Veterans october franchising usa 5#12 3

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Veterans in Franchising october 2017

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

fastsigns offers veterans

fast way to success

How a 26-Year Navy Vet became Rookie Franchisee of the Year

Cleaning Franchise Honors Military Veterans With

Franchise Giveaway Contest

FASTSIGNS, CEO Catherine Monson shown with FASTSIGNSUSA of St. Louis Franchising Franchisee Steven Hill

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

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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 Suppl e m e n t october 2017 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

News and Expert Advice

50 FASTSIGNS Offers Veterans a FAST Way To Success

52 How a 26-Year Navy Vet became Rookie Franchisee of the Year Tim Adams, Owner, Mr. Handyman of

52 How a 26-Year Navy Vet became Rookie Franchisee of the Year 54 Cleaning Franchise Honors Military

Veterans With Franchise Giveaway Contest

Virginia Beach

54 Cleaning Franchise Honors Military

Veterans With Franchise Giveaway Contest Todd Hopkins, CEO, Office Pride

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Veterans in Franchising

fastsigns

Leading Sign, Graphics and Visual Communications

Franchise Offers Veterans a FAST Way To Success The transition from military life to civilian life is often a larger undertaking than meets the eye. While many veterans look forward to being reunited with their families and returning to a life outside of deployment, many also find themselves starting from scratch while having to build a successful career.

Companies across the United States, notably FASTSIGNS International, Inc., have programs in place to give veterans the opportunity to establish a strong foundation that will allow them to create a

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fulfilling life and career to prosper in.

FASTSIGNS® recognizes the courage and strength of military veterans and is dedicated to helping them find success and purpose through its franchise opportunities. Today, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the largest sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 660 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in eight countries.

Currently, over 10 percent of the total number of franchisees in the FASTSIGNS system are military veterans. The increasing number of veteran franchisees within the company’s network is a true testament not only to the brand’s recruitment efforts and commitment to the veteran community, but also the unlimited potential for success partnering with an established industry leader can bring.

“FASTSIGNS has made recruiting military servicemen and women a priority over the last decade,” said Mark Jameson, executive vice president of franchise support and development. “With their leadership experience and mission-focused work ethic, military veterans bring a host of skills to the table that make them ideal candidates for our brand and translate well into franchise ownership, and we’re proud to support those who have served our country.”

Steve Adrian, a Retired Army Musician and FASTSIGNS franchisee, discovered the brand on a top military-friendly franchises ranking while researching the best concepts to invest in as a veteran. He joined the company in 2015, and today he and his wife are owners of a successful FASTSIGNS franchise in Lynchburg, Virginia.

“We liked the business model and wanted to work for ourselves. FASTSIGNS gave us the autonomy we wanted but without the risk normally associated with starting a new business on your own,” said Adrian.

“We’ve only been open for just over two years, but we’ve already exceeded our sales goals and have plans to double our space in the next year.”

Recently, FASTSIGNS International

was honored with the 2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award at a ceremony at the Pentagon. The Freedom Award is the highest recognition presented by the Department of Defense to employers for their exemplary support of National Guard and Reserve members.

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was one of 15 employers from across the nation receiving the prestigious award.

Additionally, FASTSIGNS has been recognized as one of the “Top Franchises for Veterans” by Franchise Business Review and as a top “Military Friendly Franchise” by G.I. Jobs.

“It is our priority to ensure that our veterans have the opportunity and support to successfully immerse themselves in a career within the franchising model,” said Jameson. “We pride ourselves on our strong network of franchisees and encourage all potential franchisees to connect with existing franchisees to validate the business opportunity.

Specifically for veterans who are franchise candidates, we supply a list of our franchisees that are military veterans so they can validate with veterans and also connect based on similar backgrounds.”

Stan Gray, a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve who opened his FASTSIGNS center in January 2015, went through the onboarding process and attributes his positive experience to speaking with existing FASTSIGNS business owners.

