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

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