FROM SERVING THE COUNTRY TO SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH HOME FRANCHISE CONCEPTS

By Lloyd Biggs, Budget Blinds

Serving in the United States Marine Corps for two decades, I held various roles throughout my career, including Information Management Officer, Engineering Branch Head, and Software Engineering Officer. I had the privilege of being stationed at numerous bases and stations across the globe, where my Marines and I provided data and communications support for Marine Corps units and organizations. These locations included Camp Pendleton, California; Okinawa, Japan; and Albany, Georgia. Upon my retirement, I embarked on a new chapter in my professional journey, venturing into the realms of banking and defense contracting. However, my yearning for greater autonomy and a deeper sense of purpose eventually led me to the world of franchising. This entrepreneurial path mirrored the reasons I initially joined the Marines: the potential for growth and an unyielding emphasis on training and development. With an inherent desire to be an entrepreneur and community leader, franchising offered the perfect avenue. Thanks to Home Franchise Concepts, my wife Angela (who also works in the business) and our partners Adam and Christine Berryman, I was able to embark on this exciting next chapter with confidence and excitement.

Adam first learned of Budget Blinds through a radio advertisement and a referral from his mother (who is now also a Budget Blinds owner). Once we researched the brand, we were incredibly inspired by the Budget Blinds business model and proven success stories. Because Budget Blinds is the recognized leader in the “shopat-home” window covering industry and now part of the Home Franchise Concepts family, we felt comfortable making a smart investment decision in becoming Budget Blinds owners. Additionally, the brand offers a wide range of products and services, making our business versatile and valuable in the market. After being introduced to the brand, I immediately felt my mix of education, skills and experience from my time in the military, banking and contracting would be a great fit. In particular, I was the fortunate beneficiary of many excellent leadership examples set by awe-inspiring Marines during my career. Running a small business is not so different from leading a military unit in terms of the leadership skills required to build an effective and efficient team. In addition to creating a positive and motivating work environment, we actively educate and foster leadership skills in our frontline managers. I often tell my team the difference between a manager and a leader is “managers do things right; leaders do the right thing.” We want them to do the “right thing” for our customers and our employees — always.

Since becoming a franchisee, I’ve also had the opportunity to put my technical experience and education to good use in streamlining business operations, from integrating our CRM and ERP with our accounting software to benchmarking best practices across franchises. Being involved with other franchise concepts, we also gained experience with different franchising models and the exceptional resources and support that should come along with them. What stands out during our time with Budget Blinds is the flexibility — we continue to enjoy implementing and improving our own local business model and the tremendous training and resources we receive from the home office. Serving as a board member and later chairman for the Budget Blinds’ Franchise Advisory Council also allowed me to understand the brand on a broader level while having the opportunity to form relationships with the home office team. By taking advantage of the support offered by Home Franchise Concepts, we have been able to grow our business to five locations and 21 employees, making us the largest Budget Blinds franchise team in Southern California — with hopes for even more expansion! A crowning moment came in 2022 when we were awarded “Budget Blinds Franchise of the Year” — an acknowledgment of our hard work, success and steadfast dedication to the brand. This recognition is just one example of the remarkable support we receive from Home Franchise Concepts and has been a strong motivator for the team to continue working towards our shared goal of serving our customers and growing within the region.

In addition to our growth, we’ve been able to incorporate giving back to the community into our business. Budget Blinds manages a program to create custom window blinds in specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans through partnership with Homes for Our Troops (HFOT).

HFOT is a nonprofit organization that builds and donates custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans to help them rebuild their lives. Partnering with local suppliers, our team orders and installs custom blinds, all at zero cost to the deserving veterans. Currently, we are assisting with three HFOTsponsored homes in our region. This gesture, though small, is our heartfelt tribute to these brave Americans.

The Home Franchise Concepts family of brands is home to many veteran franchisees, fostering a strong commitment to establishing personal connections between businesses and the community. If you are a veteran looking for an opportunity to own and run a business, your military training and experience gives you many of the tools you will need to be a successful business owner. As a veteran and Budget Blinds franchise owner, I take the same pride in our shared dedication to business excellence as I did as a leader of Marines. Our business goal is to make a meaningful and positive impact on our community and the lives of those we serve. To support this goal, I strive every day to uphold the highest standards of leadership in order to serve our customers, employees and business well.

Lloyd Biggs is a multi-unit co-owner of Budget Blinds of North County San Diego, the brand’s largest franchise in Southern California, and a retired United States Marine Corps Major skilled in leadership, business, and computer engineering.