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He owns Big Dave's Cheese
Steaks in Atlanta and Dinky's, which is a restaurant he
launched with his partner Aisha Pinky Cole, who started Slotty
Vegan this week we're going to be talking about finding
your aspiration and entrepreneurship. Welcome to Positively gam Derek, and
(02:42):
congratulations on your new baby girl. Thank you for having
me such a blessing. Yeah, we're excited to talk to
you because my husband is he's an entrepreneur as well,
so I was I really wanted him to join us
for this conversation. So what Before we get started, I
need to ask you about the Essence cover that you
(03:03):
did with Pinky, because you know, I was blessed to
be able to do an Essence cover with my daughter
and granddaughter, and I mean it was a phenomenal experience
and I just felt, oh wow, this is It was
an iconic moment for me. So how did it feel
for you and Pinky? It was so real to be honest,
because you know, if you make it to the cover
(03:25):
of Essence, it's like legendary, So absolutely entrepreneurs where it
ain't a celebrity figure. You know, it's two people that
really you know, believing in the community and you're getting
recognized through essence. Through that, it was an epic So
it was like feeling you know what I'm saying, Yeah,
for sure, and then you're doing it with you know,
your partner, you know. Yeah, yeah, it was exciting, I'm sure.
(03:50):
So I heard you were originally from Philly. Yeah, West
Philadelphia born and raised. Okay, so what brought you to
Atlanta at what inspired you to start Big Dave's Cheese Steaks.
So back in the nineteen ninety six, my grandparents moved
back south to Athens, Georgia. So I used to come
(04:12):
back and forth, you know, for the summertime. And then
in two thousand and one, you know, I started getting
a little travel going to Old Brook High School, and
my mom my dad was like, you're going, and so
we all got sent to you know, to I got
sent to Athens, Georgia. I graduated from Overbrook in two
thousand and five, so I'm an alumni Brook High School.
(04:35):
But um, my dad was my biggest inspiration of my
my company because before he passed away from lung cancer,
you know, when he was on his death I promised
him that I would get out the streets and changing
my life and do what I need to do to
you know, represent our family the right way and bring
our generational curses. And I'm doing just that, you know
with my brain. And it's actually helped me mature along
(04:55):
the way. So, you know, me taking my Philly flavor,
pittting it down into Atlanta, Georgia, being able to show
people that I got the real chief stay outside the
Try state and it's never been done. And I'm making
a history. So it's a good villain. Yeah, that's amazing.
What's the meaning behind the name though? So the meaning
is my father, My father was Big Dave. I felt
(05:17):
if I you know, I honored after him. It's like
my father name still lives on forever, and now I
did just that so that he didn't go on his
name still carrying on through his his his boy legacy. So, Derek,
did you always want to be an entrepreneur? Hey man?
You know, coming from Philly, you always entrepreneur. Now, you know,
I tell people I didn't know. I just was a hustler.
So I knew I wanted better for myself. You know.
(05:39):
I used to sit around on the nere but block
so I played basketball, But I always just wanted to
be somebody. I knew. I was a vessel. I knew
guy bring me in as well to carry on my
beliefs and my wants in my life to show that
you could do it too, And that's why I've really
been my whole life. I've been a big dreamer. I
always told people, oh man, I'm gonna be this. I'm
gonna be that, you know, And I worked and talk
myself into that. Think the power of tongue is very
(06:01):
important because you speak it, you're gonna live it. And
if you live it, you can seek it. So you're
gonna keep on moving to your mission. I agree wholeheartedly,
and my path was similar to yours. Can you share
your experience with starting your business? Oh man, it was
a roller coaster ride, so to be honest, When I
came back to Atlanta in two thousand and fourteen after
my my father passed away, I just really ain't know
(06:22):
what I wanted to do. I was trying to get
in the real estate game, and then you know, I
started losing money not knowing what I was doing, and
I said, you know what, I'm gonna open up a restaurant.
But before I did that, it was called Days Philly
What Ice? I used to sell What are Ice? Nobody
Atlanta knew what it was, so I can't get nobody
to walk through the door. And I never got discouraged.
But I started to, you know, feel like a lonely
person on that island. You know, I'm this Philly guy.
(06:44):
I thought I was gonna come here and start making
a bunch of money, and I can't get nobody walk
through the door. And one day my blessing was Eve
walking through that front door, you know, the rapper Eve.
