Veterans Apply Skills To Small Business

Of the 24 million veterans in the U.S., nearly one in 10 is a small business owner and veterans as a whole are 45 percent more likely than those with no military experience to be self-employed, according to U. S. Census Bureau Data.

Experts say that these figures should come as no surprise.

“When veterans re-enter civilian life, they carry with them the discipline, hard work and strategic thinking acquired and developed during military service. They take pride in these skills and strive to use them during their next phase of life,” says Tim Davis, a veteran and president of The UPS Store, which offers a number of initiatives designed to promote veteran entrepreneurship. “Veterans are extremely likely to be successful entrepreneurs. Sometimes the challenge is finding that opportunity.”

Despite the bleak headlines regarding the variety of problems faced by returning veterans, The UPS Store is a good example of a business taking steps to change the dialogue and offer these entrepreneurial opportunities.

For example, their participation in the Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative (Vet-Fran) is helping veterans obtain the resources they need to become their own boss, and the results have been notable. In fact, of the 4,400 UPS Stores, 250 are owned by veterans.

Other programs spon- sored by various universities and the U.S. Small Business Administration are offering returning veterans training and mentoring, grants, and access to business development opportunities.

Davis, who believes military skills easily translate to the business world, encourages other corporations and organizations to begin similar measures in their operations.

This Veterans’ Day, celebrated Nov. 11, is a good time to learn more. Visit www. theupsstorefranchise.com.

From strong leadership skills to focused work ethic to a comfort with procedures, the characteristics exhibited during one’s service in the military can translate well to the world of business, say experts.