Charlamagne tha God has been inspired by his father’s entrepreneurial spirit for as long as he can remember.
His father, who owned a fish market and a construction business, told him long ago, “When you get a business, don’t put your name on it. Because people [will] hate on it for no reason.” He’s kept that advice in mind on his journey.
Born Lenard McKelvey, Charlamagne has established himself as a radio host, television personality, comedian, and businessman. One of his latest ventures involves expanding Krystal Restaurants. In an interview with AFROTECH™, Charlamagne said franchising has always been a goal of his, and partnering with Krystal, a beloved Southern staple, was a great opportunity.
“It just became one of those things that me and my wife wanted to do,” he told AFROTECH™. “This is one of those situations that just happened pretty organically. And I was with it. My wife was with it. You know, my financial team was with it. And we made it happen.”
Charlamagne and his wife, Jessica Gadsden-McKelvey, rolled out the first of five Krystal’s locations in Orangeburg, SC, on Dec. 9, 2024, AFROTECH™ previously reported. The restaurant, located at 1486 Chestnut St., features an exclusive menu and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The McKelveys will launch their second location in the summer, ensuring each site receives a proper rollout.
“If it grows past five, incredible,” he said. “But, you know, my goal right now is the five that we have invested in.”
Apart from the typical restaurant kinks, the Orangeburg location has garnered significant love and support from the community. The couple is actively involved in the daily operations, from designing the store to beyond, with the primary goal of serving the community and providing job opportunities to local residents.
“I tell people all the time, whatever goal, whatever dream you have, always let your intention be part of a bigger purpose,” he said to AFROTECH™. “So my intention isn’t, ‘Oh man, you know, me and the wife are going to make mad money off Krystal. My intention is, ‘OK, if I invest in this business and, you know, we put this business in South Carolina, which is very important to do, we’ll be creating a whole lot of jobs.'”
Gadsden-McKelvey is not only his high school sweetheart and wife of 26 years, she’s his business partner. Together, they have worked collaboratively to build their life, raising four daughters along the way.
“Being a life partner is no different than a business partner because honestly, there’s things that we’re going to deal with in life that are way harder than anything we’re going to deal with in Corporate America,” he said. “So the beauty of being with somebody for that long, y’all were together when y’all both had nothing. Money only changes things that are fake. Our relationship is solid, and it’s real, so bringing finances in the situation didn’t do anything but multiply that.”
When it comes to investments, Charlamagne emphasizes a specific mindset.
“It’s a gamble. You might win. You might lose,” Charlamagne told AFROTECH™. “You might hit. You might miss, you know, and that’s all you really can hope for when it comes to an investment. You can hope to at least make your money back. And the goal is to actually make some sort of profit. And I think that as long as long as you have that mindset, you can deal with anything in regards to this investment game.”
Charlamagne has long advocated for improving conversations about Black mental health. In 2021, he established the Mental Wealth Alliance (MWA), a foundation aimed at advancing and destigmatizing mental health care and outreach nationwide by offering ongoing support for Black communities, according to AFROTECH™.
He explained that his values regarding mental health and personal growth significantly influence his approach to running a franchise like Krystal. He views the franchise business as an extension of his daily commitment to self-improvement, a practice he has followed throughout his life, especially since he began therapy in 2016.
“This is just another example of an opportunity that opened up because I did the work on myself in the right way,” he told AFROTECH™. “And so for me, it’s just the regular tools — patience, being emotionally intelligent, understanding that a lot of things may happen, especially when you’re in the people business because this is what this game is.”
Charlamagne continued, “Going to therapy and just doing the work on myself, it enables you to be able to deal with yourself better and deal with people better. And you have to do that in a people-driven business like fast food.”
As for how he balances his media persona with his expanding business portfolio, Charlamagne expressed that he believes the two are “one and the same.” He also emphasized the crucial role of having a solid team to bounce ideas off of and assist with day-to-day operations when balancing various ventures.
“You got to have a great team of lawyers. You have to have a great financial team. You have got to have a great business partner manager. You have to have a great agent,” he said. “I have all of those things.”
In addition to the restaurant ventures, Charlamagne is the founder of the Black Effect Podcast Network and co-founder of SBH Productions, which he created with Kevin Hart. He also has an audio-scripted series and Black Privileged Publishing, his book imprint.
“As long as your intention is pure and you’re presenting the right energy and you’re giving out what you want back, you realize that even if you don’t get back what you are giving out, it’s just because that person is dealing with something,” Charlamagne told AFROTECH™. “That’s one thing that therapy has taught me a lot — to not take things personal and to not be too hard on myself.”
