VAMBOA Joins Forces with the National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) to Advance Vet Owned Businesses

The Veteran and Military Business Owners Association (VAMBOA), a 501(c)6 non-profit trade association, is proud to join forces with the National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC), the leading third party certification organization for veteran owned businesses. Together, the two organizations are working towards advancing certification for service disabled and veteran owned businesses (SD/VOBs).

VAMBOA founder Debbie Gregory said, “Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who have worn our country’s uniform. In the private sector, veterans are 45 percent more likely than those with no active-duty military experience to be self-employed. Moreover, with nearly one in ten small businesses being veteran-owned, it is up to all of us to support them and contribute to their successes.”

The NVBDC, a 501(c)3 non-profit, is also committed to growing veteran owned businesses, and to that end has created a nationally recognized certification program via an easy and intuitive web based interface to complete the certification process.

Keith King, NVBDC president said, “We set out to build the ‘Gold Standard’ certification program for our fellow SD/VOBs, and we have done that. With the support and endorsement of GM, AT&T, Kellogg’s, Ford, Magna International, 3M, CPI, Consumers Energy and many more corporations, we are proud to provide an opportunity for VAMBOA members and our certified SD/VOBs to work with America’s leading corporations.

About VAMBOA
VAMBOA’s mission is to ensure the development, growth and prosperity of veteran owned businesses of all sizes. VAMBOA’s “Vet Owned” seal symbolizes the talent, dedication, leadership and courage of these special Americans who currently serve or have served in our nation’s Armed Forces. Membership is in the 501(c) 6 trade association is free. If you would like to sign up for membership, please visit https://vamboa.org. VAMBOA relies on corporate sponsorship. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please call Debbie Gregory at (877) 850-9800.

About NVBDC
The NVBDC’s principal goals are to promote business opportunities for SD/VOBs within commercial and government markets; to support the interests of all Veteran Owned Businesses; to facilitate interaction between VOBs, government, and all other businesses in support of business initiatives for Veterans; and to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information between its members, government agencies and industry through networking, committees, meetings, conferences and visits to government and industry facilities. The NVBDC is the certification body for SD/VOB’s that ensures that credible documentation exists of a business’ veteran status, ownership and control.

Historically the Industry Supplier Diversity programs have relied on non-government organizations to provide them with independent third party certification. The Government controlled Center for Veteran Enterprise does not verify MEDIUM or LARGE companies, thereby denying them a formal veteran business recognition. The NVBDC certifies all sizes of veteran businesses. Industry can be positive that a SD/VOB certified by the NVBDC is in fact an owned, operated and controlled veteran business.

The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Program is designed to provide entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and mentoring, and referrals for eligible veterans owning or considering starting a small business. The SBA has 15 organizations participating in this cooperative agreement and serving as Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC).

Services Provided by the Centers

Pre-Business Plan Workshops

VBOCs conduct entrepreneurial development workshops dealing specifically with the major issues of self-employment. An important segment of these workshops entails the usage of the Internet as a tool for developing and expanding businesses. Each client is afforded the opportunity to work directly with a business counselor.

Concept Assessments

VBOCs assist clients in assessing their entrepreneurial needs and requirements.

Business Plan Preparations

VBOCs assist clients in developing and maintaining a five-year business plan. The business plan includes such elements as the legal form if the business, equipment requirements and cost, organizational structure, a strategic plan, market analysis, and a financial plan. Financial plans include financial projections, budget projections, and funding requirements.

Comprehensive Feasibility Analysis

VBOCs provide assistance in identifying and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the business plan to increase the probability of success. The results of the analysis are utilized to revise the strategic planning portion of the business plan.

Entrepreneurial Training and Counseling

VBOCs, working with other SBA resource partners, target entrepreneurial training projects and counseling sessions tailored specifically to address the needs and concerns of the service-disabled veteran entrepreneur.

Mentorship

VBOCs conduct, as appropriate, on-site visits with clients to ensure adherence to their business plans. Additionally, VBOCs review monthly financial statements to determine whether a revision of the business plan is warranted or that desired results are being attained.

Other Business Developmental Related Services

VBOCs also provide assistance and training in such areas as international trade, franchising, Internet marketing, accounting, etc.

