Franchise Ownership Gives This Veteran the Freedom He Craved
Navy SEAL veteran, Keith Burney, who owns a Paul Davis Restoration business in Washington State, has two words of advice for veterans considering franchise ownership: “Do it!” Why? “I’ve worked at a bunch of places since leaving the military, and only one other place comes close to the job satisfaction that I’ve gotten from owning a franchise,” he says.
From 1995 to 2004, Burney served on the SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One, a Navy SEAL team that uses mini-submersibles for covert operations. After the military, he earned a law degree, practiced as a criminal defense attorney and prosecutor, worked for a judge, and was an Amazon employee. With Paul Davis, Burney helps home and business owners deal with water, smoke and fire damage; mold and odor remediation; and cleaning of damaged furnishings.
“My only regret would be not buying a franchise sooner,” Burney says. “It’s hard work, but you get to choose what’s important to you and focus on that. Nobody is deciding your schedule or priorities; just having that in the back of your mind is extremely freeing. I don’t have a big background in finance, so I’ve been challenged by learning how to use financial information to improve the business. But that’s just another benefit of small-business ownership — you’re always learning. If you are smart about your choice, you can have a truly rewarding second career.”
Military-Style Leadership
As a Navy SEAL veteran, Burney sees his service as a major advantage in operating his Paul Davis business. “Small-unit leadership is key to running a franchise. I have only six employees — an office manager/bookkeeper, a construction program manager, a mitigation manager, two mitigation technicians and a business development manager. I have to know how to motivate them, when to dig in and get my hands dirty, and when to push people to do more with less. The military taught me a tremendous amount about leading from the front.”
Several factors made the brand enticing. “I was introduced to the Paul Davis franchise in August of 2023 and knew quickly that I had found the franchise that was right for me. Their values of service, honesty and respect were a key draw, along with the large territories and the ability to build a robust business within their network. I moved from that introduction to opening quickly and was serving customers by April of 2024.”
Burney’s territory lies between Seattle and Tacoma. “North to south, it’s about 26 miles, and about the same from east to west. It doesn’t sound big, but this encompasses more than 700,000 residents and a wide variety of business from the Seattle-Tacoma airport to Blue Origin headquarters and tons of smaller businesses.”
Paul Davis Restoration, which has more than 335 franchised units, is known for its outstanding support. “They required a robust introductory course that was six weeks long,” Burney says. “Then they sent a team of headquarters employees to spend a week at my office before we launched. I will have a dedicated business coach and a separate marketing/sales coach for the first three years of operations. This level of support was another key reason that I chose to go with them over other franchises.” In addition to hands-on training, the brand offers financing assistance, a network of insurance companies that generates job referrals, recruiting assistance, national advertising and marketing, and 24/7 technical support.
The nature of the business requires a flexible approach to work-life balance, Burney concedes. “The restoration industry can be consuming because we’re required to respond 24/7/365. But I try to model a healthy balance between work and personal life. I work out five or six mornings a week. I like to hike on weekends, and I love spending time with my family and my dog.”
Franchising since 1972, Paul Davis Restoration has territories available in all 50 states and Canada.
The Restoration Market
Extreme weather events like wildfires, floods, hurricanes and more are on the rise, increasing the demand of restoration services. The U.S. restoration market is worth $7.1 billion, according to IBISWorld.
For more information, visit https://www.pauldavisbusiness.com/.
