April 8, 2025 • 17 mins
In this episode of All In Long Beach, we sit down with Robb Smith, founder of Alley Cat Deliveries—a local courier service that’s more than just deliveries. Rob shares his inspiring journey from struggling on a bicycle to running a thriving business that helps others. Plus, hear about the weirdest delivery requests he’s gotten!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries:
But the beautiful thing in (00:00):
undefined
(00:00):
that is I just didn't give up.
I didn't say no when Iproved that, that all wrong.
I never thought I could work for myself.
I never thought I could be.
Rob Smith, how I am today.
If I didn't take that risk,there would have been no reward.
And sometimes you have to takethose risks where you really don't
understand how it's gonna work out,but you gotta have faith and trust.
(00:21):
And in the end, it's a beautiful thing
Stuart - All In Long Beach (00:38):
And welcome to the all in Long Beach
podcast, friends and neighbors.
We have a Great guest todayin this segment that we call
Small Business Spotlight.
This is the episodes, this is the funstuff that we do, where we go out and we
find and we talk to local small businessowners here in the Long Beach area that
are really just making a difference inour community, that are going over and
(01:02):
above, new restaurants opening, newbusiness openings, and great ways that
we can all shop local here in Long Beach.
And today, I am very pleasedto welcome to the program, Mr.
Rob Smith from Alley, California.
Welcome to the program.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Hi, thank you so much, dude. (01:16):
undefined
I really appreciate this.
Stuart - All In Long Beach: Oh, absolutely. (01:19):
undefined
I'm so happy that you are here withus today because you have such a
interesting story and background.
And I want to get into that.
But first, why don't you say a littlebit about what Alley Cat Delivery
is all about and what you do?
Yeah.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: So Alley Cat Deliveries is a (01:33):
undefined
personalized courier service, right?
But what sets us apart is thatit's always me all the time.
And we don't take anything if from therestaurants of commissions or sales
and we donate 20 percent of ourselvesto feed clothes and housed and help
people out directly in Long Beach.
(01:53):
So why not support localand keep our money local.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (01:57):
So when I first heard about you opening your
business, how many years ago now?
It's been a while.
It's
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: been about almost six (02:02):
undefined
Stuart - All In Long Beach (02:04):
years.
Six years?
Holy smokes.
So I remember going like, oh,it's just kind of like a localized
grub hub or a localized Uber Eats.
But it's so much more than that.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Correct. (02:13):
undefined
So, like, we do small cargo,freight, airport shuttles,
Amazon returns, grocery shopping.
I always say the answeris no unless you ask.
We've had weird requests.
Hey, Rob, can you come quick kill wasps?
Can you pick up ashesfrom the morgue or a cat?
I never know what's going tohappen when I answer the phone,
but that's the excitement of it.
(02:33):
Every day is something different.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (02:35):
And you said it's just you, just
you doing this all the time?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, just me. (02:39):
undefined
Uh, I'm feeling, uh, a littlebit older than last year, but you
know, I could work 16, 17 hoursstraight and just get the job done.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (02:48):
Holy smokes.
And so what is your service area?
Like, I know you're based in Long Beachand you deliver to Long Beach, but if
I say, hey, I need to run to OrangeCounty or I need to go to Torrance, do
you have a radius of where you service?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (03:01):
I don't have a radius, but at the same time, I'm
not really like Uber where you say, HeyRob, take me to the doctor and then I'm
waiting around for two hours for you tofinish and then come back and get you.
I just don't have that kind of time.
I've done it based on need, butwe kind of just do everything.
Like I'll go out to John Wayneor I'll go to Bob Hope Airport
(03:21):
for like that type of stuff.
Those ride shares, airports is what I tryto stay to, but it just depends on the
request if someone needs a ride like that.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (03:30):
What are the strangest requests you got?
Cause picking up ashes and this andthat, that sounds pretty personal, but
you know, maybe people are okay with
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (03:38):
that.
Um, that one was pretty weird for me.
Cause like, I didn'tknow where to put them.
So I put it, it's in anurn and it's all boxed up.
So it's not like I see anything,but I wanted to still be respectful.
So I put them in the passenger seat.
I put the seatbelt on,had a little conversation.
. Another weird one was pickingup a cat to be rescued in L.
