VETERANS in Franchising November usa 4#1 11

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V eterans in F ranchisin g S upplement N ovember 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

28 Link Staffing Systems

30 Veteran & Community Opportunities: Combat Veterans with PTSD

Profile 32 Edible Arrangements 36 Mr. Electric

38 A Conversation with a Veteran Business Owner Darcella K. Craven, Executive Director, Veterans Business Resource Center

Franchisor in Depth 34 Budget Blinds

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C over S tor y - L in k Staffing Syst ems

Family-Owned Staffing Business

Gives Veterans the Link to Success internal staff, our clients and the field staff (workers) we place.”

Franchisee Profile Working closely with franchisees, Bearden and the company’s Franchise Development Manager, Louie Picazo, have seen what it takes to succeed as a business owner in the Link Staffing franchise system. Above all, diplomacy and a desire to take on challenges seem to be the keys to success.

When Bill and Karen Pitts opened a staffing business, little did they know they would inspire a mission for the next generation to help others find success.

Keeping it in the family

The Pitts co-founded Link Staffing Services in 1980 with a single location in Houston, TX. A full service staffing company with a strong focus on the industrial sector, the business has since expanded into 35 franchised locations and 8 company owned across 11 states to help match skilled workers with the right employment opportunities through temporary, temp to hire and direct hire services.

Bearden said she was motivated to join the family business because she saw the opportunities in the staffing industry to help others find their way, whether that’s finding the right employment or becoming a franchise owner.

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The Pitts’ business leadership has since been passed down to their two daughters, Michelle Bearden and Kathryn Mujezinovic, who now manage the day-to-day operations of the business – Bearden as the Vice President of Franchise Operations and Relations, and Mujezinovic as the Vice President of Business Development.

“I joined because of my passion for this industry…Being a leader in the organization affords me the opportunity to make a difference in many lives, ranging from our franchisees and their staff, to our

“We’re in the people business,” explained Picazo. “You can’t shy away from conflict and you need to see challenges as opportunities then take action…We look for people with a resourceful mentality and somebody who enjoys taking the lead in meeting and exceeding our clients expectations.”

In addition to strong problem solving and business management acumen, the franchise management team also identified the following characteristics as success markers: • Passionate and driven with a high sense of urgency to succeed/achieve • Resilience/Persistence • Systems driven with discipline and commitment • Customer-centric, people-oriented, and confident • Values driven, respectful and of good moral character • Accountability and responsibility to self and others • A resourceful, quality-minded problem solver

• Cooperative, collaborative and teamoriented

Natural fit for veterans Since most military veterans fit this profile, Link is highly supportive of recruiting veterans.

“Veterans make a really good fit for franchisors,” said Bearden. “They have great leadership and structure. We provide a proven system they can easily execute,” To help veterans transition into business ownership, Link Staffing offers veterans a discount on the franchise fee, as well as a comprehensive training and support program.

Franchisee Training and Support After a very thorough discovery process, new franchisees are met with a welcome celebration that marks the beginning of a structured 10-week pre-opening process with an assigned Franchise Support Manager.

“Our process is very personal,” explained franchise development manager Louie Picazo. “There is some classroom training, but they don’t just go through a computer and work through modules. It’s all very personal and hands-on.”

“Link continues supporting our franchisees from onboarding and on through the opening of their Link franchise and beyond. From our support center, we can assist our franchisees with accounting, credit & collection, HR, risk

“Veterans are an integral part of our business success. They provide the discipline and structure needed to support our objective of quality service.” - Louie Picazo, Franchise Development Manager management, marketing, and systems & networking support. We also assist them with all of our major accounts.”

Protected markets and direct accessibility Link franchisees benefit from protected designated market areas that are large enough to run more than one office, as well as direct accessibility to top levels of leadership within the organization.

“We’re there during the Discovery Process, so they’re connected with the top level of the organization from the get-go.” said Bearden.

Locations and territories Link currently runs operations in Washington, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Indiana, Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Florida. The company is also actively looking to open new franchise locations in Denver, CO, Phoenix, AZ, Savanah, GA, and Richmond, VA. The company is also open to franchising in any available territory with the right candidate.

