Building Bagel businesses one entrepreneur at a time

AIR LAWN, USA – “Lines Out the Door.” “Sold Out Again.” “Exceeding All Expectations.” “Customers are LOVING the product.” The unfranchise concept created by Beth George, a lawyer, baker, international bagel consultant, and owner of BYOB BAGELS in NJ is taking the country and the world by storm. Recently featured in the New York Times, ABC Localish, CBS Sunday Morning, Food 52, Chris Kimball’s Milk Street Kitchen, and other media outlets, the word is now out that Being Your Own (Bagel) Boss can become a reality with experienced and impassioned consultants/coaches by your side.

With clients from nearly two dozen states and more than eight countries, Beth universally advises her clients, “If you make an excellent product with the best all-natural ingredients, focus on business planning, train and value your employees, and spread the word through social media, you will have the recipe to build a successful and sustainable business.”

BYOB BAGELS has been teaching entrepreneurs for more than 7 years to become their own bagel bosses. With the 2020/2021 Pandemic causing many individuals to be concerned about the fate of their jobs, Beth saw an opportunity to bring BYOB BAGELS to the next level. With this new focus, she expanded her services to include not only training on baking techniques, but also coaching her clients to dive deep into the meaning of self-determination, building a business, and becoming an asset to the community.

Additionally, Beth focuses on sustainability in an effort to minimize the carbon footprint and water usage in bagel production. One effort has been training clients on the Boil-in-Place (™) system, which reduces water and residual waste by approximately 2,100 pounds per week for a bagel shop that averages 1000 bagels per day. BYOB BAGELS also added in-house design services with a “green design” engineer to help create more efficient footprints.

Beth collaborates with senior consultant, Frank Mauro, a seasoned veteran in the baking industry and vice president of sales at Excalibur Equipment.

Their training, advice, and mentoring have proven effective not only for earlier clients, like Tina Iordamlis of Bagels on Park in Weehawken, NJ and Gus and Louise Karasakalides of Bake A Bagel in Maspeth, NY, but also for entrepreneurs who jumped in during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Several of the “Pandemic” clients have opened in 2021. Their collective experiences weave a tale of passion, grit, and success. Their bagels evoke visceral responses from thrilled customers. Ed Albert and Abby Weaver of Riverwalk Bagels in Oswego, NY signed with “a leap of faith and are exceeding expectations” Janet and Bill Blake of Comfort Bagels in Holyoke MA and Scot Logan of Logan’s Bagels in Buffalo, NY echo similar sentiments, “Every day we sell out.”

As independent businesses not tied to a franchise, BYOB BAGELS’ clients possess unique enterprises without the cost, control or constraints of a franchise.