Roughly 15% of franchises in the US are owned by military veterans because there are many skills acquired in the military that are needed to run a franchise. Strategic Franchising is no stranger to veteran owners and have recently opened four new franchise locations, owned and operated by military vets.
Experienced Business Leader Ryan Kaiser took the knowledge he gained from eight years of active duty and launched Caring Transitions of Northeast Denver. Hailing from Colorado, Ryan joined the Air Force directly after high school and once he completed active duty, he gained business experience in medical sales. It was his compassion and desire to continue serving others that lead him to Caring Transitions and franchise ownership.
“Transitions can be stressful, but you don’t have to do it alone. Caring Transitions is uniquely positioned to take that stress off your shoulders by partnering with you and creating a customized plan to help you meet your goals,” Kaiser said.
Shortly after switching their own dogs to Pet Wants food, husband and wife team, Adam and Heather Turnage decided they wanted to open a franchise of their own in Newman. With the demand for high-quality pet food at an all time high, Adam and Heather combined their previous experience owning a business with Adam's experience in the Navy and started a mobile Pet Wants location.
With a combination of over 30 years spent in the Army, husband and wife team, Leah and Alexander Serrano decided they wanted to open a business together. As the Serrano’s began their research into business ownership, they knew they wanted a franchise with a proven system and they wanted to build a company that would allow them to leave a legacy for their children – and they found that with Fresh Coat.
“Fresh Coat gives us the support we need to bring an industry-leading experience to our clients while running a business that speaks to our own values,” Leah said.
After serving in the Army, Herman Lenhardt was looking for a new way to continue to give back to his community. Merging the skills he acquired in the army with his past experience owning a business, Lenhardt launched Fresh Coat Painters of Norman.
“As a veteran who uses a wheelchair, the work was extremely rewarding, but I felt like my business itself needed additional structure, which is what led me to franchising,” Lenhardt said. “Fresh Coat was built on the concept of Painting Done Right! and I love the company’s commitment to raising the bar in the industry.”
A commitment to service is what makes military veterans stand out. “Fresh Coat Painters is an opportunity for me to serve my community in a new way by raising the bar in a sometimes challenged industry,” says Anthony Vu.
While serving in the United States Navy, Anthony simultaneously received his first taste of business ownership when he started a company repairing uniforms, designing name tags and insignia embroidery. As his time with the Navy came to an end, Vu decided he wanted to continue owning his own business and founded Fresh Coat Painters of Anaheim.
Military veterans are some of our best franchisees because they have a mixture of leadership, hard work and dedication, and the ability to follow systems and procedures, which are the skills it takes to own and run a successful business.