Veterans Business Program

Serving the Veterans of New York State

The New York SBDC Veterans Services and Assistance Program works to provide targeted training, counseling, and mentoring to help veterans start and grow a small business. SBDC Business Advisors help veteran small business owners improve profitability, expand market share, explore export opportunities, and provide valuable assistance in terms of establishing businesses on stronger organizational and financial footing.

The Veterans Business Advisors provide:

  • One-to-one advisement sessions
  • Pre-business plan workshops/training
  • Business concept assessment
  • Business plan development assistance
  • Comprehensive feasibility analyses
  • Business-to-business commerce
  • Assistance with funding sources

All NY SBDC centers are prepared to assist veteran clients. Specialized advisors are available at:

  • Albany: (518) 380-5069
  • Buffalo: (716) 878-4030
  • Watertown: (315) 782-9262
  • Long Island: David Chiaro
    (631) 370-8889
  • Brooklyn: (718) 797-0187

Operation Boots to Business

Boots to Business is a three-step training program developed to introduce and train transitioning service members to business ownership. Boots to Business helps ensure that every transitioning service member has access to a standardized entrepreneurship training track and small business resources in their local communities. Boots to Business is offered by the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University (SU) and operated by SU’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), in partnership with SBA resource partners, including the NY SBDC.

OORAH! Opening Opportunities, Resources and Access for Heroes

OORAH! Opening Opportunities, Resources and Access for Heroes is a comprehensive, data driven bill designed to provide veterans and veteran-owned businesses with the same access to economic programs and incentives, including increased opportunities in state contracting, that are now offered to minorities and women for their business enterprises.

EntreSkills for Veterans™

Another innovative development within VBOP is the creation of an online educational program that teaches veterans to be successful entrepreneurs. EntreSkills for Veterans™ is based on the successful EntreSkills™ program developed by the NY SBDC’s Central Office. VBOP Business Advisors assisted in an upgraded and targeted version of these materials based on a simple premise: military training and experience can be an excellent preparation for starting your own business. The self-paced program helps veterans refine and develop a concept, address legal and marketing issues, prepare financial statements, and ultimately, manage and run a business. Each chapter of EntreSkills for Veterans™ includes business-related websites and veteran entrepreneur case studies that enable the veteran to study each subject area in depth. The information provided in each chapter builds cumulatively toward the preparation of a finished business plan. After completing the program, participants will have developed a business plan draft through the use of our interactive Business Plan Builder. EntreSkills for Veterans™ operates in tandem with one-on-one business counseling by Veterans' Business Advisors.

Publications for Veterans:

Additional Links for Veterans

State University of New York City University of New YorkASBDC Accredited Member Pace University Columbia Business School

SBAPartnership Program with the SBA, administered by the State University of New York. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.  All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals. Special arrangements for persons with disabilities can be made by calling the SBDC at least two weeks in advance.