Tim and Justin have been friends since the third grade, their entrepreneurial journey beginning at a young age—selling laptop computers and trading cards in the early days of the internet. By high school, Tim had ventured into real estate, while Justin became a mortgage broker. After finding early success in their respective fields, they set their sights on a new challenge: the restaurant industry.

In 2006, after researching opportunities, they opened their first fast-casual franchise, The Pita Pit, eventually expanding to eight locations across Florida. Their experience as franchise owners was invaluable—it taught them not only what to do but, more importantly, what not to do in the restaurant business. Recognizing opportunities to improve systems, operations, and franchisee support, they decided to sell off their Pita Pit locations and build something of their own.

That vision led to the creation of 3 Pepper Burrito Co. The first location opened in November 2014 Cape Coral, FL—right next to the high school where their friendship began.

Their experience as franchisees first, before becoming franchisors, shaped their approach to business. They understood the importance of building strong systems before scaling, ensuring franchisees had the support they needed to succeed. They made a commitment to transparency—passing savings along to franchisees rather than building in kickbacks, a common industry practice. Because in their eyes, the lower the costs, the greater the success—allowing franchisees to build a great quality of life or expand into more locations.