Many JDog franchise owners are relieved the Truth is coming out & Veterans are being warned. Others are angry that their “Ethos of Self-Interest” is being threatened. Most just remain silent and say nothing… Which is how the predatory JDog franchise was allowed to grow in the first place. by Sean Kelly, Franchise Truth for Veterans (
UnhappyFranchisee.Com) Many, but not all, JDog franchise owners expressed appreciation for my musical homage to the “JDog 300,” the military Veterans who unknowingly bought into one of the highest failure-rate franchises in the country:
Many franchisees have thanked me for doing what they were afraid to do: blow the whistle on JDog’s intentionally deceptive campaign to lure Veterans to invest in their high-failure franchise scheme… and promote the information the JDog franchisor is forced to disclose.
Numerous franchisees sent me a “thumbs up” imogee.
A former JDog franchisee, a Marines Veteran, wrote:
It’s an awesome video well edited Sean! Really appreciate the effort sir.
Another former franchisee wrote:
“JDOG Blues” is a good tune! Maybe could use a little hillbilly yodeling.
Another wrote:
Since there’s still a local JDog, I try not to share anything negative… But that video is hilarious, yet sad at the same time.
Another wrote:
Jerry is such a tool…
A Congressional aide wrote:
Wow. That’s powerful and so incredibly sad…
And the courageous Angela Derringer posted:
Sean Kelly at UnhappyFranchisee.Com has been working tirelessly on this piece that is from his heart.
Please watch, listen, and share.
https://youtu.be/pBx_TDR_cNk?si=l2uuFHwT2eK5qgzJ
However, as I said,
not all appreciated my “destroying the brand” image with
reality .
“The Failures of Other Owners Isn’t My Concern.” – NAVY Veteran Jim Schirtzinger, JDog Franchisee, Columbus, OH
The supposed “Ethos of Brotherhood” and camaraderie between Veterans is nowhere to be seen in the reactions of some current & recent franchisees.
They claim that calling attention to the unflattering facts disclosed by the franchisor is tantamount to “attacking the brand.”
Self-described Christian and NAVY Veteran Jim Schirtzinger called my posting of the content of JDog’s franchise disclosure document “mudslinging.”
Schirtzinger, who is the JDog franchisee for the Columbus, OH area, wrote:
I am successfully running a JDog Franchise, and I don’t have anything negative to say about it. The failures of other franchise owners isn’t my concern.
I asked Schirtzinger if he wasn’t like my grandkids when they cover their own eyes and think that the world cannot see them.
Schirtzinger responded by describing his personal, ethical & business dilemma, shared, no doubt, by many operating franchisees:
I’m not a child hiding my eyes… I’m trying to protect my investment and my family. I’ve developed a very good reputation in my community, and I have become synonymous with JDog. If you destroy it, I will also be destroyed. Forgive me for not being ok with all of this…
Like many current franchisees, Schirtzinger – an MBA, supposed Christian & Veteran – equates leaking factual data from JDog’s public documents & informing Veterans as
destroying the brand.
They cannot – or refuse to – grasp that the best way to
protect an established reputation is
to live up to it.
Act with Respect, Integrity & Trust.
Act in accordance with an
Ethos of Brotherhood that includes defending their fellow franchisees when they’re bullied & sued, and making sure young Veterans know what they’re signing up for.
Franchisees like Schirtzinger fail to acknowledge that a brand that can be destroyed by the Truth is not a brand at all:
It’s a scam.
“For The Record, I Sold For a Profit…” GA Franchisee Josh Polley
On the YouTube post of the “Where Have All the JDogs Gone?” video, former JDog franchisee Josh Polley left the comment: “For the record, I sold for a profit!
Congratulations, Josh Polley! Congratulations, Carol Vaillancourt! Congratulations, Jon & Kathy Moore! Not all transfers are at a devastating loss.
For example, it’s rumored that South Orlando, non-Veteran franchisee Tony Shard got his franchise for nearly free by receiving a transfer and then refusing to pay the franchise owner.
So yes, there are some successes
And even though the 3-year turnover rate is 81%… That means there are 19% that DIDN’T turn over! The glass is 19% full!
Ocean City, MD JDog Franchisee Carol Vaillancourt Victim-Blames Her Fellow Veterans
The JDog “Ethos of Brotherhood” has evidently been replaced by an “Ethos of Self-Interest” by franchisees who were able to find a buyer and escape their allegedly successful JDog franchise bonds.
After watching the photo montage of fellow Veterans who put their all into their businesses and lost everything, Army National Guard Reservist Carol Vaillancourt bragged:
“I had a very successful location that continues to be successful. I sold for a profit and was profitable from day one of opening with zero debt. [The video] is partially a misrepresentation… Many of the people who fail would have failed at running any business.”
Carol may have been a genius at hauling other people’s junk, but she either hasn’t a clue about how franchising works – or chooses not to acknowledge the obvious.
When a franchise system has an 81% three-year turnover rate – more than twice the turnover of its junk franchise competitors – the system is either broken or is intentionally “churning” franchises (reselling failed territories over and over).
And if the 81% turnover rate IS the result of loser military Veterans not being able to execute even a paint-by-numbers junk hauling business, the fault would lie with JDog Franchises, LLC who recruited, screened, selected, awarded and trained what would be the most pathetic group of franchisees I’d ever encountered.
