How Your Life Experience Can Prepare You to Become a Food Entrepreneur with Ron Holloway
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Using Your Experience to Shape Your Business…
This month, we’re highlighting members of Hudson Kitchen on the podcast and today, I’m chatting with Ron Holloway, co-founder of Woofbowl, a food truck for dogs with quality ingredients. Ron’s life experience and the challenges he’s faced have helped bring him to where he is today and it’s an incredible story.
In this episode, Ron how his previous life experience from the military and the financial sector has informed his business, what it’s like to work with his spouse, and his unique take on food trucks for dogs.
We also chat about why fostering community is so important in the food industry and why giving back to the community is a priority for Ron.
Subscribe to the Food Means Business Podcast with Hudson Kitchen founder Djenaba Johnson-Jones to hear the personal stories and “secret ingredients” of abandoning your day job and starting a CPG food business.
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:54] Ron’s cubicle to founder story, and how the military and B-school helped prepare him to become an entrepreneur
[10:07] Ron shares what it’s like to work with your spouse, and the challenges he faced when launching Woofbowl
[16:19] Why fostering community is so important in the food industry
[19:19] Ron’s unique take on food trucks for dogs and how he came up with the concept
[25:38] What Ron does for self-care as a business owner
If you want to hear more about how life experiences can inform your food business in a positive way, be sure to tune into this episode:
Links mentioned in this episode…
Book: Mission in a Bottle by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff
About Ron Holloway:
Ron is a disabled-Veteran, author of "Leadership: A Long Story Short," and co-founder of Woofbowl, a pet brand focused on hiring the disenfranchised. He joined the military because of 9/11. After two tours of military service he earned a BS in Political Science from Old Dominion University and an MBA from College Park, Maryland. He has spoken on Veteran issues for President Obama, Senator Jim Webb, Navy League President John A. Panneton, and several Universities. He believes adversity is the achiever and hope is a call to action.
Connect with ron holloway:
Stay Connected with Djenaba Johnson-Jones:
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[00:00:03] Djenaba You are listening to the Food Means Business Podcast, which features the personal stories and secret ingredients behind what it's like to abandon your day job to start a CPG food and beverage business. I'm Djenaba Johnson-Jones, former marketing executive turned entrepreneur and founder of food business incubator Hudson Kitchen. Join our community of fellow food business owners and subject matter experts to learn and laugh with us as we explore a startup world that's a little more culinary and a lot less corporate these days. So we are continuing our Member Spotlight series with Ron Holloway from Woofbowl. Ron, welcome to the Food Means Business podcast.
[00:00:38] Ron Thank you Djenaba for having me. Much love.
[00:00:41] Djenaba You know, we have known each other, I guess it's been almost three years now, and we were introduced by Brenda and Cassidy from Frontier Kitchen in Virginia. I think that's where you guys kind of got your start. Is that correct?
[00:00:53] Ron That is correct.
[00:00:54] Djenaba Okay. So before we talk about your wonderful business, we'd love to hear your cubicle two founders story. What did you do before you launched this business?
[00:01:03] Ron Okay, so first I have to give a shout out to Brenda and Cassidy down near Frontier Kitchen. I mean, they. I mean, amazing people. Good people. They've helped us weather a lot of storms. Speaking of you talking about going from the kind of the boardroom to the food truck and so how this started. You know, I was working on my MBA, my MBA in College Park, Maryland. I was working in D.C. for a FIRREA financial regulatory company. And so while I was there, you know, I had done some research in the pet industry. And so to circle back a little bit, when I got out of the military, I was diagnosed with PTSD. And so my counselor had recommended, like, all these different things that you can do to kind of help with PTSD, riding, horse therapy, pet therapy. So I ended up writing like five or six books, and that was hugely cathartic for me. Helped me immensely because I felt like when I was writing, I didn't have like that pressure on my chest or on my head. But anyway. And so we adopted Lotto and Dino, two French bulldogs. Those are my boys. My son became parents, as they say. And so, you know, having them over the course of the years, you know, early on, they had some pretty serious health issues with, you know, blocked tear ducts, and the shedding. So, Solo, you know, sort of kind of being the evil genius. Mad genius. You know, she has a background in electrical and bio.
[00:02:24] Djenaba Tell everybody who Solo is.
[00:02:26] Ron So, Solo as we call her. But I don't know if I won't give her government off because she hates to give out the other half of the Holloway family. So she's the co-founder of Woofbowl and the brains behind it in the heart and soul and essence of what qualities I mean, she is she's commander in chief. I'm No. One cave man. I just beat on my chest. But yeah, so she's amazing. I mean, she comes up with the ideas. Inspirations to me is, I mean, is it healthy for dogs? You know, what's the science? Basically, as they say in hip hop was designed. So yeah so Solo's the founder so she a co-founder and my wife of 17, 18 years.
[00:03:05] Djenaba Wow it's been a long time to put up with him that she's off camera everyone just so everybody knows so.
[00:03:12] Ron Also over the course of that time, we were both working on corporate jobs for engineering, the finance and banking regulatory. And so one day we were in office and I was getting my MBA and I had come across a capstone. I kind of I was researching different various capstones. And one of them happened to be the pet industry. And after doing some due diligence research, I'm like, Wow, man, Like our philosophy of what we believe in pet nutrition, you know, nutrient dense, holistic, you know, things that at least, you know, a few preservatives and synthetics and, you know, the sugars cutting out the sugars, it was like, wow, more and more is like trending that way. Or we're seeing that more people are like us. So I was like, Hey, you know, maybe we should do something for ourselves. We had always kind of had similar entrepreneurial spirits. And so one day, you know, we decided to take that leap of faith. She quit her job, and I held it down for a while when she kind of did the mind mapping and everything and outlining and everything in the background. We would work together. And then eventually we both took that leap and launched Woofbowl, which is a food truck for dogs.
[00:04:12] Djenaba That's amazing. So it is a wonderful food truck, is beautiful. I will put some pictures up so people can see what Woofbowl looks like. So thank you for sharing your story. I'm wondering how did the military and also B-school help prepare you to be an entrepreneur?
[00:04:30] Ron I would say, you know, I've said this before and other people have been around. It's a great question. But I would say this before and people have heard me say this quote is by Nelson Mandela. You know, one day he was speaking at a forum. It may have been Davos, may have been break Megaman World Economic Forum or some peace forum somewhere he was speaking. But, you know, a reporter or someone asked him in the crowd, he said, you know, if you could give advice to anyone, particularly, you know, a young person, you know, something that's important to their life or whatever. And his response was, and I'm paraphrasing all this, but his response was life experience. You know, nothing is more important to the human existence than life experience. And so I say all that to say when you ask me, how do those things help assist me in Woofbowl. Well, it's those life experiences that I gained being in a military time management discipline. You know, that's why I was so important to be on time here today. You know, also.
[00:05:21] Djenaba Because I would be around.
[00:05:22] Ron Already saying, oh, no, I don't want no smoke with Djenaba. Now, you know, she runs a tight ship. I'm joking, Djenaba is the absolute best you are. You're a sweetheart. Yeah. So no, but all those things, you know, camaraderie, teamwork, relationship building. So then in B-school, you know, I kind of got I felt like I got kind of the the philosophical essence of what was important for Woofbowl, you know, kind of the differentiation. Hmm. You know, knowing your customer trade, trademarking, business law, things of that nature, you know, setting the right price so that, you know, it's cheap enough that it's still interesting that people but not too expensive where it turns them off. Right. But, you know, so things of that nature. So it just it was really important to kind of my maturation help a while. I learned a lot. You know, I've said this before and I said to Djenaba before another interview. And it's funny because I look back and it's like, Wow, I just can't believe that something this, you know, Solo and I were working on as a project that had nothing that we would have never thought like her graphics you know she did graphics is kind of like a joke in college and in to help out people and make fliers for people, parties. You know, if you don't know Solo, she's a big hip hop head like crazy hip hop head. I mean, that's why you see so much of Woofbowl is like all our culture and like, hip hop, you know, that's what it's all about. And you mentioned how beautiful the rap is, but that's all Solo. So to see kind of how her doing those things to your so answer the question back then, you know, the universe kind of makes it all. It's like a path, you know, everything that you do culminates into something dope. Yeah.
