In 1988, I was 23 and after spending 2 years as a manager at McDonald’s I opened my first restaurant, Neely’s BBQ. Over the next 2 1/2 decades, Neely’s BBQ grew to 5 locations in Memphis, Nashville, and New York City. In 1997, Neely’s BBQ was named the Best BBQ in Memphis and featured on The Today Show with Al Roker.