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National Veterans Small Business Week Kickoff Event in Washington, DC.

October 16, 2025

National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) is an annual opportunity to celebrate veterans’ service beyond their military career. For thousands of veterans and military spouses, the commitment to serve continues through entrepreneurship. NVSBW celebrates those who carry the values of discipline, resilience, and teamwork from the battlefield to the small business world.

NVSBW’s 2025 theme, “Honoring Veteran-Owned, American Made,” puts a spotlight on veteran-owned manufacturers—the builders shaping America’s future. These entrepreneurs are not only keeping factories alive and workshops busy, but also producing goods, jobs, and innovations that fuel communities across the country.

NVSBW begins on November 3 with a kickoff event, “Veteran-Owned, Made in America: Manufacturing the Future,” at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, located at 1615 H Street, NW, Washington, DC. Before the formal program begins, the event will start with a showcase of veteran-made products—proof that the ideas and innovations of military-connected entrepreneurs are not just concepts, but tangible contributions to the economy.

Once the ceremony commences, from the moment the honor guard presents the colors and the national anthem fills the hall, the program will set a powerful tone. Leaders from government, industry, and veterans service organizations will stand alongside business owners whose stories reflect the strength of American manufacturing.

SBA officials will speak to veterans who are building the foundation of America’s future, followed by remarks that underscore the Administration’s commitment to revitalizing U.S. industry. This event will serve as a reminder that entrepreneurship is not separate from service—it is a continuation of it. Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer will share his own story, embodying the resilience and grit that define the veteran community.

The event will also include a roundtable on “Veterans, Values, and the American Economy,” where leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators will discuss access to capital, federal procurement, and the unique perspectives veterans bring to American competitiveness. These discussions will highlight opportunities that help small businesses grow, create jobs, and remain rooted in their communities.

NVSBW is a reminder that veterans’ service to their country is not only part of American history, but it is essential to its future. By leading companies, driving innovation, and building products proudly made in America, they are manufacturing more than goods; they are manufacturing opportunity, resilience, and pride in communities nationwide.

Seats are limited. Learn more and register.

Ready to take the next step? Visit sba.gov/ovbd and follow the SBA Office of Veterans Business Development on LinkedInX, and Facebook.

#VetBiz Certifications Lead to Increased Opportunities

June 2, 2025

When Army veteran Dennis Guy returned to the Mt. Oliver neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he felt a renewed call to serve—this time through storytelling. When his local fire department faced permanent closure due to a lack of volunteers, Dennis stepped in. Leveraging his background in video production and marketing, he created a compelling recruitment campaign that brought in new volunteers and kept the department’s doors open.

That successful campaign didn’t just help his community—it sparked a business idea. Dennis and his wife, Samantha, launched First Sip Studios, a multimedia marketing agency dedicated to helping startups, nonprofits, and local communities share their stories with impact.

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Veteran Entrepreneur Finds Success with SBDC Support

February 17, 2025

Nina Pinidi, the owner of Solime Royal Hair, juggles her business, school and breast cancer treatments.

More than half of small businesses are born from someone’s desire to find freedom. Nina Pinidi’s business was born out of necessity.

Her comrades needed products they couldn’t find on base or on deployment, but her morale needed it too after serving 17 years.

She rose in rank to chief petty officer with deployments to Japan, Guantánamo Bay, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Chile and Djibouti before getting sick and having to medically retire.

“I was really in a dark time when I was out because it’s like all of a sudden you’re not needed anymore,” she said. “You don’t have to wear a uniform. No one calls you for advice. No one needs your mentorship, and that literally stops overnight.”

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James Earl Carter Jr.: From Naval Officer to Small Business Champion

January 16, 2025

When James Earl Carter Jr. signed the legislation establishing the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program in 1980, he drew upon his own experiences as both a military officer and small business owner to understand the vital importance of supporting American entrepreneurs.

Military Service and Business Background

Born in Plains, Georgia, in 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. His subsequent seven-year naval career included service aboard submarines and significant contributions to the nuclear submarine program under Admiral Hyman Rickover. This engineering background and attention to detail would later serve him well in both business and public service.

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From PTSD to Prosperity: How Beekeeping Transformed this Disabled Combat Veteran’s Life

November 27, 2024

When Staff Sergeant Eric Grandon, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, returned home from multiple combat deployments, he was struggling with the debilitating effects of PTSD. Rather than let the stressors of war consume him, Grandon found solace and purpose in an unexpected place – the gentle hum of honeybees.

In 2014, Grandon founded Sugar Bottom Farm in the small town of Ovapa, West Virginia, starting with just two beehives. Along with his wife Mary and daughter Abigail, Grandon dove headfirst into the world of beekeeping, determined to use this newfound passion as a way to manage his PTSD.

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