Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Mary Thompson, the president of Mr. Rooter and the chair for VetFran, about the VetFran program. It was an eye opening chat, and one that I believe deserves to be advertised as much as possible.

VetFran was founded after Desert Storm in 1991, by Don Dwyer, the founder of the international franchise company, The Dwyer Group. After 9/11, Don Dwyer’s daughter, Dina Dwyer-Owens, the current CEO of the Dwyer Group took it upon herself to revitalize the VetFran program. There are over 400 members of VetFran, all franchisors looking to give discounted franchises to veterans. The current chair of the program is Mary Thompson, the president of Mr. Rooter. So far there have been over 2100 deals given to veterans throughout the years. And Mr. Rooter, Thompson’s own company, has been named by USA Today as one of the Top 50 Companies in American to work with veterans.

“I was a franchise owner before, and I’ve done every job since. I’ve been on every side and seen it from all levels,” Thompson said. “That’s why I’m so passionate. I know I would not have had the success I’ve had without the marine corp. and the franchising business teaching me how. Veterans make the best franchisees: they are disciplined, but follow a system. We are looking for leaders who want to lead toward a common goal.”

Indeed, a marine sword flashes from the walls of Thompson’s office, a flash of deadly silver and ivory handle polished until it glows in the late afternoon sun. Thompson herself speaks on the subject with true passion, as evident by her recent travels to Washington DC to support the new Help Veterans Own Franchises Act.

“The bill is a win/win situation,” Thompson said. “It gives veterans tax credits up to $25,000 of the franchise fee. This money is cash that veterans can then invest back in the company. It pays taxes back into the community. The veteran now has a job, and also has created jobs, and the franchisors end up with a great franchisee.”

As the chair for VetFran, Thompson has spent her time trying to expand the program to its limits. Through her leadership, the website has been redone and a portal is being created to marry veterans with different job opportunities. Their goal is to increase the number of franchisors on VetFran 15%, and they’re already part of the way there to next year’s goal.

“At a recent event, VetFran experienced 4 percent growth at a single event,” Thompson said, relish in her voice. “The greatest thing about the program is that VetFran isn’t just doing ‘the right thing to do.’ VetFran is the right thing to do, but it’s also the smart thing to do. Franchising is a great medium and a great match between veterans and franchisors. Veterans ‘get’ the system. Most people have to be taught that.”

Through her many engagements, like speaking at the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, Thompson has had the opportunity to spread her knowledge about the world of opportunities available for veterans and franchisors alike. Having wounded warrior, Staff Sergeant Shilo Harris there, however, as living proof of her words, made the impact all the more tangible.

“I always have said ‘If not now, when?’ when it comes to VetFran and veterans programs, and Shilo said something that has really stuck with me. He told me ‘That’s not a question, that’s an imperative.’ And he was right.”

Helpful links:

The VetFran website

Information on the Help Veterans Own Franchises Act and how to help:

Franchise trade shows are a great source of information as you consider which brands to invest in. At these shows, which take place all over the country throughout the year, you can kick the tires, taste the food, and handle the products. Most important, perhaps, you can meet live representatives from dozens, or even hundreds of brands, depending on the size of the show.

The Grounds Guys will have MANY trade shows for 2011! Don't miss out!

Whether national, regional, or local, these shows offer a golden opportunity to ask questions – not only with franchise sales representatives, but often with franchisees as well. Most shows also provide educational seminars and sessions where you can meet franchise experts and specialists. You can also learn a lot from other entrepreneurs seeking the right brand for themselves and compare notes, impressions, hopes, and fears.

IFA Annual Convention – In terms of sheer size and scope, the biggest show is the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) annual convention. IFA shows generally offer sessions such as The A to Z’s of Buying a Franchise; How To Franchise Your Business; Financing Your Franchise; Opportunities in Franchising for Minorities & Women; and Franchising for Veterans 101. Other shows sponsored by the IFA include:

• International Franchise Expo (IFE) – Also endorsed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, this annual show is held in April in Washington, D.C.

• West Coast Franchise Expo – This annual October event draws more than 200 franchise brands from more than a dozen states in the West and offers a complete conference program.

• Franchise Expo South – Hundreds of franchisors attend to showcase their brands. This show draws both attendees and exhibitors from Latin America and the Caribbean.

