Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published April 17, 2020.

The Kiva Rochester program is a partnership with Kiva, an international nonprofit organization, and the City of Rochester. Launched in August 2016 by Mayor Lovely Warren and the Office of Innovation, the program provides access to 0% interest crowdfunded loans of up to $15,000 for local small business owners who might have difficulty qualifying for capital from traditional financial institutions. The loans are crowdfunded $25 at a time by Kiva’s community of 2 million lenders from all over the world who support entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses. To date, the program has connected 91 city of Rochester business owners with over $475,000 in 0% interest business capital. For more information, visit our website or Facebook, or send an email our way!

Kiva Rochester is partnering with I Heart ROC to bring you a series of interviews focusing on local entrepreneurs who are thriving in the Rochester community.

Zaaqi Johnson was one of our first Kiva Rochester borrowers and just recently fully repaid his $10,000 loan. As a new restaurant owner in 2017, Zaaqi needed equipment to expand the capacity of his Chili Ave. restaurant and to roll out a marketing campaign to get the word out in the community about his delicious food. Today, Zoc’s Gourmet has established itself in the Rochester food scene, ranking as Yelp’s #1 place to get a burger in Rochester.  Visit Zaaqi’s original fundraising profile and his Facebook.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I was born and raised in the 19th Ward in Rochester. I’ve been here all my life. 

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

My favorite part of living in Rochester is the sense of community and proximity. You can get anywhere in 20 minutes or less as opposed to big cities. 

If you could only eat one Rochester food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

One Rochester food I could eat for the rest of my life is anything from Abby’s St.Kittchen on Thurston Road or anything from chef Charmaine Walker. She had her own restaurant on the east side of the city but now she’s a private chef and works for Wegmans.

If you had $100 and two hours to kill, how would you spend the money/time in Rochester?

I’d head to the Public Market during thrift days and go crazy 

What makes Rochester unique? 

Rochester is unique because we have a distinct character like no other place. We don’t act like New Yorkers, we act like Rochesterians. It’s a certain wisdom that comes with bipolar weather and boss sauce.

What would you like to see change in Rochester? 

I would like to see the city become more eco friendly and less garbage. The city needs its feng shui shifted.

If Rochester was a food, what would it be? 

Either a garbage plate or a steak sub.

Tell me about Zoc's Gourmet. What kind of food do you serve? What inspired you to start it? 

I opened Zoc’s In 2016. We serve gourmet burgers, shakes, and comfort food. I noticed this area had a lack of food choices. It’s very heavy on the ethnic foods but didn’t have a real establishment with fresh ingredients. I wanted to bring that here to the 19th Ward.

I hear you got a Kiva loan to help your business grow. What was that process like? 

Kiva is a zero interest small business loan. About a year ago, we applied for the loan and were able to use the funds to grow the business. The process is so easy! You can learn more right on their website.

How did your Kiva loan impact your business?

With the loan, I was able to hire help to grow the business and purchase some new equipment to help out operations.

What's the biggest lesson you've learned so far as a business owner? 

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you have to adjust consistently. You have to be flexible and understand that downfalls are a part of the learning process. So just keep a positive outlook even when things aren’t looking up. 

What advice would you give to up-and-coming entrepreneurs in Rochester? 

My advice is to not be afraid to learn “new tricks,” and to listen as much as you speak. And don’t be afraid to take a chance. There is a saying that you don’t get burnt out from doing what you do. You get burnt out by forgetting “why” you are doing it. Don’t forget the why!