Entrepreneurship Archives - Page 40 of 42

CitruSolution smells like success to Veteran Entrepreneurs

June 27, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

CitruSolution smells like success to Veteran Entrepreneurs

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The CitruSolution organization is 84 locations strong and growing. We provide a unique and proprietary process for carpet cleaning when coupled with business policies based on personal integrity that bring a unique level of performance and success to our industry. The results? CitruSolution smells like success to Veteran Entrepreneurs.

Paul Romanick, an Army veteran, is the inventor, founder and franchisor of CitruSolution, starting from nothing to a company national in scope yet dedicated to Paul’s high standards of integrity, conducting business on a highly ethical basis, “under promise and over deliver” are Paul’s watch words. “Integrate with the community and be of more value than just the service you provide” are his business guidelines. To Paul, business success for his owners is essential but more important is a successful, flexible, enjoyable personal lifestyle. And, his owners will heartily endorse their own success in business and in life.

Stu Smith, CitruSolution owner in Brevard County, Florida, is also an Army veteran, who built a very successful (and demanding) business consulting practice but wanted more. Tired of extended trips away from family, Stu approached Paul and they formed a partnership aimed at attracting military veterans and their spouses into CitruSolution. Carpet cleaning is not glamorous but the CitusSolution business model creates the business success and lifestyle that most people, and perhaps, most veterans are craving. A comfortable, scalable income and full control over one’s schedule.

Stu relocated from Atlanta, Georgia where he based his consulting practice and, over a 20 year period, assisted many veterans to launch meaningful civilian careers. As a Board Member of the Atlanta Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Stu led the chapter effort to have local companies hire 1000 veterans. For his efforts and success of the project, Stu was recognized with the 2012 Volunteer Leadership Award.

Stu is the first veteran joining CitruSolution under the “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” program. This program is named in honor of Paul Romanick’s father who served as medical corpsman with the U.S. Army in World War II and recognized for his heroism and performance by none other than General of the Army, later President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” program offers veterans a $10,000 savings on the initial investment in a CitruSolution franchise. This is another example of veterans helping veterans!

CitruSolution is built on values shared by Veterans — service, integrity, discipline and self sufficiency. The franchise opportunity is ideally suited for veterans and military spouses. New owners are provided business planning, financing and marketing assistance in addition to operations training to get their businesses up and running. New owners are encouraged and expected to be involved in their local communities and continue to serve others. In addition to the initial discount, veterans have no royalty payments as overhead, allowing them to enjoy the full fruit of their labor. Stu and Paul share a vision; with hundreds of veterans establishing their own CitruSolution business and “taking their economy home” when they leave the service.

For more information please see CitruSolution.com and be sure to tell Paul or Stu you heard about their company on From Boots 2 Biz Radio.

Or, contact Bill Williams, your host of From Boots 2 Biz Radio at bwilliams@4axxiom.com.

Veterans see Green Gold in Grounds Guys

June 20, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

Veterans see Green Gold in Grounds Guys

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Would you like to find the following attributes in a business?

Need based, recession resistant.
Few Employees.
Very low operating costs.
High profit margin business model.
No prior industry experience necessary.
Can be home based.
Ability to grow a significant business.

Of course you would! And Grounds Guys has all of these strong points and many more. A Grounds Guys franchise provides commercial and municipal maintenance and landscaping services, snow removal (depending on location), landscape design; sod installation, lawn and vegetation fertilization and treatment; and other related services and products.

Our guests today are Pat Hyland, VP of Franchise Development for Grounds Guys and Garrison Spearman, a military veteran and relatively new franchise owner in the metro Atlanta area.

Grounds Guys is a part of the Dwyer Group, a nationally recognized leader in multiple service industries with over 1,600 locations in the United States and Canada. Grounds Guys benefits directly from The Dwyer Group’s 30 plus years of experience, systems and success with seven different franchise brands.

