Fast Food To Fast Finance

Even though you’re young, inexperienced, maybe a little lacking in the “people skills” department, you figure that, with a good head on your shoulders, you’ll figure it out. During your senior year you check out Subway’s Ownership Path program, determined to “find out about this whole franchise thing.”

Subway, like Tesch, was born in Connecticut, and despite humble beginnings, was on a trajectory toward huge success. At just 22 years old, Tesch opened his first franchise location in Waterbury, Conn., but quickly discovered that becoming a business leader was not the smooth ride he’d hoped. Scrubbing toilet bowls, restocking salami, and guiding staff who might be ten years his senior were likely not on his successful businessman Bingo card. And yet, it set a foundation for his future in the mortgage industry. 

“I had the ability to start RCN Capital and hit the ground running because I developed those people skills at Subway,” Tesch said. “And you would think, what in the world does putting pickles on a sandwich have to do with making loans?”

Turns out, nearly everything. 

Although Tesch says he had “way more entrepreneurial spirit than most people,” as a recent college graduate he also had student loans to repay and little to no credit history. To secure financing, he turned to his father, who co-signed the loan for his first Subway in Waterbury.

“The fact that my father said yes so quickly — it was like a done deal,” Tesch said. “But nothing about my journey was easy after that.”

“They didn’t prepare you for the nitty-gritty,” he continued, “like mopping floors, cleaning bathrooms, or managing a team.”

Before opening his first store, Tesch attended informational meetings for Subway’s franchise ownership program, where he learned the basics of day-to-day restaurant operations. However, they neglected to mention the less attractive duties owners might face.

“I quickly learned that if you weren’t willing to do every job yourself, alongside your employees, you couldn’t build loyalty or respect,” he said.

Owners aren’t exempt from scrubbing toilets if there isn’t a dedicated employee who’s willing and able to do the work. Oftentimes, if someone quit or couldn’t make their shift, Tesch had to fill in.

“It wasn’t something I expected, but learning how to treat everyone with respect — no matter what their specific task was — was something I figured out really quickly,” he said.