Our commitment to serving those who’ve served for us, today and every day
Each year on Veterans Day, we thank our veterans for their sacrifice, bravery, and the example they set for us all. We are reminded of their service and bravery each day as we enjoy all of the rights and privileges that our military veterans fought for us to have. Here at Veterans Franchise, our mission is to give back to our veterans in the best way we know how: helping those who have served transition from service to entrepreneurship.
We firmly believe that military veterans are the perfect fit for the franchising model, having the most important keys to entrepreneurial success firmly ingrained in them from their time serving in the armed forces. Military veterans know discipline, structure, and dedication better than most, making them ideal candidates to own their own businesses and thrive as franchisees.
“The franchise industry is a strong supporter of veterans,” explains David Schwartz, CEO and founder of VeteransFranchise.com. “Many franchise opportunities are aggressively recruiting veterans as franchisees. They realize how perfectly military training translates into franchise ownership.”
Because of this, there are countless franchises and business opportunities that provide support, financial benefits and other incentives for those who have served in the armed forces. That’s part of the reason why CEO Dave Schwartz founded VeteransFranchise.com, and the reason why VeteransFranchise.com is committed to only featuring veterans-friendly opportunities on our site to connect veterans with only the best opportunities available for them within the franchise space.
This Veterans Day, we encourage everyone to go out and thank a veteran for their service and for making the ultimate sacrifice so that we can all enjoy the benefits of freedom and peace. Whether you’re a military veteran, a military spouse, or whatever your situation may be: Veterans Franchise remains committed to giving back to our veterans and their families, not only on Veterans Day but every day.
One of the biggest questions we get from our customers is why we’re so committed to helping veterans start the next stage of their lives as business owners. Some of the reasons are obvious: I mean, if you’ve navigated our site even a little bit, I’m sure you’ve seen us post about how military veterans make the perfect fit for the franchising model. But, did you know that our commitment to military veterans runs even deeper than that?
When CEO Dave Schwartz founded VeteransFranchise.com, he didn’t just do so because he knew veterans made great franchisees. He did so because if there’s one thing Dave knows, it’s franchising: and he has a special soft spot for military veterans. To him, starting VeteransFranchise.com was the best way he could think of to give back to the brave men and women to whom we owe our freedom. The way he saw it, they’ve served us all in more ways than we can count… this was the least he could do to serve them back.
In fact, Dave has always had a certain soft spot for military veterans ever since he was a little boy. Growing up, one of Dave’s greatest inspirations was his best friend’s dad, Ross Glatzer: a successful CEO and Vietnam veteran. His two philosophies?
Pay significant attention to detail &
Never take anything for granted
Young Dave took this philosophy to heart and adopted the same philosophy in his own life. Another one of Dave’s greatest inspirations was his grandmother, who also had a soft spot for military veterans and made sure to impart on her grandson the importance of always thanking them for their service, even if it means going out of your way to do so. “We’d be going for a walk and she’d see someone with a veterans hat on or something, and she would literally turn around and walk like two blocks to catch up with them just to stop and thank them for their service,” Dave recalled, “that really stuck with me.”
So nowadays, Dave always makes a point to go out of his way to thank a veteran every chance he gets. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gained a much greater appreciation for their service and their sacrifices,” Dave explained, “especially WWII veterans, since there are so few of them left. What they’ve sacrificed for our country, what those sacrifices provide for us every day… they deserve to know how much their sacrifice truly means, and I feel honored every time I get a chance to learn a piece of their stories.”
One regret that always sticks with him, Dave described, was one day a couple of years back. He was coming out of Costco with arms full of groceries in famously-hot Charleston, SC, and was in a rush for whatever reason. He happened to see a man walk by with a WWII veteran hat on, and he was in such a rush that he didn’t stop to say hello.
“It might sound stupid, but it’s seriously one of my biggest regrets and it really sticks with me,” Dave explained. “I mean, I can’t believe I was so selfish. I wish I knew who that man was, I wish I’d gotten a chance to hear his story… I was literally in my car driving away and I KNEW I should’ve gone back, but I didn’t. And I regret it to this day.” he said.
