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This week, we are delighted to feature a guest blog from James M. Wilson

Veterans and Franchising

When leaving active duty, veterans often first look to finding a job in the defense industry or in aviation or other career that is strongly related to their active duty experience. This is appropriate because there are plenty of adjustments in moving from the military to the civilian world without adding completely unfamiliar work requirements to the mix.

One area that veterans traditionally give little attention to is owning a business through buying a franchise. Generally, the first reaction a veteran has to the idea of buying a franchise is either that they don’t know anything about or don’t want to get involved in fast food or they don’t have the available cash or net worth to qualify to own a franchise restaurant. While there are many fast food restaurants franchise opportunities available, numerous other industries use franchising to expand and those opportunities are worth considering. Some may be very similar to the active duty experience of the veteran.

Franchise systems in the US have always recognized the special attributes that veterans can bring to their systems as franchisees. Veterans are comfortable working in a system that requires them to follow rules and to take charge. Veterans are generally more independent and therefore more comfortable with doing their work independent of oversight but within guidelines that the franchise system lays out.

The striking thing for veterans about owning and operating a franchise is that they do not need to be experienced with making pizza, for example, to own a pizza franchise. The franchise system provides methods for that. What a veteran brings to a franchise is an ability to follow the instructions of the franchise in effectively operating the business. Franchises are operated according to an Operating Manual that spells out all the operating procedures of the franchise. Veterans are familiar with having such a manual that details much of what the need to do to fly a plane, drive a tank, set-up and operate a field hospital or kitchen. Using and following those manuals as well as being comfortable with the idea of having this reference to refer to, to solve problems is subtle skill set that veterans have from their military experience that civilians may be unfamiliar with and have to develop. But more importantly for the veteran considering buying a franchise, the operating manual is a source of familiarity with the new business world that he/she is entering by buying a franchise that is not available if he/she starts a business on his/her own.

Recently veterans have gotten some assistance for acquiring franchises. The International Franchise Association re-launched the Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative, or VetFran, by which IFA member franchisors provide special deals for veterans. The offerings under VetFran stem from reduced franchise fees to special financing deals. You can get more information on VetFran at the International Franchise Association’s website, www.franchise.org. Additionally, in the past year the SBA announced a special loan program to assist veterans with financing for buying franchises and other business needs. The Patriot Express Loan program provides loans of up to $500,000 to veterans at reduced interest rates. Additionally, Patriot Express loans are processed more quickly than normal loans so they can be closed and disbursed in less time than other SBA guaranteed loans.

James M. Wilson is Contributing Editor to Operation Franchise. Operation Franchise is a quarterly magazine focused on helping veterans research, buy and run franchises.

He is a retired Navy Commander (O-5) and a business attorney in Richmond, VA. He is also a graduate of the US Naval Academy (1980) and the University of Richmond Law School (1992).

To find out more about franchise opportunities for veterans, visit our information portal which features a series of articles on franchise opportunities for veterans.

Is this the sign of life of we’ve been waiting for? The New York Times is reporting a sliver of movement in the lending markets following signs of life on the stock market last week. After blogging yesterday about a freeze-up in lending to small businesses, perhaps a certain confidence in the stock market will change banking attitudes towards all overall lending. We will wait and see. At this stage, we’ll welcome any positive sign.

In the latest edition of the Business Insights series, we noted the positivity of franchisors and entrepreneurs at the IFA Convention in San Diego. It’s encouraging to see that sentiment affirmed at a grassroots level. A recent poll conducted by the website Franchise Business Review says that franchisee satisfaction continues to remain high for many.

For the last four years, Franchise Business Review has been conducting surveys of owners of franchises brands. This year, over 400 of America’s leading franchise brands were polled, including the likes of Church’s Chicken, FastSigns, Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning and Home Instead Senior Care.

Thousands of franchisees were surveyed on issues ranging from training and support, system quality issues, franchisor relationship, financial opportunity and overall satisfaction. Franchise Business Review found that 115 franchise brands are experiencing very strong franchisee satisfaction.

Given the economic situation, it’s very important to see the optimism that is holding at the top of franchising also running strong at franchisee level. This is highly assuring as more and more entrepreneurs search out new business opportunities.

Well, wasn’t that exciting? But as the post-mortem’s are being written on 2008’s seemingly-endless presidential election, it’s a prescient time to take a look at the shape of the small business world as we head into this new historical moment.

As we all know, these are trying times for small businesses. The credit crunch is biting and insurance costs are skyrocketing.

“The state of the union for small business is bad,” says Moody’s Economy.com chief economist, Mark Zandi recently told CNN recently.

Here’s more bad news for entrepreneurs: a recent Fortune Small Business/Zogby International poll says 42% of U.S. small-business owners have had their businesses had go down in the last four years.

That said, there are still reasons for small business owners to be positive. Just look at the boom in the education and health-service sectors last year. And with the low cost of the dollar, small businesses have enjoyed a bumper year for exports. Statistics from the Small Business Administration shows exports up 63 percent over the last five years for small firms.

Financial experts are now advocating a sensible approach for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Here are three elements which might be able to bring further relief:

* Health care costs: The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) was introduced by Congress in April 2008. The Small Business Association is excited by the cost-cutting opportunities that the bill presents.

* Credit cuts: there have been calls to the SBA to raise its current 7(a) loan guarantees from 75 – 85 percent to 100 percent. This move would go a long way towards restoring confidence of small business owners and getting them back in business

* Help exporters: some franchisors might not know about the Government’s Gold Key service. In this service, the Department of Commerce charges $700 to match business owners and distributors. There were 1,200 Gold Key requests and this is another tool that might help small business owners through this trying time.

Prospective franchisees typically must borrow money to start up their new venture. Most people get financing through a bank or lending institution. But there is also another option for financing a franchise that is not so widely known but which offers some real benefits over traditional financing – using your IRA, 401(k) or other retirement accounts to fund a new franchise business. (more…)