Pairing Up at Work + In Business Ownership in Orange County

The Sticky Fingers Cooking® franchise opportunity proved irresistible to its own COO and Chief of Staff who are now franchise owners in Orange County, California!

When Sticky Fingers Cooking® took the step to become a franchise model, executive team members Kim Douglas and Katie Brennan each thought: I can do this too!

Now these savvy businesswomen each own a piece of the Sticky Fingers Cooking® franchise pie with Orange County South and Orange County Central in California.

Not only did these women–who developed a deep friendship and mutual professional respect after working together for over 10 years–want to see the model succeed, they wanted to walk the walk alongside the brand’s growing franchise network.

“It means the world to me that Kim and Katie are joining the growing group of employees who have chosen to become franchise business owners,” says Erin Fletter, founder and CEO of Sticky Fingers Cooking®. “These two have poured more than ten years of heart, expertise, and operational excellence into Sticky Fingers Cooking — and they know this brand inside and out.”

Two women wearing matching t-shirts with images of oranges smile at the camera for a selfie in front of a blue neon wave sign. — Sticky Fingers Cooking Chief of Staff Katie Brennan and COO Kimberly Douglas are now franchise business owners in Orange County, California.

“I wanted to become a franchise owner from the first day we talked about franchising the business,” Kim says with her characteristic wide smile. “I knew I was going to be working on my MBA and now that I have the knowledge of training our franchisees under my belt and I deeply understand how it works as a franchise, I am going for it!”

Katie adds: “I’ve seen it come to life and that’s what inspired me to do it. I also love that Kim and I are drawn to do this together.”

‍

How Did We Get Here? From Sticky Fingers Cooking® Leadership to Franchise Business Ownership

Kim Douglas was working as a Denver restaurant manager when she overheard a woman interviewing for a position called chef instructor. “On the second day, I went over to her and asked if she was still hiring,” Kim confessed of her first conversation with Erin Fletter, founder and CEO of Sticky Fingers Cooking.

Kim, who studied International Development at UCLA, kept her restaurant job and started working as a part-time chef instructor in local classrooms. “Within about three to four months Erin said, ‘I’m really busy and need more help!’ and then I became the Area Director.”

A man in a plaid shirt and a woman in a plaid jacket smile at the camera with a young child dressed up as a cat with black whiskers and ears. — Kimberly Douglas, Sticky Fingers Cooking COO and franchise owner of Sticky Fingers Cooking in Orange County Central, California, in Colorado with her family.

That was over 14 years ago and Kim has since grown into the role of Chief Operating Officer of Sticky Fingers Cooking and will soon complete her Executive MBA program at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

“Kim has a steadfast strength and operational brilliance,” Erin says.

Katie, who studied kinesiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, first met Erin as a neighbor in Denver. One day they had a conversation about Erin’s growing business and Katie began her role supporting communication with families and schools.

“I worked with every position at the company as we started growing in other states,” Katie says with her typical cheer. “We needed to start streamlining things and develop consistency. When it came to franchising, I knew we were ready!” Katie forged a relationship with WorkBright that she says “changed our ability to scale and grow.”

A man in a blue hat and black-rimmed glasses smiles in a selfie with a boy in a white hat, a woman in a black and white checked hat, and a girl in a tan hat. — Katie Brennan, Chief of Staff at Sticky Fingers Cooking and franchise owner of Sticky Fingers Cooking in Orange County South, California, on a winter adventure with her family.

Erin comments, “Katie has a natural warmth and compassion that she brings to her innate problem-solving and relationship building.”

Kim and Katie own neighboring territories in southern California’s Orange County which they will operate together. Their California roots made these locations a pear-fect choice, even as they remain in Colorado with their families and continue in their roles at Sticky Fingers Cooking headquarters.

“Their move into ownership strengthens our entire system and ensures our mission stays protected and deeply rooted,” Erin says. “Seeing our own team step into this opportunity is one of the greatest validations of our work and our vision.”

Five women laughing and smiling in front of a gray, blue, and pink wall that reads Birch Road above them. — Sticky Fingers Cooking executive team poses for a fun group photo.

She adds: “Kim and Katie have been the backbone of Sticky Fingers Cooking for more than a decade, and the depth of their knowledge of this brand is truly unmatched,” says Erin. “They helped build the operational systems, the franchise training, and the very heartbeat of the model our owners thrive in today. To now welcome them as franchise owners is extraordinary. They are stepping into ownership with more lived experience than anyone in our history — and I could not imagine two more capable, committed, and passionate people joining this community.”

Kim and Katie join three others who started out as employees of Sticky Fingers Cooking before they took the leap into franchise business ownership. Read about Cassie, Lucy, and Alli.

‍

A Taste for a Cooking Business

If you ask them today, Kim and Katie will agree that California is the place to be when teaching cooking thanks to an abundance of locally-grown produce like artichokes and avocadoes and a general interest in health and wellness. Yet, neither of them grew up in what could be called a “culinary” household.

“In my family it was all about simplicity,” Katie recalls. She describes herself as someone who appreciates good food.” As a mom she has enjoyed seeing her own kids develop their own tastes, especially her “particular eater.”

A smiling man in a blue shirt and blue hat smiles at the camera as a woman in a blue and white striped shirt leans in and smiles too. — Katie Brennan grew up in California and is now a franchise owner in southern California.

“My daughter loves this black bean brownie recipe from Sticky Fingers Cooking,” she says. “One day she read the cookbook and asked me, ‘Do you think Erin knows there are beans in this?’ which is hilarious since it is Erin’s recipe.”

Kim says she grew up on “Hamburger Helper” and “Rice-a-Roni” and it wasn’t until college when she started buying her own groceries that she began to explore what could be called cuisine. “As a child, one of my parents' friends would make this chicken curry and I loved it! Now when she goes to Malaysia, she sends me all the spices so I can make it myself,” Kim shares.

A woman wearing black jeans and a white sweater holds her brown flip-flops in her left hand and holds her arms wide while standing on a beach. — Kim Douglas grew up in California and is now a franchise business owner in southern California.

Since she started at Sticky Fingers Cooking, Kim became a mom in 2019 and now when friends are over she sends the kids into the kitchen to cook with her - much to the shock of the other parents! “My son’s favorite is the Pantry Pad Thai, and maybe mine too,” she says. “It’s normal to have kids in the kitchen making their own food at my house.”

‍

The Sticky Fingers Cooking Franchise Opportunity

Kim and Katie loved their jobs so much–and working together–that they added more to their plates.

“I love the community and the support of franchising,” says Katie.

For Kim, it’s all about the support. “We can learn together and grow as a whole,” she says.

A company with such a solid business model that its own employees cannot resist the opportunity to challenge themselves and become franchise business owners? You need to know more. Click here to go directly to our Inquire page and start the conversation today!