Joshua Tree Experts’ Dylan DeGroat Discusses How the Brand Supports Veterans and His Own Military Career

There’s no doubt Dylan DeGroat lives to serve. As a former child services social worker, police officer and active member of the U.S. Army National Guard, he has spent his entire career in service.

When DeGroat discovered the opportunity to join Joshua Tree Experts, the home services franchise that provides tree maintenance, lawn care and pest control services, he knew he had found his next adventure. Now, as the brand aims to grow through franchising, DeGroat will help recruit and train incoming franchisees, bringing the same values and work ethic that drove him through his military career.

Something that has always stood out to DeGroat is Joshua Tree Expert’s patience and flexibility when working with veterans such as himself, which can be hard to find at other brands. The company understands that timelines can be up in the air and that the future will not always be straightforward.

The brand also values veterans as franchisees. DeGroat noted how the brand is similar to the military in its own unique ways: He pointed out that they use their own chain of command and have standard operating procedures that it uses to train new people. The franchise’s set standards also make it simple to look up how something is supposed to be and take the guesswork out of it.

“Structure is something that makes Veterans great franchisees,” said DeGroat. “They are also trained in executing a process, are goal-oriented, have a sense of leadership, and can easily adapt to the business model.”

Having 10-plus years of military service himself, this is something that hits close to home for DeGroat.

Back in February 2012, DeGroat decided to join the military. He was enlisted for four years while also participating in ROTC. In May 2015, he became an officer after graduating from Ball State University with a degree in criminal justice. DeGroat then spent about four years as a platoon leader for a logistics company, as well as an executive officer for a company where he specialized in aviation. He also worked as a police officer while he was living in Indiana.

In May 2020, DeGroat was deployed in Kuwait and Iraq, as well as other countries in the Middle East, where he was in charge of the aviation fueling operations. His team hit the ground in September and was there for about a year. He returned to the United States the following May.

After 10 years of serving, DeGroat decided to pursue a different career. He originally intended to stay in Indiana. However, after tragically losing his brother in a motorcycle accident, DeGroat decided to move back to Pennsylvania to be closer to his mother.

In need of a job, he called his uncle, Joshua Malik, CEO and Founder of Joshua Tree Experts, to see if any help was needed at the company. Malik took him on, and he started in the lawn care department for several years.

“I found that I was actually enjoying the work that I was doing, but also the people that I was working with here at Joshua Tree,” DeGroat recalled. “Josh and I had a heart-to-heart discussion, and he asked if I would be interested in working here long term.”

After deciding to stay with the brand, DeGroat pulled all his police applications he had been sending out and dedicated 100% of his effort to his Joshua Tree Experts career.

Now, being around the brand for so long, DeGroat has seen the potential for growth that Joshua Tree Experts has to offer with his previous experiences. During his early years with the brand, DeGroat was even a part of hiring some of the current leadership team. Now, he is in charge of implementing all of the hiring and recruiting, as well as building new-hire training programs. He also attributes his time in the military to preparing him to be a great leader.

“I have gained a lot of great insights that I've learned, and I can help pass along, such as how to hire the right person in the right position,” he said.

For more information on franchising with Joshua Tree Experts, visit https://www.joshuatreeexperts.com/franchise.