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Veterans these days are going above and beyond. We see a lot of stuff in the media about the ills that we need to right and the problems that veterans face. These are all important issues that need to be addressed and fixed. But there’s also a lot of good going on that veterans are accomplishing all over.

Chiefly among these comes amid the fact that many service members left the military and entered one of the worst economies that has faced the nation in some time. The recovery from the 2008 collapse started in 2010 and by 2012 had largely repaired the monetary damage, but the aftereffects were disproportionately dispersed throughout the nation. Whereas more urban areas and their surroundings recovered most quickly, many rural areas didn’t. And things haven’t always been a picnic for even those living in areas with a stronger recovery.

As such, veterans have faced a challenge in finding jobs. But this generation of veterans didn’t see job shortages as the end. Rather, they simply decided to create their own jobs. Entrepreneurship has been enormous among this generation of veterans. It’s been of great benefit to the nation as a whole, helping to employ many Americans and help bolster the economy. Here are a few of the great things going on right now in veteran entrepreneurship (beyond our very own Nine Line Apparel, obviously!):

 

1. Penn State Offers Free Workshops for Veteran Entrepreneurs

Being an entrepreneur can be overwhelming at times. This is why support is so essential. The Small Business Development Center operating out of Penn State is actually offering workshops on entrepreneurship for veterans at no cost. These workshops will improve participants’ abilities to structure their businesses for long-term success and enable them an economic freedom the likes of which many have never experienced before. In small business, the requirements are often to solve unique problems that have no obvious solution. This is an area in which any military veteran has a great deal of experience.

 

2. Boots to Business Reboot

This is an opportunity for all veterans to take full advantage of, reported on by Tech.com. It’s a unique opportunity for veterans to receive essential training in entrepreneurship from a trusted source. It’s funded by the Small Business Administration and is a great way for those veterans who are interested in starting their own business to get into the game. For more on their eligibility requirements, check out their website here.

 

3. Gulf Coast State College Hosts Veterans Small Business Summit

Happening last week out of Panama City, Florida, a group of veterans got together to discuss entrepreneurship and form a support group for other veteran small business owners and budding entrepreneurs. Here, veteran entrepreneurs got the opportunity to have their ideas put through the wringer of experienced business owners. They got to refine their ideas and get some extensive help in terms of how to make forward progress and the essential pieces to put together. You can find more on this here.

 

Our Takeaway

Entrepreneurship is no picnic, but I’ve seen what veterans are capable of. All too often, veterans have been doing big jobs that their counterparts in the civilian world likely haven’t, and as such are chiefly suited to running their own businesses. There can be a lot of frustration in the transition from the military to civilian life, but one way that veterans can thrive is to use the initiative and unique experiences they’ve had to not only create their own working path before them, but to also use that to change the world.

At Nine Line, we’ve been able to not only offer some of the most awesome shirts anyone’s ever seen, but we also have had the distinct pleasure of donating extensively all over the country to causes that make a difference in the world.

So, if you feel the bug and want to start your own business, take some time to look around and learn from the many resources available out there and get ready for the next best thrill of your life!