Meet Kedric Barrett | Weight Loss Surgery Social Media Influencer & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kedric Barrett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kedric, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was a simple one. The pandemic taught me that I needed to have multiple streams of income and not to depend on my regular nine to five to provide for my needs. I also want to leave a legacy behind for my sons and their children. Cooking is a passion of mine and I like to incorporate different seasoning blends into my food that I cook. I have always been a person who liked to experiment with blending different herbs and spices together so it was a no brainer for me to launch Hype Seasonings. Memphis City Blues Gourmet Seasoning Blend is the first seasoning blend created through my company. It is a phenomenal blend of herbs and spices that pairs well with any dish. Personally I love to put it on salmon, chicken wings, vegetables, and I also use it as a dry rub for ribs.

What should our readers know about your business?
Sleeved Believe The Hype, LLC started in 2019 after I had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, a common weight loss surgery known as VSG. Before surgery my weight got as high as 461 lbs and I was killing myself slowly. I begun to develop a ton of health related issues and I need to lose weight fast in order to live. To date I have lost 245 lbs and I feel amazing! Upon beginning my journey I started a social media page on Instagram to hold me accountable and it grew. I began hosting the Sleeved Believe The Hype Podcast and this podcast is dedicated to the weight loss surgery journey and each episode features a guest host that ranges from bariatric patients, to doctors, nurses, dietitians, and counselors. My Instagram following grew over two years to 18K plus followers and I became an influencer. I have worked with several brands to include NutriSystem, General Mills, Real Good Foods, and PatientPartner to name a few. From there I incorporated cooking into my repertoire and I launched Hype Seasonings during the summer of 2021. Hype Seasonings is of course my blended seasonings company where I develop seasonings to enhance your cooking experience. Our first blend, Memphis City Blues is currently available on our website for sale and Taco Tuesday is in production and will be available in the coming weeks. Cooking for me comes naturally and I had a host of teachers. My mother is from Arkansas and is one of ten kids and she learned to cook at an early age. She passed on her skills to me when I was 12 years old when she would call me from work and instruct me how to start dinner. My father who is a chef, went to culinary school after getting injured on the job and he had to change professions. He was already a barbecue pit master and of course he passed on his skill set to me as well. My story is just beginning and I feel like I have been given a second chance on life and I want to make the best of it!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was in town for a week there are several places where I would take him in Atlanta. Eating is an experience all within itself! Pappadeaux’s is at the top of my list because it’s my favorite restaurant. Mojave is another place we’d go to dine right on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. Some other spots we would go would be: Two Urban Licks, Saints+Council, The Pancake Social, Bar Vegan, The Hive, and many more places to eat! We would definitely take in a Hawks game while he was here and a Braves game. We would hit The Beltline for a day of activities to include bike riding, Piedmont Park, and Ponce City Market. We would also go over to The Battery to hang out at Burn by Rocky Patel. For nightlife we’d go to Monticello to hear a nice band and enjoy the cigar lounge! There are so many places I’d love to take him in the Atlanta metro area and a week is just not enough time!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my beautiful wife, Chauntel. She is the driving force behind the Sleeved Believe The Hype, LLC brand and all that is me. I could not do this without her. Having weight loss surgery is not an easy process and you will need a support system to help you get through the process. Chauntel has been here with me every step of the way. She is also very hands on and instrumental in our business as well.

Website: www.hypeseasonings.com

Instagram: @sleevedbelievethehype

Facebook: Kedric Barrett

Youtube: Sleeved Believe The Hype Podcast