“And I think this applies not just to our veterans, but to people in general: just take the time. I mean, what’s a couple of minutes out of your day? It’s such an easy thing to do, just stopping to say hello: in fact, it’s the absolute least you can do,” Dave said. “This also applies to being truly PRESENT in life. You may have a day that’s all mapped out; you may be the busiest person in the world. But in order to be truly present, you can always make time. Sometimes it’s the little things that can really make the biggest difference.”
Happy Memorial Day from your friends at VeteransFranchise.com In observance of this special day and in honor of all those who’ve served, we wanted to do something a little different this year.
We asked each of our team members to tell us about any veterans in their lives in an attempt to share as many stories of these courageous individuals as possible. So, without further ado: meet the veterans that are extra near and dear to our hearts here at VeteransFranchise.com
Aldred Leon Millman
June’s grandfather, the late Aldred Leon Millman (1919-2019) served in the United States Army as a pilot during World War II. During his time in service and throughout his personal life, he was involved in theatre and was the leader of a big band orchestra. Mr. Millman is survived by four sons, eleven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
We thank you for your service, Mr. Millman!
Captain James L.D. Monroe
Reeves’ grandfather, James aka “Capn Jim” Monroe, served in the United States Navy Supply Corps for 30 years, providing supply and logistics support for several US Navy ships. Throughout his time of service, Captain Jim was stationed on the U.S.S. Fletcher as a junior electronics supply officer. He also served on the famed U.S.S. Kitty Hawk as a supply officer during the Vietnam War. Lastly, Jim was stationed on the U.S.S. Saipan, also as a supply officer, before his retirement.
We thank you for your service, Capn Jim!
Colonel Clinton D. Summerfield
Reeves’ grandfather, Colonel Clint Summerfield, was drafted into the United States Air Force in 1962. He then went into officer training school and, following his graduation, did his first tour in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Following this, Colonel Summerfield returned stateside and was stationed at the Pentagon, where he worked for the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force as the Legislative Liaison. His job as Liaison was to work closely with those on Capitol Hill and, as his job title suggests, acted as the liaison between the USAF and Congress. As his career progressed, he spent time working with the United States Foreign Services Committee, the Colonels Group, and did two tours at the Military Personnel Center. He then went on to complete a second tour at the Pentagon, this time assigned to the Office of the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. In this role, he served as the Secretary of the Air Staff Board and was in charge of budget allocation for the entire USAF. When asked to reflect on his time spent in the USAF, Clint had this to say:
“Being drafted turned out to be a wonderful experience because, in the military, you get to work with an incredibly diverse group of people from all different backgrounds and from all over the world. For me especially, it was an incredible opportunity to get out and explore the world, being that I was just a boy who grew up in a small town in Wyoming. It was an experience that I never would’ve had if I’d just stayed in my hometown and my military service has given me a unique insight on people and on life.”
We thank you for your service, Colonel Summerfield!
Captain Vanessa Summerfield
Reeves’ grandmother, Vanessa Summerfield, enlisted in the United States Army and served as a Behavioral Health Technician from 1974-1977, retiring from the army as an E4 rank. Vanessa then went on to serve in the United States Air Force, joining in 1981 and rising to the rank of Captain by the time she retired in 1993. Vanessa’s first assignment in the Air Force was at MWR Headquarters, where she piloted the Air Force Family Daycare Program. She worked in this role for several years before the Air Force sent her to Georgetown Law School to complete her J.D. After her graduation from Georgetown in 1987, Vanessa then served as a JAG Officer, also known as a Judge Advocate General, until her retirement from the USAF in 1993. When asked to reflect on her time spent in the armed forces, Vanessa had this to say:
“Five of my siblings followed me into one kind of service or another, so it makes me proud to know that my service inspired them to do the same.”
We thank you for your service, Captain Summerfield!
