Father, Son, Franchisees: Building a Business and Bonds Across Generations

Franchising has always been about more than profit. For me, it’s about people — and more specifically, my family. My father was one of the original Subway franchisees in our region over 20 years ago. We built the business side by side, and that experience has shaped how I think about entrepreneurship, relationships and leadership to this day. 

With much of my dad’s wisdom in mind, I launched new ventures across Southern Ohio and eventually brought my own sons into the fold. Since opening our first Hot Head Burritos in Portsmouth in 2015, we’ve grown to three units and expanded into area development across Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

Today, my sons play active roles in the business. Kyle runs daily operations and focuses on guest experience, while Kurt leads our real estate and construction efforts — from new store buildouts to residential housing projects. We’ve each found a lane based on our strengths, and that’s been key to our growth.

Fom Entrepreneur to…