Female Founders: Denise Fenton on Embracing the Entrepreneurial Spirit

Name: Denise Fenton
Title: Co-Founder and Brand Director
Company: Rusty Taco
No. of units: 35 International units: 0
Growth plans: To grow multiple locations each year and firmly establish Rusty Taco as one of the top Mexican fast-casual restaurants in the country
Public or private? Private
Year company founded: 2010
Year started franchising: 2011
Your years in franchising: 13

As brand director and co-founder of Rusty Taco, Denise Fenton plays a pivotal role in preserving and expanding the legacy she and her late husband, Rusty Fenton, started. Denise is deeply committed to maintaining the authenticity and community-focused spirit that Rusty envisioned when the pair opened their first taco stand in 2010.

Her passion lies in sharing the brand’s rich history with potential franchisees, helping them understand and appreciate the vision behind Rusty Taco. Denise collaborates closely with the development team to drive brand growth and recognition while ensuring that Rusty Taco remains true to its roots.

Denise’s dedication to the brand is reflected in her efforts to support franchise sales and development processes. She actively engages with current and prospective franchisees, offering guidance and inspiration to those interested in joining the Rusty Taco family. By sharing the brand’s story—where it started, where it stands today, and where it’s headed—Denise continues to fulfill her dream of seeing Rusty Taco flourish nationwide.

Beginnings

What inspired you to start your business? Rusty had always dreamed of owning his own taco restaurant, a place where we could serve our family, friends, and neighbors our favorite food, tacos. It was important for us to create a welcoming space that felt like part of the community. In 2010, we opened our first location and brought that dream to life.

What is your background? I built hands-on experience in the restaurant industry through my early 20s before transitioning to wine sales, gaining insight into the broader food and beverage business. I met Rusty in 1994 when he opened a Mexican restaurant, and the rest is history.

How did that prepare you for starting your business? Both Rusty and I had deep connections to the food and restaurant industry. Rusty had extensive experience, having been one of the founders of Uncle Julio’s, and he later worked as a consultant and entrepreneur in various start-ups. Together, we shared a passion for food and hospitality. Our favorite pastimes were watching cooking shows and daydreaming about one day owning a restaurant of our own. Those experiences and shared interests prepared us to build something meaningful together.

What’s the best and worst advice you got when starting out? The best advice we received was to focus on finding the right location because a good location can make or break a business. The worst advice we received was to try to offer everything to everyone, which ultimately makes it difficult to build a strong, focused brand. 

Was this your first time in franchising? Yes.

Why did you choose to franchise? Our first location was very successful, and we received interest from others who wanted to bring Rusty Taco to their communities. Franchising seemed like a natural next step to help us grow the business quickly, so we decided to pursue it.

Did you have a partner/co-founder when you started? Yes, we had a business partner at the time who was instrumental in helping us get off the ground. 

How important was that in building your company? Having a partner with strong connections to potential investors was incredibly important and was necessary for our growth. He provided us with access to the funding we needed to get started and played a key role in organizing the business structures that supported our early growth.

How did you fund your company at the beginning? As you grew? In the beginning, we funded the company through investors. As we grew, those relationships continued to be critical to sustaining and scaling the business. In 2014, we sold a majority interest in our brand to Buffalo Wild Wings, which then led to becoming part of Inspire Brands in 2018. Both companies were instrumental in growing the brand through both corporate and franchise growth.

What were the keys to funding your brand? The keys to funding our brand were building strong relationships with investors and having a clear financial strategy to guide our growth.

The Business

What has been the best and the hardest thing about being an entrepreneur? The best part of being an entrepreneur is having the freedom to work for yourself and create something meaningful that you truly believe in. The hardest part is taking risks and not always knowing if those risks will pay off.

How has your experience in running a franchise business been different from what you expected? Running a franchise business has exceeded my expectations. It has been incredibly rewarding to see so many franchisees believe in what we started and work so hard to grow the brand in their own communities.

How did you grow the brand at first? What changed as you expanded? We started by focusing on making our first location as successful as possible. Once that was established, we began dreaming bigger and looking for opportunities to expand through franchising. As we grew, we learned to adapt our operations and processes to support a system of franchisees while staying true to our original vision.

How did you transition from founding a brand to leading a brand? The transition from founding to leading the brand came down to building strong teams and surrounding ourselves with people who shared our vision. By focusing on the long-term future of Rusty Taco, we were able to step into leadership roles that allowed the brand to grow and evolve.

How would you describe your leadership style? I would describe my leadership style as collaborative. I believe in building strong relationships and providing support to my team and our franchisees so that we can all succeed together.

What is the key to your company’s success? The key to our success is a combination of great-tasting tacos, simple and efficient operations, innovation to stay on top of trends, and an outstanding guest experience every time.

Female Founder

Was being female an advantage or disadvantage for you in building your company? How? Being a woman in a male-dominated industry has challenges, but it can also be an advantage. Often, being the only woman in the room allows you to stand out, which can draw positive attention to the brand. I’ve also found that my strength in building relationships has been incredibly valuable in fostering connections within the industry.

Have you found specific advantages or disadvantages to being a woman business owner? One advantage is that it can help you stand out in a male-dominated industry, creating unique opportunities to build relationships and bring a different perspective to the table. At the same time, a disadvantage can be having to work harder to earn recognition and prove yourself as a capable leader, especially in industries where women are underrepresented. However, I’ve found that staying focused, confident, and committed to my goals have helped me overcome any challenges along the way.

What has been your biggest challenge as a woman entrepreneur? One of the biggest challenges has been earning recognition as a leader in an industry where leadership roles are often dominated by men. It takes consistent effort to prove yourself and show that you deserve a seat at the table.

Why do you think there are fewer start-ups with female founders than male ones? I believe one of the main reasons is that women often face greater challenges than men when it comes to accessing critical resources, such as funding and mentorship opportunities.

What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace? Balancing professional responsibilities with personal and family life continues to be one of the most significant challenges for women in the workplace.

From your perspective, what notable changes have you seen for women in franchising since starting your brand? Over the years, I’ve seen more opportunities for women in franchising than in the past. There are now stronger networks, more resources, and more women in executive leadership roles than when we started.

Which female leaders do you admire? Why? I greatly admire Sally Smith, the former CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings. When BWW acquired a majority interest in Rusty Taco in 2014, I was inspired by Sally’s leadership and her commitment to building a team that included so many talented women. I also admire Kate Japson, the CFO of Inspire Brands. She is approachable, clear, and highly respected in the industry.

Has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life? How? Yes, mentorship has played a significant role in my career. I have had the opportunity to work with incredible leaders who believed in me and the vision for Rusty Taco. Many professional relationships have turned into lifelong friendships, which has been personally rewarding.

Looking Ahead

What would you like to achieve in the next five years? I want to see Rusty Taco continue to grow and strengthen its position as a leader in the taco category.

What’s coming up that you’re excited about? I’m excited about exploring innovative new taco flavors that will keep our menu fresh and exciting for guests. I’m also looking forward to continuing to support our franchisees and helping them grow their businesses.