Each year, roughly 250,000 to 300,000 service members take off the uniform and transition back to civilian life. For many, the move involves finding a new career path... or building a business from the ground up.
To help ease the transition, Syracuse University’s D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) hosts the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV).
In its 20th cohort, the program brings veterans from across the country to Central New York for intensive business training, mentorship, and hands-on networking.
Ray Toenniessen, Deputy Executive Director of the IVMF, says the program's longevity reflects an ongoing need to support veteran entrepreneurs.
"As veterans transition to cities, towns, counties all across America, the challenges they face have largely stayed the same over the years,” Toenniessen said. “It's access to career training, small business training, connecting to their community.”
The bootcamp begins with a four-week online program designed to establish foundational business skills, followed by an intensive eight-day in-person residency at Syracuse University. Participating veterans dive deep into accounting, marketing, social media strategies, and securing venture capital.
For Michael Lounsbury, a veteran and business owner who traveled from Spartanburg, South Carolina, the specialized curriculum fills a critical gap.
Lounsbury operates two companies, he notes that navigating civilian business resources can feel daunting.
“I think the veteran population is so underserved and underappreciated,” he said. “There’s not necessarily always the resources that are accessible, but also fine-tuned for the veteran and wherever they are in their life.”
Lounsbury praised the structure of the program, noting that the initial online phase allows participants to build rapport and vulnerability before ever stepping foot on campus.
"They talk about your business as being like your baby," Lounsbury said. "Being able to be candid… maybe I have an ugly baby, right? Or we can make my baby a little bit prettier... they hold you accountable, but in a constructive way."
Toenniessen, who has been involved with the program since 2010, emphasizes that skills gained in military service translate naturally into business ownership.
“In the military, a lot of your job is someone coming to you saying, ‘I’ve got a mission-critical task. I don’t have any more money, I don’t have any more people, and I needed it done yesterday,’” Toenniessen said. “That’s entrepreneurship in a lot of ways... Operating in a resource-constrained environment to go and build and achieve something.”
Since its inception at Syracuse in 2006, the EBV model has expanded, inspiring partnerships with eight other colleges and universities nationwide.
For veterans hesitant to take the leap into entrepreneurship, Lounsbury offers a straightforward piece of advice.
"If you served in the military and you get out, I promise you there's a good chance that you can be an entrepreneur," Lounsbury said. "Don't let your self-doubts get in the way. Believe in yourself. Fail forward, fail fast, and just keep pushing."
Applications are looked at year-round and the boot camp is open to all veteran business owners who served active duty and received an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions. Graduates of other IVMF programs are also eligible to participate.
To qualify, applicants must maintain at least 50% ownership of their business and employ five or more full-time staff members. It is recommended that companies have been in operation for three or more years, and applicants must be able to provide company financial records during the selection process.
