Pathway Lending and Four Brothers Wood-Fired Pizza joined Launch Tennessee’s 36|86 Festival to discuss how to overcome survivor mentality. Four Brothers is Clarksville, Tennessee’s first wood-fired pizza restaurant opened by husband and wife, Jamaal and Christa Bradley, in June of 2019.
The Bradleys worked with Pathway’s Business Advisory Services team to pivot through the pandemic and come out stronger than ever.
After working in the pizza and restaurant industry for 10+ years, Jamaal and Christa originally reached out to Pathway Lending for a loan but got more than just the financial support they sought. “Funding is just the beginning of our relationship with Pathway,” says Jamaal. The Bradleys had a passion for their unique pizza concept but understood early on they needed to learn more to make their business a success. They attended Pathway’s QuickBooks Bootcamp, a leadership class, and worked one-on-one with business advisors to map out their growth plans.
When COVID-19 restrictions closed their dining room, they quickly realized they would need to be flexible to keep the fire going in their pizza oven. Pathway and Four Brothers worked together to change their business model and think through new opportunities.
“With Pathway, we looked for ways to continue to grow the business and thought about different options, one of which was delivery.”
As a business owner, entrepreneurs have to think about the future, pivot, and adapt to the times. Jamaal and Christa figured out how to make it work. They knew there was still demand, and people still had to be fed. They just had to work out the best way to deliver their product. They started with carry-out service from the counter until they eventually added a phone line where customers could call ahead and order. They also added several third-party delivery services after the pandemic began.
In addition to collaboration with Pathway, Jamaal and Christa credit their faith for making it through. “Keep your Faith. Continue to push forward and believe in what you are doing and that what you are doing has a purpose, a reason and a cause. Everything around you is going to change, but as long as your core beliefs are strong, stay steadfast, and you keep good people around you, you are going to be able to push through.”
