Keep it Positive, Sweetie - The Woman Behind The Mission

Episode Date: July 12, 2026

What happens when your purpose becomes bigger than you ever imagined? This week, Crystal sits down with Jasmine Crowe-Houston—founder and CEO of Goodr, author of Feeding Hope, and one of the nation’s leading voices in fighting food insecurity. From recovering millions of pounds of surplus food to building free grocery markets in underserved communities, Jasmine shares the courage, faith, and stewardship behind a mission that’s changing lives. This is a conversation about purpose, leadership, and becoming the woman God was preparing all along.e.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. What's up, fam, it's sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the hosts of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together. We're breaking down the biggest headlines,

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Calling all my sweeties to the forefront. I'm your host Chris Renee Hazlett and this is the Keep It Positive Sweetie Show. Purpose has a way of asking more from us than we can ever expect. Today's conversation is about the courage to keep saying yes even when the assignment gets heavy. We are sitting with Jasmine Crowe Houston. Today's guest has reimagined what it looks like to solve one of our country's biggest challenges. Jasmine Crowe Houston is the founder and CEO of Gooder, an innovative company that's recovered millions of pounds of surplus food, built free grocery markets and underserved communities, and help make food insecurity, sustainability, and dignity part of the same conversation.

She has been recognized by Forbes and the New York Times, and now she is sharing her journey in her very first book, Feeding Hope. Kemp's family, please give a very warm welcome to Jasmine Crow Houston. How are you doing? I'm doing so well. How are you? I'm wonderful. Thank you so much. I want to start off by saying congratulations.

You have a new book, Feeding Hope, How to Build a Mission-Driven Enterprise to Create Change. You've already done so much to create change, and now you are an author. This is so exciting. And you just said that today or yesterday was the first time you actually got to touch this. Today, like literally before I came here, I was like, your producer was like, can you? bring a copy of the book. I said they just arrived this week. And so I opened it. And yes, you're holding the first copy I ever touched. I love it. I'm a reader. So I love the texture of the cover already. Yeah, it feels good. Yeah, the pages feel good. Yeah, I'm excited to dive into it.

Like I haven't got into like audible yet. Kindles and so. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yes. Unless I'm in a hurry, like I'm trying, I need to read it two times like or speed it up and like get some through something. I like to touch the pages. I want to smell. It kind of reminds me of when I was a kid. And I'd be like Beverly Cleary or the babysitters club books. Yes. I remember. It's something about the pages. What was the Sweet Valley Hide?

Yes. Yes. But before we dive in, because I do want to talk more about your book, let's play a quick game. Okay. The game is called Keep It or Give It. Let's see. So I'm going to throw out a few words and you tell me if you're keeping them or you're going to give them away. I'll tell you mine after this.

The first one is group chats. Keep. Keep. Keep, oh my God. My group chats have been very funny lately. Yes, I'm going to keep them, definitely. I love that I have one group chat that I love, but all the other ones I'm mute. Really?

Yeah, it drives me crazy. Yeah, I can imagine. Yeah, especially when they're like big group chats, I feel like. Yes, now the big ones I would definitely give away, but the small ones, yeah, I feel like that. That's important. Yes, yes. I love that. Early mornings.

Giveaway. You're late. I'm late. I do not like an early morning. Give away. See, I wake up at 5 a.m. So I'm an early riser. When I do get to the gym up.

530, I feel really good, but it doesn't happen often. No, it's a good feeling. Yes, it's a very good feeling. I love that. Fear. So I would say keep it. I have a healthy amount of fear. And, you know, I think sometimes it helps you plan for like the worst.

So I think you have to keep fear, but you can't give in to it. I would say that. That's good. I like that. Rest. Keep. Yes. Absolutely.

I hope no one gives that away. Listen, before you got here, I text another, I was like, what's her ETA? Because I was in there naping. Yes, I love my wrist, honey. Gotta get it. Cooking. Keeping, for sure. What's your favorite dish to cook?

Probably lasagna or I make really good. Everyone says I make really good steak. Like, I think that's the thing I've been making the longest that I'm like, apparently steak, lamb chop. Someone called me the other day the lamb chop. God. Oh, okay. So you just like three of my favorite.

dishes. Yes, they told me I was a lamb chop god. I was like, I love it. Oh, honey, you let me know when you're cooking. Yes, it will. Steak, lasagna and lamb chops. Yes. Love it. Yes. So I'm down. I love it. Um, silence. I'm going to give away silence. I love my music. I'm annoyed. I even fall asleep to the TV, which is probably very, I mean, I put my sleep timer on. Yeah. But I fall asleep to the TV. I used to be the same way. I would fall asleep watching friends, wake up watching fall patrols. Yes. I'm wearing. Like I have the modern family. I have very good feel-good shows, and then crime shows, like true crime. So that's like, those are my things.

I love that. Now I have to sleep completely dark. Yeah. What do you got to if you wake up at 5 a.m. Yeah, because that times, like, my brain will keep going, so I had to do my magnesium spray and just go to sleep. Yes. Yeah.

The magnesium spray. No, for sure. You put it on your feet. Feet? Yep. Yes. That's good. Yes.

I want to tell you within five minutes, I'm like, it's good for here. If you're a parent, I sprayed a tiny bit on my kid the other day, and it worked. So that's the. I'll give you guys that, like a tiny, like a spray it on your hand, rub it on the feet. I love that. I love that. Jazzy, I'm going to tell you right now, I was blown away by your journey. Shelly sings your praises.

She's like, you got to meet her. She is. Absolutely love her. And she's a good friend because she was really singing your praises. And I was excited to sit down with you. Yes, it's been a journey 10 years. This is a day. I mean, nothing happens overnight.

No, it does not. Let's talk about the journey. because a lot of people, they've heard Gooder, they don't know the person behind it. So I want to know everything. Like, how did you get to that point and what made you think of that? But let's start from the beginning.

So I moved to Atlanta in 2013. My sister was going to Spelman. When I graduated college, I went to college in North Carolina. My parents, funny story, I wanted to go to Howard, Clark, all the places. We were living in North Carolina. My parents were like, we want you to be two hours from home. Like, we want you to be driving distance from home.

My freshman year, they moved to Portland, Oregon. I always will shame them for this story. They don't hear it every time. So now I hope everyone that's listening, hears this about my parents. They left me in North Carolina as a freshman. And so I finished college, stayed through, graduated in my four years.

Once they graduated, they hated Portland. They had moved to Phoenix, Arizona. So I moved to Phoenix. My sister was entering high school, and I was telling her, like, you need to go to an HBCU. Arizona is very, very non-diverse. For sure.

The whole state is probably 3% African-American. And so got her to go to Spelman. We didn't know anyone here. And I was like, you know, I'll go. So she came in the fall. I came in January of 2013. And I drove through downtown and just saw a lot of people experiencing homelessness. And it was, if you're kind of new to Atlanta now, like the whole downtown Pete Chupine,

like where I used to feed it is now a hospital. So that should let you know, like, how much has been built up. Yes. But there used to be hundreds of people outside of this shelter. And so I was like, I want to do some cooking. And I learned to cook when I was at home in North Carolina by myself, like the very first Thanksgiving me and my friend Chanel who's with me. We cooked for everyone who couldn't go home for Thanksgiving.

I mean, we made so much food. It was like crazy. Like we, I mean, we was Betty Crocker recipe, you know, printing it out. This is back in the MapQuest days where you had to like print out where you're going, printing out recipes, making turkey. Chanel was taking culinary, had learned how to season a turkey. So we made all this food and I wanted to do that. So I started, my journey really started feeding people out of my kitchen on the streets of Atlanta.

And so many people used to come out and feed with me. So like I'll run into people now. It'll be like, I can't believe you're still. I'm in the grocery store. They're like, you're still the same person. Like I'm always, I was like couponing, price matching, looking at what Publix had on Bogo, what Kroger had on sale. And that's how I would make the menus. So I started, you know, cooking for people and saw that just the way people are treated if they are

experiencing hunger or homelessness, just anything, right? I mean, it could spread any cause. Domestic violence so often, we don't know what it's like when you're experiencing it. Like, it's like, you know, you're just donating your cans. You're just putting, you know, donating, checking, giving a dollar at the grocery store. You know, they ask you do want to donate to the food banking. You do it. And then on the other side of it, it's always like, here, just take this.

You're hungry. It doesn't matter if you're vegan. It doesn't matter if you don't eat dairy. It doesn't matter if you have religious. convictions and you don't eat pork or whatever, you never get a choice. No. And so that's what was so different about us feeding on the streets. We had menus and we had options.

And if people just had, yes, it was like a little restaurant. It literally was a restaurant. So it started there. And I feel like that's where I met. Shelly, just so many people through those, that work doing that. Wow. That is incredible and fascinating. Yes.

It's crazy to think about it. And that was 13 years ago. And I did that for four. five years before I ever even started Gooder. So I was doing that every weekend for years. Wow. For years. Traveling, I took one to Essence Fest one year. I mean, I did one in D.C., so I would take the whole experience

and just go do a pop-up restaurant in another city to feed people that were homeless. It was sad. That is awesome. That is amazing. Have you always had a heart to see the overlooked? You know, my dad recently told me, he called me the other day. He was like, Chubby, which is my nickname. And he was like, you remember that Christmas when we decided not to get you something for Christmas

and we brought gifts for this mom or her six kids? He's like, you remember that? He was like, you were so happy. I did not even remember that story. So I guess at some point, I even, you know, went without Christmas gifts so that another family and kids could have it. And my dad always tells like little anecdotes about your life that you just don't remember like, oh, I remember one time in D.C.

You were asking why people were homeless. Like, I don't remember any of these stories, but apparently, yes. I had that notebook by Ilanya Van Zan. It was like something. It was like, oh my God, what was it called? It was like a yellow little journal. All the girls had it. It was like saying true to yourself.

It was like a little workbook and I found it recently. So I still have it. And my handwriting was terrible. And I was talking like, you know, it makes me mad when people hate on me and my friends. So I was a teenager. Definitely like in high school or middle school. But I wrote in that that I wanted to be known for doing something good.

20, 30 years before I would ever start doing anything. So I must have always had good. I have that to this day, wrote that terrible handwriting, very young, and it had like little prompts, like, what's something that makes you feel bad? And that's when I was like, when people hate on me and my friends. And then, you know, what do you want to be known for doing something good? Like, that was what I wrote. And so it was kind of, I guess, foreshadowing, if you will.

Yeah. It's crazy to think about. That is crazy. I love that. And I love that your dad reminded you of a memory that you had probably forgotten, but it was a core of who you are. Yes, yes. So many of those.

I think there's a lot that we don't know because if you don't sit back and sit in your past, you're always on go. We just were talking about that, right? You're always on go. I don't think I reflected. I never remembered having, and I feel bad. He was like, we went over there and you watched them open all the presents. Like he has very vivid memories because he's an adult and it's probably like a big thing for him.

I don't remember. I don't remember birthdays. Like, you know, people realize, you know, you throw the birthday parties, your kids don't remember it. I can kind of see that. But we also didn't have all we have now. Like, you know, now if something like that happened, I'd probably have pictures to show my kids.

Yeah. But, you know, we didn't have that. Right, absolutely. So your heart turned into a full business. Yes. Your heart posture did. What has been the navigation of that when you really, like, saw a need, but then it turns into this full-blown business?

It is. I used to be into being Mary Jane. That used to be my show. It just started coming back on or maybe it hasn't, but I'm watching TV one day and it popped up and I was watching for like hours. Hours. She used to write little post-its on her.

So I was doing that on my mirror when I was living, you know, in Atlanta first starting this business 10 years ago, literally, probably 10 years ago to the day. And when I was thinking about Goeter, I remember I wanted to provide a million meals and make a million dollars. Like that was the goal. And now, you know, probably like next year,

Gooder will have seen probably, probably nine figures in lifetime revenue and provided 50 million plus meals to people. And it's like to know like I wrote that on a post it like one million meals be worth the company be worth a million dollars. I have always led with my heart with this company and I write about that a lot in the book. I have failed in a lot of ways where there's been fundraising like building a right team. You know, there's all kind of things that have not been great along the journey. But at the end of the day, I cannot.

when it's all set and done. Because a lot of times I'm like, even in my book, I was like, listen, by the time you read this, my company may not be here. Like,

you know, I don't know. Because, you know, it was like in 2025, there's a lot happening last year, especially for black women and business, you know, so I was like,

I don't know. And that's when I was writing this, you know, going through it. But I know that I have always done it for the right reasons. Like, you know,

I was doing it when I had nothing. Right. I was feeding people wondering like, dang, like I should have made myself a little plate when I would get home. you know so to start a business that has employed hundreds of people fed millions of people worked with everybody you know from delta to the NBA I mean we have had a lot of highs and there's

definitely been a lot of lows but I my heart posture has never been to give people less and you know I mean people would be like oh give them less or I remember one time one of my friends was like oh well they're homeless you know so it doesn't matter and I was like it does like you know it definitely does like you can't just give people anything and it goes back to, I think, what we should have all learned in kindergarten, like treating people how you want to be treated. Yes, yes. And we always don't do that.

I mean, we, in a lot of times in our day-to-day lives, we want to be treated a certain way. But it's like, how often are we really treating people the way we want to be treated? And in the service industry, it does not happen. And when I say service like this kind of nonprofit giving social impact space, it's just like check the box. No, absolutely. It's, I'm really proud of that.