On a mission Link already has several veterans seeing success in the franchise system, but the company is actively looking to recruit more qualified vets into business.

“Our mission in franchising is to diversify our franchisee profile, and we are focused on bringing in more veterans,” said Picazo. “Veterans are an integral part of our business success. They provide the discipline and structure needed to support our objective of quality service.”

Veterans who might not be the right fit for the staffing industry can still turn to Link for support through the company’s veteran recruitment program, LinkCorps, which helps veterans transitioning from active duty find the right employment.

“As a company, we’re really committed to making a difference for veterans…Ideally, we would like to bring them on board as franchisees. But even if Link isn’t the right fit, we’d like to help them in any way we can through our staffing resources and support.”

To learn more about becoming a Link Staffing Services franchise owner, visit www.linkfranchising.com Article by Diana Cikes, Franchising USA

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Jim Mingey, Founder & Managing Director, VBS’

Combat Veterans with PTSD: Stigma or a Everyone seems to want to help Combat Veterans who through necessity and sometimes via a stigma are drawn to selfemployment via franchising and small business entrepreneurship.

A problem however is there are so many educational efforts, government initiatives with a plethora of different small business service providers and multiple nonprofit mentoring platforms that just to develop a personal strategy to use these resources is a mystery. Some of the national business resource acronyms for Veterans are as follows: ACP, CVE, EBV, SDBC, SBA, CDFI, B2B, PBC, SVA, SCORE, PTAC, WBC, VRE, VIP, VBOC, B2BR, DBED, VSO, CDC, MyVA and TAP. Clearly there’s enough of them to make are anyone’s head spin out of control when looking for solutions. However, where there is need there are usually opportunities for someone too.

Is a community development “franchise” driven by Combat Veterans such an opportunity?

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And why Combat Veterans?

One can make a case that there’s an opportunity for any community to enhance their economic development plans by partnering with Combat Veterans who can also leverage and accelerate the above mentioned acronyms.

Combat Veterans could make the process more consistent by maniacally focusing on “customizing” Veteran small business cases. . So why not encourage Combat Veterans themselves to develop new community methods and share their small business resource strategies with their communities, real time while they progress?

Combat Veterans with PTSD may just be the right people to unravel many community enigmas. The problem isn’t that the individual resources aren’t there or that their too complex in and of themselves.

The problem is that there is no mechanism for coordination and synchronization, a true system! A number of Combat Veteran Entrepreneurs with PTSD now believe that by helping each other they can solve their own problems and use their own process experience with the available resources to help unravel similar problems in multiple communities. These Veterans have real time experience in how to customize all the acronyms above for a fair

American Corporate US Chamber E-mentor Program EBV Foundation Grant Program VetFran

Boot2Business Network VA VRE Program SBA (7A & VBOC) SBA/DoD Boots to Business State Veteran Loan/ Grant Programs

EBV Universities VBS/VETToCEO Franchise Course SBDC University Systems State Community College System Major State University

and balanced economic development strategy.

EBV Graduates –a new band of combat brothers!

Combat veterans are uniquely suited to gain rapport and respect of community leaders who also desperately need fresh efforts to create more prosperity and economic equality. A group of these forward thinking brothers in arms are graduates of the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities

(EBV) at Purdue University.

EBV is an elite entrepreneurial program which teaches its graduates to use resources effectively. They form unique relationships with serious on-call mentors and leverage resources in a way not typically available to the general veteran population or local communities. To date 1500 EVB graduates have received special training on the “process” of using the acronyms mentioned above.

Now fortunately some these combat veterans are intent on

a solution to an Enigma?

e Partners Program SCORE Mentoring National Veteran Business Development Council Patriot Boot Camp SGT. De’Andre B. Wells OEF/OIF Combat Veteran Maryland, USA

TechStars/Local Angels US Veteran Chamber of Commerce EBV Small Business Network Veterans Business Services (SDVOSB) American Group Fitness, LLC

Community Development Corporations CDFI Local VSO Relationships

sharing their knowledge and improving the process for other Veterans. Using a multitier mentoring approach they can move faster in a holistic fashion.

An example of a EBV graduate business with community synergy for all of Baltimore is described by it founder, De’Andre Wells below: American Group FitnessAGX, L.L.C. is a new entrance business that lets its customers pursue a fun and efficient cardiovascular workout. We live in a society where we

all are time-poor; we want to get in, get out, know that we’ve worked as hard as we can and that we’re done for the day. Our obstacle course and adaptive training facility’s mission is to provide an alternative to negative addictions by introducing positive physical, mental, and emotional healthy addictions.

In a team driven setting, our aim is to create fitness models that will challenge the physical, mental and emotional agility of each client. Obsession, camaraderie,

music, movement, and extreme motivation drive these fitness models. Our team driven model towards “positive addictions” is a legitimate reality in that physical and mental wellness can be attained if we trade our negative addictions (smoking, drinking, food, spending, and drugs) for positive addictions such as running, swimming, obstacle course training, spin classes, etc. Our clients can become creative and uninhibited towards living with boldness. AGX’s goal is to stamp out a new community model that seeks to produce positive addictions through group reliance, group resiliency and group stability.

AGX and other EBV graduates like March on Veterans and A Few Good Leaders offer concepts that have common goals such as fighting the stigma of PTSD. Their missions overlap, are sustainable and connect with communities as well. When partnered with communities these elite EBV graduates can get unique support from major corporations, many of which have worthy

community development and diversity goals. These same corporations are yearning for practical and self-supporting solutions that connect with and improve communities.

The unique things that Combat Veterans and Community players have in common to solve are diversity issues and sustainability. Most major institutions, especially corporations, are searching for solutions to these same issues. An EBV Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) also offers advantages for communities because the goods and services they deliver provide procurement advantages that can leverage economic development strategies.

So maybe these EBV graduates can help others eliminate stigmas like PTSD for Veterans and solve enigmas for themselves and communities as well. We certainly hope they do.

For more information contact: James F. Mingey at 202-349-0860 VeteransBusinessServices.us

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Edible A r ra ng ements ®

First Edible Arrangements Store Opened on Military Base

New Fort Bragg location to serve more than 250,000 soldiers and family members Edible Arrangements today announced the opening of its first franchised store on a United States military base at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Franchisees Laverna and Martinez Alexander will operate the location, which will serve more than 250,000 soldiers, retirees, family members and civilians. Laverna also owns an Edible Arrangements® store in nearby Spring Lake.

The largest Army installation in the world, Fort Bragg is home to almost 10 percent of the Army’s active component forces, including the 82nd Airborne Division.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Edible Arrangements to help the men and women of our military and their families celebrate what is good in life with our fresh, healthy and delicious solutions,” said Edible Arrangements President Robert Price, who was joined by Garrison Command Sergeant Major Yolanda M. Tate and other military officials for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening. “Edible Arrangements has a long history of supporting the members of the military, and we hope this is just the first of many locations to come on military bases around the world.”

Edible Arrangements is an active supporter and participant in the International Franchise Association’s VetFran program, which helps veterans

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become business owners after leaving military service. In 2013, the company also launched its Hero’s Welcome™ initiative with the goal of providing job opportunities and career paths for veterans at Edible Arrangements locations nationwide.

Edible Arrangements was selected by the Army Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES) as part of its BE FIT health initiative designed to provide healthy food options on military bases.

About Edible Arrangements With more than 1,200 franchise locations open or under development worldwide, Edible Arrangements International, LLC is the world’s largest franchisor of shops offering creatively designed fresh cut fruit arrangements and chocolate Dipped Fruit™ boxes. Edible Arrangements locations also carry the company’s rapidly expanding Edible To Go® line

featuring individual fresh and Dipped Fruit™ pieces, Fruit Truffles®, fruit kabobs, Dipped Fruit™ cones, dipped half bananas, Edible Pops®, fresh fruit salads and parfaits. Selected stores also offer all-natural fresh fruit smoothies and juices and Froyo Fruit Blends™.

Since its founding in 1999 in East Haven, Conn., the company has been recognized as an industry leader, ranking first in its category in Entrepreneur magazine’s annual “Franchise 500,” Entrepreneur’s Top 40 of “Fastest Growing Franchises” and “America’s Top Global Franchises” as well as being included for eight consecutive years among the “Inc. 5000” list of the fastest growing privately-held companies. Edible Arrangements fresh fruit arrangements, chocolate Dipped Fruit™, and Edible To Go® treats can be enjoyed at franchise locations worldwide.

