30-year old Jade Ashley Colin from New Orleans made history in 2018 as the youngest Black woman to ever become a McDonald’s franchise owner. While in college, she started her career as an employee working the night shift at a local McDonald’s, and after years of earning promotions and awards, she decided to purchase her very own franchise.
For as long as she can remember, Jade has been an independent spirit. She also had a good example to follow from her entrepreneurial parents who purchased their first McDonald’s franchise in 2010.
Upon graduating from the University of Louisiana in 2012 with a degree in business management, Jade decided to apply for the Next Generation program for children of McDonald’s owners.
After finishing that intensive two-year training program, she became a manager of her parent’s franchise, and immediately began planning to open a franchise of her own.
During an interview, Jade told one reporter, “Take the risk and know that it will be a lot of hard work.”
“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,” she added.
She also firmly believes in helping others, and she gives back to her community whenever she can. She even mentors her employees to finish high school and pursue entrepreneurship.
Jade concluded, “As an African American community, we need more men and women to know that it’s not just about right now, but it’s about the generations to come.”
