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Veterans Finance Guide

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From Bank Rate : The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides the most comprehensive economic and health-related assistance for vets and their families. However, there are some limitations. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a total of 3.8 million veterans had a service-connected disability rating as of 2014. Service-connected disabilities are wide-ranging, but consist of a disease or injury obtained during active military service. While not every individual faces the same problems after service, the top three economic challenges tend to be unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. Veterans with service-connected disabilities, who are in need of specific home modifications and medical treatment are among the most at risk of experiencing some kind of debt that can lead to bad credit. Government assistance for veterans There are various resources for veterans with debt. One example is called the VA Medical Care Hardship Program. In addition to receiving help with some co

Access to Capital is Greatest Barrier for Veterans with Dreams of Business Ownership

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From :  Institute for Veterans and Military Families SYRACUSE, N.Y., Nov. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- If home ownership is one quintessential American dream, owning your own business is another. While a higher percentage of veterans are self-employed compared to non-veterans, the rate of veteran entrepreneurship has seen a significant decline. Forty-nine percent of veterans returning from service in World War II started businesses. Today the rate of post 9-11 veterans doing the same has fallen to 5.6 percent (from 12.3 percent in 1996). The question now becomes why are we losing a potential class of business owners who come out of the military well equipped with important skills and attributes for success as entrepreneurs? A new study of veteran business owners, conducted by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF) in collaboration with Bunker Labs, takes an in-depth look into factors that account for the motivation, success, failure

Top 5 Traits That Make Veterans Great Entrepreneurs­­

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From Bplans : by Patrick J. MacKrell is CEO of New York Business Development Corporation (NYBDC) For many years, veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces were successful at starting and growing small businesses. In fact, almost 50 percent of veterans owned a business after World War II. But today, veteran entrepreneurship is on the decline. The most recent Kauffman Foundation research found that veterans accounted for 12.6 percent of new entrepreneurs in 1996 and that by 2014, this number had fallen to just 5.6 percent. At NYBDC, we want to turn those numbers around by inspiring veterans to take the leap into a life of entrepreneurship, and sharing some information to help you get started. As a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, I have seen firsthand the driven young men and women who have served in our military. The honorable completion of an active-duty period of military service or ongoing participation in the National Guard or Reserve generally tends to “imprint” veterans with cer

10 Resources Every Veteran Entrepreneur Needs to Utilize

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From: HuffPost November 11th marks Veterans Day 2017, where we salute veterans that have served the United States. Post-service, many veterans move on to become successful entrepreneurs with the United States Census Bureau reporting that veteran-owned firms make up 7.2 percent of the nation’s 5.5 million employer businesses. For veterans that want to explore the entrepreneurial landscape, but aren’t sure where to turn to first for support or assistance, we’ve done the legwork on finding some of the best resources available that cover everything from mentorship to angel investments for making small business dreams a reality.

Report Sheds Light on Veteran-Owned Businesses and their Owners

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The Office of Advocacy has released a report on veteran-owned businesses. The report gives a detailed profile of this robust business population based on the latest available data, the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 Survey of Small Business Owners. • In 2012, the United States had 21.2 million veterans, and 2.52 million businesses were majority-owned by veterans. • Almost all of veteran-owned businesses (99.9 percent) were small businesses. • Veteran-owned firms had receipts of $1.14 trillion, employed 5.03 million people, and had an annual payroll of $195 billion. • These firms represented 9.1 percent of all U.S. firms. • The three states with the most veteran-owned businesses were California, Texas, and Florida. • The three states with the highest percent of veteran-owned businesses in their populations were South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Virginia. The report is called Veteran-Owned Businesses and Their Owners: Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners. It

NYSBDC Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year – Mark Dyson, Spinland Studios

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The New York Small Business Development Center is pleased to recognize the boldest, brightest, and best small companies and enterprising individuals in New York State.  Eight small business owners were honored at the 2017 Client Awards ceremony on April 24, 2017.  Read all their stories here. Spinland Studios, LLC is a 3D-modeling and computer animation service started in 2010 by U.S. Air Force veteran Mark Dyson. The company’s primary focus is on broadcast media and advertising, but also supports areas such as instructional and/or educational messages. Over the past 15 years, he’s built & animated 3D aircraft models for the DoD Flight Simulator line, built real-time interactive data displays and controls for DoD clients using 3D gaming engines, built and animated 3D models for industrial firms, and provided VFX support for feature films. Mark began working with the Mohawk Valley SBDC in 2012 to support his transition from a full-time job to full-time focus on his g

