Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

SAVE THE DATE

May 19th, 2014

12pm-5pm

Los Angeles City Hall

Please join Mayor Eric Garcetti to learn about opportunities to start and/or grow your business.

Please RSVP at: www.lamayor.org/veterans_business_summit

Since 2007, Techstars has helped fledgling entrepreneurs in the tech industry find startup capital, as well as making networking and mentoring contacts that have catapulted these companies to success. Now, through a program called Patriot Boot Camp, Techstars is helping Veteran entrepreneurs realize their dreams of creating their own successful tech companies.

Patriot Boot Camp is a three day program that offers educational information and the ability to make invaluable business mentors and networking contacts to 50-75 Veteran entrepreneurs and military spouses each session. Leaders of Patriot Boot Camp like to think of the program as a bridge that allows access for Veterans to enter the tech entrepreneur community.

The stated mission of Techstar’s Patriot Boot Camp is to give Veteran entrepreneurs and their spouses the tools and resources they need to be successful entrepreneurs, and help them build companies of scale and impact. Their mission is based on four fundamental beliefs:

• Veterans possess skills and experience that make them successful entrepreneurs
• Empowering Veterans and military spouses to start their own companies will help them become the commanders of their own financial security
• Providing opportunities for Veteran entrepreneurs will help solve Veteran unemployment, because they typically hire other Veterans
• Veteran owned businesses will be at the vanguard of economic growth in the United States

This year’s Patriot Boot Camp will be held May 16-18, 2014, at the Goldman Sachs building in New York City. The tentative schedule of events for the program is as follows:

Day 1: Basic entrepreneurial education on conceptualizing, creating and building upon your own successful tech business.

Day 2: Patriot Boot Camp provides its participants with more than 50 well-established mentors who offer one-on-one mentoring sessions. These sessions are invaluable to Veteran entrepreneurs who are new to the tech industry. At past boot camps, these mentors have included such high profile industry players as Union Square Ventures co-founder Fred Wilson; former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. George Casey Jr.; Founder and CEO of Buzzcar Robin Chase; and Techstars co-founder David Brown.

Day 3: Special Pitch Competition that pits idea-stage entrepreneurs against owners of established companies in a friendly competition that teaches participants the benefits of creating an effective pitch.

The program is always free to Veterans, active duty military and military spouses, and includes a continental breakfast and lunch for each day. Techstars provides the program as a thank you to Veterans for their service and as a means of recognizing their value and potential as entrepreneurs. However, dinner meals, travel arrangements and hotel accommodations are covered by the participants at their own expense.

Some of the previous participants have gone on to create and expand such companies as Uvize, Wedding Worthy, Hyprloco and the Travelst.

But one of the best things about the program is that Veteran entrepreneurs aren’t required to own a business in order to participate in Patriot Boot Camp; companies can still be in the conceptual stage.

VAMBOA sees the Patriot Boot Camp as a great opportunity for Veterans who have just recently started or are looking to start their own tech company. The resources, including information, access to mentors and networking contacts can help boost and benefit any young company.

Participants in Patriot Boot Camp are not automatically eligible for other Techstars programs. For more information about Techstars, visit their site at www.techstars.com

For more information about Patriot Boot Camp, visit www.techstars.com/patriotbootcamp.

Leadership can be found at the core of every Veteran. Any service member who completed any length of enlistment has followed the orders of their superiors, and most have had some experience in a leadership role. Starting as low as E-4 on the rank hierarchy, many Veterans saw responsibility in extreme situations, that could have a major impact on the lives of their subordinates. Because of this type of experience, Veterans don’t shy away from the ultimate civilian leadership role of owning a business and being responsible for the livelihoods of their employees.

Possibly due to their military leadership experiences, Veterans are taking on the challenges of business ownership en masse. According to the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)’s Office of Advocacy March 2012 report, there are nearly two and a half million Veteran owned businesses in the U.S. Veteran owned businesses make up nearly 10% of all businesses nation-wide.  They also employ close to six million people, including fellow Veterans.

For a company to be considered “Veteran owned,” a Veteran must maintain at least 51% of the business’ ownership. The federal government, as well as state and local governments, make special provisions that protect Veteran owned businesses. They do so by setting aside government contracts specifically for Veteran businesses. Additionally, an increasing number of Fortune 500 companies have also made pledges to sub-contract with Veteran owned companies.

Studies have shown that 70% of American consumers would prefer to frequent Veteran owned businesses. The proof is in the dollars. Veteran owned businesses account for almost $1.25 trillion in sales receipts each year. Veteran small businesses make up 78.1% of small businesses, with yearly sales of $100,000 or more.

Veterans and service-disabled Veterans who are interested in starting their own companies, or expanding their existing businesses are encouraged to seek membership in the Veteran And Military Business Owners Association (VAMBOA). VAMBOA offers its members contract opportunities and networking contacts with large corporations. Membership is free.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Rhode Island District Office and the Rhode Island chapter of AARP are pleased to present two Encore Entrepreneur Month Events!

Learn to Read the Story Your Financial Statements Are Telling You
Tuesday, April 15th – 9:30am – 11:30am
Warwick Public Library
600 Sandy Lane, Small Meeting Room
Warwick, RI  02889

Being able to understand what the numbers in your cash flow statement, and on your balance sheet are telling you is a critical component to understanding just how financially healthy your small business is. Participants will learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to deciphering what your financial statements are really telling you about your business.

Make a Business Plan Part of Your Retirement Plan
Thursday, April 17th – 9:30am – 11:30am
SBA District Office Training Facility
380 Westminster Street, 5th Floor, Room 511
Providence, RI  02903

Many people celebrate retirement by starting their own business. At the core of every successful business is a solid business plan.  Join us as our small business experts show you the building blocks for your successful small business.

Both seminars are presented FREE of charge.  For more information or to register, please call or email Matthew Spoehr at the RI District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (401) 528-4561 or matthew.spoehr@sba.gov

With one in four individuals ages 44 to 70 interested in becoming entrepreneurs, and 63 percent of Americans planning to work during retirement, small business ownership has never been a more viable option.  SBA and AARP will offer training and mentoring services older entrepreneurs need to successfully start and grow businesses in order to create jobs.

Starting a business at any age can be a life changing event.  This SBA and AARP initiative will help potential business owners be confident they have addressed important questions as they prepare to pursue their dream of business ownership.  Questions about finance, planning and market analysis should be addressed before men and women invest their time, energy and personal funds to their business.

Since 1998, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded the Tibbetts Award to small businesses and individuals who have exemplify the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. And since 2011, the SBA has inducted previous awardees who have exhibited long-term success in research, innovation and commercialization within the SBIR program into the SBIR Hall of Fame.

The Tibbetts Award is named for Roland Tibbetts, founder of the SBIR program. There are two types of Tibbetts Awards; one is presented to businesses who have participated in the SBIR or SSTTR programs, and the other award is presented to individuals who have not received assistance from, but who have supported, SBIR and STTR programs. The awards are presented to companies and individuals who promote the mission and goals of the SBIR and STTR programs.

Tibbetts Award winners are chosen based on the economic impact of their technological innovation, and on whether they have met federal research and development needs, encouraged diverse participation in technological innovation, and increased the commercialization of federal research. Former SBIR Hall of Fame winners include Qualcomm, IRobot and Symantec.

All award winners are selected by the SBA, based on the recommendations of a panel of judges. All winners will be invited to the awards program in June at the annual SBIR National Conference at the National Harbor.

The SBA offers the SBIR and the STTR programs for small businesses that are looking to showcase their technological inventions in the commercial marketplace. The SBIR program is a three-phase award program that encourages small businesses to explore their technological potential and helps them profit from their inventions.

The SBA is currently asking for Nominations for 2014 Tibbetts Awards and SBIR Hall of Fame winners.  Information about applications, including how to apply online, can be found at http://www.sbir.gov/news/2014-tibbetts-and-hall-fame-award-nominations.

The deadline to nominate is 11:59 pm EDT on Friday May 2, 2014.