First responders are essentially the backbone of every community. Dedicated to the well-being and safety of the towns in which they work, they unselfishly give all of themselves each and every day. While we keep the contact information of our local fire and police departments on our refrigerators, we don’t know much about these first responders as individuals.
Smoothie King values the efforts and sacrifices of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s), firefighters, and police officers everywhere. Recently, Smoothie King announced an exclusive program that offers a business opportunity for the nation’s first responders, many of whom have served the very communities in which we operate our franchises for years. The program is designed to target firefighters EMTs and police officers with 10 consecutive years of experience in their field.
The First Responder Initiative was in part inspired by one of Smoothie King’s own franchisees, a Houston police officer who experienced a bump in the road to retirement. While still interested in serving his community after his time as an officer, Jarrod Johnson found an alternative route as a Smoothie King franchisee. Upon hearing Johnson’s resilient story and seeing how he was such an ideal fit for the community-oriented nature of Smoothie King, franchise development manager Chad Tramuta had an idea.
“While franchise brands have long offered incentives to military veterans through the VetFran program, why not provide first responders the incentive to extend their community service as a business owner?” Tramuta wondered.
With this one thought, the First Responder Initiative was born.
What Makes Smoothie King An Easy Transition For First Responders?
Smoothie King values the qualities of first responders, which in many ways are similar. Here are some of the attributes our franchisees share with first responders:
- A Passion for Health and Wellness
Smoothie King has provided “smoothies with a purpose” for over 40 years. Each smoothie is filled with real fruit and fruit juice, nuts or veggies and may be enhanced with high-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals, to help our guests reach their individual health and fitness goals. When it comes to promoting self-wellness, Smoothie King provides inspiration for people to lead active and healthy lifestyles but also promotes them by living and teaching by example. Smoothie King employees and franchisees organize and take part in 5Ks and other similar events on a regular basis around the country.
- A Community Service Oriented Mindset
Many of our franchisees have been known to take part in their community, along with inspiring guests to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Communities know they can depend on the diligent work of first responders. While Smoothie King franchise owners and their team members don’t put their lives on the line each day like first responders, they recognize the power to aid their communities when times are hard by providing emotional and physical support. It is not uncommon to read stories of our franchisees providing relief in times of need. In addition, the guest service skills required for a franchisee role is synonymous with the positive attitude and high esteem that is held by first responders in serving all types of people in their communities.
- A Leadership Mentality
At Smoothie King, we want our franchisees to know how to take initiative and lead their community. We believe first responder’s knowledge and experience will help them to succeed in the franchise industry. Taking on the role of a Smoothie King franchisee requires a high level of social and psychological maturity. First responders carry these qualities day in and day out when they are on the job. Radiating with self-confidence and decision-making abilities, first responders must always assume responsibility for their actions.
If you know a first responder or you are a first responder that is looking for your next opportunity to positively impact your community, this could be a great fit. To learn more about Smoothie King and its franchise opportunity, download our Franchise Kit.
