May 14, 2024 • 25 mins
Turkish immigrant Hakki Akdeniz ended up homeless in New York City after a friend didn't keep his promise to help him settle there. Through hard work and a ton of normal folks supporting his greatness, Hakki has built a food empire with 20 restaurants that includes Champion's Pizza and frozen pizza that's in 1,600 stores! This walking billboard of the American Dream has 35 million followers on Instagram and it’s largely because of his incredible generosity. We celebrate all of this as part of our Supporting Greatness series.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey, everybody, it's spilled Courtney with an army of normal folks.
And we continue now with part two of our conversation
with Hockey Ac dentists. Right after these brief messages from
our general sponsors.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So the KM magazine, it was two thousand and five,
I want a piece of competition. They were like ninety
three people and I get eighty seventh place. I was
so bad. But in twenty ten, twenty ten, so you know,
like if I want this championship, I would be able
to get like my green coat or want visa like
(00:45):
Chalak Visa to beget my green court. And I was
gonna get like, you know, like money. So I want
like you know, like when I want the Pizza Championship,
I have to do like so crazy different tricks like
I do, like you know, like with a handcoff I
do like the blind flowed with a flaming door.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Hold it. This means you're tossing the dough and making
the pizzas you're doing it handcuffed, blindfolded. In the picture
I saw you actually like the thing on fire and
you're throwing it around it there and so you won,
and so you won the New York top Pizza Guy competition.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
No, No, New York International World Championship.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
World Champion Pizza Guy competition. And then all of a sudden,
everybody's like, we got to go check this pizza out,
and so business gets better.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
And that's what exactly happens. So yes, yes, and they're
sending yes, but.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Didn't Johnny the Albanian, wasn't he basically telling you look hockey,
I like you, but I'm old school. You're gonna pay
me or I'm gonna kill you.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
No, I'm gonna come over there right now. I'm not
dead yet. O. Yes, yes, So you know, like they
put me like a PMG magazine and the magazine they
sent me like one case of magazine and the magazine
or like I said, you know, I give that I
put on top top of tables, and the kids they
loved it. The kids they love it. I mean they
(02:05):
stole the magazine ovis because they love it. And in
like one, two, three times, and one day, like two
days later, the kids came to me little Good and
they said, could you give me autograph? I said, autodrop
I cannot pay my rents this Johnny, He'll literally can
literally want to put me on No, seriously he wanted to.
He said, Hey, hecky, listen, this is the last time
(02:27):
I'm telling you if you don't pay the money that
you owe me four months, which is twenty thousand dollars.
If you don't pay me, I'm not gonna just let
you go. I will put you f oven. I will
cookie as a pepperoni as.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Johnny the Albanian wasn't playing.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I know, you know, best know right now, but he
was like so.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Like, I will make it. I will make you a
turkey Pepperoni pizza if you don't give me my money.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I swear to you. So he was like that, Yeah,
you know, his face he looked like he looked like Godfather.
He spas all like cut cuts. He looked like really Godfather.
He looked like scart face scary. Yeah, I'm gonna send
this picture to you so you will believe, like he
literally looked like Godfather.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah. I want to say, but you got you started
making money after the competition.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
So how I make the money in the competition Actually
because the magazine and the people they see, like, you know,
like they were like the first TV show it was.
I think it was like Fox News or I believe
it was like ABC they did like interview with US,
you know, like they talk about US New York Pizza
Masters won like International Championship. Turkish guy people somewhat Turkish
(03:45):
careon championship, so you know, like the kids they talk
about it, and I give the magazine the kids and
I called the Steve Green. He he is the founder
of the pimp magazine US PIECEA. Him is the founder
of the US PISA team. So I told him, hey, mister,
you know, like, uh, you send me magazine. And I
(04:07):
told my story. I'm not busy. But the kids they
love the magazine and they bring their parents, they take it,
they take the self with me, and they're asking autograph,
you know, like I think there's a word. Would you
please send me more magazine? He said? He said, wait
a minute, Well what I don't get what he said.
I said, Okay, so I have a store and I'm
gonna make the money and I bought to close my business.
(04:30):
The magazine that you guys send me case one case
and the kids they love it. Would you guys please
send me like more magazine? Like no, like maybe like
five more cases right now? I don't have money. When
I make money. I will promise whatever the magazine cost,
I would pay you guys, okay, and he understand like
the story. He sent me the five case of magazine
(04:51):
and those magazine like no, it was like I think
it was each one like one hundred, so like five
hundred magazine literly go from the school and I just
give the magazine like no, like the kids, and the
kids they love it. They bring their parents. They asked
at a girl, they take a picture with me and
just like literally like that the neighbor. They're just like
everybody loved me. Oh, this guy's a famous he's a
(05:12):
pizza he's like pizza master. He's a famous pizza guy.
So and you know, just God bless me. And those kids,
you know, like they're blessed, and they come to me
every day and from then on I become busy. So
John he came to me maybe like two three week later.
So he came over there, and I have a big
line a lot of people of that. Okay. So the
(05:35):
kids when they came from school, there was a lion
and I make a special like if you buy like
two slices, you get a free kind of soda. And
John he came to me. He said, what happened? You
give free pizza? What are you doing? I said, no,
He said, what happened?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Wait?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
So many people stay in line? I said, because you know,
like I'm getting busy. Now, please don't get angry. I
promise I'm gonna give you money right now. I'm so busy.
I know what John he saw like what I go through.
And I pay him a little by a little, a
little by little. So the last two payment, which is
ten thousand dollars that I have to pay him, he
(06:08):
came to me, and I have another five I'm gonna
give five thousand. He give me hunk? He said, no,
keep ten thousand. Just give me like a two thousand,
Ay two thousand today, keep eight thousand? One thing I
need from you? What do you need to say? I'm
gonna bring my son and two daughters. Just told them
how you made it? What was your s daughter? You
(06:31):
sleep in this store and you didn't give up. You
did everything even though I was, you know, like angry
with you, and you know, like you know, like I
thought you were scared you're gonna walk away, But so
you know what, you didn't give up, So you know
what you are an amazing person. All I need is
wanting from you. Just told your story to my kids.
One thing keep eight thousand. I know what exactly he did.
(06:54):
He bring his son JJ, he bring two daughters. And
I talked to him. I said, your father was you know,
like so mean to me? But I know what, I
guess he loved me. And now he's so nice to me.
You know, he give away like eightsand back to me.
And you know, like, so right now I'm success. Look
my source so busy. I'm making money. I know. I
think like very soon I'm gonna open my second stores.
(07:15):
My dream. I know what, sir, we bless right now.
The neighbor, the neighbor. They didn't welcome me. The neighbor.
They boy caught me. The neighbor. They don't want me
like you know, you know, they don't want to buy
pizza for me. This neighbor is called lowered. He said,
right now, I'm calling you lowered. He said, okay, what
is Bowery mission. So this neighbor I have like you,
(07:36):
no like seven restaurants, and I am the leader of
the neighbor. I get award, the leader award like the
city Council of the Lowered east Side Assembly of Lower
east Side of the District, Leader the Lower east Side.
Everybody award me, nominate me. They love me. They love
me so much. You know why, because I give so
(07:58):
much my neighbor. I become like neighbor hero literally like
you know sometimes like you know, like I'm gonna some
like you know, like you know, like old ladies they
come to me or like guys, old people. They come
to me. They give me a home, and you know,
they pray for me. They get emotional. They say, don't
bless you, just bless you. You're amazing, you know, like
(08:20):
what you do. You know, like because like every time
when they're like baseball game, I send a piece of
they have like you know, like uh, you know, like
after school program. I send a piece of they have
like downstand Jim School, like you know, like kids like
you know, like uh, down stand June. Every month, whoever
birthday I sign a piece of they have autistic school,
(08:41):
you know, like whoever like autistic they have like birthday
I signed them like pies No Tampa twenty PI Bowery
Mission is like I told you, it's like I have
a store just like you know, like three black Hey, brother,
you can steal. I have just like three block away
my pizza shop next to Bowery Mission. Every day I
passed my Bowdie mission, like you know, like God, it's
(09:03):
just like as amazing man.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
We'll be right back. Over the years, you've received over
one hundred thousand requests for free pizza, and every time
(09:28):
there's been a problem, you give away free pizza the homeless.
Tell us about what you do for the homeless with
your pizza, going back to your time and probably mission,
you know, so.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Like so how I started. You know, like I promise
myself if one day, you know, I become success and
if I couldn't make it happen, you know, like if
I have money and you know, like people who haven't
helped me, I'm gonna go back and help those people
because of graceful you know, like thankfulness like I say,
(10:04):
you know, like when when you know, like I'm not
gonna say I'm a superhero, like I'm nice guy, like
homeless people that come in by he's you're a superhero,
like homeless superhero. I'm not a superhero, I like I say,
you know, like I feel the pain her uh when
you see like you know, like one homeless guy or
(10:25):
when you see like a thousand homeless person on the street.
Everyone have one story, just like my story or maybe
like your story. Like you know, like I didn't finish
like elementary school. I'm like just thirty. I told my
left I went just three years in school. Those people
like they were in college, they were teacher. I have,
(10:48):
Like homeless guy he was doctor. I have like a
homeless lady. She was like she owned like a h one.
She'd owned like a billion dollars, you know, like honey,
now she's a homeless she passed ay by the way. Actually,
so like it's just like so many people like they
don't want to be homeless, and right now those people
they running need our have so you know, like when
(11:12):
I talk, when I get motions, take your time, uh huh.
So like you know, like when I get motion, just
like we all get to do. You know, I'm just hockey,
(11:32):
you know, like mister Billy, like we all to unite together.
We could have happen. It's so easy to finish homelessness,
you know, like would you ever wish become homeless in
no way? Or your kids or you're like your parents,
no one wish they family become homeless. Like I have
(11:54):
a two kids, I have a two son. I don't
want my kids to ever become homeless because you know what,
I know, how painful when's a freezer, you have to
stay on the street and not be able to take
a shower, and.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
And so and so. Since you've started owning restaurants, you've
given away over one hundred thousand pizzas and the homeless folks.
