Vets in Franchising: From the Battlefield to the Boardroom

Vets in Franchising: From the Battlefield

to the Boardroom

by Faizun Kamal

Did you know that one in seven franchises are owned by vets?

Are you a vet? Did you know that one in seven franchises are owned by vets? The military taught you self-discipline, leadership and teamwork. Are you ready to use those skills to start and grow your own business?

Many of the factors that make veterans excel within the military make them ideal franchise candidates. There are two characteristics that may seem contradictory but are, in fact, necessary to excel in a franchise. First, franchising represents a marriage between the self-start world of entrepreneurship and the rigorous discipline needed to follow a playbook and execute a proven plan. Second, the ideal franchisee is someone who can take direction and work within guidelines provided by the franchisor, but who can also effectively

lead a team and get things done. Veteran success in franchising is driven by: 1) outstanding leadership and teamwork skills and 2) the ability to implement and execute systems. Does this sound like you?

In 1991, the franchise industry founded The VetFran Program. This is an industry-leading initiative with more than 650 franchises that are member companies. Each company voluntarily offers financial discounts, mentorship and training for aspiring veteran franchisees.VetFran’s most recent survey shows that more than 238,000 veterans and military spouses found opportunities in the franchise industry as either employees or franchise owners. I got to know her better, I understood that her biggest needs were to: 1) build wealth for herself and her family 2) provide service and value in her community through her business and 3) live a life where she truly was her own boss.

Candace is now a franchisee with one of the leading home services brands in the industry. She chose the franchise because it offered the reliability of a proven model while also allowing her the flexibility to run her business with a manager. Having grown up in a family of business owners, she knew all too well the limitations of starting

Let me share the story of a client who I will call Candace. When I met Candace, she was 33 years old. She was a Platoon Sergeant in the army. She had been in service for more than a decade and was going to retire in six months. She wanted to find a franchise business that she could run after retirement. Over the next few months, Candace and I worked to understand her ideal fit. As

a business from scratch and the pitfalls of having to come up with all systems and processes and being responsible for every business function. As a franchise owner, she only needs to focus on a handful of key responsibilities that directly impact her bottom line. She leaves the back-end administrative tasks to the franchisor.

If you are a vet and have thought about starting your own business, a franchise may be the right option for you.

Faizun Kamal is a nationally-renowned public speaker and career strategist. As CEO of The Franchise Pros, Faizun coaches people nationwide on making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. She provides guidance to embrace chaos, fear, insecurity and uncertainty as doorways of opportunity to help individuals find their “perfect fit” business based on an assessment of their personal, lifestyle and income goals. She guides clients to move beyond career burnout to build a sustainable career that they love! Email Faizun at faizun@thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com or call 443-604-6276.