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Veterans in Franchising NOVEMBER 2018
www.franchisingusamagazine.com
MILITARY COFFEES:
Franchising a Coffee Company with a Veteran Theme
From the White House to
Urgent Care
After You Serve:
Using Military Skills for Franchising Success Franchising USA
SAME DRIVE. DIFFERENT BATTLEFIELD. TAKE THE NEXT STEP > VETFRAN.COM OFFERING FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TRAINING & MENTORSHIP Veterans interested in franchising can take their skills learned in the military to successfully own and develop small businesses. Learn more and support veterans in franchising at www.vetfran.com.
• 650 franchise companies participating • 151,000 veterans and their spouses found careers in the franchise industry • 5,100 veteran franchise owners
Veterans in Franchising Supplement november 2018 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
Veteran Profiles
46 Military Coffees: Franchising a Coffee Company with a Veteran Theme
48 AdvantaClean
50 After You Serve: Using Military Skills for Franchising Success 52 From the White House to Urgent Care
Veteran News 44 FirstLight Home Care Recognized as a Top 100 Franchise for Both Veterans and Innovation
52 American Family Care
Veterans Expert Advice 50 After You Serve: Using Military Skills for Franchising Success Tim Mackin, Owner, FirstLight Home Care of Greater York and Lancaster, PA
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veteran news FirstLight Home Care Recognized as a Top 100 Franchise for Both Veterans and Innovation by Franchise Business Review Leading non-medical home care franchise makes two Franchise Business Review lists of excellence “We have long been a proponent of veteran leadership within our franchise,” Bevis, who is also the current committee chairman of the International Franchise Association (IFA) Education Foundation VetFran Committee, said. “Veterans have a strong sense of duty and service, and their leadership skills and ability to adapt to changing circumstances make them ideal owners for us. Making the Franchise Business Review’s Top 100 Franchises for Veterans list is an important accolade, as it says to other veterans: ‘FirstLight truly appreciates the service each of our military veterans gives to our country.’ In turn, when the veteran is transitioning out of their service, FirstLight is one of the top business ownership opportunities to consider.”
FirstLight Home Care, a leading national provider of non-medical home care, was listed by Franchise Business Review as one of the Top 100 Franchises for Veterans and one of the 100 Most Innovative Franchises for 2018.
priority within our system to equip our owners with the tools necessary to run a meaningful, service-focused business, and earning each of the Franchise Business Review accolades tells us that we’re truly setting our brand up for success and continued industry leadership.”
The lists feature award-winning franchises whose franchisees have shown a high level of satisfaction with the business, considering factors such as training and support, leadership, and financial opportunity, both with veterans and with all franchisees.
No stranger to Franchise Business Review’s Top 100 lists, this is the second consecutive year FirstLight has made the Top 100 Franchises for Veterans. The company offers a franchise fee discount of $12,500 for veterans. Additionally, FirstLight regularly attends and presents at regional and national events that are created to assist transitioning veterans to highlight both business ownership and employment opportunities that exist within the franchise industry for veterans and their spouses.
“This recognition holds a special place in the franchise world because it is based on the direct feedback of the franchisees,” said Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care. “We have always made it a
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The recognition from Franchise Business Review adds to the recent awards FirstLight has been receiving lately. In recent months, the company has also made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing, privately held companies, as well as the Franchise Times Top 200+ of the 500 largest franchise companies for the fourth and sixth consecutive times, respectively. Complete results of Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchises for Veterans 2018 can be found at https:// franchisebusinessreview.com/page/top/ top-franchises-veterans/. The full list of the Most Innovative Franchises can be seen at https:// franchisebusinessreview.com/page/topinnovative-franchises/. For more information about FirstLight Home Care’s franchise opportunities, visit www.firstlightfranchise.com.
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covers story: Military Coffees
Franchising a
Coffee Company
with a Veteran Theme Service, sacrifice, dedication and honor are ingrained in the heart and soul of every service member. From their first day in military training until the day they leave the military to pursue a civilian career, members of
the military understand what it takes to
succeed, persevere and serve. They also
understand that the military runs on coffee and has since coffee was a standard issue item in the civil war.
