veterans and business entrepreneurship

Veterans and Business Entrepreneurship

The mindset , the training in self-discipline and the rigor which goes into the making of a veteran , prepares him to fight morally for any cause worth while this is the key factor which can also create a challenging , humane and forceful commander of a business empire . This news confirms that San Jose-based ZiLOG (NASDAQ :ZILG , which is a supplier of 8-bit micro logic devices , said Billerbeck [ ,] is a 14-year veteran of Santa Clara-based Intel (NASDAQ :INTC ) and was most recently vice president and general manager of

Intel 's Flash product group (Intel veteran new CEO of ZiLOG . There are many skills needed to become an entrepreneur and plenty of resources available that will enable the military veteran to make the successful switch from military leadership and command to business entrepreneurship

The Department of Veteran Affairs Veteran Benefits Administration Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service (VR E ) in partnership with the Small Business Administration (SBA ) and the Association of Small Business Development Centers (SBDC ) co-jointly provide entrepreneurial assistance to qualified service connected disabled veterans participating in a VR E program . This partnership is a result of the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 (PL106-50 . The joint mission is to support a qualified veteran who is exploring business ownership , expanding a business or moving into the Federal marketplace . The SBA SBDC provide technical assistance regarding entrepreneurship and business development (United States Department of Veteran Affairs .The availability of the funds and resources , support of the government and the training for survival can really be a motivating factor which gives veterans an edge of advantage over other counterparts who may be competing in the field of entrepreneurship

After a career of military structure , for eleven years Harvey Barnard wanted to make his own rules as an entrepreneur . The SBA micro-loan helped him get the business started more quickly than he might have otherwise , Barnard says . Terri Denison , SBA district director in Georgia , says the decade-old micro-loan program helps entrepreneurs-who need small loans . The program focuses on loans of 35 ,000 or less , but even small banks want to process loans between 50 ,000 and 100 ,000 , she says . A typical micro-loan is 10 ,500--too much for entrepreneurs and too small for banks "It really does fill a niche need that so many businesses have that the conventional lending market is not set up to address " Denison says . The SBA process takes a cue from traditional lenders , however , in its screening process before a loan is granted . The SBA offers technical assistance and guidance for the borrower , as well as follow-up counseling (Zoghby

Barnard 's road to life as a Georgia entrepreneur reflects his commitment to hard work and willingness to try new things . A native of St . Lucia in the Caribbean , Bernard recalls a 1989 trip to Puerto Rico with his father . During their visit , his father suggested the young Harvey talk to U .S . Army recruiters about joining the military "The recruiters talked me into it , but I didn 't mind trying it " Bernard says .His career spanned service in Korea , Germany and Saudi Arabia , where he maintained diesel trucks during the Gulf War . After his initial four-year commitment , Barnard took a year and a half off to attend a diesel-engine rebuilding and overhaul program in Houston . Later , he returned to the military and was stationed in South Carolina and later , coastal Georgia As his active military career came to a close , Barnard decided to remain in the Army Reserves , a commitment he has maintained . He also took advantage of the G .I . Bill to work toward a two-year degree in auto technology from Savannah Technical College . It just broadens your horizons on everything " he says . Despite his school commitments , Barnard says he realized this period in his life was perfect for entrepreneurship "To me , it wasn 't hard " he says "It was going out and being a people 's person " The SBA micro-loan helped him get the business started more quickly than he might have otherwise , Barnard says (Zoghby

With the mechanical skills honed during an 11-year Army career , Barnard launched Coastal Fleet Services , a mobile service van company that offers truck maintenance and repairs . Three years later , Barnard says he made the right decision . He enjoys being his own boss and anticipating growth , including another repair van . Barnard took the idea for the business from West Coast magazine articles he read about mobile oil changes for cars . Living in Savannah , Ga , he spotted a market for mobile repair and maintenance on trucks used to bring goods to and from the port . He planned to target independent truckers who owned their equipment . Unlike larger trucking companies , independents don 't have the advantage of staff mechanics for repair and maintenance work . Plus , the truckers don 't want to have their equipment worked on during normal business hours when it could be making money for them . Once Barnard crafted his idea , he took it to the Small Business Assistance Corp . in Savannah , a certified micro-lender for the U .S . Small Business Administration in Georgia . Working with staff there , he secured a 24 ,500 loan for equipment and supplies . In those early days , he also sought counseling from volunteers at SCORE on marketing his business Through flyers and business cards , he publicized Coastal Fleet Services For the first year , Barnard worked full time at a trucking company and part time at his startup . The father of two wanted to gain customers and steady contracts before launching into the venture full time . The business has turned into the success Bernard envisioned . Because of his flexible schedule , he can service customers ' equipment on their off-days or at night . The truckers don 't lose precious road time . From his truck Bernard handles everything from oil changes and lube work to brake repair . If customers need electrical , fuel-system or wheel work done they can call Coastal Fleet . This is the success story of Barnard who says "I love it 100 percent , If I had to do it all over again , I would (Zoghby