Like, I can say that. with all my heart on all my kids, on everything in my life, I've always wanted the best for people in the business. And so for investors and, you know, I've raised capital and stuff, that's not been the thing because it's like, oh, they don't care about feeding people. They care about money. So it was really hard to kind of blend the two. And in hindsight, you know, it's hard to think about it now, but maybe I should have said

good or up as a nonprofit. And instead, I thought, well, businesses are paying to throw away perfectly good food. and, you know, why would we be free if I'm going to, like, hire a driver and get this food delivered? And, you know, we work with Tyler Perry Studios. We do all the food on all the sets. Like, nothing goes to waste from any of the studios. It's like, those are dreams that I had. And I did make it as a business.

Had it been a nonprofit, maybe it could have been, you know, like I would have then been going really head to head against the food bank, which I still ended up doing or feeding Americas and the bigger organizations. But I think it would have. I don't think I would be where I am today had I not made it into a business. Right. Yeah. Let's talk about some of the losses or failures and the roadblocks that you hit along the way building this because we see what you've built. Yeah.

But can you share some of the lessons and some of the moments where you felt like this is a really low moment? Yes. I mean, I think in 2023, it's funny I saw on social media. Someone was like, what's the year that you made it through? You know, that you're glad they're right about. And I was like, it's a few. Like 2016. And then 2023 was a really tough one.

I was pregnant with my second child, very difficult pregnancy. Like very, I don't even think I told close friends, family, like real, real close, close people probably until like second trimester. You know, like literally, probably at least five or six months pregnant before I told anyone. Never told no one at my company, no one. Like literally I just, I posted on social media one day like, I want to introduce y'all to my baby. Like, you know what I mean? Like literally the day. They're like, yeah, like, it's my birthday.

here's my baby and I think people afterwards people were like you know when I saw you I thought you know I wondered if you was a little pregnant like you know they were saying things like that but at the time no one said anything but I was just going through so much in my company and I think the biggest thing was like people and what I would try and do was I was such a giver and that I realized I was a people pleaser I was like oh I'm going to give all of my employees $250 a month for you know for mental health or for veterinary services like whatever they want to do for yoga whatever I still do that, but I was doing it in expecting that they would not so much be loyal to me, but more so like see that I was really trying to be a good leader.

I gave everybody the first Friday of the month off. I always, you know, try to do team retreats and take us to nice places like two times a year, bring your spouses. Like I was like giving so much of myself showing up. I wanted to be this humility-based leader that I would clean the bathroom. I mean, every office we opened everything. I was painting the windows, doing, you know, painting the windows stills. being involved. I remember one time I was cleaning the window with Windex and our like,

our receptionist at the time, she was like, give it to me. Like, stop. And I was like, you know, but that was who I was. So I think a lot of failure on team, a lot of failure on just like trying to, you know, fundraise. Like that was a real tough one. I remember meeting with so many investors and, you know, people just telling me it would never work and they didn't believe in it. And so then when they're hard times, I was like, oh my God, they're right. I'm pretty sure they're going to be so happy that they didn't invest in me. And, you know, I think those have been the biggest too, definitely building teams because it's been, you know, you're good with an employee. And then when it's not, it doesn't go to where you're like the worst person. So I think that that's like

one of those things that had happened a lot of times. And just, you know, trying to not lose focus of the mission, even when investors and people were like, I don't think you should concentrate on that. Don't do grocery stores. You should focus on just food waste. And I was like, No, we could do both. Yeah. You know, we could be a business that does both things. Like, how many different lines of businesses Amazon have? Hello.

Why do I only have to do one thing? Amazon has grocery stores and things. Media. Yeah, media. And they have a TV network. They have their deliveries. They have medical. You know, like, why do I have to just only do this?

And so just being able to make decisions without caring about what other people think was something that I felt at a lot. Yeah. And then, you know, just the actual, like, getting the right people. And when you spend thousands and thousands of dollars on employees, and it doesn't work out, and it's like a lot of money down the drain. And at this point in my business, you know, I've spent millions. Yeah. Millions. I'm like employing people, hiring lawyers, just like all the things, all the things. And you start to think, like, was that a wasted time?

Waste of time and money, man. And if I had that back now, like if I had the money I spent on this trip or this, this and this. Like, you know, in hard times, you're like, did I make the right decisions then? But all you can ever do is keep going. And continue to be you and be true to who you are. You know, that is your heart posture and being kind and wanting to be giving is who you naturally are. Hey, I'm Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast, OnCore. Check out our brand new episodes featuring music from the show

that everyone is reheating as we speak. Heated rivalry. Join me as I go behind the songs that brought Shane and Elia together. I'll tell you the stories of Fice, My Moon, My Man, wolf parades, I'll believe in anything, and tattoos all the things she said,

and how they all became a part of this global phenomenon. Stream encore on IHeart Radio, crave, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together and I Heart Women's Sports. Because let's be real.

Women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days. The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire timeline. And the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week. Every week we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports. We'll give you our tapes, our debates, and probably a few disagreements. We'll talk to athletes, celebrate big moments and get into what's happening on and off the field, sport, track, and beyond. Because we're not just interested in what happened. We're interested in why everyone's talking about it.

it because everyone watches women's sports. So if you're already a fan, you're just getting into the game, there's a seat for you right here. Listen to everyone watches women's sports. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. My first guest is Peresotin,

Shakira, Luke and Yerrin, Samira and Gracie. I'm so excited. On the bouncy bed. You have surprises? Many surprises. Welcome to Sweet 305 where the group chat comes to life. What a f***. It's like a way to say like,

oh, my friend, oh, my friend, oh, my, my, my, my brother. Look, I never have to have with anybody. Except with my my kids, my people,

see my amante. Oof, yeah, that's the novellable. Yeah, that's the only person I know that loves a yellow starburst. It's really, no, no, there's anyone that you say, like, you'd like to collaborate with this person.

This is Sweet 305. Listen to Sweet 305 with Lelepon's as part of my Cultura podcast network on the IheartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jake Brennan, and on my podcast, Disgraceland, I tell the stories behind music's biggest names, the moments, rumors, and real-life events that help shape their legacy. Like the story behind Sonic Youth that starts with downtown New York cool and ends with album art inspired by a true crime.

Sonic Youth was not fronted by a groupie hustling alpha like David Lee Roth. No, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore was an artist in love with a fellow artist who just happened to play bass in the same band with him and his other artist friends. Her name was Kim Gordon. And Thurston and Kim were every bit as cool as the couple on the cover of Goo. The same couple involved in one of the UK's darkest true crimes. Disgraceland is part of the exactly right network. Listen to new episodes every Tuesday, bonus episodes Thursday,

and rewinds on Sunday on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Things like that have taken it for granted, you start to question like, am I doing the right thing? Or should I just keep the main thing, the main thing? Because like when you look back, you're like, I spend all this money and they didn't even appreciate it. Yeah, didn't appreciate it.

And I think the other thing is like a little imposter syndrome, Not so much like when you've been doing it for 10 years and having this company, I thought about it the other day. I've done so much. I mean, I've spoken like the president of Egypt flew me out. I spoke at like a youth serum. Yes, I've been to Egypt. I've been to Ken, Lions. I've done commercials.

