When Jason first set out to serve his country as an Air Force officer, owning eight Batteries Plus stores in Michigan wasn’t on his radar. However, after two tours in Afghanistan and several leadership roles in corporate America, Jason found himself stepping into a family business that was ready for new growth. Today, he’s not just running a successful multi-unit franchise—he’s building a thriving operation that combines his military discipline with a passion for community and commercial success.
A Veteran’s Path to Business Ownership
Jason’s story begins in Michigan, where he attended the University of Michigan for his undergraduate studies before joining the Air Force through ROTC. Over six years, he served two tours in Afghanistan, gaining invaluable leadership experience. After separating from the military in 2007, Jason transitioned into project management. He worked for large-scale construction firms in Baltimore while pursuing his MBA and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Maryland.
It was in 2020, during the pandemic, that Jason’s life took a pivotal turn—his father, who had started a Batteries Plus franchise in 2000, needed someone to step in and run the business.
“My dad was either going to sell the business, or he needed someone to run it,” Jason explains. “I had always wanted to do my own thing, but this was the right time for me and my family. It was a great opportunity to build something sustainable.”
Scaling from Six to Eight Stores
When Jason took over in late 2020, his father’s franchise had grown from four to six stores, but the business needed a lot of foundational changes. “There was an entire cultural shift that was necessary,” Jason says. “Especially during COVID, it was tough to change the culture while dealing with the difficulties of staffing and operations.”
- The pandemic had put a strain on multi-unit franchise owners, making it difficult to keep stores open and staff engaged. The commercial sales side of the business had also been neglected as Jason and his team focused on retail operations. Despite these challenges, Jason and his team made strategic decisions to stabilize and grow the business first.
In 2023, after strengthening its operational foundation, Jason added two more stores in the Detroit area. Now with eight stores across Michigan, he’s planning for further expansion. “My goal is to grow to 15 to 20 stores, but I want to keep it regional,” Jason shares. “Staying within Michigan gives us flexibility in growing our commercial side while maintaining operational efficiency.”
Shifting Focus to Commercial Sales
While retail is the foundation of the Batteries Plus business model, Jason quickly recognized that in order to grow rapidly, commercial sales had to become an equal focus. When Jason took over, commercial sales accounted for about 20% of his revenue. Now, in 2024, that number has more than doubled, with over 50% of his revenue coming from commercial clients.
“We’ve seen 50-70% year-over-year growth in our commercial sales, and that’s where most of our success has been,” Jason explains. The rapid growth is thanks to a combination of hiring full-time commercial sales representatives, focusing on high-margin industries like healthcare, education, and fire protection, and utilizing tools like Salesforce to manage accounts effectively.
But Jason is quick to acknowledge that there’s still a lot of work to do. “I still don’t think we’re doing it as well as we could. We’re flying by the seat of our pants at times, but we’re getting results. We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.”
Support from Batteries Plus Corporate
One of the reasons for Jason’s success in growing his commercial sales has been the support he’s received from the Batteries Plus corporate team. “Our commercial coach has been instrumental in helping us grow,” Jason says. “He’s come out to visit, spent time with our reps in the field, and provided guidance on using tools like Salesforce effectively.”
Batteries Plus also introduced a program where a dedicated representative works remotely to manage commercial accounts. “We recently brought on a commercial rep who works out of Wisconsin,” Jason says. “His job is to handle the day-to-day management of our commercial accounts—making calls, following up with leads, and keeping our sales pipeline full. It’s a scalable solution that allows us to keep focusing on the larger opportunities locally.”
This program is particularly beneficial for franchisees like Jason, who manage multiple stores and need additional support in commercial growth. “It takes time to build up a commercial sales rep. You’re looking at a year or more before they’re fully productive. The commercial-as-a-service model fills that gap for us in the meantime,” Jason explains. With this support in place, Jason is confident that his commercial division will continue to thrive.
Supporting the Local Community
While commercial growth has been a significant part of Jason’s focus, he remains deeply committed to the local communities where his stores operate. As a veteran himself, Jason is passionate about giving back to the military, police, and fire departments. “We’re a locally run, veteran-owned business, and supporting our community is very important to me,” he says.
One way Jason has fostered local support is through a “Support Our Schools” program, which encourages schools to share a special flyer with their communities. When customers use a school code from the flyer, 5% of their purchase is donated back to the school. “We’re just getting this program off the ground, but I see a lot of potential in it,” Jason notes. “It’s a win-win—supporting our local schools and increasing foot traffic in our stores.”
In addition, Jason’s franchise offers a 15% discount to employees of companies he partners with through commercial sales. This employee discount program has been another way for Jason to strengthen relationships with his commercial clients while also driving more business to his stores.
A Family-Run, Veteran-Owned Business
Although Jason’s franchise is part of the larger Batteries Plus network, he’s quick to emphasize that his business is very much a family-run, locally-owned operation. “We’re part of this larger franchise system, but we run it like a close-knit family business. My father started it, and now I’m continuing to build on what he began,” Jason says.
Jason also makes it a priority to take care of his team. From seasonal team-building events like bowling nights to an annual summer picnic and a Christmas party in downtown Grand Rapids, Jason ensures his employees feel valued. “We want our team to know they’re appreciated. We might be growing, but we still operate like a family,” he says.
Looking Toward the Future
With eight stores under his belt and a goal to expand to 15 to 20 locations, Jason is just getting started. “I want to grow regionally in Michigan because it allows us to focus on commercial relationships and keep operations efficient,” he explains.
For veterans like Jason, franchising offers the opportunity to leverage leadership skills learned in the military and apply them to a thriving business. His advice to others? “If you’re ready to take on a new challenge, franchising can provide a strong foundation to build on. With the right support, the sky’s the limit.”