A franchise is an established, proven business. Can you just do what the national chain tells you to do? Should I develop my own business plan?

Yes! This is your business, you run it!  

In fact, you need a great business plan. Doing all the working up front means planning for your success.

“Owning a franchise reduces your risk, but it doesn’t eliminate it,” said Scott Lehr, who has been with International Franchise Association for 25 years.

Here are three reasons why you should start writing your business plan now:

1. It serves as your blueprint. All businesses need a business plan, even franchises. In fact, having one is even more beneficial to you than to anyone else. It will help you make sure you don’t skip any important steps along the way and identify potential problems before they trip you up. A business plan can also help you clarify your goals and prepare for how you will meet them. When done well, it will help identify major components of how you will attract customers to generate cash flow based on your geographic location, demographics, competitors and other important factors.

2. It helps raise capital. Franchisees looking for investments or small business loans will need to show that they have given sufficient thought to establishing, managing and growing the business. Investing the time and effort in writing a great business plan shows you and potential investors and lenders that starting your business is not a whim.

3. It is like a resume to franchisors and may be required when applying for an opportunity. When written well, a resume can show you and potential employers that you have invested the time and effort to amass the skills and experience needed to do a job. Likewise, a well-written business plan can show that you have invested time, thought and energy in planning for your success as a franchisee. It is also an opportunity to receive feedback about additional business matters you should think about or give more thought to.

“It is a good idea to go into a business with your eyes wide open about the money, time and expertise required to run it, so you can plan for having the resources,” said Lehr. “Your business plan will help you do just that.”

For more information about the International Franchise Association, please visit www.franchise.org

By Christine Cioppa

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Now new research shows that regularly performing mind-body relaxation techniques (e.g., yoga, meditation, prayer) may also keep your physician away.

The study, published by PLOS, shows that patients who received mind-body training to build resilience and counter stress, were 43 percent less likely to need health care services.

Stress is connected to 70 percent of doctors' caseloads, the researchers note, as it is behind many conditions, from depression and anxiety to headaches, back pain, insomnia, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and chest discomfort.

“I like to think that there are many gates to wellness. However, not all of them are easy for everyone right away,” says study researcher James Stahl, MD, CM, MPH. “The choice of which one works best to start depends a bit on the person. The most important element is regular practice.”

To get started, “take control of a piece of your time. It can be in the morning, before you go to bed or some other time during the day in which you can devote to yourself and your own practice. It can be as little as 10 minutes. It just needs to be consistent,” says Dr. Stahl. “Mind-body skills are not expensive—you are born with the tools. Seeking a coach of one sort or another can be helpful. You can also get started with online material, like that offered at the Benson-Henry Institute.”

For more information check these resources:

http://www.bensonhenryinstitute.org (Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine)

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health—meditation)

Happy Veterans' Day!

The nation is proud to honor the service and sacrifice our veterans have made and businesses in every state and town are happy to offer discounts and freebies to you today.

If you Google the phrase "veteran discounts" there are thousands of sites listed.

Here are a few of our favorites for you to look over and decide how you are going to enjoy a day that is all about honoring you!

http://militarybenefits.info/miscellaneous-discounts-veterans-day-deals-veterans/

http://www.military.com/veterans-day/veterans-day-military-discounts.html

And for a free meal today, check out these national chains:

* Denny's is offering a free Build Your Own Grand Slam breakfast on Nov. 11 from 5 a.m.- noon . The offer is for active, inactive and retired military personnel with a valid military ID.

* Golden Corral will provide a free meal and beverage to veterans, retired, active duty, National Guard or Reserves from 5-9 p.m. on Nov. 11.

* Outback Steakhouse is offering a free Bloomin' Onion and a beverage to all those showing valid military ID on Nov. 11. Outback is also offering its "Military Mates" program for all active or retired military members and their families with 15 percent off all checks from Nov. 12-Dec. 31. Outback is also offering Veterans Day Rain Check for deployed service men and women. By registering at Outback.com/Military between Nov. 1 - Dec. 31 deployed military personnel will receive a voucher for a Free Bloomin' Onion via email, which they can redeem by presenting their printed Rain Check, along with valid military ID, at participating U.S. Outback Steakhouses in 2016.

* Little Caesar's Pizza will offer a free pizza or a $5 Hot N Ready Lunch Combo to all veterans and active military members on Nov. 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

* Starbucks is offering veterans, active duty service members and their spouses a free, tall (12 oz.) brewed hot coffee on Veterans Day.

