WEBVTT - EYL #11 Million Dollars Worth of Game. 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:03.120 Coach, the energy out there felt different. What changed for 0:00:03.160 --> 0:00:03.800 the team today? 0:00:03.880 --> 0:00:06.000 It was the new game day scratches from the California 0:00:06.080 --> 0:00:09.280 Lottery player is everything. Those games sent the team's energy 0:00:09.320 --> 0:00:09.840 through the roof. 0:00:09.880 --> 0:00:11.880 Are you saying it was the off field play that 0:00:11.920 --> 0:00:13.000 made the difference on the field. 0:00:13.119 --> 0:00:15.840 Hey, little play makes your day, and today it made 0:00:15.880 --> 0:00:19.079 the game. That's all for now, Coach, One more question. 0:00:18.960 --> 0:00:21.800 Play the new Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco forty nine 0:00:21.880 --> 0:00:24.960 Ers and Los Angeles Rams scratchers from the California Lottery. 0:00:25.040 --> 0:00:28.200 A little play can make your day. Peace made responsibily. 0:00:28.240 --> 0:00:50.560 Must be eighteen years or older to purchase late or claim. 0:00:50.760 --> 0:00:53.400 Welcome back, Welcome back, and you leave your episode eleven. 0:00:54.360 --> 0:00:56.880 We are back eleven weeks in Yeah, eleven weeks in. 0:00:57.080 --> 0:01:00.000 Man. This is unbelievable, as the support has been unbelievable. 0:01:00.760 --> 0:01:03.480 Thank you for everybody who's tuned into YouTube, subscribed it, 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:07.759 everybody on Instagram. Our growth has been monumental and it's 0:01:07.760 --> 0:01:09.080 more than we could have expected. 0:01:10.400 --> 0:01:12.360 So this week we got some special We got some 0:01:12.480 --> 0:01:13.440 special plan for y'all. 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:16.760 We usually saved the last segment of each episode for 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:19.880 our story time, but this week we had to start 0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:23.240 with it, and West we got a special guests. 0:01:23.240 --> 0:01:26.240 As the fact, so yes, we have a special guest 0:01:26.560 --> 0:01:29.000 this week. So if you know, Storytime is usually the 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:33.119 last segment of the show, and we highlight entrepreneurs and businesses, 0:01:33.280 --> 0:01:36.280 like the backstories and interesting stories about business how they 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:38.720 actually got to that point, like how Airbnb got to 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:40.040 be an Airbnb. 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:41.399 And how Google got to be Google. 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:44.360 But people like that segment, but they were asking for 0:01:44.840 --> 0:01:47.520 more relatable stories and to bring you know, a business 0:01:47.600 --> 0:01:51.320 owner and that's from the community small business owner success story. 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:54.320 So we said we would and we kept our word, 0:01:54.400 --> 0:01:58.000 and that's what we're doing this episode. So we're gonna 0:01:58.080 --> 0:02:01.640 give you the backstory, we're gonna reverse engineer the show. 0:02:01.800 --> 0:02:05.920 We're gonna do story time first, but it's not gonna 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:08.200 be overass story time. After storytime, then we're gonna give 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:11.520 you a blueprint because this show is about entrepreneurship and 0:02:11.560 --> 0:02:14.919 business and we're gonna actually give you the full blueprint 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:17.720 of what it takes to run a successful business, how 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:20.400 you get financing, the day to day operations, all of 0:02:20.400 --> 0:02:20.760 that stuff. 0:02:20.760 --> 0:02:21.560 And our guys, you have a. 0:02:21.560 --> 0:02:24.000 Very special guests, Like I said, we have Derek Falcon 0:02:24.480 --> 0:02:27.720 and Derek is a business owner. He has a restaurant 0:02:27.840 --> 0:02:32.120 in food Trucks in Baltimore, Maryland. And if anybody's not familiar, 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:34.799 Baltimore has a special place in my heart because I. 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:36.600 Went to school in Baltimore for two years. 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:38.400 And if you listen to the podcast, you know that 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:44.639 I went to school everywhere in the country, so Hawaii, Florida, Baltimore, Massachusetts. 0:02:44.720 --> 0:02:48.600 And that's because I used to be an exceptional basketball player. 0:02:48.639 --> 0:02:51.239 Exceptional would you say, Troy. 0:02:52.240 --> 0:02:53.680 Yeah, you were good man, you were talented. 