VETERANS IN FRANCHISING JANUARY 2020

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Veterans in Franchising january 2020

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

4 reasons why

veterans excel in the it space from the base to business finding franchise opportunity on military bases when you bring an

An Army state of mind to your business Franchising USA

Leadership.

Teamwork.

Executing SOPs. Connecting veterans with education, resources and opportunities at vetfran.org

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V e t e r a n s i n F r a n c h i s i n g S u ppl e m e n t january 2020 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 On the Cover

Franchisee In Action

4 Reasons Why Veterans Excel in the IT Space

56 Tim Beauchamp, 9 Round

48 From the Base to Business

Veteran Expert Advice

50 Finding Franchise Opportunity on Military Bases 52 When You Bring an Army State of Mind

to Your Business

Veterans Profile

48 From the Base to Business Chuck Connell, Marine Corps Veteran, Co-owner of

You’ve Got Maids of Hilton Head

54 4 Reasons Why Veterans Excel in the IT Space Lisa Montanio, Senior Franchise Development Manager,

CMIT Solutions (CMIT)

50 George Hart - Dunkin’ Brands 52 Cory Graves, Restoration 1

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expert advice: Chuck Connell | Marine Corps Veteran | Co-owner of You’ve Got Maids of Hilton Head

From the Base to Business “Veterans have to understand how to translate military skills and duties into layman’s terms, know which programs to seek out and heed advice from other veterans who hold civilian positions they desire.”

Chuck Connell

There is often an adjustment period when returning to civilian life following a military career.

You’re acclimating yourself to a different pace of life, reconnecting with family and loved ones and trying to find structure in an unstructured world.

One of the biggest challenges during this time, though, is often the transition from the military to civilian workforce.

After working in the military for several years, many veterans struggle to find a “regular” job, especially if they had little to no experience in the civilian workforce

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prior to serving. This is because veterans have to understand how to translate military skills and duties into layman’s terms, know which programs to seek out and heed advice from other veterans who hold civilian positions they desire. In the article below, we will talk through the initial challenges of transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce, the opportunities veterans should look into and the best advice for those reacclimating themselves to civilian life.

INITIAL CHALLENGES One of the first and most recognizable challenges one may face when returning to the civilian workforce – or civilian life in general – is the lack of structure.

In the military, there are strict rules that you are expected to follow, and everyone follows those rules, no questions asked.

Punctuality is a top priority, so if you are early, you are on time; if you are on time, you are late; and being late is unacceptable.

That said, the lack of urgency in the civilian workforce and the lax approach to structure can be frustrating and confusing for many veterans.

Additionally, there are stark differences in terms of workplace communication that can lead to misunderstandings. In

the military, the mission comes first, meaning interpersonal communication and emotional awareness tends to fall to the wayside. Similarly, military communication tends to focus on clarity and precision, whereas civilian communication focuses on relationship building and trust. Many veterans have to relearn practices that will help them effectively communicate with their coworkers and avoid coming off as blunt or harsh. This skill may take a great deal of patience, but it can garner lasting relationships that will prove beneficial in the long run.

TOP PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES Another initial challenge that many veterans face following a career in the military is the feeling of not knowing where to start. Thankfully, there are several free resources available to veterans that can help them with the transition, including the Veterans Employment Center, the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to name a few.

Another opportunity that many veterans are exploring is franchise ownership.

According to the U.S. Small Business

“Many veterans often struggle to redefine themselves following a military career, but finding a new job is not about redefinition. Rather, it is about understanding how you fit into this new role and lifestyle and finding a career that fulfills your personal and professional goals.”

Administration, nearly 25 percent of veterans are interested in business ownership. The benefit to investing in a franchise concept is that there is already a set of systems and processes in place that makes it easier to enter into a market.

Additionally, many franchise concepts offer a variety of support programs for veterans.

