Necessity is the mother of invention – and the creation of Wing Zone is very much a reflection of this adage. When Matt Friedman, a buffalo wing-loving kid from New York State, decided to trade in the blustery winters for the warm surroundings of the University of Florida, he quickly realized that his favorite food was nowhere to be found in the town of Gainesville.

Matt and his soon-to-be business partner Adam Scott turned their fraternity house kitchen into their restaurant headquarters and started delivering wings across campus. Now, nearly 25 years later, Wing Zone is a thriving franchise business with over 100 restaurants in the United States and 20 international locations, all built on the foundation of unique flavors and a family-like culture. Remaining true to their roots, Wing Zone is slated to open a 4,500 square-foot restaurant on the University of Florida campus in early 2016. 

Here, Matt shares his insights on building a business from the ground up, entrepreneurial passion, and the process of defining a brand that had been 15 years in the making.