Veterans in franchising august 2015 franchising usa 3#10

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august 2015

Veterans in Franchising www.franchisingusamagazine.com

Sport Clips HAIRCUTS

FILLING A NICHE A Veteran’s

“Network”

is their new

“Mentor”

The Making of an

American Franchisee Franchising USA

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V eterans in F ranchisin g S upplement au g ust 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

News & Expert Advice

30 Sport Clips

34 The Making of an American Franchisee:

Why Franchisors Should Focus on Veterans Lynne Shelton, Shelton & Power

Frachisee in Depth 50 i9 Sports

38 Why Young Veterans Should Consider

Franchising Jim Judy, Franchise Business Consultant

Profiles

48 A Veteran’s ‘Network’ is Their New Mentor Jim Mingey, Veterans Business Services

42 Pinot’s Palette

36 DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen 40 Seven Eleven 46 Budget Blinds Franchising USA

Veter ans in Fr anchising

C over S tor y - Sp o rt Clips H ai rcuts

Sport Clips Haircuts Provides rewarding opportunity by filling niche

haircutter; but none were targeted to the men’s and boys’ haircut market specifically, Logan explains. Barbershops had been declining in number for many years, and men and boys were being left by the wayside as their favorite barbers closed up shop. This created a large niche with little direct competition, one that Logan spotted and filled with great success.

Ideal Franchisees

Since it first opened in Austin, Texas in 1993, Sport Clips Haircuts has continued to fill a niche in the hair care market by specializing in haircut services for men and boys in a unique, sportsthemed environment and the successful business opportunity it provides franchisees.

Two years after Sport Clips Founder and CEO Gordon Logan and his wife, Bettye, established Sport Clips, the company began franchising in 1995. From Austin, the Georgetown, Texas-based franchise

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expanded into Houston and Dallas and beyond. Sport Clips is now the only national hair care brand to have a presence in all 50 states and has over 1,400 locations throughout the United States and Canada.

In addition to standard haircut services, Sport Clips also offers its signature MVP Experience that includes a precision haircut, massaging shampoo, hot steamed towel treatment and neck and shoulder massage.

“When our clients come in to get a haircut, the MVP Experience turns a necessary task into a 20-minute vacation,” Logan says. “While they lead busy lives, we’ve found that our clients come back to us - not just for a haircut – but, for the experience we provide.”

Filling the Void In the early 90s, numerous salon chains marketed to a broad audience as a family

Logan says Sport Clips looks for candidates with strong managerial and communication skills, who enjoy working with people to develop their skills so they can succeed in their profession.

Franchisees will work with their managers to help them develop their team, oversee multiple locations, and network in the local areas to market the businesses and drive sales.

Typically, once an inquiry has been received it will take 40 to 50 days to onboard a new franchisee through a series of interviews and meetings. Once a franchisee, they begin an orientation process that introduces them to the Sport Clips system; they learn various aspects of the business they need to know to be successful, including: the Sport Clips culture, business foundations, real estate selection, marketing, stylist recruiting, operations standards training and team development.

Sport Clips’ franchisee training includes four to five days of management development training in their market and a five-day “Team Leader Training Camp” held in Georgetown prior to opening their first store. Learning continues at their store’s grand opening, and afterwards, through follow-up management

development sessions, which are held quarterly, and at the annual national conference known as the Huddle.

While much of Sport Clips’ expansion is currently focused in the northeastern region of the U.S., the company has territories available throughout the country. Interested parties can visit sportclipsfranchise.com for a complete list of developing areas.

The Sport Clips Difference Although clients have many options to choose from when it comes to hair care providers, Logan says Sport Clips sets itself apart by providing a unique client experience: “What makes Sport Clips different is the experience we provide,” he said. “Our stylists specialize in men’s and boys’ haircuts and receive continual education to stay abreast of current trends. And, if you’re a traveler within the U.S. and Canada, you can get the same experience at any one of our 1,400+ locations.”

While Sport Clips stays true to what it does best, the franchise is always looking for ways to serve its clients better and keep them engaged through initiatives, such as the recent “Instant Replay” promotion where clients who purchased the MVP

“When our clients come in to get a haircut, the MVP Experience turns a necessary task into a 20-minute vacation. “While they lead busy lives, we’ve found that our clients come back to us not just for a haircut – but, for the experience we provide.”

Experience could double their experience at no additional cost, as well as elect to have a chilled towel, instead of a hot towel, on their face to help beat the summer heat, a special offering which proved to be a big hit.

Utilizing technology to benefit client experience is a focus of Sport Clips, as well. Logan says the company is in the process of implementing self check-in technology, which will also display exactly how long (or short) the wait may be for clients, and where each Client is in the queue. “Mobile check-in is not far behind,” he added.

From an owner’s perspective, Sport Clips is the leading hair care franchise that caters to the millions of men and boys in the U.S. and Canada, and offers: • A Multi-Unit ownership opportunity: Sport Clips’ business model allows for a comfortable transition from corporate careers to business ownership for

franchisees when they are ready to “be their own boss.”

• A Semi-Absentee/Manager-Run Business Model: An experienced manager oversees the day-to-day operations and provides leadership for the hair care professionals in the stores.

Sport Clips believes the manager is key to success, and has strong management training programs in place to help them develop their leadership skills.

• Extremely high success rate: While opening over 150 new Sport Clips each year, Sport Clips has had only five locations close since 2010, two of which were leases not renewed due to shopping center problems like closed anchor stores. Logan attributes this to their being very selective about whom they invite to join as franchisees, a comprehensive real estate site selection process, and the intensive training and support programs.

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C over S tor y - Sp o rt Clips H ai rcuts

“From an owner’s perspective, Sport Clips is the leading hair care franchise that caters to the millions of men and boys in the U.S. and Canada.”

to the senior veterans – World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill. Sport Clips is a proud sponsor of the Austin, Texas Honor Flight division.

Veterans Airlift Command Sport Clips places as much importance on the stylist experience as they do the client and franchisee experience: For example, anti-fatigue “sport court”-type floors are easier on stylists’ backs and feet, and European-style shampoo bowls enable stylists to shampoo from behind standing up, which is also easier on stylists’ backs.

There are also ongoing training, incentive compensation, recognition programs, and career opportunities.

program. By providing scholarships for use at post-secondary schools, including trade schools, our goal is to make the transition from a military career to the civilian workforce a little easier. To date, Sport Clips has given more than $1.2 million in scholarships to help service members and veterans in the next chapter of their lives.

Supporting Veterans

Sport Clips is the primary sponsor for The Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization established and dedicated to honoring seniors and United States military veterans. Through donations, the foundation provides oncein-a-lifetime “Dream Flights” to veterans across the nation, many of whom served during WWII, in a Boeing Stearman biplane, the same aircraft used to train many military aviators in the late ‘30s and early ‘40s.

Logan, who has received the VFW’s James E. Van Zandt Citizenship Award and the Ernst & Young LLP’s 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year award for Central Texas, is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Sport Clips is a proud supporter of a variety of military-focused organizations, including the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship Program, Ageless Aviation Dreams, Aleethia Foundation, Honor Flight Network and the Veterans Airlift Command.

With a long list of awards to its credit from publications including Forbes and Entrepreneur magazine, Sport Clips continues to grow by offering an outstanding experience to its clients and exceptional opportunities for franchisees and stylists.

Veteran’s Organizations that Sport Clips supports Help A Hero Sport Clips’ “Help A Hero” campaign has raised more than $3 million to help deployed and hospitalized U.S. service members call home through the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Operation Uplink™ and provide scholarships to active-duty service members and veterans through the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship”

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The Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation

Aleethia Foundation The mission of the Aleethia Foundation is to support injured service members with therapeutic recreation, small financial grants, family emergency aid, assistive technology items, and home improvements to assist with an injured service member’s mobility and other unmet needs. Sport Clips is proud to sponsor two “Friday Night Dinners” in 2015. These dinners provide injured veterans and their families with the opportunity to enjoy a great meal while socializing – an integral part of the healing process.

Honor Flight Network Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices.

Honor Flight transports our heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given

VAC provides free air transportation to post-9/11 combat wounded and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots. Sport Clips is proud to support VAC by transporting veterans to their destinations throughout the year. www.sportclips.com

Sport Clips Awards • “Best Franchises to Buy” Forbes’ Magazine (2014 and 2015) • “Franchise 500” Entrepreneur Magazine (1999-present) • “Fastest-Growing Franchise” Entrepreneur Magazine (2004– present; Top 10 in 2015) • “Best for Vets” Franchise, Military Times (#1 - 2013; #2 - 2014-2015) • “Top Personal-Service Franchise” Entrepreneur Magazine (2014) • “Top 100 Franchises” Franchise Gator (#1 - 2014 and 2015) • “Top 100 Global Franchises” Franchise Direct (2015) • “Fast & Serious” franchise ranking, Franchise Times (#14 - 2014; #13 2015) • “Top 50” in franchisee satisfaction by both the Franchise Research Institute and the Franchise Business Review.

• “Top 10 Most Popular Franchises for Military Veterans” Entrepreneur Magazine (2011) • We are on the Small Business Administration (SBA) “Top 25” franchisor list for loan payment performance.

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Lynne Shelton, Shelton & Power

The Making of an American Franchisee:

Why Franchisors should focus on Veterans Franchisors looking for a laser focused method of growing their systems through choosing the right franchisees, who also have the correct cultural fit for their brand, would benefit by looking to the veteran pool of potential business owners.

Teamwork

Veterans have instilled in them the teamwork diversity and ethical make up that all Franchisors are looking for.

The predisposition to work together, follow orders and help fellow teammates are the qualities that should make Veterans

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The United States military instills teamwork like no other institution in the world. For hours, days and weeks veterans practiced at doing life together as one unit, as one body, and as one mind. Ask any veteran about their favorite teamwork building story and you will undoubtedly also hear about the pain they received when some other member of their unit made a mistake, and the entire unit suffered. This realization ensures that franchisees will not choose to wander away from the system rules for fear that it will hurt the entire system.

a first choice among Franchisors. While speaking at the International Franchise Expo in New York City in June, I had the privilege of having two Veteran couples on my panel while speaking to spouses about The Pros and Cons of Buying a Franchise. Both couples volunteered their time speaking to other potential franchisees, their potential future teammates, to help them make the best decision about franchising. Additionally during the discussion it was shared that both veteran couples commonly assist and communicate with fellow franchisees within their franchise system to help them and communicate best practices so both franchises become more profitable.

You see these franchisees, because they were predisposed to work together,

“Veterans contain unquestioned work ethics, provide diversity across the system and will support and even build teamwork foundations within the franchise brand.” actually do work together to help improve the entire franchise team. When speaking with a franchisor, he stated, “Yes it takes the old saying of “No Man left behind” to an all new level of understanding and towards raising franchisee profitability and unit economics when properly implemented and supported”. (Tom Tipps of Camille’s Hand-Dipped Ice Cream Bars)

Diversity Having diversity within the franchise system allows for many things, including collecting different viewpoints, accurately depicting the franchise brand to the community, and advertising to the masses.