I've done TED talks. I mean, just so much that I've done with this company, which is like sometimes you have to sit back and think about it. Like a lot has happened. Good. A lot of bad. A lot of bad, too. I remember one time I had the Atlanta Public School District. My friends know this, but this is a funny one.

Atlanta Public School District had let Gooder have a school to take over during the pandemic. We were feeding families. And I got a call one morning like 4 a.m. And it was the police. And they were like, listen, like, we're here. Some of your employees are in here. And they're like, they're living in the school. Like, it was just so crazy.

I mean, people are calling me like, did you know someone so is living in the school? I'm like, no. Like just like the amount of, yes. And then like, you know. Come on, y'all. Yes, like y'all are about to ruin everything, like the whole relationship with the school. I mean, just so many things. So you have to like apologize.

And, you know, the cop that I was on the phone with me at 4 o'clock in the morning, I'm pregnant with my first child at the time, he was like, but I've been, I've seen y'all on the news. And I know what y'all are doing. You know, I'm just telling them to get out of here and it's not going to be an issue. But like, just, you know, I remember one time one of my drivers, my truck driver went through like a low median and tore the whole box truck off, $40,000 repair. Yes, insurance company was like, they. couldn't cover it. They don't cover negligence.

And that's literally what they said. They're like it says like a median. There's a lower thing. He drove through. I mean, the picture was, I mean, you never seen it.

It was like a box truck. This scale of the box truck, the whole covering was gone. Like just so many things like 40,000. Can you imagine that? Like just like just the month, the bills, it has been crazy.

$300,000 lawyer bills. Like you just, a lot of, yeah, they don't see that. So lots of good. Lots of bad. Kind of like the ebs and the flow.

But the biggest pieces, like every day we're in business, people are eating. Come on. Yeah. So I'm like, and so it always is a scary port for me because what do I do if I don't do this? Like we can't, if we shut down, like there's so many people, seniors, people who eat every single day. Like we open a grocery store and a deli on Edgewood near the King Center.

And I was in it the other day and I heard a man say like, I appreciate y'all being here. Like, thank you for being here like a senior because he could get a $5 meal at our grocery store every day. Like you can't do that at any other grocery store. And so you're not getting nothing from nothing. Nothing. Nothing. So it's like we have to be alive, but it's hard. It's hard to keep it going. Yeah. Speaking of hard, when did you realize that you could do hard things? What was a moment? We're like, okay, I can do this. Yeah. I think during the pandemic. I think 2020 was very telling, you know, on one day my business was we were working heavily on getting the excess food from businesses and getting it out to nonprofits. And the day that we went in quarantine.

quarantine, everybody, like, stopped service. Like, so literally everybody, because there's like, hey, we're going home. We're going to cut it off. So I'm knowing that we're not going to get paid. Like, we didn't get a PPP loan, like all of that stuff. We were too small of a company at the time. But within a matter of a week, we had set up this whole fulfillment center at a school, hired 50 employees, started getting donations from, like, quality control music,

Spank, Sarah Blakely gave us $100,000. United Way gave us money to feed family. and we did it in like a week. Like I was waking up at 5. This is when I was an early morning girl. Waking up at 5 a.m. going to Walmart, buying like 20 baskets of groceries, going to this school, putting them in boxes,

having all these employees come and deliver them to the doors of people with mask on and like, you know, all this. Like we had to get, I think we had to print out these things that we were like essential workers to keep in our dashboards to be out. Like that's how serious it was.

And that was hard. I mean, but we were feeding thousands and thousands of people And it was like, and we just did it within a matter of weeks. It was just like, almost like panic. We ought to think it was six years ago. It seems so long ago. Isn't that crazy?

Yeah, when that happened, we were like, what's happening here? Like people were dying. Yeah. That was. A friend of mine when I went to New York a week ago, she said to me, she was like, you remember in New York, we used to have the refrigerated trucks with all the bodies. I was like, what? I didn't know that.

In New York, like, during the pandemic, there was no. There was no school. I remember that. She was like, they had refrigerated trucks. she would see them going up like this with bodies inside of them. I can't even believe. I didn't know that. Yes, because the families couldn't come.

Yeah, no one could climb. I mean, it was, it was crazy. Yeah. It was crazy. So that's when I knew. Like, when I did that, I was like, okay. Yeah. I could do it all.

You're built for it. Yeah. I was built for it. My goodness. I didn't realize it has been six years. Yeah. A little, I mean, and this was like, six years around this time was like the thick of it. Because it was in March.

It was March 8th, 2020. I remember the day. I was like, and I remember us thinking it was going. And I remember us thinking it was going to be two weeks. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Like very like, oh, you know, 14 days. Let's just buckle down and do this.

And it was at least almost two years before we really started getting out again. Literally. Yeah. I remember. I think Essence came back in 2022 or 2023. So it was like a couple years. Yeah. Yeah.

And we all had it. You know, you had COVID a couple days. Like, this was a lot. My godmother's husband died during COVID. It was, yes, because, you know, they used to send you home from the emergency room. I mean, he went with, like, saying something was wrong with his head, and then they sent him home, and he died of an aneurysm. So it's just like, yeah, like, so, so, I mean, just like, it was tough.

It was a real tough thing. Knock on what we don't happen. We listen to science and, you know, do all the things. But that was a hard time to build a business during, like, one of the hardest times when, also when people were out of work. Everybody. Yeah. I've had flight attendants, nurses that were, like, working for plastic surgeons.

So, you know, all the elective surgeries and stuff were canceled who were like, they'll stop me. But like, when I was a flight attendant, I was struggling. And I heard about your food driving. I remember going and being like, I got fish. And I never forget, like, the fact that they got good food when they were in their darkest time. Like, people have stopped me till this day. That's why I love Atlanta. Like, because I'll be out looking crazy.

And they'll be like, I thought that was you. I'm like, who you thought I was. I look crazy. I love it. On a day to day. How does that feel when people come up to you and let you know the impact that you're making? I never forget it. You know, I still remember getting an email in September of 2021 from a lady named Bertha,

who I assume was a senior. And she was like, thank you for giving me meat that wasn't brown. And I'll never forget that. Like that, and that's why I was like, that's what we do what we do for. Yeah. And I remember sending that to the team and I was like, I want you all to read this. Like, this is, look at this. Like, people are so used to getting seconds, the clearance sticker meets, the stuff.

that's, you know, used by today or freeze. Like, that's the name of the game. And that's the stuff. Like, if we don't sell something at our store today, we, and it says use or freeze by tomorrow, we take it out, we freeze it, put it out and give it away for free. Like, you know, like, it's just, and I know it's good. Like, we aren't making someone, like, feel less than, but we still have hundreds of people that come through our doors to shop for free.

