Wild Birds Unlimited franchisee Greg McGinnis has been operating his Gastonia, North Carolina franchise since 2013. McGinnis said bird feeding has been a hobby of his for a number of years, but it wasn’t until he discovered
Wild Birds Unlimited that he realized he was doing it all wrong.
“I loved to watch the loons and, especially, the Osprey fishing for food near the light house when I lived in Vinalhaven, Maine. I had Bald Eagles, but one tried to carry my puppy away,” McGinnis said. “I was feeding birds the usual seed, but I never knew the difference between the run-of-the-mill feed and some of the great upscale stuff Wild Birds Unlimited provides. It was an eye opening experience for me as Wild Birds Unlimited products are made from 100 percent edible seeds, which is better for the birds.”
McGinnis’ journey to becoming a
Wild Birds Unlimited franchisee had an interesting path. After graduating high school, McGinnis spent a little time in college before joining the U.S. Army, where he served six years of active duty and two in the reserves. Once his military career wrapped up, he went back to college and entered the world of local politics.
He served as a city manager for towns in North Carolina and Maine for 16 years, but eventually became discouraged by the red tape that came with the job. McGinnis decided it was time for a career change.
“I became totally disillusioned with local politics because of some very acrimonious situations and was looking for a new career path. Franchising interested me, as it had systems in place I could learn from pretty easily,” McGinnis said. “My inner adventurer had drawn me to Wild Birds Unlimited. I don’t know if it was divine intervention or serendipity, but the brand just kept coming back up. My sister and I talked to Paul Pickett, Wild Birds Unlimited chief development officer, and started the process by visiting other stores. I was just totally impressed, especially with the tenure of the employees at corporate. They are also tremendous advocates of our nation’s military and support veterans joining their system through their participation in the VetFran program. It was a perfect match.”
With nearly 300 franchises across the United States and Canada, Wild Birds Unlimited has become the preeminent bird feeding franchise. The brand is looking for new entrepreneurs that share their passion for the outdoors, coupled with a true business drive. Prospective Wild Birds Unlimited owners benefit from pre-opening support, site selection assistance, classroom and in-store training, merchandising and purchasing assistance, and a strong franchise network that can help guide a new owners as they start out. Potential investors should expect their initial investment to range from $125,978 to $199,172.
As a member of the VetFran program, Wild Birds Unlimited offers 15 percent off its initial franchise fee to all veterans who join the system. VetFran is made up of over 650 franchise brands that voluntarily offer financial discounts, mentorship, and training for aspiring veteran franchisees. VetFran’s most recent survey shows that over 238,000 veterans and military spouses found opportunities in the franchise industry, which includes over 6,500 veterans that have become franchise business owners since 2011.
With its successful franchise systems and devoted customer base, Wild Birds Unlimited is a one-of-a-kind business opportunity for interested investors. McGinnis said his time with Wild Birds Unlimited has been both fulfilling and fun and that new franchisees can expect to feel welcome when they join the team.
“The support I have gotten from the staff has been tremendous and has made running my franchise all the more easier. Just the knowledge they have about the industry and the belief in the product has just become infectious and a reason why it’s a great franchise to invest in,” McGinnis said. “Plus through VetFran, Wild Birds Unlimited recognized my service to our country by substantially reducing the franchise fee. This only helped to reaffirm that Wild Birds Unlimited was an organization that I wanted to be a part of.”
For more franchising information about Wild Birds Unlimited, click
here.
