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VetFran and Hiring our Heroes

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The International Franchise Association’s VetFran initiative has strengthened its partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring our Heroes program thanks to a newly forged relationship with Capital One Financial Corporation.

 

The partnership is part of the IFA’s Operation Enduring Opportunity, a campaign to hire 75,000 veterans and military spouses and 5,000 wounded warriors by the end of 2014. New hires may be recruited as franchisees or as team members.

 

As part of the partnership, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Capital One made a sizable, $80,000 contribution to the International Franchise Association.

 

VetFran had an opportunity to exhibit this past Friday at the Capital One sponsored Job Fair for Veterans and Military Spouses in Washington, D.C.

 

For more information on Hiring our Heroes, please follow this link.

Sport Clips Haircuts Donates Half of a Million Dollars to VFW’s Free Call Days for Military

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Sport Clips Haircuts Connects U.S. Military with Loved Ones through $500,000 Gift to
VFW’s Operation Uplink™
“Help A Hero” campaign will increase monthly free call days for service members in 2013

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (December 10, 2012) – Sport Clips Haircuts will provide deployed and hospitalized U.S. service members the opportunity to call loved ones free of charge on 13 holidays and 21 additional days in 2013.  The franchise raised money through its Help A Hero campaign and made a $500,000 donation today in support of the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW) Operation Uplink™ “Free Call Day” program. This is the sixth year for Sport Clips’ Help A Hero, which will provide 17 more call days in the year ahead over 2012. More than 950 Sport Clips locations across the U.S. raised funds for Operation Uplink, which provides the free “talk time” via satellite phone and computer.

Sport Clips representatives presented a check for the 2012 donation today to VFW National Commander John Hamilton at the VFW National Headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. The contribution breaks last year’s record donation by $50,000 and was raised by stylists, managers, and franchisees in-store and through fundraising events in their communities. Since Sport Clips’ Help A Hero program began in 2007, more than 2 million dollars have been donated and almost 2 million calls have been made possible to date.

“It’s an honor for Sport Clips to be able to support men and women in the military through Help A Hero. By helping our troops stay connected to loved ones, we hope these call days will encourage them  through their physical separation from friends and family due to hospital stays or multiple deployments far from home,” said Sport Clips founder and CEO Gordon Logan of the donation. Logan served overseas in the U.S. Air Force and is a lifetime member of the VFW and a VFW Foundation Board member.
Sport Weddel, owner of the Amarillo, Texas store that raised the most money in the Sport Clips system, believes it’s important to participate in programs that support U.S. military like Help A Hero. “I love my country, and I am so proud of those men and women, both present and past, who have made a commitment to keep us free and safe,” he said. “We must not forget that while the great majority of us are enjoying friends and family during holiday times, there are thousands of men and women in uniform around the world who can’t do that. I enjoy the opportunity to help make connections possible through Help A Hero.”

“Sport Clips’ contribution is a remarkable expression of gratitude to all the brave men and women of our armed forces for their sacrifice and dedication. Our thanks goes out to everyone who has played a part in this wonderful and selfless endeavor. VFW is so fortunate to have forged such a strong friendship with Mr. Logan and his nationwide Sport Clips team,” says Hamilton.
To find out more about Sport Clips’ Help A Hero program, visit SportClips.com/Hero.

Restaurant Franchise Hungry Howie’s Helps Veterans Get a Piece of the Pie

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John Brenneman, a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, credits his military training with the success of his five Hungry Howie’s pizza franchises. After leaving the military, John chose to follow Hungry Howie’s “proven operating model” and recommends that other veterans do the same.

 

Hungry Howie’s, a restaurant franchise known for its flavored pizza crust, has been delivering quality pizza for 40 years. The franchise is consistently finds itself listed as one of the top ten largest pizza franchises in the nation and has won several awards:

 

  • Military Friendly Franchise by G.I. Jobs Magazine, May 2012
  • #3 Best Pizza Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 500 Franchise edition, January 2012
  • Chain of the Year by Pizza Today magazine in 2004

Most Hungry Howie’s franchisees cite the pizza franchise’s “crustomizable” flavored pizza crust (which comes in eight different flavors) and personable staff as the main reasons why customers return to Hungry Howie’s.


