Anyone who has served in the United States military has done so much for the American people.

It’s these dedicated men and women who have kept us protected from harm and who have worked hard to ensure an ongoing, long-term, strong democracy to us all.

We owe them so much and want to thank them for their service in any way that we can.

One way to express our thanks for all these brave soldiers have done for us is by supporting Veteran Owned businesses in our communities.

Whether a soldier served for four years or for many consecutive enlistments, many choose to open a small, Veteran owned business after their time in the military is complete.

In doing so, these people continue to serve our communities in ways that we need and appreciate. The least we can do is to go out of our way to support them in their business endeavors. 

If you need more reasons to support veteran owned small businesses in your community, read on. After reading this informative post, you’ll be ready to go out and shop local to show your support for our country’s former military members and the businesses they own and operate.

Reasons to Support Veteran-Owned Businesses

Of course, we all want to support Veteran Owned Businesses to say thank you to those who have served.

However, there are a number of compelling reasons to do so beyond that; supporting these businesses supports so many others in turn – and it’s easy to do, too.

The fact of the matter is that there are veteran owned businesses in every corner of your community. Some are likely common; others may be a bit weird. You might visit a small restaurant in the morning that is veteran owned, then stop by a veteran owned clothing store in the afternoon while you get your oil changed at a local veteran owned garage and repair shop. Then, on your way home, you can close out your busy day of errand-running as you buy CBD oil from a veteran as well. The possibilities for supporting veterans are endless.

1. Veterans Are Independent

According to the Small Business Administration, veterans are 45% more likely to open a small, independent business than non-veterans.

The reasons for this are unknown, but one might speculate that veterans have unique skillsets that carry over into business ownership and also that they are people who are willing to take risks. Veterans are great leaders due to their military experience, and as a result, they also make great bosses. They care about their employees and treat them like family.

When you support a veteran owned business, you are not only supporting the veteran who owns and operates the business, but you are supporting his or her employees, too. 

2. Veteran Owned Businesses Love Networking

People who have served in the military are highly accustomed to the concept of teamwork, and this carries over into their post-enlistment small business ownership as well.

Veterans go out of their way to support other veterans, and one way that they do this is through creating an intricate network with one another in the business world.

For example, imagine that one veteran decides to go into business as a general contractor. It’s likely that many people will choose to hire him or her to remodel their homes in part because the business is veteran-owned. That contractor then hires a plumber, a carpenter, and an electrician to work on the job; all three of them are veterans as well. The contractor may also buy supplies at a hardware store owned by a veteran, and may buy a new work truck from a veteran who sells cars. It goes on and on.

When you support one veteran owned small business, it’s likely that you are supporting a number of other veterans in that business’ network as well. 

3. Veterans Are Charitable

Another way that patronizing a veteran owned business helps to support your entire community is thanks to the fact that veterans are charitable. This should be no surprise to anyone because anyone who serves donates their time, energy, and in some cases, youth, to serving the United States and the American people. It makes sense that they will continue to give back even after their military service is complete.

There are a number of reputable charities that help veterans including the USO, the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Homes for Our Troops, and more. Although many civilians donate to all of these charities, much of their funding comes from donations from people who are also veterans themselves. 

4. Veterans Are Proud

Anyone who chooses to join up with any branch of the military feels an immense sense of pride during their four or more years of service. They should; serving in the military is a very noble act and is something that anyone who enlists should feel proud of throughout their time serving and beyond.

However, some veterans experience feelings of loss when they enlistment comes to an end. During their time in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, they had jobs to do and a clear focus on their life goals. However, when they get out and return to civilian life, they may feel somewhat disoriented and misunderstood. 

Supporting veteran owned businesses help to encourage a renewed a sense of purpose in these brave men and women. When you support a small, veteran owned business and help it to succeed, you are supporting a man or woman who offered to lay down his or her life for you.

When you look at it that way, it’s the least you can do. 

Finding a Veteran-Owned Business

If you’re wondering how to find a veteran owned business in your community, there are a few simple ways to do so.

First, some veteran business owners mention that they are veterans right on their advertising and marketing materials. This is a great way to connect with these businesses. 

Another easy way to find these businesses is to ask. When you visit an independent business, you can ask if the owner is a veteran. You will find that the answer to this question is often yes.

A third way to track down veteran owned businesses is though the use of online directories. There are a number of these available online. One of the most popular is the Veteran Administration’s OSDBU but there are several that are privately run as well. You can locate these in seconds with a simple internet search. 

Happy Shopping

It’s so easy to find and support veteran owned businesses and there is no reason at all that you should not try to visit at least one veteran owned business each and every day. They are everywhere and you are doing more good than you realize with each dollar and penny you spend. 

Veterans have supported America for hundreds of years now, and it only makes sense that we turn around and support