Today we’d like to introduce you to Ronald Heyward.
Hi Ronald, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Sure. My mother worked for the previous owner of Baldinos for over 25 years. The owners at the time was looking to sell the establishment and asked my mom since she knew the business so well. She politely told them no but then said her son (me) was looking for a change in careers. My mom came to me with the idea, and I purchased the restaurant from the owner. I was able to quickly learn from my mom and retire her. I have now owned the business for almost 16 years. I have my son working there as a manager, and my daughter and niece does the marketing and run our food truck. We are definitely expanding the business.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been a smooth road. Transitioning from manufacturing to full-time entrepreneur is hard. But it has definitely been worth it. Lately, all businesses have seen a struggle with employees.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
We offer Jersey-style subs with southern hospitality. Up until this past month, we were the only African-American-owned Baldinos. We are the only one that currently sells breakfast, has a 24-hour vending machine, and a food truck. We have over 15k followers on TikTok and expanding with viewers watching us live every day during lunch rush.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
We have learned to be nimble and change with the market.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.poolerbaldinos.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoolerBaldinos80?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@poolerbaldinoshwy80?_t=8bNdwkEtpGM&_r=1
