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Veterans in Franchising december 2016
www.franchisingusamagazine.com
American Family Care Provides Ongoing Sense of Service for Veterans
training for impact IFA promotes
veteran-owned franchises Franchising USA
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 eterans in F ranchisin g S u pplement december 2 0 1 6 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
Profiles
45 American Family Care
50 VetFran
60 Training for Impact
52 Visiting Angels
50 IFA Promotes Veteran-Owned Franchises
62 DoodyCalls
Cover Story
Focus
48 American Family Care Provides Ongoing Sense of Service for Veterans
58 Grease Monkey
Franchisor in Depth 54 Lapels Dry Cleaning
News and Expert Advice 60 Training for Impact
Darcella K. Craven, Executive Director, Veterans Business Resource Center
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V eterans in Franchising
C over S tor y - A mer ica n Fa mil y Ca re
AFC Provides
Ongoing Sense of Service for Veterans Veterans who are ready to make the leap back into the private sector often want to maintain that sense of community service they experienced while serving in the military and one health care franchise system gives them just that. American Family Care (AFC) is a Birmingham-based franchise that has pioneered the concept of non-emergency room urgent care. With its 2013 acquisition of the Doctors Express franchise, AFC
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is the nation’s leading provider of urgent care and accessible primary care, with more than 170 clinics and 500 in-network physicians caring for more than 2 million patients a year.
is used every single day in my life as a franchisee with AFC,” Adams stated.
Teamwork
Among AFC’s franchisees is Dave Adams, who currently operates three medical facilities in the greater Boston area, with another one opening soon and the rights to open six more eventually.
Adams joined the franchise back when it was known as Doctors Express, opening his first one in December 2012, his second one in September of 2014 and his third one in January of 2016. His fourth center will open in January of 2017.
Adams said when he first purchased his franchises, he thought he was going to be spending his time driving strategy and working on financials, but instead he spends the vast majority of his time leading and managing people.
He chose AFC because he has a general management and operational background with his military training and he wanted a business that would allow him to use his background in a way that would enable him to help people and their communities.
“There is no better leadership finishing school, I would argue, than the United States Marine Corps and that skill set
“I really fell in love with the brand and the concept and the opportunity to support a community, while doing good in the
world – and doing well from a business perspective,” he explained. In addition to allowing him to serve his community, AFC also provides Adams with a sense of teamwork, which he enjoys. The franchisee attended college on a football scholarship and then spent nearly a decade in the United States Marines Corps as an Assault Amphibian Officer. Both his college experience and his military experience were based on teamwork and camaraderie and supporting the common good, your community and your country. In his post Marine Corps. life, Adams spent time in a business school program, where he also found a sense of camaraderie with his fellow students. Once done this business school program, Adams spent many years in the private sector working for a real estate firm and it was in this traditionally structured company that he first noticed the lack of teamwork that he had grown to cherish. “The franchise opportunity that AFC provides has given me that sense of teamwork and esprit de corps, the camaraderie, the operations driven focus, the opportunity to serve a community and serve something greater than one’s self that I experienced when I was wearing a uniform while supporting my country,” he said.
Training For training, Adams was required to spend several in-session days with AFC (Doctors Express at the time) at their corporate headquarters training on the day-to-day basics of running the franchise, plus the more detailed nuances of clinic management that are required. Once he had completed this initial training, a corporate trainer came to Boston to train all his new hires, which he had made based on the criteria the company had provided him with. Adams said the majority of training AFC provides its franchisees is done in their own franchises as the company trains the managers and employees the franchisees have hired. “AFC is backed by urgent care experts of
“We’re viewed as a very valuable, convenient and economical source of healthcare.” - Paul Arvanitis the highest degree with 30-plus years of experience,” he noted. It’s this experience in the healthcare field that is invaluable for franchisees, as the healthcare and health insurance landscapes are constantly fluctuating, Adams said, adding that he couldn’t imagine trying to run an urgent care facility without the support of the franchise. Franchisee Paul Arvanitis feels the same way. He owns franchises in the San Diego region. “We’re viewed as a very valuable, convenient and economical source of healthcare,” Arvanitis said during a recent interview with Franchising USA. Arvanitis currently owns three franchises and has two more under development. He purchased his first franchise in spring of 2010 before AFC acquired Doctors Express. For him, the timing was perfect, as he had just sold his interest in the business he was running and was looking for a new challenge in the healthcare field. Among his options were to build and run his own urgent care center, but he quickly became sold on mitigating his risk by joining the franchise instead. When his introduction to the concept took place six years ago, it was still a novel idea to franchise an urgent care facility, but Arvanitis saw great potential in the concept. With an extensive career in the military lasting over two decades, primarily in healthcare administration roles, Arvanitis was especially qualified to recognize potential in the franchise opportunity.
