Veterans Winning at Franchising: Cory Beilharz

Cory Beilharz, 43, stumbled upon an article in USAA Magazine that changed his life. With a list of desirable franchises in front of him, Cory chose what he knew best – mechanics.

After completing four years of ROTC training at Florida Tech, Cory was deployed for a four-year stint in Ft. Stewart, Georgia where he ran a maintenance facility on the military base.

Christian Brothers Automotive was a no-brainer next step for his career path. With the top performance rating and proven system, Cory has enjoyed being a member of the team. Next step: creating a reputation of the most honest repair shop in Knoxville.

How did your military service prepare you for franchising?

When I was in the army, stationed in Ft. Stewart, I had a maintenance facility with 130 mechanics that worked for me. I didn’t know at the time how useful it would be for me and my future endeavors with Christian Brothers Automotive.

What is it about your brand that attracted you?

I read an article in USAA Magazine about good franchises for veterans. Christian Brothers Automotive was mentioned as being the best one. The article mentioned about how being part of a franchise there are minimal failures. Christian Brothers Automotive is one of the best franchises out there as far as its performance and franchise satisfaction. If you are a veteran and have leadership skills, you are going to be that much more successful in what is already known to be a successful franchise.

What advice would you give to veterans who are looking to get into franchising?

Pick a franchise that is something you know about already. Something you already like to do. If you like cooking, look into something that involves food. Logistics? Try UPS. If you already have a passion for the business, then the transition of it becoming such a time consuming part of your life will be an easier transition.

What does franchising mean to you?

Franchising means that many of the pitfalls and questions of business that arise have already been solved by the corporate office through the trials of previous stores. It means having my accounting taken care of by a Christian Brothers Automotive accountant, but also having a wealth of knowledge when I have questions in that area. I have the benefit of calling on 155 other store owners when I have questions that I think they can help me with.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I am working to create a reputation as the most honest repair shop in Knoxville. I want to have the best customer service of all of the competitors in the market and maintain loyal customers at my location.