Former Army Ranger Marcus “Mac” Jenkins, with two tours in Afghanistan under his belt, knew exactly what he wanted to build: a veteran-owned welding and fabrication shop in Marietta, Georgia. The business would create bespoke metalwork for homes and companies. He had the welding skills, the discipline, and a bit of inheritance, but figuring out the rest, getting more funding, working through the legal paperwork, and finding actual small business support, felt like a full-time job with no instructions. A lot of vets like Mac hit this wall. They’re transitioning from the military to entrepreneurship and have no idea about the pile of federal and state resources, like specific loan programs or contract set-asides, built just for them. So, how do you actually find and use these government programs?
Key Takeaways
- Get specialized funding and training through federal programs like the SBA’s Boots to Business and the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, which can provide actual startup capital.
- Look for state-level help, like Georgia’s Veterans Business Outreach Center, for local mentorship, networking, and help with the state-specific paperwork you’ll need to operate legally.
- Use the federal government’s preference for veteran-owned businesses to land contracts through set-asides and sole-source awards, giving you a stable base of work.
- Connect with SCORE mentors, who are usually retired executives, to get free, specific business advice and strategy help for your industry.
- Check out your local economic development agencies and chambers of commerce because they often have extra grants, loan programs, and business incubators you won’t find at the federal level.
Mac’s Initial Hurdles: From Combat Zone to Business Plan
Mac started with a solid idea for his business but no clear path to get it funded. The inheritance was a good start, but it wouldn’t cover leasing a workshop, buying a CNC plasma cutter, and paying the bills for the first few months. When he went to traditional banks, they were hesitant because he didn’t have a typical business credit history. “They looked at my combat experience as a liability, not an asset,” Mac recounted, the frustration obvious. This is a story I hear all the time. The skills you learn in the service, discipline, leadership, solving problems under extreme pressure, don’t fit neatly on a banker’s risk assessment spreadsheet.
I’ve seen this exact situation play out again and again. Veterans are incredible leaders and problem-solvers, but the civilian business world runs on different rules. Getting that initial capital is usually the first brick wall they hit. Without a proven business track record, a conventional loan is a long shot. This is where targeted veteran resources come in, connecting your military background to what you need to succeed in business.
Federal Lifelines: SBA and Veteran-Specific Programs
Mac’s break came when another veteran, who was running his own IT consultancy out of Alpharetta, told him to check out the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA runs a whole set of programs specifically for veterans. One of the best is Boots to Business, an entrepreneurship training course the SBA offers through the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The SBA’s own site says the program gives you a real overview of business ownership, covering the basics of market research, writing a business plan, and getting financed.
Mac signed up for a Boots to Business workshop held at Dobbins Air Reserve Base. That two-day course, plus an eight-week online follow-up, took the mystery out of the business planning process. He learned about different legal structures for a business, put together a basic marketing plan, and, most importantly, finally understood the different ways a veteran could get financing. The program gives you practical tools and mentorship, so you’re not just dealing with theory. Like a lot of people who go through it, Mac came out with a solid draft of a business plan, which is the document you need to get anyone to give you money.
Beyond just training, the SBA helps you get capital. The SBA Veterans Advantage Loan Program guarantees a portion of loans from participating banks to veteran-owned small businesses, which reduces the bank’s risk and makes them much more likely to say yes. An SBA 7(a) loan, for example, can be used for working capital, buying equipment, or getting a building, with loans going as high as $5 million. Another huge resource is the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, also called Chapter 31. This VA program helps service members with service-connected disabilities get ready for and find good jobs. For vets starting a business, VR&E can offer everything from help writing a business plan and training to actual startup capital for an approved company. Because Mac had a service-connected disability, he qualified, which opened up a whole new track of support.
These programs are built for small businesses, even one-person shops. The first step is just knowing they exist and figuring out the application process, which can be tough to do on your own. That’s where the support network makes all the difference.
Georgia-Specific Support: Localizing the Federal Mandate
Federal programs lay the foundation, but state and local help is often what gets you across the finish line. In Georgia, Mac found the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC), based at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. The VBOC is basically a one-stop-shop for vet entrepreneurs, offering free business counseling, training, and pointing you to other resources. Their website shows they help vets build out business plans, marketing strategies, and financial forecasts, all with a focus on Georgia’s specific rules and opportunities.
Mac started working with a VBOC counselor, a retired Army Colonel named Sarah Vance, who helped him hammer his business plan for “Jenkins Metalworks” into shape. She knew military culture and the Georgia business world inside and out. She was the one who connected Mac with a local SCORE chapter in Cobb County. SCORE is a non-profit that offers free mentorship and business classes. Mac’s SCORE mentor, a retired manufacturing executive, gave him priceless advice on pricing his work, managing his supply chain, and even told him which welding equipment brands were the most reliable and had the best support.
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Georgia offers more than just mentorship. The Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) runs a Veteran-Owned Business Certification Program. This certification doesn’t automatically get you contracts, but it makes your business much more visible and eligible for state-level procurement work. Many state agencies and local governments in Georgia have programs that try to give a percentage of their work to certified veteran-owned businesses. For Mac, this could mean bidding on jobs to build custom metal railings for state parks or decorative gates for cities like Roswell or Sandy Springs. The certification paperwork can be a bureaucratic headache, but the VBOC counselors are pros at walking you through it, saving a ton of time and frustration.
