Rodney Souder spent four years in the U.S. Navy, serving from 1988 to 1992 as a gas turbine technician aboard destroyers. The job demanded precision. Systems had to run right, every time, with no room for guesswork. That mindset stayed with him long after his service ended.

After the Navy, Rodney spent more than 26 years with the Tennessee Valley Authority. The work reinforced the same principles: operational discipline, long-term planning, and doing things the right way. By the time he began thinking about retirement, he wasn’t looking to slow down. He was looking for what to build next.

He wanted a business that could grow alongside his son and support their family for years to come. Franchising made sense to him early on. It offered a proven system rather than a blank page, and for a first-time business owner, that mattered.

“I wanted some backing as a first-time owner,” Rodney said. “I tell other veterans to do their research and ask hard questions. Once I slowed down and really did my research, Ziebart made the most sense.”

Why Ziebart

Rodney evaluated his options carefully before choosing Ziebart, and the brand’s support for veterans stood out immediately. Ziebart waives 100% of the initial franchise fee for U.S. military veterans and is an active participant in the VetFran program. Entrepreneur has recognized Ziebart as a Top Franchise for Veterans, and roughly 10% of Ziebart franchise owners and 12% of headquarters staff come from military backgrounds. For Rodney, that wasn’t a marketing line. It was a community he could see himself in.

Beyond the veteran-specific support, Ziebart offered the operational backbone Rodney was looking for: structured training, ongoing guidance in sales and marketing, and a business model built around automotive protection and detailing services that stay in demand regardless of economic conditions.

That combination of financial incentive, community, and operational support is consistent with what research shows more broadly. According to The Value of Franchising, 2026, veteran-owned franchised businesses report average sales 2.7 times larger than veteran-owned non-franchised businesses. The discipline veterans bring to leadership pairs naturally with a system already built for execution.

Opening in Paducah

Rodney opened his Ziebart location in Paducah, Kentucky, the community where he grew up. The location gave him the chance to bring a true one-stop automotive protection and detailing solution to neighbors he’d known for years, while building something durable for his family.

Today, Rodney runs the business alongside his son. They work side by side every day, applying the same discipline and precision that shaped Rodney’s Navy career and his decades at TVA. And they’re not finished. Rodney has plans to expand, adding more locations in the years ahead.

Advice for Fellow Veterans

Rodney’s path from military service to franchise ownership wasn’t instant. It took research, patience, and a willingness to ask hard questions before committing. His advice to other veterans considering franchising is straightforward: slow down, do the homework, and choose a brand that backs its commitment to veterans with real structure and real incentives.

For Rodney, that brand was Ziebart. The initial franchise fee waiver removed a real barrier to entry. The training and ongoing support gave him the confidence to lead a business for the first time. And the built-in veteran community meant he wasn’t figuring it out alone.

Rodney’s story reflects a broader trend among veterans who transition into franchise ownership: the same skills that make a strong service member, discipline, structure, and the ability to execute under a proven system, make an equally strong franchise owner. Ziebart’s longstanding commitment to veterans, paired with a resilient business model in the automotive aftermarket industry, continues to give veterans like Rodney a clear path from service to ownership.

Today, the Paducah location stands as proof of that path. It’s a business built on precision, run by a father and son, and rooted in the community Rodney has called home his whole life.