978: Derrick Hayes CEO and Founder of The Famous Big Dave's Cheesesteaks

With excitement allow me to introduce today's guest Founder and CEO of The Famous Big Dave's Cheesesteaks. A West Philadelphia native, restaurateur and philanthropist, Derrick “D” Hayes understands the value of hard work and perseverance. After falling into trouble with the law as a young man, Derrick found himself granted with an unexpected second chance and vowed to dedicate his time to giving back to his community while building a business to bring Atlanta a taste of his Philly roots. Inspired by his fond memories of assisting his grandfather in the kitchen for Sunday dinners, the charismatic visionary made his foray into the culinary world. 

Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks proves to be an inspiring small business success, but not without its challenges. Derrick launched his first brick-and-mortar venture in a humble setting: a 700-square-foot space inside a Dunwoody, Georgia, Shell gas station. Following the opening, Derrick worked to build a following while cooking behind the grill each day, but the concept was met with little-to-no foot traffic. Months later, rapper, actress & fellow Philadelphia native Eve made a trip to visit the small restaurant while in town for a project. She posted a photo on social media, and the rest was history. In 2016, Derrick rebranded the concept from Dave’s Philly Water Ice into Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks. Since then, it has grown into a nationally-known cheesesteak staple. 

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Favorite success quote/mantra:

• "Life is not a track meet, it's a marathon; it's all about how you end."

In this episode with Derrick Hayes we will discuss:

• Anything and everything

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Knowledge bombs

1. Which “it factor” habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Hard work
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Loving too much
3. What's one thing you ask or look for when interviewing/growing your team?
   • Loyalty
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Me
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • What goes around comes around
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • The customer is always right
7. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
   • My wisdom
   • My words
   • My knowledge

Contact:

Instagram: @officialdhayes @bigdavescheesesteaks

Thanks for listening!

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Huge thanks to Derrick Hayes for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

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