And they don't even have to shop for that. You know, I'm still giving that away on top of whatever we give, you know, so that makes me feel really good because that's what we exist for. And what makes me upset about it is it's like that is so hard to fight for. Yes, it is. It's so hard like, you know, to just fight for people to have good food. Like it's like, oh, you don't, there's no funding for it. There's no, people don't see the value in feeding people good food.

No, you're absolutely right. Yeah. It's a scary way to think. Mm-hmm. You know, for sure. Honestly, it's tough. Wow. What you have done takes a lot of courage.

So I want to know who was your role model that instilled courage in you or has life been the best teacher in that space. Yeah, I mean, definitely I'm going to have to say my dad. Like when I was building the company, I was struggling. You know, my dad always talks about like every time he would get paid, he would send me $300 towards my rent. Like, you know, just like all of those things, just like someone to still believe. Like he comes now and he like will come and work in the grocery store and he'll come.

He'll like, Jasmine, Chubby is someone I want you to take a picture with. It's just like a random person. Like, just like they were, you know, whoever. it is, but it's just like having someone that's just proud of you, no matter if you fell or not. Like, you know, so I think definitely my dad, but my parents, my parents were hard workers, you know, and I grew up, my parents were really poor until they got to like their 30 mid-30s. You know, they were high school sweethearts. Um, they've been together since 14, 15.

They had me in 19 and 20. And I remember my mom telling me like her dream was like to live in a double wide trailer. So like, I remember like just growing up and just not having a ton, you know, like in hindsight, I'm like, oh, wow, like we were struggling. And then I watched my mom go to school at university of Phoenix, part-time, working full-time, going to school at night, going back and getting her master's. Like, literally, like, she retired as a CEO of a hospital. And I watched her, like, start from, you know, nothing, like, literally drop out of college because they got pregnant with me and follow my dad in the Air Force. And so just, like, seeing how hard they work and still struggled.

Like, I just, I am always baffled by that. And so I have a real, I guess, affinity to making sure that people who are doing their best have the resources that they need. Because I watch people around me struggling. And I still watch that today. I know a lot of people who I'm like, God, they're always working, but they still are struggling because everything keeps going. The needle keeps moving. Like, you know, you get here and now the goalpost is here. The rain has went up or the, you know, the power bill is 600 because now it's hot.

I mean, you just can't keep your breath. And you're never, you're never not running. Yeah. And so, like, I want to make sure that those people are good. I love that. I love that. Did you always, we talk about vision, did you always know that you were going to do something so extraordinary?

Like, what was your initial vision for yourself? I mean, I wanted to be a teacher. So I had originally went to North Carolina Central for teaching. And I did the summer before I went, I had, like, my own little summer camp, and it was like a scholarship. I think you worked this summer camp, you got, like, a $3,000 scholarship. And it was great. I mean, I had, I had, like, the radio come out for my camp.

I had a party. I got pizza sponsored. I was like, I was going to be one of those teachers. And then I really love sports. And so I wanted to do broadcast journalism. So I switched to communications. I mean, intern with Radio One. I mean, I did all the things, started doing PR.

So I don't think I knew I wanted to be, like, extraordinary. I felt like I wanted to help other people be extraordinary, especially in those early, like, PR days. But I did know I wanted to help people. And that has been something that's been probably very early. on people that have known me for a long time would say yeah she was helping people or she was doing stuff i mean so someone described me the other day i started future the rapper futures foundation years ago here in alana and someone um uh bobby who works with him came into my store

hey bobby a great great guy and he was like yeah he's like yeah he's like yeah you know she she's a non-profit chick like she didn't start all the non-profit i'm like you know what that's kind of how they think of me i'm like the non-profit lamb chop god you know i'm i got a lot i got a lot of titles, but a lot of people know me from like nonprofits, eating people, just doing that. So, and honestly, I love that you said extraordinary because I probably, what I do now is extraordinary, but I probably would never use that as an adjective to describe it. So I should rethink, you know, yeah, yeah, that's so great. I would just be like, I feed people and like, you know, give people.

I don't think I would describe extraordinary at all. Extraordinary, yes. No, it really is. That's really great. Yes, exactly. Exactly. Do you think that God was building the courage before you really understood your assignment?

Oh, yes, yes. Like, I remember I used to practice, like, pitching my business so much. Like, so, so much. And I would, it's probably like, you know this, right? Like, memorizing the lines. And I would get to, like, the last minute and get something wrong and then, like, make myself start over again. So when I would go into pitch competitions, which is how I funded Goeter for, like,

the first year. I think I won maybe $200,000 in prize money. I was just like, anywhere there's a pitch competition. Like, let me, let me try and win this money because I didn't have anything to start it. But I just felt like God just had his hands. I'm like, because I would just go in and I would just win. You know, like it was just so. And I always knew like if anyone had practiced more to me than they were crazy because I thought I was crazy. I was like practicing day and night, having everybody listen to it. Everyone just like pitching, pitch and pitching. But I do know just in a lot of moments, like to be here 10 years, God's got to have a big part in it.

Yeah, because most black-owned women businesses starting with a solo founder at that, don't make it three years, don't make it five, don't make it seven. So, like, I keep on telling myself, I got to see January 2027. I got to see, I don't care if I'm the last employee standing. I will see January and we will officially have been 10. I've been working on it for 10 years.

But if I can make it to January 27, it will have been a real business for 20 years. Yes, for 10 years, which is crazy. Yeah, I. And like a business that, like, has employed people, like a real business, you know, like a real business, like a real business, like a real business. Like, paid taxes and all the things. Come on.

And all the things. That's real. Yes, like, employed a lot of, I mean, yes. And fed me. Yeah. Like, I think that's the biggest piece, too. Like, I've employed myself for a decade. Wow.

Which is, you know, and through that decade, through this journey, I've had kids, I've gotten married. I was single, like, sleeping in my friend's apartment, like, room. Like, I was, you know, I started from, you. nothing. And so it's definitely been a God purpose driven life. Yeah. I love that. Talk about God purpose driven life. I want to know when did you know that Gooder was an assignment on your life. This was like something that God had placed on you. It is your responsibility. I would say the very first day that I ever pitched it. You know, like it was like, I remember I got this little t-shirt

made. It was like stretched. You know, the logo wasn't centered. So Goeter was like all the way across here. It was like very, but you know, I was so proud. And I still had that picture. Yes. And I I was just like, you know, like, this is what I'm going to do. And by that time, so many people had told me it didn't make sense. Like, you know, you want to do that. No one's ever going to pay for that. And, you know, all of that. Like, so I think I was like, this is, if I'm not meant to do this, why do I have the idea?

Why do I have the name? Why do I know, you know, it's a problem. Like, I think just the day one, like day one really thinking like, and again, my vision at the time was so small in hindsight, like a million meals. We probably did that. probably the first month or so during the pandemic alone. Wow. My goodness.