Colonel McGinn
Reeves’ great-grandfather, Colonel McGinn, served in the United States Army from 1941-1968. During his time of service, Colonel McGinn was stationed in the Philippines and the Aleutian Islands during the Korean War, for which he earned a bronze star. He was also stationed in Panama twice, as well as Puerto Rico. He later served as Nuclear Inspector General for all of Europe in the early 1960s and was stationed in the Dominican Republic, later serving as Nuclear Liaison to Spain and various other Spanish-speaking countries due to his fluency in Spanish.
We thank you for your service, Colonel McGinn!
If you have any stories of a special veteran in your life that you’d like to highlight, feel free to send them our way! We’d love to feature as many stories as possible: not just on Memorial Day, but every day.
In the past few years, thousands of veterans have joined franchising. This is a report that has been released by the International Franchise Association. The VetFran program has also played a major role in ensuring that hundreds of companies subsidize the franchise joining costs for veterans. This means that veterans interested in becoming business owners get discounts, training, and mentorship for them to have successful ventures. Such offers have given the sector a boost, making it possible for more military veterans to join franchising.
Why Veterans Make Great Franchisees
Vets who join franchising mostly end up being successful because they have skills and values that boost their businesses. Franchisors actually say that the teamwork and leadership skills possessed by vets as well as the propensity that enables them to follow a system make them successful franchisees. Veterans usually make perfect franchisees because they already have the necessary drive and leadership to own and operate successful businesses. Additionally, military veterans comprehend the reasons why they should adhere to guidelines and systems strictly. These are some of the reasons why franchisors are looking for them all over the region for recruitment. Any military experience impacts veterans with numerous skills needed to run a business successfully. The military background, therefore, gives people the required tools that make them unique in any industry. These tools include incredible decision-making abilities, leadership skills, determination to succeed, and personnel management experience. Therefore, if you have served the country at a military capacity, you can be sure that you have what it takes to run a successful enterprise in franchising.
What Franchisors Offer
There are numerous franchises that are actively searching for vets who can purchase their businesses. Other franchises have unique programs with the sole aim of giving financial incentives to support military veterans. Because of this, those who have served the country at any capacity in the past have continued to indulge in various enterprises and the number has been increasing over the years. To offer more support to veterans and their families, some franchises also have programs for military families and spouses.
How VeteransFranchise.com Can Help You Get Started
Regardless of the category of business, most veteran franchisees have similar traits that fuel their business success. This means that they work hard, they actively look for means to give back to society, they have grit and they are also team players. Of all the countries in the world, America is one of the best places to be a military veteran. This is because, from the recent past, there has been an explosion of different opportunities for veterans to create their own empires in franchising. Additionally, there are very few limitations that can hinder a veteran from establishing any number of franchises in the industry. The marketplace, therefore, allows franchise owners to create any number of well-established brands. Are you curious about how much better your life could be if you established your own franchise? Life does not have to stop when you are relieved of your duties as a military veteran: it can be the beginning of another life in the franchise industry. Several businesses want to appreciate the service you gave to the country. Take advantage of such opportunities and make a fresh start and improve your family’s future.
Of course, with any investment, it’s critical to do a lot of research to choose the opportunity that’s best for you. Start by asking around to other franchise owners to get their advice and insight. Next, research the different options available and do market research to identify which would be the most successful in your area. Perhaps most importantly, carefully develop your budget to account for all associated costs and fees to ensure you have all the tools you need to start and maintain your business.
VeteransFranchise.com is designed to provide as much information as possible on each veterans-friendly franchise so you can easily identify which opportunities align with your needs. Feel free to browse our franchise listings or search for available franchise opportunities by location, investment level or industry. Also, rest assured that only franchises and business opportunities that are as supportive of veteran business ownership as we are will ever be featured on VeteranFranchise.com. Thank you for reading our blog – we wish you the utmost success in your next business venture.
Franchising is practiced in many business establishments today. With franchising, the franchisor generally licenses its trademarks and business modus operandi to the franchisee. This is done in exchange for a recurring payment from the franchisee which may be a percentage of gross sales or gross profits and annual fees. Businesses working as a franchise arrangement are referred to as chain stores, franchises or franchise outlets.
