*Pinky Cole Hayes, the visionary behind Slutty Vegan, faced a tumultuous 2024, losing her multi-million-dollar business due to a staggering $10 million in corporate overhead.
“I was chasing something that I couldn’t catch for so many reasons,” she told PEOPLE, admitting it became “a situation where something is just too far gone.”
On February 13, she relinquished ownership through a restructuring, a decision she resisted: “I fought it for a long time, to be honest, and I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to face the public scrutiny.”
The setbacks didn’t end there. While driving 70 mph on an Atlanta highway, a mattress crashed into her windshield in a near-fatal accident she likened to “Final Destination.” Reflecting on the ordeal, Pinky said, “In life, we always worry about the things that really don’t matter until your life is on the line.” She saw it as divine intervention.
“It was like Final Destination,” she said. “I’m not the person to get in accidents, and I wasn’t on the phone. I wasn’t texting.”
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She saw the near fatal moment as divine intervention, saying, “I have a newfound perspective on the things that I prioritize now after that accident.”
Despite the chaos, resilience defines Pinky. After losing her first restaurant to a grease fire in 2016, she calls herself “an expert at failing.” This ethos, detailed in her book I Hope You Fail, fueled her comeback. On March 28, she repurchased Slutty Vegan under “Ain’t Nobody Coming to See You, Otis LLC.”
“People love Slutty Vegan because they love me,” she said, embracing her connection to the brand.
Now, Pinky is steering “Slutty Vegan 2.0” toward global expansion, eyeing Dubai and Africa.
“There’s going to be some speed bumps in the road,” she noted, “Somebody’s going to throw a mattress at you — but that is not reason enough to give up.”
Alongside her husband, Derrick Hayes of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, she’s building The Hayes Hospitality Group, aiming for a food empire.
After a rocky year, Pinky’s focus is clear: “I just want to sit back and watch all of the great brands that I build and create, be successful.”
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Pinky Cole Hayes Brings Slutty Vegan to Las Vegas with Residency at Mandalay Bay and Luxor | EUR Exclusive
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