Veterans in Franchising June 2018 6#8 3

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Veterans in Franchising june 2018

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

Restoration 1: Military Training Comes in Handy for Pushing Through Tough Restoration Jobs

Discovery Map Charts a Course to Franchise Success for Veterans What the Marine Corps Taught Me About Running My Franchise 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

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 june 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

Have Your Say

46 Restoration 1: Military Training Comes

in Handy for Pushing Through Tough Restoration Jobs

52 Social Franchising and Its Impact on Africa Roger McCoy, US Army Veteran and Certified

44 Discovery Map Charts a Course to Franchise Success for Veterans 48 What the Marine Corps Taught Me About Running My Franchise

Veteran News 44 Discovery Map Charts a Course to Franchise Success for Veterans

Franchise Executive (CFE)

Expert Advice 48 What the Marine Corps Taught Me About Running My Franchise Jeff Hateley, Owner/Franchisee, PJ’s Coffee

52 What Nearly 3 Decades in the Armed Forces

Taught Me About Business Ownership Mark Ward, Owner, Hungry Howie’s Pizza

45 Miracle Method® Surface Refinishing Opens in Augusta Franchising USA

V e t erans in Franchising

what’s new!

Discovery Map Charts a Course to Franchise Success for Veterans

Discovery Map International, Inc., the leading provider of curated guides to top tourist attractions, cities and towns throughout North America, recently announced a veteran’s discount program for new franchise owners.

Under Discovery Map’s new program, U.S. military veterans would receive a 20 percent discount off the $25,000 franchise fee to start a new Discovery Map or buy an existing location. That discount represents a $5,000 value ($20,000 for a veteran to own a franchise).

“Our veterans have done a great service for our country. At Discovery Map, we

believe our debt of gratitude goes beyond thank you to providing an opportunity for returning vets,” said Peter Hans, president of Discovery Map International, Inc. “Our franchise opportunity is something that could be of interest to many vets who are looking for pretty much a turnkey business where you can create your own schedule, even work seasonally, if you choose.”

Discovery Map has more than 130 maps across the U.S. and Canada. It is the charge of franchise owner to sell advertising space on the map and the online version of the map, available at discoverymap.com. The typical franchise

owner will publish a printed map once or twice per year, depending on the initial print run and the popularity of the map.

Discovery Map franchise owners come from many walks of life. Some are corporate refugees or semi-retired individuals looking to build a business and fund their full retirement. Others include recent college grads, as well as mothers (and fathers) looking to build a business with hours around the kids’ school schedules. With the advent of the veteran’s program, Discovery Maps are hoping to attract veterans as well.

“Discovery Map is truly a unique and appealing franchise opportunity. It’s not a 9-to-5 gig and you don’t necessarily have to work 12 months a year to run a successful franchise. You just have to be willing to work hard when you work,” said Hans.

Forbes Magazine recently named Discovery Map® one of the top 10 franchises to buy with an initial investment under $150,000. In 2018, it won the Top 50 Franchisee Satisfaction Award based on a survey conducted by FranchiseBusinessReview.

Discovery Map International, headquartered in Waitsfield, VT, in the heart of the Green Mountains, is the country’s leading provider of curated guides to top tourist destinations, cities and towns throughout North America. The distinctively colorful, hand-drawn maps are a favorite of travelers for navigating local dining, attractions, businesses, cultural experiences, ski destinations – and even the best locations to take selfies. Discovery Maps can be found in local hotels, restaurants, shops, visitor information centers and other participating venues, and at discoverymap.com.

Peter Hans, President of Discovery Map International Inc

Franchising USA

For more information on the Discovery Map franchise opportunity, visit discoverymapfranchise.com.

Miracle Method® Surface Refinishing Opens in Augusta Leading professional bathroom and kitchen refinishing franchise has opened the doors to its newest franchise in Augusta, Georgia Miracle Method Surface Refinishing, the nation’s largest professional bathroom and kitchen refinishing franchise, has opened a new location in Augusta under ownership of entrepreneurs Chris and Lana Tomblin. The business is servicing the entire Central Savannah River Area, including the communities of Evans and Grovetown in Georgia and Aiken and North Augusta in South Carolina.

