We are very excited to announce that the founder of Great Day Moving, Roger L Ward III, is the recipient of a very prestigious award!  He has received the Small Business Administration’s Region VII Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. This award recognizes entrepreneurs under 30 years old who have most increased sales and staff since the inception of their business.

Each year, the SBA opens nominations for various small business awards that culminate with festivities celebrating small business as the “backbone of our Nation’s economy” during National Small Business Week in May. Entrepreneur award winners are selected on their staying power, growth in number of employees, increase in sales, financial condition, innovation, response to adversity, and community service. Each of the country’s 10 regions select one Young Entrepreneur of the Year based on the following criteria:

• Evidence of success as measured by sales and profits.
• Increased employment opportunities created by the nominee‘s business.
• Development and/or utilization of innovative or creative business methods.
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial potential necessary for long-term business success and economic growth.

Before creating the Great Day Moving franchise system, Roger primarily focused his efforts on the growth of his own local moving company, Marathon Moving & Delivery LLC (MMD). He and his wife purchased the moving company in 2007 and have greatly increased sales, fleet size, and number of employees. Additionally, his company donates a generous amount of time, services, and money to multiple community non-profits and organizations. Indeed, it was the imperfections of MMD’s infrastructure and day-to-day processes that prompted Roger to create the Great Day Moving franchise system with its automated capabilities and back-office support. This April, MMD becomes the first operating franchise under the Great Day Moving system.