Ensuring Your Business Prospers: Veterans Chamber of Commerce

By Stephanie Thompson

How many people were in your Transition GPS class? In a class of 20 Servicemembers planning on separating or retiring from the military, two will become self-employed.

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), “Veterans are 45 percent more likely to be self-employed than non-Veterans,” and one in ten Veterans owns a business. That is 2.4 million Veteran-owned businesses, employing roughly 5.8 million people.

What is it about military service that lends itself so well to entrepreneurialism? There are plenty of theories, and you may well have your own opinion on the matter. Setting aside the question of why, however, allows for a more practical question to arise: what now?

Enter the Jacksonville Veterans Chamber of Commerce (VCC). You’ve surely heard of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which, as a body, represents the business voice in Washington, D.C., advocating for policies that help businesses create jobs and grow our economy.

The Veterans Chamber of Commerce does the same thing, only with all their efforts focused on Veteran-owned businesses and their needs.

The goal of Jax VCC is to create an environment where local Veteran-owned businesses can prosper as a result of the organization advocating for and promoting interest in those businesses. Jax VCC intends to ensure the community knows you’re here.

These benefits extend to all transitioning military, Veterans, spouses, and their children.

How does Jax VCC accomplish this? Their strategy focuses on five pillars:

1. Business (i.e. Veteran-owned business certification, business development and capacity building, business mentorship, etc.) (for both non-profit and for-profit businesses)

2. Employment (i.e. resume building, military-to-corporate skills translator, employment mentorship, etc.)

3. Education (i.e. Veteran-friendly universities and colleges, entrepreneurship programs, career and technical schools, etc.)

4. Wellness (mental wellness initiatives, service dog programs, corporate wellness programs, Invictus and Warrior Games that include trainers who will work with you all year to help you prepare, etc.)

5. Family (home loan mortgages, Veteran dependent business mentorship, caregiving services, etc.)

“We tap into the overwhelming number of resources so you get all your business needs in one place,” said Jax VCC President Demika Jackson of their value proposition.

There are several reasons Servicemembers become members. The visibility of their businesses grows both locally and nationally, as members enjoy automatic membership in the national chamber.

As part of Jax VCC, you will gain a voice in government; meet business contacts; have access to programs, events, and discounts; receive publicity and promotion; and enjoy procurement education and matchmaking with government, state, and local contractors, among many other benefits.

Some of this you can access even as a non-member. “When you succeed and thrive, so do we,” Jackson said.

In order to be eligible, you have to have verifiable service (your own or that of your spouse or your sponsoring Servicemember or Veteran, if you’re a dependent) of at least one day, including reserve and National Guard members.

For more information, visit JaxVCC.org, or contact Director of Membership Lynn Geiser at Membership@JaxVCC.org for an application.