Gifts can be ordered online at www.edible.com and by phone at 1-877-DO-FRUIT®.

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FRANGUIDE.COM 703-424-2980 FIND YOUR FRANCHISE WITH FREE GUIDANCE FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS Franchising USA

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B u dg et B linds

budget blinds

helping vetera become entrpren A custom windowcovering franchise, Home Franchise Concepts brand, announced the launch of its “Troops in Transition” program, which provides veterans who have left active duty within the past two years an opportunity to own a franchise with no initial entry fee.

Brad Hallock, left, ceo and Co-founder of Budget Blinds, with Walt Byars, franchise owner of Budget Blinds, Byars is the first Veteran to sign up for the Troops in Transition program, which waives the initial $75,000 franchise start-up fee.

June 2015 Class: Tharon & Lear Cook served together US Army

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Veterans selected to participate in the program begin a six-month trial period as a franchisee, where they are required to meet milestones set by the Budget Blinds corporate team. Upon meeting these goals, veterans will be signed as Budget Blinds franchise owner, a news release said.

“We launched the Troops in Transition program as a way to further support our country’s heroes in achieving the American dream of independent business ownership,” said Chad Hallock, CEO and co-founder of Budget Blinds. “Post 9/11 veterans have the highest unemployment rate among all veterans, and this program is our way of giving a little something back to them as

ans neurs May 2015 Training: (L-R) Oscar Sassarini US Marine, Melissa & Walt Byars US Navy, Matt Boris US Army & wife Maria, Reynaldo Pinlac US Navy

they’ve selflessly given so much to us.”

Walt Byars, 40, originally from the Carolinas, enlisted in the Navy more than 23 years ago and has served aboard the USS Philippine Sea, which completed multiple deployments as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the USS Halyburton and USS Taylor.

While in the Navy, Byars earned his undergraduate degree in computer science and a master’s degree in business administration from Southeastern Louisiana University.

His wife, Melissa, and her family, are from Livingston Parish.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to own my own business,” said Byars. “We looked and looked, trying to find the right fit for us, the right franchise business. I actually sent a request for information to them, and that’s when they contacted me, telling me about Troops in Transition.”

Byars was the first veteran accepted into the program, and since completing his training, three other veterans have signed on.

By alleviating the Byars of the $75,000 start-up fee, they launched the in-home consultation and blinds installment business.

“We’ve got something like 29 zip codes in our service area, including Baker, Clinton, Jackson, Pride, Slaughter, St. Francisville,

“We launched the Troops in Transition program as a way to further support our country’s heroes in achieving the American dream of independent business ownership.”

Zachary, the Pointe Coupee area and beyond,” said Byars. “For now, we’re just trying to get the word out that we’re here and open for business.”

To reach their goal of becoming franchise owners, the Byars will work with a mentor, another veteran who is also a franchise owner, to achieve several financial milestones. If all goals are achieved, they’ll become official business owners.

One of the milestones is $100,000 in gross sales, but Byars said his personal goal is $125,000 in sales, “just because.”

“Honestly, I’m a little nervous. I mean, it seems too good to be true. They’re giving me a business and the money to operate it,” said Byars. “I want to succeed and be the first veteran to do so in this program. It’s such a great opportunity, and we’re very grateful.”

Since Zachary is in the heart of their service area, the Byars are looking to relocate from Denham Springs.

“We love it here. We have a 12-year-old daughter and have fallen in love with

Zachary, so I think we’re going to move. It seems like such a close-knit community, and that’s what we want,” said Byars.

Knowing meeting the financial milestones will be a lot of work, Byars says he’s ready for the challenge.

“This business is a lot of referrals and repeat customers, and for now, that’s we’re focusing on. Then we’ll get involved in the community and find ways to give back,” he said.

“We’ve worked closely with numerous veteran organizations to refine the details and logistics of this program prior to its launch, and we look forward to its success and the success of our veteran business owners,” said Todd Jackson, COO of Home Franchise Concepts, parent company of Budget Blinds.

