For Demico Southern ’28, owning a business means a shot at stability—a chance to set his own schedule, do things his way, and earn an income through work that he truly enjoys. 

That’s why, in August 2025, Southern launched his own family food truck while still attending Software Engineering classes as a sophomore at Butler University. 

Big Benz BBQ grew out of a small catering business Southern had been running alongside his family for about a year. He loved those gigs but wanted to build something more established. With inspiration from his parents, lots of research, and some basic entrepreneurship skills gained at meetings hosted by Butler Trustee and Lecturer Dr. Anthony Murdock ’17, the food truck idea was born. 

“I pretty much sell out every week,” Southern says. 

The business has exploded in popularity since last fall. The oxtails, rib tips, and lamb chops are usually the first to go. 

The truck is open Fridays and Saturdays, and it recently moved to a new location with more parking to accommodate the crowds. Southern says it’s been a challenge to adjust to growing demand, but with a goal of using the business to help pay for school, it’s a challenge he’s grateful to have. 

“When we first started, there was a steady flow of people, but now we have a line before we open up,” he says. “There’s a lot more work, and a lot more food that needs to be cooked.” 

Luckily, Southern isn’t in it alone. He has help from his brothers, cousin, mom, and dad. His dad often grills out on the weekends and taught Southern how to cook when he was young. 

“My dad is a big inspiration for me,” he says. 

Southern also feels encouraged by support from the community at Butler, where faculty and others around campus often recognize him from online posts about the food truck. 

“It’s very uplifting to have all those people supporting you even though they don’t always really know you,” he says. “I think that’s a really cool thing about the Butler campus.” 

While at Butler, Southern has learned to balance his priorities in a way that made business ownership possible. 

“I’ve learned I can’t be doing too much at once,” says Southern, who played saxophone for Butler’s Jazz Ensemble in previous semesters but chose to take a break when his business took off. “In high school I was in so many clubs, but college has taught me you need to pick a priority and go with it.” 

Still, he’s hopeful that recruiting more people to help with Big Benz will allow him time to join the band again. 

With the success of his current business, Southern already has his sights set on the future. His entrepreneurial goals don’t stop at barbecue, and the Software Engineering major dreams of eventually running his own start-up in that field—in addition to the food truck, of course. 

To find the Big Benz BBQ food truck location, visit bigbenzbbq. com/online-ordering and note the pick-up address.