Nate Meyer and Ty Vansteenburg are closing out their senior year by putting their classroom knowledge into action as Jimmy John's franchisee co-owners. They plan to open the doors to the store on University Drive on February 4.
January 30, 2025
By Alexandria Salinas
For entrepreneurship majors, Nate Meyer and Ty Vansteenburg, senioritis does not exist.
They are powering through the final months of their senior year at Texas Christian University by re-opening the closed doors of a Jimmy John’s restaurant on University Drive and serving as the new co-owners of the franchise business.
“We want to feed as many students as possible,” said Nate and Ty, as they prepare to launch their new business next week.
The two friends, who are also roommates and classmates, say they are on a mission to leave a lasting legacy at TCU by building a community where growth, opportunity and connection thrive. For them, this is not just a business venture. It’s their chance to shape TCU’s future and make an impact that lasts long after graduation.
Ty’s connection to Jimmy John’s runs deep. “My dad started franchising in 2001, and I was born in 2003, so Jimmy John’s has been part of my life since day one,” he said, adding that his first job at 14 was in his dad’s restaurant.
For Ty, the brand didn’t just shape his work ethic—it sparked his entrepreneurial fire. But his journey wasn’t straight. He started in finance and real estate, chasing what he described as a more conventional path. Then came a real estate internship that shifted everything. “I realized that wasn’t the path for me,” he said. That moment focused him on becoming an entrepreneur—and he never looked back.
Nate’s journey was also unconventional. His grandfather, a businessman in the truss industry, saw firsthand what it means to build from the ground up.
“I grew up around construction,” Nate said. When he arrived at TCU, he began in pre-med, but it didn’t take long for his true passion to surface. “I realized I wasn’t meant for that path,” he said. Nate pivoted to management and entrepreneurship.
Ty described the hands-on approach at Neeley as a game-changer.
“It’s interactive,” Ty explained. “We tackle real challenges. Professors share personal experiences, teaching us to avoid and handle pitfalls.”
“There are 100 right ways and 100 wrong ways to build a business,” Ty said. “Neeley shows us how to navigate both.”
After taking a new franchising course with Michael Browning ’07, an adjunct professor and member of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department’s advisory board, , Nate and Ty said they knew opening a business wasn’t just possible - it was inevitable.
“We can definitely do this,” Nate said. In the fall, they learned that the Jimmy John’s restaurant on University Drive had closed, they jumped on the opportunity.
“It felt like it fell in our laps,” Ty said. “It was God, truly. The timing was perfect.”
“It’s rare to see franchise operators as young as Ty and Nate, but their ambition and drive embody the spirit of Jimmy John’s franchisees,” said Inspire Brands Senior Director of Franchise Development, Corey Quinlan. “The Jimmy John’s model is designed to be accessible, providing the tools and support needed for entrepreneurs at any stage of their careers. I’m excited to see them bring their energy and passion to the brand and can’t wait to watch their journey unfold.”
Nate and Ty have high standards for their restaurant and their final months as students at TCU.
“We want to finish strong and inspire students to take action,” Ty said. “There are countless opportunities for students to seize,” Nate added.
For these two business leaders, success isn’t measured by accolades. It’s about creating a space where passion, purpose and hard work align with the needs of the community. Nate and Ty are not just shaping their future, they are putting it into action now.
