A life-changing BBQ truck

INC. THIS MORNING A life-changing BBQ truck Good morning, In this newsletter and on Inc.com, you often read about household names in entrepreneurship and some of the world-changing products and services they develop. This story is not about a household name. It's about a BBQ truck business in Hawaii, but I’d argue the work it's doing is no less life-changing. Here's my colleague Leigh Buchanan to explain: It was the Fourth of July, so of course there would be fireworks. Des Cortes was dreading it. After five and a half years [in the Navy]( that included deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Djibouti, Cortes knew the sound of explosions would trigger her. As the light display crackled across the sky that night in 2017 she stood in a Tin Hut BBQ truck on an air force base in Honolulu, struggling to count out the night's receipts. "I couldn't focus on what I was doing," Cortes says. "I completely shut down." Fortunately her boss, Frank Diaz, was by her side--as he had been since she'd texted him about a job. PTSD had forced Cortes, at age 24, into early retirement from the military. Unable to find work, she'd been couch surfing with friends or living out of her car. Diaz, the founder of Tin Hut, hired her by text five minutes after she reached out and trained her one-on-one. Over the next two years he helped Cortes sign up for benefits and therapy through the Veteran's Administration, found her temporary housing, and taught her to [budget her money]( so she could move into her own apartment. On that night, "Frank told me I was safe. That I am right here for you," Cortes says. Calmly, gently, he led her through the process of counting out the money in incremental steps: Let's lay the ones out here. Let's lay the fives out here. It was a five-minute job completed in 35 minutes. "Frank saw where I was," Cortes says. "And he met me there." Tin Hut BBQ is a 17-employee food truck company serving three military bases and--with one strip-mall location--a base-adjacent neighborhood in Honolulu. The company's name is a pun squared: at once a play on "ten hut" (a military officer's call to attention) and a reference to the metal trailers from which the business operates. Diaz is also founder of Aloha Gourmet Food Trucks, which subcontracts catering jobs to independent mobile-food operators on the island. Combined annual revenue for the two companies is $1.2 million. Since Tin Hut's launch seven years ago it has employed 65 veterans or veterans' family members, accounting for roughly a quarter of the workforce. Diaz has helped many of those in their struggles with PTSD and addiction. Three homeless men have lived in a loft in his kitchen while getting back on their feet. (Honolulu has among the country's highest proportion of homeless veterans compared to overall veteran population, according to a study by WalletHub.) "I'm always spreading the word: If you know any vets I will help them out," Diaz says. "I never feel like it is appropriate for someone who has sacrificed for this country to be left without care or without a home. I don't agree with that at all." Hooked? Me too. If you [keep reading]( you’ll find that Diaz’s focus on hiring veterans began five years ago, when tragedy struck his life--a moment in the story that literally left me breathless. You’ll learn about his expansion plans for the company and his grander philanthropic ambitions for veterans. Consider it recommended reading. It’s an inspiring way to start your week, to say the least. SPONSORED CONTENT [The Jeans You Need in 2020. Yes, Jeans]( Elevate your everyday look from routine to game-changing. Upgrade your wardrobe with jeans that last longer, look great, and are incredibly comfortable. The best part? We deliver them directly to your doorstep. That means [premium jeans at a fair price](. HERE'S WHAT ELSE I'M READING TODAY: Phishing is getting more sophisticated. [Here's what to look out for](. --Inc. Microsoft has announced an ambitious, detailed plan to go “[carbon negative]( by 2030. --NPR [Teslas]( allegedly have an unintended acceleration problem. --CNN Here's nine easy ways you can [cut down your screen time](. --Inc. Jack Dorsey asked Elon Musk for advice on running Twitter. Check out Musk’s [interesting response](. --Bloomberg Even if your holiday decorations aren't put away yet, here's why you may want to start planning for the [2020 holiday season]( already. --Inc. Facebook is backing off its controversial plan to [sell ads in WhatsApp](. --The Wall Street Journal Between Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, here's which [voice assistant]( is the best at what it does. --Inc. --Cameron Albert-Deitch Reporter, Inc. How are we doing? Send me ideas and feedback for Inc. This Morning at [calbertdeitch@inc.com](mailto:calbertdeitch@inc.com?subject=) or on [Twitter](. 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