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Veterans in FranchisingOCTOBER 2015

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

is your

resolutionon your

calendar

outdoor living Brands offers

outdoor loVing Veterans Plenty of oPPortunity

smartPhone & taBlet rePair

exPerts

dr. smart Phones 201 S. McDonald St Suite A McKinney Texas 75069

972.548.7905 Franchise@drsmartphones.com www.drsmartphones.com

50% off to all

veterans

Franchising USA

V E T E R A N S I N F R A N C H I S I N g S U P P L E M E N TO C T O B E R 2 0 1 5

Our Veterans in Franchising special supplement has become

a regular feature of Franchising USA.

TO SHARE YOUR STORY in the next issue, please contact

Vikki Bradbury, Publisher

Phone: 778 426 2446

Email: vikki@cgbpublishing.com

contentsNews & Expert Advice42 St. Joseph’s University Commitment to

Veteran-Entrepreneurs

47 Salon Suites: A New Era for Salon Pros Stacy Eley, MY SALON Suite

50 Is Your Resolution on Your Calendar? Darcella K. Craven, Veterans Business Resource Center

Cover Story40 Outdoor Living Brands

Profile44 Snap Fitness

Franchisor in Depth48 Dr. Smart Phones

cover Stor y - OUTDOOr L Iv ING BrANDS

A true love of the outdoors and helping people better their living spaces are the two most important characteristics a franchisee needs to prosper with Outdoor Living Brands. Factor in veterans’ ability to successfully execute policies and procedures, and that’s a combination for franchising success.

Outdoor Living Brands is the parent company for Archadeck, Mosquito Squad, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives and Renew Crew, Chris Grandpre, who serves as Chairman & CEO for the company, explained during a recent interview from the headquarters in Richmond, VA.

Archadeck started in 1980 in Richmond as a company that designs outdoor living spaces and oversees the construction of those spaces. A family member of one of the company founders ran it. The first franchisee was a builder in Boston who was looking to diversify his business.

Mosquito Squad, meanwhile, is a

subscription based franchise where people will subscribe to the service of having a mosquito treatment applied on their property every 21 days.

A full-service company, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives designs and installs outdoor lighting for residential and hospitality locations. They use low voltage products, Grandpre said, and also design, install and store holiday lighting displays for their clients.

Renew Crew is an environmentally friendly outdoor surface cleaning and restoration franchise.

Across all four of the brands, 336 franchisees call Outdoor Living Brands home, with approximately 32 percent of those being veterans. In fact, the company has just added five more veterans to the family this year, said Grandpre.

Deals for veteransThe company launched a veteran’s awareness program several years ago, offering VetFran discounts for qualified military personnel. That first year with the vet discount, they added 12 veteran-run locations across all four brands. A year later, they doubled the discount.

They continue to double the discount

during May, which is Military Appreciation Month, and November in honor of Veterans’ Day.

They’ve also partnered with GI Jobs, Recruit Military, Corporate Gray and other veteran organizations to help highlight opportunities for veterans. They’ve also done seminars for veterans to tell them about these various opportunities.

“We’re always looking for new ways to educate military professionals and recruit them to be a part of our family,” Grandpre said.

Veterans make great franchisees because they can take policies and procedures and implement them with great success, he added. This is in addition to the great leadership qualities they have and it’s an honor to bring them into the Outdoor Living Brands family.

Renew Crew specifically has announced up to 100 percent financing for qualified candidates for the initial franchise fee at three percent above the prime interest rate. Plus, the brand will waive payments until franchisees are up and running.

Ideal FranchiseeIt’s no surprise that the ideal Outdoor Living Brands franchisee is someone who

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OuTDOOr Living BrAnDS OFFerS

OutdOOr lOving veteranspLenTy OF OppOrTuniTy

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loves not being stuck in an office and who enjoys being involved in their community.

“Typically, our ideal franchisee is someone who absolutely loves the outdoor living category and they love being outdoors and interacting with clients,” Grandpre said. “They have great personal skills and can manage several moving parts at any given moment.”

Archadeck franchisees tend to be more executive types, he said, while Outdoor Lighting Perspective franchisees are more owner-operators who want to be involved in the day-to-day running of their business.

A lot of Mosquito Squad franchisees run other businesses or have their other jobs, he said, including active duty firefighters or police officers. The franchise also tends to attract families.

