JDog: The Franchise for Military Vets and Their Families

JDog Junk Removal & Hauling is a national company whose sole mission is to sell franchises exclusively to military veterans and their family members — people who understand the notion of service to our country, hard work, and dedication. JDog is committed to offering its proven operating model to veterans and military family members, enabling them to realize the American dream of business ownership.

We recently interviewed Jerry Flanagan, President and CEO of JDog Junk Removal, to find out what differentiates this franchise among others in its niche, what makes this concept a good fit for potential franchisees and, lastly, what’s next for your franchise, both in the near future and long-term.


Give us an overview of your franchise.

JDog Junk Removal & Hauling is a junk removal company whose sole mission is to provide business ownership and employment opportunities to military veterans and their family members. JDog is the first company ever to have built a national military veteran brand that can dominate the retail segments it enters. Our franchisees operate camouflage-themed vehicles and trailers, wear military style uniforms and work to sort, recycle, discard and transport items for homeowners, commercial business and government offices. 

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How many units are there? 

We are growing incredibly fast! We currently have 33 franchise locations in the U.S. covering 15 states. With more than 100 leads per week coming in, we expect to exceed 100 locations by the end of 2016.

What makes this franchise special?

JDog is owned exclusively by veterans and their families. This is a competitive advantage for our business in that there are no other businesses in the nation offering the same opportunity. Veterans making the transition from military to civilian life face steep competition and are challenged to re-enter the workplace with a uniquely valuable skill set. JDog Junk Removal & Hauling allows veterans to join a new mission that capitalizes on their strengths in a work environment that matches their strong work ethic. The military ethos/brotherhood within our franchise system is like nothing else you’ll find with a national franchise brand.

Who are your biggest competitors?

We do not compete with any company focusing on hiring veterans exclusively to provide service. There are other companies out there also hauling junk but none that are both American-owned and Veteran-operated.

What differentiates your franchise among others in your niche?

Because JDog is owned exclusively by veterans and their families, we are able to get business because consumers want to do business and support businesses that are backed by a military veteran. We provide that trust factor — people don’t want just any stranger in their home. Our franchisees are part of the community and part of a movement — the JDog Movement.

Who are the key figures within your franchise? 

We are honored to have some distinguished military and business leaders as part of our franchise. We have teamed up with highly placed retired military officers and the most highly decorated combat veterans to form the JDog Joint Chiefs. This includes retired Marine Major General Douglas O’Dell, retired Army Captain Larry Liss and former National Guard member Forrest Pragoff. We continue to grow our leadership team and advisory board as the franchise grows.

What’s your franchise’s motto?

“Respect. Integrity. Trust.” is the company motto and JDog only partners with franchisees who can uphold that motto. Aside from having to be a veteran or a family member of a veteran, JDog is looking for people who want to work in the community, who have good people skills, are trustworthy and can bring integrity to our growing brand. Our mission here is to reduce the veteran unemployment rate from 3.9% to under 1%.

What is the total investment to open a franchise?

The total initial investment range is approximately $39,000 to $97,400. This includes the franchise fee and purchase and outfitting of a vehicle and trailer plus everything you need to launch the business.

What makes this concept a good fit for potential franchisees?

This concept is a good fit for veterans because there’s a proven system to follow and the business has low overhead. Franchisees can also be up and running within two months, so it’s very manageable to get started.

The opportunity is also attractive to disabled veterans, since they can hire staff to manage the business and not have to do all of the heaving lifting. Veterans are encouraged to join this franchise because the structure of JDog Junk Removal is something that’s easily understood by veterans because franchises are team-based systems; there is a common goal and the unit works together to achieve it.

What qualities do you look for in potential franchisees?

The qualities I look for are respect, integrity, trust and work ethic. Those skills were emphasized in my military training and they still guide me. I think that people who served make great franchisees because they apply this same discipline to everything they do. JDog franchisees all work with the priority of hiring other veterans to work in their business. The ethos of brotherhood among veterans resonates with those who become franchisees and defines the operating environment of the company.

What type of initial training do you offer new franchisees?

Initial training is provided at JDog’s Philadelphia training center where franchisees have four days of training covering all aspects of the business. We train in sales, marketing, P/L, accounting overview, social media, loading and unloading — and much more!

How have your most successful franchisees grown their franchises?

We have several franchisees buy more than one territory in their first year. We believe that almost all franchisees will eventually have multiple territories. 

What’s next for your franchise, both in the near future and long-term?

Short-term is to put as many veterans across the country into a JDog franchise. In turn, the franchisee hires veterans and we begin to dominate every retail segment in the country. We then roll out several brands under the JDog model and put thousands of veterans into business. Long-term, reduce the veteran unemployment rate from 3.9% to under 1%.

What advice can you offer potential franchisees?

Believe in yourself — follow our system — be respectful, have integrity and be trustworthy.

Where can people get more information on JDog Junk Removal & Hauling franchise opportunities?

Visit the website here.

Where can people find your JDog Junk Removal & Hauling on social media?

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