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00:00Boy, we are ready. The Clack Business Alliance of Michigan is in the house.
00:04Attorney, good morning.
00:06Good morning, good morning, good morning.
00:07Super Greg, go ahead, introduce yourself to people.
00:10What I doubt you, Trey.
00:11Lord, yeah, Greg Sims, Smokey G Smokehouse.
00:15Pitmaster founder of Smokey G Smokehouse.
00:18A pitmaster.
00:19Yes.
00:19And that's just not a fun title.
00:24It's legitimized through the work and the tenure.
00:29How did you get into grilling?
00:33Well, I'm glad you mentioned that.
00:35And grilling and smoking is two different things.
00:38Yes.
00:38Okay, and it's the many summers I spent in the south, Knoxville, Tennessee.
00:43That's where you're from?
00:44No, my mother.
00:45She actually was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, moved to Knoxville.
00:48And that's where the Goss family originated from.
00:51And that's where I spent a lot of my summers in the south.
00:53Okay.
00:54So when we would go down there, she was an educator.
00:56So she had the summers off.
00:57So we would go down south, spend many weeks, months down in the south.
01:01And we'll come back here and I asked my dad, hey, why ain't the barbecue tasting the same?
01:06And he said somewhere in the south.
01:08So it's low and slow.
01:09They smoke down there.
01:11The wood, the food is different down there.
01:13And I wanted to bring that back here to the city of Detroit.
01:17No disrespect to the ones that came before me.
01:19Love barbecue here in the city of Detroit.
01:21But it is a difference.
01:22It's a difference.
01:22Smoking and grilling is two different things.
01:25And that's what we do at Smokey G's Smokehouse.
01:27We use the wood.
01:28Was it the taste that got you the, wait a minute, the patience?
01:32Yes.
01:33Because to smoke is patience.
01:35Absolutely.
01:36Absolutely.
01:37Give people an idea that if you throw some ribs on a grill, it takes about how long?
01:43And then if you smoke it.
01:44Okay.
01:45Which most of us grew up here in the city of Detroit on a grill.
01:48Right.
01:48You can smell that lighter fluid all the way across seven miles with that charcoal.
01:53You can smell all of it throughout the city in the summertime.
01:56You throw it on the grill.
01:58That's hot and fast.
02:00Okay.
02:01And it chars the meat.
02:02When you put it on a smoker, it's low and slow.
02:05You got to let the ambers turn.
02:07You don't cook charcoal.
02:09You don't cook your food on black coals, people.
02:12Stop doing that.
02:13You got to let that burn off.
02:15Okay.
02:16You got to wait until the coals turn gray.
02:18We only use a chimney full of charcoal.
02:21Very minimum.
02:22Wow.
02:22Very minimum.
02:22And we use lump coal.
02:24So we want the wood to burn.
02:26And then with that, the wood burns down.
02:29And we cook with the ambers.
02:30So smoking, you cook with the aroma, the flavor of the wood.
02:34Here in Michigan, we got a lot of cherry trees, apple trees, wonderful apple orchards.
02:38I use a lot of fruit wood.
02:40Okay.
02:41It's a softer wood flavor.
02:43Okay.
02:43You get that pink smoke ring.
02:45Things that I saw in the South that I didn't see up here growing up.
02:49You go into business when?
02:53Well, let's see.
02:54I started trapping out of the house.
02:56I'm screaming.
02:57Trapping out the house.
02:58We were trapping out of the house.
02:59And we all consider ourselves D-Boys in some way, shape, or form.
03:03I used to roll around with a hot box full of rib tips and wings.
03:07Be like, yo, I got that work, y'all.
03:09What's up?
03:09I'm screaming.
03:10Wow.
03:11I used to trap out of the house.
03:12But officially, we started in 2014.
03:152014 is when we started.
03:16And we've been hitting the pavement ever since.
03:19You're located where?
03:21Well, we were off the riverfront for the last five years, smoking up the river.
03:25We've since moved to the northwest side of Detroit off of the John C. Lodge, which is now called Wall
03:31Street.
03:32Homeboy owns that bar.
03:33We took that.
03:34And we're operating and doing catering, doing great work inside that building.
03:38So you see the large smoker right out front.
03:41You have such a desire as a pit master.
03:49It's the creative side of the business.
03:52How did you adjust to the business side of the business?
03:57Well, it was a passion.
03:59And passion and love can only get you so far.
