What Help is there for Veterans Starting a Business?
Some of the very qualities that attract people to the military life are what make them good candidates for an internet based home business. What are these qualities? A sense of adventure, an attraction to signs of leadership and the ability to discern what constitutes a good leader, courage and idealism and an understanding of the joy of testing one's own limits.
A sense of adventure: What could exemplify this more than launching out with a good idea and seeing where it can take you? This was the spirit of the pioneers who settled this country and is a unique part of the American character. Attraction to good leadership: This is one of the things that make corporate life ? indeed life spent working in someone else's business so difficult for many ? the fact of having to put up with what we know is incompetent or uncaring leadership because someone else, not of our choosing, is in charge of every aspect of our work life. Being our own boss in a home based business we at least know we don't have to answer to someone we do not admire or respect. Courage and idealism: We have the opportunity to pioneer, follow our dream and run our work life according to our own ideals and ethics. Finally, testing one's own limits: this is the bottom line for a home business idea ? how far you go is limited only to your own abilities and ambition. No one can stand in your way.
So, you are a veteran and want to start your own internet home business? AWESOME. ? there's lots of help available to you.
There are sites especially designed to encourage people to do business with veterans. They will be glad to have you listed with them. There are any number of sites which offer sample ideas for you to choose among or which can get your own creative juices flowing.
Statistics show that an unusually high number of businesses are owned by veterans. It is also true that veteran-owned businesses seem to succeed very well. Part of the reason for this may be the qualities mentioned above that attract people to the military in the first place, as well as skills that are learned in military service. Veterans are often able to retire from the military while they still have the drive and ambition to start a new life. Did you know that there is such a thing as Public Law 106-50 which is known as the Veteran's Entrepreneurship and Small Business Act? (
http://www.sba.gov/regulations/h1568enr.html)
This is a good but somewhat long and technical read for any Veteran who is thinking about starting a business.
This law, enacted in 1999 to help out people in the military reserves who are called up for active duty, has been widened to include help for veterans who are starting out in business. Financial as well as technical help may be available through these resources. Training and services and counseling are often available through the services of retired executives who are eager to pass along their valuable expertise. The Veteran's Outreach Program is just one such resource. There are many.
By the fact of being a military veteran you have already demonstrated many of the qualities needed to be successful in an internet home business opportunity. Now it remains only for you to step out in confidence and claim your own destiny!
Our favorite Veterans free services are:
WWW.Score.orgThis is an excellent service which consists of retired executives who volunteer their time to assist home and small businesses. I have personally used the Albany N.Y. Score and the free service is excellent. My mentors have helped me over the last five years on various businesses. You will also be pleasantly surprised to see how many of the mentors are Veterans I know I was.
http://www.sba.gov/VETS/This is a special department of the Small Business Administration that was developed to help Veterans. If you only had the choice of one program to really research choose this one. This program helps you utilize all the resources of the SBA. Another must read.
Those of us who have served in the military deserve this assistance. Please do not sell yourself short or be embarrassed about asking for help (I know I was at first). Prior military service people have earned these benefits, now go out there and get the help and success you deserve. You can also contact me directly and I will assist in anyway possible. (PS I was Army 85-89 63b20h8 Motor pool Sgt. and light wheeled mechanic)
[email protected]Stephen Mistretta is a partner in:
http://www.Home-business-success.bizWe review home business oppourtunities, and provide feedback and reviews for work at home businesses.
