Military OneSource Offers Options to Military Spouses and Family Entrepreneurs > U.S. Department of Defense > Department of Defense News

The Department of Defense, in partnership with other federal agencies, has options available to help aspiring entrepreneurs within the military community start and maintain their businesses.

Most families in the US – including military families – want two breadwinners in the family to make ends meet. But given the unpredictable nature of military life, traditional employment may not be an option for some military spouses. For them, starting their own business as an entrepreneur could be the best way to provide a second income, allowing them to move from one assignment to another.

Military spouses, service members and veterans from the National Capital Region with an eye on running their own businesses gathered Monday at the Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, during the “Military Entrepreneurship Summit” to learn more about entrepreneurship.

Speaking on behalf of DOD, Ronald Keohane, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, said leading a military life, whether as a soldier or as a service member, requires many of the same character traits as being an entrepreneur.

“The title of today’s event is ‘From Service to Success,’” Keohane said. “Your discipline to assess, mitigate and manage risk; your leadership and desire to make your mark on the world are all hallmarks of both military service and entrepreneurship.”

Military spouses also share important traits with successful entrepreneurs, he said.

“If you are a military spouse, your risk tolerance, problem-solving and adaptability align well with entrepreneurship,” he said.

Patricia Barron, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, said entrepreneurship is an ideal opportunity for military spouses to ensure their families have a dual income.

“Just because you’re married to someone who wears a uniform doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a dual-income family environment, and that you shouldn’t be a person who could use your talents and skills to bring in additional resources to your family ,” Barron said. “The Department of Defense takes that very seriously. We want to support and empower military spouses to achieve their career dreams and employment opportunities.”

One way the DOD supports military entrepreneurs is through the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program. Through SECO, the Department of Defense offers an “entrepreneurial coaching package” to military spouses.

“This is with professional career coaches who don’t joke around and are really focused on the entrepreneurial journey you’re about to take. They guide you through it and help you create a 90-day plan for your business,” Barron said.

Part of the entrepreneurial coaching package, Barron said, is also an assessment to help potential business owners gauge their own readiness.

“They’re going to assess where you are. You basically start by taking something called the Entrepreneur EDGE Assessment and give that coach a chance to see where you are,” she said. “And from (there) they will walk you through the process.”

Career coaches through the SECO program also help spouses with a variety of business needs, from developing a marketing plan and researching regulations and licensing to managing finances and taxes. They also help aspiring entrepreneurs gain access to partner organizations such as the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and nonprofits that serve the military-connected entrepreneurial community.

The SBA and the USPTO were partners of DOD at the top.

Interested spouses can access the program on the Military OneSource website.

Ashish S. Vazirani, who currently serves as assistant secretary of Defense for workforce and readiness, said Friday ahead of the summit that opportunities for entrepreneurs such as those available through Military OneSource, through the Small Business Administration or the Patent and Trademark Office is an important part of DOD’s mission to care for its most important asset: its people.

“Taking care of people is a priority for us at the Department of Defense and it is certainly critical that our service members, their spouses and their family members are able to achieve their professional goals and their financial goals,” he said. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with our agency partners, such as the (US Patent and Trademark Office) and the Small Business Administration, to ensure that service members and family members have the resources to give them the tools that they need to find success, or… lasting success through entrepreneurship.”