Why This Montana Franchisee and Army National Guard Has Been with Papa Murphy’s Since High School

Joshua Bernhart’s journey with Papa Murphy's began as a high school job and evolved into a family business. He joined his father-in-law's franchise after high school, managed it for six years, and eventually became the owner with his wife four years ago. 

Now, as a full-time member of the Montana Army National Guard, Bernhart balances his military career with running the franchise, drawn to the brand's unique take-and-bake model and its strong community presence. Papa Murphy’s provides consistency and a sense of community, something Bernhart deeply values. 

He shared with 1851 Franchise how this journey has shaped his life and what he hopes to achieve for his family and business.

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

Joshua Bernhart: I worked at Papa Murphy's in high school. About three years after I graduated, my father in law had purchased some stores in Montana and he had asked [me and my wife] to come and run one of those stores. So we moved over. We did that for about six years prior, and then I joined the military — I am currently full-time Montana Army National Guard. Then, four years ago, we ended up purchasing the franchise from him, purchasing the store, and started running it.  

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?

Bernhart: There’s a lot of good things, because a lot of it is standardized so you can go to every location and it should be the same. The challenge of the franchise, for me, is there's not a lot of creativity or you can't really deviate from the structure of it. But I had a good perception and, at the time, Papa Murphy's actually had a really good program for veterans to get into the business to purchase it. 

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

Bernhart: It's unique. There's not a lot of take-and-bake pizza options. Right now, Papa Murphy's is pretty much the only take-and-bake option in Missoula. I also liked the idea of not having to have ovens. You're not having to go out and deliver pizzas — everything's right there in the store. And for us, we have a good community base where you get to know people and learn their stories just through buying pizza. 

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

Bernhart: Right now, we're at a point where we've been doing it for 20 years. so we're hoping to get to a point where we'll be able to transfer it on to someone else and let them grow the business. With the G.I. Bill, I've gone back to school and my wife's been doing it for so long, she wants to do more mom things and not not be tied down quite as much to the store.

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

Bernhart: With the store, there is the opportunity for owners to get to know their customers — not just as a transaction, but on a personal level. For example, we've had an elderly couple who has come in for 20 years and they became like grandparents to our kids. When they started needing more help, we were there helping them. So for us, the opportunity to have more than transactional relationships with your customers is huge. 

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

Bernhart: Be patient and be prepared. Go in with the mindset that you're going to be doing a lot of hard work up front, but come up with a standard, hold that standard and keep it as you grow. With employees, if you hire someone and you know it's not a good match, don't hold on to that person. Just let them go do something that they could thrive at because it's going to be more conflict for you and for that individual if they're put in a position where they're not able to excel.

ABOUT PAPA MURPHY'S

Papa Murphy's International LLC ("Papa Murphy's") is a franchisor and operator of the largest Take 'n' Bake pizza brand in the United States, with over 1,135 franchised and corporate-owned locations across the U.S—plus locations in Canada and the UAE. It’s no surprise that their story is a little unconventional. After all, Papa Murphy’s brought an entirely new approach to the pizza industry. But their unique idea is a simple one: enrich life and community through craveable food. They focus on using quality ingredients, prepared fresh daily, to offer guests everyday meals to take ‘n’ bake at home with ease. In addition to take ‘n’ bake pizzas, Papa Murphy's offers a selection of salads, sides, desserts, and kid’s options. Learn more and order online at papamurphys.com.