She said, if you wil me and this chief steak
is good, I'm gonna put it on all my social
media networks. And she and let me tell you, I
made that chicken steaks like my life depended on it
because I was you did money, so you were already
(07:06):
doing cheese steaks, though no, I literally jumped into this,
like I grew up in the kitchen with my grandfather.
So my grandfather is the biggest part of my cooking
experience because when I moved to Athens, he said, listen,
if you don't go to church with me on Sundays,
you gotta finish off my Sunday dinners. So he taught
me how to make spices. I know, I'm not to
make any dishtion me coming from Philly. You know, I
(07:27):
ate a cheese steak in Atlanta, and I said, oh,
this ain't real. I knew my lane I was gonna
jump in. So my blessing was I know how to
make season and like, I know how food is gonna
taste before it actually get cooked into the food. I know,
I want to hit your raw tongue and that's my
gift and that's how I really was able to, you know,
make my brain grow. But in two thousand and eighteen,
I was represented in Georgia to represent for the Sandwich
(07:48):
Competition while I ring top ten in the world on
a barbecue grill where I was disadvantaged and everything, and
I still did that. So I feel like in life,
you take the obstacles with you know that's given to you,
and you give it you all you know, and you
give it everything, and you won't feel like, you know,
you fell short. And that's what I did. You know.
What what I really like to is that you know,
you said you started with the water ice and it
(08:13):
didn't work, you know what I mean? And sometimes you know,
that's part of entrepreneurship. Sometimes you're not successful in everything
that you know you do. I really like that because
sometimes you start a business and you're not always going
to be successful. But it's important that people know that
you don't have to give up. You just kind of Okay,
(08:33):
this is not working. Let me figure out what else
we're gonna do or what else I can do. And
I think that Rodney, you can speak on that as well. Rodney,
because you know, in your entrepreneurial journey, you've had a
couple of businesses that you've had that didn't always pan
out the way you thought, but you kept going. Many
(08:56):
I've had I've reinvented myself so many times I'm not
even you who I am anymore. But now you're still
going forward, you know. I tell people, just finish your race,
no matter what that races, Just keep on moving your
feet and you're gonna get to the end of that race.
And how I started various businesses like you, and they
(09:17):
didn't work out, but I just, you know, kept, you know,
I persevered, and I finally found my niche and I've
been doing well for the last probably twentysomething years. So
tell people what you do, babe. So I own several
mental health agencies. I also am opening up a psychiatric
(09:40):
rehabilitation program with my youngest daughter to help her on
that entrepreneurial journey. And create that generational wealth for my
kids as well. So Positive Pathways is a mental health
agency that provides residential housing for people with developmental disabilities
or intellectual impairment. We all so provide job placement, support, staffing.
(10:03):
We do wrap around services, so we have psychiatrists, therapy, nursing, medical,
pretty much anything a person needs to thrive in life,
then we provide that for them. Yeah, but most of
the individuals that we have at Positive Pathways are you know,
(10:24):
pretty high functioning people. They can navigate in the community,
they can speak to their needs and wants, so we're
not trying to run anyone's life, though. I'm kind of
a voice for the voiceless because this is kind of
a population that people don't think much of it does.
I also am opening up a psychiatric rehabilitation program with
my youngest daughter to help her on that entrepreneurial journey
(10:46):
and and create that generational wealth for my kids as well.
So yeah, yeah, and that's what I hear that you're
trying to do as well, Derek, and I really love
that about you, know, this journey that you both have
been on because I really feel like kind of back
in the day when we were growing up, like my
(11:07):
mother pushed us to all go to college, and then
it was kind of like get a good job, go
to college and get a good job, or start a career,
but not necessarily your own business. That that's a whole
different mindset. And I think it's really important when you're
(11:29):
talking about generational wealth because I became a nurse. I
loved my career, but that was not a career that
was going to provide generational wealth for my family. So
you know, that's not always the path for everyone. But
I really love that that you both of you have
kind of focused on that and that has been your goal. Yeah,
(11:52):
because what I try to teach people is it's okay
to you know, no matter how old you are, the
mistakes you made, as long as you still got reference.
But they still do something. And I watched my parents,
my grandfather, they always blew collar workers and left there.