* Cracker Barrel is offering veterans a free Double Chocolate Fudge Coca Cola Cake on Nov. 11. Additionally, 10 percent of all proceeds from the sale of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola® Cake, as well as select retail items will benefit the USO Transition 360 Alliance that assists military personnel and their families' transition into civilian life following their service.

* Shoney's will offer a free All-American Burger to veterans and active-duty service members on Nov. 11.

*   Texas Roadhouse invites veterans and active duty military members to enjoy a free lunch on Nov. 11. Active, retired and former U.S. military can choose from one of 10 entries and beverage. Guests must show proof of service such as military or VA card, or discharge papers.

* Applebee's will be offering a free meal Nov. 11 for all veterans and active-duty service members. Choose from 7 entrees, drink not included.

* Longhorn Steakhouse will offer complimentary Texas Tonion and non-alcoholic beverage to veterans and active-duty service personnel on Nov. 11.

*  Hooters will offer all active-duty and retired military personnel a free meal on Nov. 11. Also, guests are invited to purchase of a 2016 Hooters calendar for a member of the U.S. military stationed overseas.

*  Olive Garden will offer a free entrée on Nov. 11 for all veterans and active duty military. All those dining with the veteran will receive 10 percent off their meal.

* Red Lobster will offer a free appetizer or dessert for veterans and active duty from Nov. 9-12.

* Red Robin will offer a free Red Tavern's Double and Bottomless Steak Fries Nov. 11 for all guests with military ID.

* Carraba's will offer a free appetizer of your choice for active duty service members and veterans from Nov. 9-Nov. 15.

* TGI Fridays will offer a free lunch for military members and veterans Nov. 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

* Chili's will offer all military veterans a free meal Nov. 11. Beverage and gratuity not included.

* O'Charley's will offer free "$9.99er" meals to veterans and military personnel with a military ID on Nov. 9. Veterans can also enjoy Free Pie Wednesday with the purchase of an entree on Nov. 11.

I recently saw a picture with an accompanying quote, “Remember: Nurses are like icebergs. At any one time, you are only seeing about one fifth of what they are actually doing.”

Thinking back to my orthopedic days, this is quite accurate. But, the world of nurse case management is an even more incognito way for nurses to help others outside of the stereotypical hospital shift, and, without people even seeing what is involved.

Floor nurses in the hospital take care of patients while they are admitted. Hospital nurse case managers work on discharge planning and coordinate with the floor nurses and the physicians to ensure the patient is taken care of once they leave the hospital.

Not only do they deal with insurance approval and other communication that may be stressful to a patient but they also provide a smooth transition for the patient from hospital to home. They do this by arranging home health, physical therapy, medical equipment such as walkers or crutches. This ensures the patient is safe to be home and recuperate in the best way possible.

When the Army relocated my family, I began searching for this type of work. Not only was it another way to assist patients in their recovery, but the hours are a more typical 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. Nurses who work in a ward have to volunteer for their share of night, weekends and holidays.

A nurse case manager position can often require years of previous experience. Even as a new nurse, I was able to earn a Nurse Case Manager position outside a hospital with a worker’s compensation management company, which allows me to do the same type of work, but on a smaller scale.

Here, I am still helping the patient recover after an injury. However I work strictly over the telephone with patients who become injured at the workplace. I help coordinate follow-up visits and care for the patient, as well as communicate with the providers and the employers to keep their recovery plans as streamlined as possible. I take all this information and communicate it to the insurance adjusters so that the claims can be taken care of and the employees are back at work in an efficient amount of time based on their injuries.

The range of injuries varies from simple, uncomplicated and reported but not treated injuries to severe injuries that may require surgery or physical therapy, resulting in my following them for a much longer time period.

As a former orthopedic nurse, if a patient with a shoulder injury rolled up to me on a bed, I know what to do for them. Since this is strictly telephonic, I have been learning the “under the water” part of the iceberg side of this type of nursing. Dealing with their visits, incident reports, diagnostic orders and even surgery reservations, I am still able to aid them in their recovery but from an entirely different angle than what I originally learned.

I am also fortunate enough that this particular company allows me to work from home. I was thrilled at this option and thankful that I literally stumbled upon such an amazing opportunity that allows me to be flexible for my family and still have the satisfaction of having a career helping others. I’m only two weeks in, but I’m thoroughly enjoying helping patients from this side and I look forward to continuing to learn more about nursing “on this underside of the iceberg.”

When Herv Breault retired from the Army in 2010, after 25 years of service, an interesting opportunity knocked on his door. Several veterans with whom he had served approached him to become a partner in a franchise they had started.

That franchise is Philly Pretzel Factory. Today, having pooled their money and talents, Breault and his six partners have three locations in Lebanon and Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and are considering what other ventures they may take on together in the future. 

