Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, a custom apparel decorating shop with nearly 100 franchised locations specializing in direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, announced a new, nationwide initiative focusing on franchising opportunities for veterans and first responders.

According to a press release shared by Cision, the incentive program includes a 20% discount on the initial investment at the time of franchise agreement and waived annual royalty fees for one year. The financial incentives could add up to more than $15,000 for qualified veterans or first responders, depending on the location of the shop.

“We have always been committed to the success of our franchise store owners,” said Big Frog Franchise Group President and CEO Tina Bacon-DeFrece in a statement. “In fact, during the pandemic, we eliminated royalty payments for 14 months — the equivalent of an $800,000 abatement for our franchisees, and invested more than 2,200 hours in business coaching. Our average store sales were up 19% over 2019 numbers, so we know some of these incentives for veterans can translate into similar success.”

The franchise does currently have several veteran-owned locations, about 4% across the system. The company hopes that the new initiative will triple that number. In Sioux Falls, for example, the store is locally owned by Ethan Corbin and his father, Ryan. Ethan served in the U.S. Air Force for six years and was deployed in 2012 to Oman, according to the news release.

“In the franchising world, veterans and first responders make ideal franchise candidates because they are so disciplined and follow systems well,” said Bacon-DeFrece, who grew up in a military family.

The new veteran incentives will apply nationwide through September 2023. Big Frog will invest in a series of on-demand webinars, career expos, advertising and editorials in veteran and franchise trade outlets, digital media campaigns, and collaborating with veteran service organization to support the cause.