Early Life and Entrepreneurial Foundation

• Mother: lead singer of reggae band, worked 5 jobs, rehearsed in basement
• Father: spent 22 years in prison for illegal activities, taught entrepreneurship from behind bars
• Both parents Rastafarian (Ethiopian Christianity), ate ital food growing up
• Location: Baltimore
• Early hustles: selling candy, frozen cups, donuts, McChickens in high school with markup

Veganism Journey

• 2007: stopped eating meat except fish while at Clark Atlanta University
• 2014: went completely vegan
• Describes self as "master faster" - does cucumber juice challenges, water challenges, one meal a day
• Veganism became "elevation" that led to $100M company

First Restaurant Experience

• Worked as producer on Maury show ("You are not the father")
• Friend had Jamaican restaurant "Rusty's" down the street
• Subleased restaurant space despite no restaurant experience
• Painted restaurant pink (matching name "Pinky")
• Served oxtails and jerk chicken (non-vegan food)
• Had line down the block immediately
• Problem: wasn't aligned - serving food she wouldn't eat
• Restaurant caught fire in grease fire, lost everything
• Car repossessed, went flat broke, lost relationship

Career Reset and Clarity

• Got call to work as casting director on "Fix My Life" show
• Moved to Atlanta, worked on show while getting personal healing
• Gained clarity during this period
• Running 5 miles daily, reading book daily
• Living in two-bedroom apartment

Slutty Vegan Creation

• Came up with "Slutty Vegan" concept during Atlanta period
• Wanted veganism to be "racy and provocative" vs traditional green/healthy image
• Friends encouraged the idea
• "Every step felt easy" - knew on right path
• Six years later: over dozen restaurants, multi-million dollar company

Restaurant Concept and Experience

• Located in heart of Atlanta
• Greeting: "We got a baddie in the building"
• Creates "safe space" regardless of race, height, etc.
• Focus on experience over just transactional food ordering
• Goal: customers leave feeling it was "one of the best experiences of my life"

Branding Strategy

• Colors: red and yellow (psychology - makes people want to eat and pay attention)
• Big bold letters for "in your face" impact
• Provocative menu names (example: "Ménage à Trois" burger)
• Strategy: "sell sex" - sex and food are two most important things in life
• Makes people uncomfortable but gets attention
• Once attention grabbed, can educate about vegan benefits

Customer Demographics

• Brand equity study showed 70% of customers are NOT vegan
• Attracts people curious about hype or trying vegan food first time
• Proves brand can compete with McDonald's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A
• Inclusive brand for everybody in hospitality space

Environmental Mission Evolution

• Original goal: prove vegan food could taste good
• Climate change/environmental impact came later
• Joined honorary board of PETA
• Learned about carbon footprint, climate impact
• Strategy: meet people where they are, don't push agenda initially
• "Reverse psychology" - get people drawn in first, then have hard conversations
• Responsibility to be "change agent" in hospitality space

Scaling Challenges

• Describes scaling as "the hardest thing I've ever had to do"
• Sleepless nights, sometimes wants to throw in towel
• Many vegan restaurants closing doors weekly
• Difference between being popular vs sustaining business
• Works "like a duck" - calm on surface, working hard underneath
• Sometimes feels alone on front lines

Growth Plans

• Opening at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (busiest airport in world)
• Will be first vegan restaurant in that airport
• National TV show appearance announced for following week
• Proud that "people see themselves in my business"