WPG Salutes
October Small Business Of The Month
Franchise owners, Alesha & David Magby of Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Meet Co-owner, Alesha Magby
Co-owner Alesha Magby is a former government contractor who worked in IT security and her husband and co-owner, David Magby used to be a Metro bus operator. They bonded over a shared dream to open their own business. “We’re really into fitness and eating properly,” Alesha says. “A Tropical Smoothie Cafe opened in our neighborhood and I couldn’t stop going. We went so much that we called the number for franchising and never turned back.”
They opened their first Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Oct. 17, 2018, in Temple Hills, Maryland. Their second franchise opened at The Shops at Dakota Crossing at 2490 Market St. NE this past summer.
Providing healthier food options in Prince George's County
In addition to smoothies boosted with superfoods like chia seeds and acai berries, Tropical Smoothie Cafe also offers wraps, quesadillas, salads, and sandwiches. Hicks loves the avocolada with avocado, spinach, kale, pineapple, coconut, and lime.
Why Tropical Smoothie Cafe?
The Magby's believe franchising is a smart pathway to ownership for first-timers. “Your percentage of failure should be significantly lower because you’re buying into something,” Magby says. “People know the name, the logo, and the product. If we opened ‘David and Alesha’s Smoothies,’ people would ask, ‘Who are they? What are they putting in there?’ This is a safer route and you have the support.”
Supporting Their Community
The couple is also focused on hiring young adults from the community and mentoring them. “These are great kids—they have dreams and they want to talk to you,” Hicks says. “You see them working hard. It’s an awesome thing to see and you get to hear their ideas.”
Magby hopes they’re inspired others to dream big and become business owners. “This is doable,” he says. “A few years back, we didn’t know we were going to do this. People come to us all the time and say, ‘Since you opened, you have provided me with some inspiration.
We look forward to our partnership and supporting them as they grow their business
