april 2015
Veterans in Franchising www.franchisingusamagazine.com
Veteran Chooses
First Light Home Care Spending Money
That Makes Sense
VET To CEO
offers Online Franchise Course to Veterans Franchising USA
feature
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V eterans in F ranchisin g S upplement april 2 0 1 5 Our Veterans in Franchising special supplement has become a regular feature of Franchising USA. To share your story in the next issue, please contact Vikki Bradbury, Publisher Phone: 778 426 2446 Email: vikki@cgbpublishing.com
Contents Cover Story
Profiles
44 First Light Home Care
48 ValPak 54 Massage Envy
News & Expert Advice 46 Spending Money That Makes Sense Debbie Fanning, Veterans Business Resource Center
Focus 52 Tutor Doctor
50 Vet To CEO Patrick Mingey, Veterans Business Services
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C over S tor y - first light ho m e car e
Veteran Chooses
First Light Home Care Due to Accommodation
Right from day one, First Light Home Care was as accommodating as possible with franchisee Eric Friedrich. As he was approaching his deployment date with the Air Force, where he was an Intelligence Officer, Friedrich contacted numerous franchises and explained that
he was set to deploy, but planned on separating from active duty upon his return. So, he wanted to get as much of the franchising process done as he could before leaving so when he returned, it would essentially be ready to start. First Light Home Care was one of the few that were more than willing to work with him, letting him do as much as he could prior to deployment so it would be ready to pick up and begin once he returned. (Most other franchises simply told him to contact
them after he returned from deployment.) Due to a leg injury, it turned out that Friedrich didn’t end up deploying, so he was able to put his franchising plans into action even sooner than anticipated. A lot of what Friedrich had read about franchising warned him that franchisors can be accommodating up front, but disappear when they get their franchising fee. That’s why he feels especially fortunate to be with First Light. “They all just sounded genuine and sincere and they actually cared about me and my well being,” Friedrich recalled during an interview at his office in Brunswick, GA. Although based in Brunswick, Friedrich’s franchise does most of its business on St. Simons Island. “We provide non-medical home care to seniors, new mothers and people with disabilities,” Friedrich explained. “Nonmedical meaning personal care and companion care.” Personal care is when someone needs assistance with the activities of daily living, like mobility, getting out of bed, getting in and out of cars, using the bathroom, basic hygiene, eating, bathing and more. If clients don’t need hands on care, they can still provide companion care to keep the person company and drive them
“‘We provide non-medical home care to seniors, new mothers and people with disabilities...non-medical meaning personal care and companion care.” Franchising USA
“‘If clients don’t need hands on care, they can still provide companion care to keep the person company and drive them around on errands and grocery shopping.” around on errands and grocery shopping. While in client’s homes, caretakers will also help with light housekeeping work and some light cooking.
Starting Out Friedrich moved into his current office in March 2014, but there was a state licensing process to go through, so he’s been in operation officially since July 2014. His initial contact with the franchise happened in August 2013 via a program through Veteran’s Affairs that helps veterans get set up with a franchise. After looking into several different types of franchises, the more he researched, the more the non-medical home care business appealed to him. This makes sense, as Friedrich was born and raised in a medical family with a father who was an ear, nose and throat doctor while his mother worked in his father’s surgery center. It was wanting to spend as much quality time with his parents, who are both seniors now, that brought him back to Brunswick, St. Simons Island where he was born and raised, to open his franchise. Friedrich described himself as passionate about the area. He is equally as passionate about how much he learned from his time in the Air Force. In fact, he’s still in the Air Force reserves and serves from time to time. Through the Air Force, he said, he was able to travel the world, do some amazing things and meet amazing people. His service also provided him with the work ethic, organization, and people management skills to make his franchise a success. And if his work-life balance is any indication, it’s a successful franchise. As with all businesses, Friedrich had to work
long hours to get it off the ground, but now that the business has hit its stride, he has much more free time. Currently, he has three office staff managing 40 caregivers. “Things that used to take us four hours at the beginning, we can do in 20 minutes now,” he noted.
Quality Corporate Support Part of that success with getting the business established involves the support he receives from First Light, which was a lot when he was getting things going. “My first few months of business, I was on the phone with them every single day,” he said. Any unfamiliar situations that popped up, and there were many at the beginning, the First Light staff would talk him through it. Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, First Light keeps a registered nurse on staff for consultation. And while Friedrich’s franchise also has a registered nurse on staff, the one at headquarters has been doing it for so long, her insight is invaluable. Additionally, the knowledge of the First Light technology expert who can walk him through every single accounting issue and through any issues with their scheduling software is equally as important. First Light has staff to help with marketing, they are continually building national alliances with big name companies and they have monthly franchise calls to share news and touch base with everyone. Right from the beginning, the company has been active with their help, analyzing the site Friedrich had picked out and giving him insight into the demographics in the area. Once Friedrich signed the franchise agreement, First Light provided him with a two-week new owner training course where they taught him everything about
best practices for hiring and using the scheduling and tracking systems. The training was so extensive, it included role playing of scenarios that he would be likely to run into in that sort of work environment. It also included tours of complimentary businesses like the emergency care call center for seniors. One thing Friedrich especially likes is First Light’s use of a third-party quality control company that the franchisees are required to use for evaluation. That third party company calls clients and care givers and gives their ranking based on that. “That’s a good way to gauge how we’re doing,” Friedrich said. In a business that’s all about being accommodating to clients, First Light Home Care showed Friedrich just how accommodating they could be with their franchisees. For more information: www.firstlighthomecare.com
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V e t era ns i n Fra nchising
Debbie Fanning, Administrator, Veterans Business Resource Center
Spending
Money That Makes Sense Here it is! Tax season and you spent the entire month of March trying to remember what expenses were business and what were dinner out with the little league team. Entrepreneurs thrive on a DIY mentality:
Do everything you can yourself and don’t pay for anything new until you have
absolutely must. They find it especially
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difficult to justify hiring financial help like a bookkeeper. With user friendly software such as QuickBooks available, many business owners feel they should be able to do keep their records on their own, even as they wrestle with finding the time and wonder if they’re doing things correctly. Entrepreneurs who hire accounting help usually discover they weren’t doing nearly as well on their own as they thought they were. Veterans ask us all the time, what options are available for professional help with financial tasks? Here is a primer:
Do I Need a Bookkeeper or an Accountant? Actually it’s a trick question. You may need both. Think of it as needing to hire both a carpenter and an architect when building a house. An accountant can analyze the big picture of your financial situation and offer strategic advice. He or she produces key financial documents, such as a profit and loss statement, if needed, and files a company’s taxes. After tax season is over, an accountant can also act as an outsourced chief financial
“Entrepreneurs who hire accounting help usually discover they weren’t doing nearly as well on their own as they thought they were.” “Knowledge is power,” even when it comes to the small details. If you don’t have a bookkeeper, you’re probably not being as strategic as you could be in how you spend your money.
When do I Bring in a Bookkeeper? Initially you may need a bookkeeper for a few hours a week within a few months after starting a new venture. For the first six to nine months, you may be too busy to focus much on recordkeeping, then things may begin to stabilize. Then you can see trends and you can start to think strategically about where your money is going and where you can save. This is when a bookkeeper becomes valuable. The rates for hiring a bookkeeper on a part-time basis in the U.S. can range from $15 to $60 an hour, depending on location, the workload and whether work is done at the company’s office or from home.
When do I Hire a Staff Accountant or Bookkeeper? officer, advising an entrepreneur on financial strategies, such as whether to secure a line of credit against receivables when introducing new products. In contrast, a bookkeeper does the day to day hands on tasks: making sure new employees file all the right paperwork for the company’s payroll, submitting invoices (promptly) and following up on them, and paying the bills. The bookkeeper also tracks company expenses and can assure that every cost has been entered and recorded correctly into software like QuickBooks so that the business is ready for tax time along with filing any other reporting to, say, creditors or investors.
Many small entrepreneurs can probably stick to outsourcing accounting or bookkeeping services for quite some time. The typical service business can often outsource its chief financial officer tasks and bookkeeping until its revenues rises well above the $1 million mark or until it has about 30 employees. Until then, most businesses usually don’t have enough work to keep a full-timer busy every day. It’s time to hire full-time help though when you’re calling your accountant often enough that you wish he or she were in the office all the time. Bring in a fulltime bookkeeper when your part-timer is spending two or three full days in the office and still falling behind.
