- North Carolina entrepreneur Dana Norman signed a two-unit agreement with Shipley Donuts for Raleigh.
- Norman is already a franchisee with Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Greensboro, North Carolina.
- Shipley Donuts leadership is developing in untapped Texas markets, as well as Louisiana and Virginia.
Dana Norman had long been interested in entrepreneurship, but her professional career took her down different paths before leading to business ownership.
Before opening a Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Greensboro North Carolina, and more recently signing an agreement for two Shipley Donuts locations in Raleigh, Norman held roles removed from the food service industry. For 20 years, Norman had worked in cosmetology, and then spent another decade in the funeral space.
“Cosmetology was a childhood dream, and it was an opportunity where I was able to put myself through school and obtain a license,” Norman said. “I also have several family members who’ve been in the industry as well, so it seemed like a natural progression of things to do. Then, with the funeral aspect, I was trying to expand my career, and found it was an industry that was untapped.”
In that field, after obtaining another license to fully practice, Norman said she appreciated the ability to work and help families. However, in recent years, she decided it was time to achieve her objective of owning a business, and chose to move on from those professions to pursue entrepreneurship…