Renew Crew has been around since 1993 and franchisees usually work in their business.

Getting on BoardEach brand has its own educational discovery process, Grandpre said, and they will answer any questions franchisees

have at any time. The onboarding process involves having potential franchisees watch a series of videos that present what their brands and business models are all about. After that, they go through the brands’ core offerings and marketing and lead generation. After each video, they’ll have a conversation with the candidate to answer any questions.

Every franchisee has their own dedicated ad agency, Grandpre said, which consists of two dedicated marketing managers to focus on inbound and outbound marketing tactics in the franchisee’s territory. They also have a brand strategist, in-house graphic designer and copywriters to help franchisees.

Outdoor Living Brands has dedicated individuals to help franchisees launch their businesses and help them as they grow in the future. They also offer franchisees the latest technological tools to help them promote their businesses.

“Every franchisee has a dedicated support team,” Grandpre said. “Whatever they need, we have dedicated professionals here in Richmond, Virginia for their specific brand.”

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For Archadeck, a corporate team will prepare 3D renderings, photo realistic drawings and building plans to ensure projects meet the brand’s codes and standards. They also send out a field support team that does a pre-training and post-training visit.

Weekly and monthly webinars to discuss different tactics the company is thinking of doing with the various brands, plus discussions of new national marketing campaigns, products and services are also a feature of the company’s support systems.

TrainingArchadeck has a three-week training program in Richmond and the other three brands have a one-week training program there.

They also have regional and mid-year training classes for brands and Outdoor Lighting Perspectives has a holiday training session in August. The annual meeting for all brands is in January and involves four days of preparing franchisees for the coming year.

The four brands have locations across the country. Outdoor Lighting Perspectives has 52 locations in the U.S., but also has locations abroad in Canada, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Archadeck has 52 locations mainly in the U.S. with one franchisee in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Mosquito Squad has over 175 locations in the continental US and is working to expand internationally. Renew Crew has 33 locations concentrated on the east coast and the mid-west.

Territories are available everywhere, Grandpre noted. And although Mosquito Squad is more sold out than the other brands, there are still many attractive territories left that the company is eager to develop with new franchisees.

For veterans who love the outdoors — and they basically all do — Outdoor Living Brands offers them the opportunity to join a family based around a mutual love of the outdoors and helping others enjoy it as much as they do.

www.outdoorlivingbrands.com

“We’re always looking for new ways to educate military professionals and recruit them to be a

part of our family.” – chris Grandpre

OuTDOOr Living BrAnDS OFFerS

OutdOOr lOving veteranspLenTy OF OppOrTuniTy

Franchising USA

Over the course of the last six months veterans Business Services has been able to form a business relationship with St. Joseph’s University to both promote their veterans Entrepreneurial Jumpstart (vEJ) and EBv program and to work together to show veterans who enroll in their programs the full scope of business opportunities available including small business and franchising opportunities.Franchising USA

Jim Mingey, Founder & Managing Director, VBS’

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st. JOseph’s university

COmmitment tO veteran-entrepreneurs

“The vEJ program has secured some additional funding, and we intend to host a cohort in the

Fall of 2016 – and it will be open to all veterans, regardless of disability.”

Ralph Galati, the Director of Veterans Services at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, leads the Entrepreneurial programs which are aligned with, the Erivan K. Haub School of Business, a nationally recognized and fully accredited business program. The Veterans Services team at St. Joseph’s University is dedicated and committed to helping veterans, especially through their newly developed entrepreneurship programs that is designed to help veterans start their own business or franchise.

In the Spring of 2012 an alum/donor approached Joe DiAngelo, the Dean of the Haub School of Business about an opportunity for veterans. He had just seen a 60 Minutes program that featured Syracuse University and their Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities program (EBV). His family was energized with this approach, and wanted St. Joe’s to join their Consortium of schools. They applied to join the Syracuse program later that year, and waited. While Syracuse was very pleased with their submission, they were not quite ready to admit new schools to their Consortium. Finally, in the Spring of 2014, we approached our alum/donor

with a proposition. While we continue to wait for a Syracuse decision on EBV, why not develop a program on our own! This would surely give us the necessary experience and background to jumpstart EBV once selected. He agreed, and the Office of Veterans Services was born. Along with Ralph’s teammate – Andrew Colket, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, they began their development efforts.