Debbie Fanning
Be sure to seek out a bookkeeper and an accountant who can speak to you plainly. Many financial or accounting professionals struggle with this. Also, never be afraid to stand up and say, “I’m not fully understanding what you are telling me. Can you rephrase?” Accounting can be a lot of gobbledygook and is a language all its own. Professionals can be very good at what they do, but they also need to be able to explain concepts easily. A professional demeanor, friendly personality, and honesty are also important. You want to be sure that if there is something crucial that needs to be discussed, the discussion is timely and isn’t put off if it’s unpleasant. Most new business owners find a staffing solution somewhere along the continuum that ranges from trying to go it alone and paying for full-time help. If you need assistance making this decision, reach out to the Center at 314-531-VETS (8387) or info@vetbiz.com. Our consultants can help you assess your company needs as you grow your business. Debbie Fanning, Administrator at the Veterans Business Resource Center and all around guru of numbers. She can be reached at fanning@vetbiz.com where you can discuss her love of gardening, cooking and how she puts her CPA background to excellent use for Veteran small business owners. (But really ask her how much she loves peas!)
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Valpa k
“Even though it’s vastly different, the military does train you to be a leader and to be mission-oriented.” Lozier spent 15 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, in the enlisted ranks and then as
an officer. Being apart from his wife was the hardest part of his tenure with the
military. So when it came time for a new
career endeavor, Mike and Robyn decided to go into business together. Lozier has successfully transitioned from being
a leader in the U.S. Marine Corps to a
thriving franchise business owner with
the leader in cooperative direct mail. The couple purchased their Valpak franchise from Robyn’s parents, and have since
operated their New Jersey business with Mike as CEO and Robyn as President.
They offer Valpak’s flagship blue envelope and an impressive portfolio of digital
advertising products to business customers throughout their franchise territory.
Even though it’s vastly different, the
military does train you to be a leader and
Mike Lozier
Valpak, a leader in local print and digital coupons, initiated a veteran’s incentive program in 2012 to support returning U.S. military veterans seeking to start a Valpak franchise. Valpak will waive start-up fees for qualified, honorably discharged veterans, making it easier for them to start their franchise business and receive training at no direct cost. The savings amount can be up to $32,500. The company is also a proud member of the International
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to be mission-oriented. “As a Marine,
there was no task too small or too large
that I couldn’t figure out a way to get the
Profile
Franchise Association’s VetFran Program. Valpak has several veteran franchisees in the family, including Mike Lozier, who owns the Valpak of N.J. Gold Coast along with his wife Robyn. Lozier served for 10 years in the enlisted ranks in various positions, ranging from Intelligence Analyst and Marine Reconnaissance to Close Combat Instructor. He completed challenging, lengthy training courses, such as U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Ranger School, Combat EMT Training, U.S. Army S.E.R.E. (Survival, Evading, Resistance, Escape), also known as POW School, and USMC Amphibious Reconnaissance Course. As an officer for an additional five years, he served as a Financial Management Officer.
job done,” said Lozier. “Being a Valpak
owner is similar, because you are always
on deadline and must meet those deadlines in order to manage hundreds of accounts
and deliver top-notch customer service to each and every one.”
The Lozier’s have quickly become
standouts in their region. Mike will tell others that the most important thing to do when transitioning from a military
career to the business world is to choose
a career you love. As a Valpak owner, he
loves helping other small business owners
market their products and services. He gets great satisfaction in helping them expand their business and attract more and more customers.
For more information on becoming a Valpak franchisee, please visit www.valpakfranchising.com.
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Patrick Mingey, Marketing Director, Veterans Business Services
Franchisors are stepping up to provide sponsorship support for the “Franchising for Transitioning Warriors Program.” Vet to CEO in collaboration with Veterans Business Services has developed an innovative seven week online course which is specific to the franchising industry. Vet to CEO historically has been offering entrepreneurial franchising courses to transitioning Veterans since 2012 but now has adapted the online course to focus on the franchise industry. The current online entrepreneurial seven week program has already been offered to hundreds of transitioning Veterans on a monthly basis but now Veterans can learn about the intricacies of the franchise industry and the many facets of starting a franchise business through the new franchising course. “Franchising for Transitioning Warriors Program” will address issues relating
“Last time we promoted the course we received over 75 eager Veterans interested in taking the course within five days and the course usually has initial enrollments over 100 members.”
