From Failure to Triumph: The Growth Journey of Pinky Cole Hayes

Pinky, glad to have you here today.

Excited to be here. Great chatting with you.

Awesome, awesome. So for people listening who may not be overly familiar with you, do you mind briefly introducing yourself here?

Okay. My name is Pinky Cole Hayes because I'm a wife now. I am the founder and CEO of the world famous slutty Vegan Atlanta Bar Vegan ATL American Sesh and the Pinky Cole foundation. And a mommy. And I'm a wife.

Yeah. Yeah. So you got a lot going on, and that's why I really do appreciate your time here. But let's. Let's dig in here. So I was listening to an interview that you did with Dan Roth, and you talked about the spirit of discernment. I'd love for you to unpack that and how you use that to seize opportunities. Because the way that you brought in Eminem in your own life was just. Was amazing. So I'd love to hear more about that.

The spirit of discernment, it's a very interesting thing because I move with my gut. And what the gut is really is the spirit. Right? Like, so I make decisions, like all of the things that happen in my life, personally and professionally. Like, it's spirit based decisions that I make. But I also find a way to add the professional side of those things. So I believe that I have a gift. And I think that we all got a gift where you can see things clearly. Where you're unsure about something, your spirit gives you the answer. You just gotta be tuned in and tapped into the answer. And partially because I'm raw vegan, maybe that's the reason. But, you know, there has been a. Hold on one second. I'm sorry. I realized I. Earrings.

We can use AI to put those in at the beginning. You're okay.

Because I'm like, I can't do this interview without it. So I'm not used to wearing earrings now. I know. Hair, I got to put it back in.

Okay, that's all good.

Do you have to start over? Can we keep going?

No, let's keep going. Like, hey, we're just chatting, you know, it's all good.

Okay, there we go. So the spirit of discernment, I use it a lot. It's the best thing that money can't buy. And it allows you the opportunity to identify people, places and things that are for you. And people, places, the things that are not for you. And my discernment is so strong sometimes that it makes me uncomfortable because oftentimes I always have the answer, but I don't. I I don't listen to what my spirit tells me to do, and I end up in a bad situation. So I utilize that in business a lot. Because although this is business and we're dealing with dollars and cents and building a company, I'm also tapping into that human component, which I get to decide on who I want to deal with based on what my spirit tells me to do.

I'm gonna go on a limb here, and this might fall flat, but there is a second brain in our gut. And you being a vegan, someone who eats cleaner, do you feel like that enhances your second brain, or am I just, like, going way too far off the ledge with this one?

I think it does. You know, it's funny. I'm actually raw vegan right now, and I got a level of mental clarity that I have never had in my whole entire life. And what it is, is, is I'm focused. My. My thoughts are clear, I can think about things in a whole new way. And like my brain, I always come up with so many ideas, but this allows me to be able to dial it in and I can feel energy more. So I'm all genuinely an empath already, but, like, I could feel energy strong because of the fact that I'm eating super clean up eating food from the earth. So I would say absolutely, I think that the closest piece to God is being raw vegan when it comes to the food that you consume. So I've been, like, on that wave now. And also just like even just a vegan lifestyle, even if you're eating a vegan burger and fries, I think that there's something to say about eating food that does not come from an animal. Right. Like, animals have feelings, they have flesh, you know, and eating that just in my humble opinion, I just feel like there's something that disconnects from your psyche and like the food that you consume. But I like to eat food from the earth, and I feel like it connects to the higher power.

Yeah, I mean, the way you describe it is so simple. It's like, why would we not be doing this if you have that connection? And it's, you know, easily, readily, opportunity. So. So we're aligned there. But let's go. Let's go deeper in regards to how you use that spirit of discernment to help you advance your business. Because on your end, you recently be joined. You recently joined Revolt as the creative visionary in residence. So do you mind explaining Revolt as well as your role there?

