Andre's story

I arrived to the US from Jamaica, WI as a child in tow to a single mother. Being new to this country and the landscape, I had to assimilate quickly to the unforgiving world of elementary school. Kids can be cruel, and I suffered the teasing that any new kid with a broken accent and "bummy" clothes would. Through the example and leadership of that single mom, I was taught to be resilient, and strong. "Don't let anyone pick on you, stand up for yourself", she would say. That same tough, but loving example was defining in my development. I was able to watch her as she embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, and grew her hair salon from a chair in our house, to a chair and sink in the garage of our second house, to a fully equipped beauty salon which she ran for 14 years. She is the best entrepreneur that I know. That same example is what I strive to emulate as I opened my cafe early in 2016. Don't take no for an answer, work hard, and give it your all. I am a sole proprietor working hard to make the american dream work for me. We employ a small team of youngsters and day in and day out, we're giving it our all, serving the community.