June 2, 2023–Jakob Grimm, a 2023 graduate of the Craig School of Business at Missouri Western State University, was awarded a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory franchise in the latest competition sponsored by Missouri Western’s Center for Franchise Development.
Left to right: Steven L. Craig; Pam Klaus, Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, Jakob Grimm, Robert Sarlls, and Jeff Geygan
“This has been my goal – what I have been working toward throughout my entire college career,” said Grimm. “This is an opportunity that is not presented anywhere else.”
Grimm, from St. Joseph, was one of eight students in a senior-level Applied Business Ownership class this spring. Students in the class prepared business plans, and two finalists presented their plans to a panel of judges that included Steven L. Craig, creator of the franchise competition, Robert Sarlls, CEO of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, other business leaders and Missouri Western graduates who won franchises in previous years.
“It was a very spirited competition,” Craig said. “I would like to thank everyone who has supported this program for the past 14 years.”
This year marks a significant milestone in the program’s history as a past franchise awardee is the one providing a franchise to the new awardee. In 2016, Stephanie Tripp was awarded an Auntie Anne’s franchise through the program, and now owns several franchise locations. She and her husband offered up their Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory location to the program, which is now being awarded to Grimm.
“We truly have come full circle,” said Ross Theesen ’15, a previous winner and one of the judges. “A store owner took the store that they owned and is now giving an opportunity to another student. That’s how big this program is getting – we’re able to give back.”
During the announcement of Grimm’s award, Theesen shared exciting news of additional support for Missouri Western’s franchise program. Sarlls, along with Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Chairman Jeff Geygan, solidified their partnership with the program by generously donating $10,000. Furthermore, in a gesture of goodwill with the latest awardee, they waived the $5,000 transfer fee that the awardee would be required to pay to receive the franchise.
The franchise awarded to Grimm is the 34th store to be awarded through the program founded in 2009. Many of the alumni have expanded on their initial business: they currently own a total of 58 stores across the United States, employing 678 people with annual sales of more than $32 million.
Grimm graduated last month with a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing. At Missouri Western, he served as vice president of finance, vice president of communications and vice president of member enrichment for Alpha Sigma Phi. For the last year, he worked as a marketing intern at East Hills Shopping Center. Since 2019 he has worked as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens, and has also worked at Green Hills Grocery, both in St. Joseph.
The program provides initial capital for the stores, which the alumni pay back over five years. The entrepreneurs also receive ongoing support from faculty members, the Craig School of Business Advisory Council, Craig and each other. Additionally, the owners are expected to donate a portion of their store’s proceeds back to the University. So far, the donations have totaled approximately $325,000.
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.