Recent reports state that less than 10% of Blacks in America own their own businesses, which gives an indication of the difficulty factors involved in owning a successful enterprise.  It also gives a reason to take special note of some of the relative few success stories that can be found - such as Sylvester Dugger, RST’s latest Skater of the Month.

Sylvester, of College Park Georgia, has been an entrepreneur and business owner for 11 years now.  Along with his partner, Dean Hansley, he owns a restaurant chain and also a clothing company and they provide employment to 12 individuals.

Sylvester was inspired to go into business for himself because he wanted to help people.  “After I started hiring people that motivated me to see that you can play a part in society, giving back...It’s a lot of hard work but that is where I get my joy.  My joy comes from being able to create something and see it work for itself,” he said.

Sylvester began in 1990 selling clothing through his first company, Original Fashions.  He started out selling from a van, a practice he saw other Muslims utilizing to sell items like fresh fish, food, tapes, etc.  The company soon grew to the point of needing two vans and he remained in charge of one while partner Dean had charge of the second.  Many of their customers were fellow business owners, salon/barber shop owners who spread the word to their customers.

Their early success and popularity had much to do with the credit they offered to customers.  “I started out with African Express because a lot of times our people don’t have the money to pay for the type of clothes I was selling, i.e., high fashion, expensive clothes,” Sylvester said.

He knew there were risks involved in accepting credit arrangements for payment but he also recognized that in order to grow a business he had to take chances.  So he started most new customers out with a $200 credit line and allowed others up to a $500 line.

His customers took a liking to his African Express concept and most honored their word and schedules of repayment.  Thus the company continued to grow based on customer referrals and in less than a year they moved to a store front location in East Point Georgia.  The two partners continued with one van servicing customers and the store serving as home base.

A year later in 1992, Sylvester was presented with an opportunity to take over ownership of a restaurant and he accepted the challenge even though he really did not want a restaurant.  Still with Dean as his partner, they have watched that one eating establishment grow to a chain of three and are in the process of franchising.

“Your Restaurant” is the name Sylvester decided upon for the facilities, choosing “your” because it was catchy and something people could relate to.  “When you have a place of business, you are a server - so you serve [the customers] and it really is ‘their’ restaurant,” he said.

There are a number of chicken, fish and vegetarian items on the menu but the hottest seller is the Honey Hot Wings followed by the Chicken Philly Sandwich and their tasty fish sandwich which is called “The Big One.”  Your Restaurant has locations in three Georgia cities:  its original spot in East Point, a second location in Red Oak and a third in Stone Mountain.  However, the third location is located in the Sears & Roebuck Building and is a private, cafeteria type setting for Sears employees and building visitors only.

Sylvester has since closed the Original Fashions store location and opted to return to van service for clientele who love being catered to with personalized visits and do not like to go out shopping.

SKATING

Sylvester has skated in various places such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and a few other places.  He has yet to travel to any of the events on the national skate circuit but he has won a few skate contests in the past.  One in Macon Georgia, his hometown, where he won a trophy and another in Atlanta where he won a cash prize in the category of Best Male.

MOST INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE

FAVORITE QUOTE

“When you’re teaching somebody it should be joyful even though there is pain when you are telling the truth because people do not like the truth.  When he said that, I said that’s going to be my thing - I LOVE THAT because it has got a sting to it and I tell a lot of people that to this day, ‘grow up, stop trying to blow up and you will be all right.’  That is me, I am still always trying to grow up, I do not worry about trying to blow up because I want to help people and if I am always trying to blow myself up and it is all about me, then I am never going to see the good work I am doing by helping other people.”

HOBBIES

PERSONAL