A 2013 participant in Missouri Western’s applied entrepreneurship program purchased the Golden Corral in St. Joseph, Missouri. Scott Lassen ’10, who was awarded a Fresca’s Mexican Grill in Woodburn, Oregon in the 2013 competition, sold that restaurant to another Missouri Western alumnus and moved to St. Joseph to operate the Golden Corral.
Scott Lassen ’10
Lassen received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Missouri Western and an MBA from California State University-Long Beach. In 2013, he enrolled in the applied entrepreneurship class in the Craig School of Business. Although he was living in California, he was able to participate in the class via Skype.
At the end of the class he was awarded the Fresca’s restaurant that was owned by Steve Craig, benefactor of Missouri Western and for whom the Craig School of Business is named.
Lassen had great success at Fresca’s and sold it to Mindy Schimming ’14, a participant in the applied entrepreneurship program in 2015.
The Golden Corral in St. Joseph is about four times bigger than Fresca’s in revenue and staff size.
“Scott is one of the stars of our program,” said Pam Klaus ’03, director of franchise programs in the Craig School of Business. “By turning around a small business, he’s earned the opportunity to own and manage a much larger business, and he has ambitions to go even further.”
In addition to owning a restaurant, Lassen develops smart phone apps, including one to help people learn to speak, read and write Arabic.
“This is one of the best examples of the vision of the program’s architect, Steve Craig.” said Dr. Michael Lane, dean of the Craig School of Business. “We provide the winners with a minimal risk opportunity to assume ownership of their first franchise so they can prove themselves and move into more complex business opportunities.”