Nicole Enearu understands the power of business ownership. Enearu is a dedicated second-generation McDonald’s franchisee. She was inspired by her mother, Patricia Williams, who bought into the franchise and now has eight locations of her own. After completing the McDonald’s Next Generation program, Enearu was able to become an owner-operator in 2006 with two locations at the Los Angeles International Airport. By November 2009, she had purchased her first traditional restaurant in Compton.
In 2012, after successfully running her three locations independently, Enearu joined her mother and they became one organization. Her sister, Kerri Harper-Howie, also followed in their footsteps in 2017. Today, this mother and her two daughters own a total of 18 McDonald’s locations by focusing on their legacy and operational excellence.
Here, Enearu shares advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
What lessons did your mother teach you about entrepreneurship?
The first and most important lesson she taught us is that we can do whatever we wanted to do. Both my sisters and I had separate careers outside of McDonald’s. We made the decision to come into McDonald’s and that was with the belief that if we wanted it and went after it, we could get it.
What should every aspiring female entrepreneur know about starting a business?
You have to know that it’s not going to be easy. There are going to be some tough times, which is why you have to choose something you’re really passionate about because that’s what’s really going to help you to keep going through the tough times. At the end of the day, if it’s something you love, it will all be worth it.
How do you mentally prepare for the ups and downs of entrepreneurship?
Sometimes it’s hard. You think you’re prepared, and then you’re not. If you start off with an attitude of being grateful for what you have then you can have an appreciation for it. And when times are tough, just stick it out.
What does McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign mean to you?
Black & Positively Golden means that I need to exemplify being amazing, working in the community, giving back, contributing to the community and really be an example to all of my employees, customers and people in our community.