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to financing, marketing, and business planning as it relates to purchasing any franchise concept. The Vet to CEO franchising based online program has experienced facilitators in entrepreneurship and teaches franchising principles exclusively to veterans and transitioning members of the military. The program enables veterans to construct a viable business plan for acquiring a franchise based on a military planning model. The program also leverages the innovative GUST platform to assist participants seeking funding sources for their businesses. The course is free to all vets, funded by donations and support from franchisors. “VetToCEO started with a Kaufmann Foundation partnership,” said Mike Horn, a Director at VetToCEO “We designed our own program after delivering the Kauffman FastTrac program and have delivered it to hundreds of veterans.” Now, in collaboration with Veterans Business Services and several quality franchisors, we can deliver the same hands on approach to Veterans interested in franchise opportunities. The “Franchising for Transitioning Warriors Program” is a very hands-on program,” said John Panaccione. “The Veteran entrepreneurs we work with, from start-up to experienced business owners, are taught entrepreneurship in much the same way as they learned skills in the military, making it easier to understand how their military service can equate to entrepreneurial success.” John Panaccione served as an 82nd Airborne paratrooper and then started a software company, LogicBay, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He’s convinced that other vets have what it takes to start their own businesses. Through Vet to CEO, the nonprofit he co-founded, he’s showing them just how to do it.
educating Veterans. Each educational online module will have guest speakers from the franchising industry or from the business services sector to provide unique experiential lectures from the experts in the franchise industry. When you consider that almost 10 percent of small businesses are owned by members of the active military or veterans, any training that helps make the transition from active military service to successful entrepreneurship is a worthwhile endeavor. Companies such as Tutor Doctor, UPS Stores, and StreetShares are stepping up to support the program and Vet to CEO/VBS is inviting other franchise organizations to get involved as sponsors to support the program on an ongoing basis. “Veteran enrollment for the class has not been an issue.”, states Patrick Mingey Director of Marketing for VBS, “last time we promoted the course we received over 75 eager Veterans interested in taking the course within five days and the course usually has initial enrollments over 100 members.” VBS is very excited to continue to promote the new “Franchising for Transitioning Warriors Program,” and we are inviting representatives of the franchise industry to not only sponsor the program but take an integral role is supporting Veterans through sharing your knowledge within the webinars.
John Panaccione, Vet to Ceo
Get to know the presenters John Panaccione and Mike Horn by visiting www.VettoCEO.org and learn more about Jim Mingey at www.veteransbusinessservices.us. The franchising course “Franchising for Transitioning Warriors Program” will be offered on June 23rd through August 1st, and Veterans can register for at http:// www.vettoceo.org/franchising/ If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the course or possibly becoming a presenter within one of the webinar modules, please contact Patrick Mingey at 610-504-5385 or email him at pmingey@veteransbusinessservices.us
Vet to CEO has a unique way of teaching and has a collaborative approach to
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FOCUS - Tu tor Doctor
Veterans Business Services strategy
to reach, support and help place Veterans in franchising continues to work one Veteran at a time
Our marketing platform built in 2013 to support Veterans in franchising has been selecting only franchises that provide discounts or incentives to Veterans and which have a commitment to supporting Veterans in the future. VBS has been educating and mentoring Veterans about the franchise selection process and Bobbi Collins selection of the Tutor Doctor franchise is another example how we are reaching Veterans who have a passion for franchising. Tutor Doctor started marketing with VBS in September 2014 with an aggressive campaign to promote their Veterans Entrepreneur Program which provides up to 100% financing at 0% interest for those who qualify. Bobbi Collins, was interested in the Tutor Doctor offering which is an attractive business model to Veterans for a number of reasons, including the unique value proposition and the fulfillment of making a difference in the lives of customers. Bobbi L. Collins was a DLA Pacific Deputy Commander. She is a distinguished graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School where she was awarded the Master of Science Degree in
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“‘Tutor Doctor started marketing with VBS in September 2014 with an aggressive campaign to promote their Veterans Entrepreneur Program which provides up to 100% financing at 0% interest for those who qualify.” Systems Management, with a subspecialty in Supply Chain Management. She also earned the Naval Supply Systems Command Award for Excellence in Systems Management. Ms. Collins retired from the United States Navy as a Commander in the Supply Corps in May 2007. She reported to Officer Candidate School in April 1986, where she received her commission on August 1, 1986. Her joint experience is the result of serving as an International Logistics Officer at the U.S. Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii, working in both joint and combined logistics efforts. Her military assignments within the Defense Logistics Agency include the Commander of the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Pacific Region and the Operations Officer of the Defense Distribution Depot, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Ms. Collins’ awards include three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals, a Navy Achievement Medal, and the Surface Warfare Supply Corps Officer Qualification pin. Bobbi is an entrepreneurial military veteran who has spent the majority of her
