The journey of building a business is demanding and full of peaks and valleys along the way. Particularly for military-affiliated entrepreneurs, it becomes a little more difficult when the likelihood of moving (again) is continually looming. Military business owners are supported by organizations and programs that serve the unique needs of the community, but there are several non-military business resources available that you may not know about and happen to be in your own backyard!
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a federal agency dedicated to supporting small businesses through counseling, capital, and contracting expertise. With over 100 district offices across the country, the SBA hosts training events and workshops covering a wide range of business topics including hiring employees, managing finances, marketing and advice for negotiating commercial property leases. If attending in-person isn’t an option, the SBA offers a variety of online courses covering every phase of business ownership.
Hosted by universities, colleges, state economic development agencies and private partners, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network provides no-cost counseling and low-cost training to new and existing businesses across their nearly 1,000 centers throughout the United States and its territories.
I’ve personally visited my local SBDC for advice on hiring interns, networking with potential joint venture partners, I’ve attended workshops and have partnered with them to teach workshops in my areas of expertise. I have my local SBDC to thank for connecting me with the editor of my local newspaper, who offered me the opportunity to write a small business advice column that has been published for the past four years!
The local Chamber of Commerce provides the best way, in my opinion, to get acquainted with the business community from the inside out. Most Chambers of Commerce host networking mixers and events for business owners to socialize, connect with key influencers and build relationships. Many of the training events offered through a local Chamber of Commerce are facilitated by local subject matter experts and industry leaders, allowing for the information to be reinvested back in the community. Through participation on the various Chamber boards, military business owners have an opportunity to engage in the advocacy and leadership of peers.
SCORE, formerly known as the Service Corps of Retired Executives, is a nonprofit partner of the SBA that provides free personalized mentoring from experienced business owners. With 389 chapters across the U.S., SCORE offers local in-person workshops as well as free and on-demand webinars on a variety of small business topics.
Depending on where you live, you may also have access to a business incubator program, which can provide skills development training, mentoring, funding, and space to operate for qualifying businesses.
Being a part of the military community is great, we share membership in an exclusive club that is completely self-sustaining and amazingly resilient. It is my hope that business owners take full advantage of the benefits that are available for our businesses within the community, and we don’t overlook the resources that exist just beyond the gates.
Meet Moniek:
Moniek James is a veteran, military spouse, speaker, author, columnist, and serial online entrepreneur. Her passion is teaching small business owners and brands on how to leverage content marketing and strategy to deliver their genius to the world through her boutique marketing agency, Renegade Creative Media Group.
Moniek has been featured in the Huffington Post, Fit Small Business, VoyagePhoenix, and Vitality Magazine and believes that entrepreneurship is a building block to economic empowerment.
