Resources for Entrepreneurs
There are so many resources available for entrepreneurs. I am sure I am missing some here (please share in the comments others). As with anything, you need to find the right resource for you. Everyone is unique and needs different support. If one organization doesn't feel right, check out a different one! Don't give up on your dream.
Spouse Education and Career Opportunities. Support includes assessments, coaching and links to mentorship opportunities, marketing, information on laws and regulations, and help with finances.
Small Business Administration. Military spouses looking to start or grow a small business need help. For this reason, SBA offers the same flexible resources for spouses as we do for veteran business owners. Check out the Pathway to Success: Connecting the Dots with SBA webinar(Link is external) to learn about SBA resources for every part of the military spouse entrepreneurship journey. This includes educational support through Boots to Business and other programs as well as information on funding and other support.
D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). is committed to supporting veterans and their families as they navigate their entrepreneurial journey. For more than a decade, the IVMF has served over 200,000 veterans and we are just getting started. Arm yourself for entrepreneurship success with the IVMF’s entrepreneurship programs.
Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce. To ensure that all active duty and veteran military spouse business owners have the tools and resources they need to strengthen their families, communities, and our economy. Membership is free.
Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs (AMSE). AMSE connects Military Spouse business owners with the tools and resources needed to become successful in launching and growing their businesses. AMSE is an Exclusive Community for Military Spouse Entrepreneurs™ to Start, Scale, and Sustain their businesses. Membership is free.
The Rosie Network. The Rosie Network’s mission is to build stronger military families through entrepreneurial programs and support services that empower military spouses, transitioning service members and veterans, increasing the financial stability and self-sufficiency of American families who serve. Membership is free.
Milspo Project. Milspo Project has grown to become the largest military spouse-member business organization in the country. Today, more than 450 military spouses connect daily online and in person. We believe in a future where all military spouses have a seat at the table, are able to pursue their passions, and do professional life on their terms.
SCORE. SCORE’s mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education. We aim to give every person the support they need to thrive as a small business owner.
Bunker Labs. Launching a business can feel like a monumental effort just to get that first sale, let alone grow. This program works with IVMF to provide a 10-week training program.
Disabled Veterans of America (DAV) Patriot Boot Camp. DAV Patriot Boot Camp empowers founders in the veteran and military community, including spouses, to succeed as entrepreneurs. Through DAV Patriot Boot Camp programming, you’ll feel empowered knowing that you have a supportive community in your corner to take the next step to grow your business.
Please share additional resources that you know about in the HUB, where you can catch Rose’s weekly topics!
Rose Holland has served the military community for over 30 years in a variety of roles as a volunteer and family program staff. Through this work, she has seen many inequities imposed upon military families. Her passion to assist military families is driven by her own experience as a military spouse of almost 33 years and has shaped the service she provides. Rose became an activist for military families in the area of career and employment, serving as a career counselor and providing corporate and local organizations insights into the military world and helping the community understand the hidden talent pool of military families.
Rose has a BBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, a Master’s in Theological Studies with a focus on pastoral care from Saint Norbert College in DePere Wisconsin, and a Doctorate in Education with a focus in Educational Sustainability at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Her dissertation project focused on military spouses in federal employment and their perceptions of perceptions of federal position during the pandemic.