military providing broad logistics and supply support for government contracts. Much of this support is delivered based on large contracts. Bobbi connected with Tutor Doctor in mid-October 2014 because she saw that need in her market for a professional company to offer private, in-home tutoring. She had first-hand experience with the deficiencies in the learning center model and knew that Tutor Doctor provided a unique business opportunity for her local community. Now just four months later she is up and running with revenue being generated in the first week of business. As you consider this story, keep in mind that Bobbi does not have a background in education. Rather, she has a passion for owning a business that offers a unique service that makes a difference in the lives of their customers. Think of what Tutor Doctor is doing to the supplemental education industry like what Redbox and Netflix have done to the movie rental market. Virtually overnight, these companies structurally altered the way people rent movies by creating a more convenient, more effective and more affordable way to watch movies (which
“‘VBS would like to applaud Bobbi Collins on successfully starting a Tutor Doctor franchise and we wish her all the success in the future.” put Blockbuster out of business). At Tutor Doctor, they are reshaping the way parents can get academic help for their children. American’s mindset toward education and tutoring has shifted and private tutoring is the fastest growing trend among parents to help their children achieve their academic goals. When parents discover that Tutor Doctor will match their child with a professional tutor who will work with their child on a one-to-one basis in the convenience of their own home, all for about the same price they would pay to take their child to a learning center, they are blown away. VBS would like to applaud Bobbi Collins on successfully starting a Tutor Doctor franchise and we wish her all the success in the future. For additional information about the Tutor Doctor please visit http://www. veteransbusinessservices.us/productitem/tutor-doctor/
Bobbi Collins & Marissa Allen
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M assag e Env y Spa
Austin Amsden
Massage Envy Spa, the pioneer and national leader of professional, convenient and affordable massage and spa services, has made it a priority to recruit franchise owners with military experience. The company, a proud member of the International Franchise Association’s VetFran Program, offers a discounted franchise fee to veterans and has implemented a marketing program to educate and recruit veteran franchisees. Massage Envy Spa franchisee and former U.S. Navy officer Austin Amsden is a medically retired and disabled veteran. Amsden’s family has historic roots in the U.S. Military dating way back to 1889. His great-great-great grandfather was the draftsman and builder of the Eisenhower Building, which stands next to the White House. Amsden joined the Navy in 2004 as a nuclear engineering electrician’s mate
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Profile
student, and then transitioned to a military liaison position. Afterwards, he served onboard the USS Boxer and was present at the rescuing of Captain Philips and the Mersck Alabama. Commissioned as a U.S. naval officer in the Supply Corps in 2010, he served as a supply corps officer onboard the USS Mesa Verde. During the Libyan Liberation operations in 2011, Amsden ran an anti-piracy and anti-terrorism team called VBSS. Amsden became entrenched in the health and wellness industry while recovering from injuries suffered during active duty, requiring several rounds of surgeries. After shredding his left knee in 2006 while standing watch on active duty in South Carolina, he became an orthopedic patient requiring physical therapy. In fact, both of his knees have required multiple surgeries and therapies for long periods. Eventually, a surgeon recommended that he also begin a regimen of regular massages, which have helped tremendously with his recovery process. According to Amsden, military veterans often find themselves taking advantage of massage therapy after their time in service to help them with recovery from health issues.
Amsden and his wife, who is currently active in the U.S. Navy as a registered nurse, were introduced to Massage Envy Spa when they went to a local clinic for a couples massage in 2008. After their visit, the two became members. When Amsden medically retired in July 2013 as a disabled veteran, he already had a strong connection to the health and wellness industry and Massage Envy Spa, which led him to become a franchisee, with his wife as his partner. “We love being part of a company that in today’s ‘what’s in it for me’ business mentality, is truly trying to improve lives and offer pain relief from conditions such as arthritis and chronic headaches,” said Amsden. “Some of our most rewarding moments have been when clients who have suffered from multiple illnesses or chronic pain have come out of their massage sessions crying tears of relief that they can finally sleep or bend over or reduce their pain medications. Many have even sent cards to our clinic thanking us for finally relieving their pain and helping them find a pathway to wellness.” For more information on becoming a Massage Envy Spa franchisee, please visit www.MassageEnvyFranchise.com.
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