Big Frog T-Shirts & More

Embarking on a new Mission: from Veterans to Big Frog

Franchise owners

Like many veterans transitioning from military service into civilian life, U.S. Air Force Veteran Ethan Corbin was exploring opportunities to start his own business when he first discovered Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More.

A retail franchise concept that specializes in Direct-to-Garment Printing and custom apparel decorating, Big Frog appealed to Corbin not only because the franchise

brand is veteran-friendly, but also because Corbin is passionate about t-shirt printing.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force for six years, Corbin started pursuing his creative passion: printing t-shirts in his Sioux Falls basement in small quantities for families and friends. This passion naturally led him to explore the world of franchising for a business opportunity that would allow him to combine his creativity and business know-how. “One of the many benefits of operating a Big Frog retail store is its limited weekend hours, allowing veteran store owners to spend quality time with family.”

business), Corbin decided to open Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More of Sioux Falls, SD in November 2019.

“When we found the Big Frog franchise concept, I was all in because the brand is built on a ‘no minimum’ business model. The franchise concept also involves strong community support,” said Corbin, whose military experience included a deployment in 2012 to Oman in the Middle East. “One t-shirt fundraiser we launched helped an 18-day-old baby who was struggling to hang onto life. Those parents still send me photos of a thriving ‘Toddler Trey.’ If that’s not a reason to be in business, I don’t know what is!”

As his way of giving back to other veterans like him, Corbin actively supports veteran groups, including Calm Waters Veterans Village & Retreat Center that works to end veteran homelessness and reduce veteran suicide.

Family-Friendly Franchise Business

For veterans looking to invest in their family’s future, Big Frog’s family-friendly concept can be a major deciding factor. One of the many benefits of operating a Big Frog retail store is its limited weekend hours, allowing veteran store owners to spend quality time with family. This work-life balance appealed to Mark Maniscalco, owner of Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More of New Braunfels, TX. A former aircraft technician for the U.S. Coast Guard, Maniscalco was stationed in California, Oregon and Alaska and spent four years of contract work in Afghanistan. Just before discharge, he and his wife, Jenni, were raising their young children in the small Texas community of New Braunfels and decided to put down roots. Big Frog’s limited nights and weekend hours of operation appealed to them, and they launched their shop in 2015. Nearly seven years later, the Maniscalco family enjoys the entrepreneurial freedom of owning a Big Frog franchise retail store.

Mark Maniscalco and his wife, owner of Big Frog custom t-Shirts & More of new Braunfels, tX.

Veteran-Friendly Franchise

Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More proudly supports veterans toward fulfilling their dreams of starting a business.

“Launching a new business is very challenging but franchising makes this path a little easier because you don’t have to go at it alone or start from ground zero,” said Big Frog Franchise Group President & CEO Tina Bacon-DeFrece.

tina Bacon-deFrece, Big Frog Franchise group president & ceo

so she practically grew up in military bases, which greatly explains her natural inclination to support veterans. “I was fortunate to visit my dad on various ships and bases where I saw dedicated and hard-working people focused on accomplishing the tasks at hand,” BaconDeFrece said. “It was inspiring for me to witness the efficiency and productivity of my father’s units. Every member knew they were making valuable contributions, which empowered the team to be successful.” Her own military upbringing has given her a perspective on the valuable skill sets veterans bring into franchising and entrepreneurship. From having strong organization skill sets to adaptability to follow proven-and-tested concepts and solid team building and leadership abilities, veterans make for the perfect franchise owners.

The Big Frog story

Nearly 15 years ago, Bacon-DeFrece— along with co-founders Leeward Bean and Ron DeFrece —launched a novelty item shop in Clearwater, FL. Big Frog was born from their idea to offer quirky slogans on T-shirts. The retail shop eventually morphed into a high-tech franchise concept that specializes in “clean and green” directto-garment (DTG) printing. To date, Big Frog has more than 80 locations in 25 states and recently expanded internationally with the opening of its first Big Frog retail store in Canada. “We encourage franchisees and employees to follow disciplined systems which has been a critical component to our growth,” Bacon-DeFrece said. “Creativity, passionate customer service and dependability as well as being able to strike a balance between systemized protocol and community engagement has shaped our tight-knit company and franchise family.”

Veteran-exclusive incentives

A proud member of VetFran, Big Frog Franchise Group recently launched a veteran-focused initiative, which aims to support and provide exclusive incentives to military servicemen, women, spouses, national guards/reserves and first responders with a mission to empower them to own a Big Frog store. “During the pandemic, we eliminated royalty payments for 14 months— the equivalent of an $800,000 abatement for our franchisees, and invested more than 2,200 hours in business coaching,” BaconDeFrece said. “Our average store sales were up 19% over 2019 numbers, so we know some of these incentives for veterans can translate into similar success.”

The veteran incentive program includes:

• 20% discount on the initial investment at the time of franchise agreement;

• Waived annual royalty fees for one year. depending on the location of the shop. The incentive is available through September 2023 and, while the brand has set its sights on expansion areas with a strong military presence (i.e., Arizona, Florida, Virginia and Texas), it is offering the incentive nationwide for veterans, military spouses, national guard/reserves, and first responders.

Serving those Who serve

For the Big Frog Franchise Group, launching the veteran initiative is the brand’s way of thanking and serving those who serve.

Big Frog has always made it a mission to help veterans, whether through its t-shirt fundraising efforts that give back to veteran organizations or providing veterans the training and support when launching their own Big Frog store. In addition, Big Frog store owners also provide employment opportunities to veterans. In fact, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More of San Marcos and Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More of Edwardsville both actively employ veterans and national reserve guards.

Big Frog of Edwardsville’s manager, Kris Duhachek, is a U.S. Army veteran for years. The store helps local causes like Support Up Veteran Ventures, a mental health group that provides opportunities for veterans to get into the outdoors and on adventures like hunting and fishing.

“As a brand, we take our mission of supporting veterans to heart. We are proud of our store owners who give back to causes that support our brave veterans. In the same way, we are also eager to help many other veterans with an entrepreneurial drive to start their own business. With multiple revenue stream opportunities, Big Frog is truly the perfect fit for veterans looking for a business opportunity with unlimited revenue potential,” says Bacon-DeFrece.

To learn more about franchising opportunities in the United States, visit BIGFROG.COM. For Canadian franchise information, visit Big Frog Canada Corp. at BIGFROG.CA.