Founders Day Issue: WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

July 2022

The Rosie Network is a non-profit organization founded by military spouse, Stephanie Brown, after spending hours searching on-line for a contractor to do repair work on her home. Preferring to hire a veteran, a vision was born to promote military family-owned businesses to the American public. Shortly after, Rosie’s List was launched, the first of its kind search tool featuring verified veteran and military spouse-owned businesses. Entrepreneurs create solutions to problems.

Stephanie did just that in the early years, but what she didn’t expect was to find a greater problem, the lack of training and networking opportunities for veteran and military spouses small business owners, and budding entrepreneurs. The Solution? Service2CEO. What started in Rosie’s Military Entrepreneur Development Center in San Diego - the first of its kind in the region - has grown to provide nocost training, networking, and mentorship to thousands of military entrepreneurs around the country and overseas.“We believe our military members and their families have earned the right to the American Dream of small business ownership. Our mission every day is to help them succeed,” says Stephanie, “and after 10 years, we are just getting started.

Who better to represent the commitment of a nation to those serving in harm’s way, than the WWIIera icon, Rosie the Riveter? The Rosie Team draws inspiration from her “We Can Do It!” attitude every day.