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Research shows that 62% of Americans would prefer to be their own boss rather than work for someone else. There are approximately 15.7 million veterans in America today. About 1.6 million already own businesses. That leaves roughly 14.1 million veterans who don't. If veterans are similar to the general population, that means there could be as many as 8.7 million veterans who want the freedom, flexibility, and opportunity that comes with business ownership but haven't taken the leap. There are fewer than 400 of us in this group. Think about that. We've barely scratched the surface. Somewhere out there are millions of veterans with business ideas, side hustles, skills, experience, and dreams that never make it past the planning stage because they don't know where to start or don't have the right people around them. That's why this community exists. Not just for veteran business owners. But future veteran business owners, too. So here's my challenge: Invite one veteran. Just one. Someone who's talked about starting a business. Someone who's already running a side hustle. Someone who needs to be around other veterans building businesses. If each member invited one person, we'd double the size of our community overnight. Find your one and send them this link: https://veteranbusinesscommunity.com

I wanted to share a little update on how things have been going with Veteran Concrete Scanning Solutions over the past year. When I started this company, I really didn’t know exactly where it would take me. I knew the GPR side of the business, I knew I could provide a good service, and I was willing to work, but building an actual business from the ground up was completely new to me. Looking back over the past year, it is pretty incredible to see the progress. I’ve gone from trying to get my name out there and looking for that next opportunity to now completing projects for major contractors, commercial properties, universities, airports, retail stores, and other organizations throughout New England. Some of the projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on include Amazon facilities, Dartmouth College projects with Suffolk Construction, T.F. Green International Airport, Foot Locker, Aaron’s Corporate Office, Hope Commons, and Reagan Marine Construction. I’ve also had opportunities to bid and build relationships around projects involving companies and organizations such as Whole Foods Market, Kay Jewelers, the Queens Museum, and others. What has been especially encouraging is that I’m starting to see more repeat business and referrals. Instead of every job feeling like I have to start over and find the next customer, relationships I’ve built are beginning to turn into additional projects. The Amazon work is a good example of that, where what started as an opportunity turned into ongoing scanning and multiple visits as the project progressed. I’m also seeing the size and variety of the work change. One week I might be scanning a commercial floor before trenching, another I’m at an airport, another at a university, and recently I was on the water scanning a concrete-encased wale to locate steel tie rods for a marine construction project. There have definitely been challenges along the way, and I still have a long way to go, but the business is moving in the right direction. My workload is becoming more consistent, more contractors are becoming familiar with my company, and I’m getting opportunities today that I would have been extremely excited just to be considered for a year ago.