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Courtesy Jerry Flanagan
Jerry Flanagan poses with a Hummer 2 and cargo trailer emblazoned with the JDog Junk Removal logo and decorations.
You might view Jerry Flanagan’s entrepreneurial vision for jobless veterans as junk economics. That’s fine. He certainly sees it that way.
The Army veteran has launched what he says is the first company to offer former service members — and only former service members — a chance to buy one of his fledgling franchises. The business: hauling away people’s unwanted appliances, furniture and other household rubbish. In crude terms, junk removal.
Before you trash his plan, listen to Flanagan’s strategy to tidy up the 10.9 percent unemployment rate that’s been dogging post-Sept. 11 veterans (as compared to the 8.1 percent rate afflicting the rest of the nation in August).
“Offering the franchises only to military veterans gives them the opportunity to know, ‘In this program, I don’t have to compete against this guy who has a college degree or against that guy who just went to business school.’ Right now, these people need a leg up,” said Flanagan, who served in the U.S. Army from 1987 to 1989.
“So many veterans are going to be hitting the work force by 2014. I asked myself, ‘How can we put them back to work?’ They’ll be owning their own businesses and hopefully they’ll be hiring other veterans.”
He calls his enterprise JDog Junk Removal. The tasks, territorial duties, and even the logo are purposely intended to carry a military feel, a welcome-home gift, Flanagan said, for ambitious veterans with at least $15,000 to invest. That’s the cost to buy a franchise.
The fee — plus adequate credit to lease or finance a hauling trailer plus either a green H2 Hummer or Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (the only allowable vehicles, each painted with JDog’s trademarked bulldog emblem plus a local phone number) — puts veterans in the driver’s seat to self-employment, Flanagan said.
“I know there are these guys and women coming back, and if they’re jumping into a big, military-style vehicle, if they have some space, I think it helps with the transition,” Flanagan said.
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Each franchisee will be assigned his or her own exclusive market — amid population pockets of at least 75,000 people — as well as a social networking push from corporate headquarters, local leads generated by the company website, and advice on peddling the service to area real estate firms, warehouses, commercial properties, churches and senior living facilities.
“There’s no office, no retail space to lease, and within 90 days, you’re booking jobs,” Flanagan said. “I’ve spent the past 17 months building his concept. But I also wanted to keep it simple. A lot of veterans are going to step right in and follow the system, just like they followed the system in the military every day. Veterans are the best qualified franchisees out there because they’re used to following orders.”
Flanagan saved one niche for disabled veterans: They can buy a franchise and hire one or two muscled-up pals to do the heavy lifting while the veterans run the businesses on their mobile devices.
“The cash flow is immediate because you’re paid on the spot. You go out and do four or five jobs that day, and you average $200 to $300 per job because I’ve structured the margins very well,” he added. “I started studying this (business sector) during the recession — junk removal was one of the few areas that did better after 2008. That’s what drew my attention. There’s junk in every state. There are military veterans in every state.
“We’re getting good feedback from the entire (salvage) industry that once veterans — and active duty members who are about to come home — get their heads around what I’m doing, we’re going to have a large turnout interested in franchises,” added Flanagan, who is based in Wayne, Pa. “I want 300 to 500 of these units up in 10 years. Of course, I could be underselling myself there. We could have 10 just in Long Island. We could have 50 in Texas."
According to the International Franchise Association in Washington, D.C., the only other American franchisor that offers buy-in opportunities solely to former service members is an outfit called Veteran Tech Brigade, which supplies IT services.
Kelly Crigger, co-founder and CEO of Veteran Tech Brigade said, however, that his company is aiming for an 80 percent veteran-owned franchise rate. (Veteran Tech Brigade currently is vetting its first potential franchisees — two veterans, both residing in Florida). The company mainly does government contracting and business-to-business IT consulting.
“But that’s why we started this company — to put a dent in the unemployment rate for veterans,” said Crigger, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who served in Afghanistan. “We have 25 veterans now doing IT consulting.
“Especially when you consider the immense responsibility levels many veterans had while in combat, you would think” scores of companies would be clamoring for their skills, Crigger said. “I remember one guy told me: ‘Over in Iraq, my responsibility was kicking doors in all day, looking for the enemy. But I get back here and I can’t even get a job laying cement’ ”
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That is a great idea. I could have used that service after I moved last year. I had to rent a trailer and take time off work to haul unwanted items away.
These type of businesses already exist all over the U.S.Some of them advertise in your local newspaper.This guy is not the next Bill Gates.
I think it is a great idea too, I think there is nothing wrong with offering franchies to veterans, they are struggling with enough when the come home, without adding unemployment to the mix. I has a similar proble that Dr. Knowalittle had when I moved. It cost me over $700 to get rid of stuff when I sold my house and moved into a small ap't. just a cleaning lady says he is not the next Bill Gates, I don't see anywhere in the article that that is his intention. This guy is from my area, and there are a lot of vets who need jobs. Hooyah.