You know, we didn't have much left behind. So I'm
trying to change that trajectory and just say, okay, well
(12:14):
I'm now using my mental my brain more so in
building you know, our generational wealth that way, so that
when I'm dead and gone, i leave resources. That's the
main thing that we could get everybody think about just
the money aspect, but the resources is bigger than the
money because that's relationship building. That's saying, Okay, I'm leaving
something behind so you can have this resource to be
able to get to the next level. So what I'm
(12:35):
trying to do for my family, I'm starting a program
if you hold at three point two three point five
g p A well, provide scholarship for you to go
to college once you graduate high school so that you
don't have to take out financial aid or government loans.
How can I jump above the gun when I'm already
a couple hundred thousand and that you know, when I'm
getting a job thousand dollars a year. Come on, that's
(12:57):
not it's not really gonna pick me and its situation
where I could be a Boston break generational curses. So
I'm gonna provide the resources first so that we can
break our generational curses that way, So that now you
can stand on your own tintoes and don't say, Okay,
I need this person to give me anything. No, they
gave me a resource and that's more important. Wow, that
is a really good point. I love that. And that's
(13:20):
another way for you to expand or or market your
business as well. Now I know, you know, you said
Eve came into the restaurant and promoted it on social media,
But what other things did you do to grow the
brand and have it become more popular? To be honest,
I just was like very consistent at the time. A
(13:43):
lot of the Philly rappers and producers as a like
uh DJ Drama, Ian Kennon, like who's all of them
was in the middle of, you know, building themselves. So
I was able to you know, come to the studios
and be around that culture and sell them food like okay.
So I was able to start, you know, the brands start,
you know, getting out there and getting popular. But I
(14:04):
think more so, you know, it was the relationship building
that I was making in my hard work. I think
anybody that was following my stories team out to Nascity
and my home ground, how bad I wanted to drink
to really work, and you know, me having forty some
tattoos on my body, being a black man, I looked
just like them. So I was able to represent our
culture and in another way in business and didn't have
to be an athlete or you know anything of that nature,
(14:27):
but it wanted up making me philanthropists do it. So
I didn't know I was gonna be doing this already,
got to start written from me. There you go, there
you go. So when did you know it was the
right time to expand your business? The people? Baby do
it right? My first I don't ready know the answer
to these questions, but I know no, Like I started
(14:49):
in this shell gas station, the seven hundred and something
square feet and I started having two three hundred people
in line, and the gas station on her like started
pitting then on a pump, sing don't park. And I
started having trouble with Walmart all those on everybody parking
in the lots. So you know, I just you know,
I said, you know what, it's time to go. So
I went and built my my landmark location. That's fifty
(15:09):
seven Foresight Street, that's right across street from Georgia State
downtown Atlanta. And when I built that, I built the
monster And from there it's been up. And you know,
I'm naturally known on off of my hard work and
my philanthropy work, and I don't care about people. So
it's a blessing to me. And let me tell y'all
something I literally I had nobody that I wanted to know,
really meet that bad That was my idol. And I
(15:30):
got booked to do a job for Will at the
other new movie premiere, and that was one of the
things that I was waiting because we was on the
front of the cover of Essence. We both from West Philly,
we both graduated from Overbrook. So for me, that was
real huge for me. You know, that was really like
something that I wanted to happen, and it did. So
dreams do come true. Absolutely, No, I just did the
(15:52):
new one, the other new movie. He just came out
with Richard. No, not King Richard. It was the Will
that I forget, the new one that he just came
out with. It's somebody that he just got through working on. No,
somebody playing him. It was a fresh principle. Man. Oh
bel Air Bellaire, got it, got it, got it. Yeah,
So I did bell Aire. I was there, you know,
(16:13):
I was supposed to just come, you know, as an act.
And they started making the cheese sticks. I'm like, no,
Will this cheese I got to jump in this thing.
Gotta be right. I don't fit. Took the cheese sticks.
