From Corporate Careers to Business Ownership: Thunderly's "American Dreamers" Celebrates Career Changers

Franchise owners from Eggs Up Grill and Kitchen Tune-Up show how decades of corporate experience can become the foundation for a new chapter

DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After nearly three decades in information technology, Noel Arriola made an unlikely career move: he went into the restaurant business. Jeff Toren spent approximately two decades climbing the ranks in high-tech and software sales before making his own pivot into home remodeling.

Their paths are different, but both found their next professional chapter through franchising.

This month Thunderly, the franchise marketing agency behind "American Dreamers: The Stories of Franchising"©, is spotlighting Career Changers like Arriola and Toren who have used the experience and skills built over established careers to pursue business ownership in entirely new industries.

Arriola spent 28 years working in information technology before becoming an Eggs Up Grill franchise owner in Winter Garden, Florida. Despite having no previous restaurant industry experience, he saw franchising as a way to combine his business acumen with a longtime dream of restaurant ownership.

Toren's path took him from the technology sector to home improvement. Before becoming a Kitchen Tune-Up franchise owner serving the Philadelphia area, he built a career in high-tech and software sales and executive leadership, working with organizations ranging from startups to IBM and ultimately reaching the vice president level. At a career crossroads, Toren chose business ownership over another corporate position, launching his Kitchen Tune-Up business in 2015 and later expanding his presence in the home remodeling industry.

"In both situations, Noel and Jeff had no real experience in their areas where they started their businesses, but thanks to the franchise model that provides the framework to make that transition, they were able to make a successful move from the corporate world to business ownership," said Scott White, co-founder and CEO of Thunderly. "They didn't start over when they became franchise owners. They took decades of leadership, sales, problem-solving and business experience with them and applied those skills in completely different industries. The franchise model is what made that transition possible."

For experienced professionals considering what comes next, franchising can provide a path to business ownership without requiring them to build a business concept from the ground up. Established systems, training and ongoing support can help career changers learn a new industry while drawing on the transferable skills they have spent years developing.

"Changing careers after decades in one field takes courage, but it can also open the door to an incredibly rewarding second act," added Thunderly co-founder and COO Monica Feid. "These stories show that the experience you've accumulated throughout your career can become the foundation for something entirely new."

The September Career Changers feature is the latest installment of Thunderly's year-long campaign celebrating franchise owners whose journeys embody the American Dream. "American Dreamers: The Stories of Franchising©" was inspired by America's semiquincentennial and 250 years of the American Dream. For more than 25 years, Thunderly has helped entrepreneurs pursue business ownership and the opportunities that come with it.

Throughout the year, the campaign is sharing franchise owners' inspiring stories and the many different paths that can lead to business ownership, highlighting franchising as a vehicle for independence, economic mobility and community impact.

More information about the "American Dreamers: The Stories of Franchising©" campaign is available at www.thunderlymarketing.com/American-Dreamers.

About Thunderly

Recently named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies for the second year in a row and annually included in Entrepreneur Magazine's listing of Top Franchise Suppliers, Thunderly is a full-service franchise marketing agency built to amplify and grow franchises and other dynamic brands.

Founded in 1999, Thunderly brings decades of expertise in franchise development under one roof, including: lead generation, website design, video production, public relations, social media, thought leadership, influencer campaigns, digital advertising, graphic design, crisis communication, personal branding, podcast production and more.

Known for its proprietary AIM Model© (Amplified Integrated Marketing), Thunderly enables brands to align every aspect of marketing communications into a cohesive, structured strategy for visibility in a zero-click world across both traditional and AI-powered platforms.

More information is available at www.thunderlymarketing.com.

SOURCE Thunderly Marketing