For more information about this opportunity, please visit http://www. veteransbusinessservices.us/productitem/budget-blinds/ and complete the online form to have a representative contact you about the program.

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M r. Electr ic

Navy Veteran

Finds Perfect Fit with Mr.Electric Franchise Mr. Electric franchisee and U.S. Navy veteran Mark Farmer was pleasantly surprised to find a franchise model that perfectly matched his previous skill sets.

Farmer joined the U.S. Navy out of high school, following in his father’s footsteps.

He spent four years in active duty as an Aviation Electronics Technician, where he spent the majority of his time overseas in Spain.

His decision to leave the Navy was heavily based on the fact that he did not want to raise a family in the active duty lifestyle.

Having electrical experience from his time in the Navy and the Navy Reserves, Farmer decided to work with his father as an electrical contractor following his layoff in the 90s.

In 2008, Farmer started to explore franchise opportunities in the electrical industry, hoping to find a business model that could provide him with the backend support and systems he needed to start a business. Contracting work had proven to be difficult and unsteady. His father-in-law had been a Radio Shack franchisee and the concept of franchising had always intrigued Farmer. He saw it

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as the perfect fit for a military veteran, allowing veterans to follow a set of proven systems and protocols that would guide them to success, much like they were expected to do while in the service. This ability to execute orders from a trusted higher authority was a skill that Farmer felt could be seamlessly translated into the franchising world.

His confidence in the franchise system combined with his background in electrical work led him to the Mr. Electric franchise opportunity. While other franchise systems seemed to fall short on the franchisee support side of the business, Mr. Electric offered a full menu and clear-cut systems. Not only was Farmer impressed by the overall business model, but the franchise offered full accounting, public relations, and marketing support along with an excellent training program.

The international aspect of the company also validated the quality of its work and success of its franchisees.

“It was important to me to belong to a franchise that shared a similar code of values,” said Farmer. “Mr. Electric places

a huge emphasis on customer service, which a crucial component to being

successful and trusted in this industry.”

Mr. Electric is a subsidiary of the Dwyer Group, who founded the Veterans

Transition Franchise Initiative, or VetFran

program. As a part of this heavily veteransupportive company, Mr. Electric offers

a Veteran Discount to promote franchise ownership to honorably discharged veterans.

www.mrelectric.com

“As a part of this heavily veteran-supportive company, Mr. Electric offers a Veteran Discount to promote franchise ownership to honorably discharged veterans.”

WHY?

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You Should Exhibit at Franchise Expo South

United Franchise Group was able to add over 20 franchise owners based solely on our participation in Franchise Expo South 2015.

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FEBRUARY 11-13, 2016 NRG CENTER - HOUSTON, TX

Sponsored by:

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Darcella K. Craven, Director, Veterans Jim Mingey, FounderExecutive & Managing Director, VBS’Business Resource Center

A Conversation with a Veteran Business Owner:

Making It Through Tough Times Starts At The Beginning When clients seek out advice from the Center about starting a small business oftentimes they do not like the advice we share.

The entrepreneurship road is not all sunshine, smiles and puppies. There will be tough times and what you do now in the planning stage can prepare you for the challenges you will face. We wanted to bring you that message from a business owner directly. VBRC Intern Ted Murphy sat down with Veteran Denny Leary of Peak Promotional Products, Inc. to find out how his company made it through the economic downturn.

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“Dream – there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s amazing how many people get criticized for being dreamers. Without the dream, there is nothing.

Without a dream you are not going anywhere.”

- Veteran Denny Leary of Peak Promotional Products, Inc. Denny Leary, founded Peak Promotional Group in January 2001. Before starting Peak, Leary was a photographer for the St. Louis Blues for over six years, worked for Delta Air Lines for 15 years, and ran his own travel company for 11 years. He is also president of not-for-profit Gateway Warrior Foundation, which has raised thousands of dollars to support wounded servicemen. Leary was drafted into the Vietnam War at age 23, his son served in the Marine Corps, and his father was a

fighter pilot in the Navy.

