We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew McKinley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Like many people, I always envisioned building something for myself and my family. The thing is, it’s a lot easier said than done, especially when you have skill sets that can fetch a good paycheck. Why would you disrupt something that’s safe and comfortable? However, it became clearer to me once I made space and time to think about my true purpose. I discovered that my purpose goes far beyond my family; I’m driven by the ability to help others elevate themselves and their families. To do that, at least to the scale that I envision, I had to shift my mindset from a singular revenue stream such as a paycheck to an entrepreneurial mindset in order to build and scale profitable businesses. That served as the catalyst to researching, planning, and then finally launching my first business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own a fast casual restaurant which is a part of the largest Caribbean franchise chain in the United States, Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant, boasting over 110 restaurants across eight states. Our food and service are best in class and we are proud of the rich tradition and history behind the brand which is why we have invested in it. I’m extremely proud of the partnerships that we have forged since we planted our feet in Miami and we are excited about expanding our footprint across such a vibrant and diverse city. My journey has been challenging but for good reason; because I want the best. I wanted the best grades in school, I wanted to be the best in my career, and now I want my businesses to be the best. Of course, wanting to be the best comes with immense challenges because when you refuse to settle and you’re always looking to raise the bar, the journey is quite painful; however the rewards are well worth it. In my humble opinion, the foundation of success is first having a burning desire to achieve something and then from that foundation there are essential building blocks such as commitment, discipline, perseverance, hard work, smart work, risk-taking, etc. that all go into building that success. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned along the way is how important it is to hone your emotional intelligence. This is critical as it factors heavily into how we respond to successes and failures and is the driving force behind our recovery time when we experience failure and disappointment, which we will inevitably face. Simply put, emotional intelligence determines how long we remain on the canvas once we get knocked down and the referee starts counting. The same holds true for success; do we simply stop when we achieve our goals and declare that we have arrived or do we continuously seek ways to improve ourselves, our lives and our businesses? I think Winston Churchill hit the nail on the head when he said “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. I live by that.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend were visiting the area, the first place I would take him to eat is of course Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant in Palmetto Bay for the best Caribbean soul food on the planet and have some delicious Marley Coffee after our meals. I would also take him to Wynwood to see the art and experience the music and culture there. We would visit Brickell to grab a bite at Komodo and also at La Mar by Gastón Acurio and then have the best macarons in Miami at Roy de France for dessert. We would have to also visit Joia Beach by boat and have lunch and bubbly there and then pull up at Haulover Sandbar to swim and enjoy the beautiful Miami weather. We’d also have to get some nightlife in at LIV and E11EVEN and then recover the following morning at Under the Mango Tree with some fresh juices and vegan bites. Then we’d plan a follow up trip because you can’t visit Miami just once.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, mi biggest shoutout is to Jesus Christ, my King, for everything He has done in my life; the glory is His. Big shoutout to my wife Michelle McKinley for not only believing in my vision but for helping me to execute toward that vision every single day. Shoutout to my family for all their support with day-to-day life so that I’m able to focus my attention on growing the business. Shout out to Kevin Lee for his mentorship, particularly in the restaurant business and to Hazel Maragh for inspiring me with her fascinating journey. Finally, shoutout to my beautiful son Zayn who has ignited a fire in my soul and helped to concretize my true purpose in this life.

Website: https://locations.goldenkrust.com/ll/US/FL/Miami/9534-SW-160th-St_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegoldenkrustmiami?igsh=bnUxc3Y0cml5MHNl&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew–mckinley?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Youtube: https://youtu.be/iM_gEjBYBFc?si=dlFRINkP_oZsPimh

Image Credits
LAURA DEANGELIS PHOTOGRAPHY

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