Food Truck 101: A Conversation with Daryl Smith Sr. co-founder on Wing-it and Sip-it

🍗 From corporate cubicle to food truck empire—all without a single loan! 

Daryl Smith Sr., co-founder of Wing-It and Spit-It, joins Entrepreneurial Appetite to share the unfiltered truth about building a successful mobile food business. Alongside host Langston Clark and special guest host Jeff May Jr. (SAAACAM CAO), Daryl reveals:

✓ How to bootstrap a food truck with zero debt
✓ The biggest mistakes new food truck owners make
✓ Why his book "The Food Truck Game" is changing the industry
✓ Real talk about pricing, operations, and profitability
✓ Partnership secrets with his wife and co-founder Wendi
✓ When (and when NOT) to expand to brick-and-mortar

This isn't your typical "follow your dreams" story—it's a masterclass in strategic entrepreneurship, community building, and sustainable business growth in the competitive food industry.

Perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and anyone hungry for real business wisdom.

Transcript

What's up everybody? Once again, this is Langston Clark, the founder and organizer of Entrepreneurial Appetite, a series of events dedicated to building community, promoting intellectualism and supporting black businesses. And before we get started into today's conversation, I want to tell you all a little bit about Entrepreneurial Appetite and my other podcast, The African Americans in Sport podclass But first, entrepreneurial appetite. we started off years ago as, dinner and discussion that evolved into a book club that when Covid happened, you know, we had to transition to moving and meeting online. And so that afforded us the opportunity to actually start bringing black business owners and entrepreneurs together, to have conversations on this platform. So I think all of our listeners for joining us. Those of you who may be joining us live, I thank you for joining us as well. and in a similar time frame, my other podcast, The African Americans in Sport Pod Class, was started in conjunction with two of my friends who, had the same academic advisor as I did during our PhD programs, and we each taught a class about the African American experience in sport. And so we take that class and we make it available to a broader audience. And so, if you like entrepreneurial appetite, also, go check out the African Americans in Sport pod class. One of the things that I'm most proud about and one of our guest speakers today will, will share this, this affinity, is that I'm a graduate of a historically black college, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. So those of you who support this podcast both through our Patreon, both through those donations, that those of you who come join us in person, ten percent of that goes back to support and endowment that I started at my beloved alma mater, my beloved HBCU, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. And that endowment, supports folks in the College of Education who are looking to get their master's degrees and doctorates, because we want to advance education, because I would not have the education that I have if not for A &T And a special shout out to Doctor Terrell Morton in the future, Doctor Brittany Patrick, who are my partners in that endeavor. And so now, without further ado, let me introduce our two distinguished guests for today. First one is Daryl Smith Senior, who is the founder of Wing -It and Sip-It who is also the author of the food truck game one hundred and one, a step by step guide to starting a mobile Food Truck business. And also special shout out to brother Jeff May Jr, who is the chief administrative officer of the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum. Before I hand this over to Jeff. Yeah, I got a slight curveball for Daryl because Daryl don't know this, but years ago I met Daryl at a and man, it was like a gathering at. It was at a rooftop bar in San Antonio. I forget the name of it. It's not pastiche paramour. It was at paramour, and it was you and your boy. I think your boy was the co-founder of Wing It. Y'all were just a food truck at the time. And that's where I met your for the first time. And you told me the story about. I'm not. I'm gonna let you tell the story. But I know you went to Texas Southern, if I'm not mistaken. Yes, sir. I think your boy went to UTSA. I can't remember if he did or didn't. See, I got a good. This was like ten years ago because this is the first year I lived in San Antonio. Y'all first got started. So. So around that time, maybe a year or two after that, I started doing these gatherings, trying to get people together for dinner and discussion and try to feature an entrepreneur. And like I said, it evolved into a book club. So there were two times in the past where I got the book club gatherings together. Before we became a podcast where I actually went to Wing-It to buy the food in preparation for the discussion for the books. And the one that I remember keenly is we were having a conversation about the book called Say Yes to No Debt, okay? And I bought the wings from Wing-It and we met over at Bibliotech, the one that's over there by by Antioch. Mhm. And like we love the wings. And so I say that to say you may not know this, that your work has been a part of my work probably from the beginning, years before we even transitioned into becoming a podcast. And so I have actually been waiting for a very long time to feature you here today. And so it's an honor to have you here with us. And, Jeff May junior is a good brother, part of my community here in San Antonio doing good work with the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum. And so, Jeff, I'm gonna let you take it over and, looking forward to listening to you brothers have this, insightful conversation. Amen. Thanks a lot, doctor Clark. Big ups to you and and, for this movement and what you're doing with entrepreneur appetite. Boss man. Daryl What's good tonight, man? What's up man? It's good to see you, man. It's really good to see you. you know, I think Doctor Clark kind of hit it on the head, man. You know, San Antonio is less than ten percent African American when we think about, you know, our numbers in this city and and some of the surrounding areas. So when you meet good people, it sticks with you. when you meet people like you, it surprises you, number one. And then when they're good people, man, you definitely want to keep them, you know, kind of locked in and and with you. So not only has Doctor Clark had that experience with you, but for disclosure's sake, letting the listening audience know you and I go way back. You know what I'm saying? Tight like that, and I and I and I really admire