If you're not passionate about what you're doing, there's no point in doing it at all.
-Daniel Shemtob
Episode Summary
In this episode of Logistics with Purpose, host Enrique Alvarez welcomes Daniel Shemtob, CEO of Snibbs, to discuss his journey from restaurateur to entrepreneur. Shemtob shared his experiences of starting his first business at 19, learning the importance of passion in entrepreneurship, and the success of his food truck business, The Lime Truck. He also discussed his transition into the fashion industry with Snibbs, a footwear brand that uses 95% recycled materials and holds the Global Recycle Standard certification.
Tune into today’s episode for lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, giving back, and so much more.
Episode Transcript
Intro/Outro (00:02):
Welcome to Logistics with Purpose presented by Vector Global Logistics. In partnership with Supply chain. Now we spotlight and celebrate organizations who are dedicated to creating a positive impact. Join us for this behind the scenes glimpse of the origin stories change, making progress and future plans of organizations who are actively making a difference. Our goal isn’t just to entertain you, but to inspire you to go out and change the world. And now here’s today’s episode of Logistics with Purpose.
Enrique Alvarez (00:35):
Good day and welcome back to another episode of Logistics with Purpose. I have a very, very good guest with me today. I’m actually wearing his product. Maybe not the right foot, this is the better foot, but no, great, great entrepreneur, good person. And without further ado, let me introduce you to Daniel Shemp, up, chef Restauranter, entrepreneur, and CEO of SNPs. Daniel, how are you doing? Welcome to the show.
Daniel Shemtob (00:59):
Thanks for having me, Enrique. I’m doing great. It’s a beautiful day in paradise.
Enrique Alvarez (01:03):
It is, it is. And I heard that you’ve had great news recently. I mean, you got married, right?
Daniel Shemtob (01:08):
I did. I did. Married almost my high school. Sweet start. We met when we were 18, so it’s been really nice.
Enrique Alvarez (01:14):
Well, congratulations for that. And of course everyone’s going to want to know a little bit more about the success of your company and we’ll deep dive into that in a second. But before we do that, let’s just start with a very new kind of segment we have, which is a rapid fire questions just for people to get to know you better. Are you ready?
Daniel Shemtob (01:31):
I’m ready.
Enrique Alvarez (01:32):
You got to respond with whatever comes first to your mind. Alright, what’s one crucial part of your morning routine?
Daniel Shemtob (01:38):
Manifestation and meditation.
Enrique Alvarez (01:40):
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Daniel Shemtob (01:42):
Wow, great question. Probably drive it up One car.
Enrique Alvarez (01:45):
What book would you recommend to everyone,
Daniel Shemtob (01:47):
B 2.0 Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0? Best book I’ve ever read.
Enrique Alvarez (01:51):
Where do you find inspiration when you’re feeling unmotivated?
Daniel Shemtob (01:54):
When I’m feeling unmotivated, I find inspiration in walking around the streets, especially in a major city. So for here, I go to Melrose and I just walk the streets and I see all the unique style and people and remember the individuality of this world.
Enrique Alvarez (02:07):
Beautiful, beautiful view. By the way, it seems that it’s a pretty nice day as well. What’s your go-to source for learning new things?
Daniel Shemtob (02:14):
I have a lot. So peer groups. I’m in a group called Entrepreneur Organization, eo. I’m in a group called Vistage. I’m also in a bunch of forums. So I really love information, I love data, I love learning from others, and so I’ve got a lot of ways to get that data.
Enrique Alvarez (02:28):
Well, thank you very much for sharing that and let’s deep dive into your childhood. Can you tell us a little bit more of who you are and a little bit more of how you grew up and your early roots?
