The American Legion was a cosponsor of the Dec. 3 Small Business Administration event in Las Cruces.
Perhaps the most important takeaway for the veteran entrepreneurs attending the Small Business Administration (SBA) Military Community Entrepreneurship Summit on Dec. 3 in Las Cruces, N.M., was the number of resources available to them as they develop and grow their small businesses.
“I want them to go away knowing that there are resources and tools and people who have created a strong ecosystem around them to help them be successful in their entrepreneurial venture,” said Isabel Guzman, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“I think as small business owners, you get so focused on just delivering against whatever your vision is and your mission, to remember that there are people around you who can help you overcome barriers, help you deal with challenges, help you grow your business to the next level.”
Those resources were on display via informational booths and panel discussions during the daylong event at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces. Among the booths was one manned by The American Legion, one of the cosponsors of the event.
American Legion Legislative Council Chairman Paul Espinoza said the Legion’s presence at the event was important “because we have a lot of entrepreneurial small business owners and small business associations we work closely with.”
Espinoza was one of the event’s speakers, where he talked about the Legion’s role in the creation of the GI Bill.
“Written into the original measure were opportunities to capitalize farms, ranches and businesses — much like the VA home loan program. Soon after World War II, the GI Bill’s business development program had delivered nearly 230,000 loans to veteran entrepreneurs and more than 71,000 to veterans seeking to start or grow agricultural operations,” Espinoza said.
“Add onto that the millions of veterans who have used their GI Bill education benefits — from the 1940s to the 2020s — to learn business management, technology, accounting and so much more that would help them strengthen the U.S. economy through business leadership.”
Speakers during the summit’s general session included veteran business owners who discussed their paths to success and addressed questions from their fellow entrepreneurs.
“Money is the easiest problem to solve,” said Kaleb Warnock, CEO and founder of FloWar Life Essentials, noting the availability of small business loans.
Breakout sessions during the summit covered topics including access to capital, preparing for disasters, becoming procurement ready, SBA certification and USDA entrepreneurship opportunities.
The Dec. 3 event was in some ways over four years in the making, as a similar event scheduled for March 2020 was canceled as the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak shut down gatherings.
John Garcia, district director for the SBA’s New Mexico district office, said the pandemic put the SBA “on the tip of the spear” when it came to helping small businesses recover.
“I’m seeing a lot of new veteran faces. I’m seeing a lot of Iraqi veterans that are showing up. That’s good, and they’ve got this entrepreneurial spirit that they want to go in business. The SBA is a resource that has been a well-kept secret,” Garcia said.
Both Guzman and Garcia noted the important role veteran entrepreneurs play in the economy, with their businesses generating $1.14 trillion in revenue sales.
That’s why events like this summit, and support from the SBA, American Legion and others, is so important.
“I think any time is a good time to start a business, but you’re going to need financing, you’re going to need advice to get you through critical challenges in the marketplace, and you’re going to need a network to bounce ideas and just to learn new ideas. That is what the SBA offers along with all our partners on the ground,” Guzman said.
“For all our communities out there to focus on seeking out veteran small business owners when they’re doing their holiday shopping is probably the biggest thing they can do to thank them for the service they’ve given for our country.”
- Careers