Why military vets are in such demand in the franchise industry

If you are a military veteran, you are the equivalent to the #1 draft pick in the NFL.

I'll bet you never thought of yourself that way before, huh? I's true. Your military training is to franchisors what D1 college football playing is to the NFL. It creates the pool of talent that franchisors hunger to bring onto their team.

Military service is known to influence the development of someone’s character, teach them how to overcome adversity, and give them experience working under pressure.

Add to that the reputation that Veterans have as accountable, motivated, dependable and flexible and its no wonder franchisors want them on their team. These are all highly sought after qualities in a franchisee.

But there's something even more

An understanding of and appreciation for process is in even greater demand in the franchise industry. Given military life is all about following orders and carrying out mission objectives with no room for error, franchisors know military veterans are well-trained in the power of process.

Given how well-positioned vets are to succeed as franchise owners, franchisors are always eager to talk with vets. As an incentive to join their organization, more than 650 franchisors offer a franchise fee discount to vets. One cautionary tale, though - don’t buy a franchise just to get the discount. Evaluate the entire package and you might discover another opportunity is a better financial and cultural fit for you.

The franchise culture is as close to the military culture as I’ve experienced in civilian life. That’s likely why so many vets are among the most successful franchise owners there are.

Franchise ownership offers many of the same benefits as the military:
✅ Sense of purpose
✅ Sense of belonging
✅ Community
✅ Structure
✅ Support
✅ Camaraderie

How a franchise is similar to serving in the military

In other words, when you buy a franchise, you're not just buying a business – you're buying into a mission greater than oneself. Every other franchisee is contributing the same mission. Unlike the similar business down the street from you, your fellow franchisees are not your competition; they are your brothers and sisters.

And, just like in the military, the plan has already been developed.

Your job is to execute with precision. The more flawless the execution, the more successful your business. Where franchisees get tripped up is when they think they can improve on the plan and deviate from the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). That’s just ego getting in the way.

Rely on your team

Also like the military, you have a team around you with expertise in areas you may not be familiar with. None of us can be an expert in everything, so it’s great to have others to turn to for assistance.

Your fellow franchisees, those who own the exact same business as you but in another town or area of the same town, are your brothers and sisters. They are doing exactly what you are doing and they are, more often than not, happy to share their experiences and tips with you. Those who have been doing it longer want to help you succeed. Because when you succeed, it strengthens the entire brand, including their business.

Your franchisor support staff. These are the people at headquarters who can help you or direct you to the right person for help. Most franchise systems have a person dedicated as the point-person to a sub-set of franchisees (often based on geography). Over time they get to know you, you get to know them and they are there to answer your questions as well as share best-practices they are seeing in other franchise locations. More secrets to help you succeed.

In the franchise world, you are never alone.