[00:06:57] Djenaba No, I totally agree with you. I think a lot of my past experiences have definitely informed my business and how I do it. So, yeah, I completely agree. So.
[00:07:05] Ron So really quick, let me just let me just throw a question back. Okay. So I know you are an awesome marketer and like I know. So what was what has been the biggest thing for you, do you think that you took from your experience? Because I'm interested for myself, really. Like I just love learning from people. So what would you say was your biggest take from like that life to help you out?
[00:07:24] Djenaba Sure. So one of the things that when I was working in corporate, I worked supporting a sales team. And so when we presented to each other internally, it was the same way that we presented each other externally printed apply externally. So if you put together a PowerPoint for a client to sell them advertising, to pitch the program internally, you put together a similar PowerPoint showing people what the program was you got to and presented to them. So it's like everything you did internally, you did externally. So. So when I'm working with members, we want to have the same experience as somebody that we just be interacting with the brand on Instagram or an event person doing that. So yeah, it's really important.
[00:08:06] Ron I love that man. Just kind of that goes back to kind of that people process too, right? You know what I mean? Like I loved and it makes it seems is so good for business continuity like that is awesome.
[00:08:17] Djenaba Because you've seen business before of course, and you see this before. We're like is bright and shiny on the outside. And then you step inside and it's like a shit show. Like, you.
[00:08:24] Ron No, no, no, no.
[00:08:25] Djenaba No. It just so. So we want you to be seeing the same thing that you saw when you were attracted to become a member of Hudson Kitchen in the first place.
[00:08:34] Ron No question. I know what it's like to be inside a dumpster fire. No, we're better than that. I'm just joking, you know, But that was it's so funny who said that? Because even before we started work for, like, solo, so good about saying, no, I'm going to have a recipe book. Right? So when we hired you, you know, really it was. Yeah. You know, I don't know if I should say your name, but when we hired, you know, we were able to give him that and say, listen, this is how this is how long this should take to make it. This is what you use, this is, etc., etc.. So she was really good about that, you know, and that's having some of those things now, like if I'm not driving the truck, okay, we need to have a truck owners guide, right? You know, standard practices. So yeah, no, no.
[00:09:12] Djenaba I just, I completely agree with you because the other thing that I always, like do, like I've done every job in my business, so don't come telling me it takes you 5 hours to do something. When I know it takes two. Don't tell me it was hard because I know I've done it. So I think like I think as I just one of the things I really learned was like doing the job helps inform you, creating that process, but then also who you hire and you know how you train them. So it's really important.
[00:09:37] Ron That's true. I love that. It is so true. Yeah. Seth Goldman said that in his book, Mission in a Bottle is always, you know, he has like these seven steps for, like a successful business like you just in 5000. Right? The dude is just amazing. He started Honest Tea, Just Iced Tea,chairman beyond meat, I mean eat the change just do it is just crazy but he says that to your point and I think that's what's helped Solo and I as well is that we've done every single thing in the business pass on up to now for years.
[00:10:07] Djenaba So talk about working with your wife, what's that like?
[00:10:10] Ron Oh man.
[00:10:11] Djenaba So my parents worked together for 30 something years. They're still married, Mary for 57 years. Like, he would do that forever, as I saw it growing up. So it's not that that is possible because they both have their lane right is what they did. So I don't work with my husband, but I'm wondering, I always ask people like, what is it like to work with your spouse?
