Former Marine helps veterans restore their freedom with wheelchair ramps.
Mike Meyer was installing two large wheelchair ramps at Walter Reed Medical Center’s Mologne House in Washington, D.C. The steel structures were designed to provide wounded veterans with easier access to the outdoor courtyard surrounding the house, better enabling them to meet with relatives and friends.
As Meyer, a four-year veteran of the Marine Corps, was tightening some bolts, a wounded Soldier approached him. Although he only could use one arm, the veteran was adamant about helping him. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Meyer smiled, welcomed the Soldier and assigned him a job carrying parts.
“He couldn’t carry much, but he really pitched in and pulled his weight,” said Meyer, a former corporal. “He really wanted to help his brothers in uniform. One of the best parts of my business is being able to serve the military community and help wounded vets get their lives back in order. It’s more rewarding than words can explain.”
On the Job
Meyer is a franchisee with American Ramp Systems, America’s leading provider of modular wheelchair ramps. Serving northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia, Meyer has installed more than 500 ramps since opening for business in 2004.
Customers can either buy or rent a ramp. Those buying are usually families of senior citizens or disabled individuals. Rental clients are normally surgery patients or individuals suffering from falls or sports-related injuries.
“My business is divided equally between rentals and purchases,” Meyer said, “between senior citizens and people who are hurt. I have a lot of clients who served in the military, and it’s truly a pleasure to help them. Whether they served in Iraq or during World War II, once they know I was a Marine, they relax. They know I’ll do a good job and take care of them.”
The benefits of Meyer’s ramps are numerous. They don’t require permits, contractors or property tax assessments. They can be installed in a day or two. If a customer moves, the ramp can be dismantled (with no damage to the house or property) and transported to the new location.
When a customer expresses interest in a ramp, Meyer provides a free site evaluation: “The soil and terrain differs greatly between, say, D.C. and West Virginia. The latter is more mountainous, with crazy shifts and angles.”
To install the ramp, Meyer orders the parts from a Boston-based supplier, who immediately ships the materials to a Gainesville, Va., warehouse. Meyer then schedules an installation and completes the job within 24 hours. Each month, he usually installs 10 rented and eight purchased ramps. Meyer starts his day at 0600, handling paperwork and bills until 0800. From 0800 until 1900, he performs evaluations and installations.
“The Marine Corps provided me with a great foundation for success,” he said. “You learn the importance of follow-through, for example. My customers face a lot of challenges and fear. When I say I’m going to do something for them, I mean it.
“I also learned about toughness,” Meyer continued. “I install ramps in rain, sleet, snow and heat. When I’m tired or frustrated, I think about the hardships of boot camp or what my client is going through.”
THE FRANCHISE
American Ramp Systems helps enable the aging and disabled to remain in their homes. A virtually “recession-proof” business, the company taps into America’s two largest industries: health care and residential care. No wonder the company was ranked by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the Top 50 New Franchises of 2007.
There are nearly 100 American Ramp Systems franchises nationwide. Franchisees can buy protected territories of either 1 million or 2 million people. Franchise costs range from $47,000 to $133,200 and include inventory, equipment, an installation vehicle, marketing and work capital. Franchise fees are about $44,250 for a territory of 1 million people and $88,500 for a territory of 2 million.
New franchisees attend a weeklong training session at American Ramp System’s Boston headquarters. In addition to their education, they receive customized marketing and advertising support, engineering and accounting assistance, and can attend various meetings and conferences throughout the year.
“This is a very rewarding business because you can help improve people’s quality of life,” Meyer said. “I’ve had customers say, ‘This is my freedom ramp. I’ve been pinned up in my house for five years. Now I can go in and out easily.’ That’s really satisfying.”
IN UNIFORM
The Milwaukee native enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1980. He was assigned as an administrative clerk to Marine Corps Headquarters in Arlington, Va. – operating and maintaining the computer system that stored all Marine records.
In 1984, as Meyer was preparing to leave the military, he learned his job was being outsourced to a civilian company. Because Meyer had done such a good job, a company representative asked if he would like to apply for the position. He agreed, staying in the same job but wearing civilian clothing.