SBA Salutes Legion's Entrepreneurship Training Event for Women

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), together with the American Legion and Syracuse University, announced a two-day entrepreneurial course, called "For Her Entrepreneurship – Resources, Opportunities, Experiences & Support (For HEROES),  to be held in conjunction with the Legion's annual conference in HoustonAug. 26-27, and is specifically designed, free of charge, for women military veterans and military spouses.

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The two-day intensive entrepreneurship program is co-sponsored by SBA, the American Legion, and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University.  After completing this free course, participants will have the tools and knowledge they need to identify a business opportunity, draft a business plan and launch their enterprise.  

"SBA is truly committed to help veteran women entrepreneurs succeed.  We know that more than 250,000 military service members transition out of active duty each year and that women are outpacing men with respect to starting new businesses," said SBA Associate Administrator Rhett Jeppson.  "We provide these aspiring entrepreneurs support to launch their businesses and that's why we're partnering with the Legion to provide this course."

The training will be offered during The American Legion's 95^th Annual National Convention in Houston. The curriculum includes an introduction to entrepreneurship and skills training, plus detailed information on resources and support programs designed specifically to aid veterans working with the federal government.  Business conceptualization, business plan formulation, financial planning, start-up funding, marketing and related topics will be explored as well.

"Entrepreneurship is the answer for many veterans who find the job market a particularly tough one these days," says Joe Sharpe, director of the Legion's National Economic Division. "That is one reason why, according to the SBA, veterans are more likely as non-veterans to start their own small businesses. However, the entrepreneurial interests of women veterans have been neglected. That is why this groundbreaking session will be so valuable."

Participants who complete this program will also be provided access to an eight-week online Foundations of Entrepreneurship course offered by IVMF.  Completion of the course will require approximately 10-hours of study each week and will walk participants through the fundamentals of developing a business plan. 

Women veterans interested in enrolling in the free entrepreneurship training program can register at http://www.legion.org/convention/economic or by contacting Jasmine Davis at 202-263-5771 or jdavis@legion.org.

SBA currently engages veterans through its 68 local SBA district offices, 15 Veterans Business Outreach Centers nationwide, and its partnership with 1,000 Small Business Development Centers and some 12,000 SCORE – Counselors to America's Small Businesses volunteers. Each year SBA helps more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans and reservists.  To learn more about additional opportunities for veterans available through the SBA, please visit the website at www.sba.gov/vets and www.sba.gov/veterans.

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration