According to the International Franchise Association, one in seven franchises in the United States is owned by a veteran.
Our franchise team strongly supports veterans in their search for new opportunities after returning to civilian life and we’re not alone. Joel Lazarovitz, Vice President of recruitment for Maid Brigade, Inc & Maid Simple House Cleaning, considers military veterans to be “ideal franchise owners,” citing four key factors that make them so effective.
- Leadership
- Practical experience
- Dedication
- The ability to follow systems and procedures
Let’s explore how these strengths give veterans an advantage in the world of franchise ownership.
#1. Strong leadership skills
Military veterans possess the kind of strong leadership skills that translate directly to operating a franchise. Commanding a team and delegating tasks effectively are two skills common among most veterans and are essential parts of the business for the vast majority of opportunities available today.
Strong leadership skills are necessary regardless of the number of employees at the franchise. Whether you’re in search of a solo business or plan on building a team to help you reach even more customers, veterans know how to stay calm and remain effective despite pressure and tense situations that can arise on the job.
#2. Practical educational experience
Another common characteristic of military veterans is an above average education. In 2005, the U.S. Department of Defense, found that 90 percent of today’s military enlistees have graduated high school and over 66 percent rank among the top half of the country in verbal and math skills.
In April of 2015, research showed that 92.5 percent of the military has a high school diploma and 89 percent has a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree. While this kind of formal education is not essential to running a franchise, well-educated owners typically have the strong critical thinking skills that come in handy when obstacles arise.
#3. Dedicated, responsible work ethic
According to Entrepreneur.com, military veterans make excellent entrepreneurs because they know when to take risks while working diligently to achieve the goals they set for themselves.
Lindsey Gentry is the perfect example of this. After joining the Army in 2006, she spent 15 months in Iraq commanding two companies and served as an officer for nearly six years. She now owns her own successful franchise business in San Marcos, Texas.
Chuck Schwalbe, the franchisor’s marketing director pointed to Lindsey’s tenacity as a major point of success.
“Lindsey got out in front of schools, football games, and town functions, just about everywhere you could think of to market her new store a month before her opening. Her discipline and marketing savvy were essential to her successful opening.”
Gentry, in an interview with Military.com credited her success as a franchisee in large part to the training she received while in the Army. “When you’re in the Army, they build you up slowly by giving you more and more leadership, and before you know it you’re leading in a way that you couldn’t imagine when you first started. The confidence-building and leadership-building in the Army is so essential to tackling something like owning a business and run [sic] it because there’s a lot involved in this that requires guts.”
#4. The ability to follow systems and procedures
Well-run franchises succeed when owners follow the systems that have proven to be effective over and over again. This instruction-heavy approach to business growth is a close reflection of the modern military unit, making it easy for veterans hit the ground running when others might struggle to find solid footing in their market.
Here at The Groutsmith, years of trial and error have led us to a business model effective in communities large and small. As with all successful franchises, when prospective business owners purchase a Groutsmith franchise, they’re buying into a system that works. Veterans understand the value of a well-designed operation, making them the perfect fit to own and operate a franchise.
Want to take advantage of the skills and experience you’ve gained in the military to succeed with a business of your own? We’d love to talk. Contact us today to start a conversation about getting started with a Groutsmith franchise. Want to learn more about us? Click here to read our story.
Looking to learn what it’s like to own a Groutsmith franchise? Get a first-hand look from eight franchisees in our free Q&A guide. Click below to download.