Miracle Method offers a variety of bathroom and kitchen refinishing services and specializes in ceramic tile, countertops, vanities, bathtubs and surrounds, showers and sinks. The franchise also offers bathing safety modifications such as non-slip surfaces, grab bars and bath-to-walk-in shower conversions for both residential and commercial properties.

Chris Tomblin, a 26-year member of the U.S. Army Reserve and real estate investor, purchased the Miracle Method franchise after searching for refinishing options for a house in Augusta he considered purchasing. The house had two retro bathrooms, one pink and one blue, and Tomblin could not find a cost-effective solution for changing their colors within servicing distance to the house.

“This experience legitimized for me the growing demand for refinishing solutions,” Chris Tomblin said. “Even though I couldn’t find a service provider in Augusta to refinish that house at the time, Miracle Method always came up in my online search results. The need for a Miracle Method franchise in the area was clear, so we bought the business instead of the house with blue and pink bathrooms. We’re looking forward to fulfilling the demand for quality, low-cost refinishing solutions for the residents of the Central Savannah River Area.”

With 38 years of experience, Miracle Method is the fastest growing kitchen and bathroom surface refinishing company in the industry and has shown a 73 percent sales increase over the last six years.

“The Tomblins experienced firsthand the growing need for low-cost bathroom and kitchen refinishing options,” said Gwyn O’Kane, VP of franchise development. “By transforming their home-renovation experience into a business opportunity with Miracle Method, they now own a business that will provide their family with a fantastic quality of life while offering much-needed services to people looking for a less expensive option for remodeling their kitchens and bathrooms.”

Chris and Lana Tomblin

Earlier this year, Entrepreneur magazine ranked Miracle Method No. 1 in its category on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500® list. The company has also been named to Franchise Business Review’s Top 100 Franchise list for Veterans & Franchising in 2017.

Miracle Method is the nation’s largest bathroom and kitchen surface refinishing franchise, with 140+ locations throughout the U.S. Founded in 1979, Miracle Method specializes in tub, ceramic tile, and countertop refinishing and strives to constantly improve their areas of expertise. The award-winning franchisor was listed on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500® list in 2018 and is also an actively participating member of Vet Fran. Miracle Method’s franchise owners all live in the markets they serve and pride themselves on being independent, local small business owners building outstanding reputations in their communities.

To learn more about franchise opportunities, please visit fss.miraclemethod.com.

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cover story: restoration 1

Military Training Comes in Handy for Pushing Through Tough Restoration Jobs for Franchisee One Texas restoration franchisee calls on his military training to help him get through long, difficult restoration jobs.

Shain Mann owns the Restoration 1 franchise that serves the northern Houston suburb of Conroe. A six-year Combat Engineer veteran — three years of active duty and three years in the reserves — Mann knows from his military career that when a job goes longer than is expected, you just have to grit your teeth and get it done.

When a house has a backed-up sewer or a burst pipe, it can be a complete mess and it can be hell for the homeowners. Therefore, when Mann and his crew are tasked with cleaning things up, there is no going home just because they are tired.

“It’s a grueling thing sometimes,” the franchise owner said during a recent interview.

However, while serving in the army overseas, Mann saw much worse than backed-up sewers and burst pipes. While serving, it was not uncommon for a scheduled 10-hour mission to end up going for 24 hours with no sleep and no breaks.

Considering that, the occasional big restoration job doesn’t seem so bad.

“I know I’ll get to bed eventually,” Mann noted. “Just because it’s midnight, doesn’t mean you can stop.”

In addition to helping him push through the big restoration jobs, Mann said his military training also helps him from a leadership standpoint.

“I use a lot of the leadership skills that we used in the army, the team building,” he said. “Dealing with people from different backgrounds all the time.”

Mann praised the Restoration 1 team for what they do for military veterans, noting that the company has a lot of respect for veterans.