Daniel Shemtob (02:38):
Yeah, absolutely. So my parents were both born in Iran, so I’m first generation American. I was born in the East coast in Rhode Island, Providence, where you would assume all immigrants would go when they come to America. And then my parents were lucky enough to see that they needed to move somewhere nicer or not nicer, but somewhere maybe sunnier. And so we moved to Orange County, California, and I had a really unique childhood where I grew up, I would say white-ish. And I’m very grateful for who I am and what I’ve gotten, but I didn’t fit in with the community that I grew up in. And so I always felt a little bit of a different, and I think that allowed me to have a healthy chip on my shoulder. Since I’ve had out all the therapy and I’ve been able to grow up, I’ve noticed that could be a real perk. And so it makes you work a little bit harder, want to really prove things to yourself. And I had a really other unique advantage, which is I grew up around a lot of wealth and I didn’t have it. And so I got to see what a million dollar transaction would look like in a locker room when I was 16 at the gym between two business people. And I saw that that was so casual, it opened my horizons as far as what’s possible. And so I got really lucky with being in a very opportunistic area and being in a very successful area and wanting it and craving it. And so I started my first job when I was 14, started my first business when I was 16, and I think it had a lot to do with the environment that I grew up in. I should mention my first book I got when I was 13 for my older brother was Rich Dad, poor Dad, which tells you about getting out of the rat race. So I was trained early to be who I am.
Enrique Alvarez (03:57):
That’s interesting, and it’s a really good book of course. And as you said, so it came from your older brother. Could you tell us what was your relationship with him and why was he so instrumental in leading you to the entrepreneurship path?
Daniel Shemtob (04:09):
Yeah, so I got really lucky with him. He’s six and a half years older and he was in a lot of ways very present as a father figure. And so he moved to LA when he was 18 and he had it pretty tough. He was working at Primerica doing basically multilevel marketing, sales and hustling every day. And I think he kind of saw the opportunity in creating your own path and your own wealth. And so I think he wanted to give that to me. I mean, even from my earliest successes, he’s always just been so happy for me. And so I’ve had a great teacher and I’ve had someone who’s been a great cheerleader when he needs to be in. So I got really lucky with him and feel very blessed and very grateful that he’s part of who I am today.
Enrique Alvarez (04:44):
I mean, he sounds like a great older brother. What’s his name?
Daniel Shemtob (04:47):
His name’s Leonard, and he’s also an entrepreneur, Leonard.
Enrique Alvarez (04:49):
Well, congratulations. Congratulations for the great influence that you’ve had on Daniel and being such a good big brother. Looking back at that time, when you’re starting to get into the entrepreneurship world, 13, you read the book 14, you started getting into it and your older brother of course always helping you out. Do you remember a story or something can share with us that kind of shaped who you are and what you’re doing now?
Daniel Shemtob (05:14):
Yeah, absolutely. So I could go with a very positive story or a much harder story that had a positive ending.
Enrique Alvarez (05:21):
We could go with both of you want. There’s a lot of learning when you share a positive moment, but then also sometimes as you put it maybe not so happy stories are the ones that usually teach you even more.
Daniel Shemtob (05:33):
Yeah, so why don’t we go with that one. The more impact. I started my first business when I was 19, and so I was managing, it’s kind of a long story of how we got here, but I was managing a real estate services law firm and Riverside, and for one reason or another I got let go. It was kind of an unfair reason. And I went and I decided, Hey, I can go do this myself. And so I start my first business at the tender age of 19. I have a couple of attorneys who are working with me and I’m building out this business. And when I tell you I made it going into work at 19 years old is that I would do anything not to show up there. And it was the first time I disliked what I did and actually the first and only time I disliked what I did, and that business ended up blowing up and I had my one and only panic attack.
(06:13):
I moved back home and I had a bankruptcy all at 20 years. And it taught me my first and I think most valuable lesson, which is if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, there’s no point in doing it at all because that company made some money before I lost everything and it didn’t make any difference to me. I felt great making 1520 grand at 19 years old a month, but at the same time I didn’t want to be there. And so the business was eventually going to struggle anyways. And so it was just a very early indication that you really want to do what you’re passionate about because at 19, if you’re starting your own business and you’re going after these big goals and targets, the ambition is there. But to be able to actually have the passion and the drive and care about what you do and do something meaningful logistics with purpose, it really does put a lot of energy there.
(06:58):
And that was that huge lesson I learned at a really young age. And it was hard. I mean, going to a bankruptcy, not being able to get credit after, especially being a serial entrepreneur, I wasn’t able to get any funding for my next business. So that’s how I started the food truck with all my leftover capital, which was at the time, $7,000. It was a tough road because of that.