“When I began talking to franchisees, I

instantly felt like they were willing to help each other out and share best practices and support one another,” said Gray. “Today, we offer to speak to prospects considering joining the franchise and support the brand in any way we can.”

FASTSIGNS offers military veterans the most comprehensive support and financial incentives available in the signage industry. FASTSIGNS participates in the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) VetFran program that provides military veterans with special incentives and assistance to open a franchise.

Veterans can take advantage of specific incentives, including a franchise fee of $23,750 (a savings of 50 percent).

FASTSIGNS is the only franchise in its industry to offer a 50-percent discount to any veteran, without stipulations.

The average total investment range for a new center is between $182,329 and $267,520. The minimum requirements for prospective franchisees include $80,000 in available capital and a $250,000 net worth.

FASTSIGNS is committed to offering competitive resources and financial support to veterans in an effort to assist in every part of the process.

For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity and specific veterans incentives for veterans, contact Mark Jameson at mark.jameson@fastsigns.com or 214-346-5679, or visit www.fastsigns.com.

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Veterans in Franchising

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Veterans in Franchising

Tim Adams, Owner of Mr. Handyman of Virginia Beach

How a 26-Year Navy Vet became Rookie Franchisee of the Year During my 26-year career with the Navy, I accumulated a variety of experiences and titles, but mainly trained as a nuclear submarine mechanic. Perfectly aligned with my interests in building and fixing, the military training I received allowed me to quickly develop additional skills.

In the military, you receive a blueprint to success, but having a passion for what you do is what keeps you motivated to deliver superior results. This combination of support and passion is something all entrepreneurs pursuing franchising should consider – what interests you and what support does the franchise system provide?

Tim Adams

Hearing my name called for Rookie Franchisee of the Year solidified my decision in selecting the right franchise.

I wanted to join a franchise concept where I could work with my hands,

but I searched for the right fit for two

years knowing I needed to find the right

business plan and have a strong belief in the franchise organization to commit. I

found my success in the military through

hard work and structure and I was looking

to replicate that success in my professional career.

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The military operates like a successful business. You have one person stating the mission and the soldiers executing the orders. A good business structure has a plan in place for any situation, just like the military. In a franchise model, the franchisor has taken the time and gone through trial and error to find the best possible business plan for any situation.

Once the strategies are in place, it’s up to the franchisee to execute. No different than when a soldier follows orders.

The military also greatly prepares business owners for a crisis. In business, things don’t always run smoothly, but you have to be prepared for the worst case scenario with a contingency plan in place. When something goes awry in the customer service industry, you need to assess the situation and make a decision quickly. The military helps you master that. You train

and prepare for things to go wrong and it has proven to be such a valuable lesson to apply to business – be ready for anything.

When I first opened my franchise, I wanted to make sure every employee understood what every job in the company was responsible for. I wanted my office worker to know what my field worker is doing and vice versa. It instills a true team atmosphere. I believe that everyone understanding that we’re all working together to accomplish the same goal will develop a strong team. If someone unexpectedly calls off one day, the other employees have the basic understanding of what job they need to pitch in with. The transparency of roles is especially true in the military and it creates a sincere sense of trust and collaboration. I try to do the same in business.

Franchising and the military have so many similarities. In the military, failure is not an option because you’re preparing to protect your country. When I retired from the military and went into franchising, I decided that I will not accept failure and this venture will be my final career. Just like the military wasn’t a hobby for me, neither is this business. When you’re in, you have got to be all in.

Veterans do well with structure which is why franchising is often a good avenue for us. As a veteran, it’s hard to go into anything without a strong foundation, so when you go into a business, make sure

you know the requirements of the job and understand and agree with the business structure. It took me two years to find the right situation and I suggest everyone to do their due diligence and research instead of settling on something you may not want to do long-term.

Being a franchise owner is similar to being the commanding officer in the military. For veterans that have been in that position, you’ll be able to apply that experience to reach success. For those that always wanted to be the commanding officer, now is your chance as a franchise owner.

