SBA Boots to Business Reboot Program Gives County Veterans, Spouses Opportunity to Learn Entrepreneurship

WILDWOOD – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is teaming up with the American Legion and the Richard Stockton University Small Business Development Center to conduct its Boots to Business Reboot workshop, a no-cost entrepreneurial training program for veterans, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., June 6, at Wildwoods Convention Center, located at 4501 Boardwalk in Wildwood.
Launched three years ago, the program is specifically designed for veteran service members, including members of the National Guard and Reserves, or spouses considering business ownership in New Jersey. Veterans from Cape May County and surrounding counties are invited to attend.
According to SBA New Jersey District Director Al Titone, Boots to Business Reboot is a two-step program. Step one is the full-day in person workshop.
“After completion of the workshop, participants continuing to pursue business ownership are encouraged to enroll in step two – an eight-week online course offered by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University and a consortium of entrepreneurship professors and practitioners,” stated Titone.
“We know veterans make great entrepreneurs. In fact, nearly one in 10 businesses in the U.S. is veteran-owned,” added Titone. “They have the leadership skills, tenacity, and discipline required to start and grow businesses, but most have never applied those skills in a business setting. Boots to Business Reboot is offered to help them prepare for success and to evaluate the opportunities and challenges presented to them through entrepreneurship.
“Because veterans are 45 percent more likely to be self-employed than non-veterans, it’s important for the SBA to take the lead and offer educational programs like Boots to Business Reboot to help veterans launch or expand their small business. Helping more veterans to transition into entrepreneurship will only add to the $1 trillion in sales that veteran-owned small businesses contribute to our economy.”
Veterans interested in starting and expanding a small business can start by registering for the Boots to Business Reboot event by visiting https://sbavets.force.com/s/login/SelfRegister. The following websites at www.sba.gov/tools , www.sba.gov/vets or https://www.sba.gov/business-guide can also help veterans to find additional information about SBA programs and services.