As a military soldier, you have been part of one of the finest organizations that the world has ever known and your training, resolve, preparation and execution trained you to be battlefield ready. Now you want to embark upon the endeavor of joining other veteran owned businesses (VOB) in starting your own business. Here are 5 excellent tips you need to know before you launch your VOB.

Congratulations, you have successfully developed your veteran owned business thanks to the carefully calibrated Veteran Owned Business Roundtable’s (VOBRT) business development training techniques modules, webinars, and one-on-one business expert sessions. Now you are prepared to compete in the state of Michigan business contracting arena. Here is some valuable veteran owned business (VOB) resources that will give these businesses the upper hand on securing those contracts.

The growth of your veteran owned business can be dramatically enhanced by implementing a marketing and advertising campaign. You have learned some very valuable business development techniques from your Veteran Owned Business Roundtable (VOBRT) seminars, and one-on-one mentoring sessions. Here are some valuable tips on how to understand why marketing and advertising differ in how you promote your veteran owned business to decision makers.

As a veteran owned business, you deserve to be very proud of your accomplishment and success. Certainly, Veteran Owned Business Roundtable (VOBRT) considers the improvement you have made by taking full advantage of the strategic webinars, online meetings, one-on-one and regulatory processes sessions contributed to your winning formula. Now you are considering expansion. Here are some very valuable tips to consider as you begin your evaluation process to expand.

Why the Veteran Owned Business Verification Process Matters

Veterans should not ignore the importance of having their businesses verified as a Veteran-Owned Business. Veterans are being sought out for many different opportunities within society due to their honorable service. Therefore, having your business verified as a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) gives you access to more business opportunities, such as government and corporate contracting.

You have taken the first important step in your post-military career in joining the world of veteran owned businesses. Now you can use those finely developed skills you learned in the service and apply them in the business world. In order to reach that successful destination, you will need to develop marketing strategies that will give you the strategic advantage needed. Here are some excellent free resources that will allow you to achieve business success.

All Veteran Owned Business verifications are not created equal and may be required to successfully submit a proposal for a government or corporate contracting opportunity. There are definite benefits to verification and it’s important to understand the differences between verifications, where it will be valid and choose the most relevant based on your business goals. Here’s a brief outline of just a few veteran verification processes available.

Recently, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Veterans Administration must continue to follow the ‘Rule of Two’ when awarding contracts to Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). Journalist Robert Barnes of the Washington Post provides the details of the decision and how it affects Veteran-owned small businesses doing business with the VA:

By Robert Barnes June 16 of the Washington Post

Being a member of the Veteran Owned Business Roundtable has many benefits and advantages. Networking opportunities, training courses, legislative advocacy, the list is long. But, one of the most important benefits is the opportunity to compete for, and secure business contracts with global organizations that are partners and supporters of the organization. One of our members, Tony Tarkowski, expressed the opportunity he received with Ford Motor Company as a result of his membership in the VOBRT. Read his testimony to get a better understanding of how being a member of the Roundtable can help your business as well.

The Veteran Owned Business Roundtable was established by veteran business owners for their comrades to advocate for their interests.  Those interests include access to business opportunity, protection from counterfeit parties representing themselves as veteran business owners and to encourage honorable business practices by veteran entrepreneurs pursuing these interests.  The small band of brothers who several years ago resurrected the Roundtable from dormancy realized that opportunity for veteran business owners was great with some federal government agencies but greater still with our nation’s private sector and the corporations whose prosperous commerce had been made possible by the vigilance of the men and women who stood in harm’s way to  defend it.

Much criticism is leveled at our country today by those who see the glass half empty; but those of us who have served hold a higher regard for the principles upon which our nation was founded.  We see the promise of our nation as one of freedom to pursue opportunity as far as our individual energy, genius and enlightened self-interest will carry us.  That enlightened self-interest is mindful of the rights and obligations of full citizenship in the United States, guided by the virtues of honesty and industry.  Veterans do not seek a handout.  We seek only a chance equal to those who were building enterprises during that period when the veteran put his or her interests on hold to serve our country.  The veteran’s claim to a position in the marketplace is a moral one and reflects an obligation incumbent upon our country to make room for the returning veteran as he or she returns to the private sector to serve his or her country as an entrepreneur.

The Veteran Owned Business Roundtable is manned and managed by an all-volunteer group of veteran business owners who selflessly dedicate themselves to the cause of ‘serving those who have served.’  None of those who work as officers, directors or committee chairs and members are paid for their service to that cause.  They are the superior men and women who answer the call to serve their fellow veterans in the private sector as faithfully as they served our country in the military.  We welcome any and all veteran entrepreneurs, large and small, to join us in this noble cause and while we expect that real opportunity will be available to those who commit to our efforts the greater reward will be in a membership in that group of Americans who know the value of service to others.

If you are a honorably discharged Veteran and you own a business, we invite you to join the Veteran Owned Business Roundtable.