what you're doing, brother. I mean, to be an entrepreneur is not an easy feat. And it's hard work. it's it's long hours. It's thankless times, that nature. but at the same time, very few people do it, and very few, few people do it as well as you've been doing it. So we want to give you your flowers in advance, brother. Congratulations to you. We appreciate you. An example. And now you got this book, man, you sitting on this book. Not too many people become entrepreneurs and successful at it. But now you have this book, man, the the the guide. You know, it's a step by step guide to starting a mobile food truck and business. It's called the food truck game in San Antonio. Man is a food truck city. It's a culinary city. But food trucks is the way to go. And you're a black man in a food truck in San Antonio. Bro, you gotta give us the story, man. How did this happen? Yeah, a food truck. You wing it. Talk to me. Yeah, man. It's crazy man. and one thing. God is good, right? I couldn't I couldn't do it without him. I got, I gotta say that, first and foremost. but, man, how how it started, man. it started with my mom, man. She she she kind of instilled me. She was a actually a food truck. No, I'm sorry. I take it back. She was a, a business owner, a franchise owner of a bases when I was, like, five. And something sparked in me, you know, the entrepreneurship, right? so fast forward. So it's always been heavy. I wanted to do something. Right. I was, I actually was working as a waiter in college, and I would doodle, like, little pictures of food trucks. So little back back in back story again. I went to Texas Southern, like you said. pledge spring oh eight, Kappa Tray Club. And I say all that to say so when. So during those early days, I was a waiter, man. I was I was a hustler. That's how. That's how I made. I paid my rent. right? And I would doodle like they used to call me Baby Dee because I was the youngest on my line. And I used to have a food truck. I used to draw, and it was called Baby Dee's Wings. Wow. I'll put Baby Dee's wings. And I was like, you know. And I was like, you know what I'm gonna have? I was a Dave and Buster's waiter, and I would. I would draw, and I'm like, man, I just. And I don't know what wings stuck with me because I think this wings was was American food, right? And I thought, you can't mess up wings. So, I was just I mean, I was just so I'm like, that's what I want to do, you know? So, fortunately enough, when I was dating my my wife now. But we were dating at the time, her her cousin was in culinary school, so I was the idea guy. So I graduated with my bachelor's in business marketing. And so I had the ideas, right? I was the idea guy, never a culinary chef, but I had those ideas. And when we were dating, you know, she introduced me to him, who was also up and coming. Right? He was. And and it meshed well. So he was my first partner. I would, he would I would come up with crazy ideas. Hey, let's do winged waffles or, you know, let's do a raspberry chipotle. And he would come up with it and and we kind of meshed and we kind of, you know, did our thing before the truck. Right. And when the opportunity came, I, I was I was really like scouring the internet for a food truck. I said, I gotta get a food truck. And I came across this old Honduran food truck on Craigslist. Right. And I was, I was, I was I mean, I was like, man, I gotta have it, right? I mean, I'm looking at the pictures. I'm like like, okay, so I really so I went on a whim, I messaged the guy, I was like, hey, I'm serious, you know, blue, blue, blue, whatever. can I come see it? went to see that thing. I was in love, man. I was I mean, the truck was. It had I mean, I didn't care. I saw I had the vision for it, right? It had pictures of tacos all over it, right? Right. I end up going. And he let me test drive it, and I'm like, oh, I gotta have this. I gotta have, you know, and I was just. It was something in me just burning. And I. And we end up negotiating. I didn't have the full amount that he, that he had. So he was like, man, this guy's not serious. But I kept coming back right after I came. I seen it the first time I said, let me come back. And he's like this guy, this little, this little young guy, hungry, right? So I was like, so we end up negotiating a price and he let me do down payments. Fortunately enough, being a waiter got a little bread to save. So every time, man, every time I got to like one hundred, I would, I would wrap up in rubber bands. Right. And I had a, I had a shoe box, Nike shoe box full of of of money. Right. So that was my down payment. That was my deposit because I was saving while I was a waiter. So this is what this is all in college, right? And that was my down payment. We started that thing. And I can never forget the day I'm literally driving this nineteen eighty one Chevy Grumman. Right? Imagine a step, a UPS truck, all white tacos on it, right? With this black kid driving back to third Ward, Texas H-Town. Right. So I'm driving back like I'm excited, right? Because I'm coming from the north side of Houston all the way to third Ward to Trey Southside. Right. And I'm driving and I see one of my one of my classmates, he said, oh, and it's it's it's literally it's me. I'm out the window like, hey, you know, you know, you gotta you gotta say the rub, you know, hey, hey, I told y'all, you know? And that was. And I was so excited. And, you know, I had to I had to paint a candy red. So that was my first thing. So I painted a candy red. Man, when I say I pulled up to every college party, I pulled up to every nightlife event. And for a while, that's how I paid my rent, right? So me and him, that's how we started. We started, literally at TSU at the after parties. really had a little name for myself. celebrity Bun B was like one of the first. This this pre before trill Burgers, right? I remember like it was yesterday. He was my first celebrity. I'm, I'm, I'm chilling at the end of an event. He pull up coming up and like I'm like oh OG man what's good. And end up selling him some wings right. So again humble beginnings man. From, from from there. I mean, it went up. So I had, I had, a time in Houston, that's kind of where I got my name and stuff like that. And then what brought me back home was just kind of the hardness of entrepreneurship, right? The late night, early mornings, I remember seeing the sun come up because what we would do after the party, after the club and we, we got all this chicken. Where are we going? We went to the strip club. Right. So, so I would I mean because that's how I paid my rent literally. So it was, it was literally it was literally a grind. And I say all that to say. So our partnership kind