Enrique Alvarez (07:14):
Well, but it’s a really good segue and of course, thanks for sharing that. And you’re right. If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing sooner or later we’ll probably come back to on you. You mentioned a food truck and I actually know you and I know that you love food. You actually have a culinary path to everything you’ve done. At what point did that start? I mean, at what point do you think, well, hey, I like food.
Daniel Shemtob (07:36):
So since childhood, I’ve had two serious fashions and it was food and fashion. And it started when I cooked when I was really young and I wore crazy matching red outfits from head to toe, including a bucket hat that was a Hawaiian Flo.
Enrique Alvarez (07:48):
Oh my.
Daniel Shemtob (07:49):
I know, right? And so it’s always been a passion of mine. I never thought I would end up in the food business. But after I had that experience with that real estate services company, I moved back home and I had to decide what I wanted to do next. And I looked at both industries and I said, you know what? I need to be passionate about what I do. I learned my lesson. And so I looked at fashion and I saw that fashion is, I mean, I think realistically speaking, you could start a fashion brand with a couple hundred thousand dollars, but at the time I had picked a few brains of great fashion brands in Orange County, and most of ’em said, you want about a million dollars to start.
(08:17):
And I knew that was completely out of goal, and I had no idea how to get there in 20. And so I then decided food seemed more reasonable and food trucks had just hit the scene. We’re talking maybe three, four months of notoriety. And so I was really early to it, and I had a moment where I met another food truck operator who was very inspiring and told me to do it. And I think that was the little kick I needed. And I also really only had $7,000 of seed money. And so I went to one of my high school best friends and I said, Hey, I have this idea. I would love for you to help cook. He was an aspiring chef. And he’s like, no, I don’t want to cook. I want to be your partner. And that’s how we started a lime truck in 2010.
Enrique Alvarez (08:50):
You mentioned that you also cook, right? It wasn’t all your partner or,
Daniel Shemtob (08:54):
so when I started, I had home food experience, which arguably he had as well, but I really learned how to cook on the job. And so it was one of those things where a month in high school friend bought me a knife. And so that was my first thing of when do you start getting into cooking, getting a knife? It’s like a big deal. And so I actually learned on the job for the first year and a half of just being a sous chef. And then after he left, I hired another chef. He did okay. I hired another chef, he did. And then I realized I kind of have the creative ingenuity myself, and I’ve been cooking now for four years, five years. And maybe that’s not enough experience, maybe it is.
(09:29):
But I would say all the accolades that we’ve won, it’s probably enough experience, but I did really, really well after that. I think with creating dishes, it’s a little bit different than cooking because creating dishes is all about using inspiration that you get from around the world, kind of pairing flavors together, pairing creative ideas together. And so if you asked who’s the best at butchering a fish and getting the best cut of fish, I have five chefs that I would point to in my restaurant that are 10 times more talented than me. But if it’s how to put that sashimi dish together, I mean, I would still like to collaborate with them, but maybe I have a little bit of that creativity that allows for that special dish to be so unique.
Enrique Alvarez (10:01):
That’s a very, very interesting career path. And you come from entrepreneurship family, and then the food truck was the first thing, the lime truck is the name. What kind of food was it?
Daniel Shemtob (10:10):
So when we started in, it was a brand new menu every day. That is a really fun reason for that. We could go ahead consistent ways. The third day in, I looked at Jason, who was my partner at the time, and I said, Hey, this food doesn’t taste good. He goes, I know I can’t make it consistently good, and also I’m really bored making the food like this. And I said, so what do you want to do about it? And he is like, well, why don’t we just make a new menu every day, which is extremely ambitious, especially for a food truck. But that’s what led us to an insane amount of success. I mean, people were eating at the truck every day no matter where we were located, like 30, 40 minutes away from each other for the first year.
(10:44):
We had about maybe five, six people doing that. And so we had created this kind of FOMO culture and a community of people who really wanted to eat our food because of the uniqueness and the diversity in the menu. And so our weakness became our strength.
Enrique Alvarez (10:56):
Well, and what do you think are some of the learning lessons from that time when you had the food truck and you changed the menu, so it would be daily, what are some of the things that you learned the most, not only about the cooking and food truck industry, but about yourself and about managing a business?
Daniel Shemtob (11:10):
Yeah. Okay. So one thing we didn’t lead to yet, but we could talk about is, so shortly after launching, we had won the best food truck of a huge festival in southern California, which were both food trucks. And we won this big festival. And so for the first time ever, we opened a 30 people online, and until then it was very slow. And then we won the food networks Great Food Truck race, which is a established televised competition show. I spilled the beans probably, and that is where we learned our real big lesson. So we went from doing about $400,000 in our first year, who our second year doing 2.2 million.
Enrique Alvarez (11:40):
And so with how many foot trucks or just one?
Daniel Shemtob (11:43):
We went from one to three. So when we went on the show, we got a second one, and then we had a contract with healthcare, which is our third truck. And I was still running a cash business at the time. And so we’re about a lack of expertise of accounting too quick of scale, a crazy big payroll. And so that lesson that I learned that year is that just because busy doesn’t mean you’re successful.
(12:03):
And that taught me a valuable lesson in p and l. And so after that year, I think we netted, I honestly want to say we netted about 35,000 on that 2.2 million, which is pretty bad for how much a food truck should be making considered also off of that fame. And so it was a really important lesson, and you sharpen your tools as an entrepreneur. And so the creative side is building teams, okay, I’m starting to learn my way in this and getting better at it. The financial side was the last to last piece of the puzzle that I had to learn about, and that was a hard knock lesson I got, was working that hard that year, and luckily we’re still profitable, but it was not nearly as much as it should.
Enrique Alvarez (12:36):
Right. Well, you’re still pretty young, I’m guessing when all this happened.
Daniel Shemtob (12:39):
Yeah, I was 21, 22.
Enrique Alvarez (12:41):
There you go. So tons of things that you still needed to learn back then. And if you don’t mind taking a step back because maybe some people out there, me included, before I actually started prepping for this interview, didn’t know what the great food truck race was. Could you tell us what the show is about, what the competition is about and how is it judged? Because of course, coming second is a huge, huge accomplishment. I feel like it’s more than 150 teams. Did I get that correct?
Daniel Shemtob (13:06):
Oh yeah. Well, we won all of it. So we’re the only food truck to ever win the second season, but we also won the All-Star season. So of the 150 trucks,
Enrique Alvarez (13:14):
right, the second season, not second place, that was my confusion. Well, tell us a little bit more about what the competition’s all about and then
Daniel Shemtob (13:21):
So the show’s premise is insane. So what they do is they take eight food trucks and they, in season two was a little different. They started us in Malibu and we actually physically drove our food truck from Malibu to Miami for a hundred thousand dollars prize. And every week one truck got eliminated, and that would be on a combination of food challenge and then a selling challenge. And so we won that second season and then they brought back all the winners just a couple years ago and they all competed and we won that season as well. And so our food truck has been really blessed in being kind of the food team, I guess I would say.
Enrique Alvarez (13:53):
Wow. It sounds like a challenge just to drive from one place to the other, less trying to sell food and then have good food along the way.
Daniel Shemtob (14:01):
I know we should have done some logistics on the way we would’ve made some more money.
Enrique Alvarez (14:05):
I’m sure. I’m sure. So you also established around the same time, and correct me if I’m wrong, a high-end restaurant called The Hatch, Jackie Tory.
Daniel Shemtob (14:14):
Yeah.
Enrique Alvarez (14:14):
So tell us a little bit more about that and what would you tell our entrepreneur listeners that are willing to succeed in this very highly competitive industry?
Daniel Shemtob (14:22):
So Hatch was very much a passion project or is a very much a passion project. And so it’s a Japanese restaurant. We actually rebranded to Hatcha later, so it’s a little bit more izakaya than Yato right now. Still has a lot of ya, Tori. And for those of you who don’t know, yato means grilled chicken it chicken skewers and other types of skewers. And so that concept was just three great friends who really had an emphasis on Japanese food and wanted to do something really interesting in the space and saw that there was a huge opportunity in that culture’s food that wasn’t sushi because at the time, if you wanted Japanese food, everyone talked about sushi and there was so much more that Japan had to offer.