Center Locations and Areas of Coverage

Region I

• Syracuse University – Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship
  • States Covered: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut
  • Address: 721 University Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244
  • Website: http://whitman.syr.edu/programs-and-academics/centers-and-institutes/falcone/
  • Telephone Number: 315-443-0286
  • Email Address: tlbrow04@syr.edu

Region II

• The Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Albany
  • States Covered: New York, New Jersey
  • Address: 6 Executive Park Drive, Entrance B, Albany, NY 12203
  • Website: http://www.nyvetbiz.com/
  • Telephone Number: 518-380-5069
  • Email Address: aamoroso@albany.edu

Region III

• Hampton Roads Veterans Business Outreach Center at Old Dominion University
  • States Covered: Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
  • Address: 4111 Monarch Way, Suite 103, Norfolk, VA 23508
  • Website: www.hrvboc.org
  • Telephone Number: 757-683-4793
  • Email Address: csagaste@odu.edu
• Community Business Partnership
  • States/Territories Covered: District of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands
  • Address: 7001 Loisdale Road Suite C, Springfield, VA 22150
  • Website: http://www.cbponline.org/
  • Telephone Number: 703-768-1440
  • Email Address: charles@cbponline.org

Region IV

• Veterans Business Outreach Center at Gulf Coast State College
  • States Covered: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina
  • Address: 5230 West Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401
  • Website: http://vboc.org/
  • Telephone Number: 1-800-542-7232 or 805-769-1551, ext. 3327
  • Email Address: bpeacock@vboc.org
• The Veterans Business Outreach Center at Fayetteville State University
  • States Covered: North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky
  • Address: School of Business & Economics, 1200 Murchison Road, Newbold Station, Fayetteville, NC 28301
  • Website: http://www.fsuvboc.com/
  • Telephone Number: 910-672-2683
  • Email Address: rrehder@uncfusu.edu
• The Veterans Business Outreach Center at Mississippi State University
  • States Covered: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana
  • Address: 60 Technology Blvd, Suite 105 D Starkville, MS 39759
  • Website: http://vboc.msstate.edu/~vboc/index.php
  • Telephone Number: 662-325-4990
  • Email Address: mscott@business.msstate.edu

Region V

• VetBiz Central, Inc
  • States Covered: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana
  • Address: 501 South Averill Avenue, Flint, MI 48508
  • Website: http://vetbizcentral.org/
  • Telephone Number: 810-767-8387
  • Email Address: matt@vetbizcentral.org
• Veterans Business Outreach Center at Women’s Business Development Center
  • States/Territories Covered: Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Hawaii & Guam
  • Address: 8 S. Michigan Avenue, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603
  • Website: http://www.vbocwbdc.org/
  • Telephone Number: 312-853-3477 ext.670
  • Email Address: hbeck@wbdc.org

Region VI

• Veterans Business Outreach Center – University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
  • States Covered: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas
  • Address: CESS Building, 1407 East Freddy Gonzalez Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539
  • Website: http://portal.utpa.edu/utpa_main/ce_home/bdi_home/vboc_2012_home
  • Telephone Number: 956-665-8931
  • Email Address: david.elizondo@utrgv.edu
• New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center
  • States Covered: New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma
  • Address: 5201 Eagle Rock Avenue, NE, Suite 2A, Albuquerque, NM 87113
  • Website: http://nmvboc.org/
  • Telephone Number: 505-383-2403
  • Email Address: joseph.long@state.nm.us

Region VII

• Veterans Advocacy Foundation, Inc.
  • States Covered: Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa
  • Address: 315 Lamay Ferry Road, #114, St Louis, MO 63125
  • Website: http://www.vetbiz.com/
  • Telephone Number: 314-531-8387 or 8386
  • Email: Info@vetbiz.com

Region VIII

• Big Sky Economic Development Authority
  • States Covered: Montana, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah
  • Address: 222 North 32nd Street Suite 200, Billings, MT 59101
  • Website: http://www.bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org/
  • Telephone Number: 406-254-6871
  • Email Address: hudson@bigskyeda.org

