Page 20 - Entrepreneur-November 2018

Travel Industry

examples of veterans being
leading employees and fran- WE HAD ALL THESE EXAMPLES OF VETERANS BEING
chisees,” says Jeff Bevis, chair LEADING EMPLOYEES AND FRANCHISEES,” SAYS
of the Educational Foundation
committee at VetFran. “They’re VETFRAN’S JEFF BEVIS. “THEY’RE SYSTEMATIC,
systematic, process-oriented, PROCESS- ORIENTED, AND DISCIPLINED.”
and disciplined.” They’re also
considered excellent at working
within systems and staying contest was Dream Vacations’ ments if the overall effect brings pool from five to seven free
focused on execution, and they way of capturing the best of more powerhouse agents to the franchise agreements, and
appreciate the value of ongoing these potential veteran fran- company. while Dream Vacations offers
training. For all these reasons, chisees. In franchise terms, Since its launch in 2012, a year-round 20 percent fran-
franchises had sought out vets. its units are already pretty Operation Vetrepreneur has chise discount for veterans, it
VetFran finally made it easier affordable: Startup fees for greatly increased the presence bumps up that savings to
for vets to find franchises. Dream Vacations run a mere of veterans inside Dream 40 percent for those who enter
Today, VetFran has more $12,700. But the opportunity Vacations. (It now counts the contest but don’t win.
than 600 franchise members. to launch a business with zero 400 franchise-owning veterans Dream Vacations is not
A three-year hiring initiative debt is a huge boon for military among its ranks.) “We’ve seen alone—several other major
that launched in 2011 resulted families looking to launch a ridiculous growth from our franchise travel agencies are
in more than 200,000 new self-sustaining encore career veterans,” says Dustin Jones, trying to bring ex-military
jobs for veterans and veteran without startup-level risk. Dream Vacations’ vice presi- members into their ranks.
spouses, with 5,608 of those And because its profit model is dent of engagement. “There just Expedia CruiseShipCenters
being franchise- ownership built on commissions, Dream seems to be an extra passion in offers veterans a 15 percent
positions. Vacations is happy to eat the them.” This year, the company discount. Travel Leaders Group
The Operation Vetrepreneur cost of a few franchise agree- increased the size of its prize offers free training for veterans

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