So first of all, shout out to Revolt. I love Revolt Network that highlights African Americans and all the great things that they're doing. How I align with Revolt is because I saw myself in this network, right? The creative entrepreneur woman, black owned business, doing great things, advancing to the next level and needing a safe space to do those things. And Revolt provides that opportunity for people to do those things, whether it's music, entertainment, media, entrepreneurship. So I wanted to be connected to that. So when, when you know, I am an idea machine, like I can come up with 30 ideas really fast. Like, I'm really good at like taking one thing and, and turning it into a whole conglomerate. So I connected with the CEO. I actually had an event called American Sesh. And American Sesh is an event where you bring creative celebrities and you collaborate them on creative ideas. And the CEO of Revolt, Dottavio, he came to that event and he was so blown away about all the ideas that I could come up with in real time. And we continued to lock in and we continue to build and it just made sense. So my role at Revolt is to help with big ideas, new opportunities that would be a great fit for the network. Finding new ways to keep the customer engaged based on what we see in the world, what's happening, what people are paying attention to, and really just give them a fresh perspective on how to take the brand to the next level. And I'm excited about it because I love Revolt and I think Revolt does a lot for people in general, right? And just highlighting and showcasing the great things that people are doing. So. So to be able to say I had a hand in the successful execution of a TV show or a award show, or an activation or providing a light to influencers is a big deal for me. And I get to do that by way of Revolt.

So, Pinky, I mean, what I'm hearing is you're a dreamer and a doer. So what I'm curious about is how do you use that spirit of discernment to think? Okay, I have all these ideas, you know, all these amazing ideas, but I only have like one lifetime. How do you determine what to pursue and what to. What to pass on?

You know, that's interesting because that used to be a pain point for me. Like, I always want to do all of these things at the same time, but I realized that my bread and butter is slutty vegan, right? So I have to make sure that the bread and butter is good and it'll make room for all of these things. So I have since started compartmentalizing all the things that I want to do from priority to, okay, I'll get to it, but I'll do it. And then if I can't physically myself do it, I've always been a good proprietor of giving somebody an idea that I came up with so they can go out and execute. I realized that I can't do it. All right? But the things that make my belly leap, the things that make my spirit happy and jump on the inside, those are the things that I want to do. And if I could do them by way of Slutty Vegan, which is the bread and butter, then I'm going to continue to do that.

I was asking that question for myself, but I'm sure everyone else got value out of it as well, so. So thanks for that.

Answered your question.

And I'm gonna ask you another question for myself as well. I live here in Brooklyn, and just last week I drove by Slutty Vegan. I think it's on Fulton and Flatbush, like in that downtown area. And I'm going back next week with some of my gym buddies. So when I'm introducing this to them, what should. What should I tell them they should expect when they walk in the door there? The experience in general at Slutty Vegan.

You should expect to be called a slut.

Okay, got that one.

I was waiting for another response.

You should be. Well, I'll say this. Forget it. Just go. I'm not gonna say anything.

You should expect to be called a slut, but it's a term of endearment. You are going to get amazing food, top level hospitality, and you are going to get an experience of a lifetime. Slutty Vegan is not just a regular restaurant. When you walk in the doors, like, we yelling at you, you had a music booming, we calling you a slut. We telling you get slut ified. Like, we're engaging in you, engaging with you in a way that the average restaurant is not doing. So it's something that's unforgettable and that's really how I built my brand. I created something that was so irresistible that people wanted to be a part of. And they're like, oh, crap, I gotta get here. So I'm looking forward to you and your friends coming back and them getting a really good experience. And as I continue to grow and streamline the business, we find ways to make it the most excellent. So I feel good about that. So that's what you should expect.

All right. I'm even more excited now, so I appreciate that. I'll make a video, I'll share it. Online as well. But let's go deeper because like, over your shoulder, I see your book I hope you fail. And that's based on your experience of turning failure into success. And that is the basic theme of this podcast. So if you don't mind expanding on your book, I hope you fail. Like, what encouraged you to write it and what are some of the stories that you share in it and that highlight how you turned failure into success as well.

