CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nana Morrison's Soul Food opened a new location in Charlotte under the leadership of a 16-year-old general manager.

Gabriella Morrison's parents started the business in 2011, when she was 5 years old. That was when she started working in the restaurant as a cashier. Morrison worked her way up to the food line by age 11, and was hiring people by age 13.

What You Need To Know

  • There has been a national 8% decrease in college enrollment since 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • Education Data Initiative says this decline is the most significant one since 1951 
  • High schooler Gabriella Morrison is one of the people going straight to the workforce after high school, as general manager of a restaurant 

"I always got looked down on because I was so young trying to be an entrepreneur. Now that I'm 16, people kind of have more respect for me," Morrison said.

Nana Morrison's Soul Food's second Charlotte location opened at 3824 Corning Place, Suite A, in Charlotte on May 1, 2023.

Morrison is part of the growing population of people deciding to join the workforce instead of going to college. According to the Education Data Initiative, college enrollment has been decreasing since its peak in 2010, when there was more than 21 million students.

An 8% decline rate in enrollment since 2018 is the steepest since 1951.

"Two years ago, I decided I wasn't going to go to college. It wasn't for me," Morrison said. "Even though I go to school and I get good grades, I just didn't want to go out and take four years off when now - now in high school. I just want to get out."

Morrison will be serving as the general manager after school until she graduates in December and can commit full time.

"I just want to let the other entrepreneurs [out] there know that if you skip out on college, it's OK," Morrison said. "There are other paths for you, like me, taking entrepreneurship and finding yourself, and if that's not college, then that's your decision."