While most members of the military come home unscathed, some suffer injuries while in service to our country. These service disabled veterans are limited in job opportunities due to their injuries, however they retain highly valued skills such as leadership, management and attention to detail learned from their military service. They want to succeed but sometimes lack adequate opportunity in the workplace due to their disabilities. It is imperative that service members come home and have ample opportunities to pursue their dream(s). For franchise businesses, these veterans hold skill sets that are critical to their operations; skills
such as leadership, integrity and risk tolerance, all learned through military service. There are generous opportunities that franchise businesses provide both individually and through the VetFran program that provide service disabled veterans (and all veterans) the opportunity to own their own business through franchising. While the different franchise businesses offer a plethora of choices through the VetFran program, it all boils down to one thing; franchise businesses see the value of veterans’ skill sets and want them in their systems, which provides excellent opportunities for service disabled veterans as well as the franchise business. Seeing the need for additional opportunities for all veterans, Lawrence Curell and Dana Kern, co-owners of Military Coffees, LLC have created the Fighting Force Specialty Coffee brand to not only honor veterans and public safety professionals but also to create opportunities for veterans through franchising.
Larry
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Dana
There are many franchise businesses that have taken a mentorship role with returning service disabled veterans
“Coffee is something that is inherently relaxing and easy to sell, especially with our unique offerings and we find that veterans are receptive to selling coffee.” - Lawrence Curell
and have assisted them until they are successfully operating their own franchise. Lawrence and Dana have taken that mentorship to a new level by helping veterans start their own home based coffee business through franchising. “We purposely kept the franchise fee low to help our fellow veterans,” says Curell, a disabled Army veteran. “We want our fellow veterans to be successful. Coffee is something that is inherently relaxing and easy to sell, especially with our unique offerings and we find that veterans are receptive to selling coffee.” What started 1 5 years ago as a retirement small business opportunity, Firehouse Coffee was created by Dana Kern, a retired fire captain and paramedic. The coffee sourcing, roasting and packaging were quickly perfected and customers started knocking on the door to purchase the organic specialty coffees that were being fresh roasted daily by the Firehouse Coffee team. Fast forward several years and a chance meeting between Lawrence and Dana quickly evolved into a friendship and ultimately a business partnership to launch the veteran friendly Military Coffees, LLC and the Fighting Force Specialty Coffee brand. Lawrence had successfully franchised his other company (Better Deal Printing, LLC) and proposed the idea to Dana, who immediately saw the value in helping veterans while growing the company through franchise opportunities. “We worked day and night to get the new venture moving in the right direction quickly. With Dana’s coffee expertise and my franchising abilities, we knew we could use the franchise method as a catalyst to fuel our growth while helping veterans,” stated Lawrence. Moving quickly paid off as the franchise offering was made available in August of 2018 and the first franchise was sold within 3 weeks. With full corporate
support and marketing assistance, the first franchisee is quickly growing his business, market and opportunities.
coffee (an industry that is growing by 20% annually), you are missing out on a small slice of heaven in a cup.
Understanding how critical it is that franchisees are supported properly, the team at Military Coffees listens and quickly takes in advice to help the brand grow into a national brand. The goal for the company is to have a franchisee near every military installation within the next five years. The company is already an international vendor to the Military Exchange system and their products are listed on the AAFES (Army / Air Force Exchange) website to help drive marketing and brand awareness.
Combined with the custom / personalized label options and the freshness of the product, franchisees have a great opportunity to own their own business serving a market that can be developed and profitable. The company offers franchisees a “business in a box” for them to get started selling on day 1. The opportunity includes coffee, marketing, corporate support, lead generation and unlimited growth potential as there are currently no geographic restrictions on where a franchisee can sell.
Veterans, military retirees and public safety professional have been enjoying the unique experience of drinking the freshest, 100% USDA certified organic coffees available. In addition, the ability to personalize the label on just one bag is something that nobody else is doing.
With franchise businesses being an integral part of the United States economy and growing opportunities for veterans through the support of the federal government’s initiatives and the franchise community, the positive impact that franchise businesses have on America’s wounded warriors is significant both to the business and the veteran. Becoming a franchise business that provides opportunities for disabled veterans is not only socially responsible in giving back to those who served but it is also a true win – win for everyone involved.
With the combined power of owning a printing company, a coffee company and a shipping center, Military Coffees is able to print the label, roast the coffee and ship it same or next day. Their tagline is “Green to gone in 48 hours,” meaning that the green beans that are imported from organic farmers across the coffee growing regions of the globe are roasted and in your cup within 48 hours. If you have never had fresh roasted specialty
For additional information on the Fighting Force Specialty Coffee franchise opportunity, please visit their website at www.militarycoffees.com.