Leary’s Peak Promotional Group offers a wide array of services for clients looking to promote a new product, strengthen their brand, or who just need customized items for a project—whether that be specialized watches, rings, pens, or bronze statues.

“When people say what do you do, I say ‘what do you need?’” said Leary.

One of Leary’s largest customers is the U.S. military for whom he has made

“The entrepreneurship road is not all sunshine, smiles and puppies. There will be tough times and what you do now in the planning stage can prepare you for the challenges you will face.” millions of brochures, a couple hundred thousand backpacks, and other items such as challenge coins and lapel pins. Other large customers include Scottrade, Lexus, and Honda. In addition to local clients, Leary does business around the country, as far out as California from his small office in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

In the more than 14 years that Peak has been in operation, Leary has had to adapt his business strategy to keep the company strong. “We got hammered pretty good in 2008,” said Leary. The Recession hit businesses like Leary’s especially hard. “It’s been a struggle because of the economy. What we sell are the first things that companies cut from their budget— promotional items.”

Leary did not want to simply sit and wait for the economy to improve. To fight through the tough economic times, he decided to take advantage of this country’s demographics and develop new services to cater to the growing elderly population.

Leary established the Long Term Care Division within Peak to offer products such as pill cards and custom labels for pharmacies.

Another challenge for Leary has been competing with larger companies. “We have to be pretty good at what we do or we don’t get the business,” said Leary.

In both customer service and quality of the product, Leary seeks to outperform the competition. “We try to exceed the customer’s expectations.”

Proximity has helped Leary attract some major local clients, such as Scottrade.

Leary recalled one afternoon when Scottrade called Peak to request 300,000 envelopes. Peak had delivered them to Scottrade’s offices by the following morning. “We react incredibly fast,” said Leary. He believes that this expediency is another factor that helps Peak steal business away from out-of-town competition.

Leary has also taken business away from competitors through his bold, sometimes risky, business tactics. For instance, when Cadillac was looking to create promotional collector pins for the company’s centennial celebration, Leary created twenty samples and sent them to Cadillac. His competitors, on the other hand, simply sent Cadillac virtual renderings of their designs. Leary knew that his was a risky strategy. “If we didn’t get the order, I had twenty very expensive samples.” Cadillac liked what they saw and commissioned Peak for the job. “People were shocked that we got the order because we were so small.”

It has been this determinism that has guided Leary to success as a business owner. “When people say you can’t do it, I tune them out,” said Leary. “I say to myself, I’ll figure out a way to do it.”

Leary believes that positive attitudes such as this are essential to a productive business operation. He stresses the importance of filling the office with employees who will bring positive energy.

“You can’t change a bad attitude. Bad attitudes are contagious and you really have to weed them out. I don’t care how smart a person is, I don’t care how much experience they got—a bad attitude will destroy any small company.”

Another piece of advice Leary offers aspiring business owners is to conduct an honest and realistic review of your business plan. “You can have all the degrees in the world, but if you do not do your homework, you are not honest with yourself, you are not honest with your banker and have a realistic plan you are going to fail.” Leary credits having this positive, transparent and honest approach to his business from the beginning as the most important thing they had in the company to make it through their challenges.

Leary also says continue to dream.

“Dream—there’s nothing wrong with

Darcella K. Craven

it,” said Leary. “It’s amazing how many people get criticized for being dreamers.

Without the dream, there is nothing.

Without a dream you are not going anywhere.”

The VBRC and the fourteen other centers like ours across the country are here to assist you dreamers. Reach out to us or visit our site for a center closest to you to help you solidify your dream into a plan so that you can make it a reality. We look forward to being a part of your team.

Darcella K Craven has over 20 years of experience in corporate, government, non-profit and military organizations.

She is currently the Executive Director of the Veterans Business Resource Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting Honorably Discharged Veterans, National Guard and Reservist and Active Duty personnel and their families with transitioning back into civilian life with starting and expanding businesses.

An Army Veteran, she holds a Masters of Arts in Management from Webster University and is currently pursuing her Doctors of Management focusing on impact of military experience on small business decision making. Darcella has been featured in numerous articles for her transition from the military and the welfare system to an accomplished business woman and is actively involved in many civic organizations. www.vetbiz.com

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