Kevin and Nicole DeBritto, Ben Young: Bringing Big Frog T-Shirts & More to Chattanooga, TN

Kevin “Keyz” and Nicole DeBritto, along with their longtime friend Ben Young, are set to open their independently owned and operated Big Frog T-Shirts & More franchise in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With backgrounds in everything from executive leadership to creative design, the trio and their families bring a perfect blend of skills to the custom decorated apparel business.

As they prepare for their launch, they’re excited to lean into the creative freedom Big Frog offers, provide quality service to their community, and create a work-life balance that allows them to grow as both business owners and family members.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Nicole DeBritto: I’ll continue working with my current company while keeping an eye on things, letting Kevin take the reins. Kevin's got a really versatile background. Back when we were in Augusta, he worked in the nuclear industry, and he’s also got experience in private investigation and executive security. During the pandemic, he stayed home to take care of our daughter, and now that she’s started kindergarten, the timing just lined up perfectly for everything.

Ben Young: Nicole and I met about 10 years ago when we worked at ADP, a payroll and human resources company, in Augusta, Georgia. I was her boss, and both our families became close. Kevin and I hit it off, and since none of us were from Georgia, we became like family.

I was transferred to open a new ADP office in Virginia Beach, and Nicole joined me as my right hand. After I was laid off, Kevin and I started talking about starting our own business, but the timing wasn’t quite right. I moved to Chattanooga, where my extended family is, and re-entered the corporate world until I was laid off again.

That’s when I started exploring franchising for the first time.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Young: My goal was always to start my own thing, but I didn’t have the experience. A broker recommended franchising as a way to ease into ownership with the backing of a support system. Having worked in ADP’s small business division, Nicole and I saw firsthand the challenges small business owners face, and that gave us confidence that we could avoid many of the common pitfalls.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Young: When we initially looked at Big Frog, I wasn’t drawn to the sales aspect. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes person. But when we revisited the franchise idea with the DeBrittos, we realized it was a great opportunity for all of us. We’re a four-person team — my wife will manage the storefront, and Kevin will be the operating owner, focus on sales, and be the “face” of the franchise. Nicole and I will manage the back office duties on weekends.

I’ve always had a creative side, doing video editing and DJing, so Big Frog’s concept appealed to me. It allowed me to scratch that creative itch by helping people create custom designs. Plus, I wanted to run a retail location without getting into the food and beverage industry. Kevin is also creative and thinks outside the box, so it's a great fit for us.

DeBritto: We love that Big Frog gives us creative freedom — it’s not too restrictive. We can engage with the community, and the work-life balance is another big draw. We have only family working in the business, so that aspect is also appealing.

1851: What’s the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Young: I have a daughter with severe epilepsy, so my wife isn’t part owner because she’s caring for her full-time. Our daughter will be in the store with us, so it’s a great opportunity to raise awareness about her condition in the community. We also plan to run fundraisers and design campaigns for local nonprofits.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Young: Talking to other franchise owners was the most valuable part of the process for me. The franchisor can only tell you so much — it’s important to hear from people living it day-to-day. I researched 20 different franchises, and Big Frog was one of the few with a diverse range of franchise owners from various career backgrounds. That diversity appealed to me.

DeBritto: We went into this thinking we knew the type of industry we wanted, and t-shirts weren’t initially on our radar. But if you keep an open mind and avoid getting pigeonholed, franchising can open doors you never expected.

The DeBrittos and Youngs plan to open their Big Frog store in the fourth quarter of 2024. The boutique will be located at 300 Cherokee Blvd Ste. 135, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37405. Big Frog of Chattanooga will specialize in direct-to-garment printing (DTG) and offer all other types of garment decorating services like embroidery, screen printing, and more. They will serve individual consumers, small and large businesses, associations and schools, and nonprofits and other organizations within their community.

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Dunedin, Florida, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and More, Inc. is an international franchise system with over 75 independently owned and operated stores serving consumers and businesses across the U.S.

and Canada. Big Frog specializes in direct to garment printing (DTG) and is a one-stop shop for all custom apparel decorating techniques, as well as branded promotional products. Big Frog offers free design help, no minimums, no art/setup fees, and fast turnaround.

franchise opportunities at BIGFROGFRANCHISE.COM, Canadian franchise opportunities at BIGFROG.CA, and Big Frog on YouTube.