[00:10:30] Ron That's a good question. And that is a beautiful story of a parent's life that is this amazing wildness, that God is good. Yeah. I mean, it's it is really special to work with Solo. And I'll say this because you're going to have your ups and downs. You take the highs with the low. But for the most part, there's no one I trust more in my life. Like I said, I would jump in front of the five train. That is the red line in D.C., the bar, you know, out west. And I would jump in front of those on the tracks. I mean, because no question, anyone on the outside can see that. Right? And my boys come and tell me like they wish they had her and I hit. So I would have never thought it would have went the way it went, because, you know, she had her 9 to 5 and I had mine. Right. We just kind of meet at home. But being with her every day, I think we've learned so much about each other, you know, and some of honest, too much. You know, my uncle used to say the best way to have a long marriage is, you know, your wife works 30 if you works first. Right, right, right. The heart it makes the heart grow fonder. Right.
[00:11:30] Djenaba Right.
[00:11:30] Ron But I think honestly Djenaba, it has been the best for me, has been helping. She's healing. She's been right there for everything I need. And she she's just a sweetheart man, especially. I know, too. To your point, like you said, your mother and your father, that she has her stuff and I have my stuff. And, you know, we may kind of like, though, some advice, you know, here and there, but for the most part, that that's how it works. Yes, it's been special. I feel like there's a very powerful story or the story here and there that we've yet to really share with the rest of the world. Oh, my God. We have so many stories to tell. Personally and professionally. Yeah. Thank you for asking. So that's, you know, that's my baby.
[00:12:08] Djenaba I know, I know.
[00:12:09] Ron And I know you see her inside the kitchen pushing me around.
[00:12:14] Djenaba She does.
[00:12:14] Ron And she's. She's a little general. Yes. Oh, yes, she has to. And we're few words, but it's all good.
[00:12:21] Djenaba So when you guys conceived the business and we're taking the steps to launch, you ran into some challenges. Can talk a little about that?
[00:12:29] Ron We did. Oh, boy. Challenges to say it mildly and it's crazy. But anyway, to answer your question, yes. So when we started or the initial plan was in 2017, because as I told you, it came into formulation around the time I was in business. And so we had the idea to do the truck. You know, I took my military savings out, you know, she had quit her job. Right. We go six, 6 to 9 months early because we're set. We got these reserves. We're ready to go. We're going to bootstrap it. So we give our money to a contractor in Manassas, Virginia, who is seemingly renowned in the area. And really, I mean, we had done work for Universal Studios, different food trucks, you know, people that businesses that we had knew. So we thought that we had did our due diligence, but we also ended up giving this contractor almost 50 grand wow of our money to, you know, for the build out. You know, we had got the truck through Ford. You know, we get you know, so we know we're getting set up. We had a kitchen set up. So not only have I paid for this truck, right. Paying for this kitchen because I'm ready. Yeah, that's going. Soon as you keep telling me the truck is going to be, you know, done right, then I want to have this this car so I could start making money as soon as possible. You know how it is. I mean, and most food entrepreneurs do like it's just a revolution, cash flow. And so, you know, we ended up giving him our money and, you know, we just kept getting excuses. Right. You know, one day all the Amish is making specialty making this for you. Goodness. Yeah, right. Just all this stuff. Right. And so one day we came so long, I said, you know, you know, let's let's go up there and just take a look. So we went, took a look around and no one was working. It was kind of quiet. And so we went back home and told them, you know, sent an e-mail saying, hey, you know, something doesn't feel right. We want our money back. Right? Right. This is taken too long. Excuse after excuse. So not long after we sent that email, you know, we tell them, hey, we're going to go to the local news. So not long after we sent that email you know, they sent a mass email out to all of their vendors and customers that they were filing for bankruptcy, liquidation. Yeah. So here I am, with all of this money gone down the track. Tell you to down the tubes. Scuse me. I'm stuttering as I talk because I just it enrages me so much that, you know, the fact that we met with the judge, the bankruptcy judge. Like I told Solo, you have to go buy yourself.
[00:14:48] Djenaba Right, right, right.
[00:14:49] Ron I can't. And I felt bad sending her to that. You know, she was a county commissioner in a bankruptcy judge. Mean we get to hear what happened in the background, too. So all in all, they just want handling their fiduciary responsibility. So they were scumbags and living this extravagant lifestyle on the backs of stealing money from mom and pops. You know, you had some, you know, immigrant people who, you know, food truck. That's their way into the American dream. You know, that mostly. Also, the people we work with are like first gen immigrants.