You’ve Got Maids specifically offers a discount on the initial franchise fee for honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Moreover, the residential cleaning company has been named to Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchises for Veterans List. This inclusion was based on the satisfaction of You’ve Got Maids’ military veteran franchise owners regarding critical areas of the franchise system, including training and support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations and financial opportunities. That said, finding a franchise concept that takes the time to recognize and seek out veteran franchise owners shows that they’re invested in the success of military veterans.

BEST ADVICE When applying for jobs in the civilian workforce, it is essential that you do not assume anyone understands the military jargon you use. Avoid using acronyms on a resume and only use military jargon that you know the average civilian is familiar with. Additionally, if you have skills that are not readily transferrable, submit a cover letter with your resume. You may feel as though you are over-explaining, but it can

help an employer better understand your experiences.

Overall, know that there will be challenges you can’t anticipate, especially when it comes to civilian employment.

Additionally, seek opportunities that you are truly interested in pursuing.

Many veterans often struggle to redefine themselves following a military career, but finding a new job is not about redefinition.

Rather, it is about understanding how you fit into this new role and lifestyle and finding a career that fulfills your personal

and professional goals.

Chuck Connell is the co-owner of You’ve Got Maids in Hilton Head, South Carolina alongside Mike Burt.

Prior to opening his You’ve Got Maids business, Chuck spent 32 years in the aviation industry, 25 of which were spent working for a Fortune 500 company.

Chuck also served in the United States Marine Corps from 1978 to 1982, where he spent a majority of his time working as an ejection seat mechanic in Beaufort, South Carolina.

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profile: Dunkin’ Brands

Finding Franchise Opportunity On Military Bases Following Military Appreciation Month, it is important to continue keeping our troops and veterans top of mind by aiming to understand their unique experiences.

According to George J. Hart, Army Veteran and multi-unit Dunkin’ franchisee, he found his military training and experiences taught him everything he needed to know about business. However, that realization did not come until his transition back to civilian life, which proved to be tricky as he navigated the routine of daily life and finding a career path.

After serving 25 years in the U.S. Army as a Paratrooper and Reconnaissance Helicopter Pilot, starting over in a new career seemed daunting to George but proper preparation was vital in order to integrate back into civilian society. When he retired in 2004, George followed a comfortable path staying connected to the military by working as a consultant for the Department of Defense for 10 years, specializing in a military familiarization course for Department of Defense civilians and contracting education for new government contracting officers. “While fulfilled through my duties, I was ready for the next great challenge – pursuing the entrepreneurial itch I carried with me my whole life” said Hart. In 2015, he brought to life his dream that he had aspired to for

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quite some time, opening a Dunkin’ on a military base at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.

“Throughout my many years of service, I desperately missed a decent cup of coffee and, as a New Jersey native, Dunkin’ was the only brand that could hit the spot.

Unfortunately, Dunkin’ was hard to come by in the military so, I was determined to change that for our troops once I retired.

In fact, I vowed to open a Dunkin’ across

every military base in the country!”

Currently, George owns 11 military base

Dunkin’s, including four combo locations

housing Dunkin’ and sister brand BaskinRobbins under one roof, across U.S.

military bases in Colorado, Wyoming and Kentucky. The future is bright while he

plans to open restaurants on military bases in Texas, Ohio, Utah, Colorado, Arizona

and Kansas, including six locations slated to open within the next year.

“About 50% of my workforce is made up of veterans or active duty family members. Not only is it helpful to the veteran and military community, but it is also helpful to a veteran business owner to surround themselves with a dedicated workforce who shares their experience and vision.”

- George J. Hart “What fuels my ambitions is the support system I found through my franchise network and the support system that remained as I kept close to my military network. As a veteran and a business owner, I can share what kept me going, allowing me to find my passion and aiding my transition to civilian life.”

Veterans Benefit Franchise Systems…

Franchises heavily encourage veteran recruitment. In fact, according the Franchise Business Review’s 2014 Progress Report, 49% of franchisors surveyed indicated that they had successfully recruited at least one veteran/spouse of a veteran as a new franchisee in the past 12 months.

We see a large push behind veteran recruitment due to the fact that veterans tend to be highly skilled and well-trained leaders who bring a tactical perspective to their teams. They also possess operational skills with people, security, planning, logistics and communication. George suggests that, together, these skillsets shape the type of leader who thrives in a franchise system, where they are backed by a brand name.

…& Vice Versa

Finding The Right Fit

Simultaneously, franchising seems to check a lot of boxes for veterans to put their disciplines to work. Through franchising, veterans are provided with the flexibility to be business owners while connected to an established brand with a proven system.

George found that the guess-work and risk of starting a business from the ground up, was taken out of the equation, so he could hit the ground running.

When it comes to franchising, it is most important to find the right company that is a cultural fit. Take a look at George’s story.

Growing up in New Jersey, Dunkin’ was a household name and he knew the brand very well. Beyond that, he had a passion for owning his own business, paired with a brand he believed in and a vision to bring that brand to a place he knew and loved.

According to George, veterans should research the franchise systems that offer veteran incentives in order to get their business up and running. Some franchise networks may even provide special franchisee training programs for veterans.

Paying It Forward Veteran employers are likely to pay it forward, typically hiring veterans just like them. As a matter of fact, 14% of franchisees surveyed in the Franchise Business Review study showed that veteran franchise owners are nearly a third (30%) more likely to hire other veterans, or at least be more aware of a person’s veteran status.

“As for me, about 50% of my workforce is made up of veterans or active duty family members,” said Hart. “Not only is it helpful to the veteran and military community, but it is also helpful to a veteran business owner to surround themselves with a dedicated workforce who shares their experience and vision.”

George J. Hart, Army Veteran and Dunkin’ Brands multi-unit franchisee, entered franchising after 25 years of service as a Paratrooper and Reconnaissance Helicopter Pilot for the U.S. Army. In less than five years, George has grown his franchise network to 11 Dunkin’s, including four combo restaurants with Baskin-Robbins, across military bases in the Western United States. www.dunkinfranchising.com/franchisee/ en.html

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profile: Restoration 1

When You Bring An

Army State of Mind to Your Business

I was never the kid that desired to settle on one particular career when I grew up. I was interested in a million things including the arts, various trades, the military, academia and law enforcement.

After obtaining my undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology I worked as a parole officer and then a HVAC technician. After a few years I decided to fulfill a familial and patriotic obligation by enlisting in the United States Army as an Intelligence Analyst in 1997. While it was never my intention to make a career of the military, when 9/11 happened, I knew there was no bigger calling for service and there was no way I could forfeit my duty to my Country and fellow Soldiers.

After over 20 years of service in the military, I finally decided it was time to try something new. I was ready to pursue the other things I was interested in from so long ago. Achieving the American Dream was always really important to me – I believed I could succeed going the entrepreneurial route. My hope was to find a career that allowed me to utilize my personal strengths, contribute to society and help those in my community.

That’s when I began looking at the opportunities within franchising. I was

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connected to a franchise coach and he’s the one who told me about Restoration 1. The brand appealed to me for two reasons: I get to be hands-on and I have the opportunity to help people in their time of need. It’s the best of both worlds all while creating a business for myself. And in November of 2017, I officially opened my Restoration 1 location in Springfield, Virginia.

Why Restoration 1 And The Military Go Hand In Hand Our services are available 24/7. This might sound a little crazy, but I love the 24/7 emergency response that Restoration 1 offers. In the military, especially supporting Special Forces, we had to be available all day, every day and respond quickly. Now, I get to continue that with Restoration 1. When disaster hits, your customers expect you to be there for them no matter what.

Teamwork is crucial. Working together is a critical component in the military. Your team is your family, and if one person doesn’t do their job, that can affect the entire team. That same mindset translates to Restoration 1. You need a team of people who are committed to the cause even when it’s 2 o’clock in the morning.

Install the same core principles in everyone. In the military, we’re all fighting for the same cause and the same freedoms.

When everyone is on the same page, then it allows you to work better as a team. I’ve taken this experience and applied similar

core principles to my Restoration 1 team.

