>> Eric: EARLIER THIS SPRING ABDIRAHMAN KAHIN, CEO AND OWNER OF AFRO ELI AND GRILL RESTAURANTS IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL WAS HONORED AS THE 2023 NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESSPERSON.

YEAR.

IT WAS AN AWARDS CEREMONY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION NOTED THAT KAHIN REFLECTS THE BEST OF AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

IT ALL STARTED MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO WITH A DESIRE TO SHARE THE TASTE OF AFRICA WITH THE TWINS.

THE FIRST AFRO DELI OPENED IN MINNEAPOLIS' CEDAR RIVERSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 2010, AND THERE ARE NOW FOUR LOCATIONS IN THE TWIN CITIES, INCLUDING THIS ONE IN DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL THAT DOES A ROBUST LUNCH BUSINESS.

KAHIN'S CURRENT PLANS FOR THE CHAIN INCLUDE A FIFTH LOCATION IN THE TWIN CITIES AND EXPANSION OUTSIDE OF MINNESOTA.

ABDIRAHMAN KAHIN JOINS US.

WELCOME, SIR, AND WHAT DID THIS MEAN TO YOU TO GET THIS AWARD?

>> IT'S AN HONOR NOT ONLY FOR ME BUT ALSO FOR THE STATE OF MINNESOTA BECAUSE I REPRESENT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WHERE AFRO DELI WAS BORN.

AND I CANNOT, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS HOW BIG DEAL IT WAS FOR ME AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.

>> Eric: SURE.

>> Cathy: NOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE NOT A COOK, REALLY.

>> NO, I'M NOT A COOK, BUT I'M A GOOD TESTER.

[ LAUGHTER ] I LOVE THE SMELL OF THE FOOD, I CAN TELL WHICH -- SO, YEAH.

I'M NOT BUT I'M THE BUSINESSPERSON.

I SAY TO MYSELF 'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND MY ASPIRATION WAS TO BRING COMMUNITIES ND CULTURES TOGETHER IN AND THE BEST WAY WAS TO COME UP WITH A NICE MENU WHERE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY OVER OUR SHARED VALUES.

>> Cathy: DURING COVID YOU HIRED MORE PEOPLE AND YOU WERE GIVING FREE MEALS AWAY TO ELDERLY AND DISABLED FOLKS IN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY.

WHY DID YOU DO IT AND ARE YOU STILL DOING IT?

>> OKAY, WHEN THE COVID HAPPENED AND THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED WE'D BE SHUT DOWN TO ALL BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY RESTAURANTS AND I REFUSED TO CLOSE BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DIDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES WHO TAKE CARE.

SO SEEING AS I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, I KNEW THESE COMMUNITIES AND WE TRIED TO BRING SOME FREE FOOD TO THE ELDERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED LIVING IN THE PUBLIC HOUSING.

AND THEY SAW THE NEEDS.

WE DID LIKE TWO, THREE DAYS FOR FREE AND THEN THEY'D BE CALLING, ARE YOU COMING TOMORROW?

SO THEN I REACHED OUT TO THE STATE, THE CITY AND RESPONDED AND WE BECAME AN EXTENSION OF MEALS ON WHEELS.

>> Eric: YOU'RE A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR AND I WAS READING ABOUT YOU AND YOU BASICALLY SAID YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS IS HELPING OTHERS.

>> YES, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HELP OTHERS, HELP WILL COME TO YOU.

AND ESPECIALLY AS A RESTAURANT OWNER, I FEEL I'M, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE COMMUNITY.

AND I ALWAYS TAUGHT MYSELF HOW TO BE A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS, NOT JUST THE BUSINESS BUT I LIKE TO PROMOTE OCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP BECAUSE WHEN YOU HELP OTHERS, PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU BACK.

>> Cathy: SO THE EXPANSION PLANS ARE PRETTY EXCITING.

WERE THEY ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND?

>> THIS EXPANSION IS VERY SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE WHEN THE RIOTS HAPPENED ON LAKE STREET, YOU KNOW, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON LAKE STREET, SO I SAW PEOPLE WERE SAYING BAD THINGS ABOUT LAKE STREET, LAKE STREET WOULD BE DYING, UPTOWN WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS, SO I WANTED TO BRING LIFE TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

BECAUSE IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN MINNESOTA.

>> Eric: DID YOU DESIGN THE LOGO OF THE RESTAURANT?

BECAUSE WHEN YOU DRIVE BY IT, IT POPS.

>> YES, I DID MEDIA PRODUCTION IN SCHOOL.

>> Eric: OH, YOU DID?

>> YES, SO IT HELPED.

>> Cathy: WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE TO OTHER YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS OF COLOR?

>> YOU KNOW, ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE INSPIRED BY YOUR PASSION, JUST DO SOMETHING THAT YOU LIKE AND MAKE SURE YOU REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW BETTER AND ALWAYS BRING PEOPLE WHO KNOW MORE THAN YOU KNOW AND THAT HELPS.

>> Eric: YOU'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO SPEAK AROUND THE COUNTRY, AREN'T YOU, AS NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESSPERSON?

>> YES, WHEN I'M GIVING BACK THE TROPHY, YES, I ILL TRY TO DO MY BEST TO REPRESENT THE STATE.

>> Eric: CONGRATULATIONS ON THE AWARD AND TREMENDOUS RESTAURANT IN A TOUGH BUSINESS.

ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND T