Top Reasons Why Veterans Make Great Franchise Owners

It takes a unique kind of personality to own and operate a franchise, and not everyone is necessarily up for the task. It definitely requires a good old-fashioned, roll up your sleeves and wipe the sweat from your brow mentality, to say the very least. While having some business skills and acumen is incredibly helpful, some of the most desired skills that make someone a great franchisee, however, may fall into a completely different category.

The International Franchise Association indicates roughly 15% of the franchises in the United State are owned by a military veteran. The Franchise Business Review indicates veterans own one out of every seven franchises in the United States and that there are more than 66,000 veteran-owned franchises in the country.

Further, the Small Business Administration reported that nearly a quarter of veterans have an interest in owning their own business. If you know a veteran, this statistic probably doesn’t surprise you. In fact, veterans are ideal candidates for owning a franchise. And here’s why…

5 Skills that Make a Great Franchisee

Serving in the military requires one to learn a variety of skills. Franchises require specific standards to be in compliance with the brand. This is not new territory for a veteran, who is accustomed to working for the greater good of a larger entity, which, in this case, would be for the franchisor or parent company. While these skills can be found in many hard-working individuals, they are often exponentially increased in veterans for many reasons.

First of all, veterans are accustomed to rigorous training. As soldiers, such training prepares them for almost any situation or challenge. It fuels discipline and motivates them to give their all in whatever they do. Therefore, participating in franchise training will be something they will enthusiastically approach and embrace.

Secondly, veterans are accustomed to learning new things, leading, and adapting to any given situation. No matter their rank when they served, veterans constantly honed their areas of expertise and were continually in the process of working tirelessly towards the next level of responsibility.

Thirdly, veterans are well-equipped with the leadership skills necessary to successfully operate a franchise. Resilient, confident, assertive, and honorable are just a few of the character traits that come to mind. After coming off a value-based experience in the military, veterans tend to gravitate towards work that gives them deep meaning and purpose and that will make a significant impact.

But let’s take a deeper dive into five of the top skills of veterans that make them a great franchisee.

Ability to Learn New Skills

Veterans are accustomed to constantly learning new skills and adapting accordingly. They have developed a keen sense of managing standard operating procedures effectively. Owning and operating a franchise comes with a list of operations and procedures to be followed. A franchisee is expected to adopt to the corporate culture and embrace the customer service standards. To those who have served in the military, this is more or less second nature to them. They have experienced challenging training exercises during their time of service and are on a first-name basis with how to strategically implement specific sets of drills and operations.

Strong Organizational Skills

Veterans fully comprehend the need to follow procedures and have a deep respect for the precision that flows through a chain of command. Further, because camaraderie is at the core of the military, veterans are used to collaborating and working with team members to accomplish a task. This type of organizational structure equally applies to their problem solving and critical thinking skills and plays into their ability to pay attention to the details. While in the military, they have often encountered highly stressful and unpredictable situations. However, their ability to take into consideration their resources during these times and mitigating the risks while still keeping a focus on the mission at hand makes them strong candidates when it comes to owning a franchise.

Unafraid of Hard Work and Dedication

Serving in the armed forces requires a strict mindset and the ability to be self-driven. Daily challenges are part of the job description. While serving in the military, soldiers are excepted to keep fit and in shape. To achieve this, they must put in hours of physical drills and hard physical training. This type of discipline and resilience can easily translate to the desire to work hard to make a franchise grow and prosper.

A Focus on Results

No matter the military operation or mission, strategy and planning must come into play. Thorough preparation for each and every mission is required. In the same manner, franchisees must apply similar methodologies in order to reach their unique busines goals. Because veterans are accustomed to such detailed planning and have presumably acquired strong time management skills, they have a significant head start as franchisees.

Follow the Leader

Leadership skills are highly critical when operating a franchise. For soldiers, such skills are honed on a daily basis, especially as one ascends through the ranks. They not only develop the ability to control and command, but they also foster a team mindset. Understanding how to manage people and situations becomes second nature to veterans. These skills are easily applied when operating a franchise.

Boots Always on the Ground

Being a part of something bigger then themselves is what keeps soldiers in line while serving in the military. This requires resiliency, grit, determination, and flexibility. These will all come into play as a franchisee learns to navigate the ups and downs of the business world. There will be losses, and there will be wins. A veteran can easily adapt, remain loyal to the brand, and continue marching forward.

Receive Financial Support for Your Veteran-Owned Business

The Small Business Association offers many resources for veterans as they seek to enter into business ownership, including a variety of funding programs. SBA tools like Lender Match will help connect veterans to lenders.

Consider the Home Pool Service Industry

The home pool service industry is seeing a spike in growth. Pools are getting more use as families spend more time at home, and they are looking for experts to keep the pool clean and healthy so they have more time to just focus on the fun. The Ultra Pool Care Squad franchise is the perfect opportunity to capitalize on this increased demand for such a service.

If you are looking to take control of your career and be your own boss in a growing sector of the home care world, visit us online at upcsfranchise.com call Robert Mitchell at 865-924-2203.