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VetFran program helped Rene Aubertin open his franchise a year ago A dash of salt. A pinch of pepper. Simmer at just the right temperature. A well-prepared delectable dish requires just the right ingredients and preparation.
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| Rene Aubertin |
HVA franchisee Rene Aubertin of Atlantic Regional Development in Boston, MA should know. The student of culinary arts took his high school cooking talents to the United States Marine Corps and ultimately to Okinawa where he was in charge of food services for the military base. Aubertin points to his years as a military cook and the following years in the mortgage business as foundational training and preparation for his opportunity now in real estate.
Aubertin served in the Marine Corps from 1979-82, stationed at Okinawa and then at a base in California where he was a cook in the chow hall while serving as property manager for the facility.
Following his service with the Corps, Aubertin did not pursue a career in the restaurant or food service industries. Instead, he joined General Electric on a turbine assembly line. But an injury to his back forced him to miss eight years of work.
Undaunted by that setback, Aubertin’s determination instilled from his training and service in the Marine Corps served him well. He went back to school and earned a business and finance degree in 1996. A 12-year career as a mortgage broker followed.
A year ago, with one eye on the ever-changing mortgage business, Aubertin began looking for other opportunities.
“I saw the mortgage business coming to an end at least for me,” Aubertin recalls of his decision to find out more about HomeVestors. “I would get a headache just trying to deal with banks. So I started looking at all of the Top 50 franchises and analyzed each of them. HVA was the best and it was what I knew.”
Aubertin knew he was ready for just this sort of challenge and knew he was well prepared. The regiment of the Marine Corps, the knowledge and experience from the mortgage business, and training and advice from friends and family had all been necessary ingredients on this chef’s menu to put him in position for this opportunity.
“I learned a lot about real estate from a neighbor of mine and from my father who was in real estate,” Aubertin said. “Working in the mortgage brokerage business helped so much, and after looking at HomeVestors, I thought this was my thing.”
Then the assistance of the national VetFran Program made it even better for Aubertin to join up.
“The VetFran program has been great for me,” said Aubertin. “I don’t think too many companies offer to do something like this. It is a tremendous benefit. And it is the perfect time to be in this business. We can help a lot of people.”
This October marks the one year anniversary of Aubertin as a HomeVestors franchisee. And the Bostonian couldn’t be happier about it.
“I was ready to do something like this,” Aubertin said of his decision to search Boston neighborhoods for ugly houses. “It’s perfect for me. I just love it and wouldn’t want to do anything else.”
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