Yeah. No, for sure. It's crazy to think about. Everyone used to say we had a gooder box. We used to give people like a box of food that would get them through like 10 days. Like it was so much food and people were just blown away. Yeah. That was good, you know?

And they would tell it. I mean, we'd have stickers on the box like low sugar, diabetic, no port. So every box was literally like tailored to what those families were eating. And so it's, you know. Yeah, that was nothing about God. Like a lot of thought put in, too. Like a lot of thought putting too. Because like you say, a lot of times when you have the food banks,

they're just putting food in there and like here. Take it and go. Yeah. But I love that you telling it because there's a lot of things that we don't eat or our bodies can't take, you know, for whether it's our blood type or allergies and different things. So I love that you took the time to do that. That's amazing.

You kind of started this before it was a thing. Yeah. You know, what did it feel like carrying some? something that a lot of people weren't carrying yet. Yeah. You know, how'd that feel? I think, you know, a lot of times you felt like, do I make sense to anybody? Right.

Like, you know, because, I mean, and that's how I feel like every entrepreneur starts. Like, it's a dream. Like, you know, first you may, your mom, your dad, and your auntie might be your first customers, you know? I couldn't, I didn't have that here. Like, I wasn't selling a product. I was selling, like a service and like a service to businesses. Right.

So at first I was like, maybe I am really crazy. Like, maybe this doesn't make sense. And I remember my dad used to send me so many jobs. Like after the first like year, I was pitching trying to fundraise. Nothing was coming from it. And my dad was like sending me NG jobs. And he was like, you got to keep your lights on, you know. And I was like, God, I'm going to have to get a job, you know.

So I felt like a little bit like maybe out of place, especially in those early days, like going and talking to investors. I remember I told someone I was like an HPC alumna. And he was like, where's that at? Like, you know, like a lot of times you're just talking to people that just don't understand. hunger, never have been hungry, don't understand the walk that you're in. So I definitely felt like out of place a lot of times. But then there would be moments where it would be very reaffirming. Like some one of my investors was like I grew up poor. I grew up hungry. Like I want to invest in you. What do I need to do? So like those moments would happen too. But I felt very much like

maybe I'm crazy. I'm pretty, I would say like probably like how you know, even like think of like Ty and Perry so many entrepreneurs like at first it's just you and you're just saying this is what this is the vision and a lot of people don't believe in it and then they kicked themselves later right and so you have to believe in it yeah and that's like the most important like you know others didn't a lot of others didn't and I had definitely friends and family that I think my dad I won't say he didn't believe in me when he was sending me jobs but he was like you got to still be if it doesn't work you got to still be able to eat right you know feed yourself and do all the things but you will ultimately be the only person that will believe and has to

continue to reaffirm yourself when other people are telling you you're crazy it's not going to work you should shut it down wind down like you know this is I can't tell you my accountant is like I think so I remember last year she was like I feel like we should shut the company down like let's just pay off like just like very much just hard conversations and I'm like no like something's going to happen and so many big things would happen like we'd get big donations we'd get just stuff would just happen that it's like that's nothing but God like what I mean he'll do that I mean it has things have happened and I've had moments like look at my phone look who emailed looking like like this is it happens there's a lot of stuff and it only happens if you don't quit you know because there if I had quit

like when my accountant told me that I would have got that email and someone wants to give me a large donation and you're like oh the company's closed I don't even need the donate like you know what do you do then like you know so it's like you have to figure it out even if it's just like hard it is it is hard And with you being a pioneer in this space, do you ever get permission to be tired? Because I hear doing it alone, like, yeah. Yeah, like when do you have time to say, okay, I'm actually tired right now, but you're also a mom, you're white.

You're doing it all. Like, everything. You really don't. I feel like it's, I mean, it's been really hard for me. What I've been very comfortable realizing lately, and this is just, you know, 2026 realization, Jasmine, on no given day, will I be 100% my best self for everybody in everything in my life.

Like some days my kids aren't going to get the best Jasmine. Some days my friends ain't going to get it. My business aren't. My husband, like, some days, it's just going to be. Like, I'm not going to be 100% perfect every day. Absolutely. But I just need to show up every day and, you know, get through the day and try and, like, be better.

Yeah. But I think at one point you try so hard to, like, do everything right and, like, miss everything. You know, I remember one time my daughter was telling my husband, like, yeah, I was the last person picked up. Like, you know, like, just like, yeah, I'm saying. He's like, yeah, Johnny said she was the last one picked up at daycare. Like, you know, like, listen, I was late. Like, you know, it's the Atlanta traffic trying to make it happen. She got picked up.

This Atlanta traffic. You know, she got picked up at 6.30. She's safe. I was there at 631, you know, like I got there. But like, she might have been the last one. But, you know, I wasn't 100% for her that day. You know, I wasn't early, but she got picked up. She had dinner.

You know, like, and we went through the next day, there was a time when I'd be like, oh, man, like, you know what I'm saying? I got to be a better mom. I need to show up more. You're telling yourself the things that we tell ourselves, we have to really watch. And I think that's just real recent realization for me is like, listen, Jasmine, you're telling yourself a lot of things that are negative or you're telling yourself, you know, I got to keep it positive. Keep it about this, lady.

I need to be a little bit more positive. Like that's why I need to start telling myself in the car, like, Jasmine, keep it positive. Because I am like, okay, maybe I need to shut it down. Maybe it's not going to work. Why are these, you know, and it's like you're going to have the negative thoughts too, but you have to redirect. And sometimes I don't do that. So I need to do better. I'm happy for you that you're working on that.

Yes, yes, yes. Because I know just as women, period, we carry a lot and we are harder on ourselves than anybody else. Yeah, we are. Yeah. And people are harder on us. You know what I mean? This is one of those things that the fish rots from the head. Like, it's coming from somewhere.

So like we have a lot to carry. So it's like if everyone's hard on you and you're hard on yourself, like when do you get a chance to kind of rest from that? So that's, it's a hard thing to do. And I'm still learning. Yeah. Very much so. No, I feel you on that 100%. Listen.

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And, like, we're all like a family. And, you know, I don't believe that anymore. Like, you know, I really have to watch for the snakes in the grass. And I have to realize that I've let a lot of people unlock doors off of my keys, you know, off of my intellectual property. And you can't tell everybody your ideas. Yeah. You can't tell everybody your next move. You can't, you know, I don't make a lot of announcements now.

I think you're 10 years ago, I'm speaking here. I'm doing this. The great, this great thing just happened. Like, you know, now it's like, even though I'm saying a lot, I'm not saying a lot. Come on. Because, you know, I've learned. And I've had a lot of lessons. So, you know, that is a bit.

big thing. I think I hired friends. I hired family. I mean, I did a lot of that. Those would be things I would say I shouldn't have hired friends. Like, you know, I hired, like, my first business development person was like a friend that didn't know how to develop business. And it's like, other employees were like saying like, yo, like you got to get some better people around you, but I was like, oh, this is my friend. Like, you know, like, you're trying to grow together. Yes. There's certain friends that you know. Yes, like you can't do that. You got to, you got to make everybody go through the application and the interview process. Like, you know, and I didn't do that a lot. And that's like something that you have to,

everybody's just not your friend. And that really sucks to say when you're like a people, pleaser, you love people and you're in a business of service, you just got to watch. You got to watch. So year 10 Jasmine is like, guards up a little bit, you know, because I think you've been through the battle.

