In this White House memo, President Obama notes that during National Veterans Small Business Week, “we celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that is crucial to developing the products, services, and ideas that fuel our economy, and we pay tribute to the veterans behind them.” The memo further cites these statistics:
“From coffee shops to tech startups, veteran-owned businesses fortify America by boosting our economic competitiveness and enriching our neighborhoods and towns. Veteran entrepreneurs are responsible for nearly 1 out of every 10 small businesses.”
The U.S. Small Business Administration prepared a press release to demonstrate the ways the SBA can support Veteran entrepreneurs and to highlight some of the events for the week of November 3-7. National Veterans Small Business WeekAccording to the release, “U.S. Small Business Administration district offices and resource partners nationwide will host more than 100 local events, including entrepreneurship training such as Boots to Business: Reboot classes, veteran access to capital workshops, and government contracting roundtables.”
Also announced this week, Citi Salutes and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University have launched the second round of its Realizing Your Dream Business Competition, a national search for the next generation of veteran entrepreneurs. One of this competition’s affiliate programs is V-WISE, Women Veterans Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship, a 15-day online learning experience designed to teach participants the “language of business,” how to understand opportunity recognition as it relates to growing a sustainable venture, and present actionable strategies related to new venture creation.
On Friday, Nov. 7, the ABC television network will host a special “Shark Tank” episode featuring veteran entrepreneurs who will pitch their business ideas. The episode airs at 9 p.m. EST.
Check out this video preview from Shark Tank’s Facebook page:
“In a significant way, veteran small business owners continue to serve America in a big way by employing more than six million workers, running one of every 10 small companies and generating more than $1.2 trillion in receipts every year,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “National Veterans Small Business Week is a great opportunity to expand the ranks of veteran entrepreneurship. We are proud of the men and women who continue to play such a critical role in the economic growth of our nation.”
SBA is encouraging veteran business owners to tell their stories, while engaging communities to share their appreciation for local veteran entrepreneurs. Get on Twitter and employ the #MyVetBiz hashtag to share your story!
For more about NVSBW events happening in your area, visit VetBizWeek at SBA online. Veteran’s Day is Tuesday, November 11.