Today we’d like to introduce you to Crissy Faison.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
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 bachelor’s 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 associate 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 was 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.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would say this has been smooth with bumps in the way. There are sacrifices you have to make upon the way whether it be spending time with friends and family on holidays instead of working or traveling to the beach just because instead of taking a last-minute catering order or doing something for the foundation. Life will definitely throw things at you that you never expected and then you have to make the decision. Do I want to keep going? Or do I want give in. Entrepreneurship is not for weak at all. If you do consider yourself a weaker person, it will definitely make you a stronger. It will teach you to stand up for yourself and stand your ground. I choose to work and do what I brought to this earth to do and then retire at 47. That’s my goals.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
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 is so good you literally just want to slap me every time you see me. Not only do we put out great food. We offer catering services, cooking classes and demos, and an interactive cooking experience called “Sip, Simmer and Sear.”
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, i.e. (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) 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 in salt)
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was just as hilarious as I am now, and I definitely was a go-getter. I had a smart mouth but like the sweetest thing ever at the same time. My first venture was probably starting a newspaper in the fifth grade. I ask my principal if I could start one, they said sure, so I gathered a team together and released a newspaper. Typing this now, I wonder if my elementary school still has it. I loved basketball. I played all the way up until I was about 14 or 15. I was always the only girl on the boys’ team. I also did speaking competitions. I was really good at that also; that’s how I paid for my freshman year in at a&t. I have 2 sisters and several cousins. It was always us growing up… I was the youngest and a spoiled brat. I still am a spoiled brat, but I’m very independent at the same time.
Growing up, I wanted to be a teacher until I found out how much they got paid my senior year in high school. I remember going to TGIF for my graduation dinner. I wore my cap and gown, which brought attention. The waiter made me stand up on the chair and tell the whole restaurant what I was gonna do with my life and I did. I proudly and confidently announced to the restaurant that I was going to North Carolin A&T State University, and I was going to be a VJ like Carson Daly when I finished. I’m pretty sure my entire family put their heads in their hands, however, the rest of the restaurant customers cheered and clapped.
I was also in the church a lot. I had strong church family which I miss a lot. I did a lot.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leanbacksoulfood.com and www.leanbackgiveback.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/leanbacksoulfood and www.instagram.com/lbgbfoundation
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/leanbacksoulfood and https://www.facebook.com/LBGBFoundation
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/crissyfaison
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/leanback-soul-food-winston-salem-3