(03:58):
A.
that a lady wanted.
She was coming down from, SantaBarbara, and she was delayed in traffic.
I had to take the cat home, and thekids really liked it, and it looked
like it got punched in the face.
It was a cute cat, but one of those likefunny, funny cat, funny looking cats.
He didn't get punched in the face,but he had like that smushed face.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (04:17):
Yeah,
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: and so I had the cat in my house (04:17):
undefined
for like four hours till she cameand picked him up But like I said,
I never know what's gonna happen.
We've done stuff for KylieJenner We've done stuff for
fluffy to his personal plane.
You never know what's gonnahappen when I answer that phone
Stuart - All In Long Beach (04:30):
That does sound a little exciting.
You know, it kind of breaks upthe routine of the mundane versus
just the whole, give me someMcDonald's or Taco Bell or something.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (04:38):
Yeah.
Yeah.
My worst one, I hated it was a,Hey Rob, can you go to in and out?
You know, that line, youcould be there for 30 minutes.
Just not feasible.
Like, when we first started off, we dida lot of food, but I scaled back on it.
It just depends on what you want.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (04:52):
Well, you know, those other services, like
the Grubhubs, like the Uber Eats,and all that other kinds of stuff,
that's pretty much all they do.
They'll do your food, andthey'll do your grocery shopping.
But you're talking about all the otherstuff, and there's a ton of other stuff
that's out there that people need.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, well, and what also sets us (05:06):
undefined
apart, let's say grocery shopping.
We could go to Costco.
You don't need a Costco card.
I have one.
We go to Restaurant Depotfor the restaurants.
We do a lot of logistics herein Long Beach with restaurants.
We do Trader Joe's, Whole Foods,but the difference is I'm shopping
as if I'm shopping for my kids.
I'm a single dad.
I have three kids, but I really care.
(05:27):
So you're not gonna get some oldbananas or some hard avocados.
We just take it really personalized.
And do it in love as if I was shoppingfor my family and people really like that.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (05:38):
So what possessed you to want to start
this business in the first place?
How did you get this idea?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: So I was working for Postmates (05:43):
undefined
for a year on a bike, you know,I didn't have a car or anything.
I lost everything after my divorce anduh, I was just sitting out in front
of On on Pine and Broadway tryingto get food orders from Postmates.
I was making five dollars of deliveryon my bike So it'd take 10 hours
to make a hundred bucks sometimesSo I just figured, as I learned,
(06:05):
Long Beach is a big, small city.
Everybody knows somebody.
Everyone's connected somehow.
And so I said, why don't I juststart doing this for myself?
And just started gettingmy name out there.
Went to Lori at Pie Bar.
Went to Romy at Romeo's Chocolates.
Can I have your account?
Well, how are you going to be different?
I said, I don't want any ofyour sales or commissions.
I'll charge the customer.
I just want your support.
(06:26):
And so it just ballooned from there.
Back then, when COVID, I starteda year before COVID, then COVID
hit, I had 19 accounts of food.
And it was a blessing, youknow, but I couldn't control it.
Hey Rob, I need you in Bixby Knowles.
Hey Rob, order's ready at the Attic.
Hey Rob, we got a pie at Pie Bar.
I couldn't control it.
So I shut all that off, and I just said,Hey, if you want something, anything
in Long Beach, just give me a call.
(06:47):
That way I could control it.
So that's how it started.
And now we've been the best deliveryservice the last three years.
We've took the LA Times BestDelivery of the Southland.
It's amazing how much we've accomplishedin so little time, and it's just me.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (07:01):
and you just got done doing something pretty
amazing because of all these fires thatwere happening last month in, uh, in L.
A.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, that was a lot. (07:07):
undefined
So that started off with Uh, justwatching the TV when it was first,
just as a warning, and I went up thereand, uh, tried to see what's going on.
We offered free evacuations,but then when I got out there,
I saw that there was no water.
There's no water pressure.
People were using bottled water to takeout what they can to salvage their homes.
(07:31):
And so, I bought 2, 500 worth of fireextinguishers and asked for donations
of fire extinguishers to pass them out.
And we were passing those out andhelping people try to save their homes.
Then it turned into supplies,then it turned into animal
evac, then it turned into food.
Like, we just didn't stop, and as longas I was able to do it, we did it,
(07:52):
and the community was so supportive,and anything that I asked, and what
we were trying to raise, Hey, we needblankets, we need this, we need that.
What set us apart from all the otherdonation people that were gathering
donations, is on being on theinside, and being out there, I was
connected to five different hubs.
And so they said, Hey Rob,we need this, this, and that.
(08:13):
So we would fill up a truck,this is what we need, we would
fill it up, and send it out.
So that way it was like clockwork.
We weren't just saying, Hey, justdrop everything off and clear
out your closet and your mothballclothes and used underwear.
It's just, we didn't do any of that.
It just made sense.
And we got the mission doneand it was really beautiful how
the community came together andreally rallied for Los Angeles.
(08:38):
You know, I've, I've always donethis giving back since I started,
I've done it my whole life.
But to do it on a bigger scale,like we did for Los Angeles,
it's just truly humbling.
And it was like, wow, what, how,how great is God, you know, to,
to be able for me to do that.
Stuart - All In Long Beach: And that just was all organic. (08:54):
undefined
You just saw an opportunity andyou said, I got to go do something.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (08:59):
Yeah.
Wherever I felt led is where Iwalked and it just worked out.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (09:03):
And no regrets about any of that, huh?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: No, not at all. (09:05):
undefined
None at all.
I'm just, I was just sohappy that we could help.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (09:10):
And you have, you were saying you already had
a lot of the supplies and the materialsand the systems in place to be able to
do these kinds of large scale events.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (09:17):
Yeah.
It was our first time doing somethingon this big of a scale, but to have the
resources, you know, we had Amazon, uh,a customer of mine works for Amazon.
She's inboxed me, Rob, howmany trucks do you want?
I said three, please.
Okay.
They're on their way.
I got a call from Deniseover at Confidential Coffee.
She's part of the Los Angeles rugby team.
(09:38):
Rob, Pasadena rugby team justlost all their athletic clothing.
I didn't know how I was going to fixit, but I'm not even kidding you.
This is how it worked.
That day, Ethica inboxed me on myAlleyCat profile, my Instagram, and
said, Hey Rob, what do you need?
And dropped off four palletsof athletic clothing.
We sent all that outto Pasadena rugby team.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (09:58):
Wow.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: I'm not a follower of like 40, 000, (09:59):
undefined
I have probably a little over 3,000 followers, but you never know
who those resources are, and that'sthe beautiful thing of Long Beach.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (10:10):
You are like this true entrepreneurial success story.
I know a lot of people really appreciatewhat you do and look up to what you do.
What would you say to someone that's outthere thinking about starting any sort
of business here in the city or somethingthat they have this idea and they
just don't know if they should or not?
(10:30):
Do you have any advice to other peoplewho might be out there that are thinking
about doing something but just don'tknow how to start or too afraid to start?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (10:40):
Yeah, so, you know, this didn't come easy to me.
You know, we, we were homelessfor over a year and a half.
I was doing this all on a bike.
And there's so many voices andpeople that will be naysayers
and say, Oh, you can't do that.
How are you going to compete against Uber?
How, how are you going tocompete against Postmates?
Like, who are you?
But the beautiful thing inthat is I just didn't give up.
(11:01):
I didn't say no when Iproved that, that all wrong.
I never thought I could work for myself.
I never thought I could be.
Rob Smith, how I am today.
If I didn't take that risk,there would have been no reward.
And sometimes you have to takethose risks where you really don't
understand how it's gonna work out,but you gotta have faith and trust.
And in the end, it's a beautiful thing
(11:21):
when it does work out.
It's not always easy.
There's days where you want togive up and throw in the towel.
But then there's days whereyou're just humble and just like,
Wow, thank you so much, LongBeach, for just keeping us going.
Six years is insane to me.
That's crazy to me that we've beenable to do this for six years.
And so, I would just say don't give up.
Don't listen to anyother voice but your own.
(11:44):
And just keep your best footforward and keep marching.
Keep, keep walking that path.
You'll
Stuart - All In Long Beach (11:49):
figure it out.
Because going back to you said whenyou first started this, you were
on your bike, you were, you know,making five bucks for delivery.
I mean, working, you know, allthat long just for, for, you know,
very little money, all that effort.
