Business 101: Black Entrepreneurs Helping Businesses Owned by Veterans Through Development Initiative

Much has been written about the situation of Black entrepreneurs and major issues that have prevented the achievement of important benchmarks.

These problems have included the lack of diversity in hiring and funding opportunities. It’s hard being in the comfort zone of business where people “do business with people who look like them” when the majority of decision-making positions are not like Black entrepreneurs.

There has been some progress, but challenges remain. However, the lack of diversity at higher levels is not the main problem for veteran entrepreneurs. The lack of inclusion and access to information for growth are its main problems.

Government and private programs for veterans interested in business approach in minimum support resources that have generated most of the sole proprietorship – more than 80 percent – who are not prepared to expand despite the availability of funds and resources.

Community advocates and experts in other business environments neglected, particularly those involving Black entrepreneurs are well aware of what to do to build new veteran entrepreneurs. Black entrepreneurs are turning their expertise to help businesses owned by veterans who represent the new frontier in business development and community empowerment.

According to the survey by Business Bureau of the Census, there were 2.4 million non-agricultural enterprises owned by veterans (VOB) in 2007. These VOBs accounted for nine percent of all nonfarm businesses, five percent of total employment and 4.1 percent of total revenues of U.S. companies. Of this total, about two million of these VOBs are classified as non-employer businesses without employees generating $ 93.9 billion in revenues, 80 percent of the total number of VOBs.

The report adds that the average bill was $ 47,900 these VOBs. There are numerous press releases highlighting the programs and services that are targeted to veterans are facing critical issues such as homelessness, PTSD, traumatic brain injury and others.

VA programs that provide recycling and supports GI Bill still have a long way to go to fully address the business component VOBs, and most states are completion programs for women and minority entrepreneurs are not even about addressing business veterans programs.

Black entrepreneurs who are very conscious of being left out of the loop, combine to offer a broader program for all veterans in the business circuit. Many are veterans themselves who soon discovered that there was a slight advantage to use the title in the business.

“The camaraderie among veterans is unmatched and the opportunity to help veterans to grow their business and appreciate your contribution to us in a way that gives long term stability for themselves and their families is the best I can think of thanks” said Stephen Bailey, President of Procurement Services Bailey, a veteran of the United States Air Force. “I know what it feels like to go back and have no support system. It’s my turn to prevent this from happening to someone else.”

Bailey is a part of a team of Black business and community advocates who are preparing an initiative that brings the experience of veteran entrepreneur beyond the workshop list is not productive, casual and clumping factor.

“The current veterans programs are a good start and provide basic startup information. The real disconnect is that millions of veterans and businesses are up and running with sales, but the skill set needed to sustain the business does not exist. We believe it is a pity that most of our states do not have programs for one year targeted specifically for veterans with mentoring, coaching and components of the association, “said Guy Madison, Director, Business Consulting and GM coach. “It seems that the veterans went to the front line for us as a country and put them in the background when it comes to long-term support of business and the capacity of employers.”

Bailey and Madison are part of a business development partnership that focuses on the consideration of well-trained veterans who are in business to the next level in the corporate food chain. This initiative is designed to incorporate existing services in public and private sectors are separately Veterans Affairs and put the focus on the veteran.

“Coming from a development perspective of diverse businesses, we know all the buzzwords and training programs that maintain a certain level VOBs and dependents,” said Bailey, “Vedi – Initiative for Veterans Business Development – to engage and empower VOB and bring to just put on a list to be in front of key representatives that match your business model. Let’s give entrepreneurs veterans supports wide range of resources to training and information exchange to intensify their trade negotiations and the contract market to close deals that will help them increase their sales receipts and hire other veterans. “

According to team leaders, the concept vedi also act as the advocate of increasing the number of state programs focused on the development of businesses owned by veterans, outreach and inclusion in state contracts. This initiative also serves as a link to the private sector to reduce the increased number of false non-veterans with access VOBs set asides.

Black entrepreneurs with a long history of breaking through the creation of models of growth and new directions for its own survival and expansion back to help those who came to protect us all.