Military Skills into Business Acumen

Veteran Entrepreneurship Forum | Turning Military Skills into Business Acumen

By Joshua Wilson, Corporate Relationship Manager, America’s Warrior Partnership

Selecting a civilian career can be a daunting task for service members as they prepare to transition to post-military life. The business world offers a plethora of opportunities for veterans to turn their military and leadership skills towards founding and managing a company. The challenge is understanding how to get started. Thankfully, there are many successful veteran-owned businesses that today’s service members can look to for inspiration and guidance.

Take Charlynda Scales, the founder of Mutt’s Sauce, which makes multi-purpose specialty condiments for every meal. Ms. Scales served in the Air Force, following in the footsteps of her beloved grandfather, Charlie “Mutt” Ferrell, Jr. In addition to sharing a legacy of military service, Ms. Scales learned her grandfather’s special recipe for making a sauce that was the highlight of every party he hosted for friends and family. After finishing her service in the Air Force, Ms. Scales decided to bottle her grandfather’s sauce and share it with others. Thus, Mutt’s Sauce was founded and has grown into a successful veteranowned business.

Ms. Scales will share her story and advice for fellow entrepreneurial veterans during her keynote speech at the Veteran Entrepreneurship Forum on

Thursday, August 19, 2021, from 2:30 –

5:30 p.m. EST.

Hosted by Fiserv and America’s Warrior Partnership, this free-to-attend virtual event will focus on issues, needs, and potential collaborative solutions to empowering veteran-owned small businesses.

The goal is to enable attendees to leverage their military skills and tap into their relationships to run strong, successful companies. America’s Warrior Partnership and Fiserv share a desire to empower entrepreneurial veterans by providing useful resources, meaningful connections, and lasting business solutions. Meg Hendricks, Senior Director, Head of Military and Veterans Affairs for Fiserv states, “We know the great value veterans bring to the workforce and believe that helping them grow their businesses isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s also good business.”

In addition to Ms. Scales’s keynote presentation, the Veteran Entrepreneurship Forum will feature two panel sessions focused on the topics of “Empowering Veteran Entrepreneurs” and “What I Wish I Knew When I Started My Business.”

Speakers will include representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans & Military Families (IVMF), as well as founders and CEOs of successful veteran-owned businesses, including Dog Tag Bakery, Bunker Labs, Applied Leadership Partners, Norie Shoes, and Equal Footwear, Semper Sanitize, Objective Area Solutions, and Ms. Jo’s Petite Sweets.

These business experts represent a wide breadth of potential industries where veterans can find success, from the culinary arts and apparel to manufacturing and leadership training.

The event will also feature a breakout session for attendees to participate in round table discussions with business experts, connecting veteran business owners, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, nonprofit advocates, and government resources.

Visit www.americaswarriorpartnership.org/cviforum for FREE, virtual event information and to register.

Entering the civilian workforce may seem overwhelming, but just as service members rely on their brothers- and sisters-in-arms in the military, veterans can also learn from fellow entrepreneurs who have started successful businesses.

www.americaswarriorpartnership.org/cviforum

About the Author

Joshua Wilson is the Corporate Relationship Manager for America’s Warrior Partnership. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served as an Aviation Ordnance Team Leader in Iraq, Africa, and various locations in the United States. Joshua collaborates with corporate partners to ensure that veterans in the workplace are educated and have access to the benefits they deserve. About America’s Warrior Partnership America’s Warrior Partnership (AWP) is committed to empowering communities to empower veterans.

AWP fills the gaps between veteran service organizations by helping nonprofits connect with veterans, their families, and caregivers.

Our programs bolster nonprofit efficacy, improving their results and empowering their initiatives.

www.americaswarriorpartnership.org | @ AWPartnership | #awpartnership