(14:57):
And so it was my chance of creating a specialty experience like that. I think what made that space so unique is that it’s a smaller square footage space. And so with smaller square footage restaurants, you do have challenges of getting gross numbers up to where you need them so you can kind of hire great teams and stuff like that. But because of the price point and the environment and the bar, we were able to do a pretty good job of putting that together. And we’ve had a lot of fun with it. I mean, my favorite dish on the menu was something that came to me in the middle of the night, which is our black fried chicken, our black ate, and that’s fried in squid powder, Bonita flake, tempura potato starch, and all-purpose flour. And so the idea of creating this really unique textural experience with these Brian Jor thighs for two days with oranges and Thai basil. And so this is a little bit of a chance for me to kind of explore my culinary. And so I’ve had fast casual restaurants, but I haven’t had fine dining. And so I think it was just a great chance to have a creative expression with really great partners.
Enrique Alvarez (15:47):
And is Hatch still open? And Yeah,
Daniel Shemtob (15:50):
we did. We made it through the pandemic and we are thriving, so that was really lucky.
Enrique Alvarez (15:54):
We’ll put all the links and comments on the comment section so that everyone that’s listening to us and happens to live where you are, I’m guessing it’s also in Orange County, California,
Daniel Shemtob (16:03):
Los Angeles,
Enrique Alvarez (16:04):
downtown Los Angeles, downtown Los Angeles. Perfect.
Daniel Shemtob (16:07):
Right there if you can see it in the window bin.
Enrique Alvarez (16:09):
Perfect. Well, and so you’ve gone through your entire entrepreneurship and professional career developing new culinary concepts and businesses, but then at some point in time, and I would like to know a little bit more about what happened there. I mean, I think you shifted towards your other passion, which is fashion. Is that what happened?
Daniel Shemtob (16:27):
Yeah, sometimes there’s divide intervention that happens. And so this one was another one of those stories where at the moment it was really bad, but it turned out very good. And so at the tender age of 23, I just did one of those food network shows. I was opening my second restaurant in downtown LA and I take a corner and I have a slip and fall, and that slip and fall causes me a herniated disc. I go into a lot of pain. And if any of those viewers out there are from the culinary world, you’ll know that when you set up a kitchen, it’s a very personal experience. And so you want everything on the line to be set up exactly where you want. You want the cold station and it’s called mis enla.
(17:02):
You want everything in its right place so that you can create the best experience. And what happened when you’re out, if you can’t do that is you watch somebody else do that. And it’s not like you can’t change it back, but in most cases, once the system and the train is moving, it’s going to keep going. And so I went through this depression at the time where I was like, I’m 23, I thought everything was great. Why was I wearing the wrong footwear? Why did this happen to me? And I went down this rabbit hole of why was I wearing the wrong foot? And it was because I didn’t want to be represented by the brands that were out there because in our space, there’s really only a few companies and they create ugly products that aren’t good for you when you’re standing on your feet all day.
(17:42):
And so it dawned on me at the moment that this was a chance for me to be opportunistic and create something better for my community that I admired so much. And so I was like, you know what? I’ll do this myself. I know I can make it look good. I know I can give back to the community, but how do I want to make it good for you? And that’s when I got really lucky and I met Dr. Snobby, and when I came to him with this idea, he’s like, I’m actually going through all the same problems in my life, which is I stand over a gurney just like a chef does. I’m around these wet materials. I want to create a better shoe for my environment. This is something I’ve been really passionate about my whole life. And so the two of us hit it off with no shoe experience.
(18:16):
And so for five years with consultants from Nike, Jordan, Adidas, we went to create and perfect the work shoe. And I’m really happy to say that at the end of that five years of r and d, we created something so unique that when we took it to a biomechanics testing facility, and that’s where they put the robots in the shoes and they test where you pronate and everything like that. Our shoe tested number one of 4,000 shoes tested for insole and midsole resilience, and that’s what protects your lumbar. And these guys work with Nike, with shoes recruits at Danco, with Olivers, they work with everybody. And so to get that information when we worked so hard on that product, it was just a real beautiful thing. And then from there, that was launched in March of 2020, which is maybe the worst time to launch a shoe for hospitality and healthcare, but still got really lucky and hit it off from the start.
