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Q&A with Calvin Goings and Boots To Business

Regional administrator for the Small Business Administration works with veterans

Calvin Goings says veterans are at least 45 percent more likely than those with no military experience to become an entrepreneur.

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Calvin Goings is a regional administrator for the Small Business Administration (SBA). Prior to being appointed by President Obama, he spent most of his adult life serving the public as an elected official, first in Olympia and later on the Pierce County Council. Along the way he worked in banking, kept up the family farm, married his wife Amy and became a dad. We caught up with him to find out more about the SBA's exciting work with veterans.

WHY VETERANS?: In the South Sound in particular, because of the positive impact Joint Base Lewis-McChord has on our communities, the opportunity for the SBA to work with veterans who are interested in becoming entrepreneurs is very exciting.

ON MAKING THE ECONOMY TICK: Veterans are at least 45 percent more likely than those with no military experience to become an entrepreneur. And U.S. military veterans own nearly 2.4 million businesses in the U.S., which is about one in every 10 businesses nationwide. Finally, veteran-owned businesses generate about $1.2 trillion in annual receipts, which is about 4 percent of all business receipts nationwide each year, and they employ nearly 5.8 million people. These are phenomenal numbers but really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has had the chance to work with or be around active-duty or retired military personnel. These are some of the most focused, dedicated, know how to implement, and accomplish an initiative individuals you will ever meet.

WHERE DO I START?: Our website, sba.gov, is a phenomenal resource. It's an interactive website you can put your zip code in and the website will list out the nearest resource centers. That's where I always suggest entrepreneurs start. But in particular for veterans, there are three main areas that are important to be aware of. The first is our Boots to Business program, the second is our veterans business outreach centers, and the third is some of our specialized loan programs.

BOOTS TO BUSINESS?: Our Boots to Business program is almost brand new for JBLM and the South Sound. SBA and our partners work with the DoD to provide entrepreneurial training to servicemembers who are transitioning out of active-duty. This is designed to help veterans seek self-employment opportunities and develop a business plan. This was just kicked off in the last month at JBLM. Every active-duty personnel member, as they begin to transition out, will watch a 10-minute entrepreneurial video. Then from those who self-identify as being interested in a follow up, we provide a two day, eight hours per day, class on in depth business planning. They will actually write a feasibility study for a possible business. Then, if they are still interested and wish to pursue it, there is an eight-week online free course through Syracuse University - an MBA light if you will - where they will get all the information they need to be an informed entrepreneur.

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING?: I had a chance to attend the AG Army Ball, and talk to active-duty military personnel, those who would be looking at transitioning. I had a conversation with a young man who was from Chicago, and he is thinking when he leaves he would like to start a guitar business. We talked about the finer points of a business plan, and at the end of the conversation he was going to check out our website and start preparing himself for the next phase of his life. It was just rewarding. These military personnel, who have given so much time, blood, sweat, tears, so much to our country, and who have such leadership skills, the ability to take those and provide them with the next mission, the next journey, as their own small business is very exciting, very rewarding and very humbling.

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