The military trains men and women to lead by example. Many of the same traits that make veterans successful in the military also make them great local business owners. Transitioning from active duty to civilian life comes with a new set of challenges. But the very skills honed in the military—leadership, discipline and teamwork to name a few—are the same that make successful entrepreneurs. And not surprisingly, veterans have a strong track record of franchise success—and their commitment to teamwork carries over into other areas as well, including hiring active duty and retired service members and building diverse opportunities across our communities. Franchising can open the door to a new path—a path to prosperity for our nation’s veterans entering civilian life. Together, we are Open for Opportunity.
97% of surveyed franchisors think veterans make excellent franchisees
Although veterans make up only about 7% of the population, they account for a whopping 14% of all franchisees in America
70% have brought on a veteran franchisee or corporate employee in the last year alone
Ralph Ware is a decorated veteran, serving in the US Army Acquisition branch for 10 years. After retiring from the military, Ralph searched for an opportunity to use the skills…
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Over the course of the summer, the Open for Opportunity Roadshow had the opportunity to make multiple stops in Richmond, Virginia. Kicking off the first stop, Virginia stakeholders, franchising leaders,…
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Sarah Love was originally a client of Pure Barre, but she enjoyed it so much that she became a franchise owner in Richmond, VA and has been for nine or…
Meet Sarah Love
Lou Schager spent 27 years as a U.S. Naval Officer before joining the Mosquito Joe franchise corporate team. After retiring from the military, Lou was in search of an opportunity…
Meet Lou Schager
John Alexander is a franchise owner of STOP Restoration in Charlotte, North Carolina. His business specializes in restoring homes or businesses that have been damaged. Although he was not familiar…
Meet John Alexander
Rich Freddo was flying planes in the Air Force before he was running a franchise. Rich owns a local CertraPro Painters franchise in Lewisville, Texas. A former Air Force officer,…
Meet Rich Freddo
Scott Hester was serving as an electronics technician in the U.S. Navy when first child was born. He decided he didn’t want to miss his young daughter growing up and…
Meet Scott Hester
Cheston C. Syma is a U.S. Marine veteran, a former security contractor for the U.S. State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency, a Cum Laude graduate of the University of…
Meet Cheston C. Syma
This op-ed originally appeared in The San Diego Union-Tribune on March 9, 2022. Read the full piece. Burton is a Marine veteran and local franchise business owner in San Diego. He lives…
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By Jayne Yutig February 26, 2022 Tali Burton owns 12 Dunkin locations and he's encouraging veterans and diverse community members to become franchisees. SAN DIEGO — Giving back is great…
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