So I actually was the commencement speaker for my college, my alma mater, cau. So when I did that commencement speech, I'm like, okay, cool. What can I talk to these kids about that will resonate that they won't walk away from this? Like, okay, that was just another born graduation. I don't want to do that ever again. I wanted them to understand what life is going to look and feel like after they walk across the stage, but. But not to utilize that as a crutch to prevent you from getting things that you want. So I talked about my story, about how I was everything in college. I was the most popular girl. I was Ms. Cau. And then when I graduated, I couldn't find a job. But then I maneuvered right through all of the quote unquote failures, or at least what I thought were failures, to identify that these were nothing but lessons and educational opportunities for me to get better. So after I did that commencement speech, I'm like, I need to put this in a book. Like, I need to show people that, like, life is going to life, right? Like things are going to happen. It's not always going to be like skipping in a bed full of dillies. It's not going to be that all day. But what you do with what life serves you is you make lemonade and you re engineer when bad things happen. And I'm helping people to navigate what to do when those bad things happen and how to rise above the ashes. And I'm excited about that book. It came from a real, very vulnerable place. Even now, right where I'm at right now in business, as I continue to grow my brand, like it's very delicate. Like I am a delicate flower because I'm making changes in my business. I'm growing and I'm still realizing like, what the brand is, right? When you think about vegan restaurants, they're closing every day and slutty vegans doors are still open. So as I read my book and like take a dose of my own medicine, I'm re encouraged that, listen, no matter what it looks like, everything is going to work out for your favor. And if it doesn't, it wasn't supposed to. And you'll learn from it either. Either way. And that's literally what this book does. And I know that every single person that has read this book already has been blessed by it.

Yeah, I feel like maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like if I asked anyone who's known you at any stage of your life and they see what you've accomplished, they would just say, yeah, that makes sense. I mean, have you always been this. This driven, this accomplished, this dedicated? Because it just feels like this is your identity, and it feels like it's been locked in for a long time.

This is who I am. I can remember when I was a kid, I would watch Golden Girls with my grandmother, and I used to be a kid, and all of my friends, they would be outside playing all day, and I'm like, I don't want to play. Like, I want to. Like, I had such a mature mindset that I as a kid said, I'm gonna be a star. I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna be a billionaire. And I'm 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 years old. So for me to speak that language early on tells me a couple of things. It tells me that the power of the tongue is real, right? It also tells me that you can manifest who you want to become. So I knew that I wanted to become a billionaire. Now, I ain't got the billions in a bank, but I got a billionaire mentality, a billionaire spirit, and a billion dollar concept, right? I said that I was going to be great and make impact in the world. I'm making impact in the world. I'm connecting communities together and bridging that generational wealth gap. So I say all that to say that, like, I knew and everybody else around me knew, but it took for them to see all of the great things to say, like, wow, she really did what she said she was going to do. So I'm the kid living out loud my wildest dreams.

That's amazing. And what I appreciate about you is you've lived it, you've learned it, and that's why you're teaching it. But I know that you have had a few challenges in your life as well. So do you mind just. Maybe it's one that you share in the book as well. Do you mind sharing any kind of hiccups or speed bumps you've encountered countered along your way and. And how you overcame that as well?

So the first one is getting sued.

All right, let's start there.

Listen, what somebody told me. I forgot who it was, but he walked up to me, he said, listen, if you ain't getting sued, that means that your company ain't big enough. And if your company is big enough and you get sued, that means that you're doing something right. But that means you need to make sure the best practices are in place. So. So the good thing about what I have going on is that there is beauty in the struggle, right, between getting sued, between being a public figure now by mistake, and having to show up every single day because my name is all over this. It is difficult, right? It's hard because I care more about my name than money, right? And because I care more about that. Like, I'll go to bat for my name, I go to bet for the money, but I'm really gonna go back for my name because the name is going to make the money. So what I've learned in these challenges, I've learned that it's just business and not to take it personal. And I've always been an emotional leader, and I still. Yeah, still am. But remember what I told you. I compartmentalize because I understand that, like, there are going to be so many more stones that are thrown at me, right? But if I'm prepared for those stones now, I got my armor. Now that I'm ready, I can stick and move, and. And it's really just a lesson learned, and it's experience that I get when I go through tough times. But, you know, it's life and it's business, and true business owners get it. Like, you're going through business. You're going to have your highs, and you're going to have your lows, and you're going to fall in love with your business, and you're going to fall out of your business, fall out of love in your business. But you live to fight another day, and you live to navigate through all of those challenges, and at the end of the day, it will all be worth it.

I think based on what you're saying, one key takeaway is you're better off building resilience against setbacks as opposed to scrambling when they occur, because both take energy, right? But, like, you're saying, like, hey, just compartmentalize. Like, hey, this thing is messed up. I'll deal with it. But I'm not gonna let it ruin the rest of my day because, you know, life is long, so there's a viable.

I used to let it do that. So, like, that's evolution and entrepreneurship, because I Wasn't always that way.