The U.S. military also sees the advantages of diversity and has in the last few decades targeted the increase of diversity within the Armed Forces. They have specifically created “recruitment tours” towards building diversity.

According to an Army web site, the goal of the “Hispanic H2 Tour” was to “Build confidence, trust, and preference of the Army within the Hispanic community” and the “Takin’ it to the Streets Tour” was designed to accelerate recruitment in the African-American community where recruiters were particularly hard-pressed and faced with declining interest in the military as a career.

Having diversity amongst your franchisees will allow prospective franchisees the advantage of different viewpoints, and racial connections. Your consumers will obtain community and social involvement with your franchise brand through diverse franchisees.

Ethical Makeup Altruism, the predisposition to want to make a difference, in themselves and for the communities is a natural attribute of all Veterans.

In addition, the work ethics for veterans are undeniable. They are not afraid to work hard. There is no better training ground for instilling the art of following orders while staying on the same page as all others than within the military.

Many Veterans are also used to having to work to get what they want, having come from challenged home lives. Economic pressure is an undeniable motivation.

Many veterans are determined to obtain what they want, no matter how hard they have to work for it.

Although they may be “plenty smart,” financial hardship drives many to view the military’s promise of money for college as their only hope to study beyond high school. Many have dubbed this the “poverty draft” in today’s volunteer military.

Recruiters may not explicitly target “the poor,” but there is mounting evidence that they target those whose career options are severely limited. According to a 2007 Associated Press analysis, “nearly threefourths of [U.S. troops] killed in Iraq came from towns where the per capita income was below the national average.

More than half came from towns where the percentage of people living in poverty topped the national average.”

When working-class youth make it to their local community college, they often encounter military recruiters working hard to discourage them. “You’re not going anywhere here,” recruiters say. “This place is a dead end. I can offer you more.”

Pentagon-sponsored studies -- such as the RAND Corporation’s “Recruiting Youth in the College Market: Current Practices and Future Policy Options” -- speak openly about college as the recruiter’s number one competitor for the youth market.

These veterans have a burning desire to make more out of their life, to break

Lynne Shelton

through barriers, and achieve their dreams.

Good Franchisors want the exact same thing for their franchisees: for them to have a better life (however the franchisee defines that), to breakthrough market share barriers for the franchise system and for the franchisees to achieve their dreams while doing so.

Franchisors should laser focus their marketing efforts in alignment with recruiting U.S. Armed Forces’ Veterans while awarding franchises. The Veterans contain unquestioned work ethics, provide diversity across the system and will support and even build teamwork foundations within the franchise brand.

Lynne Shelton in a previous life was a franchisor of a large franchise system, and is currently a Senior Partner at Shelton & Power franchise law firm.

Shelton & Power Attorneys have 25+ years’ of business consulting, franchise and trademark experience. Our knowledge facilitates an understanding of a large variety of businesses, services and technologies. We help businesses protect their brands through Trademark, Copyright, and Business contractual transactions. These services allow us to “Expand their Brand” through Franchising. For existing Franchisors, we provide full outsourced in house counsel.

For more information or to schedule a customized consultation for your business you can write to franchising@sheltonpower.com or call (866) 99-FRANCHISE.

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D rea m M a ker Bath & K itchen

DreamMaker Franchise

Helping Veterans Become Business Owners

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, a national home remodeling franchise that grew average location revenue 60% from 2011 to 2014, is offering veterans and their spouses discounts and other assistance to help them become franchise owners.

DreamMaker is no stranger to veteran outreach. Many DreamMaker franchise owners have remodeled homes for disabled veterans — creating more accessible baths and kitchens, and backyard decks with ramps instead of stairs. At the same time, the company has created a path for veterans to move into skilled trades and to become franchise owners.

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“If you are a veteran considering a franchise, and are interested in a creative business that can change lives, I hope you will give us a call.”

Several of DreamMaker’s most successful franchisees come from backgrounds outside the construction and remodeling industry. DreamMaker’s business systems, coaching and support help people learn the business and thrive.

“That’s why we’re excited to speak to veterans,” says President and Chief Stewarding Officer Doug Dwyer.

He notes that while the discount is a small acknowledgement of the sacrifice and dedication of service members, it pays great dividends, adding that veterans make excellent franchise owners. The exact traits that they learn and express through their service — dedication, honor, commitment to excellence, leadership, attention to detail, perseverance, camaraderie — are the same traits that help a business owner succeed, especially when they are able to work with proven systems and enjoy training and ongoing support.

Dwyer’s mission to help veterans runs deep. His father, the late Don Dwyer Sr., was a visionary businessman who also started the International Franchise Association’s VetFran program in 1991 as

- President and Chief Stewarding Officer Doug Dwyer a way to thank veterans returning from the first Gulf War. The program encourages franchise companies to offer discounts to make it easier for veterans to start a business. DreamMaker continues that legacy by providing a $5,000 discount to veterans who are starting a DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen franchise.

Financial incentives, mentoring and education about franchise ownership are all part of the VetFran program, which has helped more than 5,000 veterans become franchise business owners since 2010, according to the International Franchise Association.

“If you are a veteran, first of all, thank you,” says Dwyer. “We owe you a tremendous debt. Without the efforts of you and your fellow service members, we wouldn’t enjoy the freedoms that have allowed us to build a growing business based on biblical principles. The VetFran discount is a small token of our thanks.”

