Meet the Police Officer Who Owns a Subway Franchise

Kiesha Haggerty, Black woman police officer who owns Subway franchise

Kiesha Haggerty has been a full-time police officer with the Oakland Police Department for 20 years, but she's also a successful entrepreneur. She opened her first Subway franchise two years ago and helped provide jobs for people in her community. With its success, she is set to open another Subway franchise this year!
A tough beginning

Life began early for Kiesha. She became a mother at a young age, but it didn't stop her from achieving more for herself and her son. It is actually what inspired her to graduate early from high school, enroll in college, and work multiple jobs until she joined the police force at the age of 19.

Most of her lunch breaks, she visits a local Subway restaurant where she could eat affordable and healthier food than other similar fast foods. One time, she had a sudden urge of opening up her own Subway. On that very same day, she went home and started searching on how to become a Subway franchise owner. Since then, she pursued the path of becoming a franchise owner.

"I couldn't believe how fast it all happened," Kiesha told Black Enterprise. "I knew I always wanted to have my own business, but I knew nothing about how to get there."

How she got funded

Subway, the world's largest submarine sandwich chain with about 40,000 locations around the world since it started franchising in 1974, provides extensive support -- from training to real estate -- to those who want to franchise.

Through the Subway Minority Loan Program, which helps first-time franchise owners fund a portion of the full franchise fee for up to 42 months with interest-free payments for six months, Haggerty opened up her first location in the city of Pinole even though she didn't really have any business background.

"Everything was so new to me, that I didn't really go into the business with any expectations," she said. Despite that, everything has been going well for her that in just two years since she started her first location, it has already broken even and has now been a profitable business. This month, she is also opening her second location, with a more contemporary design, in the city of Richmond.

A positive impact in the community

Haggerty has been bringing a positive impact to the people in her community through her business. Aside from providing jobs, she can also launch fundraising programs for the benefit of local organizations through the Subway Cares program.

Moreover, Haggerty has no plans on stopping her law enforcement career. She also hopes she could open more Subway franchises.

"I have a really great team, which includes my brother. I have my full-time job during the day, and head to the restaurant afterwards to help close. I also work on the weekends. It's really important to prioritize," she said. "I didn't grow up with much, and certainly didn't have anything left to me. This is my legacy to my son, my grandchildren and their children."
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