Best Veteran Franchises: What Makes a Veteran-Friendly Franchise

Leaving the military and rejoining civilian life can be a major adjustment for veterans. Some return to the jobs they used to do, trying to recreate their old lives. Others, looking for new challenges, may go back to college, or technical school to prepare for a new career. Still others may decide to start a business.

Someone who’s served in the military for decades may not be familiar with challenges of running a business, never mind starting one from scratch. That’s why many veterans who want to be business owners opt for buying franchises. When you buy a franchise, the franchisor gives you a proven step-by-step plan to follow and provides extensive training. You learn all about the product or service you’ll be selling, as well as the best way to run the business.

Plus, it’s a faster way to get started making money. Many veterans are older and don’t want to waste time getting started on the next stage of their lives, so they appreciate this efficiency.

International Franchise Association (IFA) created its VetFran program to foster the growth of veterans in franchising. According to IFA stats, veterans own 14% of all U.S. franchises. The organization believes that it’s the skills veterans learns during their military service that helps them succeed in franchising. The U.S. Small Business Administration has a Veteran Advantage Loan Program that helps veterans purchase their first franchise.

How Military Service Prepares You to Succeed As A Franchisee

Many things that became second nature to you during your time in the miliary will serve you well as a franchise.

• Discipline and the ability to follow orders. Serving in the military means leading a very structured life and obeying a lot of rules. As a franchisee, you must follow the plan given to you by the franchisor precisely, so all franchises will operate the same way. While some people might balk at this, veterans are used to doing things this way.
• Leadership As a business owner it will be up to you to helm the organization and manage your staff.
• Pride and Perseverance Showing dedication to getting the job done, and getting it done right establishes a good reputation for your franchise, which in turn reflects well on the company’s brand.
• Resilience As you have learned from your military service, not everything is going to go your way, and you need to be prepared to pivot and try again.
• Recognizing the importance of a tight knit culture In the military, your fellow service people are your brothers and sisters for life. In a good franchise system, franchisees support one another. This trickles down to employees, giving them a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves, and motivating them to work toward a shared goal.

Deciding to buy a franchise is only the beginning. There are veteran friendly franchises in hundreds of different industries with thousands of different companies. As a new entrepreneur, how do you compare them to find the best veteran franchise for you?

Veteran Friendly Franchises

Start by looking for a veteran friendly franchise. Hundreds of different franchises offer special incentives for veterans. Discounts range from waiving the franchise fee or reducing the franchise fee by 10-20% or several thousand dollars. Some franchises offer special financing for veterans. When talking to franchise representatives, be sure to let them know you are a veteran, and ask about any incentives they offer.

Keep in mind that even with the discount, some franchises may be out of your price range. You need to start the franchise buying process with a budget in mind—what you can afford to spend, and what you can afford to lose. Chances are your franchise will be a successful venture. But, on the off chance it isn’t, you don’t want to lose your home or your life savings over it.

What Do You Imagine Yourself Doing?

While you share common traits and experiences with fellow veterans, you are your own person with unique likes and dislikes. Use your strengths and interests to help you decide the best veteran franchise for you.

If you love to cook, or have always dreamed of owning your own restaurant, there are many options available including quick service (fast food), fast casual, and fine dining restaurants.

Two Maids proven business model, the established systems its maids follow, and its recognizable name will give your business a head start in the industry.

Do you have programming or IT skills? You may want to consider something to do with repairing computers or developing websites.

Are you interested in the medical field? There are many franchises offering home health care services.

Are you good with your hands? Maybe something in the construction industry would suit you.

How Will a Franchise Fit Your Lifestyle

The best veteran franchise for you will be one that fits the life you imagine yourself leading. Want a flexible schedule? You will be better off choosing a franchise that doesn’t require a brick-and-mortar retail location. Home services franchises fit this bill since your work is done in the customers’ residences. Home services is defined as anything having to do with the renovation, redecorating, or maintaining someone homes, so there are a lot of best veteran franchises to choose from under this umbrella.

Why You Should Consider Franchising with Two Maids

Cleaning services are a great option as the start-up costs are low, and the demand high. They don’t require a brick and mortar location, giving owners more flexibility in their schedules. Two Maids is a veteran friendly franchisee with a well-respected name. We have decades of experience in the residential cleaning industry and have developed systems and best practices that give us an advantage over our competitors. We are proud to offer veterans and active military personal 15% off our franchisee fee.

Find Out More About Two Maids

If you think buying a franchise is a better alternative than starting a home cleaning business on your own, contact Two Maids today. One of our franchise advisors will be in touch to answer your questions.