That's where I think a lot of peoplekind of give up in their entrepreneurial
journey is when it gets hard, they quit.
There's a little bitof a honeymoon period.
(12:09):
You
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: just can't because I was doing (12:10):
undefined
that in rain and sun and cold.
And it really taught me work ethic.
It really taught me, like, ifyou want it, you gotta go get it.
If you wanna sit there and say, woe isme, you could be a victim or a victor.
It's up to you.
And I just wanted to be a,I wanted to be victorious.
I wanted to win.
I wanted to take care of my family.
I wanted to help our community more.
(12:33):
So I just, you know, yougotta have that work ethic.
Like, okay, I just went to bedat 10, but I gotta get up at 6.
You get up at 5.
30.
So that's how I roll.
Stuart - All In Long Beach: So what's next for Alley Cat? (12:42):
undefined
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (12:45):
So what we're working on right now is getting
into car trailers and heavier transport.
Uh, I really want to getinto more cargo and freight.
Just start picking myapples before my cherries.
We'll still always be here.
But longevity wise, I think our futureis getting into cargo and freight and
doing more and expanding that way.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (13:07):
Mm-hmm . Your story is just so inspirational.
It is.
It is a true like, I'm going todo this and no one's gonna stop me
and I'm not gonna listen to all thenegativity that's out in the world.
'cause even here, as great as LongBeach is, there's still a lot of that.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Very much so. (13:22):
undefined
And that's what sells the most.
You know, why is TMZ so profitable?
Everyone loves the drama.
You could put a post up, Hey,I got in a car accident today.
200 likes.
You could say, Hey, everybodyhave a good morning.
I'm so thankful fortoday, and it's 6 likes.
Drama wins, and we have toovercome that and battle that.
I always say lead in love, andthis community is a beautiful
(13:44):
thing, but we have to lead in love.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (13:46):
Well, and you are a prime example of that.
So, Rob, it is great knowing you.
It is great having you on the show.
If people wanted to find outmore about you and Alley Cat
Delivery, how can they do that?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Um, you can look at our Instagram or (14:00):
undefined
Facebook pages on Alley Cat Deliveries.
You can Google us.
My phone number is everywhere.
Um, just give me a call or atext and we'd be happy to answer
your questions and Yeah, we wouldlook forward to your support
Stuart - All In Long Beach (14:17):
I want everyone to go do that go on to your
Instagram or your Facebook and go findalley cat deliveries It's I'm looking
at your card now alley cat deliverieson Facebook and Instagram, right?
Yes, sir.
All right.
And go and check that out and supportRob and all the great work that he is
doing throughout the city, because aslong as he's staying busy, as long as
(14:39):
he's continuing to grow, I think weall know that if there's another, not
if, but when the next, uh, catastrophehits in, uh, Southern California here,
we know that there's going to be greatpeople like Rob, that's going to be
able to help out, um, and all that.
So let's show some support back to him.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Thank you so much. (14:53):
undefined
Stuart - All In Long Beach (14:55):
No problem.
Anything else you want to tell everybodybefore we, uh, wrap things up here?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, just real quick. (15:00):
undefined
We always have a greater need here.
I always say support local, take careof our backyard, support the rescue
mission, support Lydia House, supportAIDS Food Bank, support Cal State
and the Viking Vault food pantries.
There's still a huge need herein Long Beach that needs support.
You know, buy that, that unhousedperson on the corner a sandwich.
(15:21):
We can make a differencelittle by little every day.
And that's anotherlabor of love, you know.
And so I always say, look at your backyardbefore you expand into another one.
If there's a need that needsto be met, we'll, we'll do it.
But we always do thisin our backyard every.
Yeah.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (15:38):
And we know there's still a huge need for
a lot of services and a lot of,um, different areas here in our own
backyard here in the city of Long Beach.
And Rob, I thank you so muchfor not only being on the show.
This is a blessing, but actuallygetting out there and putting the
so called money where your mouth is.
And, um, and if more people led, byyour example, then, uh, Long Beach
(16:02):
will become a much better place.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Thank you, sir. (16:04):
undefined
Stuart - All In Long Beach (16:06):
Thanks, Rob.
Everyone go and check out Rob Smith withAlley Cat Deliveries on Facebook and on
Instagram and, uh, reach out to him thenext time that you need, uh, something.
This is always nice to havean extra hand around here.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Thank you, Stuart. (16:16):
undefined
Speaker (16:18):
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undefined
(00:00):
that is I just didn't give up.
I didn't say no when Iproved that, that all wrong.
I never thought I could work for myself.
I never thought I could be.
Rob Smith, how I am today.
If I didn't take that risk,there would have been no reward.
And sometimes you have to takethose risks where you really don't
understand how it's gonna work out,but you gotta have faith and trust.
(00:21):
And in the end, it's a beautiful thing
Stuart - All In Long Beach (00:38):
And welcome to the all in Long Beach
podcast, friends and neighbors.
We have a Great guest todayin this segment that we call
Small Business Spotlight.
This is the episodes, this is the funstuff that we do, where we go out and we
find and we talk to local small businessowners here in the Long Beach area that
are really just making a difference inour community, that are going over and
(01:02):
above, new restaurants opening, newbusiness openings, and great ways that
we can all shop local here in Long Beach.
And today, I am very pleasedto welcome to the program, Mr.
Rob Smith from Alley, California.
Welcome to the program.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Hi, thank you so much, dude. (01:16):
undefined
I really appreciate this.
Stuart - All In Long Beach: Oh, absolutely. (01:19):
undefined
I'm so happy that you are here withus today because you have such a
interesting story and background.
And I want to get into that.
But first, why don't you say a littlebit about what Alley Cat Delivery
is all about and what you do?
Yeah.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: So Alley Cat Deliveries is a (01:33):
undefined
personalized courier service, right?
But what sets us apart is thatit's always me all the time.
And we don't take anything if from therestaurants of commissions or sales
and we donate 20 percent of ourselvesto feed clothes and housed and help
people out directly in Long Beach.
(01:53):
So why not support localand keep our money local.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (01:57):
So when I first heard about you opening your
business, how many years ago now?
It's been a while.
It's
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: been about almost six (02:02):
undefined
Stuart - All In Long Beach (02:04):
years.
Six years?
Holy smokes.
So I remember going like, oh,it's just kind of like a localized
grub hub or a localized Uber Eats.
But it's so much more than that.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Correct. (02:13):
undefined
So, like, we do small cargo,freight, airport shuttles,
Amazon returns, grocery shopping.
I always say the answeris no unless you ask.
We've had weird requests.
Hey, Rob, can you come quick kill wasps?
Can you pick up ashesfrom the morgue or a cat?
I never know what's going tohappen when I answer the phone,
but that's the excitement of it.
(02:33):
Every day is something different.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (02:35):
And you said it's just you, just
you doing this all the time?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, just me. (02:39):
undefined
Uh, I'm feeling, uh, a littlebit older than last year, but you
know, I could work 16, 17 hoursstraight and just get the job done.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (02:48):
Holy smokes.
And so what is your service area?
Like, I know you're based in Long Beachand you deliver to Long Beach, but if
I say, hey, I need to run to OrangeCounty or I need to go to Torrance, do
you have a radius of where you service?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (03:01):
I don't have a radius, but at the same time, I'm
not really like Uber where you say, HeyRob, take me to the doctor and then I'm
waiting around for two hours for you tofinish and then come back and get you.
I just don't have that kind of time.
I've done it based on need, butwe kind of just do everything.
Like I'll go out to John Wayneor I'll go to Bob Hope Airport
(03:21):
for like that type of stuff.
Those ride shares, airports is what I tryto stay to, but it just depends on the
request if someone needs a ride like that.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (03:30):
What are the strangest requests you got?
Cause picking up ashes and this andthat, that sounds pretty personal, but
you know, maybe people are okay with
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (03:38):
that.
Um, that one was pretty weird for me.
Cause like, I didn'tknow where to put them.
So I put it, it's in anurn and it's all boxed up.
So it's not like I see anything,but I wanted to still be respectful.
So I put them in the passenger seat.
I put the seatbelt on,had a little conversation.
. Another weird one was pickingup a cat to be rescued in L.
(03:58):
A.
that a lady wanted.
She was coming down from, SantaBarbara, and she was delayed in traffic.
I had to take the cat home, and thekids really liked it, and it looked
like it got punched in the face.
It was a cute cat, but one of those likefunny, funny cat, funny looking cats.
