Veteran entrepreneur Archives

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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.

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.

From Naval Officer to Successful Entrepreneur: Skipper T. Ryan Davis’ Journey with the SBDC

November 14, 2024

Skipper T. Ryan Davis is a shining example of how the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can help veteran entrepreneurs transition from military service to thriving small business ownership. With over 20 years of experience as a Naval officer and 4,000 hours of flight time, Davis has proven himself to be a passionate leader, skilled communicator, and dedicated problem-solver – qualities that have served him well in his entrepreneurial pursuits.

UGA helps with strategic marketing and business decisions to help expand business

November 30, 2023

By Jenny Giarratano

Marty Hooks could have chosen a life of leisure after working 30 years in the metal buildings industry. However, when his employer began downsizing and offered him an early retirement buyout, he decided to open his own business to create jobs for veterans and young people in his adopted hometown of St. Mary’s, Georgia.

Hooks, a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, used his buyout to fund his vision of a service company that sells, drafts and engineers pre-engineered metal buildings, opening PEMB in May 2020. While planning, he contacted University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) consultant Jennifer Lee at the UGA SBDC in Brunswick.

“I knew about the UGA SBDC program early on and reached out to Jennifer to tell her what we envisioned doing,” Hooks said.

Lee worked with Hooks to secure a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) CAPLine loan, designed to help small businesses meet short term and cyclical capital needs. Hooks previously had some loan-related issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic.