Jason Madden moved from military intelligence into multi-unit/multi-brand franchise management and now helps others forge their own entrepreneurial paths.
Veteran Franchisee: Jason Madden
Franchise: The source of entrepreneurship
Jason Madden left a career in Military Intelligence to become a successful franchise operator for multiple units/brands. His desire to run a gym led him to seek out franchises under the guidance of a franchise coach. From that experience, he decided to franchise. The source of entrepreneurship Start your own business and help others on their entrepreneurial path to freedom.
Since then, Madden’s background in counterintelligence and human intelligence has helped him navigate the world of franchising, eventually leading to partnerships and mentorship roles with veteran groups.
“Franchising is about systems and processes that we’re all familiar with in the normal course of duty,” Madden said. “Our job as soldiers, airmen, sailors and so on is to improve those systems and processes so the next person who comes in can get used to it and have an even better experience. We have our personal experience of building wealth, but we also want to give back. That’s what’s unique about being a veteran. We have a lot to give back along the way.”
1851 Franchise spoke with Madden about his journey in the franchise industry, his accomplishments in the industry, and his advice for other veterans interested in breaking into the franchise industry.
1851 Franchise: Can you tell us a bit about your background? How does serving in the military relate to your background? And what was your journey from the military to being an entrepreneur like?
Jason Madden: I became interested in franchising when I got out of the military. I didn’t want to continue on the career path of being a military intelligence officer. I knew I couldn’t do it long term and I always wanted to be a business owner. I looked into a lot of different avenues, including starting my own company. I ended up franchising because I always knew I wanted to be a gym owner. The first franchise I contacted was Anytime FitnessI liked the brand, but the investment was very high. No one was educating me or supporting me on franchising. Plus, owning a gym and then being away was not a good idea, and there were no gyms available in my area.
I received great advice from an entrepreneurial source coach who guided me through the franchise education process, and I loved that process, which led me to being a franchise leader. [Entrepreneur’s Source] I’m a franchise owner. As a counterintelligence technician, we did a lot of human intelligence – guiding people through the process. It’s definitely my forte, but it’s not a lot of heavy lifting. I also noticed that there weren’t a lot of franchise resources for veterans, and that the community was just finally starting to pick up steam. I knew that surgeons and captains had started franchising. Jimmy John’sBut that’s all we know.
1851 Franchise: What made you personally choose The Entrepreneur’s Source?
Jason Madden: As a broker, I was able to leverage that network to find people who were lost and didn’t know where to look. So I saw an opportunity as an Entrepreneur Source franchisee, which led to partnerships with veterans groups such as: Recruiting MilitaryI taught at Kirtland Air Force Base and in the Veterans Transition Program, I was able to help people not only look at the employment field, but also think about entrepreneurship as a whole. That really excites me and I love being able to do that with franchising.
Entrepreneur’s Source is a very unique franchise. It has given me a huge advantage over other franchises. I have been able to research many brands in many industries. I can help people make the transition, pivot, and become successful franchise owners on their own. My first franchise has inspired me to own other franchises as well. Multi-unit/multi-brand operator In franchises.
1851: How did the military prepare you for success in the franchise business?
Madden: Franchising is about systems and processes that we’re all familiar with in the normal course of duty. Our job as soldiers, airmen, sailors, etc. is to improve those systems and processes so that the next person who comes along can get used to it and have an even better experience. We have personal experience building wealth, but we also want to give back. That’s what’s unique about being a veteran. In the process, we give back a lot.
1851: Looking back at the franchise’s journey so far, what are you most proud of?
Madden: I am proud Hire a hero The organization I partnered with is one of the largest nonprofits helping veterans find employment, and I was also surprised to learn that they received a Marketing Trendsetter Award from Entrepreneur’s Source in 2018. I was super excited!
1851: What advice would you give to other veterans considering the move into franchising?
Madden: Approach it with an open mind. If you see a social media ad for a particular brand and think it’s cool, unique and different, make sure you do your due diligence. Compare it to different brands. Have a main choice and a favorite choice. Use a coach or franchise consultant, preferably someone with franchising experience. Entrepreneur’s Source is very unique in that all our coaches are franchise partners. That might not be the case with a regular consultant. You want someone with a common interest, not someone trying to sell you the business.
Also, forget Chapter 1. Many of the reasons we succeed in the military are counter to what makes us successful in business. It’s leadership style. Working with a new team as a business owner requires adjustments. Being willing to constantly make adjustments to continue to grow and improve is something some veterans overlook. For example, I initially relied on an old formula for success that didn’t help my business revenue. Also, give your talents to the franchisor before making any personal adjustments. You’re buying a system, not starting something from scratch.
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