Joel Libava
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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