What exactly is a franchise? According to the Small Business Administration, a franchise is a business model that involves one business owner licensing trademarks and methods to an independent entrepreneur. Usually they either sell the rights to own a name or trademark, which is product/trade name franchising or they sell business formats, which may include services such as location selection training, supplies, marketing plans and more. 

“Owning a franchise is a ready-made opportunity for veterans,” Breault said. “The corporate structure is similar to military units. At certain levels, units have “shops”. There is an IT shop, a marketing shop, a logistics shop, etc. With this franchise, corporate has those for us to take advantage of too.”

Owning a franchise also means you don’t have to start from scratch, but you do need a level of self-awareness to decide if you have what it takes: personality traits, skills and funding.

Personality traits

Willingness to learn. The best way to understand how to run a business is to learn as much as you can about it on an ongoing basis. Potential franchisees should look for knowledge in every nook and cranny of their world to learn about the business side, the industry aspects, financing, etc. 

“I spent a lot of time talking to my future partners about what we would be doing and where we were trying to go with this,” Breault said.

Would-be franchisees should also talk to franchisors and customers; read business and trade magazines, websites and books; seek the advice from the Small Business Association and veteran counselors, and sign up for a few courses to strengthen your business skills. 

Ability and willingness to follow the plan. “These businesses are created by someone else who has already worked out the kinks,” said Scott Lehr, senior vice president of US international development and conferences at International Franchise Association. “If you are a person who doesn't like to follow systems, you are probably better off with starting an independent business.”

Judy Scott, franchise sales director for the Zoo Health Club urged new franchisees to stick to the system that’s already in place. When asked in an interview for Franchise Direct, what is the number one mistake new franchisees make she said, “Not following the system - buying the franchise and thinking they know more than the franchisor.”

Professional skills

“Franchisors like candidates with management, communication and marketing skills, so they can go out and meet with people,” said Lehr.  “A lot of time they will teach franchisees what they need to know in terms of the hard skills of the business, like printing or home care.”

These skills, especially communication and marketing will also help franchisees network in order to build relationships with customers, staff, and the franchisor so they can grow their businesses. Management and communication skills enable them to effectively teach employees the business, delegate work and ask for help.

Funding

“Money is always an issue with any start up business. A franchise could take as little as $30,000 to as much as a million,” Lehr said. “A higher cost business usually indicates there is real estate and or equipment attached,” he added (full-service restaurants and hotels). “Lower cost businesses generally include home based businesses, commercial and residential cleaning and trucks that provide services” (like plumbing, electric, lawn care or pest control).

Lehr recommends looking into VetFran, an initiative to help veterans get discounts on the businesses. Almost half (660) of its member companies are involved in providing discounts to veterans. It has brought 238,000 vets into franchise community, 5,600 of which are new franchise business owners. IFA’s website, contains additional listing for funding sources.

“Luckily, Philly Pretzel Factory didn’t expect a king’s ransom (to buy the franchise) they offer veterans a reduced rate,” Breault said. “People think franchise owners must be wealthy, but that’s not true. Shop around to get the best loans and funding sources.

Read Part 2: Do Franchise Owners Really Need a Business Plan next Monday

When you read job notices, sometimes they all start to look the same. Read the same. Sound the same.

Most include phrases such as: must have good driving records, be a self-starter,  fast-paced environment, good communication skills.

But what do those key words actually mean? You can read between the lines to find out what duties the job you are applying for may include.

Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) has assembled a list of common phrases found in job advertisements and how to understand what they mean. The OWL is a free service that the university offers to anyone who visits the site. It includes information on grammar, research and citation, and job search writing.

The site can be found at: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

The OWL job search site outlines definitions for phrases commonly found in job advertisements. Some examples:

Self-starter - You most likely will work without a lot of supervision

Good-driving record - You can count on delivering items for the company. If the ad stipulates an excellent driving record, the items you carry are probably worth more.

Entry-level position - You are the newest guy in the company and will be paid as such. If you are new to an industry or have no experience, this is most likely the level you will be hired at.

For a look at more specific definitions for those generic job search terms, visit the OWL article at

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/34/39/114/

Do you regularly reach for a candy bar to get through your classes or studies? You’re on to something. “Simply eating a snack or small meal that provides a combination of carbs, protein and fats helps the brain function,” explains Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson Jen McDaniel, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN.

Unfortunately, choosing the wrong snacks can put you on a sugar roller coaster and make it harder for you to learn and stay focused. “Avoid eating highly processed carbs by themselves. For example, a sugary donut might give you a quick burst of brain-boosting glucose, but it will be quickly processed and leave you in a low blood sugar slump,” says McDaniel. Can’t help it? McDaniel says pairing a processed grain, such as a plain bagel, with something sustaining like nut butter and a hard-boiled egg, can even out the sugar surge.