0:02:54.919 --> 0:02:58.800 I wear many hats, so yeah. 0:02:58.840 --> 0:03:03.880 So Baltimore, shout to Baltimore, Shout out to Maryland, Montgomery County, 0:03:03.919 --> 0:03:06.920 PG County, shout out to DC, shout out to Virginia, 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:07.720 the whole d MV. 0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:08.880 We have love for DMV. 0:03:09.120 --> 0:03:12.000 So we have Derek, and I'm just gonna give the 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:15.079 quick I'm I'm gonna start at the beginning and then 0:03:15.120 --> 0:03:17.040 the end, and then Derek's gonna fill in his story. 0:03:17.080 --> 0:03:19.160 He's gonna tell the storytime for himself, because who can 0:03:19.200 --> 0:03:19.959 tell the story. 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:20.919 Better than the actual person. 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:26.119 So we're gonna start started at the bottom to the top, right. 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:31.240 So Derek got out of jail, and six years later, 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:35.400 six years later, he has a restaurant in three food 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:38.200 trucks that are bringing in well, a restaurant alone is 0:03:38.200 --> 0:03:42.440 bringing fifteen to twenty thousand dollars a week, millions a year, 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:45.240 A million dollars a year, A million dollars a year. 0:03:45.280 --> 0:03:47.640 That's yeah, yeah, the year sounds better than the week. 0:03:47.880 --> 0:03:51.800 So a million dollars a year in revenue. Okay, that's 0:03:51.840 --> 0:03:53.160 the end goal. I cued it up. 0:03:53.160 --> 0:03:56.000 I cued it up for Derek's gonna tell his story 0:03:56.040 --> 0:03:56.800 in the storytime. 0:03:57.320 --> 0:04:01.000 He has a little story that must sitting up gangsters 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:02.280 and hunts with your head done. 0:04:02.400 --> 0:04:05.000 The best story teller stuff down right up, pray up, 0:04:05.080 --> 0:04:06.120 straight down, straight. 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:07.040 Down, straight down. All right. 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:10.560 So you know I started, uh, I guess I would 0:04:10.560 --> 0:04:10.920 have to say. 0:04:10.960 --> 0:04:14.200 I started in the fitness industry, and then you know, 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:15.760 I started in the finish industry, and I want to 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:18.000 focus on something now I was more passionate about, which 0:04:18.200 --> 0:04:20.960 was at the time and still is until your design, fashion, 0:04:21.920 --> 0:04:23.919 music and food. And I felt like a restaurant was 0:04:23.920 --> 0:04:25.800 where a place where you could bring all those things together. 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:29.080 So me and my brother started in twenty fourteen. We 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:30.880 got a small space, but we didn't open it up 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:33.720 until May of twenty fifteen, and then once we opened 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:36.960 it up, that space became extremely popular and it got 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:38.840 to a place where like, the customers will be waiting 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:40.520 outside before we even open. 0:04:41.040 --> 0:04:41.800 So we we. 0:04:41.760 --> 0:04:44.400 Clearly came to the consensus that we needed a bigger space. 0:04:45.000 --> 0:04:46.960 And when I got the restaurant, I got it with 0:04:47.000 --> 0:04:48.840 the food truck attached to it. So the restaurant was 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:52.200 five grand, so I had the five grand. Then they 0:04:52.200 --> 0:04:54.039 gave me an entry way to the restaurant, which created 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.960 a relationship with the woman who had the food truck. 0:04:57.360 --> 0:04:59.839 So I was like, all right, cool, you know it's natural. 0:04:59.520 --> 0:05:01.680 For me to humulate for me to get the phone 0:05:01.720 --> 0:05:03.440 truck because I'm like, it goes hand in hand with 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:06.680 the restaurant. And then that led to the restaurant doing 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:09.240 really well and us moving to a bigger space. Once 0:05:09.279 --> 0:05:11.120 we moved to the bigger space and we were able 0:05:11.160 --> 0:05:14.160 to really expand our brand, it provided opportunities for us 0:05:14.160 --> 0:05:16.760 to get the other two trucks, so we're really excited 0:05:16.800 --> 0:05:19.600 about that. The trucks are different dynamic than the restaurant. Obviously, 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:22.400 the restaurant is more of an experience. The truck is 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:24.760 also somewhat of an experience but more of a fast, 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:27.960 casual appeal to it, and it has really allowed me 0:05:28.080 --> 0:05:32.400 to expand the brand in a very organic, very grassroots 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:36.520 type of movement because, like it's with the trucks, people 0:05:36.560 --> 0:05:38.839 see you everywhere and we have to crack the egg logo, 0:05:39.040 --> 0:05:41.040 as you guys have seen it, so they correct their logo. 