FROM CLARK ATLANTA TO SLUTTY VEGAN: PINKY COLE ON BUILDING A BILLION DOLLAR BRAND, BOUNCING BACK, AND GIVING BACK
BY BRANDI KELLAM
P inky Cole has built an empire that draws thousands to her restaurants, inspires students across the country, and has shifted the conversation about vegan food in Black communities. Her company, Slutty Vegan, began as a bold idea in 2018 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon with five locations across multiple states including Georgia, Alabama, New York, Maryland and now Florida and a loyal following known for lining up around the block in any weather. The rise was fast, but Cole says it came from relentless determination. “One thing about me is that I’m a really good problem solver even if it’s at the last minute,” she says. “College taught me to do things fast and be efficient. You’ve got to get the job done, because somebody else is waiting to take your spot. I learned that by going
through an HBCU.”
“I created something based on who I am naturally. I believe that is a part of the reason why the business works,” she said. Turning Struggle into Strategy Slutty Vegan’s long lines have become a symbol of something bigger than food they represent curiosity, openness, and the breaking of stereotypes about what veganism can look like. “We’ve opened the conversation for people who might never have considered veganism,” she said. This philosophy of alignment building businesses rooted in authenticity rather than chasing trends has guided Cole from the beginning. It’s why, when she talks about Slutty Vegan’s rise, she also talks about the lessons learned when things didn’t go as planned. Earlier this year, Cole lost Slutty Vegan for over 40 days because of what she described as cash
flow issues before buying it back. “I lost my company for 43 days. I bought my company back 43 days later,” she said. The experience forced her to become more intentional about the company’s future. “I knew that I wasn’t willing to let Slutty Vegan go by the wayside,” she said. “So what I’ve been intentional on is bringing in the right parties to help me continue to grow this engine, because I know that I have something special.” Cole admits it hasn’t been easy. “This is the hardest thing I’ve had to do,” she said. “But it is so worth it, because we’re small, but we’re mighty, and we got heart, and as long as you got heart, there’s nothing that you can’t do.”
Within months of launching Slutty Vegan as a side hustle selling her signature burgers out of her two bedroom apartment in Atlanta on Instagram she opened her first brick and mortar restaurant. Her drive has earned the brand features in Forbes and Ebony and landed her as a “super achiever” on Forbes’ Women of the Next 1,000 list in 2021 for defying the odds through her entrepreneurship and philanthropy. She’s also the author of two books, “Eat Plants, B*tch” and “I Hope You Fail,” and has been recognized for her philanthropy through the Pinky Cole Foundation, which she launched in 2019 to support education, economic empowerment, and food justice. Yet Cole insists her story isn’t about headlines or hype.
Taking back ownership gave her a renewed sense of purpose.
3 9 | HBCU TIMES FALL ISSUE 2025
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