Why This IT Professional Signed To Bring a Paris Baguette Bakery Café to Cedar Park, Texas

After working to build a successful career in the internet technology space for years, Sushma Koritala began considering other opportunities through which she could continue to grow. Though she explored a few different coffee, bakery and quick-service food concepts, Paris Baguette quickly rose to the top of the list thanks to its strong franchisee support systems.

Now, as she works to secure real estate and open her Cedar Park, Texas bakery café, Koritala says she looks forward to continuing to grow with the brand and is hopeful to open additional locations in 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?

Koritala: I’m a software engineer by schooling. I’ve worked in health care and am now an IT manager at General Motors.

I am involved in other business segments aside from Paris Baguette, including a consulting firm where we provide IT services and a real estate business.

I thought the franchise would be another good segment to add to the portfolio. There were other small franchises that I looked at, but this was the biggest one. I decided to go ahead with 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?

Koritala: I didn’t really have a perception. I attended a Paris Baguette conference in Dallas, and I was reading some stories about the brand. I was interested but wanted to make sure I had found something that would offer more support than what I thought I would need with real estate and training. 

Support is the biggest thing. Sometimes it's not about the cost and infrastructure, but it’s all about the support in every stream, which differentiates Paris Baguette from other brands.

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

Koritala: With a background in IT, I was interested in exploring different avenues to see where I wanted to spread my wings. With the support franchisees get, that’s how I knew Paris Baguette differentiated itself. And, of course, the brand name has its value. I can’t deny that.

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

Koritala: My plans are to expand with more than one franchise. I’m definitely interested in opening different areas based on Paris Baguette’s guidance. 

IT also has a lot of pressure, so at some point, I’ll be where I just need to enjoy life. Paris Baguette will help me to be happy doing that.

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

Koritala: Coming from India is kind of unique.I don’t have any background with the brand in India. I navigated through life trying to build my career in IT before I spread my wings to other opportunities.

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

Koritala: From the coaching perspective, I don’t think I've completely gone through everything, but I would guide them all to look at support.

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/.