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:43.440 Being everywhere creates market share and brand awareness. 0:05:43.839 --> 0:05:46.960 So for me, I'm big on a wealth strategy, and 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:49.480 you know what part am I going to play in 0:05:49.520 --> 0:05:52.560 the history books in terms of influencing the culture, inspiring 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:54.560 the youth, but also making sure that we got some 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:56.520 real tangible assets in the miss. 0:05:56.400 --> 0:06:00.320 So when we started, you actually, all right, talk about 0:06:00.320 --> 0:06:01.839 a little bit like until you were in prison, right 0:06:01.880 --> 0:06:03.760 when you came home, you were living in your dad's basement. 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:05.680 Right, Yeah, I came home. I was living in my 0:06:05.760 --> 0:06:08.160 dad's basement. I stayed there for about six months. It 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:10.120 allowed me to accumulate the money that I had to 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:13.000 invest in the store, So I took a huge sacrifice. 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:15.440 And I always say, like, you know, happiness is the 0:06:15.520 --> 0:06:17.919 ability to subordinate what you want to day for what 0:06:18.000 --> 0:06:20.400 you really want tomorrow, Like you know, like you can 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:21.880 leave out of here and you want a veness, but 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:24.160 you really want jet you know, just stay down till 0:06:24.200 --> 0:06:26.479 you get what you really want. So I had a 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:29.599 lot of a lot of grit and determination as to 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:31.479 what I wanted, and I saved and allowed me to 0:06:31.480 --> 0:06:32.599 get that first on food truck. 0:06:33.080 --> 0:06:39.159 That's important because delayed gratification the lay gratification. And like 0:06:39.200 --> 0:06:40.760 you said, you gotta stay down till you come up. 0:06:40.960 --> 0:06:43.240 So the fact that you were able to stay in 0:06:43.279 --> 0:06:47.160 the basement humbling, right, humbling experience, but you saved your 0:06:47.160 --> 0:06:50.800 money and you got your first restaurant, you got and 0:06:50.839 --> 0:06:53.200 then you build from there. And that's important, right. It 0:06:53.200 --> 0:06:54.200 doesn't happen overnight. 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:55.800 Yeah, because a lot of people want to get rich 0:06:55.839 --> 0:07:00.720 for contingencies subject upon this if it looks this way, 0:07:00.960 --> 0:07:02.960 you know what I mean. Me, I just I'm an 0:07:03.000 --> 0:07:05.120 end result type of guy. So I'm not really caught 0:07:05.160 --> 0:07:07.240 up on how I get there. Like, if we leave 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:08.839 out of here right now, we try and get in 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:11.280 the city, It don't matter who drive, you. 0:07:11.280 --> 0:07:11.800 Know what I'm saying. 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:14.280 It don't matter you know if a stop, like we're 0:07:14.280 --> 0:07:16.680 gonna stop, but we're gonna keep going and I think 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:18.080 for me, that's been my determination. 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:19.680 Even with the trucks, it doesn't stop there. 0:07:19.800 --> 0:07:23.360 My plan is four stores nationally, win in San Francisco, 0:07:23.480 --> 0:07:26.520 one in LA one in New York, and maybe one 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:28.360 in DC or keep the Baltimore one, you know what 0:07:28.360 --> 0:07:32.040 I mean. And all makes use property because that's what 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:34.680 we have. We have to make use property side, and 0:07:35.400 --> 0:07:37.800 all of them with a mobile with a mobile. 0:07:39.360 --> 0:07:39.800 Presence. 