work with companies such as Kaiser Permanente, Health Net and BlueCross/ BlueShield of South Carolina. Once he left the military, he co-founded a successful healthcare capital planning firm and founded a healthcare technical services company. A Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives with a Masters in Healthcare Administration and a PhD, Arvanitis was an asset for the young franchise when he joined as a franchisee. He already had two Doctors Express urgent care centers up and running by the time AFC purchased Doctors Express, so he already had a lot of experience successfully running his franchises when the acquisition happened. However, he did notice the acquisition by AFC had an overall positive effect on the entire franchise system. “With their help and assistance, their information sources, their vendor relationships, their experience and everything else that goes along with that, I think AFC brings a much stronger support system than what we had in the past.”
Leadership Arvanitis credits his military training for giving him an inner discipline that helps him complete the tasks he needs to in order for his clinics to be successful. It also gave him the confidence needed to do his job well. Plus, his military experience has also helped him be a better leader.
Among his various roles throughout his career, the veteran earned a commission as a Naval
“The leadership training has helped as well, because as you grow, you grow your staff and you’re leading people along the way,” he explained.
Medical Service Corps Officer in 1991, served as Associate Administrator for the Navy’s largest academic medical center and was selected for a Managed Care Fellowship in private industry to
www.afcurgentcare.com
For veterans like Adams and Arvanitis, AFC provides that familiar sense of service that so many ex-military members look to hold onto in their civilian lives.
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V eterans in Franchising
VetFran
International Franchise Association Promotes Veteran-Owned Franchises It’s no secret that veterans possess skills many in franchising value. The leadership, business management and organizational skills many U.S. military veterans have translate well into business ownership. The International Franchise Association (IFA) is very active in supporting veterans and their spouses by creating programs that provide incentives, making it easier for veterans to become their own boss through franchising. VetFran, a strategic initiative of the IFA, was founded in 1991 by the late Don Dwyer, Sr., founder of The Dwyer Group as a way to thank veterans returning from the Gulf War. It was reenergized after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack
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“We have been working over the past year to focus on improving the continued quality of VetFran and the upcoming 2017 Convention will provide us with a great opportunity to further discuss these important issues with professionals in the franchise community.” - Eric Stites by his daughter and past IFA Chair, Dina Dwyer-Owens. Since then, VetFran has grown to include more than 650 franchise systems that voluntarily provide financial incentives to former U.S. military servicemen and women seeking to own a franchise. Through VetFran, more than 6,500 veterans have become franchisees and realized their dream of business ownership. VetFran members commit to offering an incentive to veterans, but it’s up to the franchise system how they want to structure their incentive. Some reduce
their initial franchise fees and others might contribute to the franchisee’s initial cost of investment or reduce royalties. Some franchisors offer deep incentives. “We are very proud of the work that the VetFran program has accomplished since its founding. We are continuously looking for ways to grow our franchisor community to ensure that our brave veterans have a resource to help them successfully transition back into the workplace once their military service is complete,” says Eric Stites, VetFran Chairman, CFE, CEO, Franchise Business
Review. “We have been working over the past year to focus on improving the continued quality of VetFran and the upcoming 2017 Convention will provide us with a great opportunity to further discuss these important issues with professionals in the franchise community.” For many veterans, easing back into civilian life and determining a career path can be an intimidating experience. It has been found that the skills, values and experiences gained during military service such as leadership, dedication and ability to follow protocol all translate very well into the franchising world. Thus, military training coupled with strong franchise support can prove to be quite the symbiotic relationship. FASTSIGNS, a proud member of VetFran offers veterans who join the FASTSIGNS U.S. network specific incentives, including a reduced franchise fee of $22,250, a savings of 50 percent, in addition to reduced royalties and advertising fees for the first year. FASTSIGNS reports that over 10 percent of its franchisees are
“We are very proud of the work that the VetFran program has accomplished since its founding. We are continuously looking for ways to grow our franchisor community to ensure that our brave veterans have a resource to help them successfully transition back into the workplace once their military service is complete.” - Eric Stites comprised of military veterans. The brand has been recognized as a top franchise for military veterans by leading publications including USA Today, G.I. Jobs magazine and Military Times magazine. In addition to incentives, VetFran offers a number of resources. The VetFran Toolkit includes online courses, financial resources and access to the VetFran Mentor Network. You can also find a searchable database of all VetFran companies with incentives or discounts in the VetFran Directory at www.vetfran.com/vetfran-companies. To learn more about franchising, visit the
IFA’s website at www.franchise.org. The International Franchise Association is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising globally. The IFA’s 57th Annual Convention will take place Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, 2017 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. With emphasis on providing education to drive performance, growth and sustainability of franchise brands, #IFA2017 will offer worldclass speakers, providing more than 50 educational sessions and programs across four days. For more information about IFA’s VetFran Initiative, visit www.vetfran.com.
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V eterans in Franchising
V isiting A ng els
Visiting Angels U.S. Army reservist William Bruck is a lifelong military man with three tours of duty under his belt. The Michigan native added entrepreneurship to his list of missions when he developed a passion for caring for aging veterans in his hometown. William opened a Visiting Angels franchise in Monroe, Michigan, three years ago while he was between combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Overseas, he was a member of an Army construction management team. It was his job to plan and design the bases for soldiers in the field. Now with Visiting Angels, he is
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planning and designing in-home care for seniors in his community. Caregivers at Visiting Angels spend hours with clients every day, helping with meals, light housekeeping, reminding seniors to take medication, and just providing companionship. The post 9/11 G.I. Bill was a factor in William’s venture into entrepreneurship. While using the benefits to pay for his MBA studies, he started thinking about opening his own business. William knew he wanted to open a franchise, something that benefited veterans, but finding the right fit took time. “It wasn’t until I picked up an issue of Army Times and read an article about special opportunities for vets. Number one on the list was Visiting Angels,” he says. Two months later, William opened the doors to his new office. The model offered by Visiting Angels made the decision easy for William. “It
was a very low initial cost for a high value franchise,” he says. “They give you all of the nuts and bolts, then I could put it together the way I wanted, I customized my plan to fit the needs of my community.” William’s transition from military man to franchise owner is not uncommon. When veterans return home from service, they often look for career opportunities that match the experience they acquired in the military. For many intelligent, hardworking veterans with strong leadership qualities, owning a franchise is the way to go. According to data collected by the International Franchise Association from the 2007 census, nearly 15 percent of the nation’s franchises are owned by veterans. Why is franchising such a great fit for veterans? • Military experience requires strong leadership skills and motivating others, improving processes and accomplishing a defined mission. Like the military,
“Our contract with the VA really gives us an opportunity to work with veterans who need our services, but may not be able to afford them without the government support.” - William Bruck
successful franchisees lead their employees to accomplish the mission as a team. • The military has extensive training and teaches unique skills used to carry out very specific tasks. Franchising also has comprehensive training and support built into the franchise process. This means a veteran can enter a completely new field and be likely to succeed by following the franchisor’s proven business model and completing the training program. • An established franchise business operates on proven systems and defined procedures. Executing systems and following procedures with precision is emphasized in military training, and leads to success in franchising. William frequently speaks with fellow veterans about his entrepreneurial journey. He tells them exactly how his Army training helps him cope with the stress of starting and running a business. Williams lists passion and discipline as the key
elements to his success. He has a passion to care for fellow veterans, to keep them in their homes. He turns to discipline to stay on course, to avoid either over- or underreacting to certain circumstances and to turn seemingly impossible situations into positive experiences. The first three years as a franchisee are proving positive for William. His Visiting Angels office currently employs more than 50 caregivers and he is constantly focused on helping fellow veterans. William worked for more than a year to get a vendor contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs in his area and he is advising other Visiting Angels franchisees about how to connect with their local VA offices. “Our contract with the VA really gives us an opportunity to work with veterans who need our services, but may not be able to afford them without the government support.” William says he gets calls when a doctor authorizes in-home care for a veteran. He says the folks at the Ann Arbor VA have become very familiar with his work; they know Visiting Angels is dependable and provides quality care. William will tell you his growth is tied to his connections in the community, he is naturally outgoing and spends a lot
of time building relationships. William understands it is important to constantly meet new people. He is doing that on two different levels. He has his civic duties, like his seat on the board of a local consortium on aging, plus he has engaged the help of a four-legged staff member. Nash the Newfoundland started touring senior homes with William about three months ago. “Nash is the perfect size. When he sits down, his head is level with a senior’s wheelchair. He loves people and they love him,” William says. His goal is to eventually take Nash on 15 visits with seniors every month. When not at work or connecting with the community, William is at home with his wife and eight children. The kids range in age from two months to 17, five boys and three girls. He is very excited about the future; he feels the way he has shaped his Visiting Angels franchise will continue to bring him success for many years to come. “I constantly work to make sure people know who I am, if they find out what I do, maybe in a week, maybe in a year, when they see a need for home care, they will think of my name and Visiting Angels,” he says. www.visitingangels.com
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V eterans in Franchising
L ap els D r y Clea ning
Green and Clean —and Cleaning Up In the not-so-distant past, the dry cleaning industry was known for two things: creating the most millionaires and pollution. Regarding the latter, Lapels Dry Cleaning, a Hanover, Mass.-based franchisor, has worked diligently to clean up what has historically been a very dirty business. “You don’t have to be a scientist to know the chemicals used by dry cleaners were having a negative impact on the
environment,” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning. “We started building our environmentally non-toxic cleaning process before it was hip. We really thought there was a better way to clean clothes and at the same time be respectful to our planet.”
A Green Commitment Lapels Dry Cleaning’s green commitment starts by using the most advanced technologies and processes. The key ingredient to that is a partnership agreement with GreenEarth Cleaning, LLC to use GreenEarth® cleaning solutions. GreenEarth represents the dry cleaning industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative. GreenEarth silicone’s unique, non-aggressive cleaning solution enables
it to penetrate fabrics and remove soils without chemically interfering with the textile fibers themselves, helping to maintain their “like-new” look and feel. Since 2014, new Lapels Dry Cleaning plants and stores have employed GreenEarth cleaning solution. Several existing Lapels Dry Cleaning plants have upgraded dry cleaning equipment to be able to use GreenEarth. When a new plant or store opens, it can confidently make the claim of “being a 100% environmentally non-toxic cleaner with zero hazardous waste in the process from start to finish.” In 2015, Lapels Dry Cleaning started using new dry cleaning machines to best utilize the GreenEarth cleaning solution. Unlike most other dry cleaning processes, the new machine, specifically made for Lapels Dry Cleaning, heats the solvent, reducing drying times. The new dry cleaning machine also features an onboard computer to provide maximum efficiency in programming and operation. The combination of new equipment, improved programming, and heating the dry cleaning solvent has resulted in a 53-minute dry time, creating a 20 percent reduction from previous machines. That translates into a faster turnaround time, which improves the customer experience and increases retention. Adds Dubois, “These improvements benefit our franchise owners as well. With a more efficient dry time, they can clean more clothes, making them more profitable.”
Brian Culver, former Navy pilot, and Stacy Culver; Lapels Dry Cleaning of OKC Owners
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Lapels also builds their stores with great respect to the environment. Signage employs LED lighting. Granite is used
“With the Lapels opportunity, we were able to put a program in place where we will clean used suits that are in good condition and, through the Paralyzed Veterans of America, make sure they get to job-seeking veterans.” - Brian Culver, former Navy pilot and Lapels Dry Cleaning of OKC owner for counter tops. Wet cleaning machines minimize water consumption. Stores use low VOC paint for the walls, and a low VOC adhesive to adhere the storefront flooring.
clothes. And that’s a scenario where we all win.”
Lapels customer service initiatives also lower the carbon footprint for customers. For example, Lapels has a Smartphone app that enables customers to schedule deliveries and pickups, notify the store that they are on their way in and view their receipts as well as a number of other functions.
Much of Lapels’ green efforts focus on efficiency and that starts at the top at corporate headquarters and CEO Kevin Dubois. In 2015, Dubois literally wrote the book on the dry cleaning business-- Entrepreneurial Insanity in the Dry Cleaning Business. Co-authored with Roger McManus, the book creates a road map for current and prospective dry cleaners to achieve a greater level of success.
“A huge part of being greener is to use less energy—electricity, gas for your vehicle,” said Dubois. “The technology improvements we have made make it faster for clothes to be cleaned and make it more efficient for customers to receive their
Creating an Environment for Success
“What we’ve found in training Lapels Dry Cleaning franchise owners is there are certain skills you can learn to successfully
Kimberley Wilkinson, owner of Lapels Dry Cleaning of Marshfield and Lapels Dry Cleaning of Kingston, at the presses.
run a dry cleaning business, regardless of what you previously have done,” said Dubois. “The environmental angle and being a business you can learn has been a draw for our franchise owners, most of whom had no prior experience in the industry and several who are first-time entrepreneurs.”
Quality of Life Difference Kimberly Wilkinson falls into that category. She loved her job as a relationship manager for an investment management firm in Boston. Yet after having a child, it didn’t take long for her to realize a change had to be made to sustain a proper work-life balance. Both Wilkinson and her husband liked the idea of buying a franchise, but realized the unlikelihood of finding a viable option in their area of expertise, financial services. So they researched other industries, specifically looking for a product or service customers would come back for again and again.
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V eterans in Franchising
L ap els D r y Clea ning
“There are a lot of challenges that go with leaving the military and trying to enter the private sector job force. For some veterans, not having a proper suit for that big interview can be one of them.” - Brian Culver, former navy pilot and Lapels Dry Cleaning of OKC owner
Choosing Your Environment Working in the oil and gas industry required the Oxford, Mississippi native John Edwards to relocate to several different states—Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio. It was in Louisiana where he met his fiancé Ali. “I was doing well in my career but not living where I wanted to and was away from my fiancé. That’s when I revisited the idea of owning my own business and moving back to Mississippi,” said Edwards.
Lapels Dry Cleaning of Oxford Owner John Edwards
Said Wilkinson, “Everything I wore for my job had to be dry cleaned, so a dry cleaning franchise fit our number one criteria. The fact that Lapels pioneered an environmentally superior product sealed the deal for us.” Wilkinson opened Lapels Dry Cleaning of Kingston in August 2015 and subsequently took over a satellite location, Lapels Dry Cleaning of Marshfield, in October 2015. In February 2016, construction was completed on a dry cleaning plant for Lapels Dry Cleaning of Marshfield.
Giving Back to the Community Former Navy pilot Brian Culver and his wife Stacey opened Lapels Dry Cleaning of Oklahoma City in 2013. It was the first Lapels to open in the state of Oklahoma. In addition to providing a means to
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support their family, the business offered Culver an opportunity to give back to fellow veterans. It started when one of his customers, Channel 9 weatherman Jed Castles, wanted to donate his used suits to veterans. Culver offered to dry clean, press and deliver the suits to Paralyzed Veterans of America for distribution to veterans. “There are a lot of challenges that go with leaving the military and trying to enter the private sector job force. For some veterans, not having a proper suit for that big interview can be one of them,” said Culver. “With the Lapels opportunity, we were able to put a program in place where we will clean used suits that are in good condition and, through the Paralyzed Veterans of America, make sure they get to job-seeking veterans.”
