00,000 or more, and liquid assets of at least $40,000.

The restaurants have a fun theme. What made you decide to go that route? McKinley:  The Original Hot Dog Factory is all about family. A good portion of our volume comes from to-go orders. But for those that want to stay and eat in, I wanted to make it feel like home.  So, at each location, we provide family-friendly games such as Uno and Connect Four. And at some stores, we host Spades tournaments on Saturdays.  t provides a sense of community. Opening 15 new locations in 90 days is quite an accomplishment, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. How have you been able to do it? The launch of these new locations has been in the works for the past year. We built up several partnerships, moved forward, and now they are ready to open. Even with COVID-19, we’ve seen a surge in interest from candidates that were laid off and don’t want to go through that again, even when the economy recovers.  We’ve signed five new partners in the last two months. Our model isn’t actually hurt by COVID because a large percentage of our business relies on take-out. What are your goals for expansion over the next few years? McKinley: Our target is to have 100 locations in the next 24 to 36 months. We have 60 units already committed in cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Raleigh, Houston, Dallas, and Baton Rouge.  We’re excited about opening a location in Brooklyn, which will likely lead to locations in the Bronx and Long Island. We are focusing on multi-unit ownership. I also want to point out that 100% of our owners are people of color—Black or Brown. I don’t think many franchises can say that. And not only that, at least half are women. We’re very proud of that fact. What advice do you have for those aspiring entrepreneurs that are “on the fence” about opening a restaurant right now? McKinley: Deciding to open any business, you have to take action. You can’t be afraid. Put it into action and see if others think it’s a good idea. You can have all the education in the world, but if you don’t take action, none of that matters. I believe that if you can find a franchise brand that you love, go that route. Franchising provides support, systems, brand recognition, and an established customer base. Especially if you’re thinking about restaurants, check into franchises first because they have a heads up on independents. Note:  Article originally published in Black Enterprise Magazine.