DALLAS -- For Veterans Day, November 11, 7-Eleven Inc. has launched Operation: Take Command, the convenience store company's first franchise giveaway contest.
The winner will receive a waiver of the franchise fee, valued at up to $190,000, to franchise any of the company's 7-Eleven convenience stores available in the continental United States at the contest's culmination.
The Operation: Take Command franchise giveaway is a multi-phased competition that includes meeting 7-Eleven's franchising qualifications, interviews, a Facebook video contest by 10 preliminary finalists and an interview with 7-Eleven president and CEO Joe DePinto for the three finalists. The competition is for first-time prospective franchisees, those veterans who do not already franchise a 7-Eleven store.
"I can think of no one more deserving of this extraordinary opportunity to win a 7-Eleven franchise than one of our military veterans who has given so much for our country," said DePinto, a graduate of the Military Academy at West Point and former U.S. Army officer. "7-Eleven is a winner, too, because veterans bring top-notch leadership skills, a can-do attitude and mission-oriented focus to their business. Our experience has shown that U.S. veterans have the desire, ambition and core values needed to be successful 7-Eleven franchisees."
The Operation Take Command franchise giveaway competition begins Veteran's Day and ends April 23, 2015. The phases and dates of the Operation Take Command contest timetable are:
- Nov. 11, 2014-Jan. 25, 2015: U.S. veterans from all branches of the armed services can apply online at www.VeteransFranchiseGiveaway.com.
- March 2015: Preliminary finalists notified and asked to produce a two-minute video showing why they should win the free 7-Eleven franchise.
- March 16-29, 2015: Voting begins on top 10 finalists' videos posted on 7-Eleven Facebook page to determine top three finalists. Videos also will be posted on 7-Eleven YouTube channel and the contest website.
- March 30, 2015: Three finalists notified and announced.
- April 10, 2015: Finalists flown to Dallas, all expenses paid, for final interview with 7-Eleven CEO Joe DePinto.
- April 23, 2015: Operation Take Command winning veteran named.
- Awards ceremony and grand opening celebration: To be announced.
To qualify for Operation Take Command, an entrant must be age 21 or older, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, an honorably discharged veteran, have excellent credit and at least three years of leadership, retail or restaurant experience. Contestants will go through the same qualification process as all 7-Eleven franchise applicants including interviews, credit evaluation, leadership test, business plan, budget and store location preferences.
7-Eleven is advertising its franchise giveaway contest in military, veterans and business publications, promoting on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube) and its websites--www.7-Eleven.com and www.franchise.7-Eleven.com--and at military job fairs around the country.
"All eligible veterans have a winning business proposition with 7-Eleven's pro-military franchise program," said Greg Franks, 7-Eleven vice president of franchising systems. "7-Eleven already offers qualified veterans a discount of up to a 20% on the franchise fee for their first 7-Eleven store, a value of up to $50,000, along with preferred interest rates and special financing on up to 65% of the 7-Eleven franchise fee."
The contest is not open to eligible veterans who are legal residents of Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota and where prohibited. This is not an offer to sell a franchise, which will be made by us only in a state if 7-Eleven Inc. is first registered, filed, exempted or otherwise qualified to offer franchises in that state, and only if 7-Eleven provides an appropriate Franchise Disclosure Document. A credit of up to $190,000 toward the initial franchise fee will be awarded. The winner will be required to pay any portion of the initial franchise fee over $190,000 for the store they select, along with other initial fees, including but not limited to a $20,000 down payment on inventory, cost of all licenses and permits, expenses to attend training and other fees. The 20% franchise fee discount for veterans is for qualified applicants and only on the first store franchised.
Dallas-based 7-Eleven operates franchises or licenses more than 10,400 convenience stores in North America. Globally, there are more than 54,200 c-stores in 16 countries. During 2013, 7-Eleven stores generated total worldwide sales close to $84.5 billion.
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