Gabby Morrison, 16, from Charlotte, North Carolina, has been selected manager of Nana Morrison’s Soul Food’s newest restaurant location. Her parents have given her the task of running the family restaurant, for which she will be paid $100,000 each year.
Gabby, like her three older siblings, has been actively involved in the family company since she was a toddler. She began with minor jobs like wiping down tables and stocking utensils when she was 5 years old. Her responsibilities developed as she grew older, and by the age of ten, she was making hiring decisions and managing various elements of the firm.
Gabby took on the challenge of managing a full restaurant at the age of 16, the second Nana Morrison store in Charlotte. Gabby chose not to attend college despite the fact that she excelled academically and was on the honor list at Marvin Ridge High School. She believes that the possibility to advance her career in the restaurant industry is the greatest route for her.
“I was like, OK, this is the next step in my career,” Gabby told the Charlotte Observer. “I can do this now, or put my career on hold that I know is always gonna be here, and take another path, and it might not work out. So it’s like, just stick to what you know, and continue on with the restaurant business, and I can grow in it.”
Gabby’s parents, Shawn and Kiana Morrison, came from New York to Charlotte and couldn’t find a soul-food restaurant in the neighborhood, so they launched Nana Morrison’s Soul Food Restaurant in 2011. Since then, the restaurant has grown in popularity because to its authentic Southern soul-food cuisine. Gabby’s parents recently built a second location, and she was employed as the manager.
Gabby’s parents stated that the choice to delegate management of the new location to her was not taken lightly. They truly believe in her abilities, underlining that her position is not based on partiality, but rather on her shown expertise and hard effort. They are proud of her commitment to the job.
“It’s pretty exciting, me just thinking about it,” Shawn said. “Some guys’ 16-year-olds are out chasing guys, and our daughter — our 16-year-old daughter — is gonna be running a multi-million dollar business.”