0:07:40.000 --> 0:07:41.360 So like for me, I felt like, all right, well, 0:07:41.400 --> 0:07:43.480 if you got a store and then that's a bricking mortar, 0:07:43.520 --> 0:07:45.400 then you got a mobile presence. But then we got 0:07:45.440 --> 0:07:47.360 product like we make our own jam from scratch that 0:07:47.400 --> 0:07:49.720 we sell, we make our own serat from scratch, you 0:07:49.760 --> 0:07:51.320 know what I mean. And then you got these products, 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:53.080 and then the products can go on a website, so 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:55.760 now you have a web presence too, just activating the 0:07:55.800 --> 0:07:58.560 streams of wealth within my industry. So I don't really 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:00.760 have to do anything else for the rest of my life. 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:02.040 I just got to keep milking this. 0:08:02.320 --> 0:08:04.320 Yeah, that's what. 0:08:04.720 --> 0:08:06.280 And then we were talking off camera, he said that 0:08:06.320 --> 0:08:08.360 you you had a s estanential amount of money going 0:08:08.360 --> 0:08:10.440 into business, right, which is important, So can you talk 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:12.800 about that, like because a lot of times people financing 0:08:12.880 --> 0:08:15.360 is important and they don't have money to start a business. 0:08:15.360 --> 0:08:18.880 But you saved your money from working as. 0:08:18.840 --> 0:08:20.960 A Yeah, yeah, I saved my money and then, like me, 0:08:21.040 --> 0:08:22.840 I'm real scrappy, so I was willing to do whatever 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:23.160 it took. 0:08:23.400 --> 0:08:25.720 But I had close to one hundred grand when I started, 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:28.640 you know what I'm saying, And people said, well. 0:08:28.560 --> 0:08:28.880 How did you? 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:30.360 How were you able to do that? 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:32.880 Like, you know, I saved and I stayed down man 0:08:32.960 --> 0:08:35.400 like I stayed in my dad's house and then basement 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:37.280 for six months, but then my dad and. 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:38.200 My stat Mon's house. 0:08:38.559 --> 0:08:41.800 And then also I built my credit up and then 0:08:41.840 --> 0:08:46.600 I constantly got uh in credit increases and I constantly 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:47.240 was saving money. 0:08:47.280 --> 0:08:48.960 It's hoard in cash. Like right now, I'm hort in 0:08:49.000 --> 0:08:50.240 cash for a big event. 0:08:50.280 --> 0:08:52.480 I want to do something comforable to like Broccoli City 0:08:52.600 --> 0:08:54.960 or you know, Coachelling, things like that. So I'm hort 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:58.560 in cash and I'm cultivating relationships. Yeah that's always key, 0:08:58.760 --> 0:09:01.719 but it really ain't. It's hard, but it's not as 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:02.800 hard as we make it seem. 0:09:03.160 --> 0:09:05.920 But in our culture, we refuse to sacrifice. 0:09:05.960 --> 0:09:08.720 So I've had conversations with people where it's like Oh, 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:10.840 you know, I do want the business, but I ain't 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:12.319 trying to stay with my mother for a year. 0:09:12.400 --> 0:09:14.360 Oh you don't want the business. 0:09:16.559 --> 0:09:18.600 Yeah, yeah, Like you know what I'm saying, Like you 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:21.240 don't want it when you wanted, you willing to do whatever. 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:23.199 I'm willing to do whatever. 0:09:23.280 --> 0:09:25.480 You know what I'm saying. So and I've done it all. 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:28.320 Like I say, servanty was busting. I like the fact 0:09:28.360 --> 0:09:30.199 that I really put a lot of grit and sweat 0:09:30.200 --> 0:09:33.559 into my business because it allowed me to master all 0:09:33.559 --> 0:09:35.760 the different positions in the components and elements that go 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:39.520 into what makes homemade homemade. I got better as timing 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:41.680 on because my first restaurant took me six months, the 0:09:41.679 --> 0:09:43.760 second one took me four, The third one, the second 0:09:43.760 --> 0:09:46.800 club concept, took me forty days. And then and then 0:09:46.840 --> 0:09:48.400 we were so sweet about the third one, was it 0:09:48.440 --> 0:09:51.240 took me forty days because I had partners too, that 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:53.360 the guys that guy shout out, like Randy pot Blay 0:09:53.400 --> 0:09:55.959 and Kevin Vaughan. Because now I was able to get 0:09:56.000 --> 0:09:58.439 better and better, and that was really perfecting of one's 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:00.800 craft because like now you go from the first store 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:03.000 me and my brother six months to the second store 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:06.080 me and my brother four months then like now I 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:09.200 got collaboration. So now we're even working with Rainey and Kevin, 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:11.719 working with you other black men. Seeing how easier they 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:14.440 make my life has inspired me to want more collapse. 