Today we’d like to introduce you to Radreckia Allen-Billings.
Hi Radreckia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Starting, I didn’t want my story to be the engine behind my success. Instead, I wanted my success to be the reason you’d want to know my story. Some of my story is so common amongst the inner-city youth, but my success isn’t.
I come from a two-parent household that divorced at a young age. I spent the week going to school from my mother’s house, then the weekends with my father. Someone, how the daughter of a retired Fulton County sheriff, who had such a good head on her shoulders, ended up falling in love with a local “bad” boy. I ended up pregnant at the age of 17, my senior year in high school, then to make makes worse, I became a victim of gun violence WHILE pregnant. It was as if all my mistakes in life compounded into one single lesson in life. The tragic incident that almost cost me my life also forced me to have my son prematurely. Here I am with a premature baby, lying in the hospital for 6 months at 17 years old, still determined to graduate from high school. The fire within me was ignited, and I learned at that moment who I WAS and who I am DESTINED to be.
Once I graduated from high school and learned to walk again, I had one goal: to put my son first and keep him from ending up like I did. Although I had great parents, I learned what adjustments I could make to be better for my son. I ended up falling in love with a childhood friend of mine, and we’ve been together for almost 16 years now. Married with two additional children, my husband and I vowed to push ourselves each year to do better than the last. With that mindset comes PLENTY of risk and setbacks. After a couple of different business ventures, we decided to give the food industry a try. We got into this industry without knowing anyone we could ask questions to. Learning on our own, we learned a lot FAST and took a lot of losses. Now we can reap the fruits of our labor.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The Biggest Obstacle is overthinking.
We as humans tend to play it safe and only do what we are comfortable with. The fear of the unknown is what separates people from their dreams. Quitting my day job as a radiology tech and my husbands, as a truck driver was our biggest obstacle. Yes, there were numerous more obstacles, but THAT was the start.
We’ve been impressed with Party of Five, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We offer lunch and dinner items Wednesdays through Saturdays, and brunch meals on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. In addition, we host happy hour throughout the week. Our menu features a variety of delicious options, including Bone-In Ribeye Steak, Shrimp, Salmon, Lobster, Lamb Chops, Pasta, Fried Chicken, and our famous Red Snapper.
Our brunch menu includes a range of items such as pancakes, Chicken served with various waffle flavors, cheesy grits, salmon croquettes, snapper and grits, steak and eggs, and our popular salmon breakfast potato bowl.
We also have five signature cocktails curated to match the personality of our “Party of Five.” In our family, the “Party of Five” consists of Mom (me), Dad (husband), our two daughters, and our son.
For more details, please check out the menu at www.po5atl.com
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I have been so consumed with running the day-to-day operations of Party of Five and Metro West that I have little time outside of my responsibilities to read new books. I am just now starting to create time for myself and pick up hobbies, though it is on my calendar to pick up a new book, called “Matriach” by Tina Knowles. I like my books to motivate and teach me how to be a better person and to navigate through all of the roles that I may play (mom, wife, boss) while also learning how to take care of myself emotionally, spiritually, and physically. So I will grab that copy soon, because I have been told it does just that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.po5atl.com
- Instagram: po5atl
