Of all the many business opportunities out there for vets, what do you look for when deciding which to pursue?

MAJ Chris Ballard — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 12:46:20 -0400

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Mar 16 at 2015 4:05 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 16:05:12 -0400

Go with your strongest skill set, and passion in making a difference in the workforce. If you have love for your career, it will be rewarding.

Response by SSgt Randy Saulsberry made Mar 16 at 2015 4:47 PM

SSgt Randy Saulsberry — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 16:47:09 -0400

I hope I'm assuming correctly that you are talking about ownership. The most important thing I look for when it comes to franchising is the business model and the target demographic As well as the personalities of the execs in the company

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2015 6:46 PM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 18:46:31 -0400

I am bit biased here (as a Patriot Boot Camp fan boy), but I think Veterans should be jumping into the technology entrepreneurship space. We are all carrying around smartphones and using mobile apps, but there isn't a very noticeable Veteran footprint in all of this technology (on the business or engineering side).

If you have noticed a need or recognized a problem, the chances are that someone else has the same pain point. Create a solution to meet that challenge, and grow your idea it into a company.

Response by SGT Brian Richardson made Mar 18 at 2015 6:37 PM

SGT Brian Richardson — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:37:37 -0400

Money is not the only concern about starting a business...but you do need to make sure it can be sustainable, or it won't be a business for long.

I think differentiating ourselves is key too. What value do we bring to the table? Better? More value? Quicker? Unique? I rarely think "cheaper" is the answer though.

The beauty is that there are many opportunities out there (buying, building, franchise) and the key is to find that good fit between passion, sustainability, need and aptitude.

Good discussion!