One of my main ideals revolves around customer service. I expect my guys to give exceptional customer service with every single job. When you do that, everything else pretty much takes care of itself.

We have to think outside the box. Problem solving is one of my favorite things. Not every job will be simple nor will you always have all the tools you need to get things done. When that happened in the Army, we could never just quit. We had to figure out a plan. The same goes for Restoration 1. I push my team to figure out how they are going to get a difficult job done and when they can’t we problem solve together.

Hiring Veterans is Important Being a veteran myself, I truly understand the value that other veterans can bring to a business. I also understand how difficult it is for a number of veterans to transition to civilian life after serving in the military for so long. That’s why I look to hire veterans at Restoration 1 of Springfield. For the past two years, I’ve received the Gold Award for the HIRE Vets Medallion Program by the Department of Labor for recruiting, employing and retaining veterans for my small business. This is something I am committed to and will continue to provide employment opportunities within Restoration 1 to veterans for years to come.

Written by Cory Graves, Owner, Restoration 1 of Springfield

www.restoration1.com

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expert advice: Lisa Montanio | Senior Franchise Development Manager | CMIT Solutions (CMIT)

4 Reasons Why Veterans Excel in the IT Space in the world. This allows them to easily adapt to new technologies and gives them a heightened awareness of tech trends.

Currently, 15 percent of CMIT Solutions’ franchisees are veterans and all of these skillsets have allowed them to run successful veteran-owned businesses.

Here are four reasons why veterans continue to excel in the tech and IT space:

1

Work Ethic

Lisa Montanio

Successful franchises run on structured systems with procedures that help strive for operational excellence. It is no surprise franchising is a perfect match for veterans – as members of the military, they are used to following a plan of action and responding quickly.

Those characteristics are important when running a franchise business in the IT industry because data breaches can happen unexpectedly requiring a swift reaction.

Another skill veterans bring to the table that many do not initially think about is an understanding of technology. While serving, they spend much of their time with some of the most advanced technology

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With their many years of training and service, veterans have learned to develop a strong work ethic. You can count on them to take charge of the task at hand and deliver results.

Beyond being precise and trustworthy technological advisors for their clients, they are always thinking a few steps ahead.

Many times, they will try to catch and solve a problem before it even happens by spending the time embedding themselves in their clients’ businesses and paying attention to what is going on in the field of IT. Even in the moments where they are not able to prevent a problem before it happens, they are quick to respond in a crisis. Their military training has prepared them to be ready for anything at any time, but also not rushing to react without thinking about the dilemma at hand. When it comes to helping a client dealing with, for example, a data breach, they know to take a moment and ask themselves: what’s going on?, what’s wrong? and what can I do to help?

2

Servant Leadership

Leadership is an important aspect of the training veterans go through. They learn how to delegate while also taking orders from others. This is key when working in the IT field because they are responsible for running their own business, but are simultaneously receiving requests from their clients.

At CMIT, the focus has always been on the philosophy of servant leadership by placing the clients first. Everything about the business of IT comes back to the client – you are there to help make sure their business operations do not get interrupted and their confidential data is being protected.

3

Being Decisive/Quick Thinkers

Veterans have learned to not crack under pressure. While in the military, they have to do their jobs under the most stressful environments and be able to think on their feet. It is an important characteristic to have as an IT professional and as a business owner. Even under the most stressful situations or those days where the work seems to keep piling on, veterans have the ability to remain level-headed.

Having this skill is key when clients are in a crisis and are facing a major IT issue like being hacked or their data being compromised. In moments such as

these, they need to be able to make quick

decisions with the facts at hand. By having the ability to remain calm in high pressure

situations, it gives them a clear head to ease the clients worries while also coming up with a solution to the problem.

4

Collaboration A crucial component of being in

the military is learning how to work with others. In the many years veterans spend

in service, they tend to work alongside the same team members. When it comes to

the IT space and being a business owner, teamwork may look a little different,

however, at the core the goals are the same.

For example, with CMIT franchisees, the teamwork happens between them and the client. In order to establish a relationship with their clients, they have to dedicate the time to listen, learn and understand them. To be able to help clients with IT issues, they need to work with clients to understand their businesses and listen to their concerns to ensure they feel supported.

