Mr. Keith’s Kettlecorn

’m a first generation apostolic, I attend Greater Apostolic Ministries International. A two-church fellowship--one church two locations. Greater First Pentecostal Church North Little Rock, Ark and Greater Christ Temple Church Little Rock, Ark, under the Excellent leadership of Pastor I Scott Hamilton who helped me tremendously as a startup business. August 2016, Rock City Eats Steve Shuler a food critic came by station 801 to try a vendor’s food. Scott told me I should offer him some of my popcorn. After he tried it, he called me and wanted to stop by and do a story on Elder Jerry Warren. My home church for the last 33 years. my company. After the interview, he wrote a stunning story Before I set out on the awesome journey, I currently work on how he didn’t really like kettle popcorn but after trying for a major airline for the last 32 years. I developed my mine he enjoyed it so much that he voted Mr. Keith’s Kettle interest in business when I was sitting at my desk at work corn one of his Best eats of 2016. and my station leader entered the office and offered me a mix of popcorn that is called the Chicago mix, (caramel and Bless the Name Of JESUS! A friend of mine who works with cheddar cheese.) I didn’t want to try the popcorn because small black businesses Bento Lubazinwa of Remix Ideas in as you know, many times some grades of popcorn will leave Little Rock approached me (because he enjoys my popcorn) you with a lot of husk stuck in your teeth. I initially declined, and said to me “you need to take this business to the next but after persistence from my station leader I reluctantly level.” He networked with me and pointed me in the direction accepted. I could not believe the awesome flavor and to receive the capital necessary to open my brick-and-mortar quality of the taste. It was at this time the Lord spoke to me store. He introduced me to a gentleman named Jay Young and said (“How many people are like you; they don’t know who worked with a funding company forge community loan what they don’t know.”) In other words, he was saying fund. I was able to secure initial funding to open my brick-andthere’s an opportunity to start a business, because a lot mortar store. Thank you, Jesus… of people don’t know that they like this type of popcorn except they try it. At that time, I was not business savvy my Bishop Mark C. Tolbert, the First Assistant Presiding Bishop highest education was 12 grade. (Romans 8:31 What shall of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, had a desire to we than say to these things? If GOD be for us, who can be create an auxiliary within the P.A.W, for Entrepreneurs. This against us.) So, I set out to do research and development ministry will service Entrepreneurs and help mentor aspiring on how I could bring this amazing product to the city of Entrepreneurs. Through social media and networking, Market Little Rock. The first thing I did was called the company Place Ministry (MPM) will add a business mind-set for the I received the popcorn from. You can only imagine how saints at our P.A.W. Convention. The Mission statement of the that conversation went. After that phone call, the Lord Market Place Ministry is to provide educational and mentoring spoke to me and said “develop your own brand.” I did opportunities through networking. Develop necessary skills not have enough money to open a brick-and-mortar store. with integrity and excellence to navigate business ownership So, I began to research kettle corn on the Internet. I found and self-employment. Our slogan is “Where Entrepreneurs a man selling festival popcorn equipment. Not knowing Network and Ideas come to Life.” The Market Place Ministry anything about it, I purchased the equipment and began knows that within our great organization of the Pentecostal my journey of making the best kettle popcorn. The name Assemblies of the World that there are many Entrepreneurs, of my company is Mr. Keith’s Gourmet Kettle corn, email Business Owners, and future Entrepreneurs, looking to expand MrKeiths.com. After setting up the equipment on my deck, their businesses and/or product. Thank God that through the I spent the next few months developing my skills. The first visionary leadership of our 1st Assistant Presiding Bishop Mark event I attended was at my church Greater Christ Temple. Tolbert that there is now a platform for saved business owners The event went well but I knew that I needed more work. and those self-employed within the PAW. After attending more festivals and using my coworkers as taste subjects, (meaning free popcorn for them) my skills and development got better. We continued working more festivals and we noticed how people loved our popcorn. When we are between festivals, I typically set up at station 801 food truck shops in Little Rock, operated by Elder Keith Fulks has been married to Dora Fulks for 25 years and is the proud father of three adult children: Vontia, Jerron and Angelique. Elder Fulks is a member of the Arkansas District Council and serves as an Associate minister of Greater Apostolic Ministries International.