Enrique Alvarez (19:02):
Well, I can attest to the comfort of the shoe I’ve been wearing for a while now, and it’s actually very, very comfortable. What is Dr. Neve’s background? I mean, you said that he was different. I mean, none of you had experience in this industry, but what was his background at the time?
Daniel Shemtob (19:16):
Yeah, so Dr. Stevie is one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the world, and I could say that because one, he’s the resident physician for the Clippers, the Los Angeles Kings USC Sports has a practice in Beverly Hills. He gives kind of talks and speeches on where his industry is going. He also operated on the Kardashians on the past season on the mom who needed some kind of surgery. And so he’s just a very prolific doctor. I mean, just at the top of his field, he is been doing it for 25, 30 years. And so he’s a great partner and a great concept. He’s really great at helping us with that product development.
Enrique Alvarez (19:48):
No, I know he knows exactly what he’s talking about and I’m sure that he’s an very key important part of the design of the shoe and the ergonomic of the shoe, which is very amazing. And something that I was also drawn to is that it’s made out of a hundred percent recycled materials. And you guys thought about this from the beginning or
Daniel Shemtob (20:07):
No, we didn’t think about it from the beginning. I think from the beginning we were just trying to create some great footwear, the best shoot. And then what we did was as soon as we started creating the footwear, so one lesson that I learned in the restaurant business, and it’s one that I think is I’m just really grateful for it was I had my 10th anniversary of my fast casual restaurant.
(20:23):
And I think for anyone who was in the restaurant business, getting to 10 years is really hard, any business, but let alone the restaurant business. And so when I hit the 10 year mark, I just became so clear to me that if I had done one better thing each day and that compounded over those 36,000 days, I would’ve made the world a better place. And so if I had used better quality of protein, like no hormones, no antibiotics, if we had to use biodegradable forks instead of regular forks or whatever it is that we could have done, it would’ve made such an impact because it was compounding. And so when I thought about this business and I launched, I was like, you know what? This isn’t going to be like last time. I’m not going to get 10 years in and be like, oh my God, we should have been doing things from the beginning, especially because I think food and fashion are some of the biggest problem areas of pollution of the world and of taking care of our world.
(21:09):
And so knowing that I can contribute to both, I was going to start it differently. And that’s why as we launched, the first questions I had after we figured out how to make the shoe and everything was how do we make it more sustainable? How do we recycled materials? How do we make it biodegradable? How do we give it back to our community? And that’s when we started to unroll those things. So our first shoe was not fully recyclable, but towards the end, and now it’s 95%. So there’s still a delay stage. We couldn’t get recyclable because it will break. And so we have to make concessions too, but almost all of our product is recycled depending on the shoe. And then they all have biodegradable bacteria that helps them break down quicker if they’re disposed of correctly. And so definitely trying to do the right things,
Enrique Alvarez (21:48):
that is amazing. And I think that, I mean, the show is called Logistics with Purpose for a Reason. So that’s why we’re so excited and happy to have you with us today because brands like yours are actually really the ones that are changing the world and making it a better place. So thank you so much for doing that and for thinking that I feel like we need a lot more businesses that are truly committed to that pursuit. And speaking of impact, you hold the Global Recycle Standard certification, which I’ve heard it’s an incredible thing to do as a great shipment, so congratulations. And you’re also giving back, right? You have a giving component. Could you tell us a little bit more about the giving component of your company?
Daniel Shemtob (22:24):
Absolutely. It’s one of my favorite things. So year one when we launched it was the pandemic. It was like that first week. And so five years of working on this company and you launch when the world shuts down. And what I said, I was like, you know what? We’re well funded. I have all this product. Why don’t we earn some goodwill? Because I don’t think this is the right time to go to our community and try to sell ’em something when they don’t know what they’re going to get their next paycheck. Like me. And I’ve always been lucky enough because I’m also the consumer and I’m the creator of this product. And so I saw that. I saw my guys weren’t getting hours because no one was booking my food trucks for anything. And so I said, you know what? I’m going to give my guys hours. I’m going to send them out to these different locations, and we’re going to give away free meals and free shoes to these frontline workers.