of clashed a little bit because again, part business is hard, business is tough. And we end up going our separate ways. And it kind of hit me was like, you know what, I need some discipline. So I was like, you know what? I got my degree, I'm going I'm going to the military. Mhm. So that was that's what brought me back home. So I'm born I'm from San Antonio. military brat stayed half my life in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Fort Bragg. My, my my stepdad was in the military. and again, like, I moved back ninth grade. Judson. Those days, and then I was the first class from Wagner. So when it when it was when I had the opportunity to move back home, I'm like, I didn't really want to go home because, you know, you get that that that college life, you get that, you know, that. Tsu you know, it's it's different, right? Houston like Atlanta, right? It's it's it's Wakanda. Right? Right, right. I really didn't want to leave, but I was like, you know what? I need some discipline because too much partying. And then I gotta do business. And then I got jokers that want to invest, but they, you know. So it was a lot of that, right? It was that it was a lot of that. And I was like, you know what? I have no family here. Really. I need to go home. Let me take a break, let me get my mental right. And so I put, I set I sat down for a little bit. I put my truck to the side and storage. I went off to basic training. Now I said, if Uncle Sam going to take me, I ain't going to go for it. I went, I went reserve, I wasn't no fool because I already had my degree. So I was like, you know what? I'm doing them a favor. So I really just want to go part time soldier so I can stack up. Right? And that's that's what brought me back home to San Antonio. Wow, wow. I mean, you gave us a story, Daryl. And it's like, you know, the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups, the downs. Right? Even when you're talking about the truck, you know, driving back to the third Ward, man, like, and you're excited and you can actually, man, I don't know if the audience saw it, man. I'm sure they saw it. They can see it in your face, man. When you go back to those times in your mind and you tell those stories and we've been talking, man. So when you tell those stories, man, you can really see that hunger, that desire, that passion. But it was also a hard time, man. So you kind of gave everybody a blend in that story. I also like how you sprinkle in that Kappa Alpha Psi. That's cool, but it's ice cold outside. But I digress, but you gave us a story, man, and you decided not to keep that story to yourself, but you decided to write a book, you know? So how did that journey motivate you in such a way where you felt like, yo, I need to put this on paper. I need to put this in a book. How did the book come about? Man? So, so really, it came after actually being in business, actually. I mean, from the early times, like, no, there's not no real blueprint of like, you know, how to write, be a black man starting a food truck or how to, so for me, it was it was really winging it. I mean, no point intended, but it it was it was literally winging it. Yeah. Literally winging it. Yeah. My first, my first truck was called Wing Express. And I mean, when I say from the beginning of getting the truck to the marketing to, you know, nobody told me, you know, even when it came to funding. Right? I really had to learn, on a limb. And so for me, it was like, you know what? How can I if I was to, to give the next generation and I see these in my employees all the time, like, how can I, you know, you know, or people ask me all the time, hey, how do you start a food truck? How do you do this and that? And I'm like, man, you know what? Why not give them the template that I never had, right. so for me, I, I'm real big on, like, how can I, you know, I never want to be too big. Why would I be a gatekeeper of information? I want I want to be able to. Oh, man. Hey, back in the day. Hey, you go left, man, because I went right, and you don't want to go. Right. So so that was my reason being for for starting the book. Wow. So when people get this book right, this this how to guide the food game truck, right, that step by step, you know how to start it. Is it literally a step by step like structured? When they open it up, how can they navigate that thing. So it's really it's it's my taste. It's my story. it's a little a little deeper than what I, what I just told you. it's my my ups and my downs. But then also it's going to get it's going to be two phases and it's going to give me a little more professionalism, more a little more strategic. Hey step one get it. Get your permits, get your, you know, get your licenses, get your LLCs, you know, so on and so forth. so I got a little of my story into it, but I added it with actual templates where they can actually use, checklists, business plan, like, you know, references and stuff like that. So you can actually, you know, hear my, my, my real time story, but also have the actual print off where you can print off these worksheets and do the thing right. So I like that. I like that because there's a lot of people, man, who jump up, you know, San Antonio again is the city of the food trucks. You know, it's one of the the largest food truck cities in the country. And again, you know, it's, you know, no minor flex for you to be this successful. Right. And what you're doing and the franchises tell us a little bit about wing it man. Like here it is. You went from a food truck to wing it. I mean that's a big leap and that's almost a dream for some people. Where now you got multiple locations and it all started with a Honduran taco truck, man. Listen, you got to tell the people. You got to tell the people. How did you make that leap in business to where you are right now? so again, man, it's so partnerships. I'm real big on partnerships. even though, you know, you got you got it. Like I said, it's all about the right partnerships, right? Right. so, so at the time, picking up when military literally, my idea was like, okay, in the military. My idea was like, you know what? While I'm in there, let me stack up. And and the goal was to go back to Houston, right? Yeah. But in there, something dwelled on me. It was like, I'm in formation and I'm seeing food trucks at the P.x. Yeah. And I'm like, I'm like, huh? You know what? San Antonio got three, four bases. And so at that time, I was changing a little bit. I was like, really getting smarter when it came to, the landscape. And my best friend had introduced me to my partner. Now, Bernardo, who was, he was he was he was the he was the man at UTSA. He was the big party promoter. and I really kind