1851

Although there truly is no typical day for any franchisee, Jeff Chovan&rsquo;s experience with <a href="http://www.signal88franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-securing-lives-to-securing-homes-how-this-us-veteran-thrived-as-a-signal-88-franchisee-12319" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Signal 88</a> was not typical from the get go. Chovan was on active military duty in Iraq when he decided that he wanted to pursue business ownership. However, as Chovan explained himself although the army brought many experiences, aspects of business ownership were not included.

&ldquo;I joined the army when I was a teenager and you don&rsquo;t think about business opportunities when you have a uniform on,&rdquo; Chovan said. &ldquo;I was enthusiastic about the prospect of owning a business, but was not totally sure where to start.&rdquo;

It was around the same time that Chovan saw an issue of Entrepreneur Magazine featuring their annual Franchise 500 rankings. The thought of a franchise for his first business appealed to Jeff due to the proven system and support team backing you up - an ideal situation for a first-time business owner.

&ldquo;I started looking at it and did some research online and realized that all of the things everyone is afraid of in starting a business are easier through a franchise setup,&rdquo; Chovan said.

Signal 88 itself jumped out to Chovan almost immediately. His role during his second tour of duty was Personal Protection Specialist - making security itself something he was extremely familiar with. Him and his wife Jamie were drawn to this idea, and the opportunity it presented to utilize skills built over years of duty.

&ldquo;We were leaning heavily towards franchising and talked about a bunch of different opportunities. Coming from my background in security, Signal 88 seemed to be the way to go. Once I learned that Signal 88 was the only security franchise in the world, it really seemed like the best company to get involved with,&rdquo; Chovan said.

It was during their time in Iraq that Jeff and his wife Jamie, who ran a civilian hospital, began etching out plans to open their Signal 88 franchise in Dallas, Texas. They opened the franchise in November of 2011 upon their return from Iraq, and relocated to Dallas to do so.

After selling Signal 88 of Dallas, Chovan purchased Signal 88 of Denver in 2014. Currently, he operates that and Signal 88 of Phoenix, which he recently took ownership of in January of 2017.

Upon reflection of his years with the brand, Chovan has come to the conclusion that although his days with the Army were not typical then, they sure are not typical now. He finds himself entrenched in long work hours that definitely do not fit the mold of a 9-5.

&ldquo;It is very important to me that I am using every ounce of waking day time in front of clients and potential ones and that I am not locked up working on admin tasks. I split it up with &lsquo;day work&rsquo; and &lsquo;night work&rsquo;,&rdquo; Chovan said. &ldquo;I draw a line across the day in my planner and draw a sun on the top and a moon on the bottom. I focus on the client stuff during the day and the additional admin stuff at night,&rdquo;

Chovan added that the plus side this is that, through business ownership, you are the master of your own destiny and can choose your own hours. He explained that he can choose where he allocates his time and plan things to his liking.

&ldquo;I am putting in more hours here and now that I ever have before. Working long hours every day may not be everyone&rsquo;s first choice but they&rsquo;re my hours and I get to pick them,&rdquo; Chovan said. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;re working those hours for yourself it has a different flavor to it,&rdquo;

All of the hours and planning are worth it to Jeff and Jamie when they get to reflect back on their business growth and milestones along the way.

&ldquo;The biggest thing I have learned is to treat the business like the next step you want it to be. If your goal is for it to be a $4 million business, treat it as such. There is nothing more rewarding than setting a goal and accomplishing it,&quot; Chovan said.&nbsp;&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re in the army, you don&rsquo;t even ever use the word &lsquo;million.&rsquo; When you are suddenly doing that in business, it is an amazing feeling. It means the kids get new school clothes and it means you are doing something right. Looking back and seeing what you have accomplished really puts weight on what you do.&rdquo;

From Securing Lives to Securing Homes: How This U.S. Veteran Thrived as a Signal 88 Franchisee

1851 Franchise

Signal 88 Franchisee and U.S. Military Veteran Jeff Chovan’s days of duty are as dynamic as his days of developing business.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

from-securing-lives-to-securing-homes-how-this-us-veteran-thrived-as-a-signal-88-franchisee

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of HomeTeam inspector in red polo and khaki pants, walking by branded vehicle

Real Estate Today: Behind the Drywall: The Truth About Home Inspections

purpose-of-home-inspection

Dog Training Elite

Dog Training Elite Franchise - DTE - National Service Dog Month - 1851 Franchise

Celebrating Service Dogs: Why Proper Training Changes Lives — And How Dog Training Elite Is Leading the Way

dog-training-elite-national-service-dog-month

Senior Care Authority

How This Senior Care Authority Franchisee Turned Love for His Grandparents Into a Lifelong Calling

how-this-senior-care-authority-franchisee-turned-love-for-his-grandparents-into-a-lifelong-calling

Hometown News: Like Father, Like Son — Family-Run Inspection Business Blends Generations of Expertise and a Keen Eye for Detail

father-son-home-inspection-franchise-florida

KLA Schools

KLA Schools of Beachwalk Hosts Admissions Kick-Off Celebration

kla-schools-of-beachwalk-hosts-admissions-kick-off-celebration

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

Design with school-aged child standing on pencil with text "Education Franchises" and "<$500K"

Top Education Franchises Under $500K To Explore in 2025

top-education-franchises-under-500k

1851 Franchise Deep Dive graphic with Sparkle Squad logo

Sparkle Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-sparkle-squad-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data