Happinest Mosquito Hunters Franchisee is an Iraq War Combat Veteran
Please join me in recognizing Anthony Hurman, Jr., a 100% disabled Iraq War Army Veteran who served his country for 10 years. Anthony suffered injuries in a truck convoy accident in Iraq and has also been diagnosed with PTSD. Anthony’s transition from Platoon Sergeant to Mosquito Hunters franchisee was guided by Susan Scotts of The Entrepreneur’s Source, Stephanie Ruby & Andy Fuller of Mosquito Hunters. Happinest Brands is proud to provide the “perfect” opportunity to Veterans & First Responders! by Sean Kelly, Franchise Truth for Veterans
There’s no doubt that Anthony Hurman Jr. is one of the many American heroes willing to serve in Iraq without question, and who deserves our utmost respect and support.
Susan Scotts is a broker for The Entrepreneur’s Source (TES), “The largest Career Ownership Coaching™️ organization for nearly 40 years…”
Susan’s profile states: “There is no fee for our services, which are compensated by the franchise community.”
Her 30+ years of franchise experience included 20 years selling Happy & Healthy Products franchises, and a decade as a commissioned TES franchise sales broker
As a new prospective business owner, disabled Veteran Anthony Hurman was thankful for Susan Scotts decades of experience and dedication to helping Veterans.
Susan Scotts matched Anthony Hurman, Jr. with Mosquito Hunters, a franchise self-described as “perfect” for Veterans & first responders.
He felt lucky to find both a franchise consultant & a franchise organization that sincerely respected and supported U.S. military Veterans.
However, they soon found themselves drowning under high fees and low revenues.
Franchisees complain that the operational cost & fees, including the call center, had been understated.
Gaining enough profitable customers in the highly competitive market was cost-prohibitive.
Mosquito Hunters franchisees from that time complain that the sophisticated & proven lead generation & customer acquisition strategies promised in the marketing materials were never provided.
Franchisees they were told they could build their businesses on such guerilla marketing tactics as papering windshields with flyers, distributing door hangers and planting yard signs along the road.
These tactics are illegal in many, if not most, municipalities.
Within two years, Anthony & Candace Hurman had lost their total investment & closed their unprofitable Mosquito hunters franchise.
According to our analysis of company disclosure documents, Mosquito Hunters averaged 110 operational franchises during the most recent 3-year period (2021-2023).
During that same period, 68 franchises exited the system prematurely through termination (48) or ownership changes (20).
That’s an alarming failure rate of 62%.
When we expanded the time frame to 2016, the turnover rate is even more alarming.
Between 2016 and 2023, Happinest Brands Mosquito Hunters averaged 62 operational franchises. During that same period, 86 franchises exited the system prematurely through termination (61) or ownership changes (25).
That’s an alarming turnover (failure) rate of 138%.
It looks like the investment being promoted by the company and every major franchise broker group as being “perfect” for Veterans & first responders may not so perfect after all.
According to the Mosquito Hunters 2024 FDD, Anthony & Candace Hurman filed an arbitration complaint on December 19, 2022.
They stated the Happinest Mosquito Hunters had “fraudulently induced them into signing a franchise agreement and then subsequently breached the agreement.”
Happinest Brands CEO Scott Frith & Mosquito Hunters CEO Andy Fuller could have decided to reach out and reconcile with the disabled Iraq War Veteran they and their their commissioned broker had sold the “perfect opportunity.”
They could have acted with concern for a war hero diagnosed with severe PTSD even before losing his savings, retirement & being plunged deep in debt through their flawed franchise.
They could have settled with the Hurmans in a humane way without any strain whatsoever on their multi-brand, VC-backed franchising conglomerate.
However, (in my opinion), Happinest CEO Scott Frith & Mosquito Hunters CEO Andy Fuller apparently decided it would be more in keeping with their corporate philosophy to pay their $3.6B law firm DLA Piper to make an example of the Hurmans, drain their laughably small resources, and silence their tiny voices.
The Mosquito Hunters 2024 FDD states:
OPEN INVITATION: Unhappy Franchisee extends an open invitation to all those discussed to provide corrections, explanations, clarifications and/or rebuttals. We will correct factual errors & alternative views fairly. Anonymous or signed comments are welcome below or can be emailed in confidence to UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail[dot]com.
Sean Kelly is an independent investigative journalist with 35 years of franchise industry experience. Since founding UnhappyFranchisee.Com in 2006, his reporting has exposed & shut down several predatory franchise & investment schemes.
Sean Kelly is a franchise watchdog who prompted and aided the FBI investigation that shut down the 165-victim multi-million-dollar NY Bagel franchise scam and landed perpetrators Dennis Mason & Joseph Smith in federal prison.