And so now it's like when I go into year 10, it's like I've got to win the war. Like, you know, I've been through it. So it's like, now it's like, what do I want to do with this business? How big do I want to see it go? how do I, what do I need to do to make those things happen? That's so true.

And who needs to be around me in this next phase too. That too. And who doesn't need to be around me. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So it's a lot of that. And it comes to wisdom. It comes with learning lessons.

In life. I mean, I grew up with this company, you know. Like I moved to Atlanta. I was like 28, 29. Like I was a young one and then started getting into the business. So like, you know, I grew up like building a whole business and all the things that happened in life. You're going to gain wisdom with time.

And I remember, like, you know, your parents used to be like, you know, you may be, you're not as wise as me. And, like, you know, that is so true. Like, you know, you may be faster. You may be younger, but you're not as wise. And wisdom comes with time. It does. And a lot of hard lessons and a lot of hard moments, you know.

Yes. You are absolutely right about that. I think anyone who has had the guts to go into being an entrepreneur has had to learn that. It's a lot of hard lessons that come with it because a lot of times you are learning. on the job, you know, and you're figuring it out. I read about a girl recently. I'm going to read more into this story that like she, like one of her friends, she gave her access to her accounts

and then she drained the account. It was like a million dollar business, like a fitness life. It was like a big TikTok story. And then like the business went out of business. Like she, and she was afraid to tell this story because people were like,

what do you mean you gave? But it's like if you're just like building something, you're a DTC consumer like entrepreneur and you're like, this is my friend, this is my home girl. Like that's a crazy story. This is recent. Like this is out now.

Like, and she lost multi-million dollar business, million dollars in the account, couldn't pay anybody. And then, like, it's like trying to, like, sue the girl. Yeah. But you gave her access to your accounts. So what can you do? You don't have a dog in the fight. Yes, you don't have any.

I mean, like, there are some stories out here, not even just my stories, but just for entrepreneurs, period. So it's tough. Yeah. It's tough. It really is. And you have to, for one thing that Tyler did. He's talking a lot of things, but when it comes to business,

even like making sure that you know where your money's going, like writing the checks, approving everything. Like, nothing leaves the account until I approve it. I look at the invoices. They say Oprah does that too. What is this? They said Oprah does that too. She taught him that.

Yeah, he always talks to Oprah. He's like, I asked Oprah. I got Oprah. I was like, yeah, that's his friend. Yes. Yeah, he does. But she does that. She says she used to sign even when she had her show, like everyone's check.

You know, you probably had, she probably had a studio staff of 150, 200 people. You know, like, but can you just imagine, like, you got to do it. Because you will wake up and be like, where is this? Where is that? I'm always asking questions. I look at it. I don't just approve the number.

I look at the invoice. I'm looking at dates. What is this? I don't play. Me and my accountant be texting. I was, I had sent her. I got an email on July 4th.

It was like, boom. Like, you know, it's a Saturday. She responded because, like, you know, we got to be having conversations, but you got to watch your money for sure. Because it comes and it goes. It does. And, you know, there will be days like, you know, you'll see $100,000 come and then next day you got payroll and

invoice. I mean, and then you're like, oh, like, what happens next? Like, it's just like, you know, it just is a tough thing. Wait a minute. And you got to imagine, like, just think of, like, someone like a Tyler Perry, like, how much he has to see. Even just, like, seeing the studio and how big it is and just like, you know, like, can you imagine it's like such a, it's a production.

Yeah, it is. And it only, God willing, as an entrepreneur, it only gets bigger. And it only gets greater. And so it's only more invoices and more things you got to pay for. More, I mean. It comes with it. Yeah, it comes. It's how big do you want to get?

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, and understand. I think how you steward over it when it's small is going to show you how to do it over it as it gets bigger. Exactly. And it also shows God. And being, I love that you said that because a lot of times I think that's where we have gotten bigger is just being like, you know, my goal in the beginning was like a million

dollars and a million meals. And so then every time it's bigger than that, you're like, gosh. So finding like gratitude Even when it's been really really hard for me I've had some hard years and some hard times And building the business I just find gratitude and like all that we've done And so sometimes like even if I have to shut down tomorrow

You know I've done this I've done this I've opened all these grocery stores I fed all these people like There's and what I'm learning now Is being okay with however it turns out And I think that's what has gotten in my way before It's like kind of caring about like What are people going to think like

But no one knows how hard it is as an entrepreneur So if I have to shut down, yeah, like, I got to shut down because no one knows that it's like, I'm, you know, moving money and I'm saving money. Like, you know, I'm investing my own money. I'm going to get out of your business. I'm going to get out of your business. Because I said, I ain't moving another dime. Yes.

I'm not doing it. I mean, I'm one of those people who open bank accounts at like places that I'm never, I'm like, there, I'm not even going there. And then I got to go in there, you know. Like, it's like, dang, like, I got to. So it's been a lot that have happened. But I know it'll, I know it'll come back to me and it has so many. I mean, just all the experiences, being able to write a book, being able to, you know, have experiences, like being here with you.

Like, it never would have happened had I not got started and had I not kept going. For sure, kept going. How does your faith carry you through? I mean, I feel like faith, definitely. I am often asking God to, like, order my steps. Like, whatever it's going to be like. That's it. And that's almost like, well, he ain't shut it down today, you know?

He must want me to keep going because, like, that's my constant prayer is like, you know. And I do wish I could really have like those moments of God is like this what we're going to do. Like you know like that's kind of the thing like make it very, very clear. But I definitely just have to like pray and believe. Yes. And I always say to myself, the one thing I say to myself when I have a lot of hard moments is like Jasmine, God did not bring you here. He didn't bring you this far to leave you. Like look how much further you've gone from a million.

Like just look from from that vision like there's no way that this could be the end of it. And even times like have you had moments where like you think about just throwing in the towel and then you look at that moment and then you see how far he's brought you from that moment you're ready to give it up. Oh yeah. I'd be like, all right. So many. I mean, like a lot of times and I mean, and I always know that something is still going to come. Like I don't know what it's going to be but I'm like

because we're doing good work. I feel like we're doing the Lord's work. Like, you know, and I always tell people like at the end of my life I didn't get in it to like become a millionaire and make all this money like that wasn't my goal. I was already feeding people when I had nothing. So it was more so to like do good do something good and like you know make a life for it but i always say like at the end of my life like i really will be able to stand before god and be like listen your people were hungry and i fed them you know like it's come on yes future's mom one time she told me missy jay she was

like jasmine i know one thing about it baby you're going to go to heaven so i know that i love that i love that i want to get into your book you are now an author and i want to know what inspired you to write this book and let's talk about that process. You know, I gave my first TED talk in 2019. And so at that point, like a lot of people were reaching out about like, you know, would you want to turn it into a book? But I didn't have a lot of lessons yet. Like, you know, I had at that point only been in business for two years.

