Electrical Engineer Supports Sons’ Entrepreneurial Dreams With New Paris Baguette in Tukwila, Washington

Paris Baguette*, the global bakery café franchise with over 160 locations across the U.S., is quickly growing in Washington state. Their second Washington location, at 17095 Southcenter Parkway in Tukwila, is set to open early June. The growth is being led by Edwin Chang, a career electrical engineer who made the investment to create an opportunity for his sons to chase their dreams and create a family legacy.

After successfully completing their college educations, Chang’s sons spent time managing their uncle’s bubble tea shops and experienced small business leadership. They began to communicate their own dreams of business ownership, and Chang knew he would support them however he could. Through an investment with Paris Baguette, he is supporting this dream while also bringing a much-needed experience to his own community and positioning his sons to make a meaningful impact on the community both in and beyond the bakery café.

1851 Franchise spoke with Chang to learn more about his journey to franchising and goals for the future.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Chang: My parents came to the U.S. when I was 19, and I went back to high school to learn more English before going to college. I graduated from Seattle University and became an electrical engineer. I’ve been doing that for almost 30 years. 

I now have three grown sons who have all graduated college but have also been interested in business. They want to run their own business, and I support that! They have helped my brother out in his bubble tea shops, so they got to know what it’s like to run a small business, and that got me thinking; if I can help them out, maybe they can run their own business.

My brother is also opening a Paris Baguette, so the brand was actually his recommendation. We know that they are a very successful global brand, and we feel they have a strong chance in the U.S. and in Washington, specifically. I will be staying at my full-time engineering job, so I won’t be on the frontline of Paris Baguette with my sons — at least until I retire. But by helping them with this foundation, they’ll be able to run the business as a family business and grow from there.

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?

Chang: I knew that buying a franchise meant I would have to pay royalties and follow the guidelines. 

As someone looking to start a small business, you might think that you should avoid franchising because of those costs. But another thing to consider is that the brand name is already established, and the products are well-developed. You don’t have to spend as much time trying and failing and trying and failing. That’s probably the most attractive part of becoming a franchisee.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Chang: When I look at my local markets, I don’t see anything like Paris Baguette. There is nothing that offers the quality and variety that Paris Baguette does, so I figured we would have a good competitive edge in the area.

I’m also confident that my sons will have support as they grow. If they had to create their own plan and develop a business, they would have to go through a lot of failures along the way, and that might discourage them from pursuing their dreams. Having a well-known business that has already established systems is a good choice for a starter. Once they’re successful with Paris Baguette and learn more about business, then they will be better equipped to expand into a new business of their own if they’d like.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Chang: I want my sons to have a good life — one that is not limited because of finances. Once you’re financially stable, you can see more things and live your life for more reasons than just making money. You can look for things that bring meaning to your life. I want my sons to get to that level.

I also want them to be able to look out for other people. We’re Christian, so that value is very important to us. But in order to do that, you have to have some sort of financial freedom. You have to get to a certain point before you can look around and see if anyone around you needs help. Hopefully, the business will help them get to that point.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Chang: I know that the business will be demanding, and my kids will have to work overtime as they get it started, but eventually, we’ll try to get them to a point where we can hire and train more people. We can grow with our employees and have them step into management roles to share some of that responsibility with us.

That will allow my sons to have more time freedom to do other things including going to church and keeping their faith. That will also create opportunities for them to participate more in the church and community. As we become successful, we can start looking out for places where we can help. We can start through activities through the church and expand from there. That is our ideal scenario.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Chang: The first thing is to look at the financial aspect. Do you have the financial power to become a franchisee? Look into how much it will cost to set up a business, and be sure to ask the franchisor specific questions about cost. If you are a first-time franchisee, you might not know which questions to ask, so be curious and understand that there may be some things you might miss.

Another thing to consider is what will be required of you to run the business. How many people will you need to hire? What are the business hours? What is the cost of goods? You’re running a business to make money, so figure those things out and try to come up with your profit potential to help make the decision.

Remember that what the franchisor tells you might not be completely true for you. There is still an unknown aspect. Even if there are 100 successful locations across the country, if you are not buying an established location, the data you receive is not directly applicable to your specific market and location.

ABOUT PARIS BAGUETTE: 

Paris Baguette is a bakery café franchise with more than 4,000 units across the globe. The global brand first franchised in the U.S. in 2015 and has since established over 160 locations in markets across the country, making them one of the premier franchise opportunities in their category. Paris Baguette’s primary mission, executed every day by their expert staff of bakers, cakers and baristas, is to provide guests with a warm, welcoming bakery café experience that creates joy for all. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.