Additional competitive advantages:

Proprietary marketing tools and strategies to acquire customers.
Proprietary software designed to handle the day to day functions of the business.
Unique leasing and purchasing arrangements with various vendors to help new franchisees with start up and operational costs.
Proprietary estimating and pricing software for immediate job quotes.
A national call center controls overhead costs and frees up owners time to promote and manage their business.
Outsourcing all accounting functions provides up to the minute financial information and also reduces overhead.

It’s easy to see why many Veterans see Green Gold in Grounds Guys!

For more information contact Bill Williams, host of From Boots 2 Biz Radio at bwilliams@4axxiom.com directly.

Veterans find great value at The University of Phoenix

June 14, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

Veterans find great value at The University of Phoenix

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Veterans find great value at The University of Phoenix with flexible schedules, on line learning and multiple campus locations. The University was originally created in 1976 to provide higher education opportunities to first responders. As the University grew to encompass students from a wide variety of backgrounds, the military student became a much larger part of the student body leading to the creation of the Military Division about 10 years ago.

Our program today features Colonel (ret) Garland Williams, PHD, and Bryan Baldwin, describing the many opportunities and programs available to military veterans at the University of Phoenix.

The University of Phoenix is one of the largest higher-education providers in North America. The university has 112 campuses worldwide and offers degree programs in over 100 different specialties to include at the associate, bachelor, masters and doctoral levels.

The university has an open enrollment admission policy, requiring a high school diploma, GED or its equivalent as the criterion for admission. It also provides associate or bachelor degree applicants the opportunity for advanced placement through a prior learning assessment. College credit can be achieved through experiential learning essays, corporate training, military training and certificates or licenses.

While the school specializes in online programs, the campuses and learning centers offer additional programs and services on site. On line students are also able to use tutoring and social centers, which can also be used for social and student meetings.

The university offers degree programs through seven colleges and two schools. These include, the School of Advanced Studies, School of Business, College of Criminal Justice and Security, College of Education, College of Humanities, College of Information Systems and Technology, College of Natural Sciences, College of Nursing and the College of Social Services. In addition to the traditional education programs, the school offers continuing education courses for teachers and practitioners, professional development courses for companies and specialized courses of study for military personnel.

The University of Phoenix has been named as one of the nation’s top 20 institutions of higher education favorable to military personnel. Indeed, veterans find great value at The University of Phoenix.

Developing Your Dream Job

June 7, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

Developing Your Dream Job

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We welcome Peggy Titus Hall and Linda Minnick to our show today as they describe the launch of their teleseminar series, “Developing Your Dream Job”.

For those in our audience who are already in transition or about to be, the major question facing many in the military is “What’s Next for Me?”. Peggy and Linda will describe the steps necessary to identify, target and land the job or career you really want.

Don’t get caught in the trap of an attractive salary to find yourself miserable in the every day job. That happens to too many people who allow fear, uncertainty and doubt guide them into a job based on compensation versus finding fulfilling attributes in the work.

Historically, we know 9-15% of veterans leaving active duty will choose an entrepreneurial path. Before you take that journey, be sure that’s what you really want by listening to Peggy and Linda.

Remember it’s “BE, DO, HAVE” and not “DO, HAVE, BE”.

BE, DO, HAVE:

BE who you really are: Be honest with yourself and what you like to do and what you don’t like to do.
DO what you do best: Know your strengths, skills, interests and apply them in your work.
HAVE the life you’ve always wanted: Be clear about what you’re trying to achieve and by when.

Avoid DO, HAVE, BE:

DO what you think is expected by others.
To HAVE all the trappings of success.
To BE the person you think you should be, you’ll only end up unhappy and bitter.

Tune in to the “Developing Your Dream Job” teleseminar on June 25th, from 7 to 9 pm Eastern as the first step.

Register here: http://peoplegrowthllc.com/dreamcareer

Peggy Titus Hall is a certified professional co-active coach, focusing on communications and career transition. With over 20 years experience in training, facilitation and career development, Peg’s personal mission is to help people realize what is truly possible in their careers and in their lives. Peggy recommends reading, “Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It” by author Peggy Klaus.

Linda Minnick is a certified life coach, motivational speaker, certified sales trainer and entrepreneur. She has been involved in coaching and training for more than 25 years. As a true believer and practitioner of transformational thinking, Linda presents the power of creating your own life in various fashions to individuals and groups across the country.

Veteran Entrepreneurs, Give Your Life a New Look with ProTect Painters

May 30, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

Veteran Entrepreneurs, Give Your Life a New Look with ProTect Painters

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From Boots 2 Biz Radio welcomes Holly Owens and Paul (Buddy) Rhoades of ProTect Painters. Holly is the Franchise Development Manager for ProTect Painters. Buddy Rhoades is a 33 year veteran of the U.S. Army, enjoyed a successful corporate career and now is a ProTect Painters franchise owner.

Attention, Veteran Entrepreneurs! Give your life a new look with ProTect Painters. What, another painting company? Listen up Gomer, you don’t know what you don’t know!

The quest for reliable painters never ends. Whether painting projects are driven by personal preference or property improvement, the business of painting thrives no matter the state of the economy. However, quality and reliability have become issues as “not so professional” small painting contractors come and go and leave a trail of dissatisfied customers. By offering people great service and skill they can count on, ProTect Painters has become an attractive choice and exciting franchise opportunity.

Our franchise owners come from varied professional background. One former engineering manager applies his experience managing people to his new career. Another, a high-powered sales executive who burned out on the long hours in that life, now appreciates the flexibility he has with the ProTect Painters model. A Marine turned police officer, always dreamed of being self-employed and he has reached his goal!

As some point these ProTect Painters franchisees imagined a very different career and lifestyle for themselves. They were motivated self-starters who applied a variety of skills to this new challenge and it has paid off for each one. And, they did not have to sacrifice personal life for financial success. The simplicity of the business model, coupled with the strong market demand and the full-on support of the management team, is the ticket to a satisfying career. Instead of a grueling, rigid schedule you have flexibility in terms of where and when you work.

There is no storefront, office or warehouse to buy or lease; no inventory to purchase and store. You can operate from a home office and even manage the business remotely. Work is performed by subcontractor crews, eliminating the complexities of carrying a full time staff. For a very affordable investment, you can have a new career–one where you set the goals and enjoy the rewards that come from reaching them. You also control the pace. You can start small and ramp up by adding more crews as your business grows. Yes, it really can be this simple!

It is universally accepted that success depends as much on desire as ability. Our training program is built on that wisdom. If you possess the desire, we will give you the essential skills needed to build a ProTect Painters franchise. From estimating to accounting to marketing and business management, you’ll receive a comprehensive training program at our home offices. You’ll also receive on going support from our operations team, our marketing department and our IT staff.

ProTect Painters is part of Service Brands International, a highly respected franchise organization whose other brands include Molly Maid and Mr. Handyman. SBI’s mission is to help owners quickly reach their goals and realize their dreams. And, they do!

Franchise owners of more than 800 locations nationwide have the freedom of running their own business and still have time for family and leisure.

For more information about a ProTect Painters franchise, contact Bill Williams, host of From Boots 2 Biz radio at bwilliams@4axxiom.com

Learn more about franchise opportunities, attend one of our webinars offered through Military Transition Advisors at this link: http://www.militarytransitionadvisors.com/webinars.html

Mr. Appliance and Veteran Entrepreneurs

May 24, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

Mr. Appliance and Veteran Entrepreneurs

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Mr. Appliance and Veteran Entrepreneurs are a great match.

Mr. Appliance is a full service appliance repair company dealing in both residential and commercial applications. We also do all levels of maintenance and installation for commercial refrigeration.

The appliance repair industry is by far the most fragmented in the service industry. The need for the services is very high with extensive repeat clientele. There will always be a need for appliance repair and the competition is primarily Mom & Pop type operations. Growth in this industry as a result of the low competition levels is very high.

