Zero Restaurant Experience to Feeding 200 People Daily | Maggie | A Place at the Table

Maggie didn't set out to open a restaurant. She set out to answer a question that had bothered her since childhood: Why am I always on the privileged side of the volunteer line?That question led her to a day shelter for people experiencing homelessness, which led to a conversation at Golden Corral that changed everything. Her friend John, who'd been homeless for three months, told her he chose that restaurant because "here I have choice" and "here I'm not invisible." Those two sentences became the blueprint for A Place at the Table—a pay-what-you-can restaurant in downtown Raleigh that's feeding 150-200 people a day while building something even more important: community.In this episode, Maggie breaks down how she built a nonprofit restaurant with zero restaurant or nonprofit experience, why she got denied by the Secretary of State's office the first time, and how "friend-raising" (not fundraising) grew the concept from 50 people at their first pop-up to 450 at the last one before they opened their brick-and-mortar. We talk about hiring people smarter than you, getting on the Kelly Clarkson Show, and why the biggest fight isn't food insecurity—it's community insecurity.Resources mentioned in this episode:A Place at the Table: Downtown Raleigh, NCWebsite: tableraleigh.orgInstagram/Facebook: @tableraleighHow to give back: Volunteer, dine, donate, or cater - all options available onlineSupport the show🔗 My Links:Email story ideas to [email protected] / DM on Instagram: www.instagram.com/allupinyourbusinesspodYoutube: www.youtube.com/@AllUpInYourBusinessPod Become a Supporter of the show for as little as $3 and get exclusive access to shows early, special interviews, and updates from guests! Support the show here