Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Joslin Mar-dai

Hi Dr. Joslin , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

My journey began very differently than some who always knew what they wanted to do. For the past 20 years, I have been a college professor. I am a proud graduate of Grambling State University where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations and a Master of Arts in Mass Communication. I also made history by graduating in the first class of the Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership Studies program at Louisiana State University Shreveport. I am a tenured professor of Communication and Mass Communication and highly decorated with international teaching and leadership awards. I also had a business called, Definitely Natural where I handcrafted natural body butter and hair products for about 10 years. When I got divorced, I decided to end the business and just focus on my full-time career, or so I thought. So, I have always had a creative side, but thought that the focus should stay on my corporate career.

During this time, I transitioned to a vegan diet about 12 years ago due to health reasons. Throughout that journey, being from Louisiana meant that I would like to create my favorite hearty cultural foods with a vegan twist. I used to post my creations on social media. My friends would say that I should start selling the food. Being in North Louisiana, there were not a lot of options to eat out if you are vegan. My family and I sat down and devised a strategy to make our own. Vegans on the Run was born without culinary or business education, just a passion and a need for the community. We started by cooking meal preparations at home and doing lunch curbside from my mother’s driveway. We are now in a commercial space where we still do the two things we started with, meal prep and curbside lunch, but we also offer dine-in, special event catering, cooking classes, a cooking segment on local news, and so much more. Through these four years, I have taken business courses and gained some hands-on education in the food industry. Most recently, I completed the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women in Business program and that has given me a wealth of knowledge on how to turn my local business into a million-dollar brand. It has been a winding road that led to becoming an entrepreneur and restauranteur, while still maintaining my position as a professor. This year marks my 20th year in the classroom and my 4th years as the Founder and CEO of Vegans on the Run.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

The road has not been smooth by a longshot. However, it has been rewarding and built tenacity and character for sure. From the beginning, a huge challenge is coming to an industry with no knowledge or preparation. Literally, all we had was talent. It was a struggle to even figure out what our plan was. Then, we had to secure the business side of things. A lot of small businesses think that finances are a huge hurdle. This was definitely the case for Vegans on the Run in the beginning. We had to maintain our full-time jobs to fund our passion. We were afraid of getting banks and loans involved. We kinda still are. However, overcoming the obstacles, meant to overcome of our fears and be transparent with the community, customers, and other businesses. We asked a lot of questions, took every class offered, and got very little sleep to try to live out this dream. The second level of difficulty happened when learning about food safety, cooking in a commercial kitchen, and even where to buy food in bulk. It was multi-layered. Our third set of obstacles, happened when we were growing faster than we were prepared for. Successful businesses fail every day because they are not prepared to grow. We had to scale back until we gained the knowledge, skills, and business acumen to be successful. With those tools in place, we are now growing back to the level that we were when we first began. It is an interesting and rewarding journey.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

All roads lead to Vegans on the Run in Shreveport, Louisiana, where we’re serving up authentic Louisiana vegan comfort food like no other. Picture this – daily meals, meal prep, event catering, cooking classes, and curated events, all with a plant-based twist. Our dishes aren’t just delicious, every recipe is actually a family recipe that is passed down. It is not mass-produced. It is personal.
We’re all about that traditional Louisiana comfort food with a 100% plant-based spin like vegan gumbo. And guess what? We bring the food to your table no matter where you are in the United States, making it super convenient for catering, and keeping you fueled with the best vegan eats.
But we’re not stopping there. Vegans on the Run actually cares about each facet of the customer experience. We’re all about changing the face and taste of vegan food. We are bringing a new flavor to vegan food while making each person that chooses to eat at our table feel like they are a part of our family. Customers enjoy favorites like our Nachos, the “Better than BBQ Brisket” Jackfruit sandwiches, Cauli-Chik’n Club sandwiches, and hearty SoulBowls. Our mission is to improve lives through delicious and nutritious meals. So, when you think vegan, think of us – Vegans on the Run, your go-to for all things plant-based.

How do you think about happiness?

Happiness is so subjective, but it can be the simplest things that I find joy in.
Things like breathing fresh air make me happy. My daughter’s happiness makes me happy. Seeing my customers’ faces light up when they try our food for the first time makes me happy. Knowing that we are opening a new world to better health, better quality of life, and longer lives in our community makes me so happy. Seeing people be free in who they are makes me happy. It has been so long since I have had a break that I almost forgot that the beach makes me happy. Being near the water and just taking a moment to breathe and admire the beauty of the land and water around us brings me so much happiness.
I write and speak affirmations daily about happiness and living a life that makes you happy. So seeing the things I affirm manifest in reality makes me so happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://TheVegansonTheRun.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/Vegans_on_the_Run
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/vegansontherun
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/onvegans
• Yelp: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=c8acdef1003b68ccJmltdHM9MTcyMjIxMTIwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZjJhM2NhMi1kMWYyLTYyNGEtMGY0Zi0yZDYwZDA3YzYzMjQmaW5zaWQ9NTIzNA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1f2a3ca2-d1f2-624a-0f4f-2d60d07c6324&psq=vegans+on+the+run+yelp&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueWVscC5jb20vYml6L3ZlZ2Fucy1vbi10aGUtcnVuLXNocmV2ZXBvcnQ&ntb=1
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/vegansontherun

Image Credits

Mari Jaxn
Carlton IV