Brought to you by Stafford Economic Development & UMW Small Business Development
There is no question that Stafford is home to many veterans, both retired and active. With over 20,000 veterans living in Stafford County, Virginia (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020) and proximity to Marine Corps Base Quantico, many Stafford-based small businesses are veteran-owned. Veterans possess leadership qualities that transition into successful entrepreneurs and business owners. To energize veterans to become entrepreneurs, in 2016, the Veterans Business Bootcamp was established.
The inception of Veteran’s Business Bootcamp started when the University of Mary Washington’s Small Business Development Center (UMW SBDC), and Stafford Economic Development Authority combined efforts to create a seminar for veteran entrepreneurs and business owners connecting them with resources and mentors to start and grow their business.
The shift from military life to the civilian workforce can be challenging and Stafford is prepared to ease the transition for those members of the community. The VBB is the resource and program to help Veterans transition into owning their own business.
Veterans Business Bootcamp Testimonial:
Melody Gratic, CEO and Founder of XcelMil LLC, an Executive Management Consulting Firm headquartered in Stafford, Virginia stated, “As a new entrepreneur, you don’t know what you don’t know. That is why I find it critically important to attend events where I can network with other business owners and discover ‘entrepreneurial’ tools to put away in my business toolbox.”
The Veteran’s Business Bootcamp offers connections to the UMW SBDC, Stafford EDA, UMW Continuing Education, and other professional contacts including attorneys, accountants, HR agencies and more. While the mission of Veterans Business Bootcamp has remained the same, the organizers have continued to improve the experience. The Veterans Business Bootcamp continues to grow in popularity and provides more opportunity, resources, speakers and topics of interest to better serve our growing veteran entrepreneurial community.
Stafford County supports veterans and connects them with critical resources to start, grow, or expand their business in Stafford. Register for Veterans Business Bootcamp and experience for yourself the advantages of doing business in Stafford, Virginia. This workshop is proudly hosted by the University of Mary Washington Center for Economic Development (UMW SBDC) and the Stafford County Economic Development Authority (Stafford EDA).