Formerly Unemployable 32-Year-Old Overcomes Criminal Record to Generate Over $1 Million Annually with Food Truck Business
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Source: CNBC
Updated: Oct 04 20250mins
Dawon Matthews' Entrepreneurial Journey: After facing challenges in the corporate job market due to a felony charge, Dawon Matthews turned to entrepreneurship, founding multiple businesses including a successful food truck, Goodies Soul Kitchen, which has generated over $1 million in revenue.
Business Growth and Strategy: Matthews started his first company, a cleaning service, due to low startup costs and lack of background checks, and has since expanded into real estate and food services, focusing on quality service and unique market positioning in Houston's late-night food scene.
Commitment to Second Chances: Matthews is dedicated to employing recovering addicts and former felons, emphasizing skills over past records, and aims to create opportunities for those often marginalized in the job market.
Future Plans and Expansion: With plans to open a brick-and-mortar location for Goodies and a new food truck venture, Matthews is focused on scaling his hospitality businesses while continuing to support his community through employment initiatives.
About the author
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Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