The Office of Veterans Services at St. Joseph’s University has just celebrated its first anniversary. It is staffed by two, full-time, combat-disabled veterans, and have three distinct missions: Develop and deliver Entrepreneurship Programs for Veterans, with specific focus on disabled veterans; Support our student-veterans and dependents with programs and support services; and Align ourselves with veteran-friendly companies in the region so that we can provide career development and job placement opportunities for our veterans.

During this past year, they have been rewarded with several recognitions that have made them more “veteran friendly.” These include: U.S. News & World Report; MilitaryFriendly.com; and designation as a

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• Received support from Senator PatToomey (R-PA), who endorsed andadvertised our program

• Built a support team of over 95 people(lecturers, guest speakers, panelists,mentors, etc), including members of theEntrepreneurs Organization, SCORE,and the Small Business Administration

• Received inquiries from 160 veteranswho were interested in our first Cohort –scheduled to start Phase I in March 2015

• Built a cadre of In-Kind Services tosupport our veterans during their PhaseIII execution

VEJ Cohort I was a great success and our 19 veterans graduated in May 2015, and are now in Phase III as they work with mentors to build their dream.

In February 2015, Syracuse notified us that we were accepted into their EBV Consortium – and both St. Joe’s and our alum/donor were ecstatic. Our efforts with VEJ have been instrumental in preparing us for delivery of the Syracuse EBV Program.

Our first Cohort of EBV is scheduled to

begin Phase I in March 2016, with the on-campus segment (Phase II) scheduled for April 9-17, 2016. We have already met with the Syracuse Team, and have had dialog with several of the Consortium schools. Their input has been invaluable, and we are ready to being our career as an EBV Consortium school.

The VEJ program has secured some additional funding, and we intend to host a Cohort in the Fall of 2016 – and it will be open to all veterans, regardless of disability. So ideally, we hope to conduct two entrepreneurship programs per year:

• EBV every Spring, with specific focuson veterans with disabilities

• VEJ every Fall, with expandedopportunity for all veterans

The Saint Joseph’s University Office of Veterans Services in pleased with our success, and is fully prepared for the next stage of our program development.

If you need more information on our Office, or want specific information on our Entrepreneurship Programs, please visit us at www.sju.edu/veterans

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Purple Heart University.

Ralph Galati, a 1970 graduate of St. Joe’s, was commissioned in the United States Air Force through their ROTC program. During his eight years of active duty, he served as an F-4 Weapon Systems Officer, Flight Instructor, and Pentagon Staff Officer in the Office of Legislative Liaison. During his tour in Southeast Asia, he was shot-down over North Vietnam, captured, and spent 14 months as a Prisoner of War in Hanoi. As a combat-disabled veteran, he knows what it means to serve and understand the challenges of our veteran community – especially the issues surrounding transition and readjustment to civilian life. Ralph has also spent 30 years in the business sector, working at IBM and SAP. Additionally, he has 30 years’ experience as an Adjunct Faculty member at several local colleges.

St Joe’s has had a strong commitment to veterans for many decades. During WWI, they were a government war barracks and Military Training School, called the Students’ Army Training Corps. The President of St Joe’s placed the school at the disposal of the War Department. In 1949 they dedicated the Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse to the memory of our graduates who served and died in World War II. St. Joe’s has had an Air Force ROTC Detachment on campus since 1954. And now we have a strong Office of Veterans Services dedicated to serving those who have served our nation.

Ultimately the program was called the Veterans Entrepreneurial Jumpstart (VEJ). In order to satisfy the wishes of our alum/donor, the program followed the parameters of the Syracuse EBV – specifically, to offer a program for disabled veterans who had interest in starting their own business. Over the period August 2014 to January 2015, we accomplished the following:

• Designed and developed a 3-phaseprogram, including Self-Studypreparation, on campus residency, andbusiness plan execution and mentoring

• Aligned with the faculty and staff of theHaub School of Business

Franchising USA

Snap F i tness

As America’s Fitness Brand, Snap Fitness is committed to supporting and recognizing veterans for the service they’ve provided to our country. Its latest philanthropic effort went to benefitting Folds of Honor, an impactful organization that provides scholarships to the families of soldiers, as part of its “Snap Serves” campaign.

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snap fitness dOnates $15K tO fOlds Of hOnOr

Snap Fitness launched the campaign this past January to celebrate reaching 300,000 likes on its Corporate Facebook page. The fitness provider pledged to match that amount in hours of community service and involvement over the course of the year while tracking its progress on social media.

This summer, the campaign became more focused on giving back to veterans. Snap Fitness pledged to donate $1 for every 30-day trial pass purchased between Memorial Day and Labor Day to Folds of Honor. The campaign empowered people around the country to start their fitness journey while honoring those who served

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and their families through educational support.

Through the campaign and the generosity of Snap Nation, Snap Fitness raised $15,000 to support the spouses and children of America’s fallen and wounded soldiers. Snap Fitness Founder/CEO Peter Taunton called these efforts “outstanding and a strong reflection of our brand’s core values.”

“As America’s Fitness Brand, we wanted to run a special campaign that not only encouraged people to start their fitness journey, but helped those who have put their lives on the line for our country,” Taunton said.

Snap Fitness recently hosted a check presentation ceremony to celebrate its $15,000 donation. Perry and Anne Schmidt, president and director of the Folds of Honor – Minnesota Chapter, visited the Snap Fitness Corporate Headquarters to accept the check and speak on behalf of the foundation. With this donation, Snap Fitness will provide

scholarships to three military families.

“This isn’t just an accomplishment for Snap Fitness; it’s an accomplishment for the thousands of people who signed up for the 30-day trial pass this summer,” Chief Marketing Officer Steele Smiley said.

Snap Fitness also showed its patriotism with Landon Cassill and Hillman Racing’s No. 40 racecar during the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Labor Day weekend. Its throwback NASCAR paint scheme paid homage to Sterling Martin’s iconic “God Bless America” design that originally ran weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

To see how Snap Fitness continues to

transform people’s lives inside and outside its gyms, visit its Facebook page.

About Snap FitnessWith more than 2,000 clubs open or in development in 18 countries, Snap Fitness is one of the world’s largest 24/7 fitness franchises. Founded in 2003 by Peter Taunton, Snap Fitness is dedicated to providing members with more value than any other health club and entrepreneurs an opportunity with turnkey systems, financing options with low investments, and world-class support.

For more information, please visit www.snapfitness.com.

“As America’s Fitness Brand, we wanted to run a special campaign that not only encouraged

people to start their fitness journey, but helped those who have put their lives on the line for our

country.” – Founder/CEO Peter Taunton

Franchising USA

Salons and beauty services are a growing franchise sector – in fact, economic reports have shown that the industry is growing at a clip of 8.5 percent annually. This is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurially minded individuals who are looking to either grow their current business ventures or exploring franchising as an option.

Within the salon industry, however, there are trends too – namely, salon suites are becoming very popular. The simplest way to explain the difference between a salon suite

Franchising USA

Jim Mingey, Founder & Managing Director, VBS’ Stacy Eley, Director of Operations, MY SALON Suite

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salOn suites: a new era fOr salOn prOs

Stacy Eley

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with the stylist, this is a big selling point. In a traditional salon atmosphere, there is a lot of hustle and bustle, with multiple chairs and mirrors in a row where clients can see what’s going on around them.

AppointmentsStylists in salon suites are given the flexibility to book appointments that fit into their schedules. For example, if your salon suite is situated near a hospital and many of your clients are nurses, you can accommodate their night schedules by opening your suite during nontraditional hours. This is one example of the many ways salon suite stylists can tailor their business to fit their desired clientele, which helps deliver better results and build stronger client relationships.

retail spaceStylists in traditional salons are often incentivized to sell products and retail items on a very small commission – sometimes 10 percent or less. In a salon suite, stylists make 100 percent commission by selling products they truly believe in. They can recommend products for their clients on a more personalized basis without the pressure of the sales environment.

customizationA traditional salon often has an overall theme, which is apparent to the clients from the time they walk through door, as well as throughout the styling and grooming experience. Individual stylists may have the option of customizing their respective stations with the support of the property manager. In a salon suite, each stylist has complete control over the look and feel of his or her suite. From the equipment and tools used to the paint color, decals and wall décor, each stylist has the opportunity to express his or her creativity in his or her surroundings. In essence, they’re taking the first step in building their personal brand.

“The salon suite atmosphere helps empower stylists to share who they are as individuals and

connect deeply with the type of clients they wish to attract.”

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and a traditional salon is ownership – in a traditional salon, the stylist doesn’t own anything, but pays a commission to the salon. In a salon suite, the stylist is simply renting out a private space in a salon complex, meaning that he or she has 100 percent ownership and takes in 100 percent of revenue.

