Maid Brigade Salutes Veterans with $1.5 Million Franchise Giveaway

Maid Brigade Salutes Veterans with $1.5 Million Franchise Giveaway

Contest Will Offer New Careers to 100+ Military Veterans

Atlanta — They’ve earned their medals in the U.S. Armed Forces. Now veterans can prove their mettle in the business world with the Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway, a program that will award more than $1.5 million in business ownership opportunities to 100+ veterans, creating more than 1,000 jobs nationwide. 

The contest comes at a time when America’s economy is down, but patriotism is high.  Maid Brigade, the award-winning residential cleaning service and longtime supporter of the military, is acting on both fronts by offering new careers to veterans, a group it considers worthy, qualified, and proven as franchise owners. 

Currently, 10 percent of Maid Brigade owners are veterans; others in the network come from a range of careers.  

The contest will launch on Independence Day, July 4, and conclude on Veterans Day, November 11, 2009.  To apply, veterans must visit www.maidbrigadegiveaway.com to complete the form and submit a short essay by September 30 on how their military responsibilities would translate to successful Maid Brigade franchise ownership. 

Maid Brigade will waive its $14,500 Select Market Franchise fee for as many as 100 qualified veteran applicants.  Additionally, one grand-prize winner will receive a new Maid Brigade franchise operation at zero cost — a total value of $45,000, which includes waived franchise fees, working capital, training, and equipment.  Second and third place winners will receive similar packages valued at $27,500 and $17,500, respectively.  A Select Market Franchise is designed for smaller geographical regions. Owners manage all business aspects of an operation and oversee staff that cleans homes following Maid Brigade’s certified Green Cleaning system.

An Esteemed Panel of Judges
Maid Brigade’s four-member panel of judges consists of U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Michael H. Miller; Ted Daywalt, military veteran and President of VetJobs, the leading military-related job board on the Internet and endorsed by The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Naval Reserve Association and the Veterans of Modern Warfare; decorated U.S. military veteran and Maid Brigade franchise owner Ray Toombs; and Maid Brigade Chairman and Founder Don Hay.

Veterans at the Forefront
“Military veterans have done so much for our country," said Hay of the Maid Brigade franchise network. "This year on Veterans Day, we want to show them our appreciation by giving them their own business, a new career, and comfortable lifestyle."  Unlike a typical military career and some other franchises, Maid Brigade franchise ownership is a Monday to Friday business with daytime hours, no nights, and no weekends.  It allows time home with one’s family and an opportunity for business growth and a high ROI.  Maid Brigade, a recession-resistant business, has weathered previous recessions of the 1980s, 1990s and post-9/11, without a drop in same store sales.

Franchise businesses consider veterans to be excellent franchise owners.  They’re disciplined self-starters, they embrace teamwork and know how to follow a proven path to success.  Maid Brigade’s technology-driven business systems, highly standardized cleaning processes, and ongoing corporate support make its organization an especially good fit for veterans.

Hay and his wife, Maid Brigade Vice President of Franchise Recruitment and self-proclaimed “Navy Brat” Cathy Hay, have always believed in a vigorous commitment to the U.S. military.  For years, Maid Brigade has partnered with the non-profit Operation Homefront to provide military families in crisis with free housecleaning services; it has also consistently offered veterans discounted franchising fees and larger territories.  Maid Brigade is a longtime member of VetFran, the Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative, created by the International Franchise Association and supported by the Center for Veterans Enterprise.

One of the contest judges, Army and Navy veteran Ray Toombs, and his wife bought their Maid Brigade operation in Ohio in 2003.  “The military was a big part of my life, and it meant a lot to be recognized for my service by Maid Brigade and VetFran,” Toombs said.  Since they launched their business, the Toombs’ franchise has experienced 15 to 20 percent growth per year.  Other couples also own Maid Brigade operations; system-wide the network comprise 17 percent couples, 48 percent men, and 35 percent women as owners.

While Maid Brigade has a long and rich history of supporting veterans, a new bill, the Help Veterans Own Franchises Act (HR 2672), has recently been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage other franchise businesses to offer discounts for veterans interested in buying a franchise.

Detailed Veterans Franchise Giveaway rules are available at www.maidbrigadegiveaway.com.  Veteran applications are due by September 30, 2009.

About Maid Brigade
Headquartered in Atlanta, Maid Brigade is a global residential cleaning service with more than 420 locations in the United States and Canada.  Established in 1979, it has grown its market share every year since its inception, with system-wide sales over $70 million in 2008. Unique to Maid Brigade is its Green Clean Certified® cleaning system, the only house cleaning system that uses green cleaning solutions certified by Green Seal. State of the art technology, training and ongoing support also set apart the franchiser, which helped it earn several franchising accolades, including rankings in Entrepreneur and Success magazines and awards from Franchise Research Institute, The Franchise Ratings Guide, and FranNet.  For more information, visit www.maidbrigade.com or call 800-722-6243. 

 

---

Description of Awards

---

The Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway is open to United States Military Veterans, who are transitioning to civilian life or seeking a career change.  The total giveaway comes to $1,540,000, Maid Brigade’s most recent expression of gratitude to veterans for their service and sacrifices.

Gold Award: Maid Brigade Select Market Franchise* – valued at $45,000
$14,500 franchise fee
$3,000 equipment package
$27,500 in working capital
A one-week, all-inclusive training program at Maid Brigade headquarters in Atlanta — airfare and hotel provided.
(This is everything the winner will need to establish his business.)

Silver Award – valued at $27,500
$14,500 Select Market franchise fee
$3,000 Maid Brigade equipment package
$10,000 working capital
A one-week, all-inclusive training program at Maid Brigade headquarters in Atlanta — airfare and hotel provided.

Bronze Award – valued at $17,500
$14,500 Select Market franchise fee
$3,000 Maid Brigade equipment package
A one-week, all-inclusive training program at Maid Brigade headquarters in Atlanta — airfare and hotel provided.

Up to 100 additional prizes – each valued at $14,500
Maid Brigade will waive the franchise fee to any qualified veteran who enters
(normally a $14,500 charge).

* A Maid Brigade Select Market Franchise is designed for smaller geographical regions, with an exclusive territory of 10,000 qualified households.  The home-based, low-overhead business offers opportunity for growth, a high RIO, and proven systems. 

---

Application Process

---

1. From July 4 to September 30, 2009, veterans may complete and submit the Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway application online (www.MaidBrigadeGiveaway.com).  Maid Brigade then mails each qualified applicant a Franchise Informative Package.

2. Maid Brigade and applicants then arrange a telephone interview to discuss the company’s systems, territories and business goals.  Afterward, Maid Brigade sends them a Franchise Disclosure Document and additional documentation on the company and specific territories. 

3. Qualified candidates speak with current Maid Brigade franchisees to hear firsthand some of the "nuts and bolts" surrounding ownership. They also work with Maid Brigade planners to complete Advertising and Financial Planner forms.  

4. On November 5, after Maid Brigade receives all contest entry forms, the panel of judges selects the top 10 applicants.  Maid Brigade flies them to Atlanta to attend an all-expenses paid special Veterans Giveaway Discovery Day, when the applicants get to know more about the company and judges get to know more about the applicants.

5. On Veterans Day, November 11, 2009, Maid Brigade announces the winners of the Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway.

Applicants should expect their review process to take four to six weeks, allowing ample time for them and Maid Brigade to get to know each other.  

---

Panel of Judges

---

Rear Admiral Michael H. Miller
Rear Admiral Mike Miller graduated the United States Naval Academy in 1974.  A career carrier Naval Aviator flying the S-3A/B Viking, his previous assignments include Deputy Chief of Staff for Global Force Management & Joint Operations (N3/N5), U.S. Fleet Forces Command (2007); Commander, USS Ronald Reagan Strike Group (2005); Deputy Assistant to the President and the first-ever active duty Director of the White House Military Office (2002); and Commanding Officer of John F. Kennedy (1999), Coronado (1995) and VS-24 (1990).

Miller’s personal decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (6), the Bronze Star, Air Medals (3), the Meritorious Service Medal (3), the Joint Service Commen-dation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (2), Navy Achievement Medal, and various service and campaign awards.

Ted Daywalt, Military Veteran and President of VetJobs.com, Inc.
Ted Daywalt is the President of VetJobs.com, Inc., the leading military related job board on the Internet.  He is a recognized expert on the use of the Internet for recruiting, is published, has testified before Congress, and is an in demand lecturer at human resources, educational and Department of Defense conferences and symposiums.

Previously, Daywalt held senior executive positions in the steel, utility, chemical and biomedical waste industries. He served 27 years in the Navy, seven years on active duty, and the rest with the Naval Reserve Intelligence Program, retiring as a Navy Captain.  Daywalt earned a B.S. from Florida State University, an M.A. from the University of Southern California, and an M.B.A. from the Goizueta Business School, Emory University.

Don Hay, Founder and Chairman of Maid Brigade, Inc.
Don Hay, Founder and Chairman of Maid Brigade Inc, established his award-winning residential cleaning service in 1984, the same year that he become an American citizen.