of like, was like, because I dealt with party promoters and that's what I was kind of running from, because it was a big investors. They was like the, the non-drug dealers. But you know what I'm saying? so I was like, okay, let me, let me have this meeting and see what he's talking about. And he was hearing what I was doing. He was like, man, how can I, you know, maybe franchise or can you lead me in the right direction. And I was like, I was like, okay, I can lead you in the right direction. I don't know about partnering, but I can I can point you. Right. So he he ended up, so this is before I left. he ended up starting his own truck. You know, I kind of pointed it out. Hey, this is the right by so on and so forth, but I didn't give him too much. And he ended up taking that and starting his own food truck was called, which was called Countdown Wings, which he did at UTSA. So me, I'm in basic training and I'm like, I didn't think nothing of it, right? I didn't think nothing of it. And when I get out, he's up and running. I go check on him. He got a line at by UTSA at the little food truck park over there. I'm like, not now something now. Now I'm really okay. Now I think, I think I need to come back to San Antonio now, right? Because I'm a little jealous. I'm like, I wonder what my truck would do if I came out here. So mind you, I'm in basic training. I'm in tech school, my baby been in storage getting dust for the last three to six months. So I'm like, I'm really eager. So I end up, sending for my truck. Never forget. Got it. Towed from Houston to my mom's house. And I'm like a kid in the candy store, man. I'm like, man, they pull up now. It was night. I'm seeing a big red truck pull up, and I'm like, I'm like, oh, well, baby, I ain't seen you in six months. Yeah. And, so I end up pulling it and starting and, you know, got got back in a little, little filler things. I, I had it on the northeast side because I was like, you know what? If I compete, I'm not going to really compete with him. He's over there by UTSA. Mhm I know my side, the northeast side of San Antonio. Right. so I end up setting up shop on the northeast side. I used to, while I was still in reserve, I still got my cat card. I used to go on base and I used to flyer, the, the barracks mart. So they used to. They used to. That's how I got my name out faster. And, one time I was delivering on base, I think I was doing for my food truck. And I came across the Kirby location, our first location, and it was an old. it was an old restaurant. It was probably like ten different locations and the rent was like seven hundred dollars. And I'm like, mm. So I reached out to him. I was like, hey, let's let's partner up. Now, now that partnering sounds sounds good, right? And you know, for me, it made sense because he already had, some seed in the ground in San Antonio. Like, I, I wasn't here since high school. They don't know me. And he already had a, you know, a big college following. So I was like, you know what? And he had a little more money than I had. Right? Sure. so I was like, you know, why not partner up? So we end up funding the first spot. We, we took the best parts of each truck and came up with wing it, and that's what we came from. He had, like, a a pineapple mango wing or something like that. I had the pineapple lemonade and Cajun and we kind of fused and we came up with Wing It and our first location was in Kirby, and that's how wing it was born. And literally when we first started, I didn't have he ended up selling his truck. I kept mine, so I'm like, you know what? Worst case scenario, I got my truck. but that that became my first kitchen. So it was cooking before we can afford the fryers inside. Wow. So we had the decor. We had the the restaurant was ready, but the back we was cooking from the food truck. Wow. Wow. So a lot of people don't know. So I had man, I was hiring my family members. My mom was working in there. My cousin, my little cousin Chris was in there to cook. And we had walkie talkies, like drop twenty piece. Roger that. Like, you know, Call of Duty type stuff. Early, early days. And that's how we started, man. Our first location. Wow, that. That's a grind, bro. That's a grind. And that story. Right? the thing that really stands out to me, though, Daryl, is that you went from competitors to collaborating, right? You know, so, so many times we see, you know, competitors in business, the same industry, Black men, you know, up against each other, right? what what was the breaking point for you? You know, I hear you say, you know, I looked at the situation. I said, we may be better off together. Was it the seven hundred dollars rent? Was it the opportunity you saw? What was it, man, that made you say, you know what, man? I'm about to. I'm about to take a chance. I'm about to, you know, maybe show some humility. I'm about to try to extend an olive branch. What was that breaking point for you? Oh, for me, I think it's like when I came to the realization that I don't know everything. And, you know, especially if somebody has more knowledge than I have, why not partner with that person? Why not? You know, you you can eat together in a sense. Right? And if I'm coming to a city that somebody already conquered in a sense. Right. Yeah. You know why I rather, you know, let's let's. Hey, hey, how can we benefit each other? Because I have some knowledge that you might not know about. You have something I. You know, you have a following, a network. Let's let's mesh together and let's see how we can, you know, have the same common goal at the end of the day. That's crazy. So when you eliminated ego, you had a chance to really grab hold of your vision. right. So now how many franchise? I mean, how many locations are we talking right now between the two of you? seventeen. Seventeen. So we. So we got smart, we got smart, we got smart. We talk about the spirit component a little later, but we got smart in the aspects of franchising. Yeah, that helped us. So we have actually six we have six corporate locations that are ours, but we have eleven other plus that are franchises I love that. So did you incorporate the franchising information in the book so that people can kind of get a look at that? Yeah, man. Because I mean, you gotta start from somewhere, but if you don't have a vision, then that's not going to fuel you, right? To get to where you want to go. Right? I think that's huge, man. So like, you know, your your story has been full of ups and downs and some challenges. What would you say the most challenging part of your journey has been? What's the most challenging part? I think the staffing man. So I mean, it's I've been man, I say three hundred plus employees