The recent trend in business and work market is to aim at self-employment through organized business and support . Very interesting news hit the headlines recently stating Club Entrepreneur connects veteran , and new-comers (Johnson .Club Entrepreneur is a new organization aimed at connecting seasoned business owners and fledgling entrepreneurs hoping to spread "open-source entrepreneurship " across the Valley and beyond . It does not charge membership dues . The group wants to ensure its members forge relationships and access vital resources they can use to support their business efforts "We want to spread the flow of entrepreneurship " said Corey Kossack , one of the club 's founding members "We 're not going to capitalize on it . This is a resource A new organization aimed at connecting seasoned business owners and fledgling entrepreneurs is hoping to spread "open-source entrepreneurship " across the Valley and beyond (Johnson . More than a hundred business leaders , educators , and college students attended the inaugural meeting last week of Club Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurial activity is on the rise locally and nationally . The latest figures from the U .S . Small Business Administration show that the number of new companies grew by 4 .5 percent from 2004 to 2005 . Such trends illustrate why Club Entrepreneur is needed in the Valley according to Peter Burns , founder of GCU 's College of Entrepreneurship and a founder of the club . Burns said corporate jobs no longer provide the security they once did , which is causing more people to take their careers into their own hands by starting their own businesses (Johnson

Veteran self-employed people numbered about 1 .6 million or 14 percent of all U .S . self employed in 2001 .About 22 percent of veterans in the U .S household population are either purchasing or starting a new business or considering purchasing or starting one . Almost 72 percent of new veteran entrepreneurs planned to employ at least one person at the outset of their new venture . Of new veteran entrepreneurs , 62 percent planned to initially locate their business entirely in their home more than 67 percent planned to expand beyond their residence in the near future Almost 39 percent of current veteran business owners were entirely home-based (Stats Research on Veteran Entrepreneurs

This remarkable statistics on growing veterans as entrepreneurs , the sound support from the government and other agencies , the success story of Barnard and the growing trend towards individual businesses are the landmarks which reinforces the fact that with right skill , positive mindset and supportive resources the road to become a successful entrepreneur for a veteran is a natural path . A path with challenges to stimulate their strength , test their organizational skill and reward their success . Veterans have a natural advantage , they are trained to respond on reflex to crisis , and now they can ride with this new wave of unpredictable challenges as an entrepreneur with the same instinct and insight . If they are trained to survive , they will survive in glory

Works Cited

"Intel veteran new CEO of ZiLOG " 2006 Business Journal . February 12 ,2007 . AmericanCity Business Journals , 21 Feb 2007

(Intel veteran new CEO of ZiLOG

Johnson , Andrew " Club Entrepreneur connects veterans , up-and-comers money . Feb . 19 , 2007 12 :00 AM . The Arizona Republic . 21 Feb 2007 br

(Johnson

Zoghby , Jen "Micro-loan puts Army veteran 's startup business on the road : mechanic uses SBA micro loan to launch his mobile repair business - Micro-Loan Program " Find Articles . Sept 15 , 2003 . Los Angels Business Journal . 21 Feb 2007 br

(Zoghby

" United States Department of Veteran Affairs . May 15 , 2006 . Public and IntergovernmentalAffairs . 21 Feb 2007

(United States Department of Veteran Affairs

"Stats Research on Veteran Entrepreneurs " Ask Score for Business Advice . 2006 . Score Association . 22 Feb 2007 br

(Stats Research on Veteran Entrepreneurs ...