Posted on Mar 23, 2018
Jerry Flanagan, Founder/President/CEO of JDOG, here for a live Q&A March 28th at 4pm ET. What questions do you have about entrepreneurship?
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Jerry is an Army Veteran and entrepreneur who, along with his wife Tracy, have created a national Veteran brand dedicated to empowering Veterans through entrepreneurship. Rooted in the military values of respect, integrity, and trust, the JDog Junk Removal franchise system has become a nationwide movement, creating business and employment opportunities for Veterans and Veteran family members. Jerry served in the Army from 1987 to 1989 and finished at the top of his class. He was awarded the Army Achievement Medal.
Since transitioning back to the civilian world, Jerry has committed himself to helping Veterans be successful in business. He teaches an entrepreneurial boot camp for Veterans at St. Joseph’s University, and at Boots to Business for Veterans, an entrepreneurial program offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration. He's a member of the West Point Society of Philadelphia, the International Franchise Association, and VETFRAN, which provides access and opportunities in franchising to Veterans and their spouses. Jerry also founded the JDog Foundation, which donates scholarship funds to military branches. For his contributions to the Veteran community, Jerry has been awarded the 2016 Vetrepreneur of the Year award from the National Veteran-Owned Business Association and the 2016 Man of the Year award from Philly/Jersey Man Magazine. Jerry is also a board member at JD Investment Company.
Jerry is an Army Veteran and entrepreneur who, along with his wife Tracy, have created a national Veteran brand dedicated to empowering Veterans through entrepreneurship. Rooted in the military values of respect, integrity, and trust, the JDog Junk Removal franchise system has become a nationwide movement, creating business and employment opportunities for Veterans and Veteran family members. Jerry served in the Army from 1987 to 1989 and finished at the top of his class. He was awarded the Army Achievement Medal.
Since transitioning back to the civilian world, Jerry has committed himself to helping Veterans be successful in business. He teaches an entrepreneurial boot camp for Veterans at St. Joseph’s University, and at Boots to Business for Veterans, an entrepreneurial program offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration. He's a member of the West Point Society of Philadelphia, the International Franchise Association, and VETFRAN, which provides access and opportunities in franchising to Veterans and their spouses. Jerry also founded the JDog Foundation, which donates scholarship funds to military branches. For his contributions to the Veteran community, Jerry has been awarded the 2016 Vetrepreneur of the Year award from the National Veteran-Owned Business Association and the 2016 Man of the Year award from Philly/Jersey Man Magazine. Jerry is also a board member at JD Investment Company.
Entrepreneurship
SPC
Mentorship
Army Achievement Medal
Q&A
Edited 6 y ago
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 9
SPC Jerry Flanagan - Thanks for coming on to take questions with us. Knowing you have veterans running franchises all over the country, how did you test success regionally and know when it was the right time to take JDOG to the national level?
SPC Jerry Flanagan
I physically hauled every piece of junk myself for over 3 years. I tested all of the marketing techniques, hauling concepts and recycling procedure to make sure I was putting Veterans into a successful and proven franchise system. We now have 545 awarded franchise territories in 3 years.
SPC Jerry Flanagan - If any, what were some of your greatest apprehensions about becoming an entrepreneur and how did you "push" through those fears?
Also, from your own experiences, what key skills should service-members/veterans focus on to prepare themselves for the challenges of running a business that aren't inherently learned during military service?
Also, from your own experiences, what key skills should service-members/veterans focus on to prepare themselves for the challenges of running a business that aren't inherently learned during military service?
SPC Jerry Flanagan
The risk of not having a steady paycheck weighs deeply on your shoulders when you are supporting a family. Without a college degree, I was forced to work extremely hard and out hustle my competition to make sure I got a paycheck. Believing in yourself everyday and having a support network in place.
SPC Jerry Flanagan
Veterans really need to understand finances before building a business. There are many ways to learn online including SCORE or finding a mentor.
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