How often you eat—and how much you chow down—can also affect your ability to learn. “It helps to eat every three to four hours to avoid a drop in blood glucose, which leads to physical and mental fatigue,” explains McDaniel. “In addition, aim to avoid eating large meals. Overeating can easily lead to a food coma, resulting in the desire to lie-down, not learn.”

Your best option? Don’t just grab any food for energy. Consider pre-packing a few of the following healthful snacks to get through your studies or classes.

Good for Your Brain Snacks

Tuna

Walnuts/seeds

Fresh berries

Chocolate (1/3 oz)

Oatmeal

Salad with dark veggies

Analysts expect holiday sales to be solid. But retailers, they say, won’t be hiring many extra employees to manage the flow of customers.

Every fall Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., a global outplacement consultancy, releases a holiday hiring outlook. This year the firm expects retailers to hire only the same amount of staff as last year, roughly 755,000 nationwide from October to December.

For comparison, the largest holiday hiring boom came in 1999 when retailers hired an extra 850,000 to manage the gift shopping crowds.

However, less positions do not mean you necessarily will have to fight for a job.

So, if you are looking for extra work this holiday season, where do you find it?

Probably not in the traditional places. Currently, the nation’s unemployment rate is at a seven-year low. The Wall Street Journey reported last month that large retailers and delivery services are struggling to find enough employees to fill their warehouse and distribution centers.

The problem is expected to trickle down to delivery services such as United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp.

The upside to this – employers are more willing to work with staff who can only work certain hours. And, some firms may be offering as much as $2 more an hour this year, the newspaper reported.

UPS plans to hire 95,000 seasonal employees this year, nationwide, with a base starting salary of $10.10 an hour. Last year FedEx hired 50,000 additional workers nationwide and Amazon hired more than 80,000.

The report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas points out that most holiday jobs are not in retail store fronts as cashiers but in these backrooms, warehouses and shipping facilities.

For more information about holiday jobs with nationwide delivery services, check out these sites:

http://www.amazonfulfillmentcareers.com/opportunities/warehouse-associate/seasonal-fulfillment-associate/

http://www.fedex.com/co_english/contact/jobs.html

https://www.jobs-ups.com/

http://www.snagajob.com/c/seasonal-jobs/

By Amanda Rebmann

You’ve closed on your new home using the VA mortgage.  Congratulations!  The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage is an affordable product for military families.  Since the rate is fixed, your payment is always going to be the same, right?

Not quite. 

While it’s true that your principal and interest (P&I) payment will remain the same, the amount your lender collects for your taxes and insurance may increase or decrease on a yearly basis. And that can change the amount of your monthly payment.

The calculation your lender uses is based on the amount they paid for your taxes and insurance over the course of the year.  For the most part, increases shouldn’t be too painful; a slight increase in taxes or insurance won’t alter your payment too severely.  However, if you purchased a house in a rapidly appreciating neighborhood, you run the risk of a re-assessment dramatically increasing your taxes, which will eventually result in a higher mortgage payment.

VA Loans, like most other loans that carry a low down payment, will require your lender escrow for your taxes and insurance.  It’s an extra layer of security for the lender to protect against default.  If they maintain control over paying of taxes and insurance, it eliminates the risk of the house going to tax sale, or insurance lapsing. 

By law, once a year, your lender must analyze your escrow account to make sure they are holding an appropriate amount of your money.  If they are holding too little, your payment will increase.  If they are holding too much, they will refund the overage back to you.  First they look to see how much they paid out over the previous year, divide that number by 12, and that is your new deposit amount. 

The next step is verifying if they have too much or too little in your account.  They determine when during the year, your escrow account will reach its lowest balance.  This usually occurs after a large tax bill is paid out, or several items are paid out at once.  At this “low point,” most states allow the lender to maintain a two-month deposit “cushion.”  So, if your monthly escrow deposit is $250, your lender is allowed to have up to $500 at this point.  Anything over that amount is an “overage” and they are required to refund it back to you.  Anything under that amount, a “shortage,” your lender will divide by 12 and add to your escrow payment.

Although rare, increases can be dramatic and may put a strain on your ability to pay.  In these cases, you can request your lender spread your shortage over a longer period of time, instead of 12 months, perhaps 24.  Although there is nothing they can do about your regular monthly deposit, spreading the shortage over a longer period of time may help you recover in the short term.