If you’re thinking about going into franchising or if you’re not as successful as you thought you’d be in franchising, remember your military training and incorporate it into your business. While I always had a passion for building and

“In the military, you receive a blueprint to success, but having a passion for what you do is what keeps you motivated to deliver superior results. This combination of support and passion is something all entrepreneurs pursuing franchising should consider – what interests you and what support does the franchise system provide?” fixing, it was the military that really taught me how to be an effective business owner.

Veterans, no matter their careers, need to leverage that expertise.

in 2005 after 26 years in the Navy.

Tim Adams is the owner of Mr. Handyman of Virginia Beach. After high school, Tim Adams enlisted in the Navy as a nuclear submarine mechanic and chemist before being selected to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1986 with a degree in engineering. He returned to the submarine force before retiring

Defense. He resigned from General

Tim then went to work for General Dynamics in Suffolk, Virginia for ten years supporting the Department of Dynamics after researching service franchises for him and his wife to invest in, before deciding on Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company and the nation’s leading home repair and maintenance franchise. www.mrhandyman.com

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Veterans in Franchising

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Veterans in Franchising

Todd Hopkins, Founder & CEO, Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services

Cleaning Franchise Honors Military Veterans With

Franchise Giveaway Contest

Office Pride CEO Todd Hopk waive $35,000 franchise fee f veterans in Veteran’s Day G As a U.S. military veteran transitions or retires from the Armed Forces, they have a big decision to make: what’s next?

possess a set of skills. Those who have served have acquired substantial proficiency in viewing problems as opportunities and often have leadership and teamwork abilities as well as a diligent work ethic. They also know the value of training, systems and support.

entrepreneurial ambitions within a proven system.

With endless questions and dozens of directions, it can be a daunting task to determine what the next step is for their civilian career.

The same qualities that allow an individual to succeed as a member of the Armed Forces allow veterans to find significant fulfillment and success within franchising – that is, by tapping into their

However, taking a deeper look into franchising truly reveals how strong the business model can be for a veteran making the investment. Consider these points:

The good news is that military veterans

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Owning a franchise allows these individuals to create a secure future that lets veterans diversify their investments while operating their own businesses and earning experience being their own boss.

new products, services and customer/ client experiences each year The skill set veterans possess positions them favorably as a franchisee: their ability to carry out a developed, proven plan within a system that aligns with their values, the opportunity to work closely with members of a team, methodical organization and mission planning – and that’s where choosing a reputable franchise model comes in. This is often just as important as choosing a career path itself – the system in which a veteran chooses to establish his or herself sets the tone for their future. It is critical to align with a franchise that shares a compatible set of values.

Many veteran franchisees have found that a faith-based franchise is a good fit. At Office Pride, we want to make sure that our prospective franchisees align with our mission and values. Honesty, integrity and a hard work ethic are just some of the values we have in common with veterans, along with a commitment to service and success.

kins to for three Giveaway • Within franchise systems, the knowledge sharing that occurs between each owner sets the stage for best practices to be implemented in every unit • Ongoing initiated marketing support provides franchisees with the branding and messaging to effectively communicate their service offerings • Franchise models put time, money and energy into research and development, which brings to market a collection of

Because of Office Pride’s gratitude and deep respect for veterans, we are offering up to three qualified U.S. military veterans the opportunity to win a waived initial franchisee, a $35,000 value, for a new Office Pride Commercial Cleaning franchise.

It is very important for us to show our gratitude to those who have bravely served our country. We want to provide a path to franchise ownership for as many veterans as we can, and this franchise fee giveaway is just one way to go the extra mile to making business ownership obtainable for these brave men and women.

The brand’s connection to veterans runs deep, beyond just the contest. As an International Franchise Association (IFA) VetFran 5-Star rated brand, Office Pride is proud to offer all qualified and honorably discharged military veterans a 25 percent discount off of the franchise fee.

The winning veteran contestants must meet all of the franchise company’s standard franchisee qualifications. The contest is open to all active duty service members and honorably discharged veterans from any branch of the U.S.