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen is a remodeling franchise that helps

entrepreneurs and remodelers earn strong financial numbers while having a focus on improving their quality of life.

The company’s franchisees enjoy much stronger margins than most remodelers — more than 40% gross margin on average — and their customers report much, much higher satisfaction, because the strong margins provide remodelers enough resources to provide extraordinary service.

DreamMaker’s business practices are guided by biblical principles of service, respect and integrity — more reasons the company enjoys working with veterans.

“We’ve helped brand new remodelers launch very successful businesses, and have also helped existing remodelers take their operations to the next level by providing training and systems to run a stronger remodeling business,” Dwyer says. “If you are a veteran considering a franchise, and are interested in a creative business that can change lives, I hope you will give us a call.” http://dreammakerfranchise.com

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Veter ans in Fr anchising

Jim Judy, Franchise Business Consultant

Why Young Veterans Should Consider Franchising Each year, hundreds of thousands of veterans say goodbye to the military to begin life as a civilian. For younger veterans, that transition can be difficult.

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A recent study by the Department of Veterans Affairs defined veterans ages 1834 as a “vulnerable population” because their unemployment rate has been 20 percent higher than that of non-veterans.

That’s a shameful statistic considering how much veterans have to offer.

According to a recent story in the New York Times, “companies that employ former military members rank them high in self-discipline, teamwork, attention to

detail, respect and leadership.”

These are certainly desirable qualities.

However, if employers continue to take a

pass on hiring young veterans, they should take a serious look at showcasing their skills as entrepreneurs in the world of franchising.

Vetfran, a strategic initiative of the

International Franchise Association to bring more veterans into franchising,

“Working within a system and executing procedures is what makes franchising such a successful entrepreneurial path.” reports that one in seven franchise businesses are owned and operated by veterans of the U.S. military. More than 66,000 veteran-owned franchise businesses in the U.S. directly provide jobs for 815,000 Americans and generate more than $41 billion in gross domestic product.

So why does franchising make sense for young veterans?

Strong leadership is a must: The military has spent centuries creating leaders that can benefit the private sector.

More than that, many veterans fail to consider the leadership training they’ve received and how it can translate to success as a business owner. Franchisees are part of a system with unmatched support, but they are responsible for leading their franchise’s day-to-day operations. Hiring, training and managing a staff are all part of running a successful business, and strong leadership skills will help an owner guide their team to success.

Resilience: Being in business for yourself is an adventure that will include good days and bad. While most franchise owners are plenty capable of handling the good times, it takes some fortitude to weather the tough times. Veterans are used to facing some of the worst situations on the face of the earth. They’ve learned how to show courage in the face of trouble, control fear, assess situations fully, then act decisively in order to survive. This is a valuable quality when guiding a business through the ebbs and flows of the everchanging American economy.

Teamwork makes the dream work: Franchisees are part of a larger system all working toward a common goal. Veterans thrive on teamwork, and similarly, franchises thrive with a great team in place. The military teaches recruits how to be leaders, but it also

teaches them how to follow. Veterans understand how to play multiple roles for their teams, and as a franchisee, wear multiple hats. They will be managers, accountants, marketers, human resources and the cleaning crew, sometimes all in the same day!

Franchises work within proven systems: Veterans are familiar and experienced when it comes to procedural execution and working within a system. There are few organizations in the world that match the systematic method of success seen in the United States military.

New enlistees are told when to eat, when to sleep, how far to run and how high to jump as they become accustomed to functioning as a soldier. Working within a system and executing procedures is what makes franchising such a successful entrepreneurial path. Franchisees are taught where to locate their business, how to build out the location, what type of marketing works best, how to find the right employees and much more.

The price is right: Along with the fact that many franchises offer substantial discounts to veterans that are awarded a franchise, there are several businessto-business franchises or home-based franchises with a total investment of under $100,000. Younger veterans aren’t as likely to have qualified for a military pension, nor do many of them have much in terms of assets. In fact, according to CNN Money, the median net worth for someone between the ages of 25-34 is under $9,000.

Getting into a franchise without breaking the bank makes sense.

Jim Judy

Start early, enjoy late: A veteran who enlisted in the military at age 18 could have a 15-year military career and be back to civilian life by age 34. That means they’d have 30 or more working years to put toward building a business.

Thanks to the proven successful models of franchises, many offer the added bonus of scalability. That means if you can successfully run one franchise unit, you could likely run more. Starting your path to franchising early gives you lots of time to learn the systems, grow your business and reinvest profits into additional units.

Franchise business consultant Jim Judy has spent the past 20 years in the franchise industry, gaining insightful knowledge and a keen eye for opportunity. His passion is developing relationships with current and hopeful entrepreneurs to assist them on their journey to franchise business ownership. Jim leverages his experience, success and close relationships in the franchise industry to provide valuable consultation free of charge to entrepreneurs looking to explore the benefits of a franchise.

To learn more, call 919-233-3534 or email jjudy@franchoice.com.

“Many veterans fail to consider the leadership training they’ve received and how it can translate to success as a business owner.”

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Veter ans in Fr anchising

7-Eleven

Military Couple Discovers

Franchising is a Match Made in 7-Eleven Heaven A 7-Eleven franchise is a natural fit for veterans

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“As Franchisees, they add solid leadership skills and strong discipline to the creativity, energy and spirit of entrepreneurship.

They are good at dealing with people and with day-to-day challenges.”

- Joe DePinto, 7-Eleven president and CEO, Army veteran.

“While most franchisors share royalties on sales, 7-Eleven shares profits. To the Greens, this meant that 7-Eleven would be equally invested in the success of their store.”