When things go bad, you set up and literally give
out slices of pizza to every single homeless person that'll
come up until they quit coming.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Well. Actually know, like my store, you know, like people
they're working for me, I always tell them, you know,
like when people come to our store and you know
they said they're homeless, do not ever give them a
hard time. Please, if you guys give them a hard time,
you give me hard time. You know, I would never
hire you, like I'm me fire you. But if you don't,
(12:57):
when homeless people come to you and they ask you
that are hungry, you don't feed them. You don't give
the food and it cannot drinks like sodas or whatever
like whatever they want it. If you don't, if you
you know, like kick them out and you don't expect them.
There's only one way. I can't fire you. I don't
care that you're gonna assume me because this is like
I have like handbook, you know, like they put a
(13:18):
lot of rusts and this is one of my roosts.
I made it. I put in my handbook because like
when homeless people, if they come to you, they ask
you just like they're hungry, two slices of can of soda.
So it doesn't cost me nothing, you know that. It's
like it doesn't cost you nothing. You know, we have
like fifteen stores like Champion. How many people that can
come my store? Like one hundred? Big deal? You know,
(13:41):
like you always like you give a one, God give
you a triple. You know you cannot compete with him.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
You know you give, but you give one and God
gives me triple. That's your way of saying. That's your
way of saying, you get far more out of it
than you put into it.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
No for reasons. So I told you earlier, like I'm
not a very educate person, like you know, like I
didn't go like you know, like high school or college.
I'm not a good looking guy. I'm not so smart guy.
I'm not like you know, like I don't go like
business school. Oh look how success I am, you know,
like I did, Like I mean, like I go like
I did, like tech Talk. I go like tech talk
(14:19):
and I do speech for like college students. I didn't
go to college, you know, like I like, you know,
like you understand I go like you know, like I
go like the US Champier Commerce. They're being like you know,
like fifty top CEO or CEO and the nationwide and
I did speech for them. I go to colleges. I
do speech, you understand. I like, I'm not too like
(14:42):
I said, like I didn't go like you know, like
I don't finish my elementary school. Like like people that
say hockey, you are so famous, you have like over
thirty five million followers on Instagram. That's me nothing. So
you know, it's all about hearing. If you don't have
a go hard, it doesn't mean no, like thirty million
or forty millions mean nothing for me. I mean all
(15:04):
I can for me, even I have like no like
one follower, and that follower as a homeless person, and
he love me, respect me, and I know that I
really care for him, and I know that he's a
bliss and like I make him happy, I make him smile.
This worse like you know, like for me versus like
thirty five million follower versus like one person make him smile.
(15:25):
There's like the same thing for me. So and by
the way, I respect and I love all my follower.
I don't say like, don't follow me. It's just like
for like to make one person happy is I think
it's more than a lot of things, you know, and
you know there's it like we call it kindness. Just
be kind to everyone.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
For all of our listeners. If you wonder what you
can do, if the American dream is still alive, if
the ability to help somebody when you see an area
in need and you don't feel it because you just
don't know how to do it, all you got to
do is listen to hockey actentists. Hockey actentisis was homeless,
(16:07):
came here as a Turkish curve from a small village
and literally lived on a bench while he had a
job to save money, got his first messagg stolen, worked
another five years, risked his life with Johnny the Albanian,
and now has a massive business in New York and
(16:29):
serves the very people that were once like him. If
that is not greatness, I do not know what is.
We'll be right back hockey. From your brother, to your
(17:01):
friend who didn't pick you up when he said he would,
but eventually ended up working for you through prior mission,
to Jamali at Hoboken Pizza, to Johnny the Albanian, and
to Steve Green who gave you the magazines. What do
you say to those people who supported your greatness?
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I mean know, like it's not such a word that
I can, you know, like make it happen for those guys,
you know, like they'd be there for me, like I
didn't let them done. You know, like I always say,
like I'm so thankful, and I know what's meant to
be grateful for those people they what they did for me,
And right now I like the same thing for other people.
(17:46):
And you know, I call it a karma, you know,
like when you know, like when uh, you know, like
when when you saw just you know, just make one
person happy, smile, you don't know your day because I'm
so nice, you don't know, because they make that person smile,
And that's me. I want to just make people happy
and smile and the rest of my life. It's not
(18:09):
about money. It's not about know like I want to
be rich. It's not about I want to have like no,
like you know, like living like the the best you know,
like houses or what like crazy like you know like
uh you know, like a brand or living their life
la no, so no that's me, like you know, like
(18:30):
you know, like it's so funny, you know, like people
like you know, I have like something, I have sponsors.
They sponsor me, so I share their brand and my Instagram. Okay,
and I'm not going to mention the name the big brand.
So they give me watch that watch I worked like
forty thousand dollars and you know I have that watch
at my home. I don't wet it. I wear my
first watch that I buy eighty dollars pay check take chick,
(18:55):
you know, like not for like first one. I have
a money twenty three years ago. So and this I
have watch as I broke a rip, I fix it
and I put it back again, and you know, like
and I have like not really, I have like a
big clothing brand that they sponsored me. They give me
a big code like there, I'm not gonna send me
the name, like bring their name but it's not about that.