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Veteran Profile: AdvantaClean
“When you come out the military, franchising is a great opportunity because the process is very much the same as what we have already experienced.” - Russ Harlow a plan as key traits to being a successful business owner. Harlow held several jobs throughout his career but found his real calling when he looked into franchising with AdvantaClean.
Lessons Learned in MilitarY HELPS
AdvantaClean FRANCHISE OWNER
As a first-time business owner, Russ Harlow quickly learned to embrace the challenges and responsibilities that comes with operating a business when he purchased an AdvantaClean franchise in Connecticut earlier this year. “I had been working 60 hours a week and I was miserable, but now I’m working 90100 hours a week and I’m loving life,” said Harlow. “If something doesn’t go right, it is on me and I don’t mind taking that pressure. I love it!” Traits such as responsibility, leadership and teamwork are qualities Harlow
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acquired as a member of the United States Army Reserve, where he spent six years as a chaplain’s assistant. In that role, he helped with religious services, provided security for the chaplain’s team and offered support and assistance for other members of the unit. Harlow said the opportunity to serve his country was a lifelong goal and his experience in the reserves changed his life. “Being in the military taught me about chain of command and how to deal with things appropriately and professionally. There are too many people now who don’t take responsibility for their actions and don’t seek responsibility. I think having that mentality and a newfound respect for authority gave me a leg up on my peers.” Two decades later, Harlow relies on those same qualities as the owner of a franchise specializing in indoor air quality and mold remediation. He cites some of the experiences he learned in the military such as being a team leader, knowing how to motivate others and being able to execute
“I liked the idea that the type of work we are doing is helping people. When I started the process, I didn’t realize how important it was for me to help others. What we do with mold remediation and indoor air quality is really helping people, whether it is fixing a disaster in their home or addressing air that is making them sick. Yes, we are running a business, but at the end of the day, we are helping people take back their homes, and that made a huge difference to me. Between that and a corporate culture that prioritizes community, respect, excellence and customer service, it was a no-brainer for me.” Although Harlow did not have any experience in the light environmental services that AdvantaClean provides, he was attracted to its successful business model and felt confident in his ability to grow the franchise. He also feels franchise ownership is an excellent opportunity for other veterans looking to establish a new career. “With franchising, you are working with a team within a corporate environment, but you still have the freedom to make business decisions. You learned teambuilding skills and the ability to lead others and execute plans. That is why franchises love veterans because we know how to follow orders. In franchising, it is important to understand it is done a certain way for a reason. Veterans get that, and a lot of us understand the process and can execute how to do it. When you come out the military, franchising is a great opportunity because the process is very much the same as what we have already experienced.” advantacleanfranchise.com
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expert advice: Tim Mackin, Owner, FirstLight Home Care of Greater York and Lancaster, PA
After You Serve: Using Military Skills for Franchising Success
At the end of their service, veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces face the prospect of reentering the private sector. It might seem challenging at first, but the skills gained during a military career can serve veterans well in the business world. Franchising USA
Opportunities for Success First and foremost, separating from the military means a new chapter in your life. Don’t be held back by not having the corporate America experiences that you have missed out on by giving yourself to service. The majority of the skills you learned translate into the civilian sector, which gives you opportunities for business success. The strengths instilled in you by a military career will serve you well in the business world. You learned perseverance, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. You learned teamwork and
collaboration. There is a strong sense of
accountability and responsibility in each member that serves.
The Importance of Flexibility Another important skill is flexibility. Service members are very flexible and resourceful to meet changing
requirements. You have to be able to shift gears quickly and be able to respond to
changing circumstances. When you are in the military and are given a specific
task, five minutes later the order might get rescinded, and you’re given a new task to bring to resolution.
“Veterans need to understand that the skills they earned during a military career can offer them a path to success in the civilian business world.”
market reach than standalone businesses. The best franchisors give their franchise owners a leg-up by offering thoroughly tested administrative and support processes, providing back-office systems for dealing with everything from human resources to finance, sales to marketing. Instead of having to reinvent those systems on their own, a new franchise owner has access to what is basically a turnkey business. Success in a franchise involves being able to invest personally in the systems offered by the franchisor. You have to be able to trust the system, which is something that translates from what you see in the military as well. When you are provided a mission, you have to trust that the systems put in place to support that mission are going to get you to your end result. In a franchise world that means to be profitable. If you don’t have structure in your daily operations, franchises are going to be a little more difficult for you to be successful in.