04:01But it wasn't until I hooked up with this sister right here to my right.
04:05Seriously, that I realized like the business side of things to elevate the business.
04:12A lot of passion, a lot of driving.
04:13Like I said, a lot of family members would help me out in that business.
04:16And as blacks, we always start from the kitchen table.
04:20We don't have the proper training.
04:22But again, when I hooked up with this sister right here next to me, she was able to get my
04:26business more so on track.
04:27And that's what the Alliance does.
04:29I felt like the movie Billy Madison because I've been working at this business for so long.
04:33Adam Sandler.
04:36Going back to school.
04:37I'm sitting up here.
04:39They had a Capital Connect program.
04:40And I was sitting in there feeling like an old head and people next to me, who I end up
04:45meeting one of my closest friends now.
04:47She works with me.
04:48Was sitting in there like, I'm thinking about this business idea.
04:52And I'm like, girl, I've been working hard, sweating, and doing all this stuff out here.
04:57And she's like, maybe I can ask for $50,000 to kind of get this business started.
05:01I'm like, girl, ain't enough.
05:03It's hard out here.
05:04Let's keep it going.
05:05But again, going back to the Capital Connect programs, all these wonderful programs that they have here at the Alliance
05:11helped get the business back on the track.
05:14And it led me to do the Rocket Classic, okay?
05:18NFL Draft.
05:21Oh, did you?
05:23Having things in order.
05:25Not only having a plan, but having people to have your back in addition to the village that's going to
05:30be there, but people and professionals that have been there to help you get there.
05:35How can people find your services?
05:38Definitely social media.
05:39Definitely the website.
05:41What they used to say with them, IG mouse.
05:43Hit the link in the bio.
05:45Yeah.
05:46So tell them how to reach you on the platform.
05:49SmokeyGSmokehouse.com.
05:51IG.
05:52What else we got?
05:53We got LinkedIn.
05:55What is it on IG?
05:55Is it at Smokey G's?
05:56At Smokey G's Smokehouse.
05:58I'm on LinkedIn to do those corporate functions and events.
06:02Wayne State, my alma mater.
06:03We just did an event there.
06:04Wow.
06:05With the athletic department.
06:06We do tailgates.
06:08On-site location cooking.
06:10All of those things.
06:11And, of course, Thanksgiving is coming up.
06:12So we do catering.
06:13Tons of catering.
06:14Corporate caterings.
06:15Okay?
06:16So if y'all need some turkeys up in here, we smoke turkeys and fry turkeys, but we can hook
06:21you up.
06:21You played what sport?
06:24Football.
06:25Football.
06:25How did you know you played football, Mason?
06:29His exuberant personality and his physical movement when he talks.
06:35Got it.
06:35Yeah.
06:36And, obviously, his size contributed, but his exuberant personality, he's ready.
06:43He's ready to go.
06:45Yeah.
06:45Good time.
06:46He's ready to go.
06:47What did you learn from the gridiron to the smokehouse?
06:54Great, great question.
06:57Playing football, you got 11 guys that have to be on the same page at the same time to complete
07:04a play.
07:05Just to go 10 yards to get a first down.
07:0710 people have to be on the same page at the same time.
07:10And, again, having a business, being an entrepreneur.
07:13I was always the captain, high school, college, on the team.
07:18As an offensive lineman, we don't get much credit.
07:21We don't get credit at all.
07:23Yesterday.
07:24Today, they do, though.
07:25Okay.
07:25Yeah.
07:25You know it's changed, Greg.
07:27Yeah, it has.
07:28But they always look at the quarterback.
07:29Yes.
07:30The skill position.
07:32Quote, unquote.
07:32Make sure you know I'm doing air quotes.
07:34But as a lineman, that unit up front, we had to work together even more so.
07:39So, in addition to those 11 guys, those five guys up front has to be on the same page.
07:43And I transfer that over to my team because I have an administrative team.
07:47Then I got an operational team that's actually on the pit right now.
07:51We got briskets going right now.
07:53Oh, really?
07:53Okay.
07:54But shout out to my pit crew.
07:57Killer Cam.
07:58All right.
07:58BBE Cam.
07:59All those guys.
08:00Those stuff.
08:01Without them on the smoker, trimming, trimming the brisket, getting it on the smoker, without
08:07my team, Chef Liz, Chef Ye, in the kitchen, making sure the macaroni is there.
08:14And then my administrator's team, T, Sierra, all those people helping come together.