over my lifetime. Maybe more than that. Yeah. And I feel like it's different seasons. You have different, you know, you have different highlights and different people that I can remember like, oh, they're in that season. That was the hot. That was the person that highlighted that that year or something like that. So I say that's that's that's kind of like, pros and cons at the same time, right? You have those people that, that stick with you that, that, that help you get to you help you elevate. And you got those, those people that like, you know what, if I were to hire that joker, I would have saved some money. so it's kind of like I would say definitely the people, it is one, one thing. The labor, the the things like that. That's the stuff that I really didn't know because early on it was just me. Me and, you know, maybe somebody that was trying to get on. Right, right right right right right. You know. Yeah. Like that, that that's how that was my staff. Yeah. Oh wow. You're getting paid. You better. Oh you want to get on these letters? You know, stuff like that. Yeah. Yeah. We we ain't going to go there. We ain't. Yeah. See. So so there there's a divine nine component of the audience that was like yeah you're right, you're right. Yeah. Thirteen weeks of that. No. So what? So those are some of the challenge, right. Dealing with the people. The people stuff. Right. Yeah. yeah. What are those things that make you look back and smile, man, what's been the most fulfilling part of this entire journey? And it's been a long journey for you, man. How long you been in the game? How long you been in the game? man, it'd be what, been eleven years, is it? I say about thirteen years, fourteen years, fourteen years, thirteen, fourteen years. And out of that time, man, what stood out to you as your greatest win? man, you know what? I would say this. So our first manager that we hired was actually in a freshman in high school, right. I've actually seen her grow. I seen her graduate. I've seen her have a child. I've seen her get her master's. so to see this young person, that was my first manager, her first job freshman year in high school to see where I can still call her. I still get I still, you know, check on her now and then on Instagram or whatever. But I see I've seen her elevate. But I see that, you know, those that time where you know, I gave her knowledge or that time where, you know what I'm saying? And I like, like like my, like my own child. Right. Seeing them grow and seeing like, wow, you know what? I kind of instrumented, you know, some of those things and still some of those things that, that she still uses today. So man, you just elevated the next topic I wanted to move into. Man. And it happened organically. Right. His mentorship. So you served as a mentor to this young lady and you've seen her grow. You've seen her thrive. but somebody had to pour into you. You mentioned your mom was an entrepreneur, and you saw that young where she was franchising at the bases. Who's been a mentor to you or who are some of your mentors in this food truck game? Man, it's crazy, man. It's not many. It's not many. And I think for me that's been my biggest, you know, challenge, not challenge because, you know, so many people that that are so-called gatekeepers where, you know, they don't want to, you know, distill the information or, for me, I was like, you know, I never like I, like I said previously, I never want to be that person where, you know, I'm a withdraw information. Like, if I'm winning, you win it, right? Sure. so for me, I never really had that in the space of, you know, I have seen, like, you know, for me, I'm always I always looked at big brands like, you know, if they can, why can't I? Right. and that's been my biggest thing, you know, I might not know that, CEO. I might not know that actual operator. But, you know, I live vicariously through, you know, their Instagram, right? And seeing how they elevate it, I'm like, okay, you know, I don't got to reinvent the wheel, per se, but I can make it my own, right? I love that and and think and speaking about your Instagram, man, I was on it today. and you know, now that I follow you, you know what I'm saying? I'm seeing some of the stuff you put out. I follow you on LinkedIn. You're posting some things, man, and I've seen you post things in the way of putting people on, right? And really sharing some knowledge. You tell people, hey, if you really want to be in the game, you know, follow me, go on this journey with me. So when you think about how to navigate, right, when you think about how to work around some of that gatekeeping and some of the red tape that you see, you know, how have you yourself in fourteen years navigated some of those tough things in business because they're young entrepreneurs out there that find that people don't want to help them or they find doors being closed. They find people just hating on them. Right. And they got a a thumb on the game right now. How did you and your fourteen years navigate some of those difficulties? I mean really it's just experience, man. Just kind of I can't say it enough. Winging it like like knowing like, you know, you knowing that Greece is hot when you touch it, right? Yeah. For me, it's really been trial and error, like, I mean, from, from down to the flavors, like, okay, I know I put too much salt in, you know, whatever it might have been for me. It's really been a class A crash course on my life. Like on, on, on, you know. And that's from. And then learning what how. And it's grown like a baby. Right. I always kind of like, you know, equate business to, like, you know, an embryo or a child, you know, the same steps, right? You have that. You know, that first adolescent stage, you got that first, like, you know that that year one, it's like a baby. What is the baby? He's still on. He's still on the milk, right? Yeah. You still gotta, you know, year two three, same thing. It's the same kind of progression in business. The next book of, of and I like to compare that because it's just like a child. Right. As I'm looking at my own children, I have three now, but like seeing how they grow. But but it's the same with my business at year five. Okay. I see they a little bit independent, but you still gotta watch them, right? Yeah. You know, but yeah. At year fourteen okay. That that baby got wings a little bit. They can do what they kind of, they kind of know the game. So that's kind of how I correlate. And that's kind of what's been working for me, man. You know, and throughout this interview, man, and throughout this conversation, rather, you've mentioned your mom, you've mentioned your girlfriend at the time. Now, your beautiful wife, you you mentioned your children. How important has your family been to this journey, to your success? to you as a man? Yeah, man. Man, I couldn't do it without them, man. So it's for me. It's now I have something to fight for right now. For me, it's like now I want something just as bad to pass on to the next. You know, I take my my son with ride alongs with me sometime. He. So he he. Have you seen some videos on my page? He he refers himself as his boss man Daryl junior. Right. And I love it. Right. And and again, it's a reflection of, you know, of what they see. my daughter, like, you know, her first little business, she, she had a lemonade stand in front of my first location, you know, kind of kind of got her, a little experience at a young age of how to, oh, you know, how to sell, sell and market and stuff like that. So for me, it's really legacy. How can I pass this down? My wife, like, she's been instrumental, as far as our growth when locations like our second location because she was working at a call center and, and, and actually said, hey, it's a location for lease, y'all should check it out. And bam, we end up our second location within three years. Right? So so I say family is definitely one hundred percent. It's definitely, a part of the rise and what's keeping me going, Daryl I mean, that's inspiring. And, you know, and that's a message for everybody. And I've seen now, lately you've been on the speaking circuit. You've been speaking. Yeah. Yeah. You've been you've been in all these locations, man. Keynoting and things of that nature. And I think it's your authentic approach. It's your genuine nature and it's what you just said, you know, as far as your family gives you something to fight for. Well, you got a lot of young entrepreneurs out there fighting for their family, fighting for their dream. They got people to feed. They got themselves to feed. They have a vision that they want to attain. And I think you're speaking their language. So you've now marketed it yourself as a speaker, as a motivational speaker, as an inspirational speaker. What's the one message that you give to young entrepreneurs, or what is that one message that you give to people that are like, yo, I woke up this morning and I gotta go get it. It's something out there for me to get. I know it is. I know this is not how I'm supposed to be living. This is not where I'm supposed to be, and I gotta go get it. What is that message that you give to them? Start to start. Yeah. Alright. Yeah. Talk about that, man. You got. You can have all for me, man. You can have all the ideas in the world. They could be all up here. But until you write that thing and make that and write it and make it plain, I mean, it's nothing but an idea. So, so me like like I said, for me, it started early. Like I told you, drawing the doodling, like I said, hey, I'm gonna have this thing. Yeah, I tell anybody. Like, if you got an idea, just write it down. Just write it down. The man. The cemetery is so full of ideas of what could or should is and and ideas and dreams that never, never, never transpired. But yeah. Write that thing down. They say write it down. Make it plain. Yeah. And I'm real big at that. So it's like I, I tell them anything. Just start it at least. At least you start. And maybe, you know, you don't like it. Or maybe you know, you don't. You're not successful. But if you were to do it again, I bet you know which way, which way to go. Right? Wow. So so I would just say I say start, man. I tell anybody start man. And and and that's a powerful concept. What do you think keeps people from starting. What do you think keeps them from just getting going. doubt. just, for me, I, I'll say I share this. So I knew early on that you can't tell everybody your dream. Mm. You you know, I know. So I mentioned my mother. I love her. my mom, my mom is not the person that I would tell a dream to to expect her to to get it. Like, for instance, if I would have told her, like, hey, mom, I'm about to start this food truck or I'm about to, she would have kind of talked me out of it, right? Wow. And, and and sometimes you don't need that type of, you know, you know, cloudiness in your, you know, in your judgment, because sometimes, you know, what's for you got what what what what God puts in your head, you know? Nobody else. It's not for nobody else to understand. So for me, I'm real big on like, if if I feel a thing and I feel like, you know, like I try to go out and get it and give my all with that. Yeah. but I will say that I would say that that makes sense. Daryl you know, I, I know you to be a good man, right? Like just a solid brother and a man of faith, too. How has that faith? How has that center driven you, you know, and sort of kept you even through those tough times? You know, it's some dark times and I'm sure. Yeah. we had a wing shortage here not too long ago. And then the price of wings went up and there were people in the wing business closing down. And you still are thriving. How has that faith? How has that center for you played a part in keeping you moving forward? Man, I heard a saying, I don't know if you heard about it. I think I think it says faith without works is dead, right? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. for me, man, man, you gotta do the work. You gotta do the work. You know, I you can have all the faith in the world, but you don't got. You don't go out there, go out there and get it. And you know, he I can't he bless you if you if you're not putting no effort toward it. Right. so talking about that wing shortage, it's funny you mentioned that because during that time I was really in a dilemma. I'm like, you know, how can we pivot? Mhm. And if you go back far enough on my social media, you'll see we were doing drums. Oh, yeah, we were doing drum sticks. I remember I had a little video like, we hey, we do, we doing drums. And we was doing hey, we was, we was, we saw some things like wings because the drums were so cheap. We was like, man, how's the wings is high. But these drums look, we're doing drums. So, so for a minute, like it's really for me, it's like, how can I pivot? Mhm. How can I pivot how can I okay I see what the challenge is. But what can I do different. What can I, how can I stay in the game a little longer. And and it's been working for me man. You, you've been creative man. Even in your approach to challenge. Right? I saw that drum thing. You know what I mean? I'm a I'm a flat man, so I know, I know he lying because I ain't. I ain't going there, you know? But give it to me. Parmesan garlic. Extra wet. Yeah. No, no, wait wait wait. No no no. I don't know if you. I'm talking about drumsticks. Oh, y'all were