Brian and Theresa Green never thought about running their own business. But with their military careers coming to an end, the young couple knew it was time to explore their options. They had worked as managers in the military, so both were pros at multitasking, organizing and working well under stress. They just hadn’t considered how that experience would translate into business ownership in the civilian world.

Then they discovered franchising with one of the world’s top convenience stores. To their surprise, it was a perfect fit.

The Greens knew the 7-Eleven brand well. But what they didn’t know was that 7-Eleven’s franchise program, business model and training complemented the structure and focus of the military, which made the Greens feel right at home. The couple also learned they had the skills 7-Eleven was looking for in Franchisees.

“We just had to apply everything we learned in a different way,” Brian says.

The 20% franchise fee discount and 65% financing that 7-Eleven offers vets were also a huge draw. “These kinds of incentives allow any dedicated and business-minded veteran the opportunity to own a business,” Brian explains. “It was an opportunity too good to pass up.”

Another big advantage was 7-Eleven’s business model. While most franchisors share royalties on sales, 7-Eleven shares profits. To the Greens, this meant that

“If we have an issue, we know who to call. Our Field Consultant is our safety blanket!” – Brian Green 7-Eleven would be equally invested in the success of their store. Tools and resources were also available, if needed, to help increase their profits – a benefit that gave the first-time business owners added peace of mind.

But it wasn’t just financial support the company offered. 7-Eleven’s training taught them everything they needed to know about running a 7-Eleven business. And once their store was up and running, their Field Consultant was available to answer questions and make recommendations. That same support continues to this day. “If we have an issue, we know who to call,” says Brian. “Our Field Consultant is our safety blanket!”

Today, Brian and Theresa Green are not just business owners. They are successful Franchisees with a brand that is known around the globe. It’s a reality they never expected, but one they enthusiastically embrace. “It’s our store!” says Theresa.

“We’re on a first-name basis with our customers, we love our employees and we work really hard.” Brian agrees. “When you love what you do, sometimes it makes it a little harder to go home at night!”

If you’re a military veteran and are interested in learning more about what it’s like to franchise with the world’s first convenience store, click here. http://www.veteransbusinessservices.us/ product-item/7-eleven/

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Pinot ’s Palet te

applying Navy principles to franchise employees

A soon-to-be Navy veteran and his wife aim to hold their own franchise employees to the high standard the United States Navy holds its members, hoping it will help lead them to success.

“My friend in Tulsa actually introduced me to Pinot’s Palette,” Julie said during a recent interview from the couple’s Pinot’s Palette franchise in Liberty Station.

Dan and Julie Truckenbrod invested in their Pinot’s Palette franchise in November of 2013 and started operations in San Diego, CA’s Liberty Station in August 2014.

Julie, who used to work for a utility company and who was also a senior manager for a Direct TV call center, said they received a lot of support and training from Pinot’s Palette, including “boot camp” training with the organization at its headquarters in Houston.

Julie said she heard about the fun and unique business concept from a highly reliable source.

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That friend of Julie’s had high praise for the Pinot’s Palette in Tulsa, OK where Julie is from originally. Julie herself had been to an independent paint-and-sip style business and liked the concept, so she knew it would be something she’d be interested in pursuing as a business.

Lots of Support

After they did some research about where

“I also feel like a team with the other franchise owners. Everyone shares their successes and what’s working for them. So, I would recommend [Pinot’s Palette] if someone were interested in opening one.” - Julie Truckenbrod

they wanted to be located and prior to actually signing a lease, representatives from Pinot’s Palette came out and viewed the couple’s proposed locations to figure out which one would be the best.

From the time the couple purchased their franchise until it opened, Julie said, they were privy to extensive start-up support, marketing training, marketing calls, operations calls and training, and a whole host of other aspects of running a franchise business.

“There was extensive support and training prior to opening,” she recalled.

Continuing support is offered in the form of special marketing calls each month and ‘all hands calls’ that include participation from all of Pinot’s Palette’s franchise owners.

Having minimal opportunity to develop an

established business while experiencing the frequent moves with the Navy, Julie was swiftly able to pick up the workplace management, marketing and employer compliance responsibilities to turn Pinot’s Palette – Liberty Station into a profitable operation within the first three months of opening. It’s a lot of work to start a business, even if it is a franchise, she said, and with Dan also working full-time, it makes for a busy household. Ultimately, though, she said, owning and operating their own business is extremely rewarding for the couple.

Julie said they have learned a lot about entrepreneurship since opening their studio. The support they’ve received from Pinot’s Palette’s corporate headquarters has been invaluable, she added, as they always answer questions in a timely manner.

“I also feel like a team with the other franchise owners,” she stated. “Everyone shares their successes and what’s working for them. So, I would recommend [Pinot’s

Palette] if someone were interested in opening one.”

Preparing for the Future Currently, Dan is on active duty Naval Aviator. He is currently doing shore duty work performing financial management for the Navy’s naval aviation branch. He will be retiring from active duty next summer, and Dan said the couple wanted to be prepared for his eventual departure from the Armed Forces.

“We wanted to get something underway and have an income stream before we made that transition,” he said.

Aside from Dan being a currently-serving member of the Navy, the San Diego-based Pinot’s Palette has some other military connections.

Liberty Station, where the couple are renting a space for their paint and sip studio, used to be a naval training center until 1996. Dan’s own father went through his naval training there. Also, scenes from

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Pinot ’s Palet te

“Because of his time in the Navy, Dan knows how to cultivate talent and wants to develop “characters with character,” just the way the Navy develops its members to have good character. the movie Top Gun — which is based on navy pilots — were filmed there.