“They truly honor the military,” he noted.

“They’re always one call away.

You’re not alone out there.”

- Shain Mann

Franchising USA

A family affair Calling his decision to join the Restoration 1 franchise one of the best he’s ever made, Mann said he appreciates how the company is a true family business. Many of CEO Gary Findley’s family

members and close associates are involved in the business, Mann noted.

1 in the summer of 2016 and officially opened in November of that year.

Similarly, Mann has also made his franchise into a family business, employing five family members. His wife Shanan, who has been a valued partner in all his businesses, manages the office and has been on many a jobsite with him (Shanan pictured here). Shanan’s mother does bookkeeping work for the business as well as a plethora of behind-the-scenes work to keep the franchise running smoothly. Other family members take up other positions, like a cousin who is a lead tech supervisor, a sister who is a head salesperson (closing in on over 120 jobs in her first year on the job), and Shain and Shanan’s son, Hunter, who works with the business in the summer with the intention of starting his own someday. This makes Mann’s Restoration 1 franchise not only lucrative for him and Shanan, but for their extended family as well.

One of the good things about the training with Restoration 1 is that franchisees receive both Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) training and business training.

Mann said he also has a close relationship with his coaches in Restoration 1, who act more as personal development coaches than merely franchise coaches.

And the entire franchise system is like a big family. If any franchisee has a question about a job they’re doing, they are free to call on their trainers and coaches at the company or a fellow franchisee.

He and Shanan did their training in Florida with one of the biggest Restoration 1 franchise locations.

The couple required more training on the business side of things rather than the actual physical work, whereas other franchisees they trained with had a better handle on the business side of things and required more focus on the physical work.

Regardless of what franchisees require most, Restoration 1 will accommodate them with training focused on where they need it, he noted.

Mann was used to the physical aspect of the labor involved. At 18, he started and ran his own tree felling business for three years. After his stint in the military, he went back to tree felling, dabbled in some other businesses and then settled into running a heavy construction business.

Getting trained

However, Mann didn’t feel like his business was set up to grow and so he sought something else, which brought him to Restoration 1. The franchisee chose to go with Restoration 1 because other restoration franchises did not have a territory available in Conroe and they were also too rigid in their corporate structure for Mann.

Mann started his training for Restoration

“I just felt like I was buying myself a

“They’re always one call away,” he pointed out. “You’re not alone out there.”

regional manager position in a company,” Mann recalled. “The Restoration 1 guys are a lot more flexible.”

They’ll allow franchisees to experiment a little and try new things, Mann noted.

Now that Mann’s Restoration 1 franchise is established, his work/life balanced has steadied.

When he first started, Mann had to keep his construction business going and the franchise was a major extra workload, but after six months, the restoration business started doing better than the construction business and he was able to wind that down to focus completely on his franchise.

Now, with nine employees, things are going so well that he and his wife are planning to step away for a much-needed vacation soon.

To other prospective Restoration 1 franchisees, Mann said he would tell them to try and hire an office manager as soon as possible because if you can hire an office manager right away, your workload will be manageable. If you try to run the whole company by yourself, it would be a daunting challenge.

“This business is set up for at least four to five people to run it,” he said.

For military veterans who know what it takes to have to push through and finish a tough job, Restoration 1 can be an ideal opportunity to put that military training to good use in the business world. www.restoration1.com

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Expert Advice: Jeff Hateley, Owner/Franchisee of PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans in Rock Hill, South Carolina

What the Mar Corps Taught

about Running My Franc It wasn’t long after the attack on the Twin Towers in 2001 when I decided to enlist in the military. I wanted to do my part in serving and protecting our great nation and knew the Marine Corps would be the best fit for me.

From the beginning they instill three core values into every recruit: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. These values have played a significant role in my every day life and continue to help guide me through business ownership.

After the military, I was able to return to

school and graduate with an MBA. The focus, discipline, and dedication that I was taught in the Marine Corp is what got me through school and pushed me to pursue a higher education. Once I graduated, I knew my experiences in the military and my education would be best utilized as a business owner, but I never knew to what extent.

My mom came across the PJ’s Coffee annual franchise license giveaway on Veteran’s Day last year and encouraged me to go through the application process.

We both knew franchising was perfect fit since it allows you to go into business for yourself but not by yourself. After going through a rigorous application and interview process, I was successful and became a part of the PJ’s Coffee family.

My life experiences and the core values instilled in me from Marine Corp has taught me viable lessons and life skills on how to run my business successfully.

Give Respect In the Marine Corps in order to get respect, you have to give respect. From leaders and sergeants to recruits and privates. Respect has played a vital role in my military and professional success.

Respect and honor go hand-in-hand—both deriving from the way you treat people.

This is the bedrock of our character and

Jeff Hateley

Franchising USA

the foundation of my business. While serving, I was held to the ultimate standard of honor and I exemplified ethical and moral behavior to have respect and concern for others. By possessing this high level of personal integrity, it affected the way I treated others. Now as an entrepreneur, I take this high level of honor and develop personal relationships with people in my community to give and gain respect. With these attributes, your employees and customers will continue to respect you and help your business thrive.

Lead by Example Throughout my military career, I was lucky to have two mentors, Sgt. Gary Saldivar and Sgt. Terance Gant, who helped guide me through every obstacle I had to overcome. Sgt. Gary Saldivar and Sgt. Terrance Gant were vital resources who had a positive influence on me and helped shape me into the man I am today.

They taught me courage is the willingness to always do what is right and to most importantly lead by example. The amazing experiences I had in the Marine Corps has now allowed me to positively guide my employees and those in my community. I lead by example and I strive to be able to instill core values into my employees and provide them with the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of running a business in

“The Marine Corp taught me it’s important to give back to the community and to always be an example to others.”

rine Me

chise

“Not everything is going to run according to plan and you need to be able to adapt with the changes and roadblocks you cross... Adaptability is an essential skill for entrepreneurs when running a business.”

hopes they are able to become successful entrepreneurs. The Marine Corp taught me it’s important to give back to the community and to always be an example to others.

Be Adaptable When I was deployed in Iraq and Japan, I learned how important it is to be adaptable. Not everything is going to run according to plan and you need to be able to adapt with the changes and roadblocks you cross. I was committed to every task and order I was given and I know the ultimate goal would lead to success. To

reach that goal successfully, I often had to adapt. Adaptability is an essential skill for entrepreneurs when running a business.

My commitment is now to my employees, customers, and community. I will always seek constant improvement to reach a higher success and adapt to any changes or obstacles.

Regardless if you’ve been in business for years or if you’re just opening your doors, it’s important to have respect for others, set a positive example for those who see you as a leader, and keep an open mind when things don’t go according to plan.

The lessons and skills you’ve learned

throughout your life’s experiences will help you to build a successful business.

Jeff Hateley is a Marine Corps veteran who specialized in Tactical Data Networks and was a Primary Marksmanship Instructor while serving.

He is now the owner and operator of PJ’s Coffee franchise, a New Orleansbased coffeehouse that demonstrates a welcoming “southern hospitality” style coffee-house experience, the freshest products, and better beans with superior roasting techniques. www.pjsfranchise.com

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V e t erans in Franchising

HAVE YOUR SAY: Roger McCoy, US Army Veteran and Certified Franchise Executive (CFE)

SOCIAL FRANCHISING AND ITS IMPACT ON AFRICA

“Nearly every problem has been solved by someone, somewhere.

The frustration is that we can’t seem to replicate these solutions anywhere else,” says Bill Clinton.

Social franchising is the application of commercial franchising methods to achieve socially beneficial results. And one of their core values is the sharing and replication of successful methods.

Even after years of aid through a variety of avenues, much of Africa is still in desperate need of improved access to health care and other infrastructure services. As a group of countries, Africa performs well below the rest of the world

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in Gross Domestic Product per capita.

Sub-Saharan Africa levels are 3% of United States levels and 14% of overall World levels. GDP per capita decreased from 2015 to 2016. Africa can’t feed itself.

Africa has received substantial aid since 1960, increasing on a per-capita basis by a multiple of 20 by 2006. Yet poverty in East Africa doubled from 1981 to 2005.

A key reason and a compelling limitation on improvement is African government instability, uncertainty and corruption.

Africa is plagued by government theft of aid funds. The current message of the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda is not to give Africa more money, but ensure their money is spent correctly to generate effective change.

David Cameron, a UK Prime Minister, suggested we stop focusing on the quantity of aid. Instead, long-term development only occurs if there is a “golden thread” of stable government, lack of corruption, human rights, the rule of law and transparent information.

Economic incentives must be geared to allow the improvement of the state of the

impoverished. And most importantly, it must allow the poor to “work” their way out of poverty, such has occurred in many parts of Asia which have experienced substantial economic improvement without significant aid.

In the end, the solution must be greater democracy. Publishing national budgets and holding governments accountable for how revenue is spent, are essential elements of democracy. There is a “democracy deficit.”

In 2007, the founder of Travel Smith started a social franchise offering lifesaving products to the poor. Living Goods uses a model like the “Avon Lady” to deliver required items door-to-door in local communities. Although not yet selfsustaining, that is the creator’s goal. And the longer he’s involved in the process, the fewer distinctions he sees between social and commercial franchising.

Another social franchise, Vision Spring, provides needed eyewear to the poorest of communities through health workers entrepreneurs. “We recover $7 from the marketplace for every $10 we spend,”

“Coordinated investment into social franchising, backed by specialized expertise, has facilitated the delivery of social and financial returns and scalable social impact.” says the founder. Another organization, Health Store foundation, aims to control the quality of medicine provided. They’ve found that 50% of sub-Saharan Africa drugs are made of chalk. They save lives through their quality efforts.

DKT, started in 1994 by Phil Harvey as a non-profit to promote family planning, uses all the techniques and infrastructure of commercial franchising, but doesn’t charge an upfront fee or royalties. Donors provide monies to update or build quality clinics and midwives are the most common franchisees. Each location must follow the basic franchise model, but has some flexibility to deal with the needs of their community. The franchisor drives business to the clinics through marketing and unique product offerings.

In 2006 Ron Bruder started his enterprise, Education for Employment, as a social franchise. “One hundred million. That’s the number of young people across the Middle East and North Africa who will need employment opportunities in the coming decades.” Despite early resistance from donors and partners, he has proven the model works. Job creation in local communities has been a key in the franchising process.

Marie Stopes International (MSI) program of family planning social franchising in Africa and Asia lists four key outputs: equity, quality, efficiency and access.

They organize small, independent health care businesses into quality-assured networks, providing an opportunity to engage the private sector in improving access to family planning and other health services. In total, the services provided through this social franchise system resulted in an estimated 5 million fewer unintended pregnancies and 7,000 fewer maternal deaths.

There are stories of great successes and

some failures in social franchising. Is it a model that can be used effectively to provide needed services and infrastructure to Africa? Absolutely. The franchise model provides a structure to allow consistent operations over a wide area.

And it provides needed support to unsophisticated franchisees. The “local” ownership might be in a better position to deal with incompetent or corrupt governmental agencies.

Social franchising through the existing private sector model can rapidly scale-up access to high-quality services. Too much time and money are wasted reinventing the wheel. Coordinated investment into social franchising, backed by specialized expertise, has facilitated the delivery of social and financial returns and scalable social impact.

“Social franchising is the application of commercial franchising methods to achieve socially beneficial results.” been involved in franchising since 2004 and is pursuing his PhD in Franchise Management. He has had articles published recently in franchising and trade publications and spoken on related PhD topics at a variety of conferences.

This article is an abridged version of a PhD paper. He will be presenting his related findings at an international conference on “Africa at Development Crossroads” in Nairobi at the end of June, 2018.

For further information please see: rogermccoy.academia.edu.

