Danielle and Jelani Jackson are owners and operators of Richie’s Chicken & Soul, a fast-casual soul-food restaurant based in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. Danielle’s family originally started Richie’s in 1986, and she and Jelani joined the business in 2015 to understand the ropes of owning and growing a restaurant.

 

In their conversation with Joe Quattrone, Jelani and Danielle share how they’ve evolved Richie’s over the last seven years, and what “Richie’s 2.0” looks like. They emphasize hospitality and authenticity both in-store and on their social media channels, and aim to create a memorable brand experience as well as delicious soul food. Above all, what makes Richie’s stand out, Danielle says, is their focus on their people and building an environment where people feel safe, supported, inspired to work hard, and are happy to be there. 

 

In-flight topics:

• Owning and operating a family business vs. a funded startup
• Learning curves from corporate to small business
• Supporting your team as humans
• Building hospitality in person and online 
• Incorporating your values into your business
• …and more!

 

Connect with Jelani and Danielle:

Richie’s Chicken & Soul website: https://www.richieschicken.com/ 

Jelani on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelani-jackson-6b534013/ 

Richie’s Chicken & Soul Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richieschicken/