Dawon Matthews, an African American entrepreneur who once struggled to find a job because of his criminal record, now runs a thriving food truck business in Houston, Texas, called Goodies Soul Kitchen that earns over $1 million a year.
At 19, Matthews served time for aggravated assault and a DUI. Despite excelling in high school and finishing college with a business degree, he faced constant rejection when applying for jobs.
“Once they see a felony behind a person, they don’t even care about what credentials you [have]. You’re just not accepted in that society,” he told CNBC. So he decided to create his own opportunities.
Unable to find work, Matthews started his first business in 2017, a cleaning company called Wonderful Cleaning. With just basic supplies and help from his old football coach, he began landing commercial contracts. The business soon made around $12,000 a month, and Matthews expanded by hiring other crews.
He reinvested his profits into new ventures, including R&R Junk Removal in 2020, which brought in over $100,000 in its first year. Matthews also invested in real estate, buying and refinancing properties until he owned 16 rental homes that brought in about $11,000 in monthly profit.
Looking for new opportunities, Matthews moved to Houston in 2024. After losing $170,000 on a failed nightclub venture, he took out a $40,000 loan to buy a food truck and launched Goodies Soul Kitchen. Despite having no restaurant experience, he learned to cook when his hired chef quit just weeks after opening.
Matthews focused on quality and customer service, drawing inspiration from fast-food giants like Chick-fil-A and Chipotle. His late-night menu of fried chicken, lamb chops, and mac-and-cheese quickly became a hit among clubgoers, bringing in about $20,000 a week.
By the end of 2024, Goodies had crossed $1 million in revenue. Matthews has since opened a second truck, Birds and Buns, and plans to expand Goodies into a full restaurant. Beyond profit, he also hires former inmates and recovering addicts, offering them the same second chance he once needed.
For Matthews, entrepreneurship is about perseverance. “Being poor is hard. Being rich is hard. Being happy is hard. Being sad is hard, right? So it’s the reality of just choosing your ‘hard’,” he said.
Follow the brand on Instagram at @GoodiesSoulKitchen