Entrepreneurship workshop featured at national convention

Entrepreneurship workshop featured at national convention

During its 96th Annual National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., The American Legion sponsored a two-day workshop, Aug. 25-26, on small business and entrepreneurship. The event, “Boots to Business: Reboot,” was developed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and featured some of its own experts as well as others from the private sector.

The workshop was developed especially for transitioning servicemembers, who were strongly represented among the participants.

“The ‘Boots to Business’ workshop is a very effective program for introducing veterans and servicemembers to small business ownership,” said Davy Leghorn, assistant director of the Legion’s Veterans Employment & Education Division. “Once they see how much their military skills can be applied as entrepreneurs, they start to thrive in that environment – many of them go on to play dominating roles in the start-up community.”

Workshop participants first heard from Johnnie Marshburn, director of the Fayetteville State University Small Business & Technology Center. He gave an overview of the entrepreneurial process, its opportunities, and its challenges. “Military training will suit you well,” he told the participants. “Military service is strongly aligned to business ownership. Use what you have learned in the military. Those traits and skills are the same as they are for successful business."

Marshburn noted that while veterans make up only six percent of the population, they own 13.5 percent of all small businesses and employ nearly 6 million workers.

Another speaker, Bill Bailey, is a retired Army veteran who now runs his own high-tech project management company, Rapier Solutions Inc. “Military training develops organizational skills and risk tolerance,” he said, then shared five steps to success: plan your business well, make sure you have credit worthiness, make proper use of you military-service capabilities, get into productive business networking, and adapt to change.

Anybody can talk about starting a business, Bailey said, “But can you produce?” He said his own business became successful (it now has 62 employees) because he took advantage of SBA lending and expertise, did his research, invested earnings back into his business and has maintained a good reputation. “Never make enemies,” he advised the group.

Other featured speakers covered market research, competitive strategies and available resources. One session featured a panel of experts that included Billy Jenkins, chairman of The American Legion’s Small Business Task Force.

Leghorn said the participants not only gained a wealth of advice and information, “but also introduces them to a nationwide network of lifetime business support through SBA’s centers for business outreach, women’s businesses, small business development and mentoring services.

Participants in the workshop, Leghorn said, are now eligible to register for “Foundations of Entrepreneurship,” an online, eight-week course offered by SBA. “This is an in-depth course that teaches the elements for a successful business plan, and proven techniques for starting a business.”

The “Boots to Business” workshop was part of The American Legion’s Employment & Empowerment Summit during its convention, cosponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.