Steve Jobs , George Lucas, and Guy Fieri don’t have much in common—except where their stories began. Each launched their careers at a community college, long before becoming household names.

It’s a path that Chris Tomasso , CEO of the $1 billion in revenue breakfast-and-lunch chain First Watch, also took. Before finishing his bachelor’s degree at University of Central Florida, Tomasso started closer to home at Manatee Community College—a move that, he said, came down to simple math.

“It really was just a business decision for me,” Tomasso told Fortune . “That’s the way I looked at it. Not only do those four-year universities cost more, I would have housing costs if I went away.”

While he admits he was eager to experience the traditional four-year college life, Tomasso realized

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