Mace Broussard has grown Roc Star from food truck to brick and mortar, but one thing stayed the same: his flavor.

Roc Star has served the New Iberia community for nearly five years, and Broussard has experienced many changes in that time, between the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift to a solid location. Through all those changes, his recipes remained unwavering alongside his spirit. Every night he goes shopping for the business, and every morning he gets up bright and early to make sure he’s ready to rock for the day.

Broussard sat down with the Daily Iberian and discussed the unique challenges to transitioning from a mobile food truck into a solid location, his desire to cure cancer, and the key struggle youth face everyday.

How long have you been in business?

It’s been since April 1, 2019.

What made you want to start your own company?

I grew up in a cooking family. I saw the food truck era take off. When it started poppin’, I said, man I want a food truck. So, I got a camper and put it together. It took me about 2 years, while I was working. We rolled in 2019, and about two years later, I ended up getting another truck. After a while, I kinda was tired of the constant cold or heat, so I started looking for a brick and mortar location. This building was a restaurant before, a long time ago, and when I looked at it, I had a vision. Freddie DeCourt, the mayor, gave me my first shot with my building. I like to see the smile on people’s faces, I like them to tell me it’s good, and I have a great team too.

What has been the biggest challenge that you’ve faced as a business owner?

Sometimes things don’t go your way, so there’s a lot of anxiety, with a waiting period. It just doesn’t happen overnight, I had to really push and work hard to get where I’m at now.

What is your favorite memory from your time in business?

When I first got approved by the board of health, when they came to inspect and I passed. Getting all that licensing done, it let me know, I can do anything. And of course, when we had the grand opening here, I just couldn’t believe it.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

I wish I would’ve worked on my credit score earlier. Try to do it while you can. I get on my sons about it, don’t wait till your 30, 40, or 50. If you’re working, and you have the means to do it, don’t wait. You don’t have to be scared to do it. I hate that I waited so long, I mean everything is good now, but the earlier, the better, because more things could’ve happened.

If money was no object, what other program or business would you start in Iberia Parish? Why?

I just wish there was a way I could find a cure for cancer and help a lot of people. I wish I could just invent it. You know, I listen to the St. Jude segments on the radio, and so cancer just bothers me. I’d love to start a cancer center, not another food business. I don’t want a second or third Roc Star.

Would you recommend business ownership/entrepreneurship to others? Why or why not?

I would recommend it. I have a friend that I sold my first food truck to, and he has never been in this type of business ever. I gave him the blueprint, and now he’s rolling!

What does Black History Month mean to you?

Despite the struggles that came facing our way, we still managed to make an impact. You know, we’ve been faced with a lot. Everybody has their struggles, and as a black man I’ve come a long way. So has my family and my ancestors! When all is said and done, at the end of the day, we still made an impact.

What do you consider to be the biggest challenge facing the Black community today?

I feel young people get discouraged when they try to do something, and they’ll give up. Some people say, aw they’re not gonna let me do it, they’re not gonna let me do that. Well, why not? If Tom, Dick and Harry can do it, you can do it too. I got all my paperwork and books straight, but it was a lot. Sometimes they get discouraged, but I’m living proof that if you push hard, man, you can get it, and that’s black or white, man.