I think it is great that he is only offering franchises to vets, but it is going to take them quite a while to even make back the $15,000 buy in. I am not sure what, other than some web advertising they could do themselves, that the franchisees are getting for their $15,000. There are already a lot of these junk haulers around who charge a fairly nominal fee and, depending on the item, some will even pick them up for free. They make there money by selling the items to recyclers. In my case, if the item is 150 pounds or less in weight, my regular trash hauler will pick the item up at no additional charge.
I wish this guy a lot of luck because I think it is great that he is trying to help vets. That said, this business idea is neither original nor filling a niche where there is a void, so competition will be pretty stiff for his franchisees.
I do not have $ 15,000 since Obama-Nation is in full swing and if he is reelected and I will move to China or Indonesia to teach english as second Language. You get free apartment and get medical insurance and Bonuses........ To hell with dysfunctional USA ha ha ah haaaaaaaaaaaa .....
Got Lefty and righty and all other groups..., the USA is Dead !
Spoken like a true Tea Bagger there joseph mcdougal........Outsource and give China the benefits of your American goods and services like the rest of the Republicans and Tea Bags.......the Hell with good ole USA...sold to the highest bidder............
Hit the road......and dont come back begging...for food stamps and screaming those damn democrats and thier social welfare......when you will be the first in line.....
Kudos for this Veteran who keeps marching even after the uniform. Good stuff !
Before you leave to go teach English as a second language, you may want to invest in some English classes. Your grammar is horrendous.
Thanks for the idea, now I will just paint my number on the side of my pickup truck, but a junk trailor and go into business for myself. Have no fear, I am a veteran myself and I appreciate the idea, just not the cost.
Good idea. There is no reason you should have to work for anybody else in this country, especially after taking @!$%# in the military from following orders. Next thing you need to do is start hiring and expanding. Doing it yourself is a good way to start out, but having people do the work for you is the way to make real money.
What woul dyou say if he only offered it to a single racial group? People do not realize that veteran's preference is the same thing as affirmative action - yet they complain about that.
Steve, these veterans have DONE something for this country. Put their life and limbs on the line in miserable conditions. Nobody's offering them anything just because they were born with a certain skin tone.
Your attitude shows why this kind of program is needed. Go start your own company and make your own rules, nobody is stopping you. Oh wait, that would entail work, initiative, risk and more work. Never mind.
There is a great difference between being a veteran and being a member of a certain race. One cannot choose their race, and thus should not get any different treatment just because you were because you were born to a certain group. Becoming a veteran/member of the military is a choice, a choice that is usually full of hardship and a much tougher life than the average person could comprehend. It is because of this choice to live this life of hardship for either 4 or 20 years, that they get special treatment afterwords; because they've earned it.
Steve,you are right.And those that disagree with you must not believe in the equality that we are supposed to have in America.Mexico,China,North Korea to name a few corrupt governments is an example of this type of favoritism.I guess we are going the way of the third world countries.
The two previous responders pretty much said it all, but" STICK IT IN YOUR ASS STEVEJG61."
Romeodriver,There are a lot of Americans who have done quite a bit of service for this country that have never enlisted.The list of those jobs are too long to mention.I am sick and tired of hearing about the vets of these two conflicts.None of us would be enjoying our freedom if it were not for the World War II Vets.All of these other conflicts that our country is involved in are not securing the U.S. and our way of life.
retired40,Your post should be removed due to your language and hostile attitude.If you disagree with Steve please find a more educated way of doing so.This is a media vehicle for stating one's opinion and not the battlefield.
just a cleaning lady: Let me explain something to you. Your argument about WW2 being a just war and Iraq/Afghanistan not, because they didn't threaten our way of life, is just wrong. You could use that thought about them not threatening our way of life if they HADN'T ATTACKED US ON OUR SOIL! If we had ignored Al Quieda they would have kept coming, and kept attacking. Just like they did after the embassies in Africa get bombed, after the USS Cole got bombed, after the Kobar Towers got bombed, and the Trade Center in 93.....it seems they just kept coming back until our soldiers went to their turf and fought them. The current crop of soldiers deserves as much praise as any group of soldiers ever in our country's history. And I really don't care if that bothers you.
Whatever, it's a volunteer army as far as I can recall. They signed up to do it. Nobody coerced them to join. They joined and got paid, maybe some college too. It's not like they were drafted like when I grew up during Vietnam.
Steve these veterens have risked all for our country. You obviously have not and don't have a clue. Cleaning lady no wonder your a cleaning lady because you don't have a clue. And yes I ran a cleaning business for years and your attitude towards serving this country would have landed you unemployed. Your negativity bleeds into a low quality life and job performance.
