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Military experience prepares veteran to become successful franchisee

Written by Jessy Howe

two men and a truck - jeremy brown-8809

In December 2014, Jeremy Brown joined the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® system as franchisee of the Dover, Del., location. After completing 11.5 years of active duty Air Force service as a C-17 pilot, he has since transitioned to the Air Force Reserves in a traditional reservist capacity and serves as the Deputy Inspector General for the 512th Airlift Wing in Dover.

What does TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® mean to you?

For me, right now, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® symbolizes challenge and opportunity. Challenge, because every day it is highly probable I will face a new and unique puzzle that needs solved. I have always thrived in that kind of environment and I appreciate the chance to be a student and hopefully a teacher every day. I also see a great deal of opportunity with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. This system has grown for 70 consecutive months and is averaging 17% growth annually.  I feel my timing is perfect as the brand seems poised for continued, strong growth, which leads to expanded market share across the board. Likewise, the corporate team does a great job with the road map for success and growth on the local level and their continued effort to be exceedingly transparent provides an abundance of model franchises to base strategic decisions on. I am part of a unique system with support in all facets of the model and one that is achieving incredible success.

How do you feel TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® aligns with your military background?  

The Air Force was a great organization to be a part of and I think I could paint a correlation between nearly everything I did in the military and all the things that go along with being a franchisee. Being an officer in the military is very leadership intensive and as a C-17 pilot, I was charged with the safe navigation and movement of a $200 million aircraft all over the globe, and more importantly, the safe transport of the people and goods aboard. The only significant difference as a moving company is that we are confined to the roadways, at least for now.  Also, in the Air Force, and more specifically as a pilot, processes and checklists rule the day. They allow you to approach every task with clearly defined steps and standards, which ensures both efficiency and consistency regardless of who is performing the task. These principles seem to translate very well into the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® system.

With your military experience, has it helped prepare to own a business?  

I think the military does a great job of teaching the principles of leadership. While that in itself doesn’t make me a great leader, I feel like it has given me the tools I need to be successful in business and continue to grow as a leader. Additionally, I was afforded the opportunity to work directly for the commander of a 4,500 person organization. This commander, in my opinion, was an extraordinary leader and manager and he was very forthcoming with the how and why of his decision-making. It was a unique perspective with lessons learned that I will never forget.

Do you have any advice for a veteran who was looking to start a business with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®?  

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is a great brand to be a part of and the business structure closely mirrors that of a small military unit.  At least from my point of view, it fits the veteran profile nicely. The corporate team also does a wonderful job of providing a foundation and a road map to make a smooth transition from the service to successful business ownership.

We are blessed to have a number of veterans in our system working to lead and grow their own businesses. Like Jeremy, the leadership and integrity they bring is exceptional and sets them up for nothing but success.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us move your career forward. We are proud to be part of the VetFran network!  If you are interested in learning more about franchising with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® visit, twomenandatruckfranchising.com.

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The upside to college internships: Part 6

Orlando Gillespie – Franchising Development

Coincidentally, Orlando and I attended the same high school and college, and we are now working in the same internship program. But until witnessing Orlando in the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® environment, I had not seen the impressive confidence and professionalism which he displays at the office.  When I sat down with Orlando for this interview, I noticed he had a well-spoken manner  about him which will prove to be a valuable asset to TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® this summer. Here is what Orlando had to say about his internship:

OrlandoQ: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your background?

A:  I am from East Lansing, Michigan, (woo woo!) and am graduating in December from Michigan State with a supply chain management degree and a minor in philosophy and law. I love sports, hockey and playing some roller hockey, watching sports, spending time on the computer, and reading.

Q: What made you apply for an internship with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®?

A: I have known the company since I was a kid but recently I met CEO Brig Sorber through a mutual connection, and really liked what he had to say about the company.  He told me a lot about the core values and how they like to treat everyone and it made me really want to pursue the internship.

Q: Can you please briefly describe your usual day-to-day tasks at the office?

A:  I sit in a lot of meetings with both franchisees and the corporate franchising team.  We often discuss whether or not a potential franchisee would be a good match and make decisions. I also often do research on other companies’ franchising strategies and write up a report to share with the team.

Q: What has been the most valuable thing you have learned here so far?

A:  Probably how I have been able to learn many various aspects of business, not just franchising.

Q:  Who would you say has been your best teacher or mentor here and why?

A: I would probably have to say Tom Parks, (Business Developer) because he is always providing real life examples when explaining things to me.  I like how he doesn’t glorify everything, he just tells me straight and to the point.

Q: How do you think you will be able to apply what you learn this summer to school, future interviews/jobs or life in general?

A:   I would have to just say the business skills and general knowledge I’m getting here will help me in the future, no matter what path I take.

Q:  Has your internship taught you anything about your field of study that surprised you?

A: It has taught me how important logistics and the backhaul to a system is and how much money it can save in real life situations if done right.

Q: What do you believe is the best aspect of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® as a large international company?

A:  The core values are really important; they have a great set of values that I relate to personally.  Also the value the company puts into customer service and how much all of the employees really value their work.

Q: What is one goal you hope to accomplish this summer/what do you hope to take away from your internship?

A:  A goal I have is to bring an idea to the table that will update a systematic process and that the company will continue to use my idea for years to come.

If you are interested in working at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® visit our careers website.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

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We Are Moving People Forward at the Franchise Expo in Anaheim this Weekend

Are you ready to move people forward with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®?

Face it. Moving isn’t easy and is typically full of emotions that elevate stress levels. Our job at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is to reduce stress, making the move go as smoothly as possible regardless of the situation. We do this with a system of great franchisees committed to strong core values which are centered on stellar customer service. And while our franchisees are working on the business with a focus on accountability, we provide them the tools to build an effective and efficient team and operation.  Our success has resulted in 34 consecutive months of growth, with 29 consecutive months of double-digit growth.  The last 18 months of growth have been at record setting levels!

And we want you to consider being part of this.

Visit us at booth #616 to learn about our 26% growth in three years, our significant investment in system technology, and our favorite: The Grandma Rule®. We will run hourly drawings for models of our eye-catching trucks, and during the last hour of the show each day, you can have your picture taken with Truckie, our famous mascot.