Damon Stevens emphasized the value of obtaining out of one's convenience zone as he raised his child, Azur, in North Carolina. Not just did Damon use this lesson as a basketball coach for the different AAU groups which Azur bet, he urged an open-minded approach to life when he invested time with his child in the cooking area. "Azur constantly used to try different things I 'd prepare for her, " Damon stated. "She's a foodie type. You recognize, she'll go to Japan and China, consuming squid, sharks, eels and things like that, she'll send pictures. I resembled 'Wow you consumed that things?' She resembled, 'Yes dad, I tried it.'" While this distinct bond between papa and little girl was already solid, their shared love and enjoyment in the direction of food took to brand-new levels early in 2014. "We were spraying concepts about little restaurants and things like that, " Damon stated. "I constantly think of creeping before running. So I claimed, 'Let's go right into this food vehicle point first.' Food trucks have a reduced expenses, so we could start that up and see exactly how that goes." Cooking and preparing the food was one factor to consider, yet establishing the kinds of dishes the duo wished to offer need separated conceptualizing sessions. Damon said they knew bbq and burgers would certainly be an easy sell to clients, but like he had raised his child to be, they didn't wish to play it safe. "I'm the sort of chef that suches as to tip outside the box and do something various, " he said. So, the 2 settled on fish and grits, a food they might concentrate on making their specific niche in the Raleigh-Durham food vehicle service. Once the food selection was determined, it was time to call their future operation. Not surprisingly, Damon transformed to his family's various other passion: basketball. The food truck's name Very same O Dame O's Shrimp, Fish and Grits harkens back years to Damon's senior high school basketball days. After missing a layup throughout one technique, Damon's former good friend and colleague "Pops" called him "Exact same O Dame O." While the label made his colleagues laugh for simply a number of minutes, it ultimately stuck and also was carried out as component of Damon's company state of mind." We use it as a slogan, " Damon claimed. "Be consistent in whatever you do." Supported by a solid business approach and surrounded by a motivated group, the Stevens family members equipped a trailer, developed an attractive menu and opened for service on June 20, 2020. For greater than a year, this food truck has traveled throughout the Raleigh-Durham area, dishing out Searing Salmon Cakes, Creamy Sharp Cheddar Grits and business's most preferred item, Same O's Famous Shrimp. While Azur balances the professional and individual regimen that accompanies all WNBA players, she remains to offer a stable role in the procedure. In spite of being 800 miles away for months at once, she assists make service choices, menu changes and increasing their food vehicle's social media existence. Azur said she has actually likewise discovered similarities in between her tasks as an entrepreneur and an expert athlete. "I consider the days when we're out offering the food and exactly how these are type of like a game day, " she stated. "You still have to prepare and prepare Sky Jersey, but there is a great deal of stuff you need to handle the fly and identify." Community solution is similarly crucial to Same O Dame O's. The Stevens take pride in having collaborated with local companies in North Carolina to give work to people that are experiencing being homeless. And after overcoming most of the challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, the household proceeds to brainstorm how they can grow the company. Some concepts that have actually been circulated consist of bottling and marketing Same O Dame O's preferred sauces in stores along with driving the food vehicle outside of North Carolina. Azur really hopes that in the future, Chicago Sky fans will have the ability to try her household's dishes. "I absolutely want to obtain the truck up below for games at a long time. I'm gon na make that an objective of mine, " Azur claimed. "Everyone right here will certainly all be able to try it, which will make it a lot more unique."