Do Your Homework
Benefits of Franchise Ownership
When you separate from the military, do your homework and research the businesses that most interests you. Ask a lot of questions. When I was doing my due diligence, as I came across franchises that were intriguing to me, I reached out to those franchises for additional dialogue. I wanted to find out in my initial conversation about their leadership structure, their educational background, their experiences, and how they could make me more successful.
There are several benefits that owning a franchise can offer to veterans. The first is a lowered barrier to entry. Some networks offer veterans a substantial discount to the franchise fee. Successful franchise systems also offer better brand recognition and
The more support and resources at the disposal of a service member who is ending their service, the better they can make good decisions about their career path or the next chapter of their life. Talk to people at local chambers of commerce.
Prior to purchasing a franchise, I was the manager of a contact center for a fleet leasing company. In that role, flexibility was the key because a weather event that happens in one part of the Unites States could dramatically change the outcome of your calls for that day. Success required being able to adapt to change quickly.
Tim Mackin
Take full advantage of free community resources for small business owners.
Summing it Up Veterans need to understand that the skills they earned during a military career can offer them a path to success in the civilian business world. Don’t be intimidated. You’ve already faced many other challenges and overcome them. Starting a business career is just another challenge that you are capable of overcoming. Owning a franchise can also give you a head-start on achieving that success. Work hard. Do your homework. Succeed. Tim Mackin retired from the US Army after 20 years of service as a highly decorated First Sergeant (aka ‘Top’), leading, guiding and mentoring more than 250 service men and women responsible for equipment maintenance and the readiness of heavy combat units (Armor and Infantry soldiers) in Texas, Kentucky, Maryland, Germany and Kuwait. He is currently the owner of FirstLight Home Care of Greater York, and Lancaster, PA. FirstLight Home Care is a top-rated non-medical home care provider with a network of offices that provides more than 100,000 hours per week in care for more than 4,800 clients in over 34 states. www.firstlighthomecare.com
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V e t er a ns i n Fr a nch isi ng
Veteran Profile: American Family Care (AFC)
From the White House to Urgent Care Born the son of an Air Force general, Ben Barlow did not plan on following in his father’s military footsteps. Not only did he land in uniform, but he also went to medical school and ended up caring for Presidents Obama and Trump. Now, Barlow has just left his post as Senior White House Physician to become the new Chief Medical Officer of American Family Care (AFC), the nation’s leading provider of urgent care, occupational medicine and accessible primary care. In his new role as Chief Medical Officer, Barlow is tasked with guiding AFC’s 600 physician network as they care for patients every day at the company’s 200 medical facilities. “The military training that I received in the Air Force is serving as a great foundation for my new role with AFC,” Barlow says. “We have nearly 140 franchise locations and 66 corporateowned medical centers. Each day is a new challenge, whether it is guiding doctors through the ups and downs of flu season or answering franchisee questions about how to maximize staffing. I am here to be their sounding board and suggest solutions.” Barlow acquired the skills to make quick, solid decisions while leading the
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“I chose to shift from the White House to urgent care because AFC is making health care so much more accessible. We are not just treating patients, we are improving healthcare.” emergency room at Langley Air Force Base, as well as through his duties as a White House physician. “It was my job to travel ahead of Presidents Obama and Trump to survey foreign travel destinations,” Barlow explained. “I had to make sure each location was equipped with the appropriate staff and technology to handle whatever medical emergency might pop up while the President was abroad.” Barlow has walked the halls of dozens of hospitals around the world, and as a result, he’s one of the few doctors around who has a first-hand perspective of how the U.S. ranks among global health care. “The U.S. simply does health care better. Our training is better, our consistency of care is better,” Barlow says. “You really can’t judge a facility by its looks. Some of the nicer spots I toured just didn’t seem to be on the ball, because they did not have a sizable medical staff to keep things moving.” Barlow adds that when this happened, he had to make his own plan to deal with the decreased level of care. Three years globetrotting with the commander in chief was enough for Barlow. He wanted to find something that kept him stateside — and AFC is a perfect match. “AFC is a large organization with national reach, I can influence hundreds of doctors every day, rather than just a handful at a private practice,” he says.
Barlow also recognized health care is changing, and urgent care is on the frontline of the movement. “I chose to shift from the White House to urgent care because AFC is making health care so much more accessible. We are not just treating patients, we are improving health care. By freeing overcrowded emergency rooms from patients who could easily be seen at our clinics, we are making a difference.” www.americanfamilycare.com
“By freeing overcrowded emergency rooms from patients who could easily be seen at our clinics, we are making a difference.”
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