Mother-Son Team Share Stories Through Custom Garments As Big Frog Franchisees

United States Air Force veteran Otis Horne previously managed several small businesses in his Wesley Chapel, Florida, community while also working as a content creator manager. His creative side drew him to a new entrepreneurial opportunity with Big Frog, the custom T-shirt franchise concept, but he has not taken on the business venture alone. 

His mother, Jeri, is his business partner. She has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and had a successful career in family services, as well as a decade-long stint as the program manager for drug testing and education at MacDill Air Force Base. 

Now, the dynamic duo enjoy making people in their community laugh with funny T-shirts and telling stories through the garments they make. 

While some people say working with family is not a good idea, Horne begs to differ. He has found that he and his mom can rely on each other’s abilities because of how close they are and how well they know each other, which has led to success in their business. 

“I'm always proud of her accomplishments,” Otis Horne said. “I don't know what I would do without her. I love my mom.”

1851 Franchise spoke with Horne about his journey into franchising with his mom by his side and their plans for the future.

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

Horne: Before this, I was managing multiple smoke shops in the area. My mother was — and still is — the treasurer for her regional sorority chapter. This opportunity opened up and I knew I wanted to be able to step in and do more in my community. Big Frog allowed me to have a direct impact on the people around me and see those people face-to-face. I love to see their reactions to the services we provide. 

The overall culture of the environment with Big Frog is awesome. I’m surrounded by really great personalities and the kind of people I want to be around even outside of the office, which I think is quite rare. It’s a great team.

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

Horne: I'm just a creative person. Before this, while I was managing multiple smoke shops, I was also a content creator manager for multiple businesses. I love thinking of things that can make someone laugh and being able to translate that into garments, and it's not just me making funny things — it's the people coming in. They will share something silly from their background or story and that was a huge reason that I wanted to step into this.

1851: Tell us about your experience working with your mother.

Horne: Any group of people that are working together are going to occasionally disagree even when working towards the same goal. But my mom and I are very professional when we work together and can step into a business conversation without anything personal getting dragged into it. We know each other so well and we're both really comfortable and confident with each other's abilities — more than other people could be. We're able to talk everything out and find a solution in no time. It’s been such a blessing, honestly, to be able to do this with my mom. 

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

Horne: Currently, I would like to make some more money, of course. But I would also like to be able to grow the business and make sure that everyone within a three-to-four mile radius in my community knows about the store. So many people just don't know we exist. I know full well that we can offer a better service and a better product than almost every online option. I would absolutely love to expand and get another store in the future, too.

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

Horne: If you have the opportunity, absolutely do it. With Big Frog specifically, our customer base is quite literally people who wear clothes, and I don't know where you live, but that's at least 97% of people in this area. 

If you're concerned about it, specifically about what abilities you'll need to be a franchise owner, the biggest is going to be your personality. Do you actually like being around people? That’s an unavoidable part of this industry. If you’re looking for something that's a quick cash flip or you're more data driven, I may not point you in the direction of Big Frog. But if you're a creative individual or you just have a passion to be helpful to those in your community, Big Frog is the way to go.

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

Horne: My mom recently received an award for her hard work and dedication as the treasurer for her sorority chapter. I'm always proud of her accomplishments: both with this business and her personal business. I tell people all the time that she was very straightforward and by-the-book when I was growing up, and I appreciate her for that because I had the guidance that was needed to become a healthy, operational human being. I don't know what I would do without her. I love my mom.

ABOUT BIG FROG CUSTOM T-SHIRTS & MORE

Locally owned and operated, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More specializes in Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing, a clean and green apparel printing technology. Big Frog is a one-stop-shop for “un-frog-ettable” custom apparel with a wide selection of services including screen printing, embroidery, vinyl, and Ultra Print (heat press). Established in 2008 by co-founders Leeward Bean, Tina Bacon-DeFrece and Ron DeFrece, the franchise brand has since expanded to nearly 100 locations in 25 states and Canada offering free 15-minute, in-person design help, no minimums, and fast turnaround (often 24-hours) on DTG printing. Globally headquartered in Dunedin, Fla., Big Frog Franchise Group is led by President and CEO Tina Bacon-DeFrece. To learn more about franchising opportunities in the United States, visit BIGFROGFRANCHISE.COM For Canadian franchise information, visit Big Frog Canada Corp. at BIGFROG.CA.