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business

  • Money, Shero, work

    (S)hero: McDonald’s owner Ashley Kaple, an entrepreneur in action!

    GirlSpring is always looking for inspiring women to share their story of success. We learned about Ashley and thought that it was really cool that she owned McDonald’s! Here is a little more about this (S)hero:

    I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman who owned a McDonald’s before! You own several! How did you get into this line of work?

    There are many ladies that own McDonald’s restaurants and I am very honored to be a part of that group. My family built the first McDonald’s in Oneonta, Alabama when I was very young. I have been involved in the business my entire life. I am blessed to have a career that I really love and have a lot of fun doing!

    What is your educational background, and how does is tie into your work?
    I would like to think that most of my training has come from working in the business with my family all my life. McDonald’s has very detailed training programs that you must complete before you can be approved as an Owner Operator. I attended Samford University where I received degrees in Biology and Business. There are many principles that I learned as a McDonald’s Owner Operator. The one that sticks with me the most is that you must be able to motivate people and help them achieve their goals. I think this is one of the most important parts of the business.

    How does McDonald’s fit in with the healthier side of life, and what are some healthy options?
    There are many healthy options at McDonald’s! Some of these include the parfaits with yogurt and fruit, the Southwest Salad (with grilled and crispy chicken), the oatmeal, non-fat lattes with sugar-free syrup, grilled chicken sandwiches and egg whites which you can have on anything any time of the day. For breakfast, the Egg White Delight and Egg McMuffin are my personal favorite healthy breakfast options.

    What is your favorite food from McDonald’s? Calories aside.
    I love McDonald’s food! I eat it all the time. There are times that I enjoy a Big Mac and fries. Chicken nuggets, fries and Sweet ‘N Sour sauce bring back great childhood memories for me. My favorite drink is definitely the Caramel Frappe. Recently, I have been getting the Buttermilk Crispy chicken biscuit (that are made fresh in store every morning) with an egg white for extra protein. Everything in moderation!

    You must stay pretty busy. How do you balance work and family?
    It’s all about balance. Balancing family and work is just like achieving any other goal. It is imperative to have great time management, great people helping you and to always have a goal you touch base on every day.

    What advice do you have for girls wanting to pursue non-traditional careers?
    As I always try to do, I believe that girls should not only pursue but embrace it. Do not be afraid that you can’t do anything. I encourage all women to push yourself and be able to stand on your own. Certainly, try out different careers to find what is right for you. We are evaluated on results achieved, not excuses encountered. I try to remind myself of this every day so I do not let excuses stop me.