I recently read a great article on Entrepreneur.com (find here) about veterans currently in the franchising industry. The veterans interviewed give advice about the lessons they’ve learned in the military and the way in which those lessons translate to their business. Here of some of my favorites:

1. YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Amit Kleinberger, the CEP of Menchie’s, a frozen yogurt franchise, discusses how the military shaped his unique leadership style. He says that “Often what I explain to people is that the military is considered by many as the finest institution in the world for leadership because it really places people in tough situations. When you’re in combat in tough situations, people don’t follow you because you tell them to follow you, they follow you because they believe who you are.”
2. YOUR ABILITY TO TAKE INTIATIVE
While in the military there is a very set way of doing things; there are also opportunities for taking initiative and making decisions within those boundaries. Gordon Logan, the founder of Sports Clips, comments that “You can’t always call home to get instructions when you’re in a combat situation or a stressful situation. Those same skills transfer quite readily to franchising.”

3. PLANNING AND THEN BEING WILLING TO CHANGE THE PLAN
This is a crucial skill that the military teaches. Adaptability is important in any job, including the franchising industry. Veterans learn how to set goals, and execute the plan during their service, but just as with any plan in life, things are going to go wrong, and you will have to be flexible.

4. TAKING A LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE
It’s a crucial skill, in the military and in business, to while paying attention to details of the task at hand, not losing sight of the main objective. Jenna Bazdaric, a tropical smoothie owner in Poughkeepsie, NY, says “In the military you learn to manage a lot of things at one time because there are a lot of moving parts involved in missions… As an owner-operator, I have to know what’s going on on a day-to-day basis but also keep my eye on the bigger picture.”

5. CONFIDENCE IS KEY
Vinay Chadha, a Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies owner in San Diego, CA says “One of the most important traits I developed while in the military is confidence. What I found was that nothing is out of reach as long as you work hard, continually feed your mind with knowledge, and know yourself and what you are capable of nothing can get in the way of your goals.” When you trust yourself and your abilities, you are a whole lot more likely to succeed.

What lessons have you learned in the military that translate to your business skills? Share your lessons in our comments section below!