Veteran Entrepreneurs Don’t Have to Go It Alone: Why Community Matters

Every November, National Veteran Small Business Week celebrates the veterans and military families who build businesses in their communities. Behind every success story is a question that doesn’t get asked enough: who helped them get there?

Veterans bring discipline, resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure. But one of the most valuable assets a veteran entrepreneur can have isn’t a skill. It’s a community of people invested in their success.

Veteran-Owned Businesses by the Numbers

Veteran-owned businesses are a major force in the American economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy:

• 1.7 million businesses were owned by veterans in 2022, about 4.8% of all U.S. businesses (SBA Office of Advocacy, 2026).
• 4.5 million jobs are supported by veteran entrepreneurship (SBA Office of Advocacy, 2026).
• More than $1 trillion in revenue is generated by veteran-owned businesses each year (same source).

Starting any business is hard, though. Only about half (49.2%) of new employer businesses survive five years (SBA Office of Advocacy, 2026). Grit matters, but so does the support system around a founder.

Why So Many Founders Try to Do It All Themselves

Many veterans are used to being the person others rely on. That independence is a real strength, but it can make it harder to say, “I don’t know how to do this yet,” especially when it comes to pricing, marketing, or landing a first customer.

Leaving the military can also mean leaving behind a shared mission and a built-in network. Starting a business is exciting, but the early days, when you’re wearing every hat, can be isolating. Even the most capable people do their best work with support.

How Mentorship and Community Help Veteran Entrepreneurs Succeed

The research is clear: support makes a measurable difference. According to SCORE, entrepreneurs who work with a mentor are five times more likely to start a business and three times more likely to stay in business (SCORE).

Community gives founders:

• Guidance from mentors who have already made the mistakes you’re trying to avoid.
• Peers who understand the journey and share what’s working right now.
• Connections to customers, partners, and opportunities that are hard to find alone.

Community in Action: The TikTok Veteran SOAR Accelerator

We see this firsthand through the TikTok Veteran SOAR Accelerator, run by VeteranStartup.org and the Association of Women’s Business Centers. SOAR brings veteran and military-connected founders together in cohorts for weekly business training and a TikTok Growth Lab, so they learn alongside others facing the same challenges.

The results speak for themselves. SOAR graduate Paden Sickles, founder of SickFit, was featured in The Dallas Morning News, bringing new visibility and sales to her business.

Resources for Veteran Entrepreneurs

You don’t have to build your network from scratch. Good places to start:

• Women’s Business Centers. Despite the name, they don’t just serve women. They offer free and low-cost advising and training to all entrepreneurs, including veterans and military spouses. Find a Women’s Business Center near you.
• Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs). SBA-supported centers offering training and counseling for veterans, service members, and military spouses.
• SCORE. Free mentoring from experienced business professionals.
• Accelerators and cohort programs. Programs like the TikTok Veteran SOAR Accelerator pair training with a built-in community of fellow founders.

Support Veteran Businesses All Year Long

National Veteran Small Business Week is a great moment to celebrate, but veteran entrepreneurs deserve our support all year long. Here’s how anyone can help:

• Shop veteran-owned when you buy gifts, hire services, or choose vendors.
• Share their stories with a review, comment, or repost.
• Make an introduction to a potential customer, partner, or mentor.
• Support the programs that support them, like VeteranStartup.org and Women’s Business Centers.

Veterans have spent their careers showing up for others. Let’s make sure they never have to build a business alone.

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Sources: SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business (Feb. 2026); SBA Office of Advocacy, Veteran Ownership Statistics 2026; SCORE, Mentorship Improves Odds of Success for Entrepreneurs.