Joe DeLoss

Joe DeLoss is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and business advisor with nearly twenty years of experience in founding, growing, and selling successful businesses. He is particularly focused on creating ventures that provide employment opportunities for individuals impacted by incarceration, homelessness, or addiction. His notable venture, "Hot Chicken Takeover," is a Midwest fast-casual restaurant chain known for its Nashville-style hot chicken served in a family-reunion-style atmosphere. The business has not only captured critical acclaim but has also provided hundreds of meaningful work opportunities, achieving record employee retention and scaling quickly.

DeLoss's commitment to transformative employment practices includes designing innovative HR processes to deeply invest in his team’s development. His focus on matched savings programs, professional development, and financial planning demonstrates his belief that investing in personal stability leads to professional success. This approach has contributed to "Hot Chicken Takeover" boasting retention rates three times that of its industry, fostering continuity for both team members and guests.

Currently, DeLoss serves as an Advisor at Harvard Business School’s Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and is involved in creating the next impactful hospitality brand. He continues to advise leaders on how to grow their businesses with a people-first culture. Having been featured on "The Today Show," Forbes, Harvard Business School, Politico, and "The Rachael Ray Show," DeLoss has inspired tens of thousands of business leaders as a keynote speaker at major corporate and association events. His roles have extended beyond entrepreneurship as he has served as an adjunct instructor at the Fisher College of Business and the John Glenn School of Public Affairs and has been an active member on several boards.