Yeah, I mean, it comes in handy with parenting too, because again, I got four kids and it's like there's, there's wins and losses, but if you let the losses get to you too much, you don't recognize the wins. So I hear you. But when I was visiting your, your, your Instagram profile, you did something very unselfish. Instead of promoting yourself and, you know, your book and everything, you, there was a link to Sistas and Business Foundation. So can you unpack that as well and even how we can support you with that?

So group economics is something near and dear to me. I have always been the person to help somebody out of a tough situation. Right. So I did a group economics experiment with Messina Bottle. It's a clothing brand owned by Khalilah Wright. And, and in three days, we raised her $77,000. Now, I was excited because, you know, it allowed her to be able to pay her bills, do what it is that she needs to do, and I'm like, you know what? I want to do it again. So I identified a company, Sisters in Business, and she has a shop called the Sista Shop. And at the Sista Shop, she basically amplifies at least 100 black woman owned founders and sells their products in her store. So when I had a conversation with her, she told me that she was five months behind on rent, she had taxes that she needed to pay, and she needed to be able to like, really lock in so that she didn't have to close her doors. So what I wanted to do is I wanted to show the power of community coming together to help her out of a bad situation. So we're going to do it for the next five days. I'm excited because this will be a saving grace for her to continue to do exactly what she wants to do. And I'm encouraging anybody that's watching this if, if you want to help a business stay open, especially because the economy is so bad, donate to what they got going on. Help them, provide them with leadership and coaching and products and all that good stuff, and, and make sure that they have a path to success, a pathway to success. And I want to be a part of that pathway. So I'm excited for Ms. Aisha and I pray that we get to the goal of a hundred thousand dollars, which we talked about, because I want to make sure that she can keep her doors open.

Yeah, you, like I said before, you know, you, you, you learned it, you lived it, you learned, you're teaching it, but you have this optimism that is centered almost on stoicism. And I'm wondering, what do you think the impact on your community is? Those that are around you? Like, what do you think that looks like in their day to day life just being in your orbit?

I believe that when people see me, they feel like they can run through a brick wall. I feel like people know that it's possible because you got this girl from East Baltimore, from around the way here. Now I have purple hair. I am not professional by virtue of a suit, right? I'm not a suit and tie CEO and I'm just me. And whether you love me or you leave me alone, I am just me. And I believe that people fall in love with that level of authenticity, that level of realness. Like that level of I'm not too proud to beg. I'm not too big to be bigger than everybody else. Like, I'm just. I'm just that regular Roundaway girl. And I think people can feel like they touch me. They can touch me and I'm tangible to them. And it makes people want to be in my orbit. It grows the idea of the Pinky Cold effect is what my people call it. So I believe that I have some loyal supporters and some longtime fans, but they also understand the mission and the vision that in order to take this thing to the next level, we got to keep pounding the pavement, keep taking it to the next level. And that's what I'm going to keep doing, you know, and. And I'm happy about. Happy about the work that I get to do because, yes, I sell burgers and fries, but the reality of it is, is it's bigger than that. You know, it's about community, giving people opportunities, showing them that the best path forward to make sure that they are successful as well. That's kind of the vibe that I'm on, and that's why people want to be in my orbit.

I'm going to call it the Pinky Cole Hayes effect going forward. Not to correct you, I'll take that, please. But your daughter is clearly in your orbit too, and she's watching you build this. You and your husband just build an Empire. So 20 years from now, if someone asks her what it was like growing up with you as a mom and a role model, what would you want her to say?

I would want her to say that she's never admired another woman in her life other than her mom. To the highest extent, that's what I would want. I would want my daughter to be so proud that she just says My name and any door that she wants to walk in, she can, because I've already laid the foundation of excellence for her to be able to get whatever it is that she want. I want people to know that Mommy was a trailblazer, and Mommy did things that a lot of other people didn't do. And Mommy set me up for success. So now I have my own business, or I've inherited the business that she created so that I can be successful, especially when I grow up and I have kids. That's what I want them to say. You know, I am. I am not the person that wants all of the accolades, that wants all the awards. I just want to win. And if that level of winning can be translated into being one of the most dynamic leaders in our country, and my daughter can talk about that in 20 years, then that's a big win for me.

