Today, Ohio's first-ever Veterans Business Outreach Center opened!?
VBOCs help entrepreneurs in veteran and military communities launch or grow businesses by providing counseling, training and other services.
Find a VBOC near you! https://t.co/TbXh5jOk03#NVSBW pic.twitter.com/j0gtr8tRW0
— SBA (@SBAgov) November 13, 2024
Erik Hill and Justin Lindteigen are two veterans who have found success as small business owners in Fargo, North Dakota. Hill owns Immersion LLC, a wellness center offering saunas and cold plunging, while Lindteigen owns Greenstone Construction, a contractor for several federal agencies. Both Hill and Lindteigen credit the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for their success.
Veterans: If your next mission is entrepreneurship, we've got business resources like funding options, training, counseling, mentoring, and contracting assistance that can help!
Learn more: https://t.co/Nb3fVJW0yw#NVSBW24 pic.twitter.com/hYE2rYvSVw
— SBA (@SBAgov) November 12, 2024
The SBA provides funding up to $5 million in some cases and guidance through resources like the Veteran-Owned Small Business Outreach Center (VBOC). “Serving in the military helps you become a detail-oriented problem solver; that’s why it was a smooth transition to becoming small business owners,” say Hill and Lindteigen. Hill started his business after struggling with anxiety, stress, and guilt following his last deployment in October 2023.
Veterans find business success with SBA
He wanted to find a natural way to help himself.
America’s veterans and military families have served and sacrificed for our nation. At @SBAgov, we know so many continue serving with their entrepreneurial spirit. On #VeteransDay, we honor the contributions of America’s nearly 2 million Veteran-owned small businesses.
— Isabel Casillas Guzman (@SBAIsabel) November 11, 2024
Lindteigen, on the other hand, started his business after returning from Iraq in 2009 and writing a business plan for a college class.
Veterans represent our nation’s best, and they must have access to every opportunity to pursue the American Dream.
Join me in honoring these fantastic men and women during National Veterans Small Business Week!https://t.co/m7GBYf1sRm
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) November 12, 2024
Alan Haut, director of the SBA for North Dakota, notes that they assist hundreds of veteran-owned businesses in addition to the more than 70,000 other small businesses in the state. “Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. They support new jobs, growth, and innovations, and veterans are a very strong segment of small businesses,” Haut emphasized.
This week’s activities for National Veterans Small Business Week highlight not only the resilience and adaptability of veterans but also the critical role they play in local economies. The latest data shows that more than 1.6 million veteran-owned businesses in 2021 generated $983.9 billion in sales.