I'm like, I don't care. Listening about my tea I
don't play. That's amazing. Wow. So now what has been
(16:44):
the most gratifying thing about becoming a restaurant owner and
what is the most challenging aspect of it. I'm gonna
start with the challenging and I'm gonna get you the
glory of it. The challenging is making people understand who
you are and what you're building. So when you were
hired them, they really say that, Okay, I'm not working
at a job. I'm actually getting a career. And a
(17:05):
good part about that is the glamorous part of it
is I actually am able to do that because some
of these guys been with me five years, four years,
and I've seen their maturity levels go up. I've seen them,
you know, whether they knew they couldn't be corporate there
on my corporate team now, so big changing lives. So
when I opened up a big Dave's in these lower
income communities, I'm hiring at least sixty people a location.
(17:28):
So I'm taking sixty humans and saying, Okay, I'm gonna
give you a job. Now, I'm gonna give you a career.
And a lot of these people, you know, only just
had high school education just like me, and now they're
doing just as well as somebody that you know, got
bachelor's degree. You know, So you know, I provide life
insurance for one K plans medical benefits then on everything
(17:49):
with my brands. When you're working there, you know, you
actually have a career and you can take care of
your family. But the big beautiful thing, but the biggest
thing of it all is keeping um employees. You know,
even people understanding your mission in your dream because when
you start scaling, you know, the culture has to stay
the same, and that's what really people understand. Like having
food is one thing, but the culture and why people
(18:10):
really believe in your brand. You're selling the culture, You're
selling who you are, so that gott to stay in
the company. And you know, that's been you know, a
challenge that I you know, I was fighting and now
that I finally got that point on how to do it,
so I feel real good about where I'm going with
my brand. So it sounds like that your efforts to
give back and uplift the community are really important to
(18:32):
that brand. Oh yeah, that's what I'm hearing. Yeah, Like
without that, I understand, I'll tell anybody you know, I
got good food, but without that, I wouldn't be as
big as I am now because in the pandemic, when
everybody's you know, didn't pivot, didn't know what that that week,
I gave out a thousand meals to the community. They
was pulling up in their cars, just taking it like
a drive through. I had my employees with like heater bags.
(18:53):
They was passing the food out. And then I fed
forty hospitals, two mills plus that whole month. Gave about
twenty six thousand all of so the businesses around me
can get read back open. So I think, you know,
just the parts of the stuff, you know, through us
giving back and letting people know who we really are.
Like right now, man Pinky, we're doing a life insurance
initiative where if you make thirty five thousand dollars a
(19:14):
less than income, you can get a fifty thousand dollar
life insurance and Credential has partner with us nationally. So
we got this campaign going and we're just trying to
get other people to jump in and understand the mission
because a lot of people don't know life insurance is
just not a life and the death thing is financial
literacy so if you've got life insurance and your policy, girl,
you can actually share with your loved ones. So we're
teaching these young brothers that you know, don't wait till
(19:37):
it's too late to something happen. Have yourself insure now,
because it's a sad situation that if something happened when
you got you know, your mother she got four or
five kids and something happened to one of her children,
that's a financial burden on her, you know, out here
in the streets if she don't have a coverage because
she got to figure out how to do it. And
I'm tired of seeing go fund me. And yeah, I
thought that was a really interesting camp pain because that
(20:00):
was something that that I would never really think about.
And when I first read about it, I was like, okay,
life insurance. That's kind of like to pay for funerals.
But I didn't think about the perspective of you know,
helping or or providing for generational wealth and that you're
leaving money for than those that are left behind. I
(20:21):
didn't think about that aspect of it. Yeah, because we
have multiple programs on it, like when you man, you
don't know. I was about to jump out of my
seat when you were sitting there and telling me what
you do? You know, because right now we got health
and wellness programs PTSD. I have PTSD. I come from
West Philly. I hadn't seen so much stuff in my
life growing up. You know, it's just human nature. But
all of this stuff stops you before it's too late.
(20:42):
So we're trying to have these programs teaching these brothers. No,
it's okay if your mentor ain't there. It's okay to
ask people for help. It's okay that you know, leading
your hand and say, you know, I know the right way.
I really need this. I'm really trying to get people
to understand it's okay to ask for help because nobody
got it all, ain't nothing out of all. Y'all need somebody.
