After dedicating nearly 25 years to serving his country in the U.S. Air Force, Jeff Meyer found himself at a crossroads. Having spent the majority of his career flying and leading others, Meyer was ready for a new mission that would allow him to serve his community in a meaningful way while providing stability for his family. That mission came through Express Employment Professionals, the industry-leading staffing franchise.
“Out of high school, I went to the Air Force Academy,” Meyer said. “From graduation, I went to pilot training. I had nearly a 25-year career in the Air Force. The first 16 years were pretty much flying assignments. After that, I went into a staff job, then a command job, and from there a support job. I never got back to flying again.”
After years of moving between assignments — “three times in three years,” Meyer said — he and his wife knew it was time for a change. Their children were in high school, and they wanted to give them some stability. More importantly, they wanted to build something together.
“My wife and I wanted to do something as a team,” Meyer said. “She had done a lot of work in local, state and national-level volunteer organizations. We started looking at franchises, and she came across Express. She’d had a good experience using a staffing agency before, and we thought it would be a good way to help other military members.”
That initial curiosity quickly turned into conviction. “Without looking at too many options, we really fell in love with the brand,” Meyer said. In 2013, they purchased an existing Express Employment Professionals office in San Antonio, Texas.
Meyer’s transition from the military to entrepreneurship was rooted in one simple principle — service. “It’s a for-purpose business,” he said. “Having come from the military, where you have a higher sense of purpose instilled in you, I really wanted to have that again. I really felt like Express exemplified that idea of hope, dignity and helping others succeed.”
Through Express, Meyer found a way to channel that same mission-driven mindset into his daily work. “The cool thing about it as a business is that you are either helping someone find work, or you are helping a company get the staff they need, and you are helping your internal staff become better recruiters,” he said. “Work is something that everybody needs.”
That sense of impact — of seeing people thrive because of his office’s efforts — is what continues to motivate him after more than a decade in business. “It’s a very rewarding experience to help these people find a permanent work home, and we’ve had happy clients,” Meyer said. “I would do it all over again if I could.”
Since joining Express, Meyer and his team have steadily grown their business to reach the first level of Circle of Excellence, an achievement that marks consistent performance and dedication.
“Express does all sorts of wonderful training for us,” Meyer said. “The support is amazing. There is internal training — from in-person classes to computer-based modules and live webinars, there are resources for everyone, franchisees and staff alike.”
Express’s strong developer network also plays a crucial role in local success. “The developer meets with the office regularly to help us with sales and keep us moving,” Meyer said. “The executives are so accessible, and the franchisees themselves are available. There are five offices near us in San Antonio, and we all collaborate and work together.”
That collaborative culture, Meyer says, is one of the most rewarding parts of being in the Express system. “Everyone helps each other,” he said. “You never feel like you’re on your own.”
For Meyer, Express has become a second career. Looking ahead, he and his wife plan to prepare their office for the next phase.
“We were older when we got into it, so now we are looking within the next five to ten years to potentially sell the business,” Meyer said. “We want to ensure that it is well-run and organized so that we can hand it off to someone who can move it even farther within the Express system.”
As Express Employment Professionals continues to expand its global network — now surpassing 860 locations with an average annual sales volume of $6.4 million per office — franchisees like Meyer embody the brand’s mission to connect great people with great companies.
“At Express, it’s about helping people succeed,” said Melissa Davis, Vice President of Franchising. “Our franchisees are community leaders and job creators. They help local economies thrive while building meaningful businesses.”
For Meyer, that purpose-driven approach is what makes the journey worthwhile. “It’s been enough to sustain us both intellectually and financially,” he said. “But more than that — it’s given us the opportunity to give back. And that’s what makes it all worth it.”
For prospective franchise owners, the initial investment to launch an Express traditional model ranges between $131,000 to $241,700, inclusive of a $40,000 franchise fee. In 20 select markets across North America, Express is offering a 50% discount on the initial franchise fee - reducing the upfront costs and giving new owners more working capital to launch and grow their business. More details regarding franchise costs can be found at https://1851franchise.com/expressemployment/info.
