Upon exiting the military, many veterans are seeking rewarding opportunities for their next careers. Business ownership provides a unique opportunity for these American heroes to experience the American dream of owning their own business and becoming their own boss.
Military service often means sacrifice for the individual service members, and by extension, sacrifice for their family members. For many former service members, life after military service means an opportunity to finally have quality time at home with their families. Opening a family business is a great way to get the whole family involved. It can also provide a more flexible schedule for family activities and commitments.
Former military service members have unique experience, training, and developed skill sets well suited for franchise ownership, including:
- Understanding the importance of training and systems
- Attention to detail
- Ability to improvise when and as needed
- Strong work ethic
- Recognition of how important it is to build a solid team around you
- Resilience
At Great Harvest, we strive to provide a model that will attract and support former military personnel and their families. In an effort to do so, we offer a 15% discount off the $38,000 initial fee for honorably-discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces who control at least 50% of the bakery at the time of signing the Franchise Agreement.
We recently received the "Best for Vets" distinction in the 2014-2015 rankings by Military Times. The honor recognizes Great Harvest's commitment to providing opportunities for American veterans.
Military Times is an organization comprised of the Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times and focuses on financial incentives, brand performance, and policies that cater to veterans and reservists when conducting and scoring the Best for Vets: Franchises survey. It is a highly respected, nearly 110-question analysis of a franchise’s efforts to provide veterans with an environment for success.
Great Harvest was ranked #32 in the list of franchise companies, which also included CruiseOne, Molly Maid, and 7-Eleven Franchising. The full rankings can be found here.
“We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to providing entrepreneurial opportunities to hundreds of franchise owners across the country, including American veterans,” says Great Harvest CEO Mike Ferretti. “All of us at Great Harvest are tremendously grateful for the courage of our nation's military.”
Great Harvest bakeries use classic stone mills to grind premium Montana wheat berries into whole wheat flour every day. It’s the freshly ground flour that gives Great Harvest bread its rich taste, nutrients, and density. The bread also does not contain preservatives, additives, or dough conditioners.
“As with all of the Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Franchises is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that make an organization a good fit for military veterans and spouses,” says Amanda Miller, editor of Military Times EDGE magazine.
The Best for Vets rankings are published in full in the September issue of Military Times EDGE magazine, the premier publication for military transition, and online at MilitaryTimes.com, as well as ArmyTimes.com, NavyTimes.com, AirForceTimes.com and MarineCorpsTimes.com.
For more information on owning and operating a Great Harvest bakery franchise, please visit the franchise section of our website.
If you are interested in veteran’s issues, you may also want to read these posts:
Contemplating Your Next Move?
Learn About Great Harvest from the People Who Know Us Best.