Dan has been able to take some of his military training and apply it to the Pinot’s Palette business. For example, he said, the Navy has a passion for personal development among its members and Dan, who joined the navy in 1988, has been developing shipmates in the Navy for 25 years.

Because of his time in the Navy, Dan knows how to cultivate talent and wants to develop “characters with character,” just the way the Navy develops its members to have good character. Because of his background, Dan said, he’s always held himself to a high standard of morality and behavior and expects the same from the Pinot’s Palette team members the couple employ.

“Some of those leadership skills I’ve developed over a quarter century apply, some of them don’t,” he said. “In the military, sometimes you do things because you’re ordered to so, whereas we strive to motivate our employees to act for the benefit of the customers enjoyment and conduct business proper processes because it’s the right thing to do, not because the boss said so.”

Dan and Julie have eight employees on staff; six talented artist employees and two bartenders.

Thus far, concentrating on their employees’ personal development has been working well for the couple and it promises to help them with their success in the future.

Overall, with Julie’s employee management, Dan’s leadership experience and a franchise recipe for rapid success, the Truckenbrod family is poised to help San Diego “Paint, Drink, Have Fun” for years to come. www.pinotspalette.com/libertystation

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Veter ans in Fr anchising

B u dg et B linds, I nc

HOME FRANCHISE CONCEPTS ACHIEVES GOAL,

GIVES $1 MILLION IN DISCOUNTS TO U.S. VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS

34 Military Veterans Become Franchise Business Owners with Aid from Fee Discount Program Home Franchise Concepts, Inc. (HFC), parent company of Budget Blinds, Inc., Tailored Living, LLC and American Decorative Coatings, LLC is pleased to announce that the company has achieved its goal of giving $1 million in discounts to U.S. Veterans through its Million Dollar Franchise Event (MDFE) program.

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Through the MDFE program, HFC has welcomed 34 new Veteran business owners to its franchise network. The franchisees, who signed on through the MDFE program, represent a major growth milestone for HFC as nearly 10% of its entire franchise network is now made up of Veterans. To date, HFC has more than 1,100 franchise territories across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Reaching this $1 Million milestone is a celebration of the American Heroes that make up 10 percent of our franchise network,” says Chad Hallock, CEO and Co-Founder of Home Franchise Concepts.

“We truly believe that our Veteran franchisees are some of the most talented, hardworking individuals out there and we couldn’t be more honored to have them in our family.”

Although the MDFE program has officially ended, Veterans interested in becoming independent business owners for one of HFC’s franchise brands will continue to receive discounts on their initial fees. A $15,000 initial fee discount will be offered to Veterans interested in purchasing a Budget Blinds franchise – the standard initial fees for the franchise are about $75,000. Veterans interested in purchasing a Tailored Living or Concrete Craft franchise will receive a $5,000 initial fee discount – the standard initial fees for these franchises are about $55,000 and $50,000, respectively.

As a separate Veterans initiative, in early 2015, HFC also launched its Troops in Transition™ program, which provides honorably discharged Veterans who have left active duty within the past two years,

or who will leave within the next two years, an opportunity to own a franchise with no initial fees. Veterans eligible to participate in the Troops in Transition program will enter into a limited, sixmonth franchise agreement to allow the Veteran to evaluate the business as a franchisee. Throughout this evaluation period the Veteran franchisee also has the opportunity to be mentored by an existing Veteran franchisee in the HFC network.

At the end of the evaluation period, and upon meeting certain eligibility criteria including sales objectives, the Veterans in the program can elect to sign on as a traditional Budget Blinds franchise owner for a 10 year period. The Troops in Transition program relieves the Veteran franchisee of the requirement to pay $75,000 in initial fees that would normally be required to become a Budget Blinds franchisee and, even better, includes financial bonuses for hitting certain sales targets.

“We worked closely with many of our existing Veteran franchisees to develop our Troops in Transition program,” says Hallock. “We are extremely thankful that these franchisees have taken the time to help educate us on what will truly make an impact in the lives of other Veterans.”

Budget Blinds would like to thank its private label manufacturing partner Springs Window Fashions for its continued support for the Troops in Transition program.

Veterans that have signed on through the MDFE program include:

Tailored Living: • Kevin & Maria Griffin – Holladay, Utah • Daniel & Shirley MacKay – Edmond & Norman, Okla.

• Denny Rupp & Kevin Melton – West Chester, Ohio • Dana & Eugene Nuesca – Serving North County, Calif.

“We truly believe that our Veteran franchisees are some of the most talented, hardworking individuals out there and we couldn’t be more honored to have them in our family.” - Chad Hallock, CEO and Co-Founder of Home Franchise Concepts

• James Bradford Akers – Little Creek, Va. • Edward & Andrea Burns – Costa Mesa, Calif.

• Mark & Julie Byassee – Southwest Rochester, N.Y. • Nicholas & Jessica Gervasi & Johnny & Lisa Cagno – Kernersville, N.C.

• Charles & DeAnn Strickland - La Vernia, Tx. • Ryan Wilde, - Raleigh, N.C.

• Joel & Bailey Thode – Hutchinson, Kans.

• Kenneth & Linda Thode – South Hutchinson, Kans.

• Eugene Alexander & Victoria Cicalo – Huntington Beach, Calif.

• Gary & Kirsten Zimmerman – Amherst, N.H

• Cedric & Clarita Cook – Fulshear, Tx.

Those interested in learning more about HFC’s Veteran support programs can visit www.homefranchiseconcepts.com.

• Maurice Coombs - Davie, Fla. • Thomas & Kelly Draeger – Red Wing, Minn.

• Michael & Allison Dunn – Killeen & Temple, Tx. • Luis & Griselle Fontanez – River City, Ga. • Bradley James Gerron – Prosper Tx. • Richard & Roya Grimes Lawrenceville, Ga. • Joe & Joanna Hebert – Grand Prairie, Tx. • William C, Bill & Jill Laird – Santa Rosa, Calif.

• Michael & Jane Larsen - Brainerd, Minn.

• Steven, Lawrence & MaeBelle Linnemeyer – Scottsdale, Ariz.

• Keith & Terry Matz – Southern Pines, N.C. • James W. & Travis Mullins – Kansas City, Kans.

• Jamie & Benilda Moralina Montell Littleton, Colo.

Budget Blinds:

• Christopher Petty – Lexington, S.C.

• Nevin & Shawnna Ball – Garland, Tx.

• Kevin Paulson – Charlotte, N.C.

• Andrew & Maria Birge - Sandusky, Ohio

• Shawn & Jody Smith – Arlington, Tx.

• David & Melinda Richardson – Council Bluffs, Iowa

About Home Franchise Concepts Home Franchise Concepts (HFC) is the parent company of Budget Blinds, Inc., Tailored Living, LLC and American Decorative Coatings, LLC d/b/a Concrete Craft™. Budget Blinds offers customers a full line of quality window coverings including shutters, shades, blinds and draperies. Tailored Living offers homeowners high quality organizational solutions for their garages, closets, pantries, family rooms, home offices and more through complimentary in-home consultations. Concrete Craft offers a variety of decorative, stained and stamped concrete options for indoor and outdoor living spaces.

Based in Orange, Calif., Home Franchise Concepts brands collectively have over 1,100 franchise territories serving nearly 7,500 cities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

For more information on Home Franchise Concepts and Budget Blinds franchise opportunities, visit http:// www.veteransbusinessservices.us/ product-item/budget-blinds/

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Veter ans in Fr anchising

Jim Mingey, Founder Founder& &Managing ManagingDirector, Director,VBS’ VBS

A Veteran’s ‘Network’ is their new

When one asks what a Veteran entrepreneurs mentor’s role should be, one should consider how they have functioned in the past 50 years and how they will drive success in the future.

Mentors of course provide the expertise and knowledge we are missing: open doors and provide connections, and impart wisdom that would otherwise take years to develop. Although the one-on-one model still can provide value, mentorships aren’t linear anymore and like any successful

Franchising USA

twenty-first century business, should require a “team” to get the job done.

Mentors themselves aren’t extinct, the models under which they used to exist are.

Now, it’s easier than ever to look to our peers for guidance.

When it comes to teams, Veterans can rely on military experience quite a bit.

So would-be Veteran entrepreneurs need try to create a balanced team and create intangibles like commitment, loyalty, optimism, and adaptability. And Veterans should look for a mentor not only by what they can teach you, but by what you can teach them as well. In essence Franchisors and Franchisees need to work together to build these teams.

Just as most of us would cringe at the idea of a forced partner, there are no

perfect mentorship programs waiting for a Veteran to simply tap into. There are very few serial entrepreneurs searching anxiously for a Veteran entrepreneur to make successful. In the modern world, mentors aren’t given; they’re made and should complement each other. Veteran entrepreneurs need groups of people across industries and experience so they can leverage their expert advice from their different fields.

Quality franchise companies continually search for internal models to help franchisees leverage operational experience. A savvy Veteran doing his or her due diligence should closely research and examine the effectiveness of their efforts before going to Discovery Day. What has the Franchisor implemented so

far and what do they have planned for the future? How can the Franchisor help a Veteran build and maintain their mentor team?

And if they need mentoring help tell them to talk to Uvize!

“Mentors themselves aren’t extinct, the models under which they used to exist are. Now, it’s easier than ever to look to our peers for guidance.”

Dave Cass is the CEO and Co-founder of Uvize, a technology startup originally focused on helping military Veterans succeed in higher education. Cass and the Uvize team have been leveraging their military training and experience to build a scrappy technology company in Boulder, Colorado. Today the Uvize platform has 29,000 online participants.

The future for Uvize looks bright as they expand their mentorship platform to support entrepreneurship accelerators and corporate organizations, especially franchisors.

The idea for Uvize matured into a true startup in 2012 when Cass and Parker attended the first Patriot Boot Camp in Washington, D.C. The 3-day Patriot Boot Camp program helped the pair hone their startup vision and solidify their co-founder relationship. After Patriot Boot Camp, Cass and Parker were accepted into the Techstars Rising Stars program - a yearlong mentorship pairing that extends technology startup opportunities to demographic groups that are underrepresented in the technology startup community (Veterans being the underrepresented population in this case).

During their time in Rising Stars, Cass and Parker further refined and developed their idea for Uvize.

Technology has been advancing at an extraordinary rate over our lifetime, so when it comes to technical knowledge, mentors have so much to gain from their mentee’s awareness of all things current and relevant. This ongoing technological change created a workplace of diverse talents and skills, where the most experienced person in the room was a master of their craft. Using the Uvize platform, Franchisees can easily discover and engage with the experts and learners

UVIZE Veteran Mentoring Team

who are aligned with both franchisor and franchisee goals and objectives.

Transcending geographic boundaries can foster meaningful collaboration and unlock the potential talent of franchisees. https://www.uvize.com/ VBS’ Founder and Managing Director, Jim Mingey, is a decorated Vietnam veteran raised from a proud military background. An entrepreneur for more than 35 years, Jim can relate on a personal level to the needs of the veteran small businessperson, and possesses the practical knowledge to implement his experience in today’s market. Jim participated in the EBV Program at Purdue University, is a mentor at American Corporate Partners, developed the first approved franchise training program for the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program at Veterans Administration, and was instrumental

in forming the first equity fund in the United States exclusively for veteran owned small businesses and franchises: The Veterans Opportunity Fund. Jim intends to keep on ‘advocating’ for veterans in franchising.

For more information: E: jmingey@VeteransBusinessServices.us P: 202.349.0860 W: www.VeteransBusinessServices.us

James Mingey

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Veter ans in Fr anchising

i9 Spor ts

Youth Sports Franchise Continues National Expansion with New Locations in Florida, California and Texas

i9 Sports Kicks Off

Second Quarter with Four New Franchise Agreements i9 Sports, the nation’s first and fastest-growing youth sports league franchise, announced today it has kicked off the second quarter with four new franchise agreements to open new programs and expand the brand’s presence in Florida, Texas and California.

Coupled with the company’s growth in the first quarter, this announcement reflects the success of i9 Sports’ strengthened expansion strategy and positions the brand for continued franchise development throughout 2015.

“We are excited to welcome all of our new franchise partners to the i9 Sports family, each who share our passion for providing a quality and fulfilling youth sports experience for their communities.”

- Frank Fiume, founder & chief executive officer, i9 Sports

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“As i9 Sports kicked off 2015, our team was focused on elevating the brand’s expansion strategy and positioning the company for rapid growth throughout the year,” said Frank Fiume, founder and chief executive officer of i9 Sports. “We are excited to welcome all of our new franchise partners to the i9 Sports family, each who share our passion for providing a quality and fulfilling youth sports experience for their communities.

As we move into the second half of the year, we look forward to maintaining this momentum and propelling our brand’s presence throughout the country, allowing us to deliver exceptional programs to more and more kids nationwide.”

Leading the company’s expansion in California are new franchisees Frank Rittersdorf, who purchased an existing franchise and is now operating programs in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills, and Kaseem Jones, who has purchased the territory in Murrieta. Prior to becoming a franchisee, Rittersdorf served as an i9 Sports coach for six years, during which he was continually impressed with the program’s commitment to instilling sportsmanship in children. Jones, who served in the United States Marine Corps for 15 years, was introduced to the brand through his children, who played soccer and flag football in a local program, before deciding to purchase his own territory. i9 Sports also welcomes Charles Perez, who will be launching his first program in Corpus Christi, Texas. A sports enthusiast, Perez has passed his passion for athletics onto his children, both of whom are involved in a variety of sports, and attributes his family’s love of staying active to one of the reasons why he was drawn to i9 Sports. As a lifelong resident of Corpus Christi, Perez is committed to providing a quality service to the youth sports arena in his community.

Also among the new franchisee partners are husband and wife team Sidney and Monique Johns, who will bring i9 Sports to Winter Garden, Fla. Recreational sports have played a role in both Sidney and Monique’s lives, each of whom participated in sporting leagues during their childhood and well into adulthood. The pair learned about i9 Sports when their children joined a local league, and as lifelong athletes, they were enthusiastic about the concept and opportunity to bring a safe youth sports experience to children in their community.

The couple plans to launch at least five

programs in their territory over the next few years. i9 Sports was founded and began franchising in 2003 on the principle that the number one reason kids play organized sports is to have fun, not to become the next draft pick. The company has since grown to 139 locations across the United States. With convenient flexible hours, no real estate or upfront inventory, i9 Sports is a low-investment, home-based franchise opportunity offering entrepreneurs a compelling business with great profit potential.

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Veter ans in Fr anchising

i9 Spor ts

i9 Sports plans to open dozens of new franchise locations each year over the next several years and has extensive franchise opportunities available across the country including a focus on markets in the Pacific Coast, Midwest and Northeast. The youth sports franchise is seeking qualified candidates with a desire to impact their local community. While sports experience is not required, the ideal candidate should have an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion to build a successful business with a community focus. For more information about franchising with i9 Sports please visit www.i9sportsfranchise.com.

“i9 Sports plans to open dozens of new franchise locations each year over the next several years and has extensive franchise opportunities available across the country.” leagues, camps, and clinics for boys and girls ages 3-14 in today’s most popular team sports such as flag football, soccer, basketball and baseball.

Entrepreneur Magazine, i9 Sports has been ranked in their prestigious Franchise 500® issue the past eight years.

About i9 Sports®

A privately held company, i9 Sports was founded in 2003 by CEO Frank Fiume on the principle that the number one reason kids play organized sports is to have fun, not to become the next draft pick.

i9 Sports has also been listed among INC Magazine’s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies for the past five years and received Franchise Business Review’s Top 50 in Franchise Satisfaction Award for five years.

Based in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, i9 Sports® is the first and fastest-growing youth sports league franchise company in the United States. With more than 1,000,000 registrations in communities from New York to Hawaii, i9 Sports offers

Reinventing the youth sports industry, customers enjoy the i9 Sports Experience which emphasizes fun, safety and convenience as well as teaching the value of good sportsmanship. Named #1 Children’s Fitness Franchise by

To learn more about the low investment, low overhead i9 Sports franchise opportunity, visit www.i9sportsfranchise.com.

Franchising USA

For more information on i9 Sports, visit www.i9sports.com.