We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raheem Amir . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raheem below.

Raheem , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love for you to start by sharing your thoughts about the pros and cons of family businesses.

Family businesses can offer several advantages, but they also come with their own set of challenges.

Our family business benefits from the trust and deep relationships among each other, which can gives a sense of loyalty and commitment. We have a common set of values and a long-term vision for the business, which creates a strong sense of purpose and direction for us all.

Family dynamics can sometimes lead to conflicts, especially when personal relationships intersect with business decisions. It has always been important for us to establish clear boundaries and effective communication to mitigate these challenges. Although family can sometimes be resistant to change, as decision-making may be influenced by tradition and past practices we addressed this immediately so nothing can hinder innovation and growth.

Transitioning the business from one generation to the next can be complex and requires careful planning. Lack of proper succession planning can lead to conflicts and potential disruptions in the business. So me and my family here at “PieOnTheFlyy” serve each other as well as our guest. We make sure ll our needs are met so we can assure the growth of our business. Each of us have a strong hand in the success of this business which makes the journey so much more rememberable.

The decision to involve children in the family business depends on various factors Are the children genuinely interested in the business and do they have a passion for it? Involving children who have a genuine interest in the business can lead to greater dedication and commitment. So, although I would love for the ones behind me to be involved if they have other passions they showcase I’ll invest more into those but, I also believe having them involved builds responsibility, character, independence and direction.

All of my family are very involved and we all have full time jobs aside from our business. We’ve ran into so many time we’re I’ve overbooked and couldn’t make an event and to go from stressing about the situation to having my own mother take over and produce everything as if I was there had been the biggest blessing. To be able to call my brother or sister for ideas and guidance or them giving me advice themselves and it benefiting us all and some is the biggest reward and I’m forever grateful .

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was introduced to the idea of cooking at a very young age. Looking back, I can remember going to my Auntie’s house on the weekend’s from the IE to LA and she would have a cabinet full of boxed cake mix and icings, every flavor. I remember her letting me climb on the counter to pick one. She would patiently take me through each step from cracking eggs to measuring, baking even checking with the toothpick.

Then there’s my Grams (Grandmother) she’s a Chef and I remember her prepping for events, carrying crates of plates, doing all the back-breaking tasks that go into food production on a large scale. I would see her doing this nearly everyday but alone. Seeing that day to day created a broader perspective and possibility for the craft but a consistent passion wasn’t created just yet.

Then I have my mom who is also certified in cooking, worked for numerous hospitals, ran a daycare kitchen alone and her work ethic is what planted the seed. I can remember her taking me to work on kid’s day and being allowed to work the tray line making plates for patients. Going through the process, learning to read tickets and dietary restrictions at just ten years old created a whole new animal. Plus, I loved the idea of being able to work.

So many obstacles and lessons I have learned from being stranded, hungry, broke, dropping classes, long nights, minimal support, I remember sitting in the back of my lecture classes drawing CookOrDieTryin over and over not knowing what I was building, it became a lifestyle for me.
2 1/2 years later, I graduated with my Associates in Culinary Art & Science.

I’ve worked or staged for almost every popular restaurant in LA from fast food, fine dining, food trucks, hookah lounge, festivals, hotels, cruise ships, etc…. and each job has gotten me to where I am now, good or bad. Here 14 years later, I’m still in Los Angeles. I own my own catering company called “CookOrDieTryin LLC”, another family-owned catering company called “PieOnTheFlyy” who I co-own with my siblings, multiple clothing lines, online clothing store called “The Mecca Apparel” with my brother and IEatery Cafe. I’m currently writing and filming my own cooking shows & writing music. I get to work with my sister who has been a major backbone and consistent support through everything. My brother who’s been that male support needed to keep me focused. My mom who keeps me grounded and prays for me and everything that I do & with the support of my Dad, family and friends.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

One of my business partners is my daughters mother Adriana Nava. I ran a Hibachi food truck in 2019-2020 and I was in deep while managing the whole operation. I had been going thru numerous male employees who kept coming day by day to work but, everything seemed like more work when they came. Finally one day she was brought in by one of the male employees and he had her helping him with his prep. Being extremely busy I definitely noticed he wasn’t doing his job but, I also noticed how good she was at doing his job. Next week I let him go and hired her and she been a driving force of support since then and now. A year later we have a daughter and till this day she’s still a huge aspect to the success of these businesses. We both are working on a upcoming project called IEatery Cafe and it’s been an honor to build something great with her.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

While becoming the man I’m supposed to be I’ve had to unlearn so many things I’ve been taught. Unlearning negative and fearful tendencies, as well as involving everyone in your decisions, is a process that requires self-awareness, intention, and consistent effort.

I had to start by becoming aware of my negative and fearful thoughts, as well as your tendency to involve everyone in your decision-making. Being under someone for so long builds a complacency that’s sometimes hard to shake. Having everything done and not having to worry about certain aspects of the industry always felt comfortable.

I had to realize how much of asset I was to the businesses I workers for and what I brought to the table which was often a lot. Once I learned myself and what I was capable of it was easier to just listen to everything I would tell my jobs and apply it day to day.

Now to avoid it I set clear boundaries, open communication, calculate risk and keep positive supportive people around me.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.cookordietryin.com
• Instagram: @cookordietryintv, @pieontheflyy, @themeccaapparel,@IEaterycafe, @Chefraheemamir
• Facebook: Cookordietryin, Pieontheflyy
• Youtube: Cookordietryintv
• Yelp: Cookordietryin

Image Credits
@pradertv