0:10:14.640 --> 0:10:16.360 And that's why, you know, I don't mind reaching out 0:10:16.360 --> 0:10:18.839 the yard and just really spreading their wealth because it's 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:19.960 enough there. 0:10:20.400 --> 0:10:21.320 If you got a purpose. 0:10:21.760 --> 0:10:25.359 You said something really important about home maybeing experience. 0:10:26.520 --> 0:10:28.000 You told us behind the scenes that there was a 0:10:28.040 --> 0:10:30.679 story where you were bringing the food out to people, right, 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:32.760 because that was something that you were doing in your 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:33.680 everyday life, right. 0:10:33.800 --> 0:10:36.800 Yeah, it was always the tone, the undertone to the 0:10:36.840 --> 0:10:39.880 restaurant is always my real life. Everything I do is 0:10:39.960 --> 0:10:41.360 my real life, you know what I'm saying. And I 0:10:41.360 --> 0:10:43.880 can't give you anything that's inauthentic, So I have to 0:10:43.920 --> 0:10:45.840 be who I truly am. And that's where like like 0:10:45.840 --> 0:10:48.320 you say, the hoodies and you know, man like vapor 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:50.560 Max and stuff like that really coming to what we 0:10:50.640 --> 0:10:53.240 do because we didn't we didn't need your entrepreneurs. 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:54.960 You know, we were born in the eighties and you 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:56.719 know it raised you and. 0:10:56.640 --> 0:10:57.199 It is what it is. 0:10:57.280 --> 0:10:59.880 Yeah, and now it's a place where the dude and 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:01.880 the vapor Max has employed the god in the suit. 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:04.079 You know what I'm saying, That's just what it is, 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:07.840 Like you be surprised, you know what I'm saying. So yeah, 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:09.920 I think I think that that was important for me, 0:11:11.120 --> 0:11:12.920 being able to build out a brand in a way 0:11:12.960 --> 0:11:14.640 in which it could be authentic. 0:11:15.400 --> 0:11:19.320 Yeah, so we went from Homemade to the supper Club. 0:11:19.440 --> 0:11:21.760 Yeah, so the supper Club is a continue on my homemade. 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:24.040 It's more of a it's like you ever watch like 0:11:24.040 --> 0:11:26.280 a drama than you're waiting for next week, like Empire, 0:11:26.280 --> 0:11:27.760 Your Power or something like this wait. 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:30.200 So like for me, it took me so long because 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:32.400 things had to be authentic. I really had to live things. 0:11:32.440 --> 0:11:34.360 And when I lived things, and like for me, I'm 0:11:34.360 --> 0:11:37.680 a romantic type of guy, so like everything for me 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:38.920 falls back to a love story. 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:40.040 Like even when I designed. 0:11:40.240 --> 0:11:43.040 When I designed, it's a feel So it's like, you know, 0:11:43.120 --> 0:11:45.600 this person made me feel this way and now I'm 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:47.960 going to manifest that in a way on which I 0:11:48.040 --> 0:11:48.600 deal with space. 0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:49.520 It's like a true story. 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:50.680 Yeah, this sh is a true story. 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:52.400 And that's how I was saying, like I can't run 0:11:52.440 --> 0:11:56.439 off and do like a sushi restaurant. It's not my life, 0:11:56.679 --> 0:11:58.880 you are, Yeah, it's not my life, and it would 0:11:58.880 --> 0:12:01.240 be forced. And I see so many people they cast 0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:03.840 a wy net because they're really trying to force it. 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:06.080 So you like, you know, you might call somebody to 0:12:06.120 --> 0:12:08.400 cut head, like you, hey, well I'll cut all type 0:12:08.440 --> 0:12:08.920 of hey. 0:12:12.640 --> 0:12:13.240 You know what I'm saying. 