Through Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) the Veteran Entrepreneur Program (VEP) assists veterans with starting and growing businesses by providing guidance to veteran entrepreneurs and business owners. VEP provides veterans with business tools, resources and direct support that can be leveraged towards business success. VEP’s team of four Veteran Business Consultants manage at least one of four Texas regions: East, North, West and South, each encompassing a minimum of one major metropolitan city in Texas. The Veteran Business Consultants travel to targeted regions of the state to conduct outreach and partner with other local, state and federal agencies to facilitate training sessions and informational seminars on an as needed basis.
BUSINESS MENTORSHIP
VEP’s veteran business consultants provide one-on-one business mentorship to assist and educate veterans in the field of entrepreneurship. Business consultants coach veterans on access to capital, marketing, government contracting, copyright and patent support, mergers and acquisitions that are shaped by industry expectations. VEP’s veteran business consultants often work in partnership with state, federal and private resources on individual cases to co-mentor and develop business skills and education for the veteran entrepreneur and business owner.
BUSINESS TARGETS
VEP provides business development services through a myriad of channels & partnerships that typically assists veteran entrepreneurs with the following:
• Market Research and Industry Analysis
• Business Plan Development
• Financial Projections for Funding, Start-Up Costs
• Government Contracting
VEP OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY
VEP serves as a liaison for veteran entrepreneurs and business owners in the areas of monitoring and researching the need for benefits and services and identify issues impacting veteran entrepreneurship. VEP advocates for veteran entrepreneurship to increase public awareness about the needs and challenges of small business creation and recommends legislative initiatives and policies at the local, state, and national levels that impact veteran entrepreneurs. As appropriate, VEP evaluates the effectiveness of the commission’s efforts to assist veteran entrepreneurs in securing benefits and services, providing recommendations to leadership for inclusion in the agency’s action plan.
BRIDGE RESOURCES
To foster and promote the growth of the veteran entrepreneur ecosystem, VEP focuses on connecting veterans with localized resources, opportunities, information, and the tools necessary for the successful launch or sustainability of their businesses. VEP collaborates with federal, state, and private agencies that provide services to veteran entrepreneurs and business owners facilitating the use of those services. VEP promotes events and activities that recognize or honor veteran entrepreneurs and business owners. Additionally, this cross-agency collaboration aids in identifying diversity-driven opportunities that promote minority-owned business ownership, reduce disparity gaps, and improve economic development.
For more information on this program visit www.tvc.texas.gov.
For more information on other VA & State benefits, call Montgomery County Veterans Service at 936-539-7842 or email vetsvc@mctx.org, and visit Facebook at Montgomery County Veterans Service.Please take a moment to remember our fallen soldiers and their families on Memorial Day May 31st. We are so very grateful for their sacrifice.