Todd Hopkins

armed forces. Potential winners will be announced on Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11, 2017.

Now through October 20, Office Pride is inviting prospective franchisees to submit an essay as well as complete a Franchise Application and Personal Financial Statement and a Spot-On assessment.

The brief essay should focus on how an applicant’s background and career goals align with Office Pride’s mission and values and why they would like to become a member of the Office Pride franchise family.

This is an exciting time to join Office Pride who is actively seeking entrepreneurial individuals and veterans who have an interest in participating in our march to 300 locations nationwide.

To apply, veterans must visit www.VeteranBusinessOpportunity.com and submit the request for consideration.

They will receive an email with contest rules and the required steps to complete their entry.

Todd Hopkins is the founder and CEO of Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services. Todd sits on the Building Service Contracting Association International’s board of directors and also was the recipient of the Walter L. Cook Award in 2008, the highest honor given by The Building Service Contractors Association International for distinguished service to the commercial cleaning industry. www.VeteranBusinessOpportunity.com

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ex per t advice

John Waldmann, Co-founder and CEO, Homebase

Tips to Reduce

Employee Turnover & Absenteeism

in Your Franchise Business

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“Putting systems in place that improve the ability to quickly and clearly communicate with employees can have a huge impact on their output.”

Your employees are your business. They greet and serve your customers, they open and close the shop, they handle the money, and they work alongside you in the kitchen. Each night, they leave, and each morning, you hope they come back.

There are a lot of other employers that would love to hire your employees. In the city of Houston, there are around 650 job postings a day just on Craigslist for hourly workers. In Los Angeles, there are 800. Each day! You’ve got to ensure that your employees are happy, or they might look elsewhere. So what are the driving motivators for employees to change jobs, and what can you do to improve employee retention?

1

Create flexible working hours

There’s a lot of chatter about millennials and how to manage them.

Over two-thirds of all service-industry employees are under 35 years old, and 3 out 10 are between ages 19 and 26. Often, they’re students balancing inconsistent study schedules or people working multiple jobs. Millennials value flexibility, and being flexible to your employees’ personal obligations when building a schedule will greatly improve their satisfaction. Better yet, provide them the ability to give input into their start and end times.

2

Be consistent

Recently, Reuters profiled an employee at McDonald’s whose work hours fluctuate almost weekly, which is a common practice now getting attention.

Last-minute changes can make income and life unpredictable for workers, and is now getting attention from politicians in states like Oregon and New York. Creating consistent weekly schedules, weeks in advance, is a big win if you’re looking to improve employee retention. Look for a software provider, like Homebase, that enables you to create reusable scheduling templates, can inform your employees of their schedule weeks in advance, and can enable them to submit requests for time off or trade a shift with a colleague.

3

Offer training

Professional development is a powerful way of keeping employees happy and productive. Can you offer your employees training in some new skills?

Can they work in another department one day a week, or move over entirely, in order to see a new part of the business?

Is there a relevant seminar or class they want to take that might also improve their work? Think outside the box, and you’ll watch your employees’ contentment and productivity rise.

4

Incentivize results

Even when times are busy (always), don’t forget to reward your star performers. Results that go unnoticed can be very deflating to employees and gives them a reason to start looking elsewhere.

Look at ways to keep track of employees who consistently perform. For example, acknowledge their on-time arrivals (some software solutions like Homebase can

John Waldmann

track this automatically) and reward them with a small token of appreciation. Your employees will appreciate the recognition and feel inspired to continue their efforts.

5

Communicate!

Last, but definitely not least, communication is fundamental to any relationship, and it is particularly important in the workplace. Some messages need to be communicated verbally and in-person, like feedback on how an employee is doing at their job.

But other messages can be delivered electronically. Most small businesses still handle time-off or shift trade requests on paper or verbally, and these can easily get lost or forgotten. Putting systems in place that improve the ability to quickly and clearly communicate with employees can have a huge impact on their output.