So it's just about like they have be a you know,
(19:16):
like good human, good person, you know, to inspire like
young generation because you know, like today and So said
that we leave, we need to be good people to
good humans to inspire those young generations. I have two sons.
I want to you know, like be good, you know,
inspire them. I know, like my friends, like you everybody,
(19:37):
we need to inspire those guys, you know, because they
grow up and then we want to tell them, hey,
you know what it is kindness. There is humanity, you know,
like you have to be kind to everybody. And that's
the life. How it could be beautiful for everywhere international,
not only just you guys. Everywhere. Everywhere I go, like
you know, like I told you early sponsors, they give
me the business uh tickets to fly, say no, like
(20:00):
from here to go California, the TV show, and then
might they buy me like a you know, like business class,
you know what I do. So I get my ticket
and I go sit. Before I sit, I go to bed,
I go to economy and I see like you know,
like one old ladies specially like you know, like when
I see old ladies, I love you so much because
my mom is my hero. I don't have a dad.
(20:21):
I say, hey, man, you know what, I have my
ticket to business class. You want to go see the
front and I see your place, you know, like some
of they said no, but something yes, until I find
some person and they go see that business class and
I see it like economy and this is hockey. I
will never change it. Like I said, I don't. I don't.
I don't open business because I want to just make it.
I want to be success and I want to inspire artists.
(20:44):
That's like, you know, that's that's my motive, just so
you know, be kind for no reason. Life is so
beautiful and so sure. Believe me. We don't know we
can make it until tomorrow. You know, everything is in now.
There's no such a Gramante's model.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Everybody that is hockey, Dennis. And remember you're listening to
a guy who grew up a Turkish Kurd, went to Canada,
got sent back to Turkey, came to the United States
with two hundred and forty dollars in his pocket, became homeless,
and because of the army of normal folks that surrounded him,
(21:22):
his brother, his friend the mission jamali At Hoboke and Pizza,
Johnny the Albanian and Steve Green. He was able to
reach heights. He was able to reach his dreams. But
then when he got his dreams, instead of making it
all about him, he set out to serve the very
people who were like him, the homeless, the disenfranchised, the needy.
(21:44):
And he has served him for twenty three years and
he continues to serve him today, all because he believes
in kindness and God. Hockey. You are phenomenal and it
has been just an honor to visit with you. I
do have a question, if somebody wants to follow you,
if somebody wants to reach out to you, if somebody
(22:06):
wants to learn more about hockey, Acdentis and the work
that you do in New York for the homeless, how
can they find you?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Well? Thank you so much, by the way, thank you,
It was very kind of you. Does before kind of work.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
So only only only because they're true hockey, They're just true,
my friend.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
It's mean a lot. So it's mean a lot. I
heard those every day, but it's mean a lot. That's
amazing for me. I mean, it's it's so blessed, you know,
so blessed. The place is like every Wednesday between eight
pm and to like eleven pm is we do like
three hours because we have so many people, like three,
four or five hundred people stand line on.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
That free pizza every Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
It's not only three pizza, so we have like three pizza.
We have free clothing like shoes, clothing like you know,
like stuff. We have medicine. We have like this which
means like you know, like night cool, like theay cool,
like you know, like like cre like cream like eachy
cream because a lot of homeless people they're like they
have a big issue like eachy, but they don't take showlenge.
So that's the most that we use a lot you know,
(23:13):
like socks, you know, like bunny like gloves stuff like that.
And we have like hot foods uh. And we have
like we asked them if they need jumb you know,
like we have them like we send other people like
not my friends, they own supermarket, my friend they own
construction company. So those people ask me if they need job,
what they do you know, like we can we have
(23:33):
them with a job as well, so they can't find
out on a Bowdie Street and its Houston Bowdie and
its Houston eight pm and eleven pm. There's just every
Wednesday night. It's been almost like eleven years, more than
ten years we've been do this and someday we do
in the front the Glassy Street and Christy the Lancie
(23:58):
and Christy from Am. So like one pm. This is
every Sunday.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
That is phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yay, whoever want to come help us, like I said,
or like don't beling like you know, like tray or food,
or don't beling like you know, like like a ten
pair of shoes, just one pair of shoes, one socks,
just like you know, like one sandwich, one burger, Like
I said, it's not about how much we have, isaba,
how much can we give anything you have just a
little bit. It's a lot Blini for us a little bit,
(24:28):
but for them it's so much. So it's so much.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
How anybody in New York could ever buy a slice
from anybody other than Champion knowing what you do, I'll
never know. And next time, Lisa, next time Lisa and
I are in New York, We're coming to get some
Champion pizza. I promise it will.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Be my pleasures, So it will be my pleasure or
any time. Please. I will be so happy to see you.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Guys, and thank you for joining us this week. If
hockey or another guest has inspired you in general, or
better yeah, to take action by helping the homeless or
something else entirely, please let me know. I'd love to
hear about it. You can write me anytime at Bill
(25:11):
at normalfolks dot us, and I will respond, even if
it's at two or three in the morning when I'm
doing catch up work. But I will respond to you.
