How This Former U.S. Coast Guard Achieved His Dream of Opening a Military-Centric Business

After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, Josh Coleman decided it was time to follow his entrepreneurial dreams. But Coleman didn’t want to invest in just any business — he knew he needed to find something that would allow him to stay true to his military background. When he discovered JDog Junk Removal & Hauling, a Veteran-centric home services franchise that offers junk removal for both residential and commercial property owners, it proved to be the perfect fit.

Now, after opening his JDog location late last year, Coleman is dedicated to making sure Veterans feel safe and comfortable when they come home from deployment, both by hiring Veteran employees and by servicing homeowners in the Portland area.

“I did 12-and-a-half years in the coast guard and served along the West Coast,” said Coleman. “I was a part of the search-and-rescue team. I wanted to return to Vancouver, but I wanted to do something that met my personal goals. After having worked for Fortune 500 companies, it felt a bit soulless. I had no sense of purpose. I believed that being an entrepreneur would give me a sense of belonging and that I could lead a team like I used to in my military days. I wanted to get more in line with what I've known, and JDog seemed like a good fit.”

Coleman says he first heard about JDog through a group that he signed up with after leaving the military. “After doing some research, I found that most franchise concepts require a high investment to get started,” he said. “However, JDog had a relatively lower cost. Their business model is all about getting Veterans in and giving them an opportunity to be entrepreneurs.”

Jdog business model

Jerry Flanagan, JDog’s co-founder and a Veteran himself, designed his company specifically to provide lucrative work opportunities that align with the skills, needs and values of Veterans. The JDog Brands business models are service-based and flexible, requiring no brick-and-mortar space and minimal overhead costs. This ease of operations allows JDog to work with franchise owners from virtually any military background, so long as they demonstrate an alignment with JDog’s core values of respect, integrity and trust.

Now, as the home services industry booms due to people spending more time at home following the COVID-19 pandemic, JDog has seen exceptional growth, signing a total of 89 franchise agreements among 47 franchise owners in 2021.

“We’re proud of the satisfaction our franchisees are finding,” said Flanagan. “It’s encouraging to see such high validation from franchisees turning into organic growth opportunities. With each agreement signed, we are able to reach more Veterans with employment opportunities and increased ways to help local organizations that give back to Veterans in these communities.”

Growth and expansion

Coleman says that recent growth was another major selling point when he started looking into the franchise opportunity. “JDog has an incredible amount of growth from year to year as they have been expanding organically and adding franchisees across the country,” he said. “They also have a new television program on the Discovery Channel, Operation Hidden Treasures, which is very exciting as it is further spreading the word about the brand. The team showed me that despite the low cost to sign up, there was a high potential to grow.”

Looking ahead, Coleman says he hopes to expand his business to the rest of the Portland metro area. “I hope to build a business where Veterans like me can retire and settle down,” he said. “There are not many post-military opportunities for Veterans in this area, and it is easy to feel a little lost in the shuffle. Building a big team with Veterans and their families is my ultimate goal.”

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a JDog Junk Removal & Hauling ranges from $30,000 to $110,000, including a $35,000 franchise fee. For more information on franchising with JDog Brands, visit: *