Howard Alum Becomes One of the Youngest Black Women McDonald's Franchise Owners

Ba Da Ba Ba Ba…We’re lovin’ it!

Lauren Copeland Mitchell is a graduate of Howard University, earning her bachelor’s in chemical engineering in 2009, BlackBusiness.com reports. While in school, she interned at Procter & Gamble and J.P. Morgan, landing a job at ExxonMobil after graduation. She remained at the company for 13 years, serving in both junior and senior-level positions before deciding to finally branch out as an entrepreneur last year. 

In November 2022, Mitchell became the owner and operator of a McDonald’s franchise located in Cincinnati, Ohio. She parlayed her skills in corporate to her new job as an entrepreneur, utilizing all she knows about leading and supervising teams and organizational goal setting to build up the franchise. Currently, Mitchell  has one of the top-performing locations in the city and is making history as one of the youngest Black women McDonald’s franchise owners at just 35 years old.

Preparing the next generation

Mitchell joins other Black women McDonald’s franchise owners like Jade Ashley Colin, a New Orleans native who made history as the youngest McDonald’s franchise owner when she was just 30. After years of working at the fast food giant, Colin decided to purchase her own franchise, just as her parents had done some years prior. Since then, she’s been mentoring other business owners and teaching the importance of generational wealth in the Black community. 

"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,” Colin previously told reporters. 

Mitchell is one of only 250 other Black McDonald’s franchise owners including Colin. Of that number, less than 50 are women. She’s leading by example and with the success of her first location in Cincinnati, we are sure that this will not be the last we hear of Mitchell and her entrepreneurial endeavors. 

This article was originally published on BOTWC