T-Mobile Manager Trades Employee Title for Business Owner; Opens Biggby Coffee

Aaron and Elizabeth “Libby” Clarno’s journey into franchising started with their passion for coffee. Having moved to the Brookfield area in Wisconsin from the Pacific Northwest about a year and a half ago, they noticed a gap in the coffee scene in their community. Coming from a region where coffee culture is a big deal, the Clarnos felt that they could make a difference by offering high-quality coffee to the local community.

However, they knew that starting a business from scratch could be a daunting task. That’s when they began exploring franchise opportunities that aligned with their values and goals. After thorough research, they decided that BIGGBY® COFFEE was the perfect fit for them.

Despite being first-time business owners, Aaron and Libby are excited to embark on this new journey and share their passion for coffee with their community. In June, the couple is set to open their first BIGGBY® COFFEE franchise location at N20 W22951 Watertown Road, Suite 101, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

1851 Franchise recently spoke to the pair, who shared their insights on their decision to franchise and why they chose BIGGBY® COFFEE.

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

Aaron: I ran a few T-Mobile stores for the last five years, and before that, I worked in construction. We just moved to Wisconsin from the Pacific Northwest, and we’ve been here for about a year and a half. We moved to the Brookfield area, knowing we had always wanted to open our own coffee shop. When we got here, we started looking at our options. We knew we didn’t want to start a business from scratch, which is why we sought out franchise opportunities. After doing our research, we decided that BIGGBY® COFFEE was the best fit for us. They’re a growing brand. They’re expanding in Wisconsin. And from a franchisor perspective, they bring a lot to the table.

Libby: I grew up in Wisconsin. One of the biggest reasons we decided to open a franchise was because every time we would visit my family, there just weren’t many options for coffee. And coming from the Northwest, we figured we could improve on that. Every time we would visit, we asked ourselves, “Where do we go?” That was a huge factor for us. That’s one of the reasons we decided to take the initiative and open a coffee shop.

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?

Aaron: We’ve always been open to the idea of franchising. We wanted to build something, but starting from scratch can be a huge undertaking. Franchises provide you with a simplified way of running your business. We like that they have a proven, established business model that is geared to help you get your business up and running.

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

Aaron: We love coffee. I think that’s one of the biggest things. But when we were doing research, we learned that BIGGBY® COFFEE has its BCubed model, which is a drive-thru-only concept. Our first location will have inside seating as well as a drive-thru, but we really saw the value in the drive-thru-only concept. We like the idea of being able to provide coffee in an easily accessible way, where guests don’t have to leave their cars.

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

Aaron: Our ultimate goal is to open three-to-five locations. We just want to be able to build brand awareness in our area and introduce BIGGBY® COFFEE to as many people in our community as possible. Again, we’re new to the area, so we’d like to use BIGGBY® COFFEE as a starting point to get introduced to the people, organizations and businesses within our community.

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

Aaron: We’re very passionate, and we love coffee. That’s really what this entire journey is about. We didn’t want to open just any old franchise. We wanted to own a coffee franchise. We truly love coffee, and we want to share our passion with as many people as we can.

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

Aaron: Take your time, and do your research. Get to know the people you’ll be working with because that’s what makes all the difference.

About The BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise

BIGGBY® COFFEE, based in East Lansing, Michigan, 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 such as 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.