Privacy Salon suites are very private, and each suite has four walls and its own door. For clients who appreciate the one-on-one interaction

salOn suites:a new era fOr salOn prOs

Entrepreneurial goalsThe creative and entrepreneurial individuals who thrive in the salon suite atmosphere are just that: entrepreneurs. They have discovered within themselves a desire to create an experience larger than them and serve their community with the best salon, grooming and styling services on the market. Everything from their equipment to the atmosphere of their suite reflects who they are as stylists.

These stylists are artists who have been dreaming of their own businesses for years. They’re passionate about visual elements and they are connected to their space. They’re interested in creating their own brand – whatever it may be. The salon suite atmosphere helps empower stylists to share who they are as individuals and connect deeply with the type of clients they wish to attract.

They’ve often worked themselves through the ranks, beginning at a budget-friendly salon in a more collaborative environment, renting out a chair and focusing on paying their dues to the salon. Eventually, their skills begin to speak for themselves and they develop even more passion for their craft. This sort of entrepreneurial ladder leads straight to salon suites. It’s not for everyone, but many have found great success as part of the salon suite concept.

Whatever your background in the salon and beauty services industry, there’s plenty of great franchise concepts out there. As Gary Ratner, president of Salon Plaza, says – it’s important for a stylist to find a partner that’s on your side when it comes to your success and independence as a business owner and that’s the core of our business.

Stacy Eley is the director of operations

at MY SALON Suite, part of Suite

Management Franchising based in

New Orleans. Founded in 2012, Suite

Management Franchising’s brands,

which also include Salon Plaza, offer

more than 60 salon suite locations in the

United States and Canada. More than a

thousand salon owners have joined the

movement and own their

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Dr. Smar t Phones

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COntrOl yOur Own future in an explOding marKet Dr. Smart Phones, a recognized leader in cell phone repair, has continued to grow rapidly since the company’s inception. Multiple new locations are being opened regularly throughout the county.

After 20 years in the cell phone business, our founder’s vision of creating a franchise group of tightly knit personnel and stores providing consistent high quality, yet economical, cell phone repair services, came to life as Dr. Smart Phones.

Our corporate goal is to provide state-of-the-art service and repairs not only to consumers, but to corporations with more extensive service needs as well. Dr. Smartphones is a nationwide service provider for major phone insurance companies, Fortune 500 companies, as well as fulfilling service contacts to over

150 schools and school districts.

Much of our overall success has been gained through establishing ongoing, productive corporate partnerships. These partnerships begin with the recognition that any company utilizing outside sales force, regardless of size, must rely heavily on mobile devices to maintain contestant contact with their team. Mobile device downtime is not only and inconvenience but can result in revenue loss and demisted profit potential.

A successful business runs on timing,

dr. smart phones:

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speed and the quality of information its field force has available to it. With a key business partnership dedicated to meeting those same demands, the chances of successes are greatly enhanced.

Ownership of a Dr.SmartPhones franchise has never been easierLife is best controlling the shots, which is exactly what makes a franchising opportunity with Dr. Smart Phones, Inc so exciting. You have the opportunity to control your own future and security by building a business in which your family can participate, contribute to your local community, and make a difference in the lives of your customers and employees. Starting a franchise gives you the opportunity to own a business without many of the risks, expenses and frustrations of starting from scratch.

The cell phone repair market is exploding as more than 50% of Americans now have a Smartphone. Dr. Smart Phones is a simple, niche concept with limited direct competition. Our specialty is providing fast guaranteed service while you wait.

ready to proceed? Let’s talk. We’ve made the process of taking the first step, and each of the following steps, simple. Please complete the Get in Touch form on our website so that our team can reach out to-to get you started on your way to owning a Dr. Smart Phones Franchise.

www.drsmartphones.com/get-in-touch

dr. smart phones:

“The cell phone repair market is exploding as more than 50% of Americans now have a Smartphone. Dr. Smart Phones is a simple,

niche concept with limited direct competition.”

