Jade Colin, 28, completed McDonald’s intensive Next Generation program for children of McDonald’s owners before purchasing her own franchise. (Image courtesy of TheBlackProfessional.com)
A New Orleans woman has secured her place in history as the youngest African-American woman to ever own a McDonald’s franchise.
Jade Colin, 28, started her career at the bottom, working the late night shift at the local McDonald’s to earn extra money while attending college, the Pittsburgh Courier reported. She worked her way through the ranks, earning a number of promotions and awards before deciding to purchase a franchise of her own.
“My business is truly a blessing,” Colin told TheBlackProfessional.com. “It was never something I would have ever thought I would be doing.”
The young franchisee jumped head first into the family business just days after graduating from the University of Louisiana with a bachelor’s in business management in 2012. Her relationship with “Mickey Dee’s” began after her parents purchased their first restaurant in 2010. They now own six.
It was at her parent’s restaurant where she served as a manager after completing the intensive two-year Next Generation program for children of McDonald’s franchise owners. It wasn’t long before Colin got the entrepreneurial “itch” and made plans to follow in her parents’ footsteps by purchasing her own store.
Congratulations to Jade Colin on becoming the youngest black woman to own a McDonald's franchise in the country at 28-years-old. pic.twitter.com/ceuSs1Qpbj
— MoorInfo (@MoorInformation) July 13, 2018
In her first year, she received the Outstanding Restaurant Manager of the Year Award for her region and went on to outperform not only in her region but in the country her second year, according to TheBlackProfessional.com. She also received the Ray Kroc Award, which goes to the top 1 percent restaurant managers in the nation.
For those looking to find or fuel passions of their own, Colin offered a few words of advice.
“Take the risk and know that it will be a lot of hard work,” she said. ” … Network and have a core team of genuine mentors. You need people who are in your corner that will positively motivate you. I say ‘genuine’ because not everyone will have your best interest at heart.”
Colin also emphasized the importance of giving back to her community and helping others whenever she can.
“As an African American community, we need more men and women to know it’s not just about right now but it’s about the generations to come,” she concluded.
