challenges the typical definitions of success and explores the role our personal stories play in our professional journeys.
Pinky Cole, restauranteur and founder of the food chain Slutty Vegan, has always put in the work. “I just felt like I was wired differently,” she tells me during our interview. “I was 13 and 14 years old, having parties, selling candy, selling frozen cups. I was a hustler at a very young age.” After graduating from Clark Atlanta University, Cole moved to Los Angeles, her sights set on making her dreams of doing big things in life a reality. But being broke and in a new city, Cole took whatever jobs she could get—from working at DSW shoe store to landing a job as a production assistant. Eventually, her work in production led to a job onhelped pay her bills, but it was still a long step away from her childhood dream of becoming a billionaire.
Cole stumbled upon a shared kitchen facility, and her new business idea, Slutty Vegan, was born. The non-meat burger chain quickly developed a cult-like following and became a multi-million dollar business. Cole has plans to open multiple new locations in 2023. “There are no limits,” she says. “People used to tell me when I was growing up, ‘The sky’s the limit.’ The sky is not the limit. There’s so much above what the sky can offer.” Emily Tisch Sussman is the Founder and Host of “She Pivots,” the podcast in partnership with Marie Claire about women, their stories, and how their pivot became their success. She is a contributing editor to Maire Claire and the guest host of the Marie Claire Instagram Live series “Getting Down to Business.
pinky907 of sluttyveganatl's path to success wasn’t a straight one, especially after a fire ruined her first restaurant. On this shepivotsthepod, Pinky chats with EmTSuss about starting her hustle, working in TV, and finding success as a restaurateur: