Veterans in franchising january 2018 franchising usa 6#3 3

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Veterans in Franchising JANUARY 2018

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

Embracing Change Veteran Focused Small Business Incubators How Military Lessons Taught Me to Succeed in Franchising 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 e t e r a n s i n F r a n c h i s i n g S u ppl e m e n t january 2018 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

44 Embracing Change

News and Expert Advice

46 Veteran Focused Small Business Incubators

44 Embracing Change Michael Taylor, Owner of Scooter’s Coffee in

48 How Military Lessons Taught Me to Succeed in Franchising

The Colony, Texas

46 Veteran Focused Small Business Incubators

Jim Mingey, Founder and Managing Director,

Veterans Business Services

48 How Military Lessons Taught Me to Succeed in Franchising Kirk Williams, Owner, Dryer Vent Wizard

of Pittsburgh

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Michael Taylor, Owner of Scooter’s Coffee in The Colony, Texas

Embracing C There are very few guarantees in life, but change is certainly among them. Change is inevitable. But that’s a good thing. Change provides us with the beautiful and unique images of the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.

In our professional lives, change takes

place in many forms. That was certainly

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the case for us. My wife Cris and I are in the midst of a big change that is consuming both of our lives. We are now the owner/operators of a relatively new Scooter’s Coffee in The Colony, Texas, just north of Dallas.

It’s the discipline the armed services

I’m joining the ranks of entrepreneurship 40 years after I first enlisted in the Army.

The decision to join the Army in 1977 has forever changed my life. Growing up in Nebraska, I was a screw-off in high school, and I didn’t have much of a plan in my head as graduation approached. I didn’t want to go to college because I knew at the time it would be a waste of my time and my parents’ money. When you’re a 17-year-old screw-off you need structure in your life, and the Army certainly provided that.

the common goal. There are very few

drills into young men and women that

makes every veteran a prime candidate

for business ownership. In the military, you quickly learn to deal with people from different walks of life and find

people who can make it in the military

without developing discipline, working

skills, accountability and responsibility.

The military teaches you to take care of not only yourself, but the person next to you. And that’s vital. From day one in

boot camp, you learn that you need 15 to 25 men and women pulling in the same

direction. That’s the case for me and Cris

as we lead our battalion of young adults to deliver our specialty coffee at a fast and

“I certainly enjoyed my time in the military. The four years went by quickly. What I learned during my training as a 91 Delta, an operating room technician, propelled me for the rest of my life.”

Change

Michael Taylor

other business owners. If you find someone who tells you they haven’t had struggles, they’re more than likely not being completely honest with themselves or you.

friendly pace with amazing and consistent service.

I certainly enjoyed my time in the military.

The four years went by quickly. What I learned during my training as a 91 Delta, an operating room technician, propelled me for the rest of my life. My experiences built an excellent foundation for what is now more than a three-decade career as a medical device sales rep for one of the world’s largest medical devices, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods manufacturing companies.

What you’ll discover as you make the transition back to being a civilian is that most have no concept and can’t fully appreciate life in the military. Dealing with becoming a civilian compared to

being in the military has its challenges, but if you lean on your friends, family and fellow veterans, it’ll be okay. There isn’t a blue print. It may take a while to adjust to civilian life again, but you’ll get there.

Running a business has always been a bucket list item. I always thought it would be great to be an entrepreneur. My wife and I, as we do with everything, prayed about it, and we decided that it was the right path at this point in our lives. We were familiar with the Scooter’s Coffee brand, its business model and vision. So, ultimately, that’s my advice to you. Find a business you’re passionate about; if it’s something you love to do, there’s a better chance you’ll be successful. Commit yourself, have faith in God’s plan for you, do your due diligence and consult with

One of the biggest changes I’ve seen in this great country recently is how our veterans are treated now compared to the days following the Vietnam War. I look back on how we treated veterans back then and it was downright shameful. Now we see a complete turnaround! Our vets have always been a gift from God, so it’s nice to see people treat them with the honor and respect they so richly deserve. I’m proud to be a veteran. Now, there are opportunities and benefits that we should embrace.

Franchises, such as Scooter’s Coffee, have generously offered discounts and credits, as well as financing, to veterans.

It’s nice to see that people appreciate and understand what veterans can bring to the table.

Specialist (E-5) (Ret.) Michael Taylor served four years in the U.S. Army.

Currently calling Omaha, Neb. home, Taylor, along with his wife Cris, owns and operates Scooter’s Coffee in The Colony, Texas. Mike Taylor enjoys playing and watching golf, and leading a bible study fellowship in his hometown. scooterscoffee.com

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Jim Mingey, Founder & Managing Director, VBS

Veteran Focused Small Business Incubators Recent studies by the National Association of Business Incubators indicates that there are an estimated 7000 incubators in the world.

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What is a small business incubator?

Oonnut Mac Chinsomboon, a business incubation expert from MIT, took the original meaning of the word “incubation” (think chickens) and applied it to business.

His definition for business incubators is: “A controlled environment that fosters the care, growth, and protection of a

new venture at an early stage before it is ready for traditional means of selfsustaining operation.” In today’s world, where information technology and the Internet are normal parts of the business environment, the term “controlled environment” could be either physical (real estate and office facilities) or virtual (networks)”.

Most of the first generation of business incubators in the 1970s focused on providing low cost space and a small set of shared services. These services included secretarial services, reception, telephone answering, meeting & conference rooms, kitchen facilities and parking. In the 1980’s many incubators offered business support and knowledge-based services to help accelerate the small business learning curve. Then in the 1990’s and ongoing were networks facilitating access to external resources, knowledge and legitimacy to overcome resource shortages,

Whatever motivates a Veteran to take on the risk of entrepreneurship, he or she should consider affiliating with an incubator that fits their idea and market.

“In the 1980’s many incubators offered business support and knowledge-based services to help accelerate the small business learning curve. . . . Now incubators offer these as virtual services as well.” especially capital and startup teams. Now incubators offer these as virtual services as well.

Why should Veterans starting a small business use an incubator to enhance their success?

A Veteran entrepreneur’s objectives and metrics, however they’re defined, are generally the success of the venture. One of the main causes of venture failure is resource scarcity. Speed of execution can limit financial “burn”. A Veteran’s association with an incubator can provide resources such as mentors that can help accelerate access to resources and knowledge in a timelier manner. And of course, time is money.

fosters Veteran enterprises is Hatch Innovations in Portland, Oregon. Hatch connects Veterans to communities and capital resources. Hatch helps Veterans marshal resources at local, state and national levels, including collaborating with the Small Business Administration’s small business support network for Oregon Veterans.

If you are a Veteran on a technology track, there is Patriot Boot Camp. This is a national effort organized under the TechStars startup accelerator to address the gaps in entrepreneurial support that military members, Veterans, and their spouses often encounter. Also, Vet-Tech in Silicon Valley focuses on Veteran sponsored technology startups.

VBS Founder and Managing Director, Jim Mingey, is a decorated Vietnam veteran raised from a proud military background. An entrepreneur for more than 35 years, Jim can relate on a personal level to the needs of the veteran small businessperson, and possesses the practical knowledge to implement his experience in today’s market. Jim participated in the EBV Program at Purdue University, has been a mentor at American Corporate Partners, developed the first approved franchise acquisition training program for the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program at Veterans Administration, and was instrumental in forming the first equity fund in the United States exclusively for veteran owned small businesses and franchises. www.veteransbusinessservices.us

Why would a Veteran trying to build a business believe they need an incubator to achieve success? Whether you are trying to build a local franchise, a national franchise chain or the next Microsoft, in today’s world you need a support team and as much help as you can get. One needs to limit risks before leaping into the business world. Entrepreneurs really aren’t significant risk takers, they are risk averters, acting to eliminate or mitigate the risks of their ventures, one solution at a time. If you’re a Veteran trying to identify your risks and workable solutions, an incubator could be the place for you.

There are various kinds of incubators for Veterans. At the national level, Bunker Labs supports military veterans throughout the journey of starting a business: from the idea stage—where active-duty service members are thinking about what to do post-service—to the growth stage of successful companies looking to hire, raise capital, and expand into new markets. Bunker affiliates around the country often partner with local community incubators.

An example of a local incubator which

Jim Mingey

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Kirk Williams, Dryer Vent Wizard

How Military Lessons Taught Me to Succeed in Franchising “When it comes to being a successful franchisee, remember the mindset you had during your time in the military and use the structure provided.” found franchising to be a natural fit for me because similar to the military, it provides structure and a clear, proven system to follow. Reflecting on my time in franchising, I see how my military training has directly impacted the way I operate my business on a daily basis.

Kirk Williams

After more than 20 years in corporate America as a sales representative, I wasn’t fulfilled professionally and longed to be my own boss.

Not interested in creating a business from scratch and knowing my strengths were best displayed when I have a plan, I decided to look into franchising.

As a graduate of the Naval Academy, I served in the Marine Corps as an air support control officer for five years. I

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Finding a Proven System The military is a well-oiled machine.

Everything a soldier does is organized and no time is wasted, from the minute he or she wakes until the lights go out, soldiers know exactly what each day entails. Once out of the military, it’s no surprise that veterans continue to perform well with a clear system. Franchises provide the same support. The military teaches us to execute orders and complete tasks efficiently. As a franchisee, the same mindset applies. I’ve been given a proven business plan and a step-by-step process that will ultimately create a profitable business. In both military and franchising, it isn’t required to recreate the wheel, and I appreciate that.

Follow the orders, and the mission will be

completed, whether it’s a military mission or the mission of business success.

When a veteran is provided a proven system, they’re all in and will follow through. Whatever the next step in the plan, veterans will do it, no questions asked. To be successful in franchising, the owner has to follow the business plan by the book. Franchisors know how to be profitable and are providing the path to success, which is why finding a franchise you believe in is so important. Trust that the franchisors continue to work to develop the best model possible for your business. In the end, executing a successful business is worth paying the royalty fee.

Show a veteran something that works, give direction on how to implement the system and we will be successful.

Taking on Small Tasks to Generate Huge Results In the military, discipline is something that is drilled into you. There is an art to doing daily grunt work. We are taught to wake up every day and complete small tasks that

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Kirk Williams, Dryer Vent Wizard

will ultimately accomplish a larger goal.

The work, at times, can feel monotonous, but we know doing it will positively affect the big picture because everyone is assigned a job that needs to be completed to meet the ultimate goal. To this day as an entrepreneur, I still instill discipline into each one of my days.

Not only does the military teach discipline, but also discipline in execution.

I focus on completing small daily tasks and concentrate on doing them well because they result in big payoffs. Success is about waking up and performing the small tasks to make yourself and your business better. For example, each day I hand out promotional material to local residents in order to introduce myself and my business. I try to get as much interaction with the community as possible to help generate awareness on a local level and have seen a payoff with new clients based on the relationships I’ve made. This

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is the daily discipline veterans learn from the military that I transfer to owning a franchise.

My Advice to Veterans Getting into Franchising For other veterans that are interested in getting into the world of franchising, I have three pieces of advice. First of all, believe in yourself. You have already done one of the most challenging tasks a person could take on by serving your country. Be confident in your decision to jump into business ownership and believe you’ll be successful. Second, remember your military training and the lessons learned from that time in your life, then carry that to your business. You can do this, you’ve been trained to have the internal ability to do this. Follow the business plan the franchisor has set. Give it your all and you will be successful. Finally, make sure you conduct research and have

an understanding as to what the business entails. Speak with current franchisees and see if their experiences seem doable for you. Once you find the franchise you want to invest in, get ready to work.

When it comes to being a successful franchisee, remember the mindset you had during your time in the military and use the structure provided. It is simple: do the daily work and make the commitment to serving your franchise, just like you committed to serve your country.

Kirk Williams graduated from the Naval Academy in 1988 and was an air support control officer for the Marines until 1993. After years in corporate sales, Kirk purchased Dryer Vent Wizard of Pittsburgh. Dryer Vent Wizard is the nation’s leader in dryer vent repair, cleaning and maintenance. dvwfranchise.com

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