The advantage of franchising lies in the fact that the franchisor is still in command of the financial part of the business. The franchisee only pays the franchising fees and other commitments while the assets are controlled by the company. Moreover, with franchising, the franchisor provides trained employees for the franchise. In fact, if required, they will also provide the necessary training to the employees, wherein the franchisees save in training costs.
When entering into a franchise agreement, it is necessary for the franchisee to pay some capital amount as a security deposit to the franchisor. With this payment, the franchisee runs the franchise with the needed dedication as they will not want to lose the capital sum to the franchisor. As the company would have already had a good standing in the market and allots franchises just to expand, there is not much of a hassle in getting customers, and business to the franchise.
Franchising helps in the growth of a business as there are no limits to the number of franchises to a company. It is in fact much easier to open franchises of a company than branches of a business as the cost involved is much lower. Moreover, the franchisee receives franchise fees, franchise royalty, better lease options, discounts on equipment and raw materials and discounts from vendors. So they basically have more money to run the franchise than an individually owned company or companies.
If you are entering the Air Force, think about the type of career you would like to pursue when you finish your commitment. Some fields offer higher-paying jobs than others, so choose your specialty carefully. The Air Force is an excellent way to get free training and work experience that you can take with you into civilian life.
Healthcare
There is always a demand for qualified medical professionals, especially as the population continues to age. Medical careers require extensive training if you are going the civilian route. The Air Force can provide this training at no cost and give you hands-on experience with the latest medical technology. You will also have the opportunity to choose a specialized position within the field of medicine, such as allergist, nurse, lab specialist or physical therapist.
Aviation Engineering
The aviation engineering industry offers various careers for ex-Air Force personnel, such as aircraft engineer, civil engineer, service technician or safety inspector. Aircraft engineers and service technicians design and maintain aircraft to ensure passenger safety. Civil engineers work on the systems in and around the airport, such as runway lighting, parking areas and baggage carousels. After your commitment ends, you may already have the necessary work experience to qualify for FAA certification in your desired field.
Commercial Pilot
Commercial airlines often recruit from the Air Force because they know their pilots will be well-trained when they exit the service. Flying 747s and other commercial aircraft will seem much easier after you have mastered fighter jets. You should already have the required amount of flight hours for a trainee pilot job by the time you exit the Air Force. You can also choose to work as a flight school instructor if you do not want to fly full-time.
Information Technology
You will have an opportunity to work with state-of-the-art computer and electronic equipment in the Air Force. When you exit the service, you will have specialized experience that is in high demand in the civilian world, including work with audio-visual systems and radar systems at airports. However, a potential employer may still ask you to become certified as a Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate, VMware Certified Professional or Certified Information Systems Security Professional as a prerequisite for the job. Your past security clearance may also open up additional opportunities to work on classified projects. The salary you will receive depends on the type of job you choose. IT support for a small office will pay far less than a programming job on a new government project.
In Indianapolis this morning, AMVETS held an event they coined ‘Veterans Stand Down.’ This was the 10th annual event where homeless veterans were invited to come in and receive goods and services. The organization gave out hygiene items, food and clothing.
“We are here to support our veterans,” said Ralanda Whitaker of the American Legion. “They have supported us and defended us so it’s time we supported and take care of them. Especially today of all days, it’s important to remember the people that have defended us and protected us and we need to take care of them.”
Today we remember all those affected by the terrible occurrences 13 years ago today, and to all of those who have sacrificed to preserve our freedom in this nation.
We all know that franchisors actively seek veteran franchisees due to the complimentary characteristics of being both a business owner and a military veteran. Military vets have excellent leadership skills, an ability to take initiative, the skill of adaptability in difficult situations, confidence… the list goes on and on. So how does a franchise business owner determine the best ways to bring outstanding military veterans into their organizations? Amit Y. Kleinberger, CEO of Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, offers some advice on this in this month’s of Franchising World.