Edwards’ research focused on a number of criteria: how much capital would be needed; sustainability of the business in good economic times and bad, etc. The dry cleaning industry seemed to fit those criteria, but which one. More research led him to Lapels Dry Cleaning. Edwards opened Lapels Dry Cleaning of Oxford on October 8, 2016, a little more than one month before his wedding. As for creating more millionaires, Kevin Dubois is quick to point that fact has never been documented. Said Dubois, “It’s also not often disputed. So there has to be something to the fact that the right person, with the right franchise in the right environment, can be successful in the dry cleaning industry.” Lapels Dry Cleaning has more than 80 locations in the United States, with operations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. For more information, visit www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.
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Honoring Those Who Serve Through Our Special Veterans Franchise Program
INDEPENDENT • FLEXIBLE • PROVEN • GROWING • EFFICIENT • SUPPORTIVE
Grease Monkey International is proud to offer qualified military veterans a $10,000 discount on their initial Franchisee Fee! Veteran Member Incentives • Franchise License Fee discount • 50% Quarterly Royalty Rebate for the first 4 quarters after opening • 25% Quarterly Royalty Rebate for the second 4 quarters • 10% Quarterly Royalty Rebate ongoing compliance program Franchise Opportunities X Single Units X Multi Units X Territories
With over 39 years of proven success, Grease Monkey® has become one of the largest franchisors of automotive fast lube centers, with over 300 centers operating in the United States, China and Latin America. You’re In Business For Yourself, Not By Yourself! The Grease Monkey® System guides franchisees in all aspects of running a profitable automotive maintenance business through unparalleled support: • Site Selection & Negotiation • Third-Party Financing • Training (Initial, Ongoing and In-Store Employee Certification) • Marketing & Advertising • Business Management and Accounting • National Account Purchasing
For more information, visit: GreaseMonkeyFranchise.com CONTACT: Jeff King, Director of Franchise Development Phone: 800-364-0352 • Email: jking@greasemonkeyintl.com OR, Lori Schneider, Franchise Development Specialist Phone: 720-454-4412 • Email: loris@greasemonkeyintl.com
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V eterans in Franchising
G rease M onkey
Veterans Honored with Special Franchise Program
Grease Monkey International has partnered with the International Franchise Association and VetFran to help veterans transition from military service to successful franchise business owners.
The Grease Monkey® Special Veterans Program provides incentives to qualified veterans interested in starting a new career in the automotive maintenance business.
since 1978. The process offers a flexible approach, so franchisees can customize their facility and menu of services for a specific market and investment profile.
Ralph Yarusso, Senior Vice President of Operations and Business Development at Grease Monkey International, along with the management team, developed the program largely as a way to show appreciation for the dedication and commitment of veterans who have served their country. As an Airforce veteran himself, he knows fist-hand the importance of having a career path when reentering civilian life.
Grease Monkey franchisees are motivated and self-disciplined, coming from a wide range of backgrounds and experience, much like those who serve in the armed forces. And, much like in the military, a franchise owner has a detailed plan to follow, ongoing training, and the support of an operations team dedicated to ensuring their success.
“A program like this simply makes sense for both the veteran and the franchisor,” says Yarusso. “A military background has already helped develop many of the traits necessary to operate a successful business – drive, discipline, structure, teamwork, leadership, and determination. These same qualities are what we see in an ideal franchisee candidate. They’re a great fit for the Grease Monkey System.”
The Grease Monkey® System Ralph Yarusso, Senior VP of Business Development
Ralph Yarusso, Served in the USAF from 1977-1984; Achieved the rank TSGT and was a C141 Starlifter Loadmaster
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Grease Monkey centers provide preventive maintenance and light mechanical repair services that help customers meet their vehicle manufacturers’ recommendations and warranty requirements. Grease Monkey franchise owners enjoy a proven system and business model, honed
“Grease Monkey is a good fit for Veterans because the overall system provides you with the processes and procedures that you need while allowing you flexibility in many aspects of how you run your business,” says Tim Davidson, Grease Monkey Franchisee and US Army veteran. The Grease Monkey System is designed to guide franchisees through every aspect of running a profitable automotive maintenance business. Training is pivotal to the success of any goal. The military is based on it and veterans not only embrace training, but many times their lives depend on it. As a franchise owner, your business life will certainly depend on training. Grease Monkey franchisees not only receive extensive start-up training, but have access to regular and ongoing instructor led classes and online courses for the entire team.
