SUBWAY® Restaurants And Young & Successful Media Extend Global Entrepreneurial Challenge Until March 31

MILFORD, Conn., Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Build Your Own Virtual SUBWAY® Challenge, a business simulation game that enables players to learn about business and compete globally, has been extended through March 31, 2013. A result of a partnership between the SUBWAY® restaurant chain and Young & Successful Media, the Build Your Own Virtual SUBWAY® Challenge was created as a way to inspire young, would-be entrepreneurs from around the world and will provide the top winners with potential job, career and networking opportunities within the SUBWAY® chain. The challenge also teaches young people about the business of franchising.

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The Subway Global Challenge is also the first 100-plus country online competition. Anyone can register for the Build Your Own Virtual SUBWAY® Challenge at: http://www.ysn.com/subway .

"This important initiative is a great example of how Subway and Young & Successful Media are taking a proactive leadership role in bringing the next generation of entrepreneurs into the world of franchising," said Steve Caldeira, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association, which supports the project. "The Subway Global Challenge is a fun concept that complements our mission to promote and enhance the franchising industry."

The Build Your Own Virtual SUBWAY® Challenge coincides with the release of an educational documentary, "SUBWAY® Restaurants: How a 17-year-old Built the #1 Restaurant Chain in the World through Franchising" by Young & Successful Media. The SUBWAY® story, which started at a backyard picnic in 1965 when Dr. Peter Buck gave 17-year-old Fred DeLuca a check for $1,000 to open a submarine sandwich shop, is being shared with students through 10,000 business and entrepreneurship professors located at colleges and universities in 100 countries throughout the world as well as through a very active social media campaign reaching across Facebook http://facebook.com/SubwayGlobalChallenge and Twitter. To see a preview of the documentary, please go to http://bit.ly/SubwayStory  .

The SUBWAY® brand has a history of attracting young entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds, many of whom have started as Sandwich Artists™ or managers and become franchisees at a very early age, even multi-unit owners in an increasing number of cases.

"The Subway Franchisee has been part of my life ever since I was 12 years old," said Bob Grewal, multi-unit franchise owner and SUBWAY® development agent from Southern California.  "I can remember my parents working hard in their first store and as a kid I would help do small tasks. It wasn't until later in life, 12 years later, where I would get the opportunity to own my own franchise. I wanted to work for myself and control my financial future. Subway gave me the ability to become successful at my own pace. I love to wake up every morning and go to work, but honestly I don't even consider it work.  Each day is filled with new challenges and I love to see our guests smile. It's been about 24 years since I stepped into our first store, and I never looked back."

The five top winners will win a VIP, all-expense paid trip to visit the SUBWAY® chain's world headquarters, meet with SUBWAY® co-founder and President Fred DeLuca and the senior management team and attend a special training session. From there, they'll visit New York City and Washington DC.

Fred DeLuca, Co-Founder and President of the SUBWAY® chain, said he was looking forward to meeting the top winners of the Challenge. Jennifer Kushell, Founder and President of Young & Successful Media and author of the New York Times best-seller, Secrets of the Young & Successful, said she was particularly excited to be involved in the Challenge because it is all about providing opportunities – not just winning prizes.

100 semi- finalists, one from each country where SUBWAY® restaurants are located, along with the 5 winners, will be promoted to the global management team for the brand as high potential talent. The SUBWAY® management team is committed to working with the top performers from the online challenge and to introduce them to opportunities to be part of the global team. Possible opportunities for qualified individuals could range from supporting restaurants, working with a regional development team to help grow the brand, joining the corporate management team, working with multi-unit franchisees, store level employment or even get the chance to own a SUBWAY® franchise.

As part of the online Virtual Build Your Own SUBWAY® Challenge, players will set up their own store, choose their location, learn the business, answer quiz questions, and drive traffic to their restaurant via social media, as part of a series of six challenges. Participants gain points as customers visit their virtual restaurants, as they articulate their vision for their virtual store by creating a promotional video to pitch themselves and their restaurant and test their knowledge about the brand. The winners will be notified from April 15 through April 19.

About SUBWAY® Restaurants   
Headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, and with regional offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Brisbane, Miami and Singapore, the SUBWAY® brand was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. Their partnership, which continues today, marked the beginning of a remarkable journey – one that has made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business.  With more than 38,000 locations in 100 countries, the SUBWAY® brand – mostly through its franchisees – provides more than 400,000 job opportunities worldwide.

For more information about the SUBWAY® chain, visit http://www.subway.com . Find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/subway. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/subway. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor's Associates Inc.

About Young & Successful Media   
Specializing in the next generation workforce, with an emphasis on youth empowerment, engagement, employment and entrepreneurship, Young & Successful Media is a media/education company that works with a wide range of organizations in launching programs, content and campaigns that inspire individuals to shake up their status quo and spring into action. Aside from its strategic consulting practice, the company's flagship digital platform and website http://YSN.com attracts and supports young leaders, entrepreneurs and students from over 160 countries.  YSN.com is constructing the first Global Opportunity Marketplace to offer ambitious young people everywhere unprecedented access to create and build their careers anywhere in the world.  The Marketplace is collaboration among corporate, philanthropic, public sector, and academic organizations eager to make an impact on the billion young people entering the global workforce. 

SOURCE SUBWAY Restaurants