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Starting or growing a small business is challenging under any circumstances, but veterans often face unique challenges, including navigating the transition out of service, figuring out what business resources are actually available to them, and setting a strong business plan in motion.
The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program—run through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)—was designed to help. VBOCs connect veterans, active duty service members, and military spouses with free or low-cost training, counseling, and mentorship designed specifically for their needs.
Whether you’re just starting to think about opening a small business or you have one and you’re ready to take the next step, your local VBOC can help you build a plan, hone your skills, and connect with the broader network of SBA resources available to you.
Key Points
• The Veterans Business Outreach Center program, run through the SBA, connects veterans, active duty service members, and military spouses with free or low-cost training, counseling, and mentorship.
• Boots to Business is a transitional entrepreneurship program for departing service members and spouses covering business planning, credit, SBA resources, and foundational startup skills.
• Business plan development assistance covers legal structures, organizational design, strategic and financial planning, marketing needs, and guidance through the small business loan application process.
• While VBOCs do not provide direct capital, they help veterans prepare loan applications by evaluating costs, developing business plans, and guiding them through the process.
• Finding the nearest VBOC is easy by entering a zip code on the SBA website or by calling the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development directly at 202-205-6773.
How the VBOC Program Works
When you’re starting a small business, it’s helpful to have local resources you can turn to when you have questions or you’re looking to build your skills.
The SBA works with 31 different organizations across the country that serve as VBOCs. These centers provide tips for opening a small business, workshops, training, counseling, and mentorship in your area.
Who Is Eligible for VBOC Services?
All U.S. military veterans, including those on active duty and those with prior military service experience, are eligible for VBOC services. Military spouses, including surviving spouses, qualify for these services as well.
Core Programs and Services Offered by VBOCs
VBOCs offer several programs to help veterans get their business off the ground or grow their small business.
Boots to Business
Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial and training program available to service members who are transitioning out of the military and their spouses. The course provides an introduction to the skills and knowledge you’ll need to start a business, from opening a business line of credit to developing business concepts and writing a business plan to information on the SBA resources that you can draw on for help.
An additional program, Boots to Business Reboot, is open to all veterans, not just those who are in the process of transitioning.
Business Counseling and Planning
VBOCs also offer small business developmental workshops. Each participant can choose to work directly with a business counselor.
VBOCs can help clients with the foundations of developing a business plan. They will cover the legal forms a business can take, organizational structure, strategic and financial plans, marketing needs, and securing a small business loan.
Once a business is up and running, VBOCs provide continued support through mentorship, helping ensure that businesses stick to their business plan and whether any revisions to the plan are necessary to reach business goals.
Certification Assistance
When you open a small business, there are all sorts of state and local licenses that you may need to get. However, it’s also helpful to think about what types of optional state and local certifications might be available, such as Small Business Enterprise or Minority/Woman-Owned status. These certifications can help you expand the reach of your business, win government contracts, access financial incentives, and secure corporate supplier diversity partnerships.
A formal Veteran-Owned Business (VOB) is an official certification that can help you qualify for small business loans and grants for veterans. Additional loans and grants for disabled veterans may be available.
Access to Capital
The VBOC does not provide access to capital. That said, it can help you prepare to apply for a loan by helping you prepare a business plan, evaluate your costs, and by guiding you through the loan application process.
The SBA offers SBA small business loans through participating lenders, and the VBOC can help you navigate this program, including the SBA Veterans Advantage Program and SBA loan requirements.
Recommended: What Is an SBA 7(a) Loan?
How to Find a Veterans Business Outreach Center Near You
You can find the nearest VBOC to you on the SBA VBOC website by entering your zip code or looking up your state by region.
If you’d rather speak with someone directly, you can call the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development at 202-205-6773 for a referral to your closest VBOC.
Once you contact them, most centers will ask you to fill out a request for counseling before you get started. This helps give the center an idea of what kind of business you’re thinking of or what challenges you may be facing so they can better connect you with the resources you need.
VBOC vs. Other SBA Resource Partners
While VBOCs specialize in serving the veteran community, they’re just one part of a larger network of SBA resource partners open to a wider range of entrepreneurs. Here’s how a few of the others compare.
The Small Business Development Center is open to the general public, not just veterans. It often operates through local universities and provides comprehensive business counseling, training, and technical assistance.
The SBA can also help connect entrepreneurs with expert business mentors. These individuals volunteer their time to provide free one-on-one mentoring and educational workshops to help business owners at every stage from startups to mature businesses. In addition, there are online courses that can be accessed on demand and a full library of online resources.
Finally, the Women’s Business Centers are geared to providing free or low-cost counseling to women who are starting or expanding their small businesses.
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The Takeaway
VBOCs are designed to meet you wherever you are in your entrepreneurial journey, from developing a business plan to applying for a startup business loan to growing an existing business. The guidance they offer can make all the difference when it comes to preparing a strong loan application or business plan, including for SBA loan programs tailored to veterans.
If you’re a veteran looking to start or grow a small business, your nearest VBOC is a good first stop.
Ready to grow your business? SoFi Small Business Loans can give you fast access to the capital you need. Check your eligibility in minutes.
FAQ
What does VBOC stand for?
VBOC stands for Veterans Business Outreach Center.
Are VBOC services really free?
The Small Business Administration funds VBOC core services, so they are offered free of charge to you. These are services such as one-on-one business counseling, mentoring, and standard training workshops. Occasionally, there may be specialized courses or conferences that you are required to pay for if you’d like to participate.
Can military spouses use VBOC services?
Yes, VBOC services are also available to military spouses. Eligibility extends to surviving spouses as well.
How is a VBOC different from a Small Business Development Center (SBDC)?
SBDCs are also offered in partnership with the SBA. However, they are open to the general public while VBOCs are only offered to veterans and their spouses.
What is the Boots to Business program offered through VBOCs?
Boots to Business is a program offered to service members who are transitioning out of the military and are thinking of opening a small business.
Photo credit: iStock/Courtney Hale
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