WASHINGTON, D.C. August 15, 2020 (Biz Republic) — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is dedicated to igniting change and sparking action so small businesses can confidently start, grow, expand, and recover. To support the military spouse small business community, the SBA in collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes, is hosting a virtual SBA Military Spouse Entrepreneur Summit on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 via the Zoom webinar platform.
Working closely with federal agencies, military and veteran service organizations, and resource partners, the SBA will engage military spouses in a 2.5-hour virtual event to provide information on the free and low-cost resources available to help them during their entrepreneurial journey. Military spouses stand and serve alongside our men and women in uniform.
Through their dedication to their spouse and his or her service to our country, they show unwavering support for our nation’s Armed Forces while balancing the many demands of military life. Military spouses make constant sacrifices for their families as they deal with multiple deployments and the added pressure of a loved one being away for extended periods of time, all while raising and supporting their families.
And due to the nature of their lifestyle, it can be challenging for military spouses to find and retain employment on a consistent basis. The good news is that entrepreneurship can be a transportable and flexible employment opportunity for military spouses that supports military careers. That’s why SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) and its resource partner network sets military spouse entrepreneurs up for success by providing the same counseling and training, access to capital and disaster assistance, and government contracting resources that are available to service members and veterans.
Military spouses can take advantage of SBA’s Veterans Business Outreach Centers, Boots to Business and Boots to Business Reboot program, and entrepreneurial training programs to help them start or grow their small business. The event will address the following topics:
Technical Assistance for Businesses and SBA Resources, including a panel discussion on:
— Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC), SCORE, Small Business Development Centers (SDBC), Women’s Business Centers (WBC), and Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC)
— Licensing/certification, including the Women-Owned Small Business Certification Program
— Access to capital
— Developing a disaster plan
Business Training and Networking Opportunities, including a panel discussion covering:
— Dog Tag
— OVBD’s military spouse programs
— The Institute for Veterans and Military Families
— The Rosie Network
— The Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Program
— S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes, Military Spouse Program
The event will open with remarks from the Second Lady and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. Panel speakers will include representatives from the Veteran Entrepreneurial Training & Resource Network, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Dog Tag, The Rosie Network, the Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Program, and the Military Family Advisory Network.
“The SBA is committed to helping entrepreneurial military spouses succeed at every stage of small business development,” said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Second Lady to support military spouse entrepreneurs and help them overcome the unique business challenges they face.” For more information about the SBA Military Spouse Entrepreneur Summit and to register, visit https://events.hiringourheroes.org/d/37ql80. To join the conversation on social media, use hashtag #SBAMilSpouseSummit.