And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with friends
and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate and review it,
become a premium member at normalfolks dot us. All of
these things that will help us grow an army of
(25:34):
normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see you next week.
Hey, everybody, it's spilled Courtney with an army of normal folks.
And we continue now with part two of our conversation
with Hockey Ac dentists. Right after these brief messages from
our general sponsors.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So the KM magazine, it was two thousand and five,
I want a piece of competition. They were like ninety
three people and I get eighty seventh place. I was
so bad. But in twenty ten, twenty ten, so you know,
like if I want this championship, I would be able
to get like my green coat or want visa like
(00:45):
Chalak Visa to beget my green court. And I was
gonna get like, you know, like money. So I want
like you know, like when I want the Pizza Championship,
I have to do like so crazy different tricks like
I do, like you know, like with a handcoff I
do like the blind flowed with a flaming door.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Hold it. This means you're tossing the dough and making
the pizzas you're doing it handcuffed, blindfolded. In the picture
I saw you actually like the thing on fire and
you're throwing it around it there and so you won,
and so you won the New York top Pizza Guy competition.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
No, No, New York International World Championship.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
World Champion Pizza Guy competition. And then all of a sudden,
everybody's like, we got to go check this pizza out,
and so business gets better.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
And that's what exactly happens. So yes, yes, and they're
sending yes, but.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Didn't Johnny the Albanian, wasn't he basically telling you look hockey,
I like you, but I'm old school. You're gonna pay
me or I'm gonna kill you.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
No, I'm gonna come over there right now. I'm not
dead yet. O. Yes, yes, So you know, like they
put me like a PMG magazine and the magazine they
sent me like one case of magazine and the magazine
or like I said, you know, I give that I
put on top top of tables, and the kids they
loved it. The kids they love it. I mean they
(02:05):
stole the magazine ovis because they love it. And in
like one, two, three times, and one day, like two
days later, the kids came to me little Good and
they said, could you give me autograph? I said, autodrop
I cannot pay my rents this Johnny, He'll literally can
literally want to put me on No, seriously he wanted to.
He said, Hey, hecky, listen, this is the last time
(02:27):
I'm telling you if you don't pay the money that
you owe me four months, which is twenty thousand dollars.
If you don't pay me, I'm not gonna just let
you go. I will put you f oven. I will
cookie as a pepperoni as.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Johnny the Albanian wasn't playing.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I know, you know, best know right now, but he
was like so.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Like, I will make it. I will make you a
turkey Pepperoni pizza if you don't give me my money.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I swear to you. So he was like that, Yeah,
you know, his face he looked like he looked like Godfather.
He spas all like cut cuts. He looked like really Godfather.
He looked like scart face scary. Yeah, I'm gonna send
this picture to you so you will believe, like he
literally looked like Godfather.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah. I want to say, but you got you started
making money after the competition.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
So how I make the money in the competition Actually
because the magazine and the people they see, like, you know,
like they were like the first TV show it was.
I think it was like Fox News or I believe
it was like ABC they did like interview with US,
you know, like they talk about US New York Pizza
Masters won like International Championship. Turkish guy people somewhat Turkish
(03:45):
careon championship, so you know, like the kids they talk
about it, and I give the magazine the kids and
I called the Steve Green. He he is the founder
of the pimp magazine US PIECEA. Him is the founder
of the US PISA team. So I told him, hey, mister,
you know, like, uh, you send me magazine. And I
(04:07):
told my story. I'm not busy. But the kids they
love the magazine and they bring their parents, they take it,
they take the self with me, and they're asking autograph,
you know, like I think there's a word. Would you
please send me more magazine? He said? He said, wait
a minute, Well what I don't get what he said.
I said, Okay, so I have a store and I'm
gonna make the money and I bought to close my business.
(04:30):
The magazine that you guys send me case one case
and the kids they love it. Would you guys please
send me like more magazine? Like no, like maybe like
five more cases right now? I don't have money. When
I make money. I will promise whatever the magazine cost,
I would pay you guys, okay, and he understand like
the story. He sent me the five case of magazine
(04:51):
and those magazine like no, it was like I think
it was each one like one hundred, so like five
hundred magazine literly go from the school and I just
give the magazine like no, like the kids, and the
kids they love it. They bring their parents. They asked
at a girl, they take a picture with me and
just like literally like that the neighbor. They're just like
everybody loved me. Oh, this guy's a famous he's a
(05:12):
pizza he's like pizza master. He's a famous pizza guy.
So and you know, just God bless me. And those kids,
you know, like they're blessed, and they come to me
every day and from then on I become busy. So
John he came to me maybe like two three week later.
So he came over there, and I have a big
line a lot of people of that. Okay. So the
(05:35):
kids when they came from school, there was a lion
and I make a special like if you buy like
two slices, you get a free kind of soda. And
John he came to me. He said, what happened? You
give free pizza? What are you doing? I said, no,
He said, what happened?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Wait?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
So many people stay in line? I said, because you know,
like I'm getting busy. Now, please don't get angry. I
promise I'm gonna give you money right now. I'm so busy.
