Ursula (Ursi) Luckert and Mary Linn have been dear friends for decades who knew they would work well together and sought out an opportunity to blend their interests and lifestyle. 

“We were looking for something that we could dig our hands into after leaving our jobs,” explains Mary. “We wanted something more fun and meaningful, where we could bring our skills and energy together and make something successful.”

Ursi adds: “We want to make a difference in a different way than we have been and to keep our minds engaged.”

At this stage of their lives–Mary is 65 and Ursi is 67–these women can see the joy in overseeing a team that will teach children to cook.

“Mary and Ursula prove that the best leaders never stop learning,” says Erin Fletter, CEO and founder of Sticky Fingers Cooking®. “They've built successful careers, they're deeply rooted in the Portland community, and they're choosing to invest this next chapter of their lives in building a business with purpose. That's exactly what our social enterprise model is all about: creating a thriving business while making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. Their decades of experience are an incredible gift to our franchise system, and when combined with their curiosity, generosity, and passion for lifelong learning, they make a perfect fit for Sticky Fingers Cooking®. I'm excited to watch them grow their business and to learn right alongside them.”

Why Franchising Now?

Mary and Ursi, along with their husbands, were doing their research about starting a business together–from talking to friends to signing up for information online. It was BizBuySell that delivered an email with news of the Sticky Fingers Cooking franchise opportunity.

Ursi did retire at 66 from what she describes as a “7 a.m. to 7 p.m. plus many weekends” CEO role that she loved but was becoming exhausting. Her career started in public accounting and she then leveraged her finance background to work in a variety of industries, including scrap metal, paper distribution, food commodities, and healthcare. 

“When I retired, my husband, Ravi, and I did tons of international travel to get my mind off of working,” she says. “With Sticky Fingers Cooking, I can have both the structure of work and the flexibility to travel when we want.”

Ursi is tickled by the response when she tells people about becoming a franchise business owner now. “My doctor said, ‘That’s wonderful!’ and my Dad, the former college professor, said, “You haven’t worked in that industry yet!’ and the man I shared an Uber with the other day asked if he could do it too! People are just so supportive.”

“I like the idea of doing something fun, purposeful, and prosperous.”

Mary worked in restaurants and had a career in music before she pivoted to marketing and being a business owner. “I worked for 30-plus years in marketing and creative services that evolved over time from print to digital and a lot of video,” she explains, sharing that her clients included household name technology companies like Intel and Microsoft. 

For Mary, a typical retirement was not appealing. “We both came from very intense and busy lives so we’re used to being productive,” she says. “I like the idea of doing something fun, purposeful, and prosperous. It’s the right kind of recipe for how I want to spend my time now and I can mentor other people at this stage of the game.”

She adds, “We would not have done it from the ground up! What was appealing to us is that we could take the Sticky Fingers Cooking structure and momentum and systems and bring it to Portland.”

Food Franchise Appeal

Food is part of Mary and Ursula’s friendship and their community in Portland. Mary and her husband have a thriving vegetable garden that they harvest for dinners and dinner parties. 

“We eat like kings and queens!” Mary says with a laugh. She adds that she loves to share food, “especially what we grow,” and that her husband (who she describes as “a talented chef”) prepares. “We’re grateful every day.” 

“Growing up, the kitchen was the main place in the home and where I felt most comfortable,” she reflects. “That’s where the positive vibes were and my Mom loved to combine food and community.”

Mary spent her early employment years in hospitality, starting at a bakery and then at restaurants, where she met her husband who worked as a chef. “We would do cooking classes for family and friends,” she says. “It is very central to our lives.”

For Ursi, a love for food developed after meeting her husband and then throughout their marriage. “My husband had started cooking his way through Julia Child’s ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ and made lobster thermidor for our first date, which I’d never had before,” she says. “Ravi and I, together with Mary and Daniel, have grown together with our love of food, cooking and travel–it’s an important part of all of our lives.”

Does their passion for delicious food, bringing community together, and a desire to keep learning and growing at every age appeal to you? Contact us today to see if the Sticky Fingers Cooking franchise opportunity is a good fit.