08:20And we're all on the same page to push the ball forward.
08:24Yeah.
08:24Like what?
08:24Philly with the tush push?
08:26What is the tush push?
08:27The tush push.
08:29All those big people get together and they push to get the tush push.
08:33Why do they call me a tush push?
08:34Because it's from your butt to the end zone.
08:37Got it.
08:38Hurt.
08:38Just like you smoke pulled pork.
08:40No further explanation.
08:41Need it.
08:42I hear you.
08:43But you're guaranteed to get almost that first down to those few inches because they're all
08:46working together.
08:47Everybody want to say it.
08:48And that's what I truly transferred over from the gridiron to business and corporate America
08:53and working with others.
08:55Show me your friends.
08:56I'll show you your future, too.
08:57Come on.
08:58All right.
08:59So, Greg, with football, sports, you can, you know, you're seasoned.
09:05You're always in season now.
09:07Oh, yeah.
09:07Oh, yeah.
09:08The off season, which is the most important time to elevate.
09:12So, you got to understand that, definitely.
09:14And I'm a big promoter of team sports.
09:18You got to work as a team.
09:20Well, you were a captain.
09:21Yeah.
09:22So, you're still the captain.
09:23Yeah.
09:24So, now you know why you were the captain back in high school.
09:27Yeah.
09:28What happens is people who are in charge, they don't have the background, a lot of them,
09:36to be in charge of people.
09:38Yeah.
09:39You understand that very well.
09:41Yeah.
09:41You had to play the adult and the peer at the same time, but get all of what is needed
09:49out of people.
09:50Definitely.
09:50Is what you still do today.
09:53He probably keeps this energy.
09:55All day.
09:56It never stops.
09:56Yeah.
09:57It never stops.
09:58The energy.
09:59Angie, you know, this is.
10:01Yeah, I'm in awe.
10:02Yeah.
10:03Like, it came out.
10:04I was like, wow.
10:05Yeah.
10:05I felt you.
10:06You made me feel that.
10:07Stepped in the room.
10:08There we go.
10:08There we go.
10:09But he was ready to go.
10:11But ready.
10:11Yeah.
10:12That's why I said, come on in.
10:14You going to play to the whistle?
10:15That's right.
10:16Yeah.
10:17You guys are going to assume.
10:18Basically, you're saying, ask me right or wrong.
10:20Let's do it.
10:21Here we go.
10:21Greg won our member of the year a couple of years ago.
10:24Oh, no kidding.
10:26That energy never stops.
10:28What do you contribute to the Black Business Alliance?
10:33What one thing?
10:35There were a few to help Greg.
10:38I would just say consistency.
10:40Consistency.
10:40Because we're always there.
10:41I mean, you know, a lot of organizations might have a program and you participate in that program and then
10:46you're gone.
10:47For the Black Business Alliance, I look at our organization like a church, which whether you're in the program or
10:52not in the program, before the program, after the program, we're always there.
10:56We're in the office.
10:57You always have access to us.
10:58So you don't have to be in a program in order to get the things that you need.
11:02And so Greg is one of those members that have taken advantage of almost everything when we got an announcement,
11:08he signed up.
11:09And that makes the difference for business because we have so many resources and it's about whether or not you
11:14take advantage of the things that are there.
11:16Greg, do you have a chance to speak to audiences?
11:20Every now and then people have asked me.
11:22Hey, Midnight Golf, they've always asked me to come and speak to the youth.
11:26I love working with the youth, our community.
11:28What's your message?
11:29The message, oof, it's a lot of messages.
11:32There's mixed messages at times.
11:34But keep the ball moving forward.
11:36Like she said, MBBA is like a church.
11:39And a lot of times I came back in there like, nice like this.
11:42I wish you were just moving forward.
11:45After you got beat up as an entrepreneur, because you will get beat up.
11:48That's true.
11:49But you're able to come back there.
11:50That's true.
11:51And they'll put that battery in your back.
11:54Yeah.
11:54Okay?
11:55You're not alone.
11:57That's the biggest thing.
11:58You come in there, you check your ego at the door.
12:01And they're there to help.
12:02They're there to help.
12:03And Greg will call us and like, hey, I have this coming up.
12:05Can you help me prepare for this?
12:07And that's what we do.
12:08That's what we're there for.
12:09Yeah.
12:09And Greg, you were in Ford Field?
12:12No.