He didn't get punched in the face,but he had like that smushed face.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (04:17):
Yeah,
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: and so I had the cat in my house (04:17):
undefined
for like four hours till she cameand picked him up But like I said,
I never know what's gonna happen.
We've done stuff for KylieJenner We've done stuff for
fluffy to his personal plane.
You never know what's gonnahappen when I answer that phone
Stuart - All In Long Beach (04:30):
That does sound a little exciting.
You know, it kind of breaks upthe routine of the mundane versus
just the whole, give me someMcDonald's or Taco Bell or something.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (04:38):
Yeah.
Yeah.
My worst one, I hated it was a,Hey Rob, can you go to in and out?
You know, that line, youcould be there for 30 minutes.
Just not feasible.
Like, when we first started off, we dida lot of food, but I scaled back on it.
It just depends on what you want.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (04:52):
Well, you know, those other services, like
the Grubhubs, like the Uber Eats,and all that other kinds of stuff,
that's pretty much all they do.
They'll do your food, andthey'll do your grocery shopping.
But you're talking about all the otherstuff, and there's a ton of other stuff
that's out there that people need.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, well, and what also sets us (05:06):
undefined
apart, let's say grocery shopping.
We could go to Costco.
You don't need a Costco card.
I have one.
We go to Restaurant Depotfor the restaurants.
We do a lot of logistics herein Long Beach with restaurants.
We do Trader Joe's, Whole Foods,but the difference is I'm shopping
as if I'm shopping for my kids.
I'm a single dad.
I have three kids, but I really care.
(05:27):
So you're not gonna get some oldbananas or some hard avocados.
We just take it really personalized.
And do it in love as if I was shoppingfor my family and people really like that.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (05:38):
So what possessed you to want to start
this business in the first place?
How did you get this idea?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: So I was working for Postmates (05:43):
undefined
for a year on a bike, you know,I didn't have a car or anything.
I lost everything after my divorce anduh, I was just sitting out in front
of On on Pine and Broadway tryingto get food orders from Postmates.
I was making five dollars of deliveryon my bike So it'd take 10 hours
to make a hundred bucks sometimesSo I just figured, as I learned,
(06:05):
Long Beach is a big, small city.
Everybody knows somebody.
Everyone's connected somehow.
And so I said, why don't I juststart doing this for myself?
And just started gettingmy name out there.
Went to Lori at Pie Bar.
Went to Romy at Romeo's Chocolates.
Can I have your account?
Well, how are you going to be different?
I said, I don't want any ofyour sales or commissions.
I'll charge the customer.
I just want your support.
(06:26):
And so it just ballooned from there.
Back then, when COVID, I starteda year before COVID, then COVID
hit, I had 19 accounts of food.
And it was a blessing, youknow, but I couldn't control it.
Hey Rob, I need you in Bixby Knowles.
Hey Rob, order's ready at the Attic.
Hey Rob, we got a pie at Pie Bar.
I couldn't control it.
So I shut all that off, and I just said,Hey, if you want something, anything
in Long Beach, just give me a call.
(06:47):
That way I could control it.
So that's how it started.
And now we've been the best deliveryservice the last three years.
We've took the LA Times BestDelivery of the Southland.
It's amazing how much we've accomplishedin so little time, and it's just me.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (07:01):
and you just got done doing something pretty
amazing because of all these fires thatwere happening last month in, uh, in L.
A.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, that was a lot. (07:07):
undefined
So that started off with Uh, justwatching the TV when it was first,
just as a warning, and I went up thereand, uh, tried to see what's going on.
We offered free evacuations,but then when I got out there,
I saw that there was no water.
There's no water pressure.
People were using bottled water to takeout what they can to salvage their homes.
(07:31):
And so, I bought 2, 500 worth of fireextinguishers and asked for donations
of fire extinguishers to pass them out.
And we were passing those out andhelping people try to save their homes.
Then it turned into supplies,then it turned into animal
evac, then it turned into food.
Like, we just didn't stop, and as longas I was able to do it, we did it,
(07:52):
and the community was so supportive,and anything that I asked, and what
we were trying to raise, Hey, we needblankets, we need this, we need that.
What set us apart from all the otherdonation people that were gathering
donations, is on being on theinside, and being out there, I was
connected to five different hubs.
And so they said, Hey Rob,we need this, this, and that.
(08:13):
So we would fill up a truck,this is what we need, we would
fill it up, and send it out.
So that way it was like clockwork.
We weren't just saying, Hey, justdrop everything off and clear
out your closet and your mothballclothes and used underwear.
It's just, we didn't do any of that.
It just made sense.
And we got the mission doneand it was really beautiful how
the community came together andreally rallied for Los Angeles.
(08:38):
You know, I've, I've always donethis giving back since I started,
I've done it my whole life.
But to do it on a bigger scale,like we did for Los Angeles,
it's just truly humbling.
And it was like, wow, what, how,how great is God, you know, to,
to be able for me to do that.
Stuart - All In Long Beach: And that just was all organic. (08:54):
undefined
You just saw an opportunity andyou said, I got to go do something.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (08:59):
Yeah.
Wherever I felt led is where Iwalked and it just worked out.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (09:03):
And no regrets about any of that, huh?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: No, not at all. (09:05):
undefined
None at all.
I'm just, I was just sohappy that we could help.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (09:10):
And you have, you were saying you already had
a lot of the supplies and the materialsand the systems in place to be able to
do these kinds of large scale events.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (09:17):
Yeah.
It was our first time doing somethingon this big of a scale, but to have the
resources, you know, we had Amazon, uh,a customer of mine works for Amazon.
She's inboxed me, Rob, howmany trucks do you want?
I said three, please.
Okay.
They're on their way.
I got a call from Deniseover at Confidential Coffee.
She's part of the Los Angeles rugby team.
(09:38):
Rob, Pasadena rugby team justlost all their athletic clothing.
I didn't know how I was going to fixit, but I'm not even kidding you.
This is how it worked.
That day, Ethica inboxed me on myAlleyCat profile, my Instagram, and
said, Hey Rob, what do you need?
And dropped off four palletsof athletic clothing.
We sent all that outto Pasadena rugby team.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (09:58):
Wow.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: I'm not a follower of like 40, 000, (09:59):
undefined
I have probably a little over 3,000 followers, but you never know
who those resources are, and that'sthe beautiful thing of Long Beach.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (10:10):
You are like this true entrepreneurial success story.
I know a lot of people really appreciatewhat you do and look up to what you do.
What would you say to someone that's outthere thinking about starting any sort
of business here in the city or somethingthat they have this idea and they
just don't know if they should or not?
(10:30):
Do you have any advice to other peoplewho might be out there that are thinking
about doing something but just don'tknow how to start or too afraid to start?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (10:40):
Yeah, so, you know, this didn't come easy to me.
You know, we, we were homelessfor over a year and a half.
I was doing this all on a bike.
And there's so many voices andpeople that will be naysayers
and say, Oh, you can't do that.
How are you going to compete against Uber?
How, how are you going tocompete against Postmates?
Like, who are you?
But the beautiful thing inthat is I just didn't give up.
(11:01):
I didn't say no when Iproved that, that all wrong.
I never thought I could work for myself.
I never thought I could be.
Rob Smith, how I am today.
If I didn't take that risk,there would have been no reward.
And sometimes you have to takethose risks where you really don't
understand how it's gonna work out,but you gotta have faith and trust.
And in the end, it's a beautiful thing
(11:21):
when it does work out.
It's not always easy.
There's days where you want togive up and throw in the towel.
But then there's days whereyou're just humble and just like,
Wow, thank you so much, LongBeach, for just keeping us going.
Six years is insane to me.
That's crazy to me that we've beenable to do this for six years.
And so, I would just say don't give up.
Don't listen to anyother voice but your own.
(11:44):
And just keep your best footforward and keep marching.
Keep, keep walking that path.
You'll
Stuart - All In Long Beach (11:49):
figure it out.
Because going back to you said whenyou first started this, you were
on your bike, you were, you know,making five bucks for delivery.
I mean, working, you know, allthat long just for, for, you know,
very little money, all that effort.
That's where I think a lot of peoplekind of give up in their entrepreneurial
journey is when it gets hard, they quit.
There's a little bitof a honeymoon period.
(12:09):
You
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: just can't because I was doing (12:10):
undefined
that in rain and sun and cold.
And it really taught me work ethic.
