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After spending his career in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a consultant for technology companies, Virginia native Pete Lawrence decided it was time to fulfill his dream of business ownership by opening a <a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=veterans-in-franchising-pete-lawrence-2707045" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Right at Home* franchise</a> in Winchester. Now, he works closely with the Veterans Affairs office in Martinsburg to help provide veterans with personalized in-home care.

1851 spoke with Lawrence to learn more about why he decided to transition from his time in the military to franchising.

1851: Why did you decide to join the military? 

Lawrence: I had always admired the armed forces and went to college with a guy who joined the Marine Corps reserves. I looked up to him and to his respect and excitement for the Marine Corps and joined the following year.

1851: What was the most valuable thing your military experience taught you?

Lawrence: I learned the importance of gratitude for my ability to serve. I knew people who were unable to serve, and I have always been thankful to fulfill what I felt was an obligation to my country and family.

1851: How did your military service prepare you for franchising?

Lawrence: I learned to improvise, overcome and adapt in the Marine Corps, and that is exactly what I do daily from a structural and a sales perspective as a Right at Home owner.

1851: What is it about Right at Home that attracted you to the brand? 

Lawrence: There is a Right at Home in northern Virginia that I saw an advertisement for. When I started researching brands of homecare companies, the impression I had from the ads I remembered, as well as the Forbes article about home care franchises, made it an easy decision.

1851: What advice would you give to veterans who are looking to get into franchising? 

Lawrence: Establish a love for and a connection to the community you will serve if you don&rsquo;t have one already. The most effective sales technique I have is to be part of the local market that my referral sources are also looking to serve.

1851: What does franchising mean to you? 

Lawrence: Franchising has meant the opportunity to be my own boss and to live or die by the daily decisions I make, all while having an amazing support system in place from the corporate office.

1851: What would you like to achieve in franchising within the next 5 years? In 10? 

Lawrence: I would like to continue to grow my brand locally and still be recognized as the leader in quality and compassion. I would like my three boys to one day get involved with the business and benefit from the feeling of helping seniors and their families and loved ones and friends

Veterans in Franchising: Pete Lawrence

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The U.S. Marine Corps veteran turned Right at Home franchisee explains how his experience serving helped prepare him to take on franchising.

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