Remembering 9/11: Military Veterans and Everyday Heroes

September 11, 2001 was a day that changed our world forever. It challenged our ideas of safety and security. An attack on American soil was unheard of, yet it happened, and it was deadly and catastrophic as four commercial airliners, hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists, carried out their missions, killing nearly 3,000 people from 93 different nations.

• Two planes flew into the World Trade Center, taking out the Twin Towers and killing 2,753 people.
• One plane hit the Pentagon, killing 184 people.
• The fourth plane, an assumed attempt at Washington, D.C., was defeated when the 40 passengers and crew on Flight 93 fought back and crashed the plane in western Pennsylvania, sacrificing everyone on board.

Remembrance, reverence and resolve

Every year in September, our nation remembers “9/11” and the horrors that unfolded following the attacks. Part of remembrance is also recognizing the courage and commitment of hundreds of rescue workers and ordinary people who became heroes on that day, working to save the lives of perfect strangers without thought to personal safety.

And, since 9/11, active deployments of our nation’s Armed Forces have continued, combating terrorism around the world, including Afghanistan and Iraq. Our nation’s safety rests in the hands of our military: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard, and daily sacrifices are made to preserve and protect our freedoms by our amazing men and women in uniform.

Home Franchise Concepts (HFC), parent company to three franchise brands in the home improvement industry, has a history of honoring military veterans with franchise business opportunities as well as community service programs and national efforts to support and give back to veterans.  We believe it’s an honor and a responsibility to support veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country.

Shirin Behzadi, Chief Executive Officer of HFC, continues the legacy of the original founders’ commitment to veterans: “At HFC, we share a strong commitment to supporting veterans who have served our country. Many of our franchisees across the country are veterans or have personal connections to the U.S. Armed Forces, so we feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to give back to these true American heroes when and where we can.”

Offering a helping hand to military veterans

HFC and its family of brands, Budget Blinds®, Tailored Living® and Concrete Craft®, continually offer substantial discounts to qualified veterans to purchase a franchise business so they can take charge of their financial futures. Going from active military duty to civilian work life can be a daunting experience, and HFC offers a helping hand to veterans who want to start their own business and be their own boss. Military training proves to be an excellent background for the disciplines and skills required to run a business, and military veterans already have what it takes to be successful franchise business owners, including leadership skills, maturity, integrity, strong work ethic, good communication skills, team-building and the ability to follow a proven system.

“I chose Tailored Living because the company structure was compatible with my hands-on attitude and because I enjoy working with people to achieve goals. I’ve been able to carry over the work ethic I gained during my time in the military and incorporate it into my day-to-day business activities which made for an easy transition.” –Derek Harris, franchise owner Tailored Living of Littleton, CO, and retired Navy

“You have so much responsibility in the military; it’s really nice to be just responsible for yourself. I love it. I love being my own boss [with Budget Blinds]. I love the service we’re providing.”  --Ed Burns, franchise owner of Budget Blinds serving Costa Mesa, CA, and retired Marine Corps

“I joined Concrete Craft in order to join a company which has strong growth potential and a backbone to support it.  My twelve years in the Navy has provided me with the work ethic and organizational skills to be able to take my franchise and grow it beyond my best estimates.” -- Patrick Godfrey, franchise owner of Concrete Craft of Charlotte, NC, and retired Navy

Impacting veterans and their families every day

On a different level, both Budget Blinds and Tailored Living have been involved with efforts to reach out to veterans and their families by making life a little bit better through home enhancements.

• In the U.S., Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) builds specially adapted, mortgage-free homes for severely wounded veterans, post -9/11, who have suffered catastrophic injuries. These homes help veterans and their families to be able to focus on recovery and rebuilding their lives. In 2014, Budget Blinds and our manufacturing partner, Springs Window Fashions®, committed to three years of placing faux wood blinds into all the homes HFOT would build across the country.

• Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) commits “To honour and support Canada’s ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans, First Responders and their families,” through supporting and funding programs that physically and emotionally assist and support veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other casualties of war. For the past two years, Budget Blinds and Springs Window Fashions have donated $15,000 to support WWC.

• In 2013, both Budget Blinds and Tailored Living joined with George to the Rescue, NBC’s hit home renovation series, to provide new window coverings and custom storage solutions for retired military veterans.
  • Staff Sergeant Sandra Lee, retired after eight years of active duty, having survived four roadside bombings in Iraq that resulted in Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She received faux wood blinds and custom storage solutions to create a more comfortable home environment.
  • Marine Corps Corporal Sherman Watson, after three deployments to Iraq, three separate injuries and three Purple Hearts, honorably retired from the service. “Tailored Living installed a functional, organized  garage space in order to pay tribute to Sherman Watson and the incredible sacrifices he has made for our country,” states Dan Tafoya, President of Tailored Living.

• This year, Budget Blinds aligned with the Designing Spaces’ Military Makeover on Lifetime® Television, to provide custom window coverings for three families of deserving veterans. View our previous Military Makeover shows: The Parkes family video or blog post; The Kyle family video or blog post; the Adams family blog post.

Using our proprietary resurfacing process over existing concrete, the craftsmen at Concrete Craft can help transform your driveways, walkways, patios, pool decks, vertical surfaces and more into exceptional concrete surfaces, replicating dozens of real stone, brick, tile and wood plank designs, at half the cost of other materials. Indoor floors can go from ordinary to extraordinary with very little effort, and your outdoors can be the envy of the entire neighborhood. 

To find out about the veteran owner franchise business opportunities for all three brands, go to Home Franchise Concepts/Veterans.