Mr. Appliance is highly respected by appliance manufacturers, we are the only franchise company currently in this industry and we are considered to be the leader in the field.

Mr. Appliance places so much value on veteran owners they offer a 25% discount off the franchise fee and for qualified candidates will finance up to 70% of the balance of the franchise fee, freeing up capital assets for new owners to spend on marketing and business development.

Mr. Appliance is part of the Dwyer Group, based in Waco, Texas. Today, the Dwyer Group includes seven service-based franchise organizations: Aire Serve, Glass Doctor, Mr. Appliance, Mr. Electric, Mr. Rooter, Rainbow International and Grounds Guys.

The Dwyer Group believes military veterans and military spouses are attracted to the company’s franchise opportunities because of the support services, the commitment to the company’s mission, vision and Code of Values as well as the established reputation of the management team and the success of the franchise systems. Be sure to watch the Under Cover Boss video featuring Dina Dwyer Owens, CEO and Chairwoman of The Dwyer Group and gain an understanding of the company culture.

Warrior 2 Citizen helps veterans and families

May 16, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

Warrior 2 Citizen helps veterans and families

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Mission Overview –The Warrior to Citizen^sm (W2C^sm) mission is to help returning soldiers and their family’s transition from the front lines to the home front and deal with symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

Warrior to Citizen’s goal is to help soldiers face a variety of social, economic and mental conflicts that may arise after they return stateside and ensure any assistance or counseling is offered before trouble turns into tragedy.

An estimated 370,000 military men and women return home every year after extended tours in war zones around the world. Their arrival affects another million people including spouses, children, parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends.

Nearly every warrior is affected by the ravages of war and face challenges due to the abrupt transition from life on the battlefield to civilian life.

The Veterans Administration reports that nationally, 18 Veterans commit suicide EVERY DAY and another 40 Veterans attempt suicide EVERY DAY.

Veterans are the highest percentage of people who are considered HOMELESS, and veterans are much more likely to become divorced, especially after the multiple deployments now common policy throughout the US military.

The Warrior to Citizen Project is specifically designed to target troops during that critical transition period in the weeks after returning home by providing high quality, focused psychological and spiritual counseling for the warrior and their family in a peaceful setting that will nurture the healing process without outside distractions.

This is accomplished with one-month long residential programs filled with counseling sessions, interactive family activities and outdoor exercise in beautiful surroundings.

The W2C Project has been specifically designed to help our returning troops to make the transition to civilian life by providing a time and space for balancing body, mind and spirit of the warfighter and military family and support systems.

Many of the troops will experience the impact of the emotional unseen wounds of war and have a difficult time transitioning along with their family back into society. Even without PTSD, most troops need an “adjustment period” to decompress in a non-military environment and a program that provides time and space supporting “family systems” so important to the veteran.

Their family systems are highly impacted—this impact can be directly related to the stress of combat from multiple deployments and the inability to decompress from the “battlemind”. A negative force-multiplier is a lack of proactive community support/guidance, education, counseling and training of the military commanders, warfighter and families during pre-deployments, deployments and post deployments. The Warrior 2 Citizen Project will provide solutions to these issues based upon a National Guard best practice model; and others.

And, a big Thank You to Dennis Brown, U.S. Army, retired after 30 years of service and a tour in Afghanistan, for stopping by the studio today and bringing our attention to the Warrior 2 Citizen program.

Warrior 2 Citizen

2344 Perimeter Park Drive Suite 100

Atlanta, GA 30341

www.warrior2citizen.org

1-800-958-4650

Four Veteran Entrepreneurs tell their stories

May 9, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

Four Veteran Entrepreneurs tell their stories

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Our show today focuses on four different veteran entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Sabot Mobile is a real estate investment company that provides short term note-secured investment opportunities to main-street investors, improvement and renovation services to Mobile Home Parks, and updated and renovated Mobile Homes to prospective buyers and tenants.

