Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Maddox.
Hi Dominique, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts in Anchorage, Alaska as an adopted child of Mary Maddox, who was my grandmother; she moved to Alaska to adopt my siblings and me in 1990. At the time, we were children in foster care removed from a poor living situation.
My Grandmother had a very impactful influence on my life growing up. I spent so much time with her watching cooking shows on tv, playing her sous chef in the kitchen, or admiring her ability to make miracles happen in the kitchen.
I had multiple jobs in the restaurant industry during high school that I really liked; my favorite job was a Cook/Cashier at the Alaska Club Midtown. After graduating high school, I thought I would want to try to attend Culinary Arts school to become a chef.
I played high school football for fun and never thought about playing in college until after my Junior year, I started to get interested in colleges. I set the Alaska state record for most rushing yards in a game with 395 yards and won two State Championships.
I accepted a football scholarship to Morehouse College and graduated with a Business Management Degree; before graduating, I joined Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. in 2003.
I started in 2010 selling restaurants with the nation’s largest restaurant brokerage firm. After seven years, I realized I had reached a glass ceiling with the opportunity. I decided to bring a new flavor to the Restaurant Brokerage Industry and founded EATS Restaurant Brokers.
In November 2019, I became the Founder and President of EATS Restaurant Brokers and www.EATSbroker.com, a business brokerage firm specializing exclusively in restaurant franchise resales, restaurants for sale, bars, and nightclubs.
In December 2021, I changed the logo and company name to EATS Broker.
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?
I have encountered several struggles, obstacles, and setbacks that have pushed me to have honest conversations with myself about the possibility of being successful. My restaurant brokerage was launched five months before the Covid pandemic would change the landscape of life as we know it.
The restaurant industry was one of the hardest-hit industries; it’s estimated that 30% of restaurants shut down during the pandemic’s peak. The number of restaurants for sale would decrease, and it became harder to get restaurant for sale listings.
I had to spend countless hours prospecting for restaurant owners to list with my newly created and unproven Restaurant Brokerage firm. I would cold-call restaurant owners, send emails, handwritten flyers, and network to pick up clients.
At the same time, I was battling a Civil lawsuit over a non-compete agreement that restricted me from selling restaurants in Atlanta or 31 counties surrounding Atlanta until October 2022. I found myself in a legal battle that lasted for two years. I, unfortunately, would lose my civil lawsuit by default and drain my financial resources during the process.
Once the Judge’s final ruling came down in November 2020 with the restrictions, I had to cancel eight restaurants for sale listings in the Georgia Market. My company was down to only four restaurants for sale listings.
After struggling while living in Atlanta to sign restaurant for sale listings outside of the state of Georgia in 2021, I moved my business headquarters to Dallas, Texas, in August 2021. I decided on the Dallas Fort Worth area because of the growing restaurant segment.
My company EATS Broker now has 17 restaurants for sale listings located in 7 different states.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about EATS Broker?
EATS Broker is a boutique restaurant brokerage specializing in exclusively selling restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Our brokerage is known as Restaurant Resale Specialists that are Subject Matter Experts in the selling a restaurant and the buying a restaurant process.
We help our clients through the complex process of buying or selling a restaurant. Our company specializes in selling Restaurant Franchise Resales and Restaurant ReSales. We also help clients with Restaurant real estate site selection, Tenant Representation, Franchise Consulting, and Restaurant Price Evaluations.
Our clients range from Franchise Resales, independently owned restaurants, mom-and-pop operations, and five-star dining experiences.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Mary Maddox- provided me with unconditional love and guidance.
Cindy Combs- Helped me get my first corporate job as a Life Insurance Agent with New York Life. I learned a lot about the art of selling under her leadership.
Tony James- Let me work with his Real Estate office under his guidance. I learned how to operate a Real Estate practice full-time. He encouraged me to take the leap into Commercial Real Estate/ Restaurant Brokerage.
Contact Info:
- Email: sales@eatsbroker.com
- Website: www.EATSbroker.com
- Instagram: EATSbrokers
- Facebook: EATSRestaurantBrokers
