From Franchisee to Franchisor: How Peter Riggs Took a Risk and Reward
By: Brian Diggleman
It’s not unusual for an executive of a franchise brand to have gotten their start as a franchisee, nor is it uncommon for an executive to have discovered the brand as a consumer. But not many people can say they fell in love with a brand after experiencing the product, bought into the franchise as a unit owner and then became a member of the executive team–Peter Riggs can.The saga began in the late 90s at the University of Idaho – Moscow. Riggs was still a student when a Canadian concept called Pita Pit opened its second U.S. location near campus. The fresh concept was an instant success and Riggs liked the idea of bringing customization to pitas.
Riggs’ involvement with Pita Pit was only as a customer as he finished his degree and gained experience managing an Italian restaurant in town. It wasn’t until a couple friends asked him to lend a hand with a Pita Pit in California that he got involved with the organization at a deeper level.
“I said I’d love to,” Riggs recalls. “I was helping them out and it became one of those things where the more I helped them, the more involved I got and the more I enjoyed working on it.”
