Veterans start businesses at high rates, and the skills that transfer from service — planning under pressure, leading teams, executing without supervision — are genuinely the ones small business demands.
What service does not hand you is a network of bankers, an understanding of commercial credit, or a business plan. Several federal programs exist to close that gap, and they are consistently underused.
Where to start: the VBOC network
Veterans Business Outreach Centers are the front door. Funded by the Small Business Administration, they provide business training, counseling, and help with financing applications specifically for veterans, service members, and military spouses.
Counseling is free. Not discounted — free. A VBOC counselor will sit with you and work on your business plan, financial projections, and loan readiness.
There are VBOCs across the country. Find yours through sba.gov/local-assistance.
Boots to Business
An entrepreneurship training program delivered through the Transition Assistance Program, available to transitioning service members, veterans, and spouses.
It runs as an introductory course covering the fundamentals of business ownership, with a follow-on course going deeper into planning and funding. There is no cost, and eligibility extends beyond people currently transitioning — veterans and spouses can participate.
SBA-backed lending
The SBA does not usually lend directly. It guarantees a portion of loans made by banks and credit unions, reducing lender risk and making approval possible for businesses that would not qualify for conventional commercial credit.
The main programs to know:
7(a) loans — the general-purpose program, usable for working capital, equipment, and real estate.
504 loans — for major fixed assets like real estate and heavy equipment, structured through Certified Development Companies.
Microloans — smaller amounts through nonprofit intermediary lenders, often more accessible to newer businesses with limited history.
Fee structures and terms change over time and some provisions specific to veteran-owned businesses have existed in various forms. Ask your lender and your VBOC counselor about current terms rather than relying on any article, including this one.
Federal contracting
The federal government sets goals for contracting with service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and certification opens access to set-aside opportunities.
Certification is a process with real requirements around ownership and control, and it takes time. It is worth understanding before you invest in it — for some businesses it opens a meaningful channel, for others federal contracting is not a realistic market. A VBOC counselor can help you assess which you are.
What lenders will actually ask for
Whatever program you pursue, the requirements are similar:
- A written business plan with realistic financial projections
- Personal credit history — yours, as the owner, especially for a newer business
- Available collateral
- Industry experience
- Some owner investment; most programs expect you to have money in it
- Financial statements and tax returns
Personal credit is the one that surprises people most. For a new or small business, lenders lean heavily on the owner's personal credit history. This is exactly why credit work and business plans are not separate projects — for most veteran entrepreneurs, they are the same project.
Where we fit
Business counseling is one of our four service areas. Our counselors help veterans build business plans, develop marketing strategies, and navigate business financing — and connect them with the government and private programs designed for veterans.
We work alongside the SBA network rather than in place of it. Often the most useful thing we do is help a veteran get personal credit into shape before an application, because a plan submitted too early gets a denial that is harder to recover from than a short delay.
If you are thinking about starting or growing a business, start a conversation with us.
Sources: U.S. Small Business Administration — veteran-owned businesses · SBA local assistance