Empire Builders: Scaling Brands, Staying Aligned, Winning Together


Pinky Cole built Slutty Vegan from a shared kitchen to a $100 million brand—earning recognition on the TIME 100 Next List, Forbes Next 1000, and the covers of Forbes, TIME, and Inc. 

Derrick Hayes launched Big Dave's Cheesesteaks from a 749-square-foot gas station and now operates 12 locations nationwide—ranking #6 on Fast Casual's Top 100 as the first majority Black-owned brand in the top 10.

Together, they lead Hayes Hospitality Group—a rising food empire built on purpose, strategy, and partnership.

You'll gain hard-earned lessons for scaling:

  • The hiring framework that builds A-player teams 
  • The 20% financial factor for smart growth decisions 
  • The brand expansion playbook for retail and new revenue streams 
  • The leadership model for scaling while staying hands-on where it matters 
  • The partnership system for running multiple brands while staying aligned

Whether you're scaling one brand or building a portfolio, this session delivers real frameworks from two Founders who turned purpose into profit—and movements into empires.

Presenters
Pinky Cole
Founder
Bar Vegan and Slutty Vegan
“Pinky" Cole Hayes is a Jamaican-American restaurateur, author, community activist, and owner of the Slutty Vegan restaurant chain and Bar Vegan in Atlanta, Georgia. Cole Hayes is a culinary disruptor in the industry, transforming America's view of plant-based fast food and striving to make plant-based eating delicious, accessible, and enjoyable for vegans and flexitarians alike. In addition to her work in the food industry, Pinky is also a philanthropist and head of The Pinky Cole Foundation, which is committed to uplifting marginalized and underrepresented communities and breaking the cycle of poverty by providing access to resources and education to pursue their entrepreneurial goals. Pinky has been named to Restaurant Hospitality’s 2021 Power List, Forbes Next 1000, Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Powerful Women in Business List, LA Wire Influential Women of 2020, PETA’s 2021 Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities List and Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 List.
Derrick Hayes
Founder
Big Dave's Cheesesteaks
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