Metro Atlanta couple offers students hands-on business experience

ATLANTA - A new internship program is helping college students achieve their goals after graduation. A metro Atlanta husband and wife started the program, called Shine U, to offer hands-on experience and mentorship, before students enter the workforce.

Danesha and Andre Smith have spent years building their own success. The husband and wife run several restaurants throughout the metro area.

"When I came into the business I didn't have any of that exposure so I really just had to figure it out. It took some while, but once I got it I was just excited and I was ready to spread it to some others," Andre Smith said.

And that's exactly what the two decided to do, share their success with others, by helping the younger generation develop the skills they need to enter the workforce.

"We know that there are certain individuals in certain groups and certain communities that do not have the exposure or experience to what business and business ownership could be like. And that's why we exist," Danesha Smith said.

They started a new internship program called Shine U which is helping HBCU students bridge their studies with hands-on business experience.

"Shine U is also our marquee program where we bring at this point college-level students to Atlanta over the summer, and we show them business ownership," she said.

"So what they're going to do is they're going to get some real-world life experiences. They're going to work in the restaurants, they're going to sit in the meetings, they're going to problem solve. They're going to help make some of his businesses better," he said.

The Smiths show what it's like to be a business leader and an entrepreneur and teach skills to help climb the ladder, from time management to networking and even golf.

"Schools teach you the education side of business, finance, accounting, marketing. We teach you how it all comes in a real-life business setting in our restaurants," Danesha Smith said.

De'Von Lewis and Kamir Hodge both participated in the program and now continue to work with Shine U.

"We would spend two days a week for eight weeks doing so many different kinds of things. Learning the business, going to the restaurants, learning how to make the burgers and fries, and being on the backend learning PNLs and things like that," Lewis said.

"This was a premiere opportunity for me. I got to sit down and really see not only what business was like but entrepreneurship, because entrepreneurship and owning a small business are two different things," Hodge said.

Both say the experience was life-changing.

"It showed me what I wasn't doing and what I need to be doing. But it also gave me the ability to really understand that you've got to hustle. If you think you're doing enough, you've got to multiply that by three to five and keep going. So it was very much an eye-opener, and it was a great experience overall seeing all the different aspects and learning I could do," Hodge said.

"Honestly, it's empowering. Going to school for leadership and actually being able to show my leadership skills at such a young age and in such a big capacity has allowed me to do so many more things I never thought I would be able to do at such a young age," Lewis said.

The Smiths hope their lessons will help shape young lives, and ultimately lift the community even more.

"We exist quite frankly to close the wealth divide. And we know closing the wealth divide is a long-term game, we call it the marathon," she said.

The Smiths hope to see Shine U continue to grow and help more students from all across the country.