It really taught me, like, ifyou want it, you gotta go get it.
If you wanna sit there and say, woe isme, you could be a victim or a victor.
It's up to you.
And I just wanted to be a,I wanted to be victorious.
I wanted to win.
I wanted to take care of my family.
I wanted to help our community more.
(12:33):
So I just, you know, yougotta have that work ethic.
Like, okay, I just went to bedat 10, but I gotta get up at 6.
You get up at 5.
30.
So that's how I roll.
Stuart - All In Long Beach: So what's next for Alley Cat? (12:42):
undefined
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries (12:45):
So what we're working on right now is getting
into car trailers and heavier transport.
Uh, I really want to getinto more cargo and freight.
Just start picking myapples before my cherries.
We'll still always be here.
But longevity wise, I think our futureis getting into cargo and freight and
doing more and expanding that way.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (13:07):
Mm-hmm . Your story is just so inspirational.
It is.
It is a true like, I'm going todo this and no one's gonna stop me
and I'm not gonna listen to all thenegativity that's out in the world.
'cause even here, as great as LongBeach is, there's still a lot of that.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Very much so. (13:22):
undefined
And that's what sells the most.
You know, why is TMZ so profitable?
Everyone loves the drama.
You could put a post up, Hey,I got in a car accident today.
200 likes.
You could say, Hey, everybodyhave a good morning.
I'm so thankful fortoday, and it's 6 likes.
Drama wins, and we have toovercome that and battle that.
I always say lead in love, andthis community is a beautiful
(13:44):
thing, but we have to lead in love.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (13:46):
Well, and you are a prime example of that.
So, Rob, it is great knowing you.
It is great having you on the show.
If people wanted to find outmore about you and Alley Cat
Delivery, how can they do that?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Um, you can look at our Instagram or (14:00):
undefined
Facebook pages on Alley Cat Deliveries.
You can Google us.
My phone number is everywhere.
Um, just give me a call or atext and we'd be happy to answer
your questions and Yeah, we wouldlook forward to your support
Stuart - All In Long Beach (14:17):
I want everyone to go do that go on to your
Instagram or your Facebook and go findalley cat deliveries It's I'm looking
at your card now alley cat deliverieson Facebook and Instagram, right?
Yes, sir.
All right.
And go and check that out and supportRob and all the great work that he is
doing throughout the city, because aslong as he's staying busy, as long as
(14:39):
he's continuing to grow, I think weall know that if there's another, not
if, but when the next, uh, catastrophehits in, uh, Southern California here,
we know that there's going to be greatpeople like Rob, that's going to be
able to help out, um, and all that.
So let's show some support back to him.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Thank you so much. (14:53):
undefined
Stuart - All In Long Beach (14:55):
No problem.
Anything else you want to tell everybodybefore we, uh, wrap things up here?
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Yeah, just real quick. (15:00):
undefined
We always have a greater need here.
I always say support local, take careof our backyard, support the rescue
mission, support Lydia House, supportAIDS Food Bank, support Cal State
and the Viking Vault food pantries.
There's still a huge need herein Long Beach that needs support.
You know, buy that, that unhousedperson on the corner a sandwich.
(15:21):
We can make a differencelittle by little every day.
And that's anotherlabor of love, you know.
And so I always say, look at your backyardbefore you expand into another one.
If there's a need that needsto be met, we'll, we'll do it.
But we always do thisin our backyard every.
Yeah.
Stuart - All In Long Beach (15:38):
And we know there's still a huge need for
a lot of services and a lot of,um, different areas here in our own
backyard here in the city of Long Beach.
And Rob, I thank you so muchfor not only being on the show.
This is a blessing, but actuallygetting out there and putting the
so called money where your mouth is.
And, um, and if more people led, byyour example, then, uh, Long Beach
(16:02):
will become a much better place.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Thank you, sir. (16:04):
undefined
Stuart - All In Long Beach (16:06):
Thanks, Rob.
Everyone go and check out Rob Smith withAlley Cat Deliveries on Facebook and on
Instagram and, uh, reach out to him thenext time that you need, uh, something.
This is always nice to havean extra hand around here.
Robb Smith - Alley Cat Deliveries: Thank you, Stuart. (16:16):
undefined
Speaker (16:18):
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