By Vicki Little
Finding a job that you love, that gives you room to advance, and that fits in with your family’s schedule can seem near impossible. Many people find that they have to let go of one of those things to find the others, and some people have trouble finding a job much less one that fits any of the other criteria. Denver mom, Jessi Bucar-Standridge is not one of those people. When she was just a teenager her family ran a small business, where she started as a crew member and since then she has worked through the years to grow up and run her own small business within the same company. She is proud of her small business, one that gives back, one that encourages everyone to own their own business, and one that is not only just like a family, but is her family.
You might call working at McDonald’s a family tradition for the Bucar family-at a location that is owned by members of the Bucar family. Jessi’s parents met while working there, and as soon as she turned 15 she began to work there as well. After attending the owner/operator program, Jessi became an owner of her own local Denver McDonald’s as well.
Along the journey, Jessi has learned a few things about what it takes to successfully run a business. Of course, it helps that she loves what she does and gets to see her family every day while she does it. She knows she has a responsibility for her staff, and she takes great joy in helping them grow and succeed. Realizing that this is a 2nd or 3rd job for many of them, she works with each person individually to find what will help them be successful. She also shares some insight into what is important when running your own small business:
It is important to give back to the community. Being a big part of a community is important for small businesses. Jessi is a former board member and a current member of the development committee for the Ronald McDonald house, which provides support and housing for the families with ill children being treated at local hospitals. Further, Jessi is proud to be a part of a company that provides funding to the Colorado Governor & Lieutenant Governor’s One Book 4 Colorado literacy program. This program provides books to over 75, 000 preschoolers-and for some of those preschoolers it is their first book ever. McDonald’s has also provided funding for over 300, 000 books to be distributed to preschoolers through libraries, pediatricians, preschools and other sources providing economically-challenged families.
Jessi shared that many people are surprised to learn that she doesn’t only run a McDonald’s in Colorado but she lives local as well. In fact, there are over 50 owners/operators of Colorado McDonald’s that live there as well. These franchisee’s give back 44 cents for EVERY dollar earned to the Colorado economy and they provide jobs to over 12, 500 Coloradans.
Companies succeed when there is an opportunity for everyone. Jessi’s closing manager, Romelia Mijares, is just one example of how hard work and determination at McDonald’s will open up doors you never even dreamed of. Mijares is currently enrolled in the Archways to Opportunity English Under The Arches program where she has been given access to FREE English-language skills classes for employees wanting to learn or understand English better. Mijares barely spoke a word of English when she started McDonald’s and now she can communicate easily with her staff and customers.
For crew members that don’t need an English program, or ones that want to take their education even further, The Archways To Opportunity program also provides:
- FREE classes to obtain a high school diploma
- Tuition assistance to attend a college to receive an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree and resources to help remove the many barriers to pursuing educational goals
And we do mean EVERYONE. Mijares, like many single mothers, needed a flexible schedule to work around her son’s schedule. Many jobs are difficult on working moms because they are either working to pay for childcare, or they are missing out on attending their children’s special functions. There is a lot of guilt moms feel when they can’t seem to make both work and family work. Running McDonald’s has allowed Jessi to provide the flexibility that parents like Mijares need and she is able to encourage and support her crew members to grow and learn-such as Mijares moved up to closing manager. Some, like Jessi, even progress all the way to owner/operator.
Find out more at aboutmcdonalds.com.
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Vicki Little is a work-at-home mom with two young kids. A Colorado native, she is the Publisher and Editor of Macaroni Kid Aurora and Downtown Denver. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, reading, camping, or enjoying a bottle of wine with friends.
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