Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program
The state of Florida has created a non-profit corporation that helps veterans transition to civilian life in Florida. Veterans Florida educates veterans on how to open and run their own businesses. It also links veterans with employers as well as supplying grants to employers that will hire and train veterans.
In the Florida Panhandle, Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program offers tuition-free online and on-campus instruction in the “Lean Startup Method” for veterans at the University of West Florida and Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. A veteran must be either honorably discharged, or have one year left of active duty service, or be a current or former member of the National Guard/Reserves. The program also provides veterans with access to business leaders and mentors.
Bobby Carbonell, the executive director of Veterans Florida, says that military service makes veterans uniquely suited to owning and running their own businesses. He adds that veterans have the character traits of initiative, attention to detail and tenacity that will help them succeed in business.
Three veterans, David Glassman, Erick Moody and Christine Yerkes, credit the program with helping them to focus on making their businesses successful. They were able to set goals, build structure, fine-tune business plans and research their markets. The program’s mentors tailor each individual’s program to their specific needs.
For more information on Veterans Florida check veteransflorida.org
For the article, “Veteran Entrepreneurs Victorious in Florida”, 850 Business Magazine, go to http://www.850businessmagazine.com/October-November-2017/Veteran-Entrepreneurs-Victorious-in-Florida/