{"id":69333,"date":"2019-11-07T14:59:46","date_gmt":"2019-11-07T19:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/?p=69333"},"modified":"2020-02-26T14:24:53","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T19:24:53","slug":"12-pieces-of-advice-for-veterans-aspiring-to-own-a-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/management-leadership\/12-pieces-of-advice-for-veterans-aspiring-to-own-a-business","title":{"rendered":"12 pieces of advice for veterans aspiring to own a business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the Veterans in Residence program<\/a>, a partnership between WeWork and Bunker Labs<\/a>, a select group of steadfast veterans<\/a> is selected to join a six-month startup incubator and leadership program that provides veteran and military family member entrepreneurs with the community, business support, and workspace to help launch and grow their businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Veterans Day, we asked some of our veterans in residence to share advice for aspiring veteran entrepreneurs<\/a>. Here\u2019s what they had to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Start now<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust go for it, even if you think you\u2019ll fail, because you\u2019ll always regret not trying.\u201d \u2014Dawn Hartley, founder and CEO, Aurora and Hartley<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave no fear about what you\u2019re going to do, don\u2019t take too much time in planning, and just go for it. The longer you wait, the longer you talk yourself out of it.\u201d \u2014Joseph Zoleta, founder and CEO, Black 6 Coffee Trading Co.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStop learning, because learning is a form of procrastination. You need to keep executing, over and over and over, and that will propel your business much faster.\u201d \u2014Rich Cardona, founder and CEO, Rich Cardona Media<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Take advantage of veteran-specific resources <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne thing I would recommend for any veteran entrepreneur out there is to really work on building your network, and reach out and ask for help. I know it\u2019s really easy to want to do everything on your own, but we\u2019ve got resources, so seek them and utilize them.\u201d \u2014Myra Hallman, founder and CEO, Not Yer Momma\u2019s Granola<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best advice I could give any veteran coming out of the military that\u2019s looking forward to starting a business is to take advantage of all of the opportunities available to them. For example, the Veterans in Residence program.\u201d \u2014Frederick Scott, president of sales, Green Energy Solutions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t just network\u2014build relationships.\u201d \u2014Daniel Collins, CEO, Whiskey Soldier<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prioritize your mission and your passion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFollow your passion and go where your heart takes you.\u201d \u2014Jeremy Mock, founder and director of business ops, EGA Associates<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne thing I would recommend is that you think long and hard, and you develop a mission statement<\/a> for your life. Look at your true values and see if entrepreneurial lifestyle is what you want\u2014 and that\u2019s the trajectory of your life.\u201d \u2014Todd Elrod<\/a>, cofounder and CEO, X Landing Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHarness your passion. Because it\u2019s the one thing that can keep you driving forward when times get challenging.\u201d \u2014Vanessa Brown, founder, EnduroPod
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Rely on your authenticity and your experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeep grinding away\u2014that perseverance we learned in the military is definitely one of the greatest assets you’ll have as an entrepreneur in the civilian sector.\u201d \u2014Nick Karnaze, founder and CEO, Stubble and \u2019Stache<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople don\u2019t buy what you do, they buy what you are. So make sure you\u2019re being authentic.\u201d \u2014Tellis Gary, financial adviser, Northwestern Mutual <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t back away from it\u2014it\u2019s very intimidating, but you have the skill sets from the military to make it happen.\u201d \u2014LeAnn Darland, cofounder and CEO, Talea Beer Co<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n