Working through State-Specific Regulations and Licensing
A common way new businesses fail, especially in trades like welding, is by messing up state and local rules. In Georgia, Mac had to understand federal OSHA standards, but he also had to deal with state-specific licensing for contractors and welders. The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has all the resources for registering your business, and the Georgia Department of Labor spells out what you need to do as an employer. The VBOC was instrumental here, helping Mac pinpoint the exact permits and licenses he needed for his shop in Marietta, making sure his location in an industrial park off Cobb Parkway was properly zoned.
All the planning and funding in the world is worthless if you can’t legally open your doors. A good counselor will hammer on compliance because getting it wrong means facing fines or shutdown orders that can kill a business before it even starts. It’s boring, but it’s non-negotiable.
“He received the Legion d'honneur from the French government and had called for schools to teach children more about the Normandy landings because the "world is dangerous at the moment".”
Accessing Government Contracts: A Strategic Advantage
Federal contracting opportunities are one of the biggest, and most overlooked, advantages for veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs). The federal government has a goal to award at least 3% of all prime contract dollars to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) every year. This target has real implications for procurement. Programs like the VA’s Vets First Verification Program (which the SBA now manages) certify eligible SDVOSBs which qualifies them for set-aside contracts. These contracts are reserved only for businesses with this certification, which drastically shrinks the pool of competitors.
With his SDVOSB status, Mac learned he could get a leg up by registering in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), which is the main vendor database for the U.S. government. His VBOC counselor walked him through the painful SAM registration process, making sure his business was categorized correctly so federal contracting officers could find him. He also sat through webinars that taught him how to read federal solicitations and write competitive bids. “It’s a whole different language,” Mac said, “but once you learn it, the opportunities are enormous.”
The SBA also runs the Mentor-Protégé Program, which partners experienced government contractors with small businesses like SDVOSBs to help them build their technical and business skills. For a new shop, this is huge. It means getting a shot at bigger projects and connecting with people you’d never meet otherwise. You could have Mac’s Jenkins Metalworks partnering with a big construction firm on a federal project at Fort McPherson or the Atlanta VA Medical Center. That kind of experience can launch a small business years ahead of schedule.
Beyond the Initial Launch: Sustaining Growth and Finding Additional Funding
Getting a business off the ground is one thing. Keeping it growing is another fight entirely. Jenkins Metalworks had some early wins, landing a few residential jobs and a small contract for custom fixtures in a new Midtown Atlanta restaurant. But Mac quickly saw he needed more working capital to hire help and buy more advanced machinery. His SCORE mentor told him to look into local economic development agencies and alternative lenders.
For instance, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) sometimes works with local development groups to offer microloans and small business grants, especially in areas targeted for economic growth. And Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are non-profits that provide financial services to communities that banks often ignore, including veteran entrepreneurs. These groups often have more flexible lending rules than a bank, and they provide the funding that lets a business survive a cash-flow crunch. Mac located a CDFI in Atlanta that gave him a modest line of credit, which let him take on a larger project without putting his business in the red.
Another resource people forget about is the network of veteran business associations. Groups like the National Veteran Business Council (NVBC) hold networking events, advocate for vet businesses, and connect them to private-sector work. Going to one of their conferences or local meetings can lead to partnerships, new suppliers, or even angel investors who are specifically looking to back veteran-owned companies. These groups create a real sense of community, which helps a lot with the isolation many entrepreneurs feel.
Mac’s story shows that while the road is tough, these dedicated government programs and support networks actually work. His initial frustration turned into focused action, powered by resources he never knew he had. Today, Jenkins Metalworks is doing well, employs three other veterans, and is part of the Marietta local economy, all because Mac kept pushing and learned how to use the systems in place to help him.
The path from service to a successful business is hard, but you’re not going it alone. For any vet thinking about starting a business, your first move should be to connect with the SBA, VA, and your local VBOC. They have the support systems designed to help you succeed.
What is the Boots to Business program?
Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial training course from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), offered as part of the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP). It gives service members and spouses a foundation in business ownership, covering market research, business planning, and financing to help them make the leap to entrepreneurship.
How does the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program assist veteran entrepreneurs?
The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program (also known as Chapter 31) is run by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for service members with service-connected disabilities. If you’re an entrepreneur, it can provide a whole range of help, including business plan development, specific training, and even startup funds to get your company going, all based on your disability and career path.
Are there specific loan programs for veteran-owned businesses?
Yes. The SBA’s Veterans Advantage Loan Program guarantees a portion of loans from participating banks to veteran-owned businesses. This guarantee lowers the risk for the banks, making it easier for veterans to get loans for things like working capital, equipment, or real estate, sometimes for up to $5 million.
What is the significance of the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certification for federal contracts?
Getting the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certification from the SBA makes your business eligible for federal contract set-asides. The government has a goal to award at least 3% of its prime contract money to SDVOSBs, so this certification gives you access to contracts reserved just for you which means a lot less competition.
Where can veteran entrepreneurs in Georgia find local support and mentorship?
Veteran entrepreneurs in Georgia can get local help from the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC), which is often located at a university like the University of West Georgia. You can also connect with organizations like SCORE, which provides free mentorship from experienced executives who can help with your business plan, marketing, and finances in the Georgia market.