Region IX

• Veterans Business Outreach Center IX
  • States Covered: California, Nevada, Arizona
  • Address: 4608 Duckhorn, Drive, Sacramento, CA 95834
  • Website: http://www.vbocix.org/
  • Telephone Number: 916-527-8400
  • Email address: admin@vbocix.org
• VBOC IX Sub-Center
  • Address: 300 Booth Street, Suite 3065, Reno, NV 89509
  • Website: http://www.vbocix.org/
  • Email: admin@vbocix.org

Region X

• Seattle Business Assistance Center
  • States Covered: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska
  • Address: 1437 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144
  • Website: http://seattleccd.com/
  • Telephone Number: 206-324-4330
  • Email Address: juliannad@seattleccd.com

The U.S. House recently approved H.R. 1694 and passed it on to the Senate for consideration. The legislation, drafted by Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, R-PA, would include veterans in the Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.

“The Fairness to Veterans for Infrastructure Investment Act is a bipartisan, common sense way to update legislation that redresses the exclusion of veteran small businesses at no cost to the taxpayer,” said James Oxford, chairman of the American Legion’s Veterans Employment and Education Commission. “The American Legion encourages the Senate and the White House to level the playing field for these veterans by turning Rep. Fitzpatrick’s legislation into law.”

“This legislation is necessary to provide parity for the nearly 1 million veterans who are small business owners seeking government contracts,” Oxford said. “Veterans should not be placed at a disadvantage in competing with other government procurement programs.”

According to the Small Business Administration, veterans own 380,395 construction firms, 64,542 manufacturing companies and 414,519 businesses in the professional, scientific and technical services. Currently, only half of the states meet their DBE goals. Adding veteran small businesses to this program would increase the pool of eligible firms at the states’ disposal.  For states that already meet their goals, this bill does not affect them or the small business contractors they employ.

Annual Event to Increase Contract Opportunities for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will sponsor the 5th annual National Veterans Small Business Engagement (NVSBE), November 17–19, 2015, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This premier event for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses provides the opportunity to learn from federal and commercial procurement decision makers the most effective ways to compete for and win federal contracts. More than 400 exhibitors and 25 government agencies will also participate in the event. The 2015 theme, ACCESS, is focused on promoting and supporting Veteran-Owned Small Businesses’ access to economic opportunities.

Featured speakers include: VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald, General Dennis L. Via, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet, and Lockheed Martin’s Vice President of the Health & Life Sciences, Horace Blackman.

For details about the 5th annual NVSBE, visit www.nvsbe.com.

VAMBOA, the Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, a 501(c) 6 non-profit trade association, is committed to the development, growth and prosperity of Veteran Business Owners, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB) and Military Business Owners. Small businesses are not only the backbone of our economy, they are also responsible for job generation.

VAMBOA recognizes that these business owners are highly qualified to build successful businesses as a result of their leadership abilities, and a work ethic second to none

Also championing their success is the Small Business Administration (SBA). Created in 1953, the SBA has numerous programs and resources to help veterans start or expand a small business, including loans, mentoring and training. Especially useful to active-duty members preparing to transition to civilian life is the SBA’s entrepreneurship training program, Boots to Business.

The curriculum of the three year old program leads participants through the key steps for evaluating business concepts and provides the foundational knowledge to develop a business plan.

“The ‘can do’ approach that served them well during their military careers can also be applied to their new businesses,” said VAMBOA founder Debbie Gregory. “When they were in the military, these entrepreneurs were part of a team. Surrounding themselves with people who can give them a hand up as they start or grow their business will help contribute to their overall success.”

Many Veteran entrepreneurs have found success by taking practices, standards and ideologies from their military service and applying them to their civilian companies.

We salute these business owners during their designated week, and all year round.

About VAMBOA
VAMBOA, a 501(c) 6 non-profit organization, has been providing its members with knowledge of government provisions that help service-disabled veteran business owners, Veteran business owners and military business owners since 2010. VAMBOA’s mission is to help drive the success of these veteran business owners. VAMBOA also connects it members to contacts within large corporations and government agencies who can mentor members, and in some cases, can even directly provide members with government contracts and vending contracts within large corporations. Membership in VAMBOA is complimentary.