You got this, like, Kobe Bryant, like, focus as I'm listening to you, like, I'm feeling the mamba come out. But. But I dig that because you talked about generational wealth. I think you're doing so both financially and spiritually based on, you know, how you're. How you're describing your. Your lifestyle. So you do a lot of interviews, clearly. And I'm curious. What is one question that almost nobody asks about your personal or professional life yet? They should, because your response would be so valuable.

What is one question that's a good question. I would want somebody to ask me, is my cup full or is my cup empty? And how I would respond to that is that my cup is empty because I am so giving to everybody else. But I am working on putting some juice back in that cup. And what that means is creating boundaries and focusing on me and what I like to do, what I care about, what makes me happy. Because I'm a lot of things to everybody. You know, I'm a mother, a CEO, a wife, I'm a sister, I'm a daughter. I'm all of these things, and I take care of a lot of people, but my cup is getting dry, and I need to fill that cup back up. And nobody ever asked me that. That's why I wanted to. Like, nobody ever asked me. They. All they see is, like, the accolades, all of the things, but nobody really, like, really dials in and, like, pinky. So, like, how are you? I wish more people would ask, just in general. I think that most more people should ask that question because you see all of the lights, you see the accolades, but there are some long nights. I gotta be honest. There's some long nights, just me and my pillow, just talking me, my pillow and God, you know, And a lot of people don't ask that. They just see the bright, shiny things. And I would want people to ask that more.

Yeah. So how are you going to fill your cup then? And I appreciate your authenticity here, but how are you going to fill that cup back up?

Boundaries. And I've been working on it. Listen, one thing about me is I'm so transparent about my journey because I want people to watch my interviews and be like, that's the realest shit somebody ever said. And like, I'm going through the same thing, but nobody has balls enough to say it, you know? So in creating boundaries, I'm eliminating people, places and things, people that no longer serve me, places that I no longer want to be at because my energy, my vibration is just on another hemisphere that I don't even want to be associated with that. And then things that don't bring value to my life. And I've been doing those things and creating those boundaries around those things so that my cup can start to fill back up because I cannot give to other people if my cup is empty.

Yeah, I think that's. That's a really good lesson for all of us because especially our friends, our network. Right. Some people, they're good for seasons of your life, but they can't go on to the next phase with you. They just can't. They'll drag you down, unfortunately, if you do so. It's. It's challenging, but it's also necessary. And to your point, the more you keep on ascending, you can uplift others as well. So you got to put up those boundaries. And I'm glad I was able to sneak in past your boundary and have some time with you today. But in. In parting here, I know a lot of us are going to want to learn even more you. So what's the. The best way to do so.

So if you want to learn about me and all my craziness, you can go to Pinky Cole on all social media handles if you want to learn about Slutty Vegan and the brand and all the great things that we're doing, you can go to Slutty Vegan ATL on all handles and Pinky gives back on social media for my foundation and all those efforts if you want to donate. But I ain't hard to find. All you gotta do is type me in and I'll be there. But excited to. To get, get gain new followers and, and people who can follow My journey and all the great things that I got going on.

Awesome. Well, I'll be down in Atlanta soon, so I'll have to stop by that location as well. But I do want to thank you for your time. I'll let you back to your. Your daughter and everything, but this has been great for me as well as our listeners, so I appreciate you, and thank you.

Thank you so much.

Yeah, yeah, Pinky, I'll let you finish chewing, and then I'll ask you that. So, Pinky, in regards to your role at Revolt, what are you looking forward to doing in the next 90 days or so? What projects are lighting you up?

So we got a couple of projects in a pipeline, and I can't get into specific detail, but what I will talk about is there will be an event that highlights disruptors in different industries, which I really like, particularly because I don't think that there are big enough spaces to highlight entrepreneurs. The entrepreneur is a new celebrity. Right. So I don't think that there are typically enough spaces to highlight entrepreneurs who are in different industries, and we're going to do that with Revolt. We also got some really dope stuff happening with kids, where kids are interviewing celebrities. I'm in a whole slew of things. What I like about Revolt is that they're open. So this is not just some traditional company that you got to go through 10 channels just to get an approval. Like, they are open to big ideas because they understand what I built in my brand, and I'm excited to just partner with them, to just come up with all these great things.

Awesome. Well, I'm excited, too, and I got four kids here. If you need someone else to interview other celebrities, okay, listen, you let me know. Awesome.