1851

Alex Hsieh, a lifetime entrepreneur, has never approached business with a focus on what&nbsp;he wants. Rather, he says, he works to identify a need in the community, research potential solutions and bring the best-fit business to the area. Recently, this approach led him to Paris Baguette*.As a loyal customer himself, Hsieh knew the value of having a Paris Baguette in the community; he would even drive from Long Island to Queens to get Paris Baguette cakes. Now, with two locations on Long Island and one in Queens, he has signed to bring a bakery café to Staten Island.1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us.&nbsp;What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Hsieh:&nbsp;I started with self-owned businesses in 1992. For my career, I went straight into business ownership. Back then, it was all cell phones and pagers. That slowed down a little bit, the telecommunications industry changed, and I realized that the only business that will survive is food and entertainment, so I began to shift.About eight years ago, we got involved with bubble tea — Gong Cha. We started creating more Gong Cha locations and also became licensed Starbucks operators. My approach has never been that I choose a business I want to open; I just look around and see what the area needs. I really believed that Long Island needed a Paris Baguette, because the closest one was in Queens. I was driving to Queens just to buy a cake. So, that’s how I got involved with Paris Baguette.&nbsp;We built one and acquired one on Long Island, acquired a corporate store in Queens and now Staten Island is where the need is. For the Staten Island location, I am partnering with our Gong Cha team from the Staten Island Mall, and I have another business partner for locations on Long Island.1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Hsieh:&nbsp;I thought it would be easier for me to go with a franchise because you get all kinds of support. You don’t have to spend many, many hours figuring stuff out… You just follow the SOPs. At the end, you do pay a lot of royalties, but it’s worth it for the sense of protection. You know you already have a die-hard customer and a loyal client base.1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Hsieh:&nbsp;There’s a need. Out of all the competing brands, Paris Baguette has a stronger team, and they are very aggressively developing. It's a great team to work with. I’ve been their customer for the last 15 years. I love the brand, and I know other people do, too.1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Hsieh:&nbsp;We probably have 10 Paris Baguette locations in the pipeline right now. We are the exclusive developers for Long Island — there will be a minimum of six locations there. We plan to have two more in Staten Island. We’ve not quite found a second location, but that will probably be close to the Staten Island Mall. The remaining locations will be in the other borough.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?Hsieh:&nbsp;I always had a plan. I told myself, “If this works, I’ll multiply by 10. If it’s good, I’ll do 10 more locations.”I believe that money can look for you. Do the best you can, be a better person and have a vision, and it will come to you.1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?Hsieh:&nbsp;Never give up. You really have to set a goal and have a plan. A lot of people don’t have that goal set up and aren’t willing to make changes or stay out of their comfort zone.&nbsp;ABOUT PARIS BAGUETTE:Paris Baguette is a bakery café franchise with more than 4,000 units across the globe. The brand first franchised in the U.S. in 2015 and has since established nearly 150 locations in markets across the country, making it one of the premier franchise opportunities in its category. Paris Baguette’s primary mission, executed every day by its expert staff of bakers, cakers and baristas, is to share moments of joy with customers and help customers share moments of joy with their friends and family by providing world-class cakes, pastries, coffees, breads and other French-inspired bakery café fare. For more information, please visit<a href="https://parisbaguette.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=after-noticing-a-need-in-new-york-alex-hsieh-signed-to-expand-with-paris-baguette-2722402" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">&nbsp;https://parisbaguette.com/franchising/.</a>

After Noticing a Need in New York, Alex Hsieh Signed to Expand with Paris Baguette

1851 Franchise

The New York entrepreneur, who already owns three locations in the state, has recently signed for a fourth and says there are many more in the pipeline.

after-noticing-a-need-in-new-york-alex-hsieh-signed-to-expand-with-paris-baguette

Paris Baguette Canada

Photo of exterior of a Paris Baguette location

How Much Can I Make as a Paris Baguette Franchisee?

paris-baguette-franchise-disclosure-document-analysis

Busy Bee Jumpers

Busy Bee Jumpers: Where Proven Success Meets People-First Franchising

busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-culture-success

busy-bee-jumpers-consumer-positioning-image-kids-jumping-bounce-house

Delivering Fun With a Smile: How Busy Bee Jumpers Earns 5-Star Raves From Families Across New England

busy-bee-jumpers-party-rentals

busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-positioning-image

Bouncing Into Business: How Busy Bee Jumpers Is Building the First National Bounce House Franchise

franchise-opportunity-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Photo of exterior of Layne's Chicken Fingers restaurant

Layne’s Franchisees Capitalize on First-To-Market Advantage in Chicken Finger Frenzy

laynes-franchise-first-mover-advantage

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Homebuyers Keep Buying — And That’s Good News for Home Service Franchises - 1851 Franchise

Homebuyers Keep Buying — And That’s Good News for Home Service Franchises

homebuyers-keep-buying-and-thats-good-news-for-home-service-franchises

AI Could Push Unemployment to 20% — Fueling a Surge in First-Time Franchise Buyers - 1851 Franchise

AI Could Push Unemployment to 20% — Fueling a Surge in First-Time Franchise Buyers

ai-unemployment-impact-white-collar-job-loss

How To Sell Just One Franchise: What You’ll Learn at FranCamp NJ 2025

how-to-sell-just-one-franchise-what-youll-learn-at-francamp-nj-2025

House Passes Tax Relief Package With Key Benefits for Small Businesses and Franchises

house-passes-small-business-tax-relief-bill-2025

McDonald’s To Hire 375,000 Workers as It Prepares for Major U.S. Expansion

mcdonalds-to-hire-375000-workers-as-it-prepares-for-major-us-expansion

franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Brianna and Matt Fitchett, Seniors Helping Seniors logo

Nonprofit Leaders to Bring Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise to East Bay, California

nonprofit-leaders-to-bring-seniors-helping-seniors-franchise-to-east-bay-california

franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Abid Khan and Paris Baguette logo

Longtime Tim Horton’s Franchisee Signs 4-Unit Agreement with Paris Baguette in Toronto

longtime-tim-hortons-franchisee-signs-4-unit-agreement-with-paris-baguette-in-toronto

franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Melissa & Matt Johnson and Pigtails & Crewcuts logo

Building a Family-Friendly Business: How Melissa and Matt Johnson Grew Pigtails & Crewcuts in San Antonio

how-melissa-and-matt-johnson-grew-pigtails-crewcuts-in-san-antonio

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Steve & Mia Kim & Paris Baguette logo

After Falling in Love with Paris Baguette, This North Carolina Couple Decided To Open One of Their Own

paris-baguette-franchise-charlotte-nc

The Top 20 Handyman Franchises To Invest in for 2025

top-handyman-franchises-to-invest-in

How Car Sales Taught Buddy's Home Furnishings’ Mitchell Lee the Secrets of Franchise Development

how-car-sales-taught-buddys-home-furnishings-mitchell-lee-the-secrets-of-franchise-development

The Top 20 Cleaning Franchises to Invest in for 2025

top-cleaning-franchises-to-invest-in

Affordable Franchise Opportunities: Exploring Low-Cost Home Service Franchises Under $50K

affordable-franchise-opportunities-exploring-low-cost-home-service-franchises-under-50k

After Noticing a Need in New York, Alex Hsieh Signed to Expand with Paris Baguette

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS