I had the pleasure of speaking with Enearu to learn more about her mother, their hugely successful chain of businesses, and plans for the future.
Entering the Lucrative World of Big Macs and Fries
Over 30 years ago, Williams was inspired by other family members who also owned a few McDonald’s locations. They encouraged her to take the leap, and leave her career as a Rehabilitation Therapist behind to become her own boss. She and her husband, an LAPD officer at the time, cashed out their 401k’s and took out a small business loan to enter the world of Big Mac’s and fries, purchasing their first McDonald’s location in Compton.
Enearu said that it was all about being in the right place at the right time, for that first location. I couldn’t agree more. I talk with clients all the time about the pros and cons of purchasing an existing franchise, versus starting a new one. It has to be the right deal; otherwise, you might realize you would’ve been better off starting your own. In this case, Williams purchased a great resale and began the process of becoming a certified McDonald’s owner. That process includes working in the store and taking required classes.
The first location proved to be quite successful, and because the McDonald’s brand was growing rapidly, the couple purchased a second store. Unfortunately, after the purchase of their second store, the marriage came to an end. Williams was passionate about the business, so she purchased her husband’s share. She continued to work hard, growing the revenue at both locations. Because both franchise locations were so successful, in 1995, Williams was able to sell those two stores—and purchase five more!
As they say, the rest is history.
Williams’ strategy for business growth consisted of a combination of acquiring existing locations and building new ones. In 2016, the business saw revenues of $49M, placing the Williams/Enearu Organization on the 2017 BE 100s list of largest black-owned businesses.
Mother and Daughters Create Generational Wealth
Enearu shared that, although part of the reason her mother started working with the McDonald’s franchise was as to build a legacy for her children, Williams never assumed her children would want to work for or even take over the business. She encouraged her daughters to go to college and pursue their dreams, which is exactly what they did. Enearu earned both a bachelor’s and master’s in psychology, then worked in that field for 10 years. Her sister, Harper-Howie, earned her bachelor’s, and went on to obtain a law degree, working in employment law for 12 years.
Each of the sisters reached the decision to enter into the family business at different times, motivated by different reasons. In 2003, Enearu felt burnt-out in her career and wanted to be her own boss. This was something she had always wanted in the back of her mind, especially after witnessing her mother’s success. Of course, Williams was happy to hear about her daughter’s decision. However, she was also quick to warn her that it would not be any easier than what she was experiencing in her previous career, and perhaps potentially even more difficult.
With eyes wide open, Enearu went through the McDonald’s franchise training program for owners and purchased a store. Harper-Howie, on the other hand, had a child in 2012, which triggered her desire to have a business where she could leave a legacy—just like her mother. She transitioned over by providing legal council and handling various aspects of the human resources matters for her mother’s franchise locations. In addition, she entered into the second generation of McDonald’s franchise training for ownership program to also own her own store.