We were lucky to catch up with Crissy Faison recently and have shared our conversation below.

Crissy , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

There is nothing like having a plan and then watching it fall apart. That’s what happened, when I graduated from high school, travelled all the way from Chicago Heights, Il to North Carolina to attend North Carolina A&T. I graduated with a Bachelors in Mass Communications concentrating in Pubic Relations and just knew I was definitely going to work in my field. That did not happen. I ended up working with in call centers to get my bills paid and maintain some sort of a life but at a certain point I realized I was just existing and not living.

At some point during those years I had the idea to go to culinary school, but the idea was shot down so I didn’t pursue that passion. Years later I circled back to that idea because cooking was something that I loved to do and would be happy doing for the rest of my life. I wanted a food truck, and I was going to get it. So I enrolled and then I dropped out. Well I won’t say dropped out, I switched my major because I figured I didn’t need to learn to cook, but once I started my business I didn’t want it to fail. I completed my Associates degree.

My next step was to start my business but upon research, food trucks were expensive! I needed to make my culinary mark, so I went a different route to raise the money. I started a catering business and named it LeanBack soul Food. I got the name because I was watching tv doing my day job at the time. I was watching a show about Las Vegas Buffets on the travel channel. The lady on the show was saying how good the food and how full she was and just needed to lean back in her chair. I said to myself, that’s it! That’s the name because my food is so good you just want to lean back in your chair. Soul food is a concept of collard greens, fried chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, that kind of food..however I feel like all food is good for the soul, which is why I end up doing so many different dishes.

I went ahead and ordered the different types of equipment I needed; I found a commercial kitchen to work out. I participated in small business seminars in my area. Winston Salem, NC is a great place for entrepreneurs and innovators. They provide so many networking opportunities and funding which I definitely took advantage. I probably typed too much but yeah this is how I got started.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I absolutely am so in love with my brand and everything that it is and stands for. LeanBack Soul Food catering company, is not your typical catering food because we actually cook and season food! Like our food so good you literally just want to slap me every time you see me. Not only do we put out great food, we are also in the community so much. One of the things I started was the LeanBack GiveBack Thanksgiving Affair in 2018. It was my way of giving back to a city that has given so much to me. I would make all the food, post flyers where “homeless” people could see them and then they would come get LeanBack food! A good meal, no cutbacks. They would eat as if it was their own catered event. The event has developed into so much more! So many people wanted to donate but wanted to get that tax credit. My ultimate goal was to always start a 501c3, so one day at a committee meeting in 2021 they said Crissy why don’t you go ahead and get it started so I did the next day. The LeanBack GiveBack Foundation was created in July 2021. The foundation is basically all things food. The LeanBack GiveBack Foundation works to increase opportunities & resources for women and children in the culinary field and fight food insecurity one community at a time. How do we do this? We have 3 programs which I’m super excited about.

The first is the LeanBack Kidz Cooking club. The club is available to disadvantaged children & teens between the ages of 8 and 17 who have shown interest in the culinary field but do not have the resources or opportunity to explore. Cooking club involves hands-on learning about ingredients, organizing a kitchen, personal hygiene, and food safety, and cooking and baking techniques. They’ll learn where food comes from and how to create healthy, nutritious meals that are also delicious.

The second is the GiveBack Fridge Project, which I’m so excited about because we are launching the first one on April 25, 2023. There are 38 million Americans suffering from food insecurity and 12 million of them are children. What that means to us is our own neighbors and friends are hungry and not saying anything. The GiveBack Fridge Project is our unique way of fighting food insecurity and food wasted one community at a time. The GiveBack Fridge Project will work with restaurants and food businesses, ie. (caterers) around the area to collect already prepared food, that would normally go in trash, package up the food, and put the food in the fridges strategically located in low-income neighborhoods. This is the huge difference the fridge project and other similar programs. This food will already be prepared – all the person would need to do is either warm it up in a microwave at a local gas station (if they’re homeless) and or take it home and warm it up.

The third program is the Lean Into Her Mentorship Program. I’ve basically started and run all of my businesses on my own. I filed all my paperwork, started out building my own websites, all kinds of things because who has money to pay people to do things in the beginning. A lot of women want to get their businesses started and don’t know how. This is where I step in! The women come us we help them get started and give them a place to turn to so when it gets to tough they have someone to turn to.
And we moved the LeanBack GiveBack Thanksgiving affair under the foundation, changing the name to LeanBack GiveBack Block Party. We have musical performers, vendors, medical trucks activities, and we still cook amazing food! It’s all still free to the community because again food insecurity is much bigger than homeless! It’s affecting us all!

Oh! I have a seasoning line also called LeanBack Seasoning of course lol. There are 4 blends: All You Need (all-purpose seasoning), Devoted, Roasted and Coated (Garlic & Herb), Fulfilled, Chilled, & Grilled (barbecue seasoning), and To Veggie Be the Glory (vegetable seasoning). This way people can have delicious, seasoned food in their homes! They are gluten free, vegan, and low salt)

Any advice for managing a team?

It took me years for me to even want to hire a team. I would cook all the food myself and then reach out to friends and family to help serve the food. I would basically crawl into bed, barely able to climb stairs. I would get back spams and I had a knee strain. I was tearing my body down. I was always searching for another Me. I wanted someone who would do it exactly how I would do it, because LeanBack is my baby. I could not let go! But I had to. I went through. I attempted hiring a older man who had been in the industry for over 20 years to be a kitchen assistant. That didn’t work out because he was two set in his ways and not willing to do things the LeanBack way. For two months I was disrespected and hated coming to my own business! The rest of my team was staring at me like Crissy what did you bring into our space. My food was definitely affected! Anyway after that it dawned on me that I wanted only wanted an all female team. I wanted them to be inexperienced also because they would learn the LeanBack way. I could mold them into powerhouses. I tease them because I tell them they are all so spoiled but they would break their backs for Leanback. I allow them to take ownership of the dishes they make. It feels good to be able to step back at events and breathe. Always have backups because someone is going to call out. You’ll need people who can step in and make up for it, but also put your foot down and let them know what is unexceptable. My discipline tactic is cutting hours. When the pockets are affected, they get the point. I give respect and treat everyone how I want to be treated. Another thing! They give back also! They will volunteer for the Foundation events which I love!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I always tell people Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC funded my business lol. That was my day job! I went full time catering in during covid. I would literally go from working int corporate world, to switching to catering after. As business my kept growing I was literally taking paid time off and unpaid time off to work my businesses. I was also blessed to receive several grants from different groups around the city. It won contest and completed programs, but honestly it came from hard work. I funded my business through hard work. No one will tell you different!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.leanbacksoulfood.com and www.leanbackgiveback.org
• Instagram: @leanbacksoulfood and @lbgbfoundation
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/leanbacksoulfood and https://www.facebook.com/LBGBFoundation
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/leanback-soul-food-winston-salem-3?osq=leanback