Doug Baillie spent 30 years in the United States Navy, earning the rank of Lieutenant Commander and served as a nuclear weapons inspector for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. His wife, Peggy Baillie, faithfully followed him everywhere he went, homeschooling their children and acting as an administrator for the family.
Before retiring, his former Commander reached out to tell Doug about the restoration industry and its desirable return on investment. The Commander informed them that the restoration industry was not only a lucrative one, but also allowed for developing good work ethic.
The Baillies did their research and realized that joining a franchise gave them the best opportunity for success. Similar to the Navy, it would allow Doug to run his own ship, but have the necessary support if something went wrong. Doug points out, “Owning a franchise is just like being a high ranking officer on a Navy ship. The buck stops with you, but there’s still ‘resource management.’ I know who to call if I have a question or need new supplies.”
The couple gravitated to PuroClean over its competitors because the corporate team and franchise owners felt like a family — everyone was always helping one another and leadership had a clear vision for the future. Doug and Peggy officially retired from Navy life on March 1, 2013, and opened their PuroClean franchise in June 2013.
Through owning their PuroClean, the Baillies have proudly offered a career path for other military personnel. “When we hire other veterans, they are always mission-oriented. Our clients and the jobs we do, helping to restore their property, are our daily ‘missions,’ and the team fully understands that our day isn’t done until our mission is complete. That kind of accountability and high level of integrity is commonplace in the military, and I’m thankful that owning my PuroClean has given me a chance to allow veterans to bring those characteristics to a career outside of the service,” said Doug.
PuroClean values the contributions of veterans like Doug to its franchise system. In 2017, the company announced its re-commitment to veterans through the PuroVet Program, which grants veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces a discount of $12,500 off the franchise fees typically paid to PuroClean by new franchise owners. In addition to this discount, PuroClean has secured additional savings for veterans from vendors and MatchU Franchising, who has agreed to reduce their commission by 25 percent for all veterans they match with PuroClean. Veterans who pursue the franchise opportunity through the PuroVet Program will also benefit from training at the company’s $1.2 million state-of-the-art training facility, the largest territories in the industry, and several financing options.