I know what John he saw like what I go through.
And I pay him a little by a little, a
little by little. So the last two payment, which is
ten thousand dollars that I have to pay him, he
(06:08):
came to me, and I have another five I'm gonna
give five thousand. He give me hunk? He said, no,
keep ten thousand. Just give me like a two thousand,
Ay two thousand today, keep eight thousand? One thing I
need from you? What do you need to say? I'm
gonna bring my son and two daughters. Just told them
how you made it? What was your s daughter? You
(06:31):
sleep in this store and you didn't give up. You
did everything even though I was, you know, like angry
with you, and you know, like you know, like I
thought you were scared you're gonna walk away, But so
you know what, you didn't give up, So you know
what you are an amazing person. All I need is
wanting from you. Just told your story to my kids.
One thing keep eight thousand. I know what exactly he did.
(06:54):
He bring his son JJ, he bring two daughters. And
I talked to him. I said, your father was you know,
like so mean to me? But I know what, I
guess he loved me. And now he's so nice to me.
You know, he give away like eightsand back to me.
And you know, like, so right now I'm success. Look
my source so busy. I'm making money. I know. I
think like very soon I'm gonna open my second stores.
(07:15):
My dream. I know what, sir, we bless right now.
The neighbor, the neighbor. They didn't welcome me. The neighbor.
They boy caught me. The neighbor. They don't want me
like you know, you know, they don't want to buy
pizza for me. This neighbor is called lowered. He said,
right now, I'm calling you lowered. He said, okay, what
is Bowery mission. So this neighbor I have like you,
(07:36):
no like seven restaurants, and I am the leader of
the neighbor. I get award, the leader award like the
city Council of the Lowered east Side Assembly of Lower
east Side of the District, Leader the Lower east Side.
Everybody award me, nominate me. They love me. They love
me so much. You know why, because I give so
(07:58):
much my neighbor. I become like neighbor hero literally like
you know sometimes like you know, like I'm gonna some
like you know, like you know, like old ladies they
come to me or like guys, old people. They come
to me. They give me a home, and you know,
they pray for me. They get emotional. They say, don't
bless you, just bless you. You're amazing, you know, like
(08:20):
what you do. You know, like because like every time
when they're like baseball game, I send a piece of
they have like you know, like uh, you know, like
after school program. I send a piece of they have
like downstand Jim School, like you know, like kids like
you know, like uh, down stand June. Every month, whoever
birthday I sign a piece of they have autistic school,
(08:41):
you know, like whoever like autistic they have like birthday
I signed them like pies No Tampa twenty PI Bowery
Mission is like I told you, it's like I have
a store just like you know, like three black Hey, brother,
you can steal. I have just like three block away
my pizza shop next to Bowery Mission. Every day I
passed my Bowdie mission, like you know, like God, it's
(09:03):
just like as amazing man.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
We'll be right back. Over the years, you've received over
one hundred thousand requests for free pizza, and every time
(09:28):
there's been a problem, you give away free pizza the homeless.
Tell us about what you do for the homeless with
your pizza, going back to your time and probably mission,
you know, so.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Like so how I started. You know, like I promise
myself if one day, you know, I become success and
if I couldn't make it happen, you know, like if
I have money and you know, like people who haven't
helped me, I'm gonna go back and help those people
because of graceful you know, like thankfulness like I say,
(10:04):
you know, like when when you know, like I'm not
gonna say I'm a superhero, like I'm nice guy, like
homeless people that come in by he's you're a superhero,
like homeless superhero. I'm not a superhero, I like I say,
you know, like I feel the pain her uh when
you see like you know, like one homeless guy or
(10:25):
when you see like a thousand homeless person on the street.
Everyone have one story, just like my story or maybe
like your story. Like you know, like I didn't finish
like elementary school. I'm like just thirty. I told my
left I went just three years in school. Those people
like they were in college, they were teacher. I have,
(10:48):
Like homeless guy he was doctor. I have like a
homeless lady. She was like she owned like a h one.
She'd owned like a billion dollars, you know, like honey,
now she's a homeless she passed ay by the way. Actually,
so like it's just like so many people like they
don't want to be homeless, and right now those people
they running need our have so you know, like when
(11:12):
I talk, when I get motions, take your time, uh huh.
So like you know, like when I get motion, just
like we all get to do. You know, I'm just hockey,
(11:32):
you know, like mister Billy, like we all to unite together.
We could have happen. It's so easy to finish homelessness,
you know, like would you ever wish become homeless in
no way? Or your kids or you're like your parents,
no one wish they family become homeless. Like I have
(11:54):
a two kids, I have a two son. I don't
want my kids to ever become homeless because you know what,
I know, how painful when's a freezer, you have to
stay on the street and not be able to take
a shower, and.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
And so and so. Since you've started owning restaurants, you've
given away over one hundred thousand pizzas and the homeless folks.