As a member of VetFran, Hungry Howie’s offers qualified veterans a 50 percent discount on the initial franchise fee. All franchisees are provided ongoing support and training, extending a helping hand in real estate transactions, store construction, operations, distribution, finance and marketing.

 

The restaurant franchise is rapidly approaching 600 stores located in 21 states. Hungry Howie’s is currently looking for franchisees all across the United States. Only Florida and Michigan have limited franchise unit availability.

Why making small business funding available to veterans is so important

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The franchise industry has made it its mission to help military veterans secure funding in order to pursue their small business dreams– but why is it so important that former members of the armed services receive so much help? Aren’t they an obvious choice for financial support?

 

You would think so– and the loan environment for veterans is significantly better than it was a decade ago– but fiscal support for our nation’s heroes still isn’t where it should be.

 

Call me old-fashioned, but American businesses and banks should do all within their power and conscience to help former members of the military. After all, they offered up their lives in potential sacrifice for this nation. Can’t we help them settle into civilian life as small business owners?

 

The International Franchise Association has, through various programs like VetFran, done a great deal to rally support around military veterans. The IFA and various franchises have extolled the benefits of employing veterans, praising veterans’ ability to lead, to take direction and to execute intricate plans.

 

But banks don’t always see it that way.

 

When evaluating a loan application, banks look at:

 

  1. Your history. Banks will check your financial status and personal credit history and your previous loan history. Banks believe we’re creatures of habit and that if we’ve demonstrated fiduciary responsibility in the past we’re likely to continue those habits now. But, if you’ve been in the military since your twenties you probably haven’t had time to develop and rich credit history.
  2. Your cash flow. Preparing a cash flow statement with future cash flow projections is something banks take seriously. Doing so shows the bank that you’re aware of cash coming in and going out of your business. However, how many military personnel are taught how to prepare these kinds of statements?
  3. Your collateral. Most loans are repaid in cash but lenders will want some kind of back up in case your business fails. Collateral– anything of value like a vehicle, real estate, savings, equipment or stocks and bonds– may be used as security for debt repayment. Again, many of those just leaving the military do not own real estate and, if they’ve been on tour for extended periods of time, have not needed a vehicle.

 

It’s for these reasons that some banks like TD Bank, with urging from the IFA and some franchises, have given some preferential treatment to veterans. As more and more action is taken to help veterans become business owners banks should follow suit. Furthermore, as banks are desperate to lend they’ll consider more and more loans.

On a Roll: Sushi Franchise Sushi Freak

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From rice, fish and occasionally vegetables, the Japanese created sushi: a food that’s become so ubiquitous in American culture it can be found just about anywhere– including gas stations. While gas station sushi might not be the best choice, a new franchise concept, Sushi Freak, is offering its customers as much choice as possible.

 

The permutations are endless at a Sushi Freak franchise. You’re only limited by your imagination. Even if you aren’t a fan of “the raw stuff”, Sushi Freak’s list of available sushi filling ingredients — 51– include many cooked and seafood alternatives.

food franchise

Customers follow a basic four step ordering process to create their own 8-piece sushi rolls: select your wrapper (soy or seaweed), pick your protein, choose your fillings and top it off with the sauce, raw fish or other topping of your choice. In addition, Sushi Freak offers vegetarian, gluten-free soy sauce and rice-free options, too.

 

This dedication to customization stems from Sushi Freak co-founders Michael Broder and Jenifer Duarte, whose previous food and beverage experience “got them rolling.”

restaurant franchise

Before Sushi Freak opened its first location in San Diego, Calif., the dynamic, sushi-loving duo worked for The Pacific Rim Asian Bistro in Albuquerque, New Mexico that boasted a 160 piece sushi menu. Guests of the bistro would often request for certain exclusions or additions to their sushi orders. After the one-millionth, “Can I substitute…” request Michael and Jenifer saw the need for a customizable sushi restaurant franchise.

 

Why It Works

 

A mixture of tighter budgets and greater food knowledge (thanks to the Food Network and television shows Top Chef, Chopped and The Taste) has produced a more discerning consumer: one that knows what they like to eat and how they want it made.