Looks like a way for 'J-dog' to upgrade to a huge house & to pay for that Hummer's gas bill on the backs of veterans.
Sure, people would be more likely to patronize a vet-owned business. But here's some advice for vets considering it- Get a crappy truck, a calendar, phone w/ gps, and spend $500 on shiny graphics. You're now a business OWNER, and 'J-dog' can take a hike.
@just a cleaning lady
Do us all a favor and just stfu. Your childish whining and attempts to sound clever instead just make you look pathetic.
Get real Stevejg61, don't start trouble where there was none. So tired of all this "acceptance" complaining and whining.
Does anyone else think this borders on a con?
Tread lightly GI's. I suspect the ONLY one who is going to be making money of this fiasco is the bubble gut yahoo on the trailer.
Non-union garbage men who have to pay for the privilege of working?
Here is a better idea.
Pass Federal legislation removing funding from ANY municipality that hires any non vet for anything that could be done by a vet. Sanitation, law enforcement, highway work.
Less jobs for the corrupt politicos cronies and decent work for vets.
But I wouldn't count on it. In some folks eyes you were expendable but useful. Now you aren't even desirable any longer.
Such an abomination :(
I think you might have something there. I can look in the papers and find all kinds of hauling services already available. Why would someone pay $15,000 when they can just run an ad in the paper and have their own business. I don't see why you need to pay $15,000 to start a business like this.
I agree with you Ludwig. I have been self employed my whole life and started my own businesses after short stays with more formal positions. I stayed just long enough to get the basics and then went on my own and made myself a millionaire in 20years or less. No bosses, no weekends, no hassle. Well maybe a few nites. I am a vet also. US Navy. Corpsman
He's only following our governments example.If you apply for a Federal government job the first people considered and given extra points are Vets,Vets spouses,Vets parents,disabled people and everybody else is dead last.It is still discrimination no matter how you slice it.The most qualified should get the job first and a college degree in some instance does not make one the most qualified.This guy does fuzzy math as most people will not procure a single hauling job a day in most areas.He's blowing smoke and I believe in the end that people will see that he is doing this to benefit himself.The franchise company always becomes rich and if your franchise license comes without protective territory for the franchisee,you can end up going bust.
Problem with applying for a federal job is we already have too much government as it is. Even at city levels. Our city has a police department of 8,000, however, of that 8,000 less than 2,000 are actual police officers. Te remainder are aids, aids to aids, aids to bosses, etc., Get my drift. TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT ALREADY!
I heard of a guy who came to the US from Cuba, who with an Army veteran have started a restaurant franchise near Atlanta.(CUBAN FOOD, no less) It's plan is to supply Franchises to Veterans exclusively. I'm sorry I didn't get more information from them so I could pass it on. The Cuban guy sees it as a way to "pay back" his debt to the US for taking him in.The Army veteran was able to save his home from the bank and feeds and schools his 6 kids with his effort, so it's not a loosing proposition.
These men, and women who served their/ our country deserve all the extra TLC we can give them and I think they should get first dibs when it comes to being served by us. "Good on them"
Why discriminate against non-vets? Just because government discriminates in hiring doesn't mean it's right. Wouldn't it be better to hire the most capable person able to do the job? Or, I should say, buy the franchise?
I'm selling franchises too. But only to non-veterans. If you served, sorry.
Why not up the ante and recycle the junk, instead of taking it to the good old jark yard ?
This is just a marketing gimmick.... give me a break and look at how it has worked out for him... all this free publicity on the backs of veterans.
I don't get the hype. No disrespect for the idea of only hiring veterans, but really? $15,000 to buy in, plus another $25-30K for a vehicle, then get it painted oh lets not forget the trailer.
I am a veteran and when I retired in 2009 I was out of work. I bought a nice looking older pick-up for $2500. purchased a trailer for $1000, had two professionally designed signs made for each side at a cost of $100, then I started advertising on craigslist for free that I was a veteran. From day one, I was getting an average of 3 jobs and profiting $200-$300 a day on an investment of less than $4000. I had so much work, I could decide what jobs I wanted, and what jobs I didn't. I was grateful for all of them, but selected the ones that worked best for my schedule. It sustained me for almost two years until I found a corporate job that I was looking for. When I did, I sold my trailer for what I had paid for it to another veteran, and taught him everything that I had learned.
I don't get the hype. No disrespect for the idea of only hiring veterans, but really? $15,000 to buy in, plus another $25-30K for a vehicle, then get it painted oh lets not forget the trailer.