Social Franchising can’t overcome government disinterest and greed. As harsh as this may sound, aid organizations can’t waste funds that will be stolen or not used for the intended benefit. They must channel the funds to those areas best able and willing to use them effectively by following David Cameron’s “golden thread”.

Roger McCoy is a US Army Veteran, Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) and a Senior Franchise Business Consultant for Direct Energy. He has

Roger McCoy

Franchising USA

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Expert Advice: Mark Ward, Owner of Hungry Howie’s Pizza on Bandera Road in San Antonio

What Nearly three Decades in the Armed Forces Taught me About Business Ownership

As a young boy, I grew up immersed in the field of aviation; we lived in the departure path of San Francisco International Airport and I remember watching planes come and go each day.

Beyond that, my uncle served as a Senior Pilot for United Airlines and I listened in awe as he told me thrilling stories noting his experiences in aviation. As I grew older, I set my sights on joining the Air Force which would allow me to pursue my love of flight while serving my country. I began my military career in 1985 as a copilot flying helicopters I’d only dreamed

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about—like the ageless Huey and the special operations MH-53—all over the world. During my 26 year career with the Air Force, I worked through the ranks and was eventually promoted to Colonel.

Though the opportunity to fly was a dream come true, getting to command multiple units as a Colonel taught me indispensable tools that I continue to utilize as the franchise owner of Hungry Howie’s Pizza.

The importance of strategic leadership When I returned from service to life as a civilian, I was faced with two options—to work at a cubicle for the next 20 years of my life, or to pursue a new career path that would allow me to be my own boss. The decision to open a franchise meant that I would be leading a team of employees who would look to me for support and

guidance, much like when I served as Colonel. Command taught me how to better manage and lead large numbers of people while getting the job done right, on time, every time. I attempt to do the same as a franchise owner. I make sure when hiring new staff that each team member is sufficiently trained and prepared to tend to our customers with care. When I get positive feedback from my customers on our customer service and efficiency, I am reassured that I am utilizing lessons learned from the Air Force to train my employees effectively.

Prepare for the unexpected Those serving in the military know that one must constantly prepare for the unexpected. Veterans are often skilled at setting goals, creating plans to reach those goals, and executing accordingly.

“Command taught me how to better manage and lead large numbers of people while getting the job done right, on time, every time. I attempt to do the same as a franchise owner.” myself up for failure. Rather than allowing the self-doubt of my peers dissuade me from my business endeavors, I began educating myself on precisely what it would take to become a successful franchise owner. I was fortunate to have the support of my family and a company like Hungry Howie’s that provides incentives to veteran franchisees, but by and large doing my own studying is what prepared me for this role.

All military services instill core values in veterans that serve as a great road map for future business endeavors. Above all, the most overarching value I’ve identified among those pursuing the military or the business world is integrity. Running a business with integrity, putting the customer’s needs first, and delivering an excellent product are things I learned in the military that translate perfectly into the franchise world.

Mark Ward is a 26-year Air Force veteran and owner of Hungry Howie’s Pizza on Bandera Road in San Antonio.

Of course, no plan stays fully intact as you go forward and that is where the skill of being able to adapt and overcome is priceless. Serving in the military taught me the importance of adaptability to new circumstances, and that skill has helped me immeasurably as a franchise owner.

When operating a restaurant, there may be days when your store will be understaffed with a line of hungry customers out the door—as a veteran who has experienced a multitude of situations that went nowhere near according to plan, I’m able to maintain my calmness in these situations and mitigate accordingly.

franchising.hungryhowies.com

Identify areas of weakness and educate yourself The idea of being your own boss sounds appealing for many veterans until they learn the many risks—both financial and otherwise—involved with launching a business. The military teaches you many things, but when it came to financial literacy and business acumen, I acquired that on my own through extensive research. As a veteran, I consider myself to be a self-starter and I knew that entering a new field would be a huge undertaking.

Many fellow veterans questioned my business model and thought I was signing

“Serving in the military taught me the importance of adaptability to new circumstances, and that skill has helped me immeasurably as a franchise owner.”

Mark Ward

Franchising USA

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