 

The beauty of Sushi Freak is that it allows customers to order exactly what they want without sacrificing the traditional sushi experience. Jenifer and Michael made sure to consult one of the best master sushi chefs they knew (the kind that isn’t allowed to touch rice until after a one-year apprenticeship) to refine the sushi making process at Sushi Freak.

 

The Nitty Gritty

 

While a definitive initial investment can’t be given for legal reasons, the estimated initial investment for a Sushi Freak franchise is $179,900 – $297,000.

 

Franchise term is 20 years with an option to renew for another 20 years.

 

Typical Sushi Freak restaurant franchise is 1200-1500 square feet.

 

100,000 minimum cash required.

 

An ideal Sushi Freak franchisee has a strong background in business management with a passion for serving people and very intrinsically motivated.

 

Sushi Freak is seeking franchisees in all 50 states and international locations.

 

One owner or designated manager must be involved in the Sushi Freak franchise on a full-time basis and be held responsible for the daily operations and management of said Sushi Freak location.

 

Owning and operating a Sushi freak includes: use of Sushi Freak’s brand name, trademarks, recipes, operational systems, methods and décor. Support is provided in:

 

Facility planning

Fixture, equipment and leasehold improvements

Lease negotiation

Site selection

Corporate training for owner/operator and general managers

Kitchen workflow design

Ongoing support from training/operations team

Ongoing updates for increasing profitability

Products

System efficiency

Favorable national contracts with suppliers of goods and services

Group of Franchises Partner with TD Bank to Aid Veterans

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Franchises are known for providing their franchisees with a support system from the beginning to end. Now, a group of franchises have partnered with TD Bank to help military veterans secure the capital necessary to become franchisees.

 

Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin’ Donuts, Domino’s Pizza and Papa Murphy’s are the first franchises to participate in TD Bank’s funding initiative.

 

According to TD Bank, those companies participating with veterans interested in opening a franchise within its Maine-to-Florida service area will be offered a streamlined loan application process, waived packaging fees and lower than average interest rates.

 

TD Bank’s head of Small Business Administration lending believes that a military background provides veterans with the skills and traits most often seen in successful small business owners.

 

To get more information about financing through TD Bank veterans should first approach one of the participating franchises.

Edible Arrangements Begins Veterans Recruitment, Support Program

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Best known for it’s show-stopping arrangements of fresh and chocolate covered fruit, Edible Arrangements recently showed that its ability to wow the crowds goes beyond the sweet stuff.

 

Recently, Tariq Farid, Edible Arrangements chief executive officer, made a sizable contribution of $125,000 to the International Franchise Association’s VetFran program. Farid’s contribution is part of Edible Arrangements new “Hero’s Welcome” initiative, which aims to create franchise and employment opportunities for military veterans.

 

In addition to the $125,000 donation, Edible Arrangements plans to offer specialized training, a franchise fee discount and mentorship opportunities (by military veterans who already own Edible Arrangements) to military veterans who choose to become Edible Arrangements franchisees. The franchise has also set an additional goal of employing at least 1,000 veterans throughout its locations nationwide.

 

Aside from its “Hero’s Welcome” initiative, Edible Arrangements’ CEO is also actively involved in the IFA’s Veterans Business Accelerator program. Established by the Department of Veteran Affairs, the Veterans Business Accelerator program provides free courses and resources for all veterans interested in entrepreneurship, franchising or otherwise. The program also provides financial support to wounded warriors while completing coursework.

 

Of course, those military veterans who do become Edible Arrangements franchisees will join one of the franchise industry’s most successful concepts to date. Edible Arrangements has been ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 every year since 2009; been named one of the “Fastest-Growing” franchises for four years; and listed as one of “America’s Top Global” franchises for four years, all by Entrepreneur magazine.

Veterans Franchise and the 2013 IFA Convention

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The buzz of Las Vegas was louder than normal last week as 3,500 people swarmed the MGM Grand to attend the International Franchise Association’s annual convention, making it a record-breaking show for the association.

Matthew Haller, a spokesman for the International Franchise Association said, “We always have higher attendance when we’re in Vegas.”

Those in attendance weren’t just franchise executives. New franchise concepts, franchisees, franchise suppliers (like Veterans Franchise) and famous speakers also made the pilgrimage to Las Vegas for the IFA convention.

franchise opportunities condoleeza rice

During the convention a central theme emerged: growth. Dr. Condoleeza Rice, a keynote speaker, spoke of the importance of galvanizing the American dream through a strengthened economy and that an economic resurgence lied in the hands of the private sector, of which franchising is a major player.

