If you’ve ever considered owning a franchise, your primary goal would likely be to earn a living and build a future for yourself and your family. Through many services like printing, shipping, marketing, direct mail and more, The UPS Store has not only become a way for franchise owners to grow financially, but to also find value in giving back to their community through philanthropic efforts.
Great examples of giving back are consistently present at The UPS Store. The following stories show how our franchise owners take their unique background and personal interests to a new level through community service and a strong focus on charity.
Ted Phillips
Ted Phillips is a Colorado native and proud owner of two The UPS Store locations. Like many others within The UPS Store family, his career path did not start with owning a franchise; rather, he pursued other passions first that allowed him to build his specialized skill set, hone his personal interests and eventually become the multi-talented, charitable pillar of the community that he is today.
After earning his Industrial Engineering degree, Ted began his career with The Boeing Company as a lead industrial engineer. His brother was a pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps and his father was an electrical engineer, so it was only natural that Ted combined the two to build his own career path. After Boeing, his next role as an IT Project Manager continued to build on his solid foundation of expertise, and during that time Ted decided that owning a franchise would be his next business pursuit.
When Ted purchased his first The UPS Store location in 2004, his wife Danielle ran the store. Then in 2011 when they had the opportunity to acquire a second location, Ted committed himself to operating both stores together with his wife.
The business success that Ted realized from providing great customer service in his The UPS Store locations has enabled him the continued opportunity to give back to the community. He and his wife are very active with local charities. They’ve teamed up with Colorado Eagles AHL Team athletes to auction off used warm-up hockey sticks and collect proceeds benefitting one of his favorite organizations, “Stick Up for Kids.” which Ted also supports the Toys for Tots Literacy Program and has proudly contributed over $400,000 in the past six years. A philanthropic mindset runs in Ted’s family; his parents set up a local high school scholarship program which Ted still sponsors to this day.
Ted is also grateful for the relationships he’s built with his team and with his community. Living by his daily motto, “If you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem,” he and his team share a can-do attitude that is clear to his customers and the community he serves. During the holiday season, they are often rewarded with cookies, gift baskets and gracious compliments for the value they provide and for their dedication to great customer service.
Jane and Brent Kostiw
Jane and Brent Kostiw are co-owners of two California The UPS Store locations and have been happily married for 29 years. Together, they have built a positive reputation both inside and outside of the store, serving and giving back to their community.
Jane always had an entrepreneurial spirit, starting with her small business venture creating custom wine necklaces for wine glass stems. Her local The UPS Store was there for her small business needs when she started out.
Brent had a 22-year career in technology, specializing in his passion, human resources. He recalls that while the business was successful, “the people side of business often got neglected,” leading him to pursue a better future where he could make a difference.
Jane and Brent’s business and personal talents, combined with their entrepreneurial spirit, were a natural foundation for their vision of building a family-owned business. Owning a franchise with The UPS Store fit perfectly into that vision. After researching franchise opportunities, Jane and Brent were intrigued with owning an established The UPS Store location and enjoyed it so much that they added a second store soon after.
Jane and Brent work side by side in the store with their dedicated team to provide great customer service to their community and help other small business owners succeed—just like Jane’s local store helped her initially. Jane loves the feeling of being connected to her customers, wanting them “to feel important when they walk in the door.” Brent shares the sentiment and believes in supporting other small businesses who are the “backbone of the community,” helping in any way they can to give back. Their philanthropy has made a difference; Brent has coached and mentored other local entrepreneurs, Jane is active in the Women’s Network of San Luis Obispo as well as her church and both are dedicated to helping the homeless in their community.
Oscar Saucedo
A proud San Antonio native, Oscar Saucedo is a multitalented, optimistic The UPS Store owner who has built a reputation on great customer service and giving back to the community. After 19 years of navigating the corporate world for Southwestern Bell/AT&T in 10 different cities, Oscar retired and returned to San Antonio. He found that the retired life didn’t quite suit him, so he went to work for an advertising agency, servicing his previous company, AT&T. At this point in his life, Oscar discovered his love for printing, direct mail brochures and marketing.
With his business acumen developed in the corporate world, Oscar pursued an opportunity that would pair his business expertise with his love of printing and marketing through owning a franchise with The UPS Store. After doing his research, he found it was a great fit for retirees, and since then, Oscar has established himself as the store owner who greets his customers by name, sharing, “We owe it to our customers to remember all of them.”
Oscar credits his gift of communication and his sunny disposition to his mother, who had “the gift of gab” along with a great personality. These qualities were ingrained in Oscar and his four siblings, and he believes they contribute significantly to why his customers always return to The UPS Store. His infectious positive attitude and personal motto of “Every day, wake up feeling good” are always present in the store experience and are felt by employees and customers alike.
Oscar is as dedicated to giving back to his community as he is to his team. He is passionate in his involvement with the Floresville Lions Club, whose activities benefit local charities including food banks, emergency medical services, libraries, the Children’s Museum and school scholarships. Oscar notes that he’s particularly proud of his support for the “All-Star Student” program, honoring local high school students for academic and leadership achievements.
The Importance of Community
The UPS Store franchise owners know that a collaborative, hard-working internal team is just the start of a thriving business. Through great customer service and efforts to help local charities, owners establish themselves as a pillar of the community and build lifelong relationships every step of the way.
To learn more about how to open a franchise of your own, check out our upcoming webinars or reach out to our franchise development team.