0:12:13.320 --> 0:12:15.120 So, yeah, that was important for me to kind of 0:12:15.200 --> 0:12:16.640 narrow with down and keep things out in it. 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:17.240 All right. 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:20.319 All right, well so now okay, so now we had 0:12:20.360 --> 0:12:23.040 the backstory, but more importantly, we're going to go into 0:12:23.559 --> 0:12:26.120 the business side of things. How to run a business, 0:12:26.160 --> 0:12:28.480 how to have a successful business, your day to day operations. 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:30.839 As I said, you went from making zero to a 0:12:30.880 --> 0:12:34.040 million dollars a year in revenue. So now it's like, okay, well, 0:12:34.440 --> 0:12:37.360 how how does that work? How does that happen? And 0:12:38.000 --> 0:12:39.760 so we're about to give you guys a free game. 0:12:41.600 --> 0:12:44.120 All right, So now we you know, we told it 0:12:44.320 --> 0:12:45.880 kind of the backstory, but now we're going to go 0:12:45.920 --> 0:12:48.000 to the day to day operations, because, like I said, 0:12:48.040 --> 0:12:51.040 it's one thing to actually tell a story about you 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:53.160 have a business, you have a successful business, and support 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:53.559 the business. 0:12:53.559 --> 0:12:56.000 Okay, we get that, but people are saying, Okay, how 0:12:56.040 --> 0:12:58.880 do I do this? Right? So the first thing, the 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:02.760 biggest issue that any entrepreneur, any business, any person period, 0:13:02.840 --> 0:13:06.040 but definitely in business, has his funding finance. Right. 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:09.000 So you mentioned your story as far as having a 0:13:09.040 --> 0:13:11.559 certain amount of money when you started and buying it. 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:15.520 So how did you go about funding your operation? Like, 0:13:15.559 --> 0:13:17.240 what's your personal story for that? Yeah? 0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:19.880 So for me, it always start with sacrifice and trying 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:22.160 not to look cute. So, like I told you, I 0:13:22.160 --> 0:13:24.120 stayed with my father for six months, right, So the 0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:26.080 six months that I saved my father, I ain't pay nothing. 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:29.320 So now I come home, I'm training people, I'm taking cash, 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:31.880 I'm taking cash your personal check. I'm training all on 0:13:32.000 --> 0:13:34.559 by myself. I cut out the middle man. I accumulated 0:13:34.559 --> 0:13:36.400 all this money and now I'm able to build out 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:38.760 this restaurant. It's idea. So that's how I was able 0:13:38.800 --> 0:13:40.760 to gross the one hundred grand because I'm going through 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.199 six months of training and then beyond the six months, 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.040 now I get a I get an apartment, but then 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:48.319 I keep my expenses real long and then I'm still 0:13:48.400 --> 0:13:52.520 I'm saying, I'm hoarding cash in preparation and something big. 0:13:52.559 --> 0:13:53.240 You see what I'm saying. 0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:56.120 Yeah, yeah, So all right, Troy, you got a question. 0:13:56.480 --> 0:14:00.520 So we got the hundred thousand and now the one 0:14:00.559 --> 0:14:02.880 of the key parts of businesses location location. 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:06.200 Location. So you are located what part of Baltimore. 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:09.079 I'm located in the Federal Hill Locust Point part of them, 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:10.520 which is directly like you can. 0:14:10.440 --> 0:14:12.720 See the harbor for my restaurant, and you chose that location. 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:17.840 Is that I always like to choose more affluent white neighborhoods. 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:19.920 Just to be honest with you, The reason why is 0:14:19.920 --> 0:14:22.360 because I like to come in the neighborhood and kind 0:14:22.400 --> 0:14:23.840 of where they go gentrify. 