Jin Ni

When the pandemic hit, so many hospitality small businesses faced the same challenge: Close the business and risk losing it or stay open despite the danger of a never-before-seen health crisis. For immigrant owners, that choice was far more difficult. Some came here as refugees, some as trailblazers, all aspirants for a happier, healthier life for them and their loved ones. The pandemic changed that overnight.

Before opening Goodies Frozen Custard and Treats, Brandon Byrd worked at XXL Magazine, shaking hands with stars like Jay-Z and Ludacris and designing marketing campaigns for brands such as Red Bull and Bacardi. Brandon Byrd started out working on his family’s farm, learning the value of ownership and hard work — and why both would be important for the rest of his career.