High School Hustles to Building an Academy | Saddiq Ali | Ep. 44
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High School Hustles to Building an Academy | Saddiq Ali | Ep. 44
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Saddiq Ali went from running “distribution” in high school — with 9th and 10th graders selling for him and pulling in $600 a day — to becoming a former NYPD officer who walked away from the badge to build something bigger: Drive Forward Academy, a Bronx-based training program that helps underserved and justice-impacted communities earn their CDL licenses and second chances.
This episode explores:
- Running a school “distribution” network at 16 and making $600 a day
- Choosing responsibility young, inspired by his younger brother and hustler mom
- Going from criminology degree → NYPD → walking away from the force
- What cuffing a 16-year-old taught him about purpose and systems
- Sleeping in his car for a year while out-earning his NYPD salary
- From fitness entrepreneur to dump trucks to Drive Forward Academy
- How DFA trains formerly incarcerated and underserved communities tuition-free (government funded)
- Why he believes mentorship + financial literacy + CDL training is the key to breaking cycles
- Building a team, raising standards, and scaling to a $10M vision
This episode is about second chances, resilience, and building purpose-driven systems that transform lives. Saddiq’s journey will challenge you to rethink hustle, leadership, and what it really means to leave a legacy.
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🔗 Connect with Saddiq Ali
Instagram: https://instagram.com/saddiq.al
Drive Forward Academy: https://instagram.com/driveforwardacademy
Website: https://driveforwardacademy.com
Follow REAL Mentors Podcast
Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast/
Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin/
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🔥 About the Guest – Saddiq Ali
Saddiq Ali (born Haleem Saddiq Livingston Jr.) is the Founder & CEO of Drive Forward Academy, a Bronx-based workforce training program providing CDL licenses, mentorship, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship education to underserved and justice-impacted communities.
A former NYPD officer who served in the 41st and 43rd Precincts, Saddiq left the badge to become an entrepreneur and educator, building ventures in fitness (Rack-Squad Fitness), trucking (Trace Coalition Logistics), and logistics before launching Drive Forward Academy.
He has already helped more than 150 participants earn their CDL permits and careers, with a mission to impact 10,000 lives by 2027 and grow into a $10M+ organization. Known for turning his early $600-a-day high school hustle into a lifelong drive, Saddiq now focuses on second chances, reentry programs, and economic mobility for Bronx and NYC communities.
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Tags & Keywords:
Saddiq Ali, Drive Forward Academy, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, Bronx entrepreneur, NYPD stories, CDL training, second chance programs, resilience, mentorship, community impact, trucking business, $600 a day hustle, Bronx success stories, reentry programs NYC, Sean Martin podcast
#SaddiqAli #REALMentorsPodcast #SeanMartin #DriveForwardAcademy #SecondChances #Entrepreneur #FormerNYPD #Resilience #Mentorship