Reducing employee turnover should be a goal for all owners and managers. If you follow these suggestions, your employees will want to remain with you. And you’ll be glad they did.

John Waldmann is the co-founder and CEO of Homebase, which provides a new free real-time software solution that helps over 60,000 small businesses eliminate the paperwork of managing their hourly employees, help manage overtime and curbs absenteeism and turnover. www.joinhomebase.com

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ex per t advice

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ex per t advice

David Banfield, President, The Interface Financial Group

The Home-Based Office is Here to Stay Franchising has come a long way in a short time – long gone is the notion that franchising is only about fast food. Similarly, long gone is the notion that a franchise location will always consist of a ’bricks and mortar’ structure.

The era of the home-based office has arrived and is surely here to stay.

People are often drawn to a franchise because it offers a home-based environment – individuals transitioning from the corporate world to that of selfemployment and business ownership often see substantial benefits in a home-based environment. This can be especially true if an individual has spent several hours a day commuting to their place of employment.

Transitioning to a home-based office is, however, not just about the commute and perhaps a more relaxed life and work style.

When considering a home-based approach there are some fundamentals that must be remembered.

Here are five things that every would-be home-based entrepreneur should consider and examine carefully before they launch a home-based business.

1. Do I really need an ‘office’?

We think the answer is yes – you need a dedicated specific space that is your office.

Working from the kitchen counter or the back of your garage is not a professional environment - you need a clearly defined

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area that is the office where you ‘go to’ work. It should, therefore, not be a dual purpose area that doubles up as an office for a certain period of the day. Not all ‘homes’ are conducive to an office environment.

2. Office equipment Just because you are in a home environment does not mean that you do not need appropriate office equipment that will enable you to run your business effectively and professionally. You must have the right tools to do the job and if that requires some expenditure, then that is all part of your investment.

3. Work when you feel like it?

Running a business from the home office is just that - it is running a business, and is not something that you can do as and when you feel like it. You should always have specific hours when you are ‘available’, and they should naturally be in the normal core business time range. Even though you are in a home-based environment, you’re still interacting with clients and customers who are running businesses from perhaps a more conventional environment.

4. Dress for success This statement opens up the debate as to whether in a home-based environment you can conduct business in your PJ’s - we think the answer to this is, No. It would be argued that one of the reasons why a home-based office is desirable is the fact that you can dress ‘down’ and not be overly concerned about your appearance.

That may well be the case, however you must establish some appropriate standards that work – it is generally accepted that an individual works better when they dress appropriately.

5. The right business Not all businesses lend themselves to a home-based environment, and you need to examine any business or franchise carefully to ensure that it would fit into such a framework. Normally if you are looking at a franchise, then the franchisor will have already predetermined if a home-based approach is acceptable.

If it is a non-franchised business, then you certainly need to consider all of the aspects of the business and how they relate to your home environment before you take the plunge.

Running a home-based franchise certainly has many positive advantages, however

there are still some ‘rules’ that one should adopt in order to make the home office a productive place. In trying to determine what is right and appropriate and acceptable, the easiest approach may be to just compare the home-based situation with the corporate office situation. Most people have experienced life in the corporate office at some point in their career, and they clearly understand the standards that are expected. Translating those into a home-based office is an appropriate process in order to determine what is workable and acceptable.

Before you take the step of establishing a home-based office, run down the checklist and make sure that you have appropriate

“Running a home-based franchise certainly has many positive advantages, however there are still some ‘rules’ that one should adopt in order to make the home office a productive place.” space and equipment and, above all, the self-discipline to make it work.

David Banfield is the President of The Interface Financial Group, a position that he has held for over 20 years.

He has been instrumental in starting Interface as a franchise opportunity and building it to its current international status. Prior to his involvement with Interface, he worked extensively in the banking, credit and factoring financial service areas. www.interfacefinancial.com

David Banfield

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The Ultimate Professional Franchise Opportunity

www.interfacefinancial.com/franchise

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