We were lucky to catch up with Roscoe Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.
Roscoe, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I know my resilience came from my family. Growing up we went through some hard times financially. My parents never gave up, No matter how much we had or didn’t have, they always made a way. Through faith in God, hard work and some luck, we always made it through. They taught me work ethic and to never give up. They taught me how to move and work in a tough situation. Most importantly, they taught me how be an upstanding person and to treat people well.
My mother, she had a hard outer shell, but she was soft on the inside. It was hard for her to communicate well with people. She showed her love through actions. She showed me that you cant ask people do do things that you aren’t willing to do yourself. My dad was very mild-mannered. He was a great communicator and thought logically. He was extremely smart as well. He could blend into any situation and never met a stranger. I learned from him to really know people and its always good to have friends. I also learned to think logically and be calm…not to make knee-jerk reactions. I can say that I learned from the both of them things that I wanted to be and and didn’t wanna be. Not to mention, growing up on the south side of Chicago, that’s an environment where resiliency is absolutely necessary or it could be a situation of survival.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
We are Knuckle Sandwiches located in Mesa, Az. We decided to take sandwiches to the next level. We created a sandwich concept where we make comfort food as well as some eclectic sandwiches made in a home made style. What does that mean? We cook and make all of our meats and other things in house! Yes, just like the old family delis, we make our own, Turkey, Chicken, Pastrami, Corned Beef, desserts, meatballs…everything! It is a great experience and something that can either be nostalgic or mind blowing! We love our guests and do everything we can to bring them great food and service. Right now we have just one location at 1140 N Higley Rd. Mesa, Az. 85205, but we are working towards expansion. Check us out at www.knucklesandwichesaz.com
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Take an inventory of yourself. Make a conscious decision of what qualities you want to embody and which ones you don’t want to be a part of your moral fiber. Then work towards being the person you want to be. Make changes, create new habits.
Always keep learning. Never be the most intelligent or successful person in your group. Always, surround yourself with people whom will inspire you, challenge you and most of all encourage you and be honest with you good or bad.
Learn about how money, politics and public policy work. It will open your eyes to many things and you will be able to predict your next moves rather than being and innocent bystander.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
They let me work from a young age and they brought me up with work ethic and values. Early on I learned the value of a dollar and an honest day’s work. That’s something that is kind of lost in today’s society.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.knucklesandwichesaz.com
- Instagram: knuckle_sandwiches.az
- Facebook: Knuckle Sandwiches- Mesa
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/knuckle-sandwiches-mesa
Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