CKE Restaurants CEO Andrew Puzder delivered a speech along the same notes, citing that at the core of his “unconventional” business strategy was a desire to keep his franchisees successful.

“When our franchisees make money, we make money,” he said. Puzder’s strategy has kept Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s growing for ten consecutive years.

In recent years the tumultuous economy and recession resulted in loss for the franchise community in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The tables turned in 2012; it was a year of recovery and most predict 2013 to follow suit. By the end of this year, 757,055 new franchise establishments are expected to be in operation, a 1.4 percent increase from 2012.

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In addition to celebrating the return of growth to the industry, the IFA convention also shone a light on those who support the franchise industry through various products and services.  McDonald’s would be lost without fryers, frozen yogurt franchises would melt without freezers and franchise expansion would shudder to a much slower pace without the efforts of lead generation experts like Franchise Buy, who provide franchise concepts with a steady stream of entrepreneurs looking to become franchisees. IFA Suppliers showcased their businesses over the course of two days in the exhibitor hall, which included various law firms, accounting firms, telecommunications concepts, human resources software companies and Google.

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Veterans Franchise Goes to Las Vegas For IFA Convention

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The crew of Veterans Franchise.com is heading to Las Vegas this weekend to attend the International Franchise Association’s 53rd annual convention. It’s the first time Veterans Franchise.com has attended the annual conference and all of the company’s members couldn’t be more thrilled to visit Las Vegas. While we’re there we hope to shake hands with our franchise clients and meet some new fellow franchise industry members. If you’ll be attending the conference please stop by our booth, #139, and say hello!

We’re giving away lots of fun prizes, including four HUGE gifts that all of Veterans Franchise.com’s employees desperately want to win: a Wii gaming system, an iPad mini, an iPod nano and a brand new laptop. All you have to do is enter your name into the twice daily drawings to be eligible.

The ABC’s of Franchising For Veterans

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As a veteran, do you know your franchise industry ABC’s?

 

A is for Autonomous — Why did you want to become a franchisee in the first place? More than likely it was because you wanted to be your own boss. Who doesn’t crave more autonomy at work?

 

B is for Boost a Hero — Finding funding isn’t always as easy as applying for a loan. Sometimes, applying for a loan isn’t easy in itself. Thankfully, Sprigster has created Boost a Hero, a crowd funding platform designed to help military veterans and their spouses raise capital to start their own franchises and businesses.

 

C is for Crowdfunding — Funding remains a challenge for all entrepreneurs, not just those who are hoping to open a franchise. New legislation is sure to help crowdfunding’s popularity as a way to raise capital for .

 

D is for Directories — As the franchise industry picks up speed in its recruitment of military veterans and franchisees, directories have become an invaluable resource for both franchises and veterans. Directories, like Veterans Franchise.com, provides potential franchisees with free information on franchises specifically recruiting or offering special incentives to military veterans choosing franchise ownership as their next career move.  Some, like Franchise Clique, Franchise Buy and Veterans Franchise, have begun call-verifying leads as franchise sales and development teams field an increasing number of inquiries.

 

 

E is for Entrepreneur — Entrepreneur magazine has long celebrated franchising with its “Franchise 500”, their annual ranking of the industry’s top franchise concepts. The magazine also features a franchising section and often covers topics pertaining to the industry on its website.

 

F is for Fresh Coat Painters — Fresh Coat Painters is a low-cost, home-based and recession-resistant residential and commercial painting business that’s actively recruiting veterans.

 

G is for Growth — Growth despite economic challenges and uncertainty has become a hallmark of the franchise industry. Despite the woes experienced by many during the Great Recession, the franchise industry recovered well. The IFA expects the number of franchise establishments to grow by 1.4 percent in 2013!

 

H is for Helping Veterans Own Franchises Act of 2011 — Franchise small businesses find that veterans make great franchise owners because of the skills and experiences they have acquired through their military service.  This legislation directly supports the mission of VetFran and would allow more veterans to become entrepreneurs through the ownership of a franchise business.

