How Slutty Vegan Founder
Turned $20M in Debt
into a $100M Comeback
Podcast Episode #13 · 43 min
August 5, 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 Pinky Cole HayesFounder of Slutty Vegan and Voagies
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.
How Slutty Vegan Founder
Turned $20M in Debt
into a $100M Comeback
I have been a fan and follower of Pinky Cole Hayes and Slutty Vegan since her first opening in Atlanta. Her entrepreneurial drive is unmatched. She has built a brand that reimagines vegan food, empowers her community and sets a new standard for Founder-led success.
I recently visited her latest opening in Tampa and enjoyed a Chik’N Head sandwich with crispy hot fries. Pinky Cole Hayes is the embodiment of the Founder spirit. If you need inspiration on your good days, your hard days, and every day in between, follow her on Instagram. When you are near one of her locations, go.
Pinky built Slutty Vegan from a shared kitchen to a $100 million brand. She has appeared on the covers of Forbes, Time 100 and Inc. In 2025, she faced $20 million in debt, filed for an ABC (Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors), and in just 43 days, she bought back her company. With that bold move, she restructured leadership, rebuilt her systems, and launched Slutty Vegan 2.0 with sharper strategy, stronger teams and unstoppable energy.
In this episode of “Founderology – Built to Breakthrough,” Pinky shares her “PhD. lessons” and mindset that fueled her comeback. She opens up about the decisions that saved her company, how she aligned her team for growth, and what it takes to lead when everything is on the line.
Honest Lessons No One Wants to Talk About
Pinky Cole Hayes delivers lessons that cut straight to the realities of building and scaling a company. She shares the moves that turned a financial crisis into a foundation for growth and the leadership strategies that continue to drive her success. Founders will walk away with a deeper understanding of how to lead with clarity, grit, and precision.
“Phd. Lessons” from Pinky
- How Pinky used ABC (Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors) as a strategic move to save and reclaim her company
- The leadership shifts and team restructuring that powered Slutty Vegan 2.0 and positioned it for scale
- The mindset and execution strategies that turn failure into a foundation for growth
- The non-negotiable principles of leading with vision, focus, and relentless drive.
Pinky speaks to the heart of what it means to be a Founder. She knows the weight of leading when everything is on the line. She understands the courage it takes to make impossible decisions and the relentless drive required to bring a vision back to life.
This conversation is direct and real for anyone who has built something from nothing, fought for every inch of progress, and faced the fear of losing it all. Pinky’s journey is a powerful reminder that Founders are built to rise, built to adapt and built to break through the toughest chapters.
Connect with Your Founder Power
Listening to this episode feels like sitting across from a Founder who has walked through fire and emerged stronger, smarter, and more determined. It hits every emotion Founders know — the pressure, the sacrifice, the grit, and the moment when you decide to keep going, knowing it’s about your calling, not just your business.
You May Also Like…
Urban Bird Hot Chicken’s Stuck-to-Spectacular Growth
Brandon and Chantel spent 20 years building 32 Wingstop franchises. Then they let it all go to bet on themselves, opening the first Urban Bird Hot Chicken in a space another restaurant left behind. In this episode, they share how a bad lease turned into spectacular growth.
Toastique Founder Brianna Keefe Details Growth From Single Toast Bar to National Franchise
“We grow deliberately.” That’s the philosophy behind Toastique’s rise from a single Washington, D.C. café to a national franchise. In this episode, Founder Brianna Keefe shares why staying selective about franchise partners protected the brand as it scaled.
The World Pizza Champion Who ‘Let Go To Grow’
Your biggest success can hide your biggest opportunity. Tony Gemignani built Tony’s Pizza Napoletana into a legend, then spotted an underserved need next door — and it became Slice House. In this episode, he shares the decisions behind letting go to grow.
How Jae Kim is Scaling Chi’Lantro
Jae Kim had a deal in hand on Shark Tank — and walked away. Learn how the Chi’Lantro Founder is scaling his Korean-Mexican food brand on his own terms, one bold decision at a time.
How Childhood Friends are Building Their Pizza and Brew Empire
Two childhood friends bought a pizzeria at 21. Now they run nine restaurants and are scaling Best Pizza & Brew toward 35 locations — by learning to stop being the answer to every question.
The Success Formula that Grew Everbowl From 1 to 400 Locations!
Jeff Fenster grew Everbowl from one store to nearly 400 units sold nationwide. In this episode, he breaks down the five-rule Success Formula behind that growth — and why changing the currency, not just the paycheck, can save your business.