When it comes to our Armed Forces, there is one story BizCom works hard to share not only for our clients’ very deserving military veterans but also for the many more who will one day enter the civilian world in search of their future. It’s thanks to the VetFran program and its many participating franchise organizations that more veterans have a career opportunity when their service to our country has ended. And it offers veterans more than just a job, but a business to call their own. On behalf of several BizCom clients who participate in VetFran, the BizCom team is on a constant mission to share those successes.
Started by Neighborly after the Gulf War, the program was designed to honor the very men and women who protect the freedom
under which our free enterprise system thrives.
This blog from Neighborly CEO Mike Bidwell explains why it was a great idea then, why it remains so powerful now, and why it will continue long into the future for all the right reasons. From service to their country to service in their local communities through a franchise, veterans have proven a great fit for franchising, as they are highly skilled to succeed.
Veterans know how to follow a system, and franchise opportunities thrive on that.
Not surprisingly, franchise organizations excel when they attract qualified franchisees who are dedicated to following a proven system. And as veterans have transitioned to the private sector over the years, they also have brought with them some of the very best training by the military to do just that. Fast forward, and today more than 600 franchisors give their best financial discounts and training to military veterans who want to own and operate a franchise. However, the mission continues.
There are too many unemployed veterans, and franchisors want to change that.
Shannon Hudson, the Founder and CEO of 9Round, the world’s largest kickboxing chain, recently shared, “In 2017, the reported number of unemployed veterans was 370,000 according to the United States Bureau of Labor.” That’s hundreds of thousands of men and women who find themselves jobless after protecting the very freedom under which we all live. So, it’s fitting that a business focused on a strong regimen of fitness and personal strength has made a strong connection with military veterans who are now franchise owners. Franchisees like Cheryl Torres, featured in the Midland-Reporter Telegram, and Chad Hollenbeck, interviewed on WEAU-TV, offer a glimpse at VetFran that tells a deeper story. Not only are they strong franchisees, but hopefully they are the example that other veterans can identify with as they look for a future outside of the military.
There are battles to be won at home too. Veterans are up for the mission.
In all our years of promoting VetFran at BizCom, we’ve also seen an inspiring trend. Small businesses across Main Street America are up for the challenge in good times and bad to serve their communities and be a champion for customers. Somehow, military veterans have a keen sense for what this takes, even in times of real danger, unbelievable disaster, and tough work to get a job done. Look no further than Ron Jones, a multi-unit franchisee for Restoration 1 who has not only grown into one of the largest franchisees in record time for the organization, but has also tackled service jobs after Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael along the way. CEO Gary Findley said, “he is a fine example of what it means to set out on a mission, achieve a goal, claim victory and keep pushing forward.” For more, read his blog on Veterans Make Great Business Owners. Here’s Why…
As we wave the flag for Veterans Day, we give thanks to our clients who participate in and support the incredible VetFran program. And we look forward to sharing more incredible success stories of our honorable military veterans who are living the American Dream and being the boss of their very own business. It’s the kind of victory — a win for the franchisor and the franchisee — that deserves many more examples across their ranks.
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