Maaco, America’s body shop and the leader in the $38 billion automotive paint and collision industry, has once again been named one of the top franchise opportunities for veterans this year by Entrepreneur magazine. In its October/November issue, Entrepreneur ranked Maaco 16th among veteran supportive franchises in the U.S. The entire list can be viewed here.
Maaco has a longstanding history of supporting the nation’s veterans and active-duty military, with many franchise owners who are veterans themselves.
“While in the Army, I learned valuable leadership skills like how to manage people and resources,” said Houghton. “Maaco is a great fit for veterans because they can put those skills to work. We offer many opportunities to ‘be all you can be’ just like in the military.”
Franchisee Mike Phillips served as petty officer second class and an avionics technician in the U.S. Navy. His service included two deployments onboard the USS Nimitz and the USS Kitty Hawk. Following his military service, he joined Hewlett-Packard, where he spent 26 years. After early retirement, Phillips opened his first Maaco repair center in 2008 and now owns two locations.
“I always wanted to own my own business, and Maaco had a winning formula for success that just made sense,” said Phillips. “There was no need to reinvent the wheel when you can follow a successful playbook.”
“In my short time in the Navy I traveled to 23 different countries,” said Phillips. “It gives you the experience of interacting with people from various cultures. Being a veteran-owned business also helps to attract other veterans, both as employees and as customers. Maaco has always been a company that is supportive of veterans and all who have served their nation.”