• Franchise & Financing Expo – These are held at different times of the year across the country, sponsored by the IFA, the SBA, and local Chambers of Commerce. Sites include Arizona, Atlanta, Boston, Central Virginia, and North Texas. As the name indicates, these shows are an opportunity to learn about financing and meet lenders face to face.

• Franchise Opportunities Seminars for Women and Minorities – Conducted by the IFA’s Diversity Institute, these one-day events, held in cities across the country, seek to introduce franchising as an economic development tool. They are held in cooperation with Congressional representatives, mayors, local governments, the Urban League, the SBA, Small Business Development Centers, the Minority Business Development Agency, and other partners. They include franchisor exhibits and seminars on franchising fundamentals, legal aspects, financing, funding, and technical assistance. For a list of cities and dates visit the IFA’s website.

Further information on many of these events can be found at the IFA website and at www.mfvexpo.com, which produces most of these shows.

How to get the most from these shows

1. Before you attend – Go online and/or phone the sponsoring group to get a list of the franchise companies exhibiting. Choose the brands you want to learn about in advance, and research them online before the show. Don’t lock in on your selected brands to the exclusion of new opportunities that may catch your attention once you arrive.

2. At the show – Once inside, stop in at the booths of the brands you have chosen. Bring a list of your three to five most important questions and try to get some one-on-one time with the brand’s representatives. Take notes; lots happens at these shows, and you can review your notes – as well as franchisors’ printed and digital material home – when you get home.Get business cards from the people you meet, and leave your card or contact information with the brands you like. Try to get a sense of the culture of the brand from the reps you meet, and how they respond to your questions.

3. After the show – Review the materials you have collected, sort out your impressions, comparing your experience to your expectations. See who contacts you first–quick follow-up usually is an indicator of a franchise organization that has its act together–and of how they will treat you later if you sign with them.

If you are looking to franchise with The Dwyer Group, come and visit us at these trade shows for 2011:

The Grounds Guys:
Congress 2011
Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show
New England Grows
CanWest Horticultural Show
Nursery/Landscape Expo
GIE + EXPO
SIMA 14th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium

Aire Serv:
Comfortech

Glass Doctor:
GlassBuild America
NACE

Mr. Appliance:
ASTI

Mr. Electric:
Electric West
IEC National Convention

Mr.  Rooter:
Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International

(We will attend more, but these are shows we have booked at the moment.)

Visit LeadingTheServiceIndustry.com for more information on trade shows.

Charlie Hall calls his Mr. Rooter franchise his “redneck enterprise” if that’s the case I guess you could call Charlie Hall “redneck royalty.”  In seven years Charlie has expanded his business from three service vans to seven, five employees to 19, and first year revenue of $700,000 to projected $2 million in 2010.

I know what you’re thinking, Charlie Hall must be quite the plumber, but the truth is most of his professional career has been spent in marketing and sales with Coca-Cola.  In 2003, Hall’s son Nick who worked as a Mr. Rooter technician mentioned that the owner was going to sell.  Hall decided to jump on the opportunity to become a business owner and has never looked back.

Not having any experience in the industry may have been intimidating for many, but Hall did his research and realized the key to making his new business profitable was specialization.

“We needed to get our arms around jetting, and we had to get into excavation, which the former owner had not done.  We also needed to get into pipe lining and pipe bursting” Hall said.

Granted, there were some road blocks at first.  New equipment was needed for these expansions and not having a background in the industry created some initial hurdles.

“I bought a brand-new piece of equipment and of course no one could run it properly.  We were learning as we went along.  It would have been comical, if it wasn’t so important” Hall said.

Hall understood the importance of being a quick learner and swiftly mastered his equipment and moved on to restructuring his staff.  Hall believes in catching people doing things right, “twice a month, a manager will ride along on a job with somebody.”  The purpose of this practice is to acknowledge what technicians are doing right, “positive reinforcement.”

Mr. Rooter’s systems helped make the transition into owning a sewer and drain cleaning business easy for Hall, and they can help make it easy for you as well.  They can help you learn the equipment, crunch the numbers, plan for expansion, restructure employees, and improve your pricing systems.  No prior experience necessary.  There’s a reason they call us Mr.