Sean Porter | Daddy’s Dogs
Owner of Daddy’s Dogs
Sean Porter is the founder of Daddy’s Dogs. In this video, he shares how a late-night side hustle turned into Nashville’s go-to spot for gourmet hotdogs and why staying authentic has been the key to his success.
What businesses do you run?
Sean Porter is the founder and owner of Daddy’s Dogs—a Nashville hotdog institution serving what he proudly calls the best gourmet hotdogs in the country, maybe even the world. Daddy’s Dogs has grown from a single cart to multiple brick-and-mortar locations in Nashville, including Printer’s Alley, Madison, and Franklin, with partnerships at Geodis Park, Nissan Stadium, and Marathon Music Works. You can also find Daddy’s carts late at night on Nashville streets, feeding hungry crowds with their signature creations.
How did you get started as an entrepreneur?
Sean’s entrepreneurial journey began when he was just a kid, hustling with lemonade stands. Later, while working in the music business, he looked for a way to make extra money during tours and thought selling hot dogs from a cart would be a fun side gig. When he moved to Nashville, he noticed the city was missing a great hot dog spot and decided to see what he could build. What started as a side hustle out of his garage rolled into a full-time venture, and almost ten years later, Daddy’s Dogs has become a staple of Nashville’s food scene.
How do you think about growth in your current business? How do you plan for the future?
Early on, Sean focused on finding the right locations, building a loyal late-night crowd, and carving out a niche in Nashville’s booming food scene. He leaned into the city’s event circuit and late-night opportunities, which helped fuel Daddy’s rapid growth from a single cart to a network of carts and restaurants. Sean’s approach to growth has always been about trying new things, seeing what works, and scaling fast when he finds traction. The goal has been to expand Daddy’s presence while staying authentic and connected to the city’s diverse, vibrant community.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Sean’s biggest piece of advice: have a Nike attitude—just do it. Don’t let fear of failure hold you back, because failure will happen. What matters is learning from it and getting back up. Stay true to who you are, and don’t try to be someone you’re not. Sean lives by the best advice he ever received: be authentically you. He believes that’s what helped Daddy’s Dogs resonate so strongly with Nashville’s eclectic mix of locals and newcomers. And finally, get ready to work—being an entrepreneur isn’t easy, but it’s worth it when you love what you do.
