Military Veterans Lead the Way at Beans & Brews Coffeehouse
Many veterans thrive in franchising because their military training instills a strong foundation in leadership and a disciplined work ethic; characteristics that transition seamlessly into business ownership. Beans and Brews Coffeehouse is proud to have three military veterans paving the way to success.
CEO Doug Willmarth is Ready for Take Off
At the helm of the Beans and Brews Coffeehouse brand is CEO Doug Willmarth, a former Navy Lieutenant, Aviator, and Persian Gulf veteran. His nearly decade long military career included leading operations and maintenance teams of up to 45 men at sea and ashore. As an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter pilot and mission commander, he learned the importance of teamwork, discipline, and trust.
“In Naval Aviation, there’s no rank when it comes to teamwork. On a flight crew, your lives and the success of the mission depend on teamwork, communication, and trust,” explains Willmarth. “That experience taught me how to lead with integrity and build effective teams—skills I’ve relied on in my 25-year career in business including my role at Beans and Brews.”
Doug Willmarth’s path to leadership seems destined from the start. Inspired by a Navy helicopter pilot godfather and countless childhood visits to air shows, he dreamed of a life in the skies, filled with adventure. Yet, his aspirations extended beyond flying—he also had a passion for leadership, nurtured early on as an Eagle Scout, where he first honed his ability to guide and inspire others.
While his academic journey provided a solid foundation in business—earning undergraduate and graduate degrees that armed him with essential skills—it was his time in the military that truly shaped his leadership style and equipped him for his role as CEO of Beans and Brews.
“The military prepares you to be a leader,” said Willmarth. “To be successful, you need to create a cohesive unit in very difficult circumstances with people from all parts of the country, all walks of life, all races, all backgrounds, all religions. They must learn to trust their lives to the members of the team. As a leader you’ve got to find a way to foster that trust and provide clear vision and direction. Leading and empowering others is the most valuable skill I gained from my military experience, which has allowed me to be successful as a leader in franchising.”
Navy Lieutenant Doug Willmarth- with his son, Scott
Combat Zone to Coffeehouse- Mult- Unit Franchisee Thomas Perrin
Thomas Perrin, along with his wife Ashley, are multi-unit franchise owners who have taken on the challenge of introducing 12 Beans and Brews coffeehouses to a new territory near their home in Houston, Texas. Opening a food and beverage shop, let alone a dozen of them, involves many moving parts and great attention to detail, something this former Marine Corps Captain achieves with ease thanks to his career as a logistics officer.
“The planning and decision-making processes I learned as a Marine have been invaluable in my business as a Beans and Brews franchise owner,” Perrin explains. “In the military, you learn to remain level-headed and mission-focused, which is critical when establishing and managing a franchise.”
Perrin served four years in the Marines, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he gained expertise in supply chain management, inventory, and transportation logistics.
Perrin’s time in Iraq, where he trained local supply chain personnel for border forces, and in Afghanistan, where he oversaw housing and support operations, taught him invaluable lessons.
“There are so many takeaways from my experiences serving as a Marine that I may not have even recognized until I became a Beans and Brews franchise owner,” said Perrin. “Besides the discipline and respecting the chain of command, comes the confidence that was instilled in me as a young man. It has truly shaped me into the person I am today,” he reflects.
Now as a Beans and Brews franchise owner, Perrin recognizes the alignment of franchising and military training and applying his experience and skills.
“The structure and support you receive as a franchisee mirrors the systems we relied on in the military. Success in the military is about following the rules. Success in franchising is about following the model.”
Marine Corps Captain Thomas Perrin in Iraq
Navy Expertise in Entrepreneurship: Kelly Zaugg
Beans and Brews Coffeehouse franchise owner Kelly Zaugg is a success thanks to a basic skill that should be at the top of every leader’s list– listening.
A decorated Navy veteran, and former Chief Warrant Officer Four, Zaugg attributes his military experience with his ability to build strong relationships through effective communication with people, whether his troops, his Beans and Brews team or his customers.
“Listening carefully and getting others to talk about themselves builds trust. For customers, this creates repeat visits. For employees, it helps me evaluate their values and work ethic—qualities essential for both military personnel and exceptional team members.”
Zaugg recounts that there is a clear parallel between military training and running his Beans and Brews franchise. His Navy training has assisted him with operational efficiency and personnel management skills which he relies on daily as a business owner.
“Leadership traits and practices I learned in the Navy have been instrumental in managing store operations and team dynamics,” Zaugg says. “From intelligence gathering to recruiting prospective officers, those responsibilities prepared me for this chapter in my career.”
Warrant Officer Kelly Zaugg
Vet Friendly Brand
These Beans and Brews Coffeehouse vets will soon be joined by another trio of owners who are in the pipeline representing additional military branches including the Air Force and Coast Guard.
What makes Beans and Brews so appealing to veterans is the 15% discount given on the franchise fee as well as their active membership in VetFran, a program dedicated to supporting veterans in franchising. But perhaps most importantly, this growing coffee brand recognizes how military training provides transferable skills that help vets adapt very well to franchising. Afterall, the common goal always remains the same: to successfully achieve the mission within the parameters of the proven system.