Franchising experts say having hands-on experience in a particular industry is not a prerequisite for owning a franchise. What is important is leadership ability, a trait possessed by most military veterans. ServePro, a water and fire cleanup franchise, for example, would be a great match for a military person who was comfortable directing people, understood the business model and had the prerequisite financial resources, Schmellick said.
Picking the right franchise ultimately depends on finding a business that best fits your lifestyle and that you can picture spending your days working as the owner.
“What I care about when I work as a franchise coach or advise a candidate is can they see themselves and envision themselves in the day in the life of [the franchise owner],” Schmellick said. “If they can, success will happen for them with about a 90 percent rate.”