Express Employment Professionals
SPONSORED
U.S. Air Force veteran Jeff Meyer found a meaningful second mission by owning an Express Employment Professionals franchise, where he continues to serve his community by connecting people with work.
After dedicating nearly 25 years to serving his country in the U.S. Air Force, Jeff Meyer found himself at a crossroads. Having spent the majority of his career flying and leading others, Meyer was ready for a new mission that would allow him to serve his community in a meaningful way while providing stability for his family. That mission came through Express Employment Professionals, the industry-leading staffing franchise.
“Out of high school, I went to the Air Force Academy,” Meyer said. “From graduation, I went to pilot training. I had nearly a 25-year career in the Air Force. The first 16 years were pretty much flying assignments. After that, I went into a staff job, then a command job, and from there a support job. I never got back to flying again.”
After years of moving between assignments — “three times in three years,” Meyer said — he and his wife knew it was time for a change. Their children were in high school, and they wanted to give them some stability. More importantly, they wanted to build something together.
“My wife and I wanted to do something as a team,” Meyer said. “She had done a lot of work in local, state and national-level volunteer organizations. We started looking at franchises, and she came across Express. She’d had a good experience using a staffing agency before, and we thought it would be a good way to help other military members.”
That initial curiosity quickly turned into conviction. “Without looking at too many options, we really fell in love with the brand,” Meyer said. In 2013, they purchased an existing Express Employment Professionals office in San Antonio, Texas.
Meyer’s transition from the military to entrepreneurship was rooted in one simple principle — service. “It’s a for-purpose business,” he said. “Having come from the military, where you have a higher sense of purpose instilled in you, I really wanted to have that again. I really felt like Express exemplified that idea of hope, dignity and helping others succeed.”
Through Express, Meyer found a way to channel that same mission-driven mindset into his daily work. “The cool thing about it as a business is that you are either helping someone find work, or you are helping a company get the staff they need, and you are helping your internal staff become better recruiters,” he said. “Work is something that everybody needs.”
That sense of impact — of seeing people thrive because of his office’s efforts — is what continues to motivate him after more than a decade in business. “It’s a very rewarding experience to help these people find a permanent work home, and we’ve had happy clients,” Meyer said. “I would do it all over again if I could.”
Since joining Express, Meyer and his team have steadily grown their business to reach the first level of Circle of Excellence, an achievement that marks consistent performance and dedication.
“Express does all sorts of wonderful training for us,” Meyer said. “The support is amazing. There is internal training — from in-person classes to computer-based modules and live webinars, there are resources for everyone, franchisees and staff alike.”
Express’s strong developer network also plays a crucial role in local success. “The developer meets with the office regularly to help us with sales and keep us moving,” Meyer said. “The executives are so accessible, and the franchisees themselves are available. There are five offices near us in San Antonio, and we all collaborate and work together.”
That collaborative culture, Meyer says, is one of the most rewarding parts of being in the Express system. “Everyone helps each other,” he said. “You never feel like you’re on your own.”
For Meyer, Express has become a second career. Looking ahead, he and his wife plan to prepare their office for the next phase.
“We were older when we got into it, so now we are looking within the next five to ten years to potentially sell the business,” Meyer said. “We want to ensure that it is well-run and organized so that we can hand it off to someone who can move it even farther within the Express system.”
As Express Employment Professionals continues to expand its global network — now surpassing 860 locations with an average annual sales volume of $6.4 million per office — franchisees like Meyer embody the brand’s mission to connect great people with great companies.
“At Express, it’s about helping people succeed,” said Melissa Davis, Vice President of Franchising. “Our franchisees are community leaders and job creators. They help local economies thrive while building meaningful businesses.”
For Meyer, that purpose-driven approach is what makes the journey worthwhile. “It’s been enough to sustain us both intellectually and financially,” he said. “But more than that — it’s given us the opportunity to give back. And that’s what makes it all worth it.”
For prospective franchise owners, the initial investment to launch an Express traditional model ranges between $131,000 to $241,700, inclusive of a $40,000 franchise fee. In 20 select markets across North America, Express is offering a 50% discount on the initial franchise fee - reducing the upfront costs and giving new owners more working capital to launch and grow their business. More details regarding franchise costs can be found at https://1851franchise.com/expressemployment/info.
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