On July 4th, we helped announce a great franchise giveaway contest for military veterans, and now there are six fantastic finalists...
Maid Brigade has named six finalists in the First Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway, a Veterans Day contest awarding businesses to those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Finalists reside in five states, are former officers and enlisted soldiers, and range in age from 31 to 44. Three earned their MBAs, and each passed several levels of approval to reach this stage, including a behavioral profile evaluation. To enter, each submitted an essay on how his military job experience prepared him for successful business ownership.
The next step is to vie for Gold in a two-day evaluation conducted by Maid Brigade executives and a panel of four judges. Judges consist of a rear admiral who once served as the first active-duty director of the White House Military Office; a retired naval captain who now heads the leading military-related job board on the Internet; a retired Vietnam veteran and award-winning Maid Brigade franchisee; and Maid Brigade Chairman and founder Don Hay.
"This company is setting the example of how patriotic employers can support veterans and their families," said Ted Daywalt, president of Vet Jobs Inc. and one of the four judges. "The American dream is business ownership, and Maid Brigade is making the dream possible for those who've defended our free enterprise system."
The first-place award includes working capital, equipment, training and a waived franchise fee to own and operate a new Maid Brigade residential cleaning franchise, valued at more than $45,000. The Silver Award is a $27,500 version of that same package, and Bronze provides equipment, training and a waived fee, with an overall value of more than $17,500. Additionally, for any veteran interested in owning a Maid Brigade franchise who entered the contest and qualified as a viable franchise owner, Maid Brigade will waive its smaller market "Select" franchise fee, a value of $14,500 each.
Maid Brigade launched the program as a way to salute the military, to assist veterans in their civilian endeavors and to recruit more disciplined and skilled veterans to its network. "The 'brigade' in Maid Brigade takes on a new connotation this Veterans Day," said Hay, whose company has been a longtime supporter of the military. Currently, 10 percent of Maid Brigade's franchise network consists of military veterans.
The finalists:
| Gerald Zeigler |
| Virginia Beach, VA |
| Navy |
| Served 20 years |
| Rank: Chief Petty Officer |
| Philip (Tom) Piaget |
| Crestview, FL |
| Army, Airborne Rangers |
| Served 20 years |
| Rank: Major |
| Michael Braibish |
| Salem, OR |
| Air Force and Air National Guard |
| Served 16.5 years |
| Rank: Major |
| Steven Buchanan |
| Lantana, TX |
| Air Force (9.5 Active Duty, 2.5 Reserves) |
| Served 12 years |
| Rank: Captain |
| Thomas (Tommy) McWhorter |
| Fort Worth, TX |
| Air Force |
| Served 10 years |
| Rank: Captain |
| Christopher Norwood |
| Van Buren, AR |
| Army |
| Served 6 years |
| Rank: Captain |
By Nov. 6, the judges will determine who wins, and by Veterans Day, the company will make the announcement. Within 90 days, each new franchise will be in operation with a veteran at the helm.
One of the judges just happens to be a military veteran that used my franchise consulting services. I even interviewed him a while back. He's a Purple Heart Medal recipient, too. The interview
After Veterans Day and until next year's contest, Maid Brigade will
continue to honor veterans by discounting its franchise fees 25 percent
for qualified and honorably discharged veterans.
Way to go, Maid Brigade...
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