All This and More Before 24

Think back to when you were 24 years old. Rough, I know. Although the post-grad years can be a bumpy transition from college to real life, these young entrepreneurs are not only skilled beyond their years but are also changing the shape of the food industry by bringing a fresh, new perspective to an old dog’s game. Jacob Cruse, 24 – Pita Pit franchisee in Lawrence, Kan. “I've been with Pita Pit for a while now, but there’s a lot more aspects of the business that come with being an owner,” says Cruse. “I also have some employees that are 20 years older than me, which is great, but the age difference is always there. it can feel a little different when you have to correct someone older or make sure they do things my way.” Even after working at Pita Pit for the duration of his college career, Jacob Cruse never thought owning a food-service franchise was in his future. While working toward his degree in computer science from the University of Iowa, Jacob’s father, Tom Cruse, bought the family’s first restaurant it in Mason City, Iowa: a Pita Pit. A second location for the family’s dynasty soon followed in Sioux Falls, S.D. Due to Tom’s superb growth at the family’s initial store, when the Lawrence, Kan. location became available, he was offered the chance to purchase it. Jacob was interested in the opportunity and felt that now was a good time to establish his own presence with Pita Pit. “Most times I don't think about my age when running this place day to day,” says Cruse. “More often than not, I will get reminded of my age when another vendor or business wants to use Pita Pit in advertising or promotional events. They are surprised when I'm the one they need to speak with rather than someone much older.”   Nathan Lee, 24 – Lenny’s Sub Shop franchisee in Gainesville, Ga. “When I was in high school, and my friends and I would walk around, I would say I had this goal of driving through a city and owning everything,” Lee says. “I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit.” The 24-year-old received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Georgia State and took a job with AT&T right out of school. After six months of leadership training in Georgia, the company placed him in Chicago where he managed three stores for a year. But moving to a big city where he knew no one was a struggle for the southerner. “That year taught me that if I’m going to invest 70 to 80 hours a week in work, I want it to be with people I’d like to spend time with,” Lee says. “I learned an awful lot by being thrown into an unfamiliar territory with no true support system.” Lee’s entrepreneurial dreams are supported by his parents, particularly his father Garry, who is also going in on the Lenny’s franchise. The two toyed around with the idea of one day opening a motorcycle shop, a hobby they share, but realized that the economic downturn didn’t exactly make that a viable option. “My dad brings a lot of experience from his previous careers, and I've got the energy and excitement,” Nathan says.   Kishan Kansagra, 24 – TCBY Franchisee in Ramsey, N.J. dth="252" caption="Kishan Kansagra - TCBY"][/caption] For Kansagra, hospitality has always been in his blood. He grew up in the hotel-development industry through his family’s business and knew it was what he wanted to pursue for his future. Kansagra attended Penn State University and received a degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management in 2011. The major included a program where six of his college peers conducted an international business experience with six students from Hong Kong and six from Holland. Collectively, they each spent six months in the respective countries to get a feel for doing business overseas. The experience fueled Kansagra’s growing entrepreneurial spirit and showed him how to start with an idea and execute. Kishan made the decision to get into fro-yo, with support from his family, based on the growth of the food trend and, frankly, how fun it can be coupled with the joy it brings people.