Veterans are uniquely suited to run a franchise business operation. Possibly more than most people. One in seven franchises is owned by a veteran. In the last three years alone, more than 5,000 veterans have become franchise business owners! WHY? Because of these following qualities of our Veterans that can help them succeed in business.
1. LEADERSHIP
As a good leader, you should understand who you lead. Learn how you can motivate your subordinates to reach a common goal. Serving your country is very transferable to being a franchise owner and serving our community.
2. LOYALTY
As a veteran, they are not just loyal to their country, they are also loyal to their units. When you are loyal to those around you and to those under you, you are thinking not just for yourself. You know that what’s best for everyone is also what’s best for yourself.
A commitment to the brand and a passion for success can make a huge difference in the overall prosperity of the franchise business. For veterans, hard work and commitment are a part of the job description
3. STRATEGIC THINKING
Veterans are known for strategic thinking. They know how to follow rules and orders but at some instances, they need to react accordingly in different situations. This is one important attitude for you to succeed in franchise ownership. You must analyze and react to situations that will not sacrifice the business’ rules, your customers, your staff and yourself. The most successful franchisees are those that follow the guidelines set by the franchisor and that utilize all of the resources and support available to them. Veterans are skilled at taking orders and getting things done – their lives often times depend on it.
4. TEAM BUILDING
As a franchise owner, you should know how to be a team player. You must know how to build strong working relationships with your franchisor and your staff. Franchising is a business for yourself but not by yourself so the first thing you need to know is how to be a people person. Learn how to build a healthy, fun, enjoyable but professional working ambiance on your workplace. Military veterans are used to operating in an extremely structured and team-oriented environment. They know how to give orders and delegate. Whether the franchise business requires managing a team of two or 200, veterans know how to lead, stay organized, and function under pressure.
5. ACCOUNTABILITY
In Military, whenever something wrong happened during a mission or in the garrison, they should know how to hold the responsibility for their actions. Franchise owners need to know that since they are mostly the decision-makers in the team, they must accept if they have done something wrong. Admitting mistakes is not that easy but to accept and to solve it immediately would be of great help for the whole team. Veterans know how to wake up and go to work – they have the motivation, are used to being accountable.
Veterans have served our country not just with the skills and training they have undergone but with the attitude that they have towards reaching a common goal, building camaraderie and being able to strategically think of ways to win the battle. If you can run a battle or a war, you can run a business.
Many franchises offer discounts for veterans as their way of saying Thank You.