doing full drums. Yes. When? The shortage. The shortage is crazy. We were doing lemon pepper. So. And I've seen your social media page, right. I've seen how you push things out. You use comedy. I'm laughing because I'm thinking about it. Right? You use comedy, you use the moment. You've leaned into difficult moments, but you've always been able to utilize and leverage social media. How has that been such a vital tool for you in this food truck? Entrepreneurial. You know, because you went from a food truck to now franchises, right. So how has how has social media played a part in that? for me, man, it's all marketing. I told y'all before, I'm a marketing major. So for me, you know, I always looked at the greats. I always looked at I was always fascinated with, you know, Snickers and Gatorade got milk like those different advertising. And I kind of like, try how can I bring that to the. Because that's what I grew up on. Right. You, you you grow up on those chilly. I want my baby, baby, baby. You know what I'm saying? Like like I'm, I'm real big at like, hey, how can I bring that old school jingles two thousand. You know, Jamie Foxx, you know, type, right? playing white rice, you know, type type, experiences to to how it is now. And for me, it's just social media is the outlet that you gotta put it on and and hey, how can I again, I don't know all of it, but, hey, if I can put that, you know, I'm kind of, now, right. If I can put that that what I know from, you know, from the past, you know, to the present, then, hey, I think I'm doing my job. I love that man. I love. Well, if you think I'm og and I, I don't I don't accept that, bro. I can't go there. I, I think I think, you know, your message I think permeates and I think it connects with a lot of people, man. Whether they're in the food truck game, whether they're in the restaurant game, just those people who said, yo, I can't work for nobody else, right? I can't do what, you know, everybody else does. I don't want to be in a box. I have to do my own thing. Right? if there was one thing that you can tell your younger self, right, that dude that was going back and forth to the Honduran taco truck with with the shoebox full of money, if there was one thing you could tell that dude before he put that down payment on that truck, what would you have told him? Good luck. I would say, man, it's it's crazy because for me, I wasn't the best employee, right? I was so it's funny how the tables turned because I see myself in my employees. Yeah, I see me counting the clock, like, well, I'm going to get out of here, right? I see why they fired my butt, right? Multiple times. So? So now it's like it comes to fruition. Like, okay. You know, now now I can relate. Like I'm like, oh, you know, I used to be you. I used to be just like you. And this is what I do different now. And this is, you know, so for me, you know, I was that person where, you know, I thought I had I had to create a job. I wasn't built to be, you know, I, I wanted to get out of the box, you know? Yeah. That's what the reason why I'm probably not in the military now, but, I, I just, you know, so for me, I, I was a big I'm big at, like, you know, if, you know, if you can't fit in a box, create your own box. Mhm. and that's what worked for me. Yeah. So I, I look at your brand and you have put a lot of work into your brand and you and I talk about it all the time, the work I do at say camp and the work you do and your businesses and and we yeah, yeah. It's time it's time to do that. So you know, for for people who are, you know, building a brand, you have built a brand from the hats to the clothing to the, to to all of the things. Right? I I've been practicing. Yeah. So all of the things. Right. You build this brand and now you've expanded a little bit to sip it. You know what I'm saying? Like, talk a little bit how you made that transition now a little higher right to now. Something else that people recognize. We recognize. Wing it. Now we're hearing about it. Talk to me, man, about that real quick. So so man, it's funny how it came about. So we were actually doing, margaritas and beer in our two locations that we had in Winget. and my partner being the financial mind that he is, he was like, hey, you know our sales look pretty good in here. Let's you know what if, what if we do like a spin off kind of concept. And we didn't it didn't we didn't really I kind of it kind of lingered with us until we found he found a an old, it was an old car dealership behind our second location on book. Yeah. So he was so just a little context about that. I was when we had two locations, I was the GM of Kirby location. He was the GM at the university location. And that's kind of how we operated, our two locations. And he found an old car. It was a car, old car dealership behind the building that was, for lease at a point. And he was like, hey, let's hey, these numbers, let's, let's do this perfect time. Yeah. And it's funny because twenty nineteen, we came up with the idea of sip it, right. We opened up in January of twenty twenty, in the pandemic hit in March. And when I tell you the best ROI we ever had, we had a line every day during the pandemic. I'm when I talk about, when I say, I mean, this is some of the most money we ever had since we've been open as a business as Winget, we was like, oh, we're on to something. and it's crazy how God works because when I say we had, we had it was so busy to the point on Pat book. We had a mile long, long line down Pat Booker where the police would tell us that our customers had to move and we had to reroute. Fortunate enough, it was a it was a car dealership, so it was a back lot. We rerouted The line on the opposite way. So all the line, the line went like Fiesta Texas in the back of our building, and we were serving from the other side. Wow. But again, when I talk about pivot, we we pivoted. And man that was that was that was a blessing for us because that allowed us to, for one, get a higher ROI, you know, and really invest. So I mean, we never had any loans. We, we invested in our next location with the capital we had. So we never really had any big loans. so we were self-funded. And then, a lot of our buddies that, you know, like anybody we want in. Right? Yeah, that was a little financially stable. They was like, we want in. So they became our first franchise opportunities. And with the the blow up of, you know, the lines in Covid, I mean, yes, a lot of, you know, businesses closed during Covid. But I mean we really thrived. And that highlighted us higher because now. Oh everybody know about. Oh yeah I was in that line, you know. Right. So so it it made sense to let's keep it going. We was waiting for