[00:15:16] Djenaba People are pooling their money together to do this thing so that they can be successful and help take care of their families.
[00:15:21] Ron Man hey, man, you know, but that is so spot on. Yeah, so well said. But anyway, long story short, so they ended up taking a total of almost $3 million from everyone. Yeah. So I tell people, I imagine starting your dream job or, or just imagine in general having $100,000 in your bank account and it's gone and you'll never see that money again, right? Like, just imagine it like. So we started with two hands tied behind our back, man. But yeah, so that was, I mean, and then shortly after, you know, we, we launched in August, you know that coming late February what happens global pandemic. Yeah. It's like, yeah, come on you know so yeah job it's just been Yeah.
[00:16:03] Djenaba I just.
[00:16:04] Ron To loquacious.
[00:16:05] Djenaba So I ask because I think it's important for people to know like yeah you have a successful business however like you did have challenges along the way and I think everyone's going to have some kind of challenge along the way. Maybe it's not that, but it's definitely going to be, you know, something else for sure. So you did overcome those challenges. So we met in 2020 and you guys became members of Hudson Kitchen. And my goal for that for the business is to like foster a community. Right. And I know that's important for your business as well. Can you talk a lot about a little bit about community and building your future?
[00:16:36] Ron Great point, and I do want to say, yes, we did meet you. I remember when we first reached out to you, we were still operating out of DC from Frontier Kitchen, and I remember we reached out to you. We were just kind of looking at different opportunities or places we could go. And I remember we reached out to you and we talked to you on the phone. You were so professional, so comprehensive, so welcoming. And we even told you about the situation that you just asked me about. And after we got off the phone with you, you donated 50.
[00:17:03] Djenaba I don't remember that. I did? Oh, okay.
[00:17:06] Ron You donated. You didn't know us from a can of paint. And at that time I said, oh, she's she's super solid. She's a real. I'll never forget that. You didn't know. We just made a cold call to you and we told you about what had happened to us. And I said she got off the phone and donated. Fifth is crazy. Who does that? If you don't know how special Djenaba is? That's just not. That's one of many indicators just keeping it real. So community I mean everything we've had people in our community that said, you know, I'm not going to let you guys fail. Yeah. No matter what. Like who says that way? Business is so important in this because Solo and I come from extremely humble beginnings and extremely her family are Cambodian refugees. They were getting killed in a killing fields. I mean, they were just for no reason, right. You know, just for political and social issues. And, you know, me, I grew up in the area that was, I mean, rife with any vice you name, you know, one of the worst zip codes in America. And so for us, it's like, let's not even though her and I have been in that top 10% and we were in our corporate careers, you know, we were in the top 10% of households in America. We were good, vacations every six months. You know, anything we wanted. I mean, we paid for her parents to go on vacation if you just because that's what we felt. That's right. You know, we were giving back to our parents. Absolutely. So we always wanted to be able to give back. And another part of it to, you know, it's like Spike Lee says, you know, deeds, not words. So many people that just, oh, you know, what are you actually doing right? Where are you investing your time? So people don't know what her and I had our 9 to 5 every Saturday, we would pick a different place to volunteer at. So, you know, we usually had weekends off, right, doing the corp course. But every Saturday morning her and I would find somewhere, you know we're fellows and Acosta You know, water clinic you know, the Urban League, Habitat for Humanity, you know feed DC. We miss being able to do that. We can't do that as much now. But yeah, Woofbowl and any entrepreneur say I went from 9 to 5 to 24/7. So yeah, so community is major. It's everything. And it comes back. It's a reciprocal process. The more we delve into community, the more we get back. And it's a reciprocal relationship.
[00:19:19] Djenaba So I know Solo was the brains behind the business. I'm not saying, you know, but I want to talk about the actual food itself for dogs. I mean, it is you made the food in my kitchen. It is human food. Right?
[00:19:32] Ron Right.
[00:19:33] Djenaba But it's so cute. Like, I mean, it is really if anybody we go to their Instagram and see like you can see little dog burgers and fries and I think there's a doggie beer or something. How did you guys come up with that concept? Because it is different from other food trucks and other dog food trucks that we've seen.
[00:19:51] Ron Yeah, it it is, man. And this this goes back to us. That's a good point. Yes, it is. It's very instagrammable. Yes. As they say, Instagram, whatever that means. But no, that's not why we did it. But it is I mean, it's fun. No. So you know her and we always want to add to the culture. Yeah. What are we adding? We're not trying to take from it, right? I'm not trying to copy anybody or do any. No. We try to pay respect. We're those people. But, you know, it's just like how hip hop was. You know, in hip hop, you had Jay-Z, Nas, Tupac, Biggie, you know, Snoop, all of them sounded different. Their voices, their delivery, what they talked up. I mean, some of the stuff was similar, some of the social problems that they talked about. But so that's all we're trying to do is just be kind of like our own little band. And but like, how can we make it different? How can we make it dope? And we just decide, Hey, what if we just made it like, regular? Right? We went back and forth and we had already been doing some of these things for a Lotto and Dino. Like I said, we've been doing this for over 12 or 13 years, so it just was bringing all of it together at one time. But we we literally I'm smiling so much because you're taking me back to a really happy place and special places when you when you're embarking on something new, it's like, you know.
[00:21:01] Djenaba No, it's like you're you're excited and you're scared at the same time. And then like, like just like you. Like you put your money into it. Like I cleaned out my 401K to launch my business. So, like, it is all those things alive. And then having the support of your spouse I think also is really important. That was that was important for me. That's my had to have a real job. But at the same time it's like all those things, it's like, come in, it's coming together. It's really fun to see this thing you thought of in your head. Yes. That you discussed. And you may have written a business plan for and research for actually come to fruition. Like I used to drive in over to Hudson Kitchen and I would just sit outside before I signed a lease. I would sit outside and then when I signed a lease, I would put a sign up and I will I walk this way. And there are times now when I'm like, It's 1:00 in the morning, Where are you going? I'm like, Well, I got to go. I can walk the space. Wow. So that's what I'm doing as I walk. And it's crazy is so it's just so good to see that.
[00:21:59] Ron That's that's great. You know, that's special. What you just said is really It is. Because I look back and it's like, man, we were sitting in the office on my will. We did burgers. How great. Like a little jam session. And I'm sure we have we definitely had some hip hop going on in the back. Could have been J. Cole, Kendrick could have been Pac, could have been Lauryn, could have been some jazz. Charlie Parker, Coltrane, Miles, might have been classical, could have been Beethoven's Fifth, depending on how we felt. You know, it was a special moment. It really was. Yeah.
[00:22:31] Djenaba So what is next for Woofbowl?
[00:22:34] Ron Yeah. So basically what we're trying to do now is we really do want to become a household brand. I know. So and I'll say this because I'm hesitant in talking because I, I don't want to make this a racial thing. Right. But I do want to be a black owned brand in the pet space. Right. And a pet health and wellness space. I mean, it is few, if any, none in between. I mean, this is this industry. There's almost nil people that look like me, right. That have sustainable businesses that are able to attract customers and and show the type of love that I think is important to show from our community. You know, we all love dogs, right? This is something that can bring us all together. And back to your question about community. Like, you know, I say this all the time. So one thing I love about dogs, no label. Don't you know they don't care. They don't care. I said this in articles. If I take my two bulldogs to a dog park and I let them go in that dog park, they're not just looking for the Bulldogs. They're not even a lot of who is. Why he's not just looking for the white. They're going to go play with the German Shepherd, the pit, the schnauzer.
[00:23:39] Djenaba It is much like children, like they don't care for that, don't care super fast.
[00:23:44] Ron And unless I get emotional thinking about that because that's also something that endears muted dogs because that's us. That's that's community. That's what we want to do. I want to be a household name in a pet space. And that's that's definitely what I want to do. So and I want to use this as a vehicle and I want to use this as a vehicle to go work with at risk youth, you know, maybe do a pup up, you know, out of prison. Who knows? You know, I heard it on.