The bottom line is to account for escrow increases when deciding how expensive a home to buy.  The sad truth is taxes are far more likely to go up then down, so you should consider purchasing a home in a slowly rising mortgage payment as the years go on into your financial planning.

Divorce is never easy. And in the military it’s often complicated by two of the things that can make military marriage difficult to begin with: Geography and bureaucracy.

Divorce proceedings against a servicemember are generally filed in the state where the servicemember lives, according to Peter Cushing, a Florida attorney who specializes exclusively in military divorce.

Meaning, that when it comes to military divorce, there are literally 50 ways to leave your lover.

“They’re completely different situations between a typical military divorce and a civilian divorce,” Cushing said. “In a military divorce couples might have moved, in 20 years, or six or seven times all over the world.”

The first step for a spouse filing for divorce from an active duty husband or wife is to determine which state has jurisdiction. If the servicemember is out of the country or otherwise absent, proceedings might be filed in the home of record as indicated on the monthly Leave and Earnings Statement.

“One of the biggest differences (between military and civilian divorce) is simply dealing with the logistics when an active duty member is out of the area and the spouse is in the area,” said Katharine Maddox, a Virginia attorney who often handles military divorces. “Service of the divorce paperwork may be considerably more difficult, and finalizing a matter when the active duty member does not want to cooperate is likewise difficult.” 

Financial support during a separation and divorce are also often big unknowns for a military spouse.

“Each branch of service does have rules and regulations that vary with regards to supporting your spouse,” specifically during the separation period before a divorce is final, Cushing said.

The Army, for example, mandates that a spouse receive a portion of the active duty member’s BAH while they are separated. Other services have less stringent guidelines. The base legal office can provide the rules and regulations, and servicemembers can be punished for not following them.

Once a divorce is settled, though, any separation benefits are voided and a court order is necessary for further financial support.

That support can also vary, particularly when it comes to retirement pay.

“It depends on if it’s a long-term marriage or not,” Cushing said. “If it’s a short term marriage, like less than five years, they’re not going to get a whole lot.”

The Uniformed Services Former Spouse’s Support Act, a federal law passed in 1981, allows state courts to treat a servicemember’s retirement pay as joint property in much the same way as a house or bank account, and to order that up to 50 percent of retirement benefits be paid directly from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) to the ex-spouse. The rule applies only to those married for at least 10 years of a servicemember’s active duty service.

A court can still grant a portion of retirement pay to those married less than 10 years, but that amount is generally based on earnings during the time the couple was married and cannot be paid directly by DFAS.

Medical benefits also vary, from temporary Tricare coverage for a certain time after a divorce to lifetime benefits for those married more than 20 years.

“Military spouses are not ‘automatically’ entitled to any benefit, and should talk to an attorney to ensure that he or she is not waiving a benefit that he or she would be entitled to receive otherwise,” Maddox said.  

Overlooking the Survivor Benefit Plan – an insurance policy that guarantees a servicemember’s retirement benefits are still paid after he or she dies, is one example of potential support that is often overlooked, she said.

Many military bases include divorce fact sheets on their websites, and readily advise both sides to seek an attorney and rely on a court order for financial support.

“Commanding officers will counsel people, certainly, to support their wife and kids, and in extreme cases they’ll even take administrative action against someone who isn’t supporting their wife and family,” Cushing said. “But normally these things are better left to the court system.”

Quick facts about military divorce:

• Can the on-base legal assistance office handle my divorce? No, but they can explain the obligations of the active duty spouse during the separation period, and help the couple draft a separation agreement.
• Do I, as a non-military spouse, receive any education benefits after my divorce? Not automatically. By federal law, the Post 9-11 GI Bill is not considered community property and cannot be part of a court-ordered financial support package. However, GI Bill benefits can be considered during mediation and a servicemember can choose to give those benefits to a non-military spouse during a divorce.
• Can my spouse’s command force him/her to pay child support or spousal support once the divorce is final? No. A court order is required for monetary support, including division of retirement assets.
• Do I have to move out of military family housing if my spouse and I separate? Usually, yes. A non-military spouse cannot live in government housing without the active duty military member, and an active duty military member cannot live in family housing alone. An active duty member can be allowed to stay in housing if he or she has children still living with them.
• Does my active-duty spouse have to pay for my health care? No, unless such an arrangement is part of the divorce proceedings.
• We live overseas. Will the military move my kids and I back to the U.S. if I divorce or separate from my active-duty spouse? Yes. The process is known as “Early Return of Dependents” and requires command approval.
• How long can I stay at an overseas duty station after divorce? Usually 90 days. Non-military spouses fall under a special resident category in most foreign countries. That status is granted based on being married to a servicemember.