Page 12 - Global Franchise Group

12 | Global Franchise Group
A significant aspect of Global Franchise Group’s
(GFG) success has been their ability to attract
highly dedicated and disciplined business lead-
ers through their participation in an innovative
program that uniquely benefits military veterans
returning to the workforce. Sponsored by the In-
ternational Franchise Association, the program
offers special incentives and significant discounts
on franchising fees for veterans. “It is a way of
saying ‘thank you’ for your service, but it also
just makes
good business
sense because
as former
military, these
f r an c h i s e e s
know how to
follow rules,
they know
how to lead
and under-
stand team-
work, and
have a will
to win,” says
Sean Falk, a franchisee who joined Global Fran-
chise Group in 2003, and has since opened eight
locations between Great American Cookies ® or
Pretzelmaker ®. Falk says the concept has proven
to be a successful fit for him. Falk is a former U.S.
Marine who served as an infantry officer as well
as in Special Forces. Falk says he was attracted
to GFG’s business model and system resources
which allowed him to launch a business more
expeditiously and effectively than if he had tried
to create his own brand. Falk has long been an
advocate of hiring veterans, and has made it a
common practice when recruiting new employ-
ees. He expresses appreciation for GFG’s support
of this IFA initiative involving veterans. “This is an
important program and it encourages franchi-
sors to get veterans involved in their business,”
says Falk. At Global Franchise Group, veterans
returning to the workforce can receive as much
as a 40% discount off of the cost of franchising
fees. Falk says some suppliers also participate by
offering discounts off initial orders made by fran-
chisees. “Global Franchise Group actively partici-
pates in this program, and is always looking to
recruit veterans because they often prove to be
the best business operators,” says Falk.
More information regarding such incen-
tives and support for veterans can be found on
the website of the International Franchise Asso-
ciation atwww.ifa.org.
2012 Sean Falk, Great American Cookies