[00:24:07] Djenaba Talk about what a pup up is.
[00:24:09] Ron So a pup up or a pull up is basically like a pop up event. We just we have a way with puns in that space. Everyone does. It is it's kind of cheesy, but then it is. It is is how you use it is how you use a pun because it can get a little too cheesy. You got it. Yeah. So a pup up is a pop up were we is almost like business development in the sense where we work with another company or another nonprofit or, you know. Or a park someone can book or you can find a booking form, you know, Hey, I want you to cater this amount of dogs or, hey, you know, we can cipher that over the details, but it's just basically us showing up somewhere for a couple of hours, you know, and the window goes up and, you know, we serve all the doggies well. And it's it's amazing, man. You know, we could be having a bad day or arguing about business or something or upset. But once we do a pup up and that window goes up, all goes away, it's like all is forgiven man. So those are amazing. We do those all over, but we've worked with the Broken Museum professional teams for cancer, the Marine Corps Museum, which was oh, that was, that was so special for me to be able to do something with, you know, as a veteran. So we yeah, we, we drove out Quantico, I think you know, where it is. And a beautiful museum, to her amazement. Milwaukee Museum, which is beautiful. We love art. That's something her and I've always done. So we've been together from day one, you know, going to museums all over the world. So I think her I used to love to do so much anymore, have had a vacation.
[00:25:38] Djenaba And that's what I was about to ask you. What what do you guys do for like I look I think about self care, but like vacation is one thing. So you haven't been on vacation, but what are you doing to take care of yourselves? Yeah, I mean, I know you guys work really hard, so talk a little bit about that.
[00:25:52] Ron That is such a great point of emphasis. Oh, self-care is so important in this because you can get burnt out fast and it's totally highs and lows and it can definitely be tough. But to answer your question more specifically, so what we try to do is like, for example, we're going to go spend time with her parents for Labor Day. And so, you know, we try to find those pockets where we can be around family, because I've said I've always been about family, but family, as you get older, as you know, and you work in a test becomes more important. And maybe even if it's not that maybe the pandemic taught you something about the importance of it. But so yeah, so we try to find those pockets and then we try to find time where we can do stuff like, Hey, Friday was like our date night. So we would always go to a new restaurant or something. And some of the, you know, the restauranteurs and the managers, they're like, they would remember we were nobody. But but no, they just say, you know, you guys are always so nice, you know, and we love seeing you two together. Like, so I mean, we are nice always it so we try to find things, you know. Oh, maybe there's an exhibit. Hey, let's push the pup up to this day. So we go to this nice installation or something. So she went to a Knicks playoff game, so I was so glad that she was able to do that, you know, to be able to go see a game at the garden. That's dope. Yeah.
[00:27:05] Djenaba Yeah, it is life.
[00:27:06] Ron Experiences, you know? I mean, I saw you went to Beyonce. Come on, man. That's what it's about.
[00:27:10] Djenaba Shout out to Alisha. I've got the ticket.
[00:27:15] Ron Felicia. That's why we love the homies. I love friends. I love good friends. Nothing like a good friend. We try to. We try to make time. You have to make time record. And like she said, you know, now she's like, Hey, let's go. What? Let's go to the park. You know, even we don't really feel like it. We have something to do. She's like, Hey, let's go take the dogs to the park. So if the weather's okay, the dogs are feeling okay. Yeah, you know, they do stuff like that.
[00:27:38] Djenaba So what do you thankful for?