To the contrary, Carol, not one of the trained, disciplined, highly motivated military Veterans among the hundreds terminated appears to have been unable to implement & succeed with a legitimate and viable franchise opportunity with a franchisor dedicated to their success.
“I Don’t Care How Many Franchises Failed… I Paid For This Shit CASH!” – Christina Geden, JDog, Wilmington, Delaware I received an irate call from franchise owner Christina Geden, whose husband’s name and location (
Jon Geden, Wilmington, DE) appeared in the scrolling list of franchisees reported by the company to have terminated, transferred, or otherwise ceased franchise agreements.
During her five-minute, PTSD-inducing rant (which I describe to my crisis counselor & team of therapists as
Arma-Geden), JDog franchisee Christina Geden expressed zero compassion for fellow franchisees and zero interest in informing Veterans being targeted.
“I don’t care how many franchises failed,” screamed Ms. Geden. “I paid cash for my shit.”
“You can’t go around saying people closed. It’s not fair!”
“We Own the Rights to All of Delaware. Do Your Research!” JDog Owner Christina Geden
Christina Geden insisted that they had never appeared in company disclosures as having had a territory terminated or transferred.
She claims to have contacted the JDog home office and they confirmed the same.
Even after being provided with the company documents clearly disproving her claim, Christina Geden threatened multiple times to sue me for “vilification” if I didn’t remove her husband’s name from all content.
“That’s not a threat,” said Geden, a JDog franchisee since Sept. 2021, “It’s a promise!”
Christina Geden Denies Promoting the JDog Franchise Opportunity to Veterans
Geden was also outraged at my suggestion that she promotes the high-failure rate JDog franchise on social media.
Yet her Facebook feed revealed multiple posts & reposts in which she promoted JDog franchise advertisements and “fake news” propaganda.
JDog Orlando Franchisee Tony Shard: Stolen Valor? Stolen Franchise?
If the rumors are true (I’m awaiting his clarification & rebuttal), Orlando JDog franchisee Tony Shard may embody the JDog “Ethos of Dishonesty & Exploitation of Veterans.”
Despite the fact that Tony Shard is allegedly a UK-born Brit and a non-Veteran, he advertises his business as “Owned and Operated by American Veterans” on his trucks, banners, social media accounts and shirts.
It appears that he operates a Stolen Franchise promoted with Stolen Valor.
The Silent JDog Majority Urged: Do Ask! Do Tell!
Years of silence by Veterans who refuse to speak up & warn or inform their fellow Veterans has led to a dark & tragic situation.
Among the notably silent regarding JDog’s 81% franchise turnover rate:
Army Veteran Rob Dennis –
SILENT Listed in the current JDog FDD as owning & operating 16 JDog territories
Marine Corps Veteran Ray Gagnon –
SILENT Listed as owning 4 territories. Promotes himself a Chaos coach.
Marine Corps Veteran Theo Proia –
SILENT Current JDog franchisee in Elkridge, MD Listed as owning 4 territories. Frequently pictured in JDog franchisee recruitment ads
Navy Veteran Robert Reichardt –
SILENT Chicago-area franchisee & JDog franchise cheerleader & testimonial provider
ARMY Veteran James Felts –
SILENT ; former JDog franchisee promotes himself as a Tedx speaker and consultant “My journey from a dynamic and disciplined military career to civilian life ignited my passion for helping fellow veterans navigate their unique journeys…”
Franchise Truth & Franchise Truth for Veterans Initiative The predatory JDog Junk Hauling franchise – which has resulted in over 300 Veteran franchise terminations – is just the tip of the iceberg.
There is currently no meaningful oversight or enforcement of franchise laws over the claims & representations franchise sellers tell trusting Veterans & other opportunity seekers.
Some of the most predatory franchise sellers are allowed to pass off high-failure rate franchise investments as “Veteran-Friendly” franchises by virtue of their inclusion of deceptive “Best Franchises for Veterans” lists or endorsements by seemingly reputable organizations, like the
International Franchise Association’s VetFran program.
Our initial analysis of more than 100 franchises currently promoted to Veterans through the VetFran program revealed that approximately 25% have 3-year franchisee turnover/attrition rates of more than 50%. That indicates that a high percentage of Veterans being encouraged to invest in these “Veteran-Safe” franchise opportunities will not only lose their investments, savings, credit ratings, & perhaps their homes,
some may lose the security clearances that gave them access to the good-paying government and contracting jobs they had prior to their franchise investment.
Contributions to the Franchise Truth & Franchise Truth for Veterans initiatives save countless Veterans from under-informed investment decisions.
Contribute to: Franchise Truth & Franchise Truth for Veterans Initiative URL:
https://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/support-franchise-fairness/ THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW. Documentation & More Information: Franchise Warning: JDog Junk Hauling for Veterans (Index) JDOG Franchise Dream Ends in Veteran Suicide, Double Homicide JDog Franchise News & Discussion Newsletter Sign-Up List of JDog Franchisees With Closed or Failed Franchises – UPDATED 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: JDog, JDog Franchise, Jdog Franchisee, Carol Vaillancourt, JDog Ocean City MD, Jon Geden, Christina Geden, JDog Wilmington DE, Jim Schirtzinger, JDog Columbus OH, Tony Shard, JDog Orlando FL, Josh Polley, Shane Manke, Dawn Manke, JDog Glen Allen VA
