May is Military Appreciation Month, with Military Spouse Appreciation Day taking place on May 10. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) understands that military spouses have specific needs when starting their businesses and has made programs and resources available specifically to give them the help they need to bring their entrepreneurial dreams to life. Let’s celebrate military spouses by sharing some of these resources!
SBA’s Resource Partner Network Provides Tailored, Local Assistance
Many military spouses must quickly move to new areas when their family receives an updated assignment. This makes owning a transportable small business an easy way for military spouses to keep employment. New and aspiring military spouse business owners can connect with SBA partners and organizations around the U.S. to discuss the state of their business and how to reach their goals. Some of these partners include:
- Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs)- With 28 locations across the country, VBOCs provide specific, local assistance and regional knowledge to help your business grow. They help business owners build a business plan, connect them with resources, and help them find loan and contracting opportunities, among other services.
- SBA District Offices- Located in numerous U.S. cities, SBA district offices connect veteran and military spouse business owners with local partner organizations and community groups to help their businesses succeed!
- Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)- SBDCs provide information and tools to start-up businesses and businesses looking to expand. They help business owners tackle many of the back-end issues that may arise.
- SCORE- It’s always beneficial to have more mentors available to you when running a small business. SCORE mentors provide a great resource to bounce ideas and plans off of and to make sure your business is running properly.
- Women’s Business Centers (WBCs)- Military spouses and veterans who are women can access WBCs to help them resolve some of the unique difficulties women business owners face.
These resources support military spouses in their business journey, no matter where they live.
Free Training Courses to Fit Your Schedule
Some military spouses want to enhance their business knowledge before starting their own small business. To do that, they can sign up for the free Military Spouse Pathway to Business training course offered by SBA.
Military Spouse Pathway to Business is available in person and online, to fit the busy schedule and needs of military spouses. The course offers military spouses key insights into elements of entrepreneurship that are vital to running a successful business. Those who sign up for the course will also receive peer group support and a dedicated curriculum that includes topics such as developing a business plan, financing, and legal considerations.
SBA also offers service members and military spouse access to Boots to Business (B2B) courses. B2B provides an introductory understanding of business ownership and how to start your entrepreneurship journey. The course is taught on military installations nationwide. For those who no longer have access to their installation, Boots to Business Reboot (B2BR) teaches the program in communities nationwide. It is available for veterans and military spouses including National Guard and Reserve members and spouses. Additionally, SBA offers additional education through the Entrepreneurship Training Programs. These training programs can further your business development in critical areas and provide more in-depth details about business ownership and other considerations.
Partners that Understand Military Spouse Life
SBA’s Office of Veteran Business Development knows that military spouses need access to resources that maximize their opportunities to run a successful small business. That’s why SBA offers courses like Military Spouse Pathway to Business and resources like VBOCs and SBDCs. However, SBA also works with external partners like Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes (HOH), and the Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) Program, to ensure military spouse gain more opportunities to work with knowledgeable organizations in their communities to increase their chance of running a successful small business!
The U.S. military and veteran community spans the entire nation, and its members have each other’s backs. SBA has their back, too – military spouses are never alone when it comes to business advice, as SBA is available to help them start and grow their small businesses!
This blog was originally written by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Veterans Business Development. To learn more about OVBD visit, sba.gov/ovbd.