[00:27:40] Ron I'm thankful for every day. I really am. Yeah. You know, it's funny because I know losing everything and how I guess how you take it or how you approach it really can be a testament to the calm. And so I've learned to be really thankful for family. I just talked about friends, people like you to have you work, you know, have work with me in situations or saw a form of me and I'm thankful for my customers. You would have never imagined that, you know, these people care about you like you think that I'm just Now there's people who really want to see you. When I used to say that there are strangers like you, it's amazing how sometimes it's like, Wow, I'll get more love from these people than people I've known forever, right? Or friends or family. And it's just like I'm thankful for the whole process, you know, Solo being here with me to help me deal with this and, you know, taking a leap of faith together. But I'm thank so much my sister, who was my rock, I got to shower or shower my sister out and don't because I'm a private person. I like to keep my family pride, you know, like that's something. And my mother was that way. Like, they always take care of your family, you know, always protect your family. Right. And so, you know, I'm trying to. But my sister, she's been through so much. She's definitely my rock to dealing with health issues. So that's why we initially moved from California to Milwaukee, just to be closer to watch over her. You know, we lost a lot in that process, but at the end of the day, it was worth it. You can't put a price on, you know, in being in the military so much. I missed your overseas and, you know, there's things going on. You know, my my nephew, he's got a basketball game, an important track meet.
[00:29:18] Djenaba Right. And you had to miss it.
[00:29:20] Ron Yeah, I think about that all the time. I think about that all the time. So yeah, it was good to be able to go back and see that kind of relive their childhood through their kids. Now it's just crazy. Yeah. Oh, but I'm grateful for all of that. So sorry to be long winded. It's okay, but it's a very good question you asked, and I don't know if I've been asked that, so that was a good question.
[00:29:47] Djenaba So at Hudson Kitchen in the lobby, you know, we have a, um, bell, a money bell where we ring, we're celebrating. So I want to know, what are you celebrating, Right.
[00:29:56] Ron You know, I'm celebrating that we just got featured Inc Magazine's most important issue of the year, the Inc 5000, where they talk about, you know, the 5000 fastest growing companies is.
[00:30:09] Djenaba Amazing.
[00:30:10] Ron In America, right? People who are doing amazing things. I mean, it's just beautiful to see. I love seeing other people win. Like, I got to a point in my life, I was like, wow, I really do. And not that I was a hater, but I was just apathetic. But now I generally do get joy from seeing other people do well.
[00:30:25] Djenaba It's really inspiring. My God, it's a peace it I love it.
[00:30:29] Ron It brings up I'm.
[00:30:30] Djenaba Like, what did they do? How they do that makes them know that good. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:30:35] Ron I'm so happy for him. And he brings me a whole new peace. Like I don't have a hater bone in my butt because I'm good. Like, I don't have everything I want and I'm not. I don't have the same lifestyle. But yeah, so that's crazy. That's just what I was thinking about. Yeah.
[00:30:47] Djenaba Yeah. Well, thank you for being here. We appreciate it. Let everyone know where they can find out about you and Woofbowl.
[00:30:54] Ron Yeah, So you can find Woofbowl and mywoofbowl.com. It's @woofbowl on Instagram. You know, even if you don't have a dog, I would say just come to the truck and say hello. You know, you can donate treats to a dog. I mean, I just I know I said this before, but I just love the power of dogs. I just brings everybody together, man. When I look out in my truck, and I see that line of people who all look so different, it's just amazing. It's changed my life. So. Yeah. So please, just. Just come by. Come check us out. Sorry to roll on, but, yeah, that's where you can to find us. Sorry, this has been great. I don't get to do this all so cathartic.
[00:31:35] Djenaba And now is really fun for a million people. Cause I'm always like, I didn't realize this, but Brittany, who was our sales rep, she was like, You just ragging on them all the time, like, because I just love my members so much. So I appreciate you being here. Thank you so much for supporting me and my dream for being on the show anytime.
[00:31:51] Ron Thank you for having us. Solo and I love you.
[00:31:53] Djenaba I love you, too. The Food Means Business podcast was produced by Hudson Kitchen. It is recorded at the studio at Carney Point and mixed and edited by Wild Home Podcasting. Our theme song is by Damien de Sands, and I'm your host, Djenaba Johnson-Jones. Follow Hudson Kitchen on Instagram at thehudsonkitchen and to get Food Business Bites right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at thehudsonkitchen.com/newsletter. Listen, follow and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. Until next time.