another shutdown. Right. We feel like we were we were recession proof. Yeah. And and so now we're at the point of like, okay, now we're at the point of that's that's what pays my mortgage. Right. Mhm. And you know unfortunately that the wing business you know at a time is like you know it's more labor intensive you know. And I like to compare. It's like you know you can have you have a five piece combo in a cup that take two minutes to make on a snippet. Right now you think about wing it. You know, to anybody like, oh, what about wing? I love wing, right? But we gotta be smart at the time and that's that. That comes with experience learning like I told you, left and right. Like, okay, this time we're going to focus on what's making us money right now. Sure. And we're going to circle back because, you know, wings ain't going nowhere because people gotta eat, right. so for us, it's like, okay, let's ride this train and, let's continue to expand this thing. and that's what that's what's been been working for us. I think you said something that got the audience's attention. You said it pays my mortgage. I love doing it. Yeah, that's making money, right? But it pays my mortgage. And you also talked about using money as a tool. Some people think money is the king. Yeah, but money is a tool, right? And you leveraged it to increase your value. Mhm. And at the end of the day there are a lot of people that need to know this stuff. So here's what I'm going to do man. You know you've got the book. You've got the businesses. You've got the the speaking circuit for people to book you. you've all you're also now getting ready to do some entrepreneurial leadership consulting, right. Because, you know, you got life coaches, you got leadership coaches. And now you have this thing called entrepreneurial coaching. And you're getting ready to do that as well. How can people get at you? How can people contact you. Tell them how to get to boss man. Daryl. Hey. I mean, it's just like the boss man, right? you can you can email me. and the links in the bio as well. you can follow me on Instagram at Boss man. Daryl, I'm really real approachable. You can DM me. I'm a I'm a DM. You back. Follow me. Imma follow you back. Right? right now, until the price goes up. Now, I'm always going to be that humble, humble, humble D at the end of the at the end of the day. Yeah, man. So make sure y'all follow man at boss man Daryl on all social media platforms. Boss man Daryl comm. Come on man it is the food truck game. Man. That one on one. That step by step guide to you can get that. You get that on the website. You can get the you can get the book on the website. You can also there are links in his social media man. But listen man, this brother is doing it and he looks like us and and I'm just I'm I'm proud to support you. And I'm even more proud to call you my brother, man. So I love you. I appreciate you, man. Thank you for what you're doing. And that's all for me, man. We're going to kick it back over to Doctor Langston. Clark. He's running the show. I'm going to kick it over to him. Jeff. thank you. Thank you for taking over and asking those questions. Daryl, thank you for being with us and sharing your story. As I mentioned before, the podcast has Oregon origins as a book club. And so the question I always end with, for the entrepreneur, for the author, is for the for the entrepreneur in you. Is there any book or books that have inspired your journey as, excuse me for the author in you? Yeah. Are there any? Actually, no. Hold on. Let me let me let me start it over. Okay. For the entrepreneur in you, are there any books that have inspired your journey as an entrepreneur and as an author of the book The Food Truck Game one hundred and one? If there was an additional section to the book, or maybe a sequel that you can give us a preview to, what might that be about? so the first question, you said, books. I love the book, the one thing by Gary Keller. And for me, like, I'm real big on, like, how can I make my one thing and make seven streams from this one thing, right? So many people focus on, I want to be a, a this or this or this or this, this focus on that one thing and and you can, you can create an ecosystem within that one thing. So for me that, that that's what I'm doing. I'm and the one thing kind of brought that to, to my focus. And that's what I'm kind of been focusing on as of late. And and when it comes to the next chapters, man, I think it could be a whole series. That's why I call it one on one. the restaurant, the restaurant game. The franchise game. Yeah. I mean, the game, the game could be sold and sold at the same. So, you know the game, you never know what the game can go. You know, it's so much game, so much game. So it just need to be published. All right. Thank you both. So normally at this time, for the folks who are joining us, who are watching us live, those who will be joining us on YouTube, I give our guest host and our and our guest for the day the opportunity to leave. But I'm gonna ask you brothers to stay. Yeah, I know I told you at the beginning y'all can leave, but I, I gotta I want to share this with you all because I think our next book discussion is going to be really interesting to the two of you. And, I think y'all y'all might want to join us. So give me two seconds. Let me share my screen and I'll tell you what we got coming up, next week. So next week is interesting because, me and my wife, we take trips to Austin and we go to Bookpeople in Austin and understanding book people. I saw this book called Black Capitalists A blueprint for What's Possible by Doctor Rachel Laryea. And this sister has an interesting story. As a sister who got her PhD in African American Studies at Yale, while also studying, these brothers and sisters in New York and the surrounding areas who basically work in the banking industry or are entrepreneurs. And she did what's called an ethnographic study. So she basically likes did anthropological work, or sociological work, depending on, you know, what lens you have as, as, as an academic or a researcher on the stories of like, these black capitalists. And so I think, you know, this is a great follow up conversation to the conversation that we're having today. So those of you who are joining us live, those of you who are joining us on YouTube, check out the next episode of Entrepreneurial Appetite, because we will be featuring a conversation with Doctor Rachel Larrier, author of Black Capitalist A blueprint for What's Possible. Thank you all for joining us here tonight, and we look forward to seeing you at the next live recording of Entrepreneurial Appetite. All right, fellas, thank y'all I appreciate.