Orlando Veteran Hopes Donors Will 'Boost a Hero ... - Franchising.com

ORLANDO, FL - (Marketwire - Aug 15, 2012) - After two decades in the Navy, Evette Soto of Orlando is trying to achieve her dream of business ownership. She has the business picked out: Kitchen Solvers, a kitchen cabinet refacing and kitchen remodeling franchise. She has an interior design degree. She just needs startup capital.

So she's trying to raise $50,000 through an Orlando-based company, Sprigster, that uses crowdfunding to help veterans finance franchises. Sprigster's "Boost a Hero" program works like a Kickstarter campaign: Veterans post videos explaining their backgrounds and their business goals. For 90 days, people can donate as much as they want or as little as $1. You can find a link to Soto's video at http://bit.ly/NA9mh3.

Sprigster CEO Mark Mohler says "Boost a Hero" addresses a huge problem: veteran unemployment. Of the veterans who have served since 2001, 12.1 percent were unemployed in May -- compared to the overall U.S. rate of 8.3 percent.

"Veterans' skill sets often don't translate well onto r?sum?s," Mohler said. "When we looked at ways to help vets, we found that franchisors understand the value of veterans and their systems-based training. We also focused on franchise financing because, since they're FTC-regulated, we don't have to worry about veterans being targeted by bad business schemes."

Soto found out about Kitchen Solvers and "Boost a Hero" while researching financing for veterans. She also discovered that Kitchen Solvers discounts franchise fees for veterans as part of the International Franchise Association's VetFran program.

Soto served from 1983 to 2003. As a former real estate agent, she knows that kitchen remodels are popular and that homeowners benefit from having an expert to guide them.

"I'm excited to start my Kitchen Solvers franchise," Soto said. "I'm asking people to pledge a dollar, and share my video with friends."

Kitchen Solvers President Gerry Henley said he and his company are happy to be part of the "Boost a Hero" program.

"I've seen people buy lunch for troops to say, 'Thank you,'" Henley said. "This is another way that Americans can thank their troops -- and help them for a lifetime."

To learn more, visit www.KitchenSolversFranchise.com.

Contacts:

Evette Soto
407-943-7302

Mark Mohler
Sprigster CEO
407-810-6632

Gerry Henley
Kitchen Solvers President
608-791-5518

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Source: http://www.franchising.com/news/20120815_orlando_veteran_hopes_donors_will_boost_a_hero_hel.html

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