Kleinberger offers traits of highly effective veteran franchisees. Here are our favorite ones from his piece:
1. A Higher Purpose A veteran is someone who believes in a higher purpose of the work they are doing and going above and beyond to provide that “greater good.” Instead of getting lost in personal goals and objectives, veterans are more likely to yearn to assist others and make a difference in the respective communities they serve.
2. Dedication
Military professionals endure difficulties day in and day out. Hard work is a necessity in any successful business, and outstanding military veterans will push themselves to obtain the unreachable.
3.Teamwork
Cohesion within any organization is crucial to its longevity and success in the industry. Military veterans quickly learn the value of teamwork and how to work well with others. This skill is essential in any work environment – and particularly when you are operating a business.
4. Accountability
Military professionals are used to following a certain structure, and for an organization this means preserved resources and time. Veterans are comfortable with holding themselves accountable for certain responsibilities.
5. Technologically Savvy
Many businesses these days do not even come close to possessing the same technological capabilities as that of the military. The US military offers outstanding hands-on training in many fields, including up-to-date technology.
What traits would you say make a veteran a highly effective franchisee? Leave thoughts below!
Here at Veterans Franchise, we love to see our military vets receive gratitude from their community members. This week in San Jose, California, Joe Bell, a World War II veteran, came outside of his home to cheer on runners for an annual 408K charity race. Bell was dressed in his military uniform clapping and waving as the runners passed by. The event benefited the Pat Tillman Foundation, which provides scholarships to military veterans and their spouses.
As runners passed by Bell and noticed him cheering them on, they began to head over to where he sat on his front lawn to shake his hand and thank him for his service. The military veteran, now 95 years old, smiled and shook each runner’s hand who left the street to come greet Bell on his front lawn.
What acts of gratitude and kindness have you seen in your own community for military veterans? Leave your comments below!
Maui Wowi is dedicated to providing business opportunities for our military veterans. The franchise continues to expand, and is taking on Texas this year.
Maui Wowi reported that they will target Texas as a market for big growth. This development announcement stems from the success of the franchisees currently operating in the Greater Houston area and throughout Texas.
To kick off the company’s expansion efforts, Maui Wowi will exhibit at Booth #230 at one of its most successful event venues, Reliant Park, for the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) Franchise Expo South in Houston, February 6–8. Houston franchisees and directors of regional support Rob and Jean McLean will spearhead franchise development expansion in the market. The company is currently seeking new franchise partners throughout the Houston area to add brick-and-mortar locations or mobile units.
“As newly minted members of the franchise support team in Houston, we’re looking forward to connecting with potential franchisees at the expo and introducing them to the ‘Aloha Spirit’ and flexible business models that Maui Wowi offers,” says Jean McLean. “Sharing our franchise insight and personal experiences with the company at the expo will be a catalyst for further development in Houston and on a larger scale throughout Texas.”
The McLeans bring with them experience from their record-setting sales using their mobile cart business at the Reliant Stadium. To date, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2013 was the McLeans’ biggest event yet. Twenty-one days, 2.5 million people, eight Maui Wowi mobile carts, and thousands of smoothies sold, the McLeans says, “We did a good portion of our sales for the whole year in just those three weeks. It was wild.”
They plan to bring that same energy and appetite for success to the stadium yet again. Justin Livingston, Vice president of business development at Maui Wowi, and Adam Benshoof, development manager, will also join them at the expo to discuss the franchise opportunity with attendees.
“After successful events year after year at Reliant Park and throughout Texas, buzz is beginning to build about Maui Wowi in the market,” Livingston says. “There’s a huge demand for healthy beverage options in Houston, especially at heavily attended events, and we’re eager to partner with entrepreneurs involved in the community who want a fun, rewarding and flexible career.”
To augment the company’s growth, Maui Wowi is seeking passionate franchisees with the resources and capacity to create and manage a franchise investment opportunity in the fast-casual or event business. Maui Wowi offers four business models for prospective franchisees interested in a low-cost start up with scalability potential, including Ka’anapali mobile carts, catering units, kiosks, and brick-and-mortar stores. Depending on the format, start-up costs range between $75,000 and $300,000.
Information on this article was first listed on QSR, and can be found here.