(23:02):
And this is a good way for me to just kind of tie together everything I’m doing and help the world. That led us to sell out 6,000 pairs of shoes in just three months. And I could confidently say that that was part of that experience. And so I saw what it was like, and I did stuff with my truck all the time. And by the way, there was no idea of I went and did this. I was going to sell the product. It was just, Hey, this is the world we’re in today. How do we do something great? If we get media, great, we don’t get media. Let’s just go and do it. And if it’s good, the world will respond. And so we did it with that purity, and that’s what we got that response. And so then we evolved that idea and we were like, okay, why don’t we give to charities?
(23:35):
So we started donating a small portion of each sale to charities, and that felt okay, the charities were vetted by us and we picked them that were relevant to our customers, but it didn’t feel like the impact that we made with that first contribution to those frontline workers. And so then it all dawned on me, and then that’s kind of how it always works. And so I learned from a really great restaurant operator a few years back when I was on the board of California Restaurant Association. Giving zero interest loans to your employees is one of the best things you can do because it helps them through a tough time. They’re grateful for you doing that, and typically they pay you back. And so I heard it and I was like, oh, okay. Let me see if I can do this for some people. When they come to me.
(24:12):
I did it like three, four times and I realized how much it meant to those people. And one time I got burned, okay, big deal. I got to do something nice for three out of four or four out of five of those people. And then I read a fact that said, if you’re living check to check and you get an unexpected $300 bill, it’ll put you a year behind on savings. And that just stuck with me. And I was like, you know what? Why don’t we do this? Why don’t we give a free pair of shoes and $350 cash to any worker, doesn’t have to be a customer or anything in need. And that kind of goes back to my experience in the restaurant world with those employees and let’s just see what comes in. And if we can do this right and help people individually, it’s going to feel really good.
(24:49):
And yes, we launched it three months ago. We’ve given away seven. It’s not like I’ve given a crazy amount of money, we’re still not even profitable yet. So it’s like we’re giving this from our core because we want to, but every month I’m committed to doing more and more. And so it’s like this amazing feeling where, yes, it’s small for right now, but we know it’s going to get bigger as we get bigger and we’re setting the tone for taking care of our community. And so I’m so excited about it and we’re going to keep doing more. And each story, we read them internally and we make a kind of committee to decide on them, and it’s tough to read them, but it also feels really good to be able to do something for those people.
Enrique Alvarez (25:20):
So people have to apply. They apply on your website or This is amazing, by the way. We’ll have all those links to our interview in our comment section so that you can keep doing. And you mentioned a couple of times, and by the way, let me reflect back to you. You look incredibly happy and enjoying the fact when you’re talking about giving back, you kind of light up. It feels that, I mean, clearly it’s in your DNA, it’s clearly that you’re taking very seriously, and it’s clearly something that’s coming from your heart, for lack of a better word, to express that. But this is awesome. I think you talked about feeling good and feeling good. So you think that the more you kind of give, the more it’s actually helping you and your team, I mean you guys, it’s making you guys feel better and therefore you’re just pushing you forward through all the adversity of starting a new company.
Daniel Shemtob (26:03):
Yeah, I mean, I think there’s a lot of ancillary effects from giving back to your community, but again, I just think that we have a responsibility. We just have it. The responsibility is if you’re going to take from your community, you have to give back to your community. And so if you can’t create that kind of ethos and create that to give back, you’re just not, I don’t know. It sounds so corny, but you’re just not making the world a better place. And so I think there’s a social responsibility and there’s a fiscal responsibility, and we just kind have to do that to be able to grow. And ultimately, I need the company to be successful, and that’s always going to be my main priority. But that can’t be the only priority. And so I think it helps a lot. I think it’s a requirement. I think I’ve always looked at it that way. And my partner, luckily both my partners have looked at it that way. And so I think we’ve all felt very strongly like that. We just have a social commitment to being able to do something good with this company.
