How a New BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchisee Plans to Use Her Business to Give Back to the Community

Jessica Thomas has built an impressive resume over the course of her career which includes experience working for both the United States Coast Guard and General Motors. However, as time went on and her career progressed, she eventually decided it was time for a change. Jessica knew she wanted to open her own business that she could use as a platform to give back to her local community of Noblesville, Indiana.

When she started thinking about owning her own business, she was already familiar with BIGGBY® COFFEE, the 280-plus-unit, East Lansing, Michigan-based franchise, thanks to her fiancé’s love for it. So, she decided to research the brand and soon learned it would provide her with the perfect path to accomplish her mission and allow her to get more involved with the community. In January, Jessica signed a franchise agreement with BIGGBY® COFFEE to open her very first location in the Noblesville, Indiana area.

1851 Franchise spoke to Jessica about her jump into the world of franchising and what advice she has for others who are contemplating the same.

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

Jessica Thomas: I started my professional career in the Coast Guard, serving in both San Francisco, California, and Miami, Florida. In 2014, I moved back to Noblesville, Indiana, which is where I grew up. Over the years, I worked in manufacturing management for General Motors and Allison Transmission. I eventually left manufacturing and went to work in sales, and in March 2020, We opened a residential solar business. You can imagine how well that went when the pandemic hit. After that, I ended up in my most recent job, where I assist small businesses with advertising and growing their business. Through this experience, my goal of being a small business owner was rekindled.

I have children that’ll be out of the house in the next few years. With that in mind, I really want to build something that is mine which  I can potentially pass down to my children. I want to build a legacy. That’s when I started to think about opening my own business. However, I really didn’t want to have to figure everything out on my own. I started looking at franchising opportunities. BIGGBY® COFFEE sort of fell into my lap. My fiancé is from Michigan and has always had an affinity for BIGGBY® COFFEE. We found out they were offering franchise opportunities down by us and decided to look into it. After some research, I pulled the trigger and signed a franchise agreement in January.

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?

Thomas: Truth be told, I never really thought franchisees owned their own businesses. I thought they were just running someone else’s. But the more I looked into it, the more I realized you are actually running your own business. And depending on the franchise, you have the ability to personalize it and make it your own. BIGGBY® COFFEE is like that. They offer support with more freedom than other franchises I researched.

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

Thomas: I really like that BIGGBY® COFFEE is relatively new in the franchise space. At BIGGBY®, you could just drink our coffee black, which does not seem to be a characteristic of other large coffee shops. I believe that’s a good indication of quality. Not to mention, when you walk into a BIGGBY® COFFEE location, there’s a fun vibe, and it’s always upbeat. Coffee should be a fun part of your day! I think there is space in the market for more coffee shops in the Noblesville and Hamilton County area, and I am excited to offer that to people in the community.

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

Thomas: My current goal is to own three BIGGBY® COFFEE locations within five years. I am excited the first one will be in my hometown of Noblesville.

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

Thomas: I’m really focused on getting involved with and giving back to the local community. That’s been a big part of my journey. I want to build a place for the community to come and have their work meetings. I want high schoolers to come in and hang out and have a place to do work on elearning days. I want to be able to create jobs, help instill and cultivate work ethic  for future generations and provide a place where people enjoy coming to work, while providing excellent service. When you come in for your coffee, whether sporadically or  on a regular basis, I want you to feel welcomed by our staff and our space. I want you to feel comfortable to hang out or just run in and say a quick “hello” when you grab your morning coffee on the way to work or your afternoon coffee before evening carpool. That’s my vision.

Of course, I’m still in the early stages, but another goal of mine is to pick one local organization per quarter to give back to. I think sometimes it is easy to forget  forget there are people in our own immediate community that need help, and I’d like to be able to step up and give back to our community. 

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

Thomas: Just look into it! I was surprised when I first looked into franchising because I thought it would be a really difficult process. If you’re interested, I’d say look into it, ask questions, and fill out the application. You’re not committing to something just by asking a few questions.  

About The BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise

BIGGBY® COFFEE, based in East Lansing, Mich., was started with a single store on March 15, 1995. One year later, and on the cusp of opening a second location, Bob Fish and Michael McFall, on a handshake and $4,000, decided to franchise the concept. The brand’s cultural values of Make Friends, Have Fun, B Yourself and Share Great Coffee help coffee-lovers and the coffee-curious alike benefit from a less pretentious and fun approach to the standard gourmet cafe paradigm. Besides connoisseur-worthy drinks with names like Teddy Bear® and Caramel Marvel®, BIGGBY® COFFEE baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers’ day and supporting them in building a life they love. The “Big ‘B’” on the orange background caught on, and today BIGGBY® COFFEE has 340 cafes across many states, including Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Florida.