Baltimore Afro American: Smoothie King Shows Support for African American Women Franchisees

Tisha Skinner and Tonya Brigham are passionate about the Smoothie King brand and have had interesting paths to becoming franchisees in the system.

By Sydney CreaghAccount Executive

5:17PM • 11/01/16

Tisha Skinner moved to New York from the Caribbean and later moved to Maryland. She became the owner of Smoothie King in Chamblee, GA just before the economy took a downturn.

"The first year was good, the second year not as good and in the third year I had to shut it down," Skinner told the Baltimore Afro American reporter.

She came back to the Smoothie King team about a new opening some time later, and rehiring her was an easy decision.

"When she came back to us, [Smoothie King] knew without a doubt that she would be successful. We never doubted her skill set or passion for the brand," Christine Elam, franchise development manager for Smoothie King, told the reporter. "She knows without a shadow of doubt she loves this brand and when you have that drive combined with that person, she is an unstoppable force."

For Skinner, her passion for Smoothie King never faded.

"I love Smoothie King. It's my passion," Skinner told the reporter. "Smoothie King cares about the workers and they are really supportive."

Skinner is opening a location in the BWI airport this fall. She is not alone in her dedication to the brand - Tonya Brigham, another African-American franchisee shares a similar commitment to Smoothie King.

Tonya opened her first Smoothie King two years ago and within a month and a half her store because the number one store int he local market.

"My goal is to open many more stores in the Washington D.C. market and to open stores in areas which have been ignored," Tonya told the reporter. "My goal is to expand in Prince George's County and southeast Washington D.C."

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