“A military background has already helped develop many of the traits necessary to operate a successful business – drive, discipline, structure, teamwork, leadership, and determination.” - Ralph Yarusso
“Grease Monkey is a good fit for Veterans because the overall system provides you with the processes and procedures that you need while allowing you flexibility in many aspects of how you run your business.” - Tim Davidson The Grease Monkey® Special Franchise Program for Veterans Tim Davidson, Owner of Grease Monkey Center in Frisco, CO; Major, U.S. Army Field Artillery
In the military, teamwork is fundamental to execute any mission. Grease Monkey franchisees can count on the diligent and disciplined support from their corporate team, regional representatives, and fellow franchisees to help them achieve their mission – building their business. The characteristics that help veterans excel in the military – commitment, dedication, loyalty, and responsibility – will contribute to their success as business owners, employers, supporters, and good citizens in the communities they now serve. For more information, go to www.greasemonkeyfranchising.com.
Grease Monkey International is proud to offer qualified veterans incentives to help them achieve the American dream of owning their own business: • 33% ($10,000) Discount on initial Franchise License Fee • 50% Quarterly Royalty Rebate for the first 4 quarters after opening • 25% Quarterly Royalty Rebate for the second 4 quarters • 10% Quarterly Royalty Rebate ongoing compliance program If you are a veteran who would like to be your own boss, in a system that not only leverages what you learned during your military service, but with the support of a team dedicated to your continued success, a Grease Monkey franchise might be right for you. Franchising USA
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V eterans in Franchising
Darcella K. Craven, Executive Director, Veterans Business Resource Center
Training for Impact The holidays are here and what does that usually mean for small business? You got it‌training time. Yes, the time of year when small business owners are looking at the latest point of sale system, the best customer service seminars and the newest “management educationâ€? processes to push staff through in the first quarter. Anyone who has read this section knows that the Veterans Business Resource Center is all about training. However, not just training for activity but training for impact. What is training for activity and why is it the wrong way to train a staff you might inquire? Well, there is a place for activity based training. When you must learn a
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new computer system or how to display a sales item, activity training is all that is necessary. However, if you want your staff to take initiative in training others on that system or provide strong feedback on improvements to displays, then you must train them with impact in mind. Offered below are a few tips on how to ensure your training is impactful and not just something to do. Let us define the characteristics of activity based training. Activity based training is usually predicated on some symptom or request. As an example: A request from middle management for training on time management for staff in time for the holiday rush in three weeks. The initial request not only makes the ask but presumes the necessary training. There is no room for an assessment of the actual challenge. That request is usually
requested with short notice. In order to be responsive, a program is purchased or created and implemented in an effort to train for better time management. Reaction to the solution or an evaluation is conducted and if the desired result is achieved nothing further is done. If not, the same program is tried again in an effort to reach a different result. The challenge with this method is that it is a hit or miss method. It may well be that this time management is the right training needed, or not. The measurement at the end is not necessarily permanent. Small business owners who train this way often find that they must train constantly and repeat the training when new staff arrive. Since no evaluation was conducted to ensure that the training requested was indeed the resolution to the issue.
a clean, clear space and get the cleaning staff out of sight faster. However, the hotel complaints on cleanliness of rooms, timing of room cleaning and employee dissatisfaction skyrocketed. The manager failed to assess the actual business need instead opting for what was a quick fix. In order to assess a correct training challenge and identify the actual need, small business owners should identify the issue, form a collaborative relationship with the parties involved in the solution and conduct an initial project meeting. These steps are critical. They do not need to take weeks; these can be scheduled quickly but the must be purposeful. You as the business owner will need to decide what other task my need to take a back seat or recruit another team member to assist in task while this is done. Another critical need is to conduct a cause analysis. Asking questions such as: • When did customers begin complaining? • Is there a certain part of the day where time management is a bigger challenge?
In contrast, training for impact requires a step back and stronger evaluation of not only the challenge but the experience and the environment in which the challenge exists. The process is much more inclusive of management, line staff and the organization as a whole. In the same situation above, a training is requested and instead of jumping straight into a “best practice” activity, the owner takes a step back. First identifying the business need is necessary in order to ensure proper training. The business need is a function of the “work environment” and the “learning experience.” An example, a high end hotel shrank the size of their cleaning staff carts because they were unseemly in the hallway. They also decreased the amount of time staff had to service a room. The manager wanted guests to see
This is the time to determine what “should be” happening as well as what is happening. The final few steps are equally as critical. A review of the performance, interpreting the data collected and reporting those results back to the project team. From there proper training can be created, purchased and then implemented. One of the most important steps comes in the end. Collecting data, interpreting it and ensuring that it adheres to the what “should be” happening result desired. In the example of the hotel, the project team realized that reducing the carts of the staff may have eliminated them from view of the public but increased the negative comments left. After walking through the training for impact approach, the hotel project team located several rooms within the building that were not being utilized and turned them into suites for the cleaning staff. This gave the staff a nicer space to reload carts and provided an opportunity for them to rest and interact between cleaning. They also increased the size of the carts to hold more toiletries, towels and blankets which allowed staff to clean more than one room at a time.
Darcella K. Craven
And they empowered the cleaning staff to engage with the hotel guest rather than shrink away from them. This process is not one that can be implemented overnight and takes practice. For more information on how to training for impact and not just activity you can pick up many books. The one that describes impact training with the most depth is Training For Impact by Dana Gaines Robinson and James C. Robinson. You can also reach out to our agency for assistance in better understanding to train your team to reach the “should be” happening desired result. 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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V eterans in Franchising
Dood y Calls
Iraq Veteran Targets Pet
Southeast Massachu Paul Delaney is a military veteran with an unusual career. He cleans up after dogs in Southeastern Massachusetts. Delaney owns a DoodyCalls franchise, the nation’s leading commercial and residential pet waste management service. He and his wife Angela were one of the company’s first franchisees. Franchising USA
“Some people think what we do is funny, but not our clients – they love us because DoodyCalls helps them.” - Paul Delaney
n Now Waste
usetts
As a proud member of the Army National Guard, Paul served in Iraq in 2003 and
2004. Being an E-5 Sgt. Assistant Squad
Leader and Truck Master meant managing missions, personnel, and 20 5-ton trucks.
“While I was deployed I made a decision to do something different when I
returned,” he says. “I was looking for a
business opportunity and I had managed
to save some money during deployment. I thought maybe I should just start my own business. The problem was finding one that provided a service that wasn’t already full of competitors.” Paul started looking at all the franchise opportunities out there and liked what he read about DoodyCalls. He was jogging with a friend one day and mentioned the idea and they both agreed it would be a great fit for Paul. The management skills he had learned in the military would become a great asset to him in this new endeavor.
franchise,” like being a franchise is a bad thing,” Paul says. “Nothing could be further from the truth for us. Being a part of a bigger team means we can take advantage of a great support system. This allows us to make sure that the service we’re providing is being done correctly. As a DoodyCalls franchise, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There’s already a winning system in place.”
“Often people get home from work and it’s dark already. Who wants to be out there with a flashlight? We get it done while they’re at work, and that makes their lives a little bit easier.”
“Being part of a budding industry and Franchise system has been very rewarding; especially considering our early lack of business experience. As Angela and I have grown as business owners and Franchisees, Jacob and Susan have grown as Franchisors. We’ve scaled together. I think we all work under the same unspoken principals that if we work hard, are committed and consistent, we will thrive. It’s been rewarding to witness the industry grow and know that DoodyCalls has been a huge part of that growth. DoodyCalls is the industry leader and sets the standard that other pet waste removal companies have to meet in order to compete.”
Some have said, “Oh, you’re just a
www.DoodyCalls.com
“Some people think what we do is funny, but not our clients – they love us because DoodyCalls helps them,” he says. There are now more than 77 million pooches living in the United States, and the average dog deposits about ¾ pounds of waste each day. What first appears as a small amount quickly adds up.
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