Rodney Scott
Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ
Charleston, SC USA
"Every day is a good day."
Career Roadmap
Rodney's work combines: Food, Entrepreneurship, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Figure out what's fun to you and what comes easily to you. I believe in the saying that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. So if you're not sure where to go, pay attention to the things that are fun to you. Pursue that. If you're met with any criticism, take it in stride and use it as fuel to keep working harder.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I first started barbecuing when I was 11 years old at my parents’ variety store and restaurant in Hemingway, South Carolina.
2.
While I worked for my family’s business, my personal passion lay in cars—I wanted to build custom vehicles.
3.
I got accepted to a college that did bodywork and diesel mechanics, but I was afraid to go.
4.
I decided to stick around and keep cooking for my family’s business instead.
5.
As I gained more experience, I actually grew to love cooking whole hogs and developed a passion for sharing that with others.
6.
In 2017, I moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and opened up Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ with my partner Nick Pihakis.
7.
We now have four locations and have plans to expand even more!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
No, you can't qualify for a loan.
How I responded:
I applied for a loan to build a house but was denied by the banker. He denied me at every corner. It really hurt because I felt like my dream was being crushed. I took his business card and stuck it on my refrigerator to remind myself that I wasn't going to let him steal my joy. I began saying, "Every day is a good day." It quickly became my motto. Saying out loud that every day is a good day feels good. It keeps the tension off and helps me stay relaxed and happy.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I had to sell my house in order to move to Charleston and open up my restaurant. I was essentially starting over. It was difficult but I learned a lot about being an entrepreneur, running a business, and managing finances.