Dawon Matthews, 32, living in Houston, Texas, is the owner of Goodies Soul Kitchen, a well-known food truck. He also owns several cleaning and junk removal service companies, along with 16 rental properties. The combined net revenue from his businesses exceeds 1 million USD annually.

However, before achieving this success, Matthews found himself in a dark place. He struggled to find employment, facing rejection from over 200 companies due to the significant prejudice against individuals with criminal records.

Matthews was born in Philadelphia into a Black family residing in an impoverished neighborhood. "Growing up, I had no mentors or role models. All around me were groups of people I didn't want to become," he shared.

Matthews excelled in high school but encountered legal troubles during his college years. As a first-year student, he was charged with aggravated assault after a party altercation, leading to his expulsion and a 6-month prison sentence. While on probation, he was charged with driving under the influence, resulting in continuous legal issues.

Dawon Matthews graduated with two economics majors, but 200 job applications were rejected by employers due to his criminal record. Photo: CNBC

After his release from prison, despite holding a diploma from Manor College and a Bachelor of Business from La Salle University, he applied to over 200 companies within two months, but none accepted him. "Once they see a criminal record, they don't even care about your qualifications. You're not accepted in that society," he realized bitterly.

Facing consistent rejection, Matthews decided to become his own boss. In 2017, he founded his first company, Wonderful Cleaning, a cleaning service based in Philadelphia.

Matthews chose the cleaning industry because of its low startup costs and the absence of background check requirements for business owners. "With just some bleach, hot water, a spray bottle, and rags, you can turn this into a business," he explained. His initial work involved cleaning his brother's house. Through meticulousness and a willingness to perform manual labor, he gradually secured more profitable commercial cleaning contracts.

By the end of the second year, Wonderful Cleaning generated approximately 12,000 USD in monthly revenue. Matthews then transitioned to acting as a "middleman," hiring other cleaning teams to fulfill his contracts.

Leveraging the revenue from Wonderful Cleaning, Matthews purchased a pickup truck and launched his second venture, R&R Junk Removal, a waste removal service, in 2020. According to Matthews, within a few months, they were able to acquire a dump truck, and R&R Junk Removal earned over 100,000 USD in its first year of operation. Matthews also invested the income from these two businesses into buying single-family properties, later refinancing to acquire duplexes and triplexes. He currently owns 16 properties in the Philadelphia area, generating about 11,000 USD in profit monthly.

Matthews when he bought his first property. Photo: CNBC

In 1/2024, Matthews moved to Houston. "I felt I had achieved success in Philadelphia, so I wanted to leave," he stated. However, not all his business ideas proved successful. Soon after relocating, Matthews sold several properties to open a nightclub. He recounted that the venture did not go smoothly, and he ultimately lost over 170,000 USD on the project. Afterward, he decided to try the restaurant industry. Matthews borrowed 40,000 USD to buy a food truck and launched Goodies Soul Kitchen in 8/2024, which he operates with a business partner.

Aside from working at KFC during his first year of college, Matthews had no restaurant experience when he founded Goodies Soul Kitchen. He drew inspiration from the success of fast-food chains, noting that they "are similar but all successful." He observed that they don't do anything remarkably different, and their food is comparable to what you find at KFC or similar establishments. "But the key difference is the service," he emphasized.

From an entrepreneurial perspective, Matthews believes that profit lies not merely in the food, but in the service, quality, and operational systems. Recognizing Houston's bustling nightlife, Matthews decided to market Goodies Soul Kitchen as an evening dining option for regulars. The menu features fried fish, lamb chops, chicken wings, and fried chicken, alongside sides like mac and cheese, candied yams, and fried cabbage.

Popular dishes at Matthews' fried chicken food truck, with customers queuing. Photo: CNBC

Following the success of the Goodies fried chicken truck, Matthews opened another food truck last March, specializing in burgers, tacos, and chicken wings. "I thought, what the heck, we've done so well with this business model. Let's try another one," he said. He plans to sell most of his other companies next year to focus entirely on his food and restaurant businesses.

Beyond his business objectives, Matthews is committed to hiring individuals recovering from addiction and those with criminal records. This initiative aims to ease their reintegration into society, offering opportunities to people with backgrounds similar to his own. "Here, you're not judged by a piece of paper. You're not judged by a record. You're judged by your skills," the millionaire owner asserted.

Matthews acknowledged that managing all his business ventures is challenging, but his motto is "choose wisely." He reflected, "Poverty has its struggles. Wealth also has its struggles. There's sadness even in joy, right? You can't avoid difficulties, but you can choose difficulties that help you grow," he said, encouraging himself to "just keep moving forward."

Hai Thu (According to CNBC)