Sean was featured in the ABC Four Corners expose of 7-Eleven wage theft in Australia and has served as an advisor to Dateline NBC.
He has withstood bullying, intimidation & frivolous lawsuits as high as $35M and never lost. His crack editorial staff and fact checkers include Chick, Gem, Red, Pru & Joanie the Rescue Chicken.
Contact the author at UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail[dot]com
Tags: Mosquito Hunters, Mosquito Hunters Franchise, Happinest Brands, Hppinest franchises, Veterans franchise, franchises for veterans, Anthony Hurman, Scott Frith, Andy Fuller, The Entrepreneur’s Source, Susan Scotts, CNL Strategic Capital, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners , Lawn Doctor franchise, Tropical smoothie Cafe franchise, Kilwin’s Chocolate franchise, ecomaids franchise, DLA Piper, arbitration, franchise failure rates
Also read:
Mosquito Hunters Franchise Warning: Is it REALLY Perfect for Veterans & First Responders?
Happinest Mosquito Hunters Franchisee is an Iraq War Combat Veteran
The Franchise Game – Mosquito Version (Video)
Decorated Army Combat Veteran Anthony Hurman, Injured in Iraq, Invested in a Happinest Mosquito Hunters Franchise
Anthony Hurman, Jr. has a distinguished 10-year Army service record that includes combat deployment and support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
Anthony served as a Signal Support Systems Specialist.
As a Platoon Sergeant, Hurman served as a Senior-level supervisor directly responsible for daily job performance and training for 150 Soldiers.
His accomplishments include:
- Being awarded more than 15 times for superior support, outstanding leadership, and astounding reliability.
- Receiving five promotions within seven years
- Deployed and supported Operation Iraqi Freedom II with telecommunications, satellite, AM, FM radios and navigation systems; returned home with all assigned Soldiers and all equipment accounted for and operational.
- Fielded one of the Army’s first mobile Video Teleconference Systems using secure encrypted communications protocols and maintained 98% up time during experiment and integration testing in a combat operational environment.
- Being “Honorably Discharged” as a disabled veteran with a flawless military career.
There’s no doubt that Anthony Hurman Jr. is one of the many American heroes willing to serve in Iraq without question, and who deserves our utmost respect and support.
Veteran Advocate & Entrepreneur’s Source Franchise Consultant Susan Scotts Found Anthony Hurman the “Perfect Franchise.”
According to Susan Scotts’s LinkedIn profile, she’s a “Veteran Advocate and Veteran Mentor,” who assists “transitioning/transitioned Veterans to become their own Commanding Officer, secure preferred military funding, and to obtain a discount on the franchise fees via the Vet Fran Program.”Susan Scotts is a broker for The Entrepreneur’s Source (TES), “The largest Career Ownership Coaching™️ organization for nearly 40 years…”
Susan’s profile states: “There is no fee for our services, which are compensated by the franchise community.”
Her 30+ years of franchise experience included 20 years selling Happy & Healthy Products franchises, and a decade as a commissioned TES franchise sales broker
As a new prospective business owner, disabled Veteran Anthony Hurman was thankful for Susan Scotts decades of experience and dedication to helping Veterans.
Susan Scotts matched Anthony Hurman, Jr. with Mosquito Hunters, a franchise self-described as “perfect” for Veterans & first responders.
He felt lucky to find both a franchise consultant & a franchise organization that sincerely respected and supported U.S. military Veterans.
Decorated War Veteran Hurman Became “His Own Commanding Officer” as a Mosquito Hunters Franchise Owner
Army Combat Veteran Anthony Hurman and his wife Candace invested all of their savings and both of their 401ks into their Mosquito Hunters franchise business in Jacksonville, FL.However, they soon found themselves drowning under high fees and low revenues.Franchisees complain that the operational cost & fees, including the call center, had been understated.
Gaining enough profitable customers in the highly competitive market was cost-prohibitive.
Mosquito Hunters franchisees from that time complain that the sophisticated & proven lead generation & customer acquisition strategies promised in the marketing materials were never provided.
Franchisees they were told they could build their businesses on such guerilla marketing tactics as papering windshields with flyers, distributing door hangers and planting yard signs along the road.
These tactics are illegal in many, if not most, municipalities.
Within two years, Anthony & Candace Hurman had lost their total investment & closed their unprofitable Mosquito hunters franchise.
The 3-Year Franchisee Turnover Rate of Happinest Mosquito Hunters is 62%. Since 2016: 138%
According to our analysis of company disclosure documents, Mosquito Hunters averaged 110 operational franchises during the most recent 3-year period (2021-2023).