I am a veteran and when I retired in 2009 I was out of work. I bought a nice looking older pick-up for $2500. purchased a trailer for $1000, had two professionally designed signs made for each side at a cost of $100, then I started advertising on craigslist for free that I was a veteran. From day one, I was getting an average of 3 jobs and profiting $200-$300 a day on an investment of less than $4000. I had so much work, I could decide what jobs I wanted, and what jobs I didn't. I was grateful for all of them, but selected the ones that worked best for my schedule. It sustained me for almost two years until I found a corporate job that I was looking for. When I did, I sold my trailer for what I had paid for it to another veteran, and taught him everything that I had learned.
Good points, I smelled out this possible ponzi scheme that appears more to be a salesman for his profits first - unless he can show he is not making much or nothing out of it, he is doing it for himself as much as anything. The last thing this country needs is another group/person taking advantage of vets or anyone down on their luck or just needing a little help to get started.
Getting a bit sick of the arrogance of vets, they're no better than anyone else, they deserve no more than anyone else. I especially like the ones who like to play hero and neglect to tell people they never actually stepped foot in the middle east and spent their time drinking in germany.
Hey, don't underestimate the dangers involved with drinking in Germany. Some of the beer had alcohol content approaching 10%. Then sometimes you had to deal with frauleins trying to rip your clothes off and @$@$@ your brains out, crazed neo-Nazis trying to stomp your (drunken) guts out, and even angry Turks that'd stab your sorry drunken @$$ in the thigh with a penknife at the drop of a pfennig---usually as a prelude to even MORE Turks coming to stomp your (likely still drunken) guts out.
I have fond memories of being in such incredible danger in Germany---especially because I subsequently found myself IN the Middle East with NO beer, NO horny frauleins, not even any crazed neo-Nazis or blade-happly Turks---just real. live, honest-to-Pete lunatics willing to die so they could go to "heaven" and have a few cold beers...and a few hot frauleins.
All the vets got to do is vote for Romney. With McCain, Bolton and such folks looking out for you. Vets will be busy in Afghanistan, Iran and hopefully Iraq again for the next 8 years. Syria and Egypt not too bad either.
Then some jobs in Poland looking in at Romney's new found enemy, Putin.
Things are looking bright for US military if Romney and GOPs takeover.
As it is they would be better off coming here from Mexico or some other country illegally! Shame on you employers!
For or against this idea does not matter. The first time he refuses to sell a franchise to a non-vet he will be sued. The ACLU will support whoever brings the suit. He'd been better off selling it as a franchise where a portion of his profit goes to the Veterans charities. He blew, it game over, the ACLU is knocking on his door. Too bad.
If the USA could afford to give all veterans full college scholarships for tuition and living stipend probably worth about $100K currently for a four year degree (tuition and expenses) back after WWII and Korean War, then we should do that today and give any vet that does not want to go to college or trade school shots at apprenticeships. If that does not keep them all supported with a roof over their head, food and clothes then we need to expand our conservation corps like Americorps or create a FEMA division that employs vets in emergency response and recovery jobs for efforts needed after hurricanes, tornados, floods, earthquakes, etc. I don't believe our current Nat Guard levels and other responders are enough to cover worst case years, and these vets in emergency response divisions could also work on other projects when not responding to emergencies like forest and park conservation, providing mobile medical clinics to underserved areas around the country - there are always things we never get around to doing and darn will should or it will bite us from our negligence.
Any business that states they will only hire ex-military is discrimitoraly illegal, personly I would not want any person on my property with ptsd, do what most do become a cop carry gun and drive hotrod and be above the law and shoot innocent people.
I think ex military would be the only ones dumb enough to fall for this scam. 15000 - for the right to use a name I've never even heard off? I don't think so.
Idiocy isn't defined by service or lack of. The guy pitching this idiotic scheme is using the veteran pitch for publicity. Once that pitch fails, he'll come looking for you to buy into his brand of stupid.
Where are these vets supposed to get the $15,000 to buy into this franchise? From their a@@es???
Now, if he would combine it with a sustainable fuel strategy it might work. I don't see making much money hauling trash with a hummer. Unless, that hummer was a diesel version and it ran on grease. Just my 2cent from a green veteran.
That combination he requires is pretty light in the ass for any serious junk hauling.
If you have ever seen the 1-800-Got Junk? trucks they use 2 ton trucks with dump beds on them.
Requiring Jeeps or Hummers(!) to pull a 1000lb capacity trailer to take somebodies @!$%# to the dump for 300 to 500 bucks is ludicrous.
This guy's not doing veterans any great favor and his mentality downright pisses me off. I don't need some E2-E3 washout from the 80's telling me what to do. And I definitely don't need to pay him $15,000 just for the privilege of using his paint scheme on a gas guzzling POS made out of China (Hummer, not the Rubicon). If I wanted to haul junk, it wouldn't cost $15,000 + a new vehicle lease/loan to do it. And while I appreciate the support shown in a lot of these comments, I think there's a great misconception that veterans get out of the service with nothing in hand. Someone who is going to take the initiative to operate a franchise already has the drive to do it without this guy.