NEW ORLEANS, LA – While some spend years trying to find their way in life, our travels while honoring Black History brought us to New Orleans, where we met a young woman who found her passion in business early on.
When describing their daughter, Joyce and Louis Colin use words like “boss, tenacity, and passionate.” Another word that fits Jade Colin, is businesswoman.
Jade had her first real business experience when she and some friends decided to open a Smoothie King franchise.
Jade says, “I went college and I majored in accounting. Well I knew ‘this is not, this isn’t what I want to do. The classes were really hard and I knew business from working with Smoothie King so I started working at the McDonald’s on campus in college. And at the time, my dad was going through the program to become a registered applicant to become an owner/operator himself.”
It was at that moment that Jade decided to switch her major. She soon after graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with a degree in business management. In the coming months, the experience she gained at the Golden Arches came in very handy.
Her father completed the program, and became a McDonald’s franchise owner, and after graduation, Jade jumped right in.
Of his daughter, Louis Colin said, “As she became more successful, running the McDonald’s restaurants that we owned, before we knew it McDonald’s corporate was asking us ‘Has she ever consider becoming a McDonald’s owner?'”
With that bug in her ear, Jade focused her attention on becoming a franchisee – and that she did. Jade became one of the youngest McDonald’s franchisees in the world. In fact, at just 28-years-old, Jade currently runs six McDonald’s locations.
With over 250 employees, it’s a responsibility that she understands and takes seriously. “When you’re in business, you are over people’s livelihoods. People are looking up to you for really- everything! Changing mindsets, being able to provide for their families,” said Jade.
As a young community leader, Jade gives back to her community, and serves on local boards, including the Ronald McDonald House. Jade also has a strong social media presence, with over 20,000 Instagram followers.
Jade says, “I love my social media because I’m able to that side as well as my personal side, I like to travel I go out sometimes, so I’m still able to connect with people on a personal level, as well.”
Jade Colin’s success is no accident. It’s the result of a lot of hard work, some good fortune, and a strong personality. Her mother says that as parents, they saw an initiative in her early on. “Three children, that’s 3 different personalities, but Jade always took the lead on a lot of things,” said Joyce.
In the end, Jade credits her parents in helping her succeed – “I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon. I had to work for it, and it was my mom and my dad help pushing me to to drive me to be successful.”