During that same period, 68 franchises exited the system prematurely through termination (48) or ownership changes (20).
That’s an alarming failure rate of 62%.
When we expanded the time frame to 2016, the turnover rate is even more alarming.
Happinest Brands Mosquito Hunters Franchise Turnover Rate 2016-2023: 138%
Between 2016 and 2023, Happinest Brands Mosquito Hunters averaged 62 operational franchises. During that same period, 86 franchises exited the system prematurely through termination (61) or ownership changes (25).
That’s an alarming turnover (failure) rate of 138%.
It looks like the investment being promoted by the company and every major franchise broker group as being “perfect” for Veterans & first responders may not so perfect after all.
Happinest Brands, Mosquito Hunters, Scott Frith & Andy Fuller are “Vigorously” Pursuing the Hurmans for $100K+ in Arbitration.
According to the Mosquito Hunters 2024 FDD, Anthony & Candace Hurman filed an arbitration complaint on December 19, 2022.They stated the Happinest Mosquito Hunters had “fraudulently induced them into signing a franchise agreement and then subsequently breached the agreement.”
Happinest Brands CEO Scott Frith & Mosquito Hunters CEO Andy Fuller could have decided to reach out and reconcile with the disabled Iraq War Veteran they and their their commissioned broker had sold the “perfect opportunity.”
They could have acted with concern for a war hero diagnosed with severe PTSD even before losing his savings, retirement & being plunged deep in debt through their flawed franchise.
They could have settled with the Hurmans in a humane way without any strain whatsoever on their multi-brand, VC-backed franchising conglomerate.
However, (in my opinion), Happinest CEO Scott Frith & Mosquito Hunters CEO Andy Fuller apparently decided it would be more in keeping with their corporate philosophy to pay their $3.6B law firm DLA Piper to make an example of the Hurmans, drain their laughably small resources, and silence their tiny voices.
The Mosquito Hunters 2024 FDD states:
On March 14, 2024, MH filed a counter-demand against the claimants seeking damages of at least $100,000 for their abandonment of their franchise and breach of their covenant not to sue.
MH, Mr. Frith, and Mr. Fuller deny the claims made against them and intend to defend against them vigorously.
Hearings are scheduled for mid-September 2024.
We Thank You for Your Service, Anthony & Candace Hurman
What do you think? Please share your opinions and experiences, in confidence, with a comment below or by emailing the author at UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail[dot]com.OPEN INVITATION: Unhappy Franchisee extends an open invitation to all those discussed to provide corrections, explanations, clarifications and/or rebuttals. We will correct factual errors & alternative views fairly. Anonymous or signed comments are welcome below or can be emailed in confidence to UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail[dot]com.
Sean Kelly is an independent investigative journalist with 35 years of franchise industry experience. Since founding UnhappyFranchisee.Com in 2006, his reporting has exposed & shut down several predatory franchise & investment schemes. Sean Kelly is a franchise watchdog who prompted and aided the FBI investigation that shut down the 165-victim multi-million-dollar NY Bagel franchise scam and landed perpetrators Dennis Mason & Joseph Smith in federal prison.
Sean was featured in the ABC Four Corners expose of 7-Eleven wage theft in Australia and has served as an advisor to Dateline NBC.
He has withstood bullying, intimidation & frivolous lawsuits as high as $35M and never lost. His crack editorial staff and fact checkers include Chick, Gem, Red, Pru & Joanie the Rescue Chicken.
Contact the author at UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail[dot]com
Tags: Mosquito Hunters, Mosquito Hunters Franchise, Happinest Brands, Hppinest franchises, Veterans franchise, franchises for veterans, Anthony Hurman, Scott Frith, Andy Fuller, The Entrepreneur’s Source, Susan Scotts, CNL Strategic Capital, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners , Lawn Doctor franchise, Tropical smoothie Cafe franchise, Kilwin’s Chocolate franchise, ecomaids franchise, DLA Piper, arbitration, franchise failure rates
Ehh. I hate that this happened to Mr Hurman. I am a Mosquito Hunters owner, also a service disabled Veteran and I have never seen this guy during any of our TRAINING and SUcalls over the years. Fees can be high but speak up and negotiate terms in order to be successful. I also was definitely not targeted, I discovered and chose them and received a significant Veteran discount. This article is very off and the suit has been dismissed.
Chanise:
Thank you for your comment and for your service.
Can you explain what you mean when you say ” Fees can be high but speak up and negotiate terms in order to be successful.”
What terms should franchisees negotiate?
Also, when was the suit dismissed?