A Veteran's Manufacturing Story

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Taken from ThomasNet : Over the next five years, one million service men and women will transition out of the military and into civilian life. So this Veterans Day, we should not only thank veterans for their service and dedication; we should also show our appreciation by making their transition as smooth and seamless as possible. Seventy-one years ago, Richard McCarthy was in the middle of such a transition. After serving in the Pacific during World War II, the 21-year-old veteran headed back home to Pennsylvania, eager to start the next phase of his life. He not only did that; he started a career, a business, and a legacy for his family. In 1941, Richard was a high school senior with a budding interest in machining. In fact, he recently started serving as a machinist’s apprentice in a railroad company. However, on December 7 of that year, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the United States was drawn into World War II. Ten months later, just weeks after graduating and celebrat

Boots to Business REBOOT: Rochelle Park, NJ, May 11-12

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Veterans: Growing your business? Boots to Business REBOOT THE AMERICAN LEGION, VBOC OF NYC & NJ and The SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PRESENT A FREE TWO DAY PROGRAM FOR VETERANS WHO WANT TO START, EXPAND OR PURCHASE A SMALL BUSINESS. American Legion Post 170, 33 W. Passaic St., Rochelle Park, NJ 07662 Wednesday, May 11th and Thursday,  May 12th 2016 From  09:00 AM to 4:00 PM – refreshments provided at no cost courtesy of American Legion Post  170 Registration required by April 27, 2016 Registration Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sfVrIL2u3xJgL3luQNd6Mxy0QxBQyQVkIOJD3b0xVSM/viewform?c=0&w=1 For Questions Contact: Gene Spillane, SBA Veterans Small Business Outreach Officer Eugene.Spillane@SBA.gov / 972-645-2427

Are you or would like to be a veteran involved in the business industry?

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 SBDC is a huge advocate for small  business development by our veterans. Here is how veterans are receiving a spark of support in entrepreneurial ventures. To learn more about StreetShares visit: Forbes Forbes speaks on how businessmen and veterans are uniting 

National Veterans Small Business Week

November 2-6, 2015 SBA empowers veterans, active duty service members, Guard and Reserve members and military spouses through entrepreneurial training and education programs, business technical assistance, counseling, special access to capital programs and federal procurement training and access to opportunities. Join the conversation at #MyVetBiz to share veteran stories, encourage community members to highlight local veteran-owned businesses in their community, and show gratitude and support to veterans and their families. ,br> Find local events at: SBA

Employment of veterans by occupation, 2014

Among employed veterans age 18 or older, the most common occupations for men are professional and related; management, business, and financial operations; and service occupations. In 2014, these three groups accounted for 50 percent of all employed men who had previously served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. These were also the largest occupational groups among male nonveterans. Male veterans were more likely than nonveterans to work in transportation and material moving and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. Male veterans were less likely to work in construction occupations. Female veterans were most likely to work in professional and related; office and administrative support; and management, business, and financial operations occupations. Seventy percent of women who were veterans worked in these occupations. Nonveteran women were less likely to work in these occupations. Female veterans were more likely than nonveterans to work in professional and relate

Profiles of Veteran Business Owners

The Office of Advocacy has released a new issue brief, Profile of Veteran Business Owners: 2013, which examines the demographics of veteran business owners. Using 2013 data from Census’s Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), this issue brief is an update to an Advocacy profile of veteran business owners released in November 2013. The issue brief looks at a variety of characteristics of veteran business owners as compared to non-veteran business owners, such as age, gender, marital status, level of education and citizenship. It also details the features of veteran-owned businesses, including industry sector, firm size and age of business.

Real World Veteran-Owned Business Advice

Veteran entrepreneur and journalist Paige Thomas King breaks down the truth about owning a small business in this fascinating   article . She makes it clear that while the   government isn’t standing around waiting to hand out free money, there are several places you can go to get   financial assistance. Local events are great ways for veteran entrepreneurs to network and find out more about starting a business.  Discover  entrepreneur and business events near you .  And of course, don’t forget to check out the Department of Veteran Affairs'  newly revamped Veteran Entrepreneur Portal  and the Small Business Administration’s  Veteran’s Small Business Resource Guide  (a PDF).

5 Reasons Why Veterans Make Excellent Entrepreneurs

According to the Small Business Administration, "Veteran business owners are responsible for nearly one out of every ten small businesses in America, employ nearly six million workers, generate over 1.5 trillion dollars in receipts each year and are 45 percent more likely to be self-employed than non-veterans". So what exactly makes veterans so well suited for entrepreneurship? 1. Work Ethic See more at: the New Jersey SBDC for Monmouth and Ocean Counties

Veteran Entrepreneurs Honored During National Veterans Small Business Week Nov. 3-7

WASHINGTON – The accomplishments of Veteran small business owners around the country will be celebrated during National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) November 3-7.      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.   Veteran entrepreneurship workshops will also be held at U.S. military installations in Germany and Korea.  On Friday, Nov. 7, the ABC television network will host a special “ Shark Tank ” episode featuring veteran entrepreneurs

Young Veterans Show Strong Interest in Business Ownership

From the ASBDC : It’s no secret that U.S. military veterans are a force to be reckoned with in the nation’s small business economy. But according to the latest research, both older and younger veterans are emerging as major players in the buying of small companies. To better understand today's business-for-sale market, BizBuySell.com recently commissioned a demographic study of individuals engaged in buying or selling a small business. The study, which surveyed more than 2,000 buyers and sellers, highlighted several trends that are shaping today’s market. One of the trends the survey revealed is that a surprisingly large number of veterans are shopping for small businesses. According to BizBuySell’s study, 13 percent of prospective small business buyers listed themselves as veterans. But who are these veterans? And how do they compare to other buyers in the market?

SBA: Helping Underserved Entrepreneurs Succeed

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For more than fifty years, the SBA has helped entrepreneurs start, grow and succeed in their business ventures. For all kinds of business owners across the country – including in traditionally underserved communities – SBA provides resources and access to capital they need to flourish. Here's how SBA helps entrepreneurs and business owners who are:   Minorities : Interested in government contracting? The  8(a) Business Development Program  helps small, disadvantaged businesses compete in the marketplace. Women : From registering your business to hiring your first employee, SBA is here to help you launch your small business.  Native Americans : SBA has opportunities and programs designed to help Native American entrepreneurs start and manage their businesses. Veterans : From the military world to the business world, SBA has customized resources to help our veterans succeed. 50+ Entrepreneurs : Are you nearing retirement and exploring new opportunities? SBA has information and to

Veterans and Military Business Owners of America blog

VAMBOA is a non-profit veteran business trade association that promotes and assists Veteran Business Owners, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB) and Military Business Owners. "We know that you possess special skills including leadership abilities and a work ethic second to none. Veteran Business Owners, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB) and Military Business Owners are highly qualified to build successful businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and responsible for job generation." Membership in VAMBOA is free and provides a multitude of resources. Here is the blog .

Top 5 Small Business Administration Resources for Veterans

These U.S. Small Business Administration resource partners have almost 1,500 locations across the United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico to help veterans who want to start their own business or grow an existing business. All partners can advise veterans on small business loans and provide training and support on a wide variety of challenges small business owners face, from access to capital to marketing. They include Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) , which provide a vast array of technical assistance to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. SBDCs foster local and regional economic development through job creation and retention. SBDC clients receive free, extensive, one-on-one, long-term professional business advising, low-cost training and other specialized services. More information from SBA .

SBA Awards Grant to Fund Entrepreneurship Training for Veterans

WASHINGTON – As part of its “Boots to Business” program, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced this week that it has awarded a $3 million grant to Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) to deliver entrepreneurship education and training to transitioning service members. “Veterans are a cornerstone of small business ownership,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, who met with veteran small business owners within hours of starting at SBA on April 7. “We owe them a debt of gratitude for their service. Veterans have the skills to adapt to many challenges and the leadership and discipline required to own and operate a small business. The SBA is committed to supporting our veterans as they transition back to civilian life and pursue the American Dream by starting businesses when they come home.” Boots to Business is a three-step program developed to introduce transitioning service members to business ownership and connec