Truth For Veterans: Letter to U.S. Veterans Magazine, Mona Lisa Faris
More than 400 Veterans & military families who invested in JDog Brands franchises have failed, been terminated or exited their businesses prematurely. Many lost everything, were buried with debt and even had their military disability checks garnished.
Why is U.S. Veterans Magazine promoting the JDog franchise as a safe investment for Veterans?
What criteria did they use to determine that, out of 3400 franchise companies, JDog is the TOP choice for Veterans?
And why hasn’t U.S. Veterans magazine President & Publisher removed this endorsement as promised?
Letter to Mona Lisa Faris, U.S. Veterans Magazine (PDF)
Mona Lisa Faris
President and Publisher
U.S. Veterans Magazine
18 Technology Dr. Suite #170,
Irvine, CA 92618
March 2, 2026
Dear Ms. Faris:
Your website states:
The mission of U.S. Veterans Magazine is to be your trusted resource for employment, business and educational opportunities, both within the federal government and in corporate America, for veterans, transitioning service members and their families, service-disabled veterans and veteran business owners.
U.S. Veterans Magazine, which you founded, appears to be a very professional, trustworthy publication dedicated to the well-being of the service members, Veterans and the military families you profess to serve.
If applied responsibly, the trust that your readers, sponsors and advertisers have in your publication provides you with a powerful opportunity to positively educate, guide and influence opinions and behavior.
However, if that trust is used irresponsibly or neglectfully, your publication has the power to do great harm to those who trust that their safety and best interest is your priority.
The September, 2025 issue of U.S. Veterans magazine featured your endorsement of “The Top 10 Franchises for Veterans in 2025.”
In transitioning to civilian life, few decisions a Veteran can make will have the impact – good or bad – on the rest of their lives as the decision to invest in a franchise. Once decided, the selection of the right franchise can be the difference between stability and prosperity or financial and personal devastation.
Your “Top 10 Franchises for Veterans” feature gives the impression that a leading Veteran’s publication carefully researched and analyzed the approximately 3,400 franchise companies in the U.S. and – applying its deep understanding of and concern for military Veterans – curated a list of the very best of the best (safest) franchise investments.
Being named as a “Top Franchise for Veterans” by U.S. Veterans magazine provides these franchise sellers not only with increased exposure, but with bolstered credibility with which to convince Veterans and military family members that investing their savings, their assets, and their financial futures in, say, a JDog Junk Removal and Hauling or carpet cleaning franchise or a Homevestors franchise is a sound, low risk and safe decision.
Since your “Top 10 Franchises for Veterans” feature contains no disclaimer or notice that it was supplied by a 3rd party, and contains no notice of it being an advertorial or “Sponsored Post,” I trust you are willing to share the process with which your staff researched, and compiled this list of recommendations to influence and guide U.S. Veterans.
For the public discussion we intend to conduct (and hope you’ll participate in), we invite you to provide answers to the following questions:
1. What was the methodology used for determining the “Top Franchises for Veterans”?
Ms. Faris:
- who did the actual research to determine the “Top Franchises for Veterans”?
- What was the source of the data you analyzed?
- What criteria did you use to analyze a top franchises in general?
- What Veteran-specific criteria did you apply?
- Did you take into consideration franchisee failure or turnover rates? Franchise-related litigation?
- Did you take into account which franchises prohibit Veterans from speaking to current or former franchisees while performing due diligence?
- Did you take into account which franchises prohibit Veterans from sharing their experiences or opinions once they sign a franchise agreement?
- In determining which franchises to recommend to Veterans and military families, how many Veteran franchisees did you interview or speak to?
2. Did you research ALL available franchise opportunities or just those represented by franchise brokers?
It’s estimated that 50% of franchisors work with commissioned broker groups (like IFPG) and 50% do not. 100% of your “Top Franchises for Veterans” appear on the list of IFPG-represented brands (and likely other broker websites).
In researching the “Top” franchise brands did you consider both broker-promoted and non-broker-promoted brands?
3. Did you rely on any 3rd party input, recommendations or content for your “Top Franchises for Veterans” list?
Without specialized experience in franchising in-house, it seems like a daunting task to determine the top ten (out of 3,400) franchises without some expert industry guidance. Who, if anyone, provided guidance, recommendations or content for your list?
4. Does U.S. Veterans magazine receive compensation – directly or indirectly – from franchise advertisers, brokers, franchisors, lead generators or PR groups for publishing franchise-related content? If so, from whom and in what way?
5. Ms. Faris: why didn’t you remove JDog from your list – as promised?
On January 29, 2026, you responded to my message expressing serious concerns about your #1 endorsement of the discredited JDog Brands franchise opportunity that targets Veterans. I included links to The JDog Report and documentation of its high Veteran failure rate.
You wrote:
Thank you for bringing this to my attention and for the time you’ve taken to share your research and concerns. We are actively addressing the matter and working on removing the recommendation from our publication.
We truly appreciate your transparency and advocacy on behalf of the veteran community, and we take these issues seriously.
Best Regards,
Mona Lisa Faris
President & Publisher
U.S. Veterans Magazine
My requests for a status update (on LinkedIn) have not been returned and appear to have been deleted (?).
Can I assume you are now standing by your recommendation of JDog Brands as the top franchise opportunity for Veterans?
I very much look forward to learning more about the methodology and care you and U.S. Veterans magazine put into researching, ranking and standing by your recommendations for the “Top 10 Franchises for Veterans.”
I believe that an open and transparent public discussion that includes the Veteran and military families who have invested in these and other franchise brands could yield some important insights about Veterans in Franchising. Your sponsor, advertiser and resource lists contain many entrepreneurial and Veteran resources who could contribute to a friendly exchange regarding what makes a “Top Franchise for Veterans,” and whether publications like U.S. Veterans magazine truly prioritize Veteran well-being over all other concerns.
While the subject of this inquiry involves the entire list and its source, I have included some information and links regarding your #1 recommendation (JDog) which is initially what caught our eye.
All the best,
Sean Kelly
Founder, Franchise Truth for Veterans
Publisher, UnhappyFranchisee.com, President, Relentless, Inc.
717-371-1911 UnhappyFranchisee [at] Gmail [dot] Com
JDog Veteran Franchise Turnover – Junk Removal
JDog Veteran Franchise Information Links
The JDog Report: An Urgent Call to End the Exploitation of Veterans in Franchising [UPDATED]
List of JDog Franchisees With Closed or Failed Franchises – UPDATED
JDog Franchise Document Library (FDDS, Lawsuits, Etc.)
What Every Veteran Should Know About the JDog Franchise
JDOG Franchise Dream Ends in Veteran Suicide, Double Homicide
JDog Videos
Where Have All the JDogs Gone? Folksinger Sean Kelly Reinvents the Protest Song
JDog Franchise Deceives Veterans With False Success Stories & Earnings Claims
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Tags: Franchise Truth, Franchise Truth for Veterans, Truth for Veterans, Top franchises for veterans, best franchises for veterans, Vet-friendly franchises, U.S. Veterans Magazine, Mona Lisa Faris, Danielle Jackola, Tonya Kinsey, Veterans Administration