When things go bad, you set up and literally give
out slices of pizza to every single homeless person that'll
come up until they quit coming.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Well. Actually know, like my store, you know, like people
they're working for me, I always tell them, you know,
like when people come to our store and you know
they said they're homeless, do not ever give them a
hard time. Please, if you guys give them a hard time,
you give me hard time. You know, I would never
hire you, like I'm me fire you. But if you don't,
(12:57):
when homeless people come to you and they ask you
that are hungry, you don't feed them. You don't give
the food and it cannot drinks like sodas or whatever
like whatever they want it. If you don't, if you
you know, like kick them out and you don't expect them.
There's only one way. I can't fire you. I don't
care that you're gonna assume me because this is like
I have like handbook, you know, like they put a
(13:18):
lot of rusts and this is one of my roosts.
I made it. I put in my handbook because like
when homeless people, if they come to you, they ask
you just like they're hungry, two slices of can of soda.
So it doesn't cost me nothing, you know that. It's
like it doesn't cost you nothing. You know, we have
like fifteen stores like Champion. How many people that can
come my store? Like one hundred? Big deal? You know,
(13:41):
like you always like you give a one, God give
you a triple. You know you cannot compete with him.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
You know you give, but you give one and God
gives me triple. That's your way of saying. That's your
way of saying, you get far more out of it
than you put into it.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
No for reasons. So I told you earlier, like I'm
not a very educate person, like you know, like I
didn't go like you know, like high school or college.
I'm not a good looking guy. I'm not so smart guy.
I'm not like you know, like I don't go like
business school. Oh look how success I am, you know,
like I did, Like I mean, like I go like
I did, like tech Talk. I go like tech talk
(14:19):
and I do speech for like college students. I didn't
go to college, you know, like I like, you know,
like you understand I go like you know, like I
go like the US Champier Commerce. They're being like you know,
like fifty top CEO or CEO and the nationwide and
I did speech for them. I go to colleges. I
do speech, you understand. I like, I'm not too like
(14:42):
I said, like I didn't go like you know, like
I don't finish my elementary school. Like like people that
say hockey, you are so famous, you have like over
thirty five million followers on Instagram. That's me nothing. So
you know, it's all about hearing. If you don't have
a go hard, it doesn't mean no, like thirty million
or forty millions mean nothing for me. I mean all
(15:04):
I can for me, even I have like no like
one follower, and that follower as a homeless person, and
he love me, respect me, and I know that I
really care for him, and I know that he's a
bliss and like I make him happy, I make him smile.
This worse like you know, like for me versus like
thirty five million follower versus like one person make him smile.
(15:25):
There's like the same thing for me. So and by
the way, I respect and I love all my follower.
I don't say like, don't follow me. It's just like
for like to make one person happy is I think
it's more than a lot of things, you know, and
you know there's it like we call it kindness. Just
be kind to everyone.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
For all of our listeners. If you wonder what you
can do, if the American dream is still alive, if
the ability to help somebody when you see an area
in need and you don't feel it because you just
don't know how to do it, all you got to
do is listen to hockey actentists. Hockey actentisis was homeless,
(16:07):
came here as a Turkish curve from a small village
and literally lived on a bench while he had a
job to save money, got his first messagg stolen, worked
another five years, risked his life with Johnny the Albanian,
and now has a massive business in New York and
(16:29):
serves the very people that were once like him. If
that is not greatness, I do not know what is.
We'll be right back hockey. From your brother, to your
(17:01):
friend who didn't pick you up when he said he would,
but eventually ended up working for you through prior mission,
to Jamali at Hoboken Pizza, to Johnny the Albanian, and
to Steve Green who gave you the magazines. What do
you say to those people who supported your greatness?
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I mean know, like it's not such a word that
I can, you know, like make it happen for those guys,
you know, like they'd be there for me, like I
didn't let them done. You know, like I always say,
like I'm so thankful, and I know what's meant to
be grateful for those people they what they did for me,
And right now I like the same thing for other people.
(17:46):
And you know, I call it a karma, you know,
like when you know, like when uh, you know, like
when when you saw just you know, just make one
person happy, smile, you don't know your day because I'm
so nice, you don't know, because they make that person smile,
And that's me. I want to just make people happy
and smile and the rest of my life. It's not
(18:09):
about money. It's not about know like I want to
be rich. It's not about I want to have like no,
like you know, like living like the the best you know,
like houses or what like crazy like you know like
uh you know, like a brand or living their life
la no, so no that's me, like you know, like
(18:30):
you know, like it's so funny, you know, like people
like you know, I have like something, I have sponsors.
They sponsor me, so I share their brand and my Instagram. Okay,
and I'm not going to mention the name the big brand.
So they give me watch that watch I worked like
forty thousand dollars and you know I have that watch
at my home. I don't wet it. I wear my
first watch that I buy eighty dollars pay check take chick,
(18:55):
you know, like not for like first one. I have
a money twenty three years ago. So and this I
have watch as I broke a rip, I fix it
and I put it back again, and you know, like
and I have like not really, I have like a
big clothing brand that they sponsored me. They give me
a big code like there, I'm not gonna send me
the name, like bring their name but it's not about that.
So it's just about like they have be a you know,
(19:16):
like good human, good person, you know, to inspire like
young generation because you know, like today and So said
that we leave, we need to be good people to
good humans to inspire those young generations. I have two sons.
