Investment Banking Professional Signs To Bring First Paris Baguette to the State of Utah

Su Kim ate Paris Baguette throughout her childhood and even recognized its bakery cafés as the place to be for any community gatherings. However, when she came to the U.S. at the age of 20 to continue her education, there were no locations near her.

Having considered entrepreneurship for years, Kim decided she was ready to take on business ownership and immediately thought of the brand. After completing some independent market research, she felt confident that Paris Baguette would be a great fit for the Salt Lake City area, providing an alternative gathering place for members of the community who were uninterested in other leisure options like casinos or bars. She is proud to bring the brand to where she considers her second hometown and aims to have her location open mid-2024.

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

Kim: I am currently in investment banking. I grew up in South Korea, and Paris Baguette was the place to go — I grew up knowing it. I came to the U.S. when I was 20 for work and to further my higher education. I was at the University of Utah pursuing my accounting degree. I earned that, as well as a master’s in accounting, then I joined Goldman Sachs. It has been about 12 years since I started working with Goldman Sachs, but the business and entrepreneur thing always came to me naturally, especially given I studied business and accounting.

I wanted to take on entrepreneurship parallel to my career, and I wanted to do it with something that I love. The state of Utah has grown a lot, but infrastructure and places to eat or get dessert are still lacking. That has been on my mind for a few years, and I’m finally executing my plan as a franchise owner.

Generally, when people think about Utah, it’s not somewhere that you go out gambling or drinking. It’s typically a very conservative place, and people are mingling and getting dessert as opposed to mingling and drinking. They’ll appreciate having a really well-known brand and having access to what Paris Baguette will bring.

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?

Kim: I don’t think I had any biased perceptions. I knew I didn’t want to be creating something brand new. I’d rather be the ambassador of the brand, providing the quality and the desserts here.

I think other people should know to do a lot of research to make sure their brand choice is relevant to the market they want to grow in. Paris Baguette has established great structures and a strong support team. I’m very lucky and grateful to have those resources, but that’s not always going to be the case.

The person should also know what the brand is about and what product they are offering. They have to have a really deep understanding of it before going into it. You can’t just think you’re delivering something that the franchise has created. There are always going to be variables and surprises going in. Preparations matter, and execution is critical.

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

Kim: I love the continuous research and development that Paris Baguette does. They invest quite a bit of their assets into R&D. Based on what I observed, they’re constantly up to speed on the product they offer.

I’m so excited to be a part of the Paris Baguette family because of how much they care about the services and products that they offer. This will also be the first location in Utah, so that really means a lot to me. Being the ambassador of Paris Baguette, in a growing city and state, is a very exciting moment for me.

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

Kim: I’m the first generation of my family in the states as an immigrant. I want to build my portfolio and be successful here. My starting point is only one store, but I’m not stopping there. A total of two or three in the state is my personal goal. Because I think it is such a good product that we offer, and the demand will be here. I want to build a little Paris Baguette community here.

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

Kim: When I came to the states at 20, I had no support. I was doing it completely independently because I wanted to explore new experiences and get further in my education. I’m grateful for my opportunity and experience. 

As a first-generation immigrant, I’m proud to be bringing something that I enjoyed as a child to my second hometown.

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

Kim: Find something that interests you. Sometimes, people think that you just pay the franchisor and let the business run. That it’s very easy because you don’t have to develop a brand new product or service. But still, you have to be very passionate about what you’re offering. You are still the one that will take and sell what you’re offering. Be genuinely interested in the product or service. Think about what will be of interest to you based on your heart rather than, “This is a very famous franchise name. Let’s do it.”

You should also understand the nuance of your local area and what you are capable of based on your own experience and network. You need all the support you can get to reach the opening stage. It takes time and multiple steps to get to where you want to be.

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 parisbaguette.com/franchising/.