Veterans and Entrepreneurship

As we sit here on Veteran’s Day, I am really appreciative of everything that they do for our great country.  Veterans make a lot of sacrifices and often return to us with all kinds of scars- both physical, mental, and emotional- as part of their service.  The skills and discipline that Veterans learn in the military translate very well to the skill sets needed in entrepreneurship.  Shark Tank‘s most recent episode was all veteran entrepreneurs.

Some of those  skills that veterans develop in the military that carry over to entrepreneurship include:

·         Drive and perseverance.  Overcoming adversity and challenges are necessary in both the military and entrepreneurship.

·         Discipline and Focus.  In both cases, an individual must know what is important and not lose sight of where they should spend their time and effort.

·         Goal Orientation.  Set goals and do everything that can be done to achieve them is important in the military and entrepreneurship.

·         Vision.  In both the military and entrepreneurship, an individual must be able to see what is coming at them as well as where they need to be.

How does an Veteran get started in Entrepreneurship?  There are several resources available, include the Veteran Entrepreneur Portal, Joining Forces, and various other programs.

What can the rest of us do?  Support veteran entrepreneurs by mentoring them and supporting their businesses.  Two Wilmington, NC veteran owned businesses I know of are Enfuse Technology Solutions and Port City Brew Bus.