SBA’s Free Resources and Tools for Military Business Owners

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One quarter of veterans say they are interested in starting or buying their own business, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Did you know that supporting veteran-owned small businesses is a part of SBA’s mission? Listen in as SBA Economic Development Specialist and Veteran Liaison Bridget Moon sits down at a hiring event with Andrea Hutchins, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications and Marketing at Hiring Our Heroes, to discuss the SBA’s resources for veterans and military spouses who want to start and grow a business.

Top Takeaways from “SBA’s Free Resources and Tools for Military Business Owners”

1. The U.S. Small Business Administration has 68 district offices across the United States and hosts numerous workshops for veterans and military spouses interested in entrepreneurship.

“You get those people (at a hiring event) that are looking for a job, but they also say that they’ve always wanted to start their own business. They’ll say ‘I just don’t know where to go or where to start.’ That’s where I come in. I can give them that information and it’s all free.” – Bridget Moon, SBA Economic Development Specialist

2. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s staff members want to help veterans start their businesses.

“I tell my veterans, if you hit any roadblock, I want to know about it because I want to help you get over it and get you to the right person.” – Bridget Moon, SBA Economic Development Specialist

3. Veterans aren’t afraid of the grueling schedule of entrepreneurship.

“As an entrepreneur, you have long days. You might have a 20-hour day in a 24-hour period and the military sets you up for those long days.” – Bridget Moon, SBA Economic Development Specialist

4. As an entrepreneur, it’s important to have a supportive spouse.

“I always encourage people to have their spouses come to the workshops so they can know what’s going to be required of their spouse and how they can be supportive in their entrepreneur endeavors.” – Bridget Moon, SBA Economic Development Specialist

5. Veterans may want to dip their toes into entrepreneurship before taking the plunge.

“There are so many people who have that entrepreneurial spirit, but like the comfort of knowing there’s a paycheck. There’s nothing wrong with that. In some aspects, you can still be an entrepreneur and still have that money coming in and when you’re at the point where you feel comfort, you can always leave that 9 to 5 job.” – Bridget Moon, SBA Economic Development Specialist

The HOH Sitrep podcast is the official podcast of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative. Subscribe to the HOH Sitrep podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast service and never miss an episode.

 

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