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:27.640 I like to fuck it up the wise because like, yo, 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:29.280 it's not enough of that. 0:14:29.720 --> 0:14:32.040 So the reason why I got into the brunch because 0:14:32.040 --> 0:14:33.560 I'm like, yo, I want to do something that's a 0:14:33.640 --> 0:14:36.600 different model for us, because it's easy for them to 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:39.160 see me pushing pig feet or chilling's you know what 0:14:39.160 --> 0:14:41.160 I mean. But I wanted to do something that's very sophisticated, 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:45.880 very very upper crush. Yeah yeah, so, and I always 0:14:45.920 --> 0:14:48.520 believe in fighting us, so I felt like I can 0:14:48.520 --> 0:14:49.680 do it in a white neighborhood. 0:14:49.720 --> 0:14:51.480 I felt like, as long as you bring value to. 0:14:51.440 --> 0:14:54.680 The marketplace and you do something that's extremely exceptional people 0:14:54.680 --> 0:14:55.080 who come. 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:56.840 Yeah, I think one of the brilliant things that you're 0:14:56.880 --> 0:15:00.160 doing is you specialize in an area right where the 0:15:00.200 --> 0:15:02.840 restaurants will say they'll try to be everything for everyone 0:15:03.120 --> 0:15:05.280 and please every customer that they have, and you guys 0:15:05.520 --> 0:15:07.560 are like, Hey, we do breakfast and we do lunch, 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:09.680 and we do it great and it's a whole experience. 0:15:09.720 --> 0:15:11.080 I think that's one of the bringing about were you 0:15:11.080 --> 0:15:12.440 guys thinking that going? 0:15:12.800 --> 0:15:14.760 Yeah, I feel like as an African American business owner, 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:18.040 you can't cast a wide net because the whole world 0:15:18.080 --> 0:15:20.840 isn't your oyster. It's a different piece for you, you 0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:22.600 know what I'm saying, It's. 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:22.920 A total different piece. 0:15:22.920 --> 0:15:25.240 So for me, I felt like I had to speak 0:15:25.280 --> 0:15:27.440 directly into the voice of the people who I knew 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:29.080 woul support me. And then you also have to know 0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:31.200 how to glow your business latterly, you know what I'm saying. 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:32.600 A lot of times we go outside the scope of 0:15:32.640 --> 0:15:34.520 our business and try to rail in people who aren't 0:15:34.520 --> 0:15:36.800 interested in us, be interested in the people who are 0:15:36.880 --> 0:15:37.560 interested in you. 0:15:38.080 --> 0:15:40.000 So that was easy for me to be able to. 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:41.560 Focus down on the handful of things like I know, 0:15:41.640 --> 0:15:44.840 millennial black women not trying to eat avocado chosen sushi 0:15:44.920 --> 0:15:46.360 all day, you know what I'm saying. 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:48.320 But I know that they do partake in that as well, 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:49.520 you know what I'm saying. 0:15:49.520 --> 0:15:52.240 But for me, it was always about what made sense 0:15:52.240 --> 0:15:54.720 for the culture and the brand and not trying and 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:56.960 doing things with a certain sense of timelessness and a 0:15:57.000 --> 0:15:59.560 certain level of purpose where I can pass it off 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:01.760 to my kids. I'm proud of my I'm proud of 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.000 my brand, I'm proud of the storefront, I'm proud of 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:05.960 the trucks, and I know that there's something that can 0:16:06.000 --> 0:16:06.720 be bequeath. 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:10.960 So it's interesting because your your restaurant is only open 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:13.400 three days a week, right, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 0:16:13.560 --> 0:16:14.920 But you're you're still. 0:16:14.600 --> 0:16:16.920 Profitable, right, So how are you able to make a 0:16:16.960 --> 0:16:18.800 profit when it's only open three days a week? 0:16:18.920 --> 0:16:21.200 Like, can you talk about the actual business model behind it? 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:21.560 Yeah? 0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:22.360 I treat the model. 0:16:22.440 --> 0:16:24.160 So you know, from the time when I was young, 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:26.280 like you killing the guys, I familiarize you what you know, 0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:28.240 my story about when we're being young, always had a 0:16:28.240 --> 0:16:30.720 model of cutting out the middleman, right, So Like, if 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:32.920 you take my restaurant, I sell breakfast and brunch. 0:16:33.200 --> 0:16:34.640 How many times have you been to brunch on a 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:37.840