So you and Pinky also opened Dinkies together, a vegan
(21:05):
GeSe stake place. What inspired this endeavor and did the
two of you always want to work together? No? Actually,
how Man Pinky met was funny story. We both had
popular brands in Atlanta, and I used to be in
the studio and they used to be like man girl,
she got lines like you, if not more, I said,
nobody got lands me, and then I actually seen it,
and I'm like, man, when she's selling honestly, uh, you know,
(21:28):
I tell people George Floyd a situation, no sad situation,
but it was a vessel to so many other things
in the world. Because when my windows got broke out
in the riots, Pinky reached out to me um and
asked me that I need help, and I was like, now,
I don't need no help, but she was like, well,
let's link up. So we linked up and we really
just jumped right into trying to help the community. And
(21:49):
I was like, man, I met me. I don't care
if you know a person five minutes, you know they
so you know they hear, if you know, if you've
seen you. I felt like I was looking at my
own self in the shadow. It scary, like everything my wants,
my dreams, my beliefs, everything community. So I don't really
have a relationship partnership. I tell people, like, my relationship
(22:10):
with her is deeper than just us being you know,
boyfriend girlfriend, Like we really got something special and we
really want to take over the world together. So man,
that is a beautiful thing. I'm just grinning from ear
to ear and listening to that especially because you know
you're selling meat and Pinky is big and like it's
just an amazing It just sounds like it's a great journey.
(22:33):
I just and I want the listeners to know that
we actually wanted to have both of you on. But
you know, Pinky just you know, just had a beautiful
baby girl, so it wasn't the right time for her.
But maybe we'll have you guys back at a later time.
But that partnership just really just sounds really strong and
it just sounds like a blessing. But I gotta babe,
(22:54):
who do you think? Who do you think has the
last word? The s they collaborate? You think they collaborate, Yeah,
I think they. I think it's at think he might
have pent in that though. So it's more like it's like, alright,
(23:15):
so I know one of my strong points and I
know where her strong points. So we use each other
and we're able to collab and make it right. But
our biggest thing was never know because you made the
comment because everybody you know say, you know, I'm not
vegan and she is. But what's more important than human
life when you out here attecking and that's what we know.
We're on we want to went to say so. And
(23:37):
then on top of that, I was able to, you know,
be with somebody that was eating healthier, so I started
looking at options that was better for me. So you know,
it was a blessing all the way around. So I'm
happy right now. You know, I got three beautiful girls.
I got one boy on the way, my first boy,
and I can't wait to see him because I didn't
think I can make boys, So big blessing for me. Yeah,
(24:01):
I'm a girl maker to Derek. So got the new
queens for sure. So do you have any advice for
people wanting to open up their own restaurants or who
want to be entrepreneurs? Don't have no restaurants, It's like no, no,
but you don't want the competition. You don't want to
eat or really give it to y'all like straight so
(24:25):
and and normal businesses. You might have maybe percent profit margence.
You have percent in the restaurant not to make any
mistakes on your bottom line to make money. Yeah, so
it's a real tdous business. But not only that, you're
dealing with so many different people and there's so many personalities.
If I didn't love what I do and love people
and love the energy I get for myself out of it,
(24:47):
I wouldn't do it. So I think, if you're gonna
get in the restaurant business, don't get in it just
for money. Years a lot of money in the restaurant
Business's not saying that, because you can scale your brand
and you can make millions of dollars. And that's that's
the evidence, the part where really enjoy doing it and
coming home at night you lay your head on the
pillar and wake up in the morning and say, I'm happy.
You gotta really love what you do. And that's in
any business in the world no more. Because anybody start
(25:10):
making money, you're gonna get used to the money. Once
you get used to it, all of us humans, you
get the bigger bag, Get the bigger bag, get used
to that bag. But in your dream and what you're doing,
you gotta really want to do that, because you can't
just do it for the money. So I would tell
anybody that passionate restaurants spaces your passion. Jump in it.
If you want to be a serial entrepreneur, jump in it.
(25:30):
But you have to dedicate your time and your dignity,
to your beliefs, to what you want with your life,
for it won't happen no matter. I have to agree
with that. And Rodney, I think that you can really
speak to that because your business is something I would
never I just would never engage in it. Speak on
that bag. And I know how passionate you are about
what you do, and that is so important, particularly in
(25:53):
your business. And I think there are a lot of
people who do what you do that are in it
for the money, and you can't be You have to
put your clients first. A little bit about that, babe.
Twenty seven years in and I still wake up every
day feeling like I'm gonna make a difference in somebody's life. Wow,
that's the energy and the commitment that I have to this.