12:13You did the draft.
12:13Not in Ford Field.
12:14We did the NFL draft.
12:15You did the draft.
12:16Are you doing the draft?
12:17Are you doing the final four?
12:18You don't see it.
12:19That is on deck.
12:20That is on deck.
12:22I'm sure they'll, when they ask for the quality barbecue of Detroit, somehow my name gets called.
12:27And we're there to answer that call.
12:29I love it.
12:29So, I'm grateful for that.
12:31Man, that was fun.
12:34Charity, Angie came to speak.
12:36Yes, yes, yes.
12:37The other day, right?
12:38So, we have an all-member meeting once a month.
12:41And this year's, or this month's all-member meeting was about social media and advertising.
12:46And we had Amber Lewis from Social in the City.
12:49We had Robert Cordy Collins.
12:51He's doing CreatorCon.
12:52And we had the Angie Starr from Kiss.
12:55Yeah.
12:55She got a chance.
12:57She did phenomenally.
13:00I mean, I already knew she was amazing, but it was such rich information.
13:06People were taking notes.
13:07It was, and you saw folks tagging you, Angie, after that.
13:10Yes, yes, yes.
13:11It was.
13:12A year and a half ago, it was your first time in.
13:16Once you introduced herself, she said, can I come and speak?
13:19Yeah.
13:20You may not remember.
13:21That's hilarious.
13:21I'm like, Angie, she's just kidding.
13:23But, you know what?
13:24She did it.
13:25She did it.
13:26And it was phenomenal.
13:28That's great.
13:28It was really great because she talks really about the power of radio.
13:32And we don't get to hear that a lot.
13:35And then having her and Robert talk about radio and social and how you need to layer them
13:40and not have one or the other.
13:42It was phenomenal.
13:43That's great.
13:43It was phenomenal.
13:44That's great.
13:45Speaking of that, there's a new podcast you're doing.
13:50Tell people the name of it and how they can see it.
13:55So, we launched the Black Biz Pod.
13:57It is on Spotify or YouTube.
14:00It'll be on Apple soon.
14:02You can subscribe.
14:02We've got two episodes out.
14:05We talk about black business.
14:07We talk about policy, politics.
14:09We talk about opportunities.
14:12How old is it now?
14:13Right now is two months old.
14:16It's a beautiful set.
14:18Yes, it's in our office.
14:20Oh, that's your office.
14:21That's our office.
14:22Let me explain why she said that.
14:23Well, you said it's a beautiful set.
14:25And then she goes, it's in our office.
14:26Because their office is beautiful.
14:29Off the rip.
14:30Let's start there.
14:31Okay.
14:32We were core live from the office.
14:33It looks like a set that was built.
14:35Oh, wow.
14:36For the show.
14:37And you did an excellent job.
14:39Are you the main host?
14:41I am.
14:41I'm the host.
14:42Yes.
14:45So every week when I'm here and I give that address, that's the address I'm giving out.
14:49That we're there Monday through Friday at 28 West Adams.
14:52And so we record the podcast there.
14:54So we previously had Congressman-elect Donovan McKinney.
14:57We had Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed talking about health care and small business.
15:04And our next couple of guests, we have council member Letitia Johnson from Detroit City Council
15:09coming.
15:10And then we have one of our members, Breadless, which is a black-owned business that's franchised
15:16now.
15:17Yep.
15:17Yep.
15:17They're going to be there.
15:18So lots coming.
15:19Keep going, girl.
15:20Yes.
15:22Man, Greg, that's powerful.
15:25Yeah.
15:26Did you see this?
15:28And where do you think you're going next?
15:31No, not where do you think you're going.
15:33Where would you like to go next?
15:35The ultimate goal is to vacuum seal our meats and get it into distribution.
15:41Help other smaller businesses, bars that don't have the capacity to have a quality smoke
15:47house, but they can get it from me.
15:50All right.
15:51So that same smoked brisket, you can have brisket quesadillas, brisket nachos at your
15:56bar.
15:57And it's Smokey G quality.
15:58I want to see Smokey G in the same space as your Verner's, as your Better Maze, that
16:04Detroit staple.
16:05Beautiful.
16:06So when you think of Detroit barbecue, you think of that smoke house, Verner's, Better
16:10Maze, all those Detroit brands, you think of Smokey G's.
16:14Rosa.
16:15Rosa's coffee.
16:17Yes.
16:18Put that in there, sis.