Lisa Montanio is the senior franchise development manager of CMIT Solutions (CMIT), a leading provider of information technology (IT) professional services and products to small and midmarket businesses. cmitfranchise.com

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franchisee in action: Tim Beauchamp | 9Round Franchisee

From Military Veteran to 9Round Franchisee:

Embracing the Freedoms I Fought For When one door closes another one opens, and in 2017, I found myself in one of these unique situations.

After serving 10 years as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, with the majority of

my career in the Deployable Specialized Forces, I learned that my lifelong

aspiration of becoming a career Coastie

wasn’t going to happen. The deployments and time spent away from my growing family weren’t conducive to the life I imagined for us.

The time was right for me to separate

from the military… And it wasn’t long

before I realized I could pursue a career

in something else I was passionate about: 9Round.

The obsession begins...

My wife introduced me to 9Round about three years prior to my military separation.

I was deployed in South America when she told me about this new workout she insisted I had to try next time I was home.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical. I was used to a military grade workout regimen, which included a ton of high-intensity interval training, and situational workouts designed to push you to your breaking point. So, while I was willing to give it a shot to make my wife happy, I wasn’t totally convinced that this 30-minute kickboxing workout would be the right fit for me.

It only took one session for me to fall in love with 9Round. Everything about it was my dream workout – the convenience of not having to schedule classes in advance, the high-intensity rounds, the trainers who pushed me to my personal limits. I became a member even while I was still

serving, getting in as many rounds as possible during my stints at home between deployments.

Turning the hobby into a career Fast forward to 2017, and I’m in this unique albeit scary position where I have the opportunity to pursue whatever path I want for the next phase of my career.

I took a serious look at what I could offer to the workforce as a veteran, recognizing that I possessed a unique skill set combining structure and discipline with years of leadership experience. I excel when I have a system to follow, not only as a member of that system, but as a leader within it.

Because of these key assets, I realized that franchise ownership was right up my alley. Fortunately for me, the 9Round brand that I’d come to love as a patron was a franchise. And better yet, the brand offered financial incentives for me to join the network at a discounted rate due to my veteran status.

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And suddenly, the door to becoming a small business owner opened, and I haven’t looked back since.

How 9Round fulfilled all my veteran passions

“I took a serious look at what i could offer to the workforce as a veteran, recognizing that i possessed a unique skill set combining structure and discipline with years of leadership experience. I excel when i have a system to follow, not only as a member of that system, but as a leader within it.”

Today, I am the proud owner of two 9Round locations: one in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and one in Burlington, Massachusetts. 9Round ownership gives me everything I could ask for in a career, in ways that tie closely back to my Coast Guard experience…

I work hands-on with people, pushing them to their limits. One of my favorite parts of being in the Coast Guard was training other service men and women, and now I get to satisfy this passion by training my 9Round members. There’s nothing that gives me more joy than cheering a member on, whether it’s to their first full pushup or to their 100th workout.

I spend every day doing something I’m passionate about. Passion is something you cannot teach. It takes a special breed of person to selflessly serve others; your heart has to be in it, and mine certainly is. Both when I was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard and now as a 9Round franchisee, I’ve found myself waking up excited to make an impact on the lives of others, whether from overseas or from the floor of my studio.

I belong to something bigger than myself. The comradery in the military is unlike any other bond, but 9Round has given me something pretty close. There is a team-like closeness among my studios’ trainers and staff, and our members become our family over time. On a grander scale, I’m a valuable link in an important chain of 9Round franchisees representing nearly 800 locations worldwide - an elite group I’m honored to contribute to.

We live in a country where we get what we give, and we are blessed that we may give in ways that we choose of our own accord.

These were the freedoms I fought for as a member of the Armed Forces, and now I’m fortunate enough to reap those benefits while living my own American dream as a 9Round franchise owner.

Written by Tim Beauchamp, Franchise Owner, 9Round

www.9round.com

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