SPECIAL: How Marc Brooks Scaled Hyde Park Hospitality 900%

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. 900% growth sounds like a headline, but the real story is what happens behind the scenes when a Black-owned business decides to scale on purpose. We sit down with Marc Brooks, CEO of Hyde Park Hospitality, to talk about the choices that turn hustle into a durable company, the kind that can win complex contracts, develop a diverse team from frontline to leadership, and still stay accountable to community. Mark takes us back to Hyde Park and the village that shaped his work ethic, then connects the dots from sports discipline to entrepreneurship, including early “buy low, sell high” lessons as a DJ and collector. From there we get practical about the evolution of entrepreneurship: how the wireless boom taught him to read market signals, how to prepare for an acquisition instead of a quiet shutdown, and why a real business plan is the document that travels everywhere from banks and landlords to Fortune 100 decision-makers. If you care about Black entrepreneurship, supplier diversity, and building wealth through Black-owned businesses, this conversation is packed with real-world detail. We also dig into scaling capacity for hospitality management and airport concessions, including when to invest in infrastructure, how to bring in credible consultants so you can deliver at a higher level, and why joint ventures can create leverage when they’re built with clear roles and enforcement. Mark shares lessons on keeping relationships intact, giving back with intention, and staying honest about how technology and AI may reshape hospitality jobs over time.  Support the show **To connect further with me:** **Visit my website:** Thel3agency.com **Connect with me on Facebook:** www.facebook.com/thel3agency **Follow me on Instagram:** https://www.instagram.com/larvettaspeaks/ **Connect with me on Linkedin:** www.linkedin.com/company/thel3agency **Be sure to follow our podcast on Instagram. I can't wait to see you join us and take the pledge of** #blackbusinessesmatter