16:20I'll take it.
16:21You were an athlete at Wayne State University.
16:24You majored in what?
16:27Yeah.
16:27Business management and life and, of course, football.
16:32Yeah.
16:33I enjoyed my time there.
16:34And again, being able to give back to your community there, going there for those years
16:39and still, I hadn't put a football helmet on in, what, 20 plus years now, but they welcomed
16:43me back, the football team.
16:46And that's that fraternity in itself, that group of people that you're with playing on
16:51the gridiron.
16:52The athletic department welcomed me back.
16:54I ended up becoming a vendor for the entire university.
16:57Oh, great.
16:57So I'll get random calls from the engineering department to drop off some smoked chicken.
17:02Yeah.
17:03Sociology department.
17:04So I'm thankful for that.
17:06And again, catering.
17:07Catering is one of my biggest things that I love to do because it allows me to bring
17:11the food to the people.
17:12So the smoke taste, barbecue, quality taste, summertime taste year round, even in the dead
17:19of winter, you're tasting that good barbecue.
17:21Give them the platforms again to get in touch with you.
17:24Come visit us on our website.
17:26Get your holiday catering orders in right now.
17:30Don't be late.
17:31What's your website?
17:31Thanksgiving.
17:32Smokey G's Smokehouse.
17:33www.smokeygsmokehouse.com.
17:36Of course, you can see us on Instagram, the IG, Facebook.
17:40But call us directly.
17:41313-693-2533.
17:45Get your Thanksgiving orders in now.
17:47Can you say that number one more time and a little slower?
17:49In fact, twice.
17:51Say it twice.
17:51313-693-2533.
17:57313-693-2533.
18:00When I say it one more time, I sound like your boy Umar Johnson.
18:03I'm saying it.
18:04Go 313-693-2533.
18:08Call us.
18:09Place your orders now.
18:10Put those deposits down to ensure you get those turkeys for Thanksgiving.
18:15Friendsgiving, we might have one of those next week just off rip.
18:18Are your brothers and sisters how many?
18:21I have two older sisters, so I'm baby boy.
18:24Do they have the energy that you have?
18:26Where does this come from, your mom or your dad?
18:29My mom was a guy arrestor, so she just went home to the ancestors this past July.
18:35When I say she was a firecracker, oh my God.
18:37I named my daughter after her.
18:39I got a shout-out to my wife, too, of course.
18:42Dr. Alexandria Ballard Sims.
18:45My daughter, Gabby Jo, is named after my mother, Josephine.
18:49So, no, my mom was a firecracker.
18:52And I found out recently that my dad wanted to have a barbecue restaurant.
18:56He wanted to have a, um, he wanted to have a rib barbecue restaurant.
19:02Really?
19:02You just found out.
19:03I found that out through my aunt about five, six years ago.
19:08That's awesome.
19:09Yeah, and he just didn't have the support that I had.
19:13And, um, to see this come through, to see it come full circle.
19:16So, he does the father thing.
19:20He gets you through life.
19:22He makes you understand education's important.
19:25He lets you do sport.
19:26He made sure you still understood the power of education.
19:30Absolutely.
19:30And he was able to get his dream.
19:33Yes.
19:33Through his son.
19:34That's right.
19:35Yes.
19:35That's beautiful.
19:36So, I appreciate it.
19:37I appreciate being here.
19:39I appreciate the support I've gotten over the years.
19:42The people that have been rocking with me before I became so official with MVVA.
19:46So, I greatly appreciate that.
19:48Do that phone number twice again for me.
19:51313-693-2533.
19:54It sounds like they're already calling me right now.
19:56313-693-2533.
19:58313-2533 or go to the website, the easiest thing, SmokeyGSmokehouse.com.
20:03Thank you, Greg.
20:04It was beautiful.
20:05Attorney, as always.
20:06Yes.
20:07Closing thought.
20:08Absolutely.
20:09Remember to support black business.
20:12Be intentional about supporting black-owned businesses in your neighborhood, in the state.
20:17And I want you to follow Black Biz Alliance.
20:19We're on Instagram, LinkedIn.
20:21We are on YouTube and TikTok.
20:24And then you can find us at blackbizalliance.com and our address, where we are Monday through Friday, is 28
20:30West Adams, right downtown.
20:32We're happy to serve you.
20:33Beautiful.
20:34Thank you both.
20:36Thank you, Macy.
20:36Sharp.