VBOC Update October
The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) has been very busy with the arrival of Director Jeremy Horstman and Business Advisor Jeff Smith.
Horstman and Smith have been touring all around Georgia and South Carolina getting to know both center clients and resource partners such as the offices of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Soldier For Life Center (SFLC) and Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for all of the Armed Services.
At the SLFC, VBOC staff attended Boots-to-Business (B2B) seminars. These seminars are part of TAP, where members and their spouses and families can receive training and information on starting their own small businesses. They can also learn what resources are available to them through the VBOC and its resource partners, which include the SBDC, SFLC, Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and Women’s Business Centers (WBC). Upon completion of this eight-module program, veterans and families are eligible to enroll in a free, eight-week curriculum offered by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) of Syracuse University.
Horstman and Smith also attended a B2B Reboot program in Atlanta at the Fernbank Museum. Reboots are similar to B2B seminars, but are targeted at veterans and their family members who have already transitioned out of the service. This program was conducted by the IVMF and attended by over 30 potential or current small business owners. During the event, Horstman and Smith conducted outreach and joined in a panel discussion concerning all of the resources available to veterans.
This month, the VBOC also welcomed Amanda Wynn, graduate assistant, to its staff. Wynn is currently an MBA student at Georgia Southern University, a weather forecaster in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and a weather observer at the Savannah International Airport. During her time at the VBOC, Amanda hopes to make a difference in the lives of Veterans as they pursue their goals of establishing or expanding their business.
About the VBOC: The VBOC Program is a grant-funded program under the auspices of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). It 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 19 organizations participating in this cooperative agreement and serving as Veterans Business Outreach Centers. To register for counseling, veterans and their family member should visit our website and select the “request counseling” link at: http://parker.georgiasouthern.edu/vboc/
About the Boots to Business Program: Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The curriculum continuum includes steps for evaluating business concepts, the foundational knowledge required to develop a business plan and information on SBA resources available to help access start-up capital and additional technical assistance. For more information on B2B or the Reboot program visit www.boots2business.org or contact your local TAP.