From Gas Station Kitchen to Global Franchise Empire
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What inspired the founder to start a restaurant in a gas station?
When everybody's waiting for that payday and you are the one that's calling everybody's check, I look at it, this is the purpose. It's all about the purpose. It's not about the dish that we're serving. It's not about the shrimp that we're eating. It's literally a lot deeper than that. You're providing jobs. You're providing opportunities. You're providing a good work environment. You're providing this competitive environment between your employees. Muyadin El Hamawi is a resilient, visionary, and self-made entrepreneur, restaurateur, and franchise founder, best known as the creator of Big Mo's Kitchen Franchise Company. This is the culture. This is the culture that I've been working on, and I try to implement it every day with my employees, with my quarterly meetings, with my daily meetings, with my social media all across.
That's awesome, man. Where does one learn this? Did you kind of like figure it out yourself? Did you crawl before you ran?
have coaches so it started in the my name's rudy moore host of living the red life podcast and i'm here to change the way you see your life in your earpiece every single week if you're ready to start living the red life ditch the blue pill take the red pill join me in wonderland and change your life
Welcome back to another episode of the Living Your Legacy podcast, the Red Life Edition. Joining me today, right before we film his episode of Legacy Makers, is the one and only Big Mo. Big Mo, yes. Big Mo, executive chef of the world, of the galaxy.
Executive chef, CEO, founder of Big Mo's Kitchen. Right on. I love it. A new American-style restaurant established in 2016. I was the only employee for the first year or so.
Until the other day. I'm just kidding.
Until last week. And I'm still an employee for my company. Of course. And that's all about entrepreneurship. I mean, when you're an entrepreneur, there's no days off. You work 24-7, whether you like it or not. Sometimes I answer emails while I'm in my boxers.
How does company culture impact the growth of a restaurant franchise?
Or the bathtub. Or the bathtub. And this is just business. I love the chaos. I love the business. I just love the kitchen too.
Yeah, brother, I got to rewind and how we originally met, which is quite the journey. We met with Daymond John in the room.
We met last year, me and you at Daymond John CEO day. It was a great event. And we're here today.
Yeah, it's all about networking. It's all about the camaraderie. It's all about being in it together. My friend, let's talk about your heritage, your background. I always think folks like you are so beautiful. Thank you. Like you are beyond galactic. Like what you people preach and believe is quite beautiful. Let's talk about how you connect that soul to the soul of your food.
So I am an immigration lottery winner. Right on. I have won my immigration lottery back in 2004 after my brother, which he's the... He's the company's advocate today. He's the company's lawyer. He applied for us on an immigration lottery and then we won the lottery. And then we came here, I was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Born in September 6th, 1988. Started working with my dad when I was nine years old. And this is, I can tell you, this is where I got most of my knowledge in entrepreneurship. at a young age, but I did not know how to apply it until I reached a certain age. And it's crazy, right? When we teach our kids something, we might think they're not learning, but you'll be surprised when they show you that they have learned what you taught them when it's time to implement it.
and uh you know when i when i had a certain age after i came to the us i moved here in 2005 and i just started working 16 hours a day busting my ass and decided to go to culinary school.
What strategies did the founder use to build a strong business foundation?
I have a passion for cooking. So let me go to culinary school, went to culinary school in 2013, graduated in 2015, opened up my first location in a gas station. A 400 square feet restaurant, like literally 400 square feet restaurant. Only with four chairs for people to wait for their orders because it was strictly carry out. We had no full service. I was the purchasing, handling, cashier, prep cook, you name it.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What inspired the founder to start a restaurant in a gas station?
0:00–2:01
2
How does company culture impact the growth of a restaurant franchise?
2:01–3:58
3
What strategies did the founder use to build a strong business foundation?
3:58–6:15
4
Why is consistency more important than talent in entrepreneurship?
6:15–8:22
5
How did the founder manage to expand Big Mo's Kitchen globally?
8:22–10:53
6
What lessons can entrepreneurs learn from the founder's journey?
10:53–13:49
7
How does the founder ensure quality and connection with food?
13:49–17:53
8
What are the future plans for Big Mo's Kitchen and its franchise model?
17:53–27:24
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from Living The Red Life
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