Breaking Boundaries:
Derrick Hayes on Purpose, Power,
Building Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks
Podcast Episode #15 · 46 min
September 2, 2025
Welcome to Founderology –
Built to Breakthrough,
the ultimate podcast created by Founders, for Founders.
Founderology is your go-to resource for actionable insights and proven strategies to propel your business and yourself to new levels of success.
Hosted by Kathleen Wood
Each episode is designed to speak the unique language of Founders and address the challenges, opportunities, and triumphs of the Founder journey.
Guest Derrick HayesFounder of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks
to turn small businesses into award-winning concepts, national expansions, and billion-dollar brands.
Each episode is designed to speak the unique language of Founders
and address the challenges, opportunities, and triumphs of the Founder journey.
Breaking Boundaries:
Derrick Hayes on Purpose, Power,
Building Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks
Derrick’s vision, his grit, and his heart for community and family sets him apart as a Founder who isn’t just building restaurants — he is building movements. He has transformed a promise to his late father into a national brand and a platform for purpose. His story is about resilience, responsibility and relentless belief in what’s possible when you refuse to quit.
From a gas station start-up to a brand recognized most recently among Fast Casual’s Top 10 Movers and Shakers, Derrick Hayes proves that purpose-driven leadership changes everything. He is building a franchise with national reach, creating generational impact, and inspiring Founders everywhere to think bigger.
Lessons from Derrick Hayes
In this episode of Founderology – Built to Breakthrough, Derrick opens up about the decisions, setbacks, and breakthroughs that shaped his path. He shares how to lead through loss, how to stay authentic when the spotlight turns on you, and why purpose—not money—is the ultimate driver for growth.
Here are just a few of the powerful lessons Derrick delivers:
- How to condition yourself for the long game and run your own race.
- Why every Founder must know their numbers, their culture, and their vision.
- How to turn purpose into the fuel that powers your brand through the hardest of times.
- What it takes to build your own table instead of waiting for a seat at someone else’s.
- One of my favorite is the 20% financial factor.
Leading with purpose, legacy
Derrick Hayes is a purpose-driven leader carrying forward the dreams of his family and the hopes of his community. He has redefined what a cheesesteak can represent: not just food, but opportunity, empowerment, and impact. This conversation is real, impactful, and full of hard-earned wisdom every Founder can use. Derrick’s story is a roadmap for visionaries who are ready to rise, scale, and lead with purpose.
Listen to learn, lead, break through
Listening to this episode feels like sitting across from a Founder who has lived the grind, faced the naysayers and chose to keep building anyway. Derrick Hayes embodies what it means to lead with vision, build with heart and drive with purpose. This is a must-hear conversation for any Founder ready to unlock the lessons of purpose, perseverance, and power.
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