I want to you know, like be good, you know,
inspire them. I know, like my friends, like you everybody,
(19:37):
we need to inspire those guys, you know, because they
grow up and then we want to tell them, hey,
you know what it is kindness. There is humanity, you know,
like you have to be kind to everybody. And that's
the life. How it could be beautiful for everywhere international,
not only just you guys. Everywhere. Everywhere I go, like
you know, like I told you early sponsors, they give
me the business uh tickets to fly, say no, like
(20:00):
from here to go California, the TV show, and then
might they buy me like a you know, like business class,
you know what I do. So I get my ticket
and I go sit. Before I sit, I go to bed,
I go to economy and I see like you know,
like one old ladies specially like you know, like when
I see old ladies, I love you so much because
my mom is my hero. I don't have a dad.
(20:21):
I say, hey, man, you know what, I have my
ticket to business class. You want to go see the
front and I see your place, you know, like some
of they said no, but something yes, until I find
some person and they go see that business class and
I see it like economy and this is hockey. I
will never change it. Like I said, I don't. I don't.
I don't open business because I want to just make it.
I want to be success and I want to inspire artists.
(20:44):
That's like, you know, that's that's my motive, just so
you know, be kind for no reason. Life is so
beautiful and so sure. Believe me. We don't know we
can make it until tomorrow. You know, everything is in now.
There's no such a Gramante's model.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Everybody that is hockey, Dennis. And remember you're listening to
a guy who grew up a Turkish Kurd, went to Canada,
got sent back to Turkey, came to the United States
with two hundred and forty dollars in his pocket, became homeless,
and because of the army of normal folks that surrounded him,
(21:22):
his brother, his friend the mission jamali At Hoboke and Pizza,
Johnny the Albanian and Steve Green. He was able to
reach heights. He was able to reach his dreams. But
then when he got his dreams, instead of making it
all about him, he set out to serve the very
people who were like him, the homeless, the disenfranchised, the needy.
(21:44):
And he has served him for twenty three years and
he continues to serve him today, all because he believes
in kindness and God. Hockey. You are phenomenal and it
has been just an honor to visit with you. I
do have a question, if somebody wants to follow you,
if somebody wants to reach out to you, if somebody
(22:06):
wants to learn more about hockey, Acdentis and the work
that you do in New York for the homeless, how
can they find you?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Well? Thank you so much, by the way, thank you,
It was very kind of you. Does before kind of work.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
So only only only because they're true hockey, They're just true,
my friend.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
It's mean a lot. So it's mean a lot. I
heard those every day, but it's mean a lot. That's
amazing for me. I mean, it's it's so blessed, you know,
so blessed. The place is like every Wednesday between eight
pm and to like eleven pm is we do like
three hours because we have so many people, like three,
four or five hundred people stand line on.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
That free pizza every Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
It's not only three pizza, so we have like three pizza.
We have free clothing like shoes, clothing like you know,
like stuff. We have medicine. We have like this which
means like you know, like night cool, like theay cool,
like you know, like like cre like cream like eachy
cream because a lot of homeless people they're like they
have a big issue like eachy, but they don't take showlenge.
So that's the most that we use a lot you know,
(23:13):
like socks, you know, like bunny like gloves stuff like that.
And we have like hot foods uh. And we have
like we asked them if they need jumb you know,
like we have them like we send other people like
not my friends, they own supermarket, my friend they own
construction company. So those people ask me if they need job,
what they do you know, like we can we have
(23:33):
them with a job as well, so they can't find
out on a Bowdie Street and its Houston Bowdie and
its Houston eight pm and eleven pm. There's just every
Wednesday night. It's been almost like eleven years, more than
ten years we've been do this and someday we do
in the front the Glassy Street and Christy the Lancie
(23:58):
and Christy from Am. So like one pm. This is
every Sunday.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
That is phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yay, whoever want to come help us, like I said,
or like don't beling like you know, like tray or food,
or don't beling like you know, like like a ten
pair of shoes, just one pair of shoes, one socks,
just like you know, like one sandwich, one burger, Like
I said, it's not about how much we have, isaba,
how much can we give anything you have just a
little bit. It's a lot Blini for us a little bit,
(24:28):
but for them it's so much. So it's so much.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
How anybody in New York could ever buy a slice
from anybody other than Champion knowing what you do, I'll
never know. And next time, Lisa, next time Lisa and
I are in New York, We're coming to get some
Champion pizza. I promise it will.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Be my pleasures, So it will be my pleasure or
any time. Please. I will be so happy to see you.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Guys, and thank you for joining us this week. If
hockey or another guest has inspired you in general, or
better yeah, to take action by helping the homeless or
something else entirely, please let me know. I'd love to
hear about it. You can write me anytime at Bill
(25:11):
at normalfolks dot us, and I will respond, even if
it's at two or three in the morning when I'm
doing catch up work. But I will respond to you.
And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with friends
and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate and review it,
become a premium member at normalfolks dot us. All of
these things that will help us grow an army of
(25:34):
normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see you next week.
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