1. Franchising USA
Each year, hundreds of
thousands of veterans
say goodbye to the
military to begin life as
a civilian. For younger
veterans, that transition
can be difficult.
A recent study by the Department of
Veterans Affairs defined veterans ages 18-
34 as a “vulnerable population” because
their unemployment rate has been 20
percent higher than that of non-veterans.
That’s a shameful statistic considering
how much veterans have to offer.
According to a recent story in the New
York Times, “companies that employ
former military members rank them high
in self-discipline, teamwork, attention to
detail, respect and leadership.”
These are certainly desirable qualities.
However, if employers continue to take a
pass on hiring young veterans, they should
take a serious look at showcasing their
skills as entrepreneurs in the world of
franchising.
Vetfran, a strategic initiative of the
International Franchise Association to
bring more veterans into franchising,
Franchising USA
Jim Judy, Franchise Business Consultant
VeteransinFranchising
Why Young Veterans
Should Consider
Franchising

2. Franchising USA
Page 37
Franchising USA
teaches them how to follow. Veterans
understand how to play multiple roles
for their teams, and as a franchisee, wear
multiple hats. They will be managers,
accountants, marketers, human resources
and the cleaning crew, sometimes all in the
same day!
Franchises work within
proven systems: Veterans are
familiar and experienced when it comes to
procedural execution and working within a
system. There are few organizations in the
world that match the systematic method of
success seen in the United States military.
New enlistees are told when to eat, when
to sleep, how far to run and how high
to jump as they become accustomed to
functioning as a soldier. Working within
a system and executing procedures is
what makes franchising such a successful
entrepreneurial path. Franchisees are
taught where to locate their business, how
to build out the location, what type of
marketing works best, how to find the right
employees and much more.
The price is right: Along with the
fact that many franchises offer substantial
discounts to veterans that are awarded
a franchise, there are several business-
to-business franchises or home-based
franchises with a total investment of under
$100,000. Younger veterans aren’t as likely
to have qualified for a military pension,
nor do many of them have much in terms
of assets. In fact, according to CNN
Money, the median net worth for someone
between the ages of 25-34 is under $9,000.
Getting into a franchise without breaking
the bank makes sense.
“Working within a system and executing
procedures is what makes franchising such a
successful entrepreneurial path.”
VeteransinFranchising
reports that one in seven franchise
businesses are owned and operated
by veterans of the U.S. military. More
than 66,000 veteran-owned franchise
businesses in the U.S. directly provide jobs
for 815,000 Americans and generate more
than $41 billion in gross domestic product.
So why does franchising make
sense for young veterans?
Strong leadership is a must:
The military has spent centuries creating
leaders that can benefit the private sector.
More than that, many veterans fail to
consider the leadership training they’ve
received and how it can translate to
success as a business owner. Franchisees
are part of a system with unmatched
support, but they are responsible for
leading their franchise’s day-to-day
operations. Hiring, training and managing
a staff are all part of running a successful
business, and strong leadership skills will
help an owner guide their team to success.
Resilience: Being in business for
yourself is an adventure that will include
good days and bad. While most franchise
owners are plenty capable of handling
the good times, it takes some fortitude to
weather the tough times. Veterans are used
to facing some of the worst situations on
the face of the earth. They’ve learned how
to show courage in the face of trouble,
control fear, assess situations fully, then
act decisively in order to survive. This is a
valuable quality when guiding a business
through the ebbs and flows of the ever-
changing American economy.
Teamwork makes the dream
work: Franchisees are part of a larger
system all working toward a common
goal. Veterans thrive on teamwork, and
similarly, franchises thrive with a great
team in place. The military teaches
recruits how to be leaders, but it also
Start early, enjoy late: A
veteran who enlisted in the military at age
18 could have a 15-year military career
and be back to civilian life by age 34. That
means they’d have 30 or more working
years to put toward building a business.
Thanks to the proven successful models
of franchises, many offer the added bonus
of scalability. That means if you can
successfully run one franchise unit, you
could likely run more. Starting your path
to franchising early gives you lots of time
to learn the systems, grow your business
and reinvest profits into additional units.
Franchise business consultant Jim
Judy has spent the past 20 years
in the franchise industry, gaining
insightful knowledge and a keen
eye for opportunity. His passion is
developing relationships with current
and hopeful entrepreneurs to assist them
on their journey to franchise business
ownership. Jim leverages his experience,
success and close relationships in
the franchise industry to provide
valuable consultation free of charge to
entrepreneurs looking to explore the
benefits of a franchise.
To learn more, call 919-233-3534 or
email jjudy@franchoice.com.
Jim Judy
“Many veterans fail to consider the leadership
training they’ve received and how it can translate
to success as a business owner.”