✍🏾: @tiff.chey
At 15 years old, Ashley Lamothe ( @AshleyThe0ne ) worked at Chick-fil-A to earn money for her first car purchase, but what she didn’t know was that she would one day become the franchise’s youngest owner at 26!
Lamothe started her journey at Chick-Fil-A as a team member in Atlanta, working at the restaurant while pursuing a theater degree at Spelman College. The restaurant Operator asked Lamothe about her long-term goals and encouraged her to seek leadership opportunities in the company. This led her to change her major to economics so she could build a solid foundation in business. “I’d never considered it. Sometimes you just need someone to help you see your potential,” Lamothe explains.
After college graduation, Lamothe participated in the Chick-fil-A management and development program. Three years later, she achieved her goal of becoming a franchise owner at just 26 years old.
Lamothe was selected to open the first restaurant location in Los Angeles in 2018. Then, she opened her second location in downtown Los Angeles. With solid experience as a franchise owner, Lamothe has a mission to build a team of great leaders and help others obtain the same support that enabled her to tap into the possibilities of being a franchise owner.
She shared her best advice for other aspiring franchise owners with @RollingOut:
“Gain work experience at a local restaurant. A lot of people say they want to own a franchise but have never worked in a restaurant. It’s hard, hands-on work, and you really have to know what you are getting into.”
Per Lamothe’s website, she has traveled worldwide speaking to women about economic empowerment and uplifting other women to become fellow franchise owners. “Sometimes, you have to just step out on faith. You’re never going to feel 100% certain about your readiness; you’ve got to just go for it,” she says.
Lamothe lets fellow dreamers and entrepreneurs know that you must take a risk and believe that everything will be okay to succeed in your business because success is possible as long as you are willing. #BWLM💕
