1851

With two engineering degrees and a successful career working with big names in the industry, Shahla Vatannia approached retirement as an incredibly successful woman — but she wasn’t done yet.The closer she got to retiring, the more she realized she would not be interested in spending her days at home. When her brother approached her about investing in&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette">Paris Baguette*</a>, she knew it was the perfect opportunity for this new stage of her life and would fulfill her lifelong dream of entrepreneurship.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?Vatannia:&nbsp;I was born in Iran, and we moved to Canada at the end of 1997. After about four years, we moved to the U.S. I have a bachelor's degree in engineering, which I earned in Iran. I earned my master's in mechanical engineering in the U.S.I worked with Chevron and did consulting. But when I started thinking about being retired, I knew I couldn’t just sit at home. That’s when I started thinking about opening my own business.My brother was the CEO of a big company, and he wanted to open a&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=retired-engineer-finds-next-adventure-in-paris-baguette-signs-to-open-cafe-in-livermore-ca-2723046" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Paris Baguette</a>. He asked if I wanted to join him, and I said yes. But then he got another high-level job in technology and needed to pivot. I still wanted to do it, though, so I asked my friend Nivad to be my business partner.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?Vatannia:&nbsp;I knew how franchising worked, and I didn’t want to open a business that wasn’t a franchise and wasn’t known to people.I like franchising because the quality of the product will stay high, and that’s the reason customers and franchisees will come back. Some restaurants start with good quality, and after a few months, it goes down. Then they end up closing. With franchising, we have someone supervising us in a way, and they give us comments. We cannot go out of the bounds of the brand standards. Our quality will stay high, and that’s fantastic.1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Vatannia:&nbsp;It’s a really good organization, and we’re all very close to the CEO. I can send him an email or call him directly. It’s not a bureaucratic organization; everyone is very friendly, and there’s teamwork.1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Vatannia:&nbsp;Our market is now sold out, so we will just work to build the best business we can and be sure it continues to be successful.1851:&nbsp;What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?Vatannia:&nbsp;With a background in engineering and science, this whole process was a little bit scary for us when we started. We found that it’s not really difficult, though. We can handle it. There has been some trial and error, but we have realized we can achieve what we want.1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?Vatannia:&nbsp;I think that Paris Baguette is the best option because the organization is a very good one. Everything is set up, and I like the system. I recommend finding this kind of franchise — one where you feel the system is robust and easily accessible.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=retired-engineer-finds-next-adventure-in-paris-baguette-signs-to-open-cafe-in-livermore-ca-2723046" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">&nbsp;parisbaguette.com/franchising/.</a>&nbsp;

Retired Engineer Finds Next Adventure in Paris Baguette, Signs To Open Café in Livermore, CA

1851 Franchise

The former engineer began searching for other opportunities as she approached retirement, and Paris Baguette’s strong systems and organization caught her eye.

retired-engineer-finds-next-adventure-in-paris-baguette-signs-to-open-cafe-in-livermore-ca

Comfort Keepers

How This Comfort Keepers® Franchisee Grew From One Acquisition to a Powerhouse

how-this-comfort-keepers-franchisee-grew-from-one-acquisition-to-a-powerhouse

Caring Transitions

What Makes Caring Transitions the Premier Franchise Choice for Senior Move Management

what-makes-caring-transitions-the-premier-franchise-choice-for-senior-move-management

Jollibee

Photo of Jollibee mascot and two smiling people in Jollibee pajamas

How Jollibee’s Culture Fuels a Global Brand People Love

franchise-culture-brand-success

petbar

petbar franchise logo tenth 10th anniversary

10 Years Strong: How petbar Turned One Dallas Boutique Into a Fast-Growing National Franchise

petbar-10-years-strong-franchise-growth

Griswold

Beaumont Enterprise: Local Woman Brings Griswold Home Care Franchise to Greater Beaumont, Texas

griswold-home-care-greater-beaumont-opening

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 Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

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

How AI Is Transforming Restaurant Operations and Franchises

ai-impact-restaurants-franchises-human-centric-technology

Round Table Pizza Franchisees Take FAT Brands to Court Over Marketing Fund Mismanagement

round-table-pizza-franchisees-take-fat-brands-to-court-over-marketing-fund-mismanagement

FAT Brands Nears Bankruptcy as Creditors Demand Repayment of $1.3 Billion Debt

fat-brands-nears-bankruptcy-as-creditors-demand-repayment-of-13-billion-debt

Callaway Sells Majority Stake in Topgolf to Private Equity for $770 Million

callaway-sells-majority-stake-in-topgolf-to-private-equity-for-770-million

Keith Sizemore headshot, Radiance Holdings

Radiance Holdings Names Keith Sizemore Chief Development Officer

keith-sizemore-radiance-holdings-cdo

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

image of manar landis and maha zirn kashoor from griswold franchise in oklahoma city

Sisters Channel Humanitarian Experience Into New Griswold Franchise Serving Oklahoma City Families

griswold-franchise-oklahoma-city-north-manar-landis-maha-zirn-kashoor

image of michael panos and michel panos, owners of mellow mushroom in Atlanta

What Makes Mellow Mushroom a Strong Franchise Investment? Insights From the Panos Family’s Metro Atlanta Portfolio

mellow-mushroom-franchise-panos-restaurant-group-metro-atlanta

Why Two Siblings Saw a Growing Need for Compassionate Senior Support — and Chose Caring Transitions to Build Their Family Legacy

why-two-siblings-saw-a-growing-need-for-compassionate-senior-support-and-chose-caring-transitions-to-build-their-family-legacy

Retired Engineer Finds Next Adventure in Paris Baguette, Signs To Open Café in Livermore, CA

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS