1851

Longtime friends Nirja Sharma and Rupak Rauniar are combining their professional experience in finance, marketing and franchising to open the only <a href="http://wirelesszonefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-voices-nirja-sharma-rupak-raunier-of-wireless-zone-6662" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wireless Zone</a> retail space in Houston proper. 

Nirja comes from a banking and finance background while her partner Rupak is a professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake as well as a multi-unit franchisee with Double Dave&#39;s Pizza. Now, they&#39;ll combine their experience to open a <a href="http://wirelesszone.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-voices-nirja-sharma-rupak-raunier-of-wireless-zone-6662" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wireless Zone</a> store near the university. 

The two have big expansion plans and Houston is a top development market for the nearly 400 unit Wireless Zone brand. 1851 had a chance to catch up with Nirja to learn more about how the two got involved with the brand.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I have been in Houston since 2003, and before that I lived in Dallas and Florida. I completed my bachelor&rsquo;s degree in accounting with a minor in finance at the University of Houston and worked in the banking industry, including 6 years as a private banker for JP Morgan Chase.&nbsp; Before that I did work for an indirect dealer of T-Mobile phones and managed several stores.&nbsp;My partner, Rupak, has been in Houston for eight years, after moving from Mississippi. He has a PHD and teaches marketing at the University of Houston- Clear Lake.

Why did you choose to become a franchisee with Wireless Zone? How did you learn about the brand?

We were looking into starting a business and my husband and business partner attended the franchising expo in Houston. We initially were looking into a restaurant concept, as my partner already owns several pizza franchises, but when it came down to the investment opportunity there are so many licenses and regulations in&nbsp;the industry that we started to look&nbsp;at&nbsp;other concepts as well.

They met Keith from Wireless Zone at the expo and started doing some research on the brand. We found that Wireless Zone is an established company, and a really great&nbsp;investment.

What&rsquo;s next for you and your business? Do you have any development or&nbsp;expansion plans with the brand? 

We hope to&nbsp;open&nbsp;a couple new locations in the next few years. We&rsquo;d like to eventually&nbsp;have at least three stores with Wireless Zone.

Franchisee Voices: Nirja Sharma & Rupak Raunier of Wireless Zone

1851 Franchise

Nirja Sharma and Rupak Rauniar combined their professional experience in multiple industries to open a Wireless Zone location in Houston.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

franchisee-voices-nirja-sharma-rupak-raunier-of-wireless-zone

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

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

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

franchise supplier award design with Locate AI logo and 1851 Franchise badge

Franchise Real Estate Services | Locate AI — Emerging Leaders in Franchise Support

locate-ai-emerging-leaders-in-franchise-support

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition — Point of Differentiation

how-to-position-your-value-proposition-with-a-point-of-differentiation

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Clarify Your Positioning – The “Why You/Why Now”

the-ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises-how-to-clarify-your-positioning-the-why-youwhy-now

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

Franchisee Voices: Nirja Sharma & Rupak Raunier of Wireless Zone

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS