VBT 101: Interview with Dr Joel Kahn, cardiologist and vegan restaurant owner

In this episode I interview Dr Joel Kahn, holistic cardiologist and owner of two vegan restaurants GreenSpace Café and GreenSpace & Go in Detroit, Michigan. Joel is the founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity and Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University. Even though he’d practiced traditional cardiology since 1983, it was only after his own commitment to a plant-based diet that he began to explore non-traditional diagnostic tools, prevention tactics and nutrition-based recovery protocols and focus on holistic cardiology. Having treated thousands of acute heart attacks during his career, Joel wants to prevent these happening in future. He aims to achieve this by educating people about plant-based nutrition through his books (so far he’s authored five, as well as 100 scientific papers and hundreds of health articles), and speaking, as well as his restaurant ventures. He opened GreenSpace Café – a 120-seat all-vegan restaurant with a full bar – in Ferndale in December 2015 with his son Daniel and wife Karen. And just recently in March 2018, he opened the fast-casual eatery GreenSpace & Go in Royal Oak. In this interview Joel discusses: • Why he moved into the restaurant business • How he had to shift his plan for a small juice bar to create a much larger restaurant, after the landlord threatened to open a butcher store next door • The benefits that came out of the budget for renovations doubling • Why he decided to open a second, fast-casual eatery • How he chose the locations for both restaurants • How he manages his diverse businesses, including still running an active cardiology practice • The social media platforms that are most successful in promoting the restaurants • And much more Find out more about Dr Joel Kahn at his website Check out GreenSpace Café Check out GreenSpace & Go Brands mentioned in vegan business news roundup: Don Lee Farms Nat-2 Benevo Vegan Pet Food RESOURCES: My Online PR Course for Vegan Business Owners & Entrepreneurs: Vegans in the Limelight My book Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business Follow Vegan Business Media on: Facebook   Twitter  Instagram  Connect with me personally at: Facebook  Twitter  LinkedIn