(26:15):
And you know, I mean, the bag is going to
be there, but you gotta have that type of love
and passion for it in order for to be happy
with it. Yeah. So I remember going my first three years,
I didn't make no money, you know what I'm saying.
I just stuck with it. I had I got down
to basically nothing and just figuring out how to pay
my bills. But the thing is, if I never went
(26:37):
through all of those roller coaster rides, I wouldn't been
ready for the success I have right now. So any entrepreneur,
you know, we show our wins, you know what I'm saying.
We show our wins on the Graham or social media,
but man our day to day, you know, we need
to show more of that. And that's what I try
to do to people, like I showed them like, yeah,
I make a bunch of money, I have a lot
of success, but it also can be taken away from
(26:59):
me if I do the wrong things. That don't you know,
continue to move forward because in the business you're trying
to scale, you got to give a thousand percent every day. Yeah,
and that's the hit if. I mean, if it was easy,
everybody would be doing it, right. But I think also
for YouTube babe, you know, it's like what you do
is you're providing a service, and I think people don't
(27:19):
recognize how challenging it can be when you're dealing with
the intellectually impaired. Your work is really a service to
the community, and it certainly is not just about making money,
and that's important for people to understand. Right Well, I
mean my goal was to give back to the community.
That's you know, I wanted to be in the helping profession,
(27:40):
so that was part of it. Initially I didn't you know,
I could do a lot of things that make money,
but it was about giving back and being, you know,
to be impacts. That's why I tell people like, there's
a lot of people out here that has no money
and doing well, but what impact are you? May in
a difference with where you when you got the ball
(28:02):
in your hands, like who are you impacting? To do
better and bring them up, Because at the end of
the day, once you got everything you need and everything
you want, you can't just sit on it and don't
share the information. If you ain't gonna get nobody no money,
at least give them the information, give him the game,
and if they don't want it to receive it, then
you leave that on them. But I don't want people
around me just to depend on me. I want builders.
(28:24):
I want people to be creators. So I want to
be able to say I want to be around people
smarter than me. I can learn off of you, you
can learn off of me. So I think that's we're
moving forward in this generation. We need to push more
of a stead of people just wanted to be this
one thing, and I'm absolutely push that the best way
I can. Absolutely What other goals do you have? Are
you hoping to achieve it in the future, Derek, So
(28:48):
for when I'm gonna keep on, you know me, gonna
keep on going on with the Life Insurance Initiative. I'm
about to open my third location or this summer in Jonesboro, Georgia.
Then I'm leaving the States so I don't over saturate
the market because I got out of traffic and eight
rows in the market. My seasonings. I'm gonna write a book, documentary.
I gotta have a whole lot of list of things
(29:08):
I want to hit them with, but we're gonna take
it one time at a time so that it could
be you know, like I said, everything I do is
a thousand percent. I wanted to be the right way,
not rush just to be in the media. I want
to give his people, you know, the real patient days,
the right way. So you can understand this young brother
really got it out the money and came from nothing.
I really skipped a lot of things to get here,
and I'm blessed from that. And that's my mission, you
(29:29):
know that I'm on and by the end of it,
all My ending dream is for people to really know
me around the world, see my restaurant everywhere, and I'd
be a real impact to all the communities. That's all
I really care about, you know. I feel like, you know,
God already gonna bless me with the money aspect of it.
That's something I don't worry about. I'm more so worried
about people really believing in my change making that I'm
(29:50):
trying to do for them. That's all. Well, Rodney, and
I want to know if you're bringing a big Dave's
cheese steak to Baltimore. Hey, you know what's OK, California,
I'm coming to Baltomore because listen, I did a pop
up in Baltimore. Man, it was probably two thousand people
through that day that came through there. I was like
the East Bottomore. The lines was so long. Yeah, let
(30:13):
me know what you want to do in the l
A for sure, for sure. Yeah. I went to school
in Philly, so I'm familiar with the Chief Steak game
in Philly. Yeah. Now were Baltimore. We love we love
a good cheese steak here too. I got you. Just
let me know what we could do, and I definitely
want to talk to you about your line of work,
so we could partner up on you know, some things
(30:33):
you know in your field with mental health. That's awesome.
And let's not leave Pinky out either, because we need
Pinky to bring a slutty Vegan to Baltimore and l
A become in both places. Pinky about to put him
everywhere she coming. So that was time for the segment.
(30:59):
Whendn't you like to know before you go, Derek, I
have a couple of rapid fire questions I'd like you
to answer. Firstly, what book are you currently reading? So
I actually I would to say a book I like
to like to research. So I'm studying Warren Buffett right now.
And the reason, I mean, the reason why I'm studying
(31:19):
Warren Buffett is because you know, I can only speak
of people with color because I'm a black man. But
when we came success, you know, we start getting money,
we don't know how to stay leveraged. We gotta live
above and beyond. And one it's a multi billionaire and
he still lives in his home, you know. So I'm
just trying to teach myself, you know, good habits so
(31:39):
that I can have it later on. So I think
the only way you could do that and see other
people you know before you and put it forefront and
really did that. And that's what I'm doing. So I
just like the research. I go on Google, I watch
YouTube and just hear stories and how people really made
their fortune. I be Warren Buffett is. You know, he's
one of the richest people in the world, and he's
very stingy, black of a better word. He holds his
(32:02):
money close to his chest. But everybody, his kids didn't
even know he had money, like they you know, growing up,
they didn't They found out he was a billionaire, and
they were like, what aspect of it? But from the
aspect of just like the knowledge of just being able
(32:22):
to have such a fortune and know how to control it,
because you know, we all are guilty of it. You know,
when you're comfortable, you live more than you really have to. Honestly,
you know, it's some things in this world that we
don't need that we have, but we look we trick
ourselves and say, well, we only live once. That's why
I can't. That's you too. But also if you know
that it's like this, I just said this to a
(32:43):
friend of mine. He said, somebody asked him for fifteen
hundred dollars, and I said, well, what was the cause?
If the cause was worth the fifteen hundred dollars, that's
probably better than your cause brought in the club. That's
not gonna hurt you one bit, you know. So I
look at it that way. And a lot of people
you know that do business with me, far as accounts
and everything like that, they don't see out on me
a lot of things because I am ana giver. I'm
not like a I'm not like a person that makes
(33:06):
foodish decisions. But if I see somebody in time I
need and really entice situations. Hard for me to walk
away from that because I've been in situations at times
where I couldn't feed myself. So I love what I'm
hearing that you're time to learn and study and figure
out how to make your wealth work for you instead
of spending it on, you know, frivolous luxury items. I
(33:30):
love that. Yeah. Absolutely. What is one thing you want
to get off your chest? The one thing I want
to get off my chest is for people to really
understand that everybody's not gonna look like you. Some people
are gonna be different for me. I'm not your every CEO,
but I know I stand for the community. I know
I stand for the culture. I know what I represent,
I know my heart. So give people they chance and
(33:52):
don't wait till they dead and going to get them
they flowers like I want people to really understand that
people got to stick together now days. What's a model
that you live by? My motto I live by life
has not attracted me. As a marathon. You gotta keep
running your race until you really finished, until you know
that your race is the race you rain and that's
the mission, and you're happy about what you put out
(34:12):
into the world. As long as you're happy with that,
you can live with that. So run your own race.
And you can find me at Instagram at Big Dave
Cheese Steaks, Facebook at Big Dave Cheese Steaks. My location
is fifty seven four Side Street, downtown of Laying in Georgia.
My second location is in Doraville Street Road. Come check
(34:33):
me out. I'm building my third location right now in Jonesboro.
I'm happy. I'm excited. You know, the West Philadelphia kid
is ready to go. So here's my takeaway from this conversation.
And it's just one and it was really important to me,
and that is that resources are off times more important
(34:54):
than money. Let me say that again, resources are more
in important them money. So if you can provide the resources,
it's a great way to help someone get to the
next level. And that's our show this week for Positively GAM.
Thank you Derek and Rodney for joining me. You can
follow me online at Gammy Narris and Rodney at I
(35:17):
Am Rodney Narris. Also help us out by leaving a
five star review on Apple Podcast and by hitting the
follow button on I Heart Radio. Stay radifl we all.
Positively gam is produced by Red Table Talk Podcast and
I Heart Radio. Executive producers are Adrian Vanfield, Norris Valin,
Jethro and Jada Pinkett Smith. Our audio engineer is Calvin Bailiff,
(35:43):
and our associate producer is Irene Bischoff Burger. Our theme
song is produced by d Beats.
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