Right. So fast forward to 2024, the opportunity to presented itself again. And I was like, you know what? Yeah, like, 2020 was so hard that 2024, I was like, yeah, I got something to write about. I have something to talk about. and I started kind of laying like, you know, my favorite chapter in the book is about failure. And it talks about failing a lot. Like, not once because you don't feel once.

You feel often. Like you feel, I mean, there's days at our store like, you know what we failed. Like, I'm going to go leave a bad review on you. You know, it's like, well, sorry you had a bad experience. Like, you know, that happens. So that's a failure, right? If they don't have a good experience, that is. That's a failure on your business on that day.

Like, you know, you try, but you could have done things better. Right. So I think just the experiences that I had had felt like I was really like a thought leader in this space and just all that I was realizing and all that I was seeing. So I think that's what made me want to write it and really just to inspire others. And so not so much if everyone will go out and feed somebody, but if you have an idea, could you go after it? Because I would probably have a million dollars in the bank if I had a dollar for everyone who was like, I thought about that. I used to wonder what was happening to food and I thought about, I mean, just so many people

I thought about doing a deli like that. I mean, just all of that. But you thought it and did it. That's it. It's just the execution and that's the biggest difference between the successful people and the people that. It's just who's executing on it every single day

and just to like give people those tips has been. And just, I mean, writing the book, there is like so many stories that I was just like, whoa, like this has been. I'm going to actually, when this is all said and done, that's the book. Next is going to be. like the screenplay or something.

I got to figure out a way to like, write this is like an insecure tech person. Because like I was living life, building this business. And a lot was happening. Like just a lot of crazy stories. So, you know, I just needed to put it on paper and like get it out there. And now it'll be there for forever. And I think that's pretty cool. Even if the company's not there, like the story of how I built this company and where it came

from is there. And I'll always be able to like turn to it and like, you know, point to it and teach about it one day. And it can become other things like a show. Like I love that. Yeah. Like it really should be because it's a, I mean, people just want to believe it. And you, I think now we're hearing more stories of people opening up

about how hard it's been on entrepreneurial journeys. Like, I think of like Ami Kole who like shut down her makeup brand or like, you know, people are talking about these things now where a lot of times it was like very taboo. I have a lot of friends. I'm in a group of women founders, like all black women who have raised over a million dollars. I think

there's like 200 of us. So a new website just came out like archiving us as we raised capital. And so we're in this group called visible figures. And it's been a lot of companies who are shut down. Like people are like, I'm shutting down. We're getting acquired. We're doing it. I mean, it's just a lot of it.

But we don't often talk about our failures out loud. And this is like me talking about like, hey, this is what I got right. This is what I'm working on. This is what I got wrong. Right. And this is what I, now it's your turn to go out and like, you know, learn from my mistakes. But if you have a vision for something, you know, it's really up to you to execute. on it. That's the big purpose of the book.

It's like, the idea is nothing without action. Yeah. You know, it's not, I mean, I was sitting down, drawing, I was in a hackathon, but as a team of one. Like, you know, literally, yeah, it's like, it's just going to be me. That's where, that's where Shelley met me. I was a team of one. And Shelley can attested that. I walked in there, I'm like,

is this your team, it's me. Like, this is it. The idea is just, it's about to be just Jasmine. And this is, you know, I'm getting up, I'm pitching, and I'm talking about this vision and how it was going to work and going and, you know, picking up food myself. I used to have like a Hyundai Sonata and it smelled so bad because I had picked up so much food, dropped them and spilled black beans and just like all this stuff. Like black beans

smell really bad after a day or two. Like it smells like death. You know, that car when it was done, it was smelling like food at all times. And so I did it all. Like I was the one going out and picking up the food and trying to do all of the things. And if I could do it, you know, I don't come from money. I don't come from, I didn't have like someone writing me a check just go out and test this out. And even though the investment piece, which I talk about a lot in the book, was a

big source of kind of contention for me, right? Because I wanted to feed people. Investors wanted me to make money. And I believe that we could do both. I cherish people that put money into my vision. And so a lot of times I had conflicting, like, well, maybe I do do this.

Maybe I can cut costs by giving people this. And it was like, I just kept going back to like, have to give people choices. Like it has to happen. And then I don't know how it's going to happen every single month, but ultimately it has to happen. And so I think it'll be a really good book for entrepreneurs across the board. And where can we find this book?

Everywhere. So it's on Amazon now. So it officially comes out on July 21st of 2026, but you can pre-order it, Barnes & Noble, all the places, black bookstores, please support. And I'm just really grateful for it. It just looks so good. It is so good. Like the little eggs are matching your journey.

It's like all the carton. It's like all. It was, it was so divine. Yes. I love it. We are proud of you and all the work that you have done. Not just for this city, but the impact that you're making worldwide. I'm very proud of you and inspired as well.

Thank you. Yes. Is there anything else that our audience can do to support you? Yes. Yes. Please, guys. I'm Jasmine Crow on everything Instagram threads. I'm really like, I love threads.

Yes. I'm a thread. Yes. And then my company, Gooder, is Gooder Co on everything. And we would just love for you guys to support us if you're ever in Atlanta. We have a deli, a grocery store on Edgewood near the historic King Center. And we just want to feed people. We want to feed you.

And we want to be able to go to other cities. We're 19 markets now. But we should be everywhere. There's nowhere that good or shouldn't be. Like we're trying to feed people and feed people good. Yeah. I love it. That's where Gooder came from.

Jasmine, thank you so much. Thank you for so. thoroughly enjoyed this conversation. Yes. I can't wait. I'm glad you got the book right on time. I'm so excited. Thank you guys.

Thank you. Jasmine, thank you for reminding us that purpose isn't just about having a great idea. It's about having the courage to keep saying yes even when the assignment gets heavy. Congratulations on your new book feeding hope and thank you for continuing to serve communities

with both compassion and action. And thank you for listening. If this conversation encourages you. encourage you. Please share it with someone who is discovering or rediscovering their purpose. And don't forget to join the Sweeties Social Club. We are now open. Follow us on Instagram at Sweetie's Social Club for everything that we have going on. In the meantime, in between time, y'all already know what to do. Keep your posits, Sweeties. Get the book. What's up, fam? It's sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up y'all? It's your girl,

Sam J. And we're the hosts of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from together. We're breaking down the biggest headlines, the viral moments, and the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports. From game-changing performances to culture-shifting conversations, we'll give you our takes, our debates, and a few laughs along the way. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports. On the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

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