Brandon Skolnick- Army

Veteran, OEF/OIF. Partner at Sabot Mobile, full time student at KSU- studying International Business. Heads a round table meet-up called Veteran Entrepreneurs for Veteran Entrepreneurs also involved in Habitat for Humanity Veteran’s Coalition, involved in Veterans Chamber of Commerce- Atlanta Chapter. Involved in building a website as a one stop shop for everything veteran – www.bandofsoldiers.com, post active duty is currently serving in the Army Reserve. www.linkedin.com/in/brandonskolnick/

Alexander McMichen Army

Veteran, OEF. Partner at Sabot Mobile, graduated from UGA with a BA in International Affairs. Heads a round table meet-up called Veteran Entrepreneurs for Veteran Entrepreneurs also involved in Habitat for Humanity Veteran’s Coalition, involved in Veterans Chamber of Commerce- Atlanta Chapter and is currently serving in the Army Reserve. www.linkedin.com/in/amcmichen/

Atlanta Commercial Relocation Specialists, LLC specializes in corporate and government agency office relocations. ACRS’ proven systematic approach to commercial relocation provides significant savings over our competitors by increasing efficacy and reducing costs that are associated with project management, packing, labor, trucking and installations.

My journey from special operations sergeant in the US army to becoming a young disabled veteran business owner is not uncommon. One of my major personal goals is to have the city of Atlanta as well as the state of Georgia recognize a preference for service disabled veteran owned businesses in their contract

Daniel Beverly, http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=183496787&trk=hb_tab_pro_top

Capitol Financial Solutions, LLC is an independent firm affiliated with John Hancock Financial Network. Offering John Hancock insurance products. Registered Representative/Securities and Investment Advisory services offered through Signator Investors, Inc., member FINRA, SIPC, a registered investment adviser.

Brent Williams Investment Advisor Representative bwilliams@capfs.com

SignWorld attracts Veteran Entrepreneurs

May 2, 2013 by angishields

From Boots 2 Biz Radio

SignWorld attracts Veteran Entrepreneurs

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Sign Business – The Big Picture

98% of all signs are indoors. They are paper posters, cardboard, banners and thin plastic like materials. Most signs are thrown away every month. In December, they say “Happy Holidays”. In January, they say “Clearance”. In February, they say “Valentine’s Day”, and on and on…

Drive down any street, walk into any business, notice vehicles of all sizes wrapped in pictures and graphics or visit a tradeshow and the opportunity for building a business in the sign industry will become very clear. Today, more than ever, small businesses to large are seeking ways to increase their visibility and make an impact through the use of signs.

Here’s what a modern day sign business looks like:

Signs are custom production, so every day is different and you will see tangible, visible results of your efforts as you drive around town.
It’s close to home, in a low-overhead business park location, operating Monday-Friday 9-5 – no nights, weekends or holidays, with a small staff of career employees.
There are no loud noises, odors, or dangerous chemicals.
It’s a relationship business with repeat customers. Twenty to thirty of those customers can equal 80% of your revenue. Many of those customers may be regional and even national in scope.
It’s a non-cash transaction business, so when you are out seeing customers, you don’t have to worry about who’s holding the money.

This is SignWorld! A business model veteran entrepreneurs find attractive!

We are the “Commercial Sign Companies” located in light industrial business parks.

We are not the retail sign stores you see in the shopping centers. Our 250 plus Owners are people-oriented individuals who have the desire to run a custom manufacturing business. Our Signworld Owners are a cut above the traditional sign company. Our ongoing support and training along with state-of-the-art equipment will leave the competition behind.

You won’t need any graphics arts education or prior experience with signs. Our owners come from all walks of life, from bankers to secretaries to construction workers and military veterans. No matter what their background, they all share a strong work ethic; a desire to build a business with no limitations and the realization that working for themselves is their ultimate destiny. They apply their people skills to help their customers with solutions they need to promote their business.

Listen as Jack Werner talks about the opportunities offered by SignWorld to Veteran Entrepreneurs.

For more information about SignWorld, contact your From Boots2Biz Radio host, Bill Williams, at bwilliams@4axxiom.com