Enrique Alvarez (26:54):
I couldn’t agree with you more. And yes, it’s probably a responsibility, and I think that it’s going to be a very key part of the success of your company because the more you give, the more you get and consumers is, they are looking for purpose-driven organizations to kind of start buying from them. So I think you’re leading with passion, and it’s very inspiring to see what you’re built not only on the food industry, but now in the shoe industry. And we’re looking forward to the future. Which kind of closing the interview, what are the future plans of sns? Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
Daniel Shemtob (27:25):
Yeah, I mean, we’re just beyond thrilled to continue what we’re doing. Our goal is to be the best workwear brand in the world. And so that means creating the best products. That means taking care of our customers. That means taking care of the world. And so we believe in service of others, and we believe in people who believe in service. And so I like to think about, we had this moment where we were at the National Restaurant Association Show and we went to a restaurant and we saw a server wearing our shoes, and we were at this really great restaurant, Monteverde. The server comes up and he’s got his notepad and everything dialed in, and he’s passionate about work, and these are the specials. You have to try this. This is so good, this is so great. And he felt his energy the same way you feel our, and then we went to another restaurant and this guy wasn’t wearing our shoes, but he came up to us and it was a super nice restaurant, really well regarded in Chicago, came up to us and was just like, Hey, this is okay.
(28:16):
What about this dish? Oh, you might like it. You might not. And he just wasn’t there to be in service of others. He was there. It was a means to an end. And so I felt that energy and I was like, we want to support those people who are in service of others, and if we could stand with them, they’ll never walk alone. That’s what we love. And so my dream is to be that, is just to be in service of these great people and to bring hospitality into the fashion world in a way that it’s never been done before.
Enrique Alvarez (28:40):
Well, Daniel, there’s a lot to learn from this interview. Thank you so much for giving us a little of your time to do this. How can our listeners connect with you and more importantly, how can they buy a pair of snips?
Daniel Shemtob (28:51):
Yeah, so the easiest way is to go to the website, ww dot s nibs.co.co. And so that’s one way you’re more than welcome to email me, my email’s daniel@snbs.co. You can follow my Instagram. I’m very easy to get ahold of. And yeah, if there’s anything I can do for you guys or anything inspiring or if you want to apply for that grant, we’re here to continue to build our community and continue to help as much as we can. And we’re available hopefully to do that for you.
Enrique Alvarez (29:17):
Well, thank you. Thank you so much. And for everyone that’s listening, I hope you had a very enjoyable time the way I did. And if you like conversations like the one we had today with Daniel, just don’t forget to subscribe and I’ll see you next time. Thank you so much, Daniel. Thank we appreciate it.
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Featured Guests
Daniel Shemtob, a two-time Food Network champion and a passionate entrepreneur whose relentless drive to innovate and support his community sets him apart. As the creative force behind the award-winning food truck, The Lime Truck, Daniel has elevated Southern California’s food truck culture to new heights, clinching victories on the Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race Season 2 & All Star Season. Daniel’s passion extends beyond the culinary world. His fervor for entrepreneurship – demonstrated through his contributions to the Entrepreneur Organization & The California Restaurant Association’s board – highlights his commitment to reshaping the consumer landscape with creative strategies. Forgoing a formal college education or culinary training, Daniel’s journey illustrates the power of audacity and extraordinary entrepreneurial knack. As one of the youngest recipients of Zagat’s 30 Under 30 and recognized as one of Eater’s Hottest LA Chefs, Daniel is a stalwart advocate for sustainability, transparency, and exemplary employee welfare within his ventures. His entrepreneurial portfolio demonstrates his diverse interests and forward-thinking vision. Snibbs, the brand behind the industry’s most sustainable work shoe, stands as a testament to his commitment to environmental responsibility and community support. The brand’s micro-grant program provides thousands of shoes and meals to those in need, reinforcing Daniel’s dedication to giving back. Next, there’s the Lime Truck, a national franchise and a celebrated pioneer in Southern California’s food truck scene, followed by HATCH, a modern Japanese grill where traditional cooking meets bold Californian flavors to create a unique gastronomic adventure. More than just a successful entrepreneur, Daniel Shemtob is an inspiring figure who encourages others to break barriers, pursue their dreams, and make a meaningful impact. His drive to innovate commerce, coupled with his culinary achievements and commitment to community enrichment, positions Daniel as a true leader in entrepreneurship. Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn.
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