Podcast Summary: Right About Now – Legendary Business Advice

Episode: How Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Went from Gas Station Restaurant to Multi-Location Franchise | Derrick Hayes

Host: Ryan Alford (Radcast Network)
Guest: Derrick Hayes (Founder & CEO, Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks)
Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of Right About Now, host Ryan Alford has a candid, high-energy conversation with Derrick Hayes, the dynamic founder and CEO of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks. Hayes shares his journey from launching a small, gas-station-based sandwich shop in Georgia to building a multi-location, soon-to-be-national franchise. Throughout, the episode emphasizes resilience, community impact, and authentic entrepreneurial wisdom—peppered with memorable metaphors and bold reflections on hustle, grit, and growth.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Starting with Purpose—From Loss to Legacy

• Personal Motivation: Derrick started Big Dave’s to honor his late father, transforming loss into inspiration.
  • He moved to Atlanta unsure of his path but determined to keep a promise made to his father.
  • First attempted selling Italian ice—a concept that flopped in Atlanta.
  • His mother encouraged him to switch to cheesesteaks, based on his Philadelphia roots.

  “I wanted to honor my father. He passed away in front of my face due to cancer. …I’m going to open a business.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 02:22)

2. Humble Beginnings and Early Struggles

• 2014–2016: Derrick recounts how difficult and uncertain the early days were; customers confused his product, foot traffic was minimal, and success seemed remote.
  • Pivoted the business’s focus, rebranded as Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks (2016)—this became the turning point.
  • Started seeing community engagement, and recognition began after a notable customer visit and sandwich competition.

  “People thought I was selling just cups of ice. …My mother, she’s like, ‘It’s time for you to put the kitchen in and do the cheesesteak thing that you really wanted to do.’”
  (Derrick Hayes, 02:57)

3. Becoming a Community Staple

• Transition to Destination Brand:
  • Business boomed to the point the original gas station location was overrun with demand—over 800–1000 tickets on some days.
  • Opened a downtown Atlanta location, which became a city landmark with people flying in specifically to try Big Dave’s.
  • Expanded with food trucks, stadium deals, and new brick-and-mortar locations.

  “We just started getting so big that the gas station wasn’t working for us anymore… I only had a 3-foot real, one broken fryer… Now we became this from-the-mud type of business to a national chain.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 03:57–04:37)

4. Franchising and Rapid Scale

• Grew to 12 stores, with several more in development, and is officially franchised.
  • Derrick is hands-on with franchise strategy and is about to announce a new franchise deal.

  “I have 12 right now operating. …Got a franchise, a new franchise I’m announcing soon.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 05:21)

5. Business and Life Lessons—Patience, Belief, and Grit

• Fishing Metaphor:
  • Derrick draws recurring analogies between business and fishing to illustrate the necessity of patience and faith.
  • Success is uncertain and not always visible, but relentless effort is key.

  “When you throw a hook in the water, you can't see the fish at the bottom. …You just got to believe in what you’re doing. …If you don’t catch one fish that’s big enough, you can catch a lot of little ones that can add up to that big fish. That’s the way business works.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 00:00 & 07:31–08:22)

  • Ryan Alford underscores this, stating most people fail because they need constant proof of progress; the real winners keep going without external validation.

6. On “Hustle”—Wisdom, Not Just Work

• Derrick emphasizes that hustle without knowledge leads nowhere—true business growth requires learning and mastery, not just effort.
  • The goal is to evolve from a “hobby hustler” to a respected business leader who can operate in any room.

  “If you hustle with no knowledge, you just always going to hustle. …Are you learning your hustle? Did you master your craft? …If you didn’t, you’re a hobby hustler. That’s the new one. …And I didn’t want to be that. I wanted to grow. I wanted to be respected. And I want to be respected in rooms that don’t look like me.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 09:23–10:42)

7. Representation, Ambition, and Ownership

• Derrick aspires to be the face of fast-casual dining, especially as an African American entrepreneur in an industry where minorities own less than 8% of franchises.

  “As an African American, where we own less than 8% of franchises now, I can actually show the world that you don’t have to have a college degree. …You gotta be smart enough to use this and the people around you that’s smarter than you to be able to scale the brand.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 11:36–11:55)

8. Scaling Up: The Importance of Teams and “Kickstands”

• True scaling requires humility and building the right team.
  • Advisors, mentors, and trusted employees allow the business to grow and the owner to “lean” when they need support.

  “Being humble and being smart enough to know that you can’t do it alone. Got to create a team. …A bicycle is a kickstand. It can’t stand up on its own, but it can keep going with somebody pedaling… I need somebody now to when I’m tired or I want to stop my bike, I need somebody I can lean on. And those are the kickstands you need around you for life.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 12:20–13:08)

9. Family, Boundaries, and Business

• Working with family can be tough; setting professional boundaries with relatives is often challenging but necessary.

  “It can be difficult at times when you bring somebody in that you have to pay more, that now becomes their boss. …That is the most difficult thing in business… for people to hire family members.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 13:43)

10. Community Impact and Giving Back

• Big Dave’s invests intentionally in the communities they serve, hiring locally and supporting youth with initiatives like the Blue Apron Program (an in-house skills certification and mentorship program).

  “When you bring a multimillion dollar business in a growing community, it can help the community significantly. …We have something called a Blue Apron Program… if you learn to work all the stations, you can graduate. …That gives them some insight on the business and makes them feel good.”
  (Derrick Hayes, 14:19–14:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Derrick Hayes:

  “When you throw a hook in the water, you can't see the fish at the bottom. …You just got to believe in what you’re doing. …If you don’t catch one fish that’s big enough, you can catch a lot of little ones that can add up to that big fish. That’s the way business works.” (00:00, 07:31)

  "If you hustle with no knowledge, you just always going to hustle...Are you learning your hustle? ...If you didn’t, you’re a hobby hustler." (09:23–10:39)

  "As an African American... I can actually show the world that you don’t have to have a college degree... You gotta be smart enough to use this and the people around you that’s smarter than you to be able to scale the brand." (11:36–11:55)

  “A bicycle is a kickstand. It can’t stand up on its own, but it can keep going with somebody pedaling… Those are the kickstands you need around you for life.” (13:00)

• Ryan Alford:

  “You have to keep going without proof of success. …That’s the difference between people that make it and people that don’t.” (08:24)

  “He is the new face of fast casual. We need some new faces. I’m telling you what, I’m tired of the same old same old… There’s never been a better time for something different.” (15:23)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:22] – Derrick explains his motivation and earliest business attempts.
• [03:57] – The turning point at the gas station and the leap to becoming a destination.
• [05:21] – Current scale, franchising plans, and rapid expansion.
• [07:31] – The fishing metaphor: business as a test of patience and persistence.
• [09:23] – “Hustle” dissected: why knowledge and learning matter more than just working hard.
• [11:36] – Breaking barriers as an African American franchise owner.
• [12:20] – Building the right team and knowing you can't do it alone.
• [13:43] – The ups and downs of working with family.
• [14:19] – Big Dave’s Blue Apron Program and community involvement.

Closing Thoughts

Derrick Hayes’ story is a blueprint for authentic entrepreneurship: honoring legacy, hustling with intention, surrounding yourself with a smart team, and serving your community. His journey—from gas station counter to franchise CEO—is proof that results come from resilience, humility, and the courage to keep “throwing your line out,” even when you can’t see what’s biting.

Find Derrick at:

• Instagram: @bigdavecheesesteaks
• Personal: @official.d.hayes

If you want the playbook for building something from nothing—with candor, humor, and realness—this is an episode not to miss.