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Jim Mingey, Founder & Managing Director, VBS’

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Darcella K. Craven, Executive Director, Veterans Business Resource Center

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Alright. It is nearing the end of one year and the beginning of another. Many of us will soon embark on the routine tradition of reviewing our lives over the last 12 months and making a decision to do something, say something or be something better or different.We are excited about the opportunity to start again in this New Year and by March (or maybe some are more disciplined by

May) we throw those resolutions out and decide to try again next January. Here is the deal. Creating resolutions is a strong and solid activity and it has a place. The act of thinking through what you want to accomplish is an excellent tool to faciltate and define accomplishments in our lives. But many small business owners get so caught up in running the business that those resolutions are not a priority and is one reason we do not keep them for longer than a few months.

I reached out to one of the most organized Veteran small business owners I know and asked for her advice on setting and keeping resolutions. Christine Zika, an Army National Guard Veteran, is owner of CZ Concierge Services. Here is what she had to say about setting resolutions.

Is your resolution on your calendar?If you are one of the 45% of Americans who have made a New Year’s Resolution, let me ask you a question: is your resolution on your calendar? Whether your resolution is to eat healthy, be a better parent (sister, daughter, community activist), to grow your business or be a better boss, make it a part of your to-do list to schedule it on your calendar!

Just as every business meeting or children’s activity gets inscribed on your calendar, so should the goals you set for yourself. How else will you remember or - more importantly- find the time to work on your goals?

Let’s say we have resolved to eat healthy. Buy vegetables and lean meat, cook and

is your resolution on your calendar?

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VIOLA you are eating healthy. And then the week comes and you were really busy that you weren’t able to buy groceries and what would you make tonight anyway and

ohhhh look, there’s the McDonald’s (Long John Silvers, Hunan Wok). From there you slide into, the “well it’s just this week”, which leads to “let me get through the month” and the next thing you know it is the New Year and you are resolving to dobetter - AGAIN.

“Insanity is doing the same thingover and over again and expectingdifferent results.” - Albert Einstein

This year, plan out the success of your resolution! Take an hour and start blocking the time you will need to make your resolution a reality. Look at your calendar and decide where you can block time for grocery shopping, going to the gym or whatever task you need to do. Don’t schedule anything else during that time. If someone wants a meeting at that time, explain that you are already committed and that they will need to choose another

time to meet. Stay firm; you wouldn’t schedule two meetings at the same time, would you?

Use this concept with your 2016 business goals. Do you want to make more sales calls? Market at specific times of the year? A few tips from an organizing expert.

1) Plan on working on your 1, 3 and 5 year goals. You want to have both short term goals that you can see immediately and long term to give yourself something to strive to achieve. This is also a great way to measure your previous year’s accomplishments and adjust as you may need.

2) Set a date for you to work on your plan alone. Getting your ideas out of your head an on to paper, without the distraction of a team, is the best first step. This allows you to understand your intentions for the company and articulate them to others for the next step.

3) Set a date for your team to work on your plan. Whether the team is internal or external having the minds of others

Christine zikaDarcella K. Craven

is your resolution on your calendar?

“Just as every business meeting or children’s activity gets inscribed on your calendar, so

should the goals you set for yourself. How else will you remember or - more importantly - find

the time to work on your goals?”

Darcella K. Craven Christine Zika “Never think that your resolution for positive change is any less important than what wants to interrupt it.” to work through your ideas is very important. Getting non-emotional perspective on your business allows you to identify roadblocks or opportunities that you did not notice.

4) Remember, these conversations can take several days’ even weeks to complete. Set a beginning and an end date for the conversations and hold yourselves accountable to those dates.

No matter what it is that you want to do, make sure you know when you are going to do it and stick to it. It takes 21 days to create a new habit so put those days on your calendar TODAY!

Interested in how you can provide this service as a benefit for your employees? Call us at 314-779-9495 to discuss how we can start to create a great place to work. CZ Concierge Services provides Virtual and Personal Concierge Services for business and their employees in the St. Louis, Missouri Metropolitan area. Weare a proud to be a woman/veteran owned business.

Darcella K Craven has over 20 years of experience in corporate, government, non-profit and military organizations. She is currently the Executive Director of the Veterans Business Resource Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting Honorably Discharged Veterans, National Guard and Reservist and Active Duty personnel and their families with transitioning back into civilian life with starting and expanding businesses. An Army Veteran, she holds a Masters of Arts in Management from Webster University and is currently pursuing her Doctors of Management focusing on impact of military experience on small business decision making. Darcella has been featured in numerous articles for her transition from the military and the welfare system to an accomplished business woman and is actively involved in many civic organizations.

www.vetbiz.com