 

I is for IFA — The International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s largest and oldest organization representing franchising worldwide. It acts in the best interest of the franchising industry to promote, protect and enhance the franchise industry through policy, PR, and education.

 

J is for J Dog Junk Removal— This exciting franchise opportunity is only open to veteran, active duty and reserve personnel.

 

K is for King — Joel Libava, aka “The Franchise King”, writes a phenomenal blog on all aspects of the franchising industry. His posts range from evaluations of franchising concepts, helping potential franchisees and issues the industry faces.

 

L is for Little Caesars — Little Caesars is outpacing other pizza franchises when it comes to recruiting veterans. The franchise program provides qualified, honorably discharged veterans with the chance to become a Little Caesars franchisee when transitioning to civilian life.

 

M is for Military Franchises — Military veterans have been welcomed profusely to franchising by franchisors and the IFA alike. The push to hire military veterans has been facilitated by websites like Veterans Franchise.com, VetFran and crowd funding platforms like Boost a Hero.

 

N is for Nation’s Restaurant News — This magazine delivers breaking news about the $600 billion food industry, including franchises. Since 1967, NRN has been covering trends, operators, suppliers and major figures in all areas of the food service industry.

 

O is for Operations — As a franchisee, a large part of your day deals with the day-to-day operations that make a franchise unit run smoothly. Luckily, those with varying degrees of business experience can count on their franchisor counterparts to lead the way. After all, one of the best parts about franchising is the proven track record and support provided to each franchisee by its franchisor.

 

P is for Patriot Pilot Loan Initiative — Through the Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative the SBA has approved more than $500 million in low-interest small-business loans for veterans, reservists and their spouses since its creation in 2007.

 

Q is for Quick-Casual — If you didn’t catch our recent post on food costs and the franchising industry, you missed out on a short and sweet explanation of how food franchises continue to grow despite rising food, oil and transportation costs. The real winner in the food franchise category? Quick-casual restaurants, which are predicted to grow 1.7 percent in 2013, the third largest growth percentage according to the IFA. Also, quick-casual restaurant franchises make up two-thirds of all food related franchise establishments.

 

R is for Restaurants — When you think of franchising, golden arches and drive-thrus probably spring to mind first. It’s no wonder, considering food franchise establishments comprise 33 percent of all franchise establishments.

 

S is for Steve Caldeira — Stephen J. Caldeira is the President & CEO of the International Franchise Association. As the President and CEO, Caldeira works with the IFA’s board to set the course for the organization’s strategic priorities: policy, research, education, PR, and various development programs. Mr. Caldeira has 30 years of government relations, political communications, fundraising and professional development experience. Prior to his current position, Caldeira served as the Executive Vice President of Global Communications & Chief Public Affairs Officer for Dunkin’ Brands, Inc.

 

T is for Trillion — Yes, that’s trillion with a “T”! The franchise community represents $2.1 trillion of economic output just for the U.S. economy.

 

U is for U.S. Lawns —  U.S. Lawns is aggressively recruiting former military personnel to become part of their franchise, which is part of a $50 billion industry.

 

V is for VetFran — The International Franchise Association’s VetFran initiative aims to help returning military service members access franchise opportunities through training, financial assistance, and industry support.

 

W is for Work — Despite the autonomy inherent in becoming a franchisee, there’s also a lot of hard work. Ask any small business owner and they’ll tell you how much they wish there were more than 24 hours in a day. As a veteran, you know all about hard work (can you say boot camp?) which is why you’re at the top of every franchise’s recruitment list.

 

X is for Xenophile — As far as we’re concerned, one of the very best things about the franchise industry is its acceptance of other cultures. Whether it’s a franchisee expanding outside of the U.S. or the birth of a new food franchise celebrating a cuisine that’s not quite mainstream yet, the franchise industry makes a point to bring “new” and “different” to the masses.

 

Y is for Yogurt — How many frozen yogurt places can you count driving through your city or town? The frozen yogurt craze, which hasn’t cooled yet, has been going strong for years. Though it’s not the oldest type of franchise concept in the industry, it’s certainly one that’s made other consider franchising as a viable means of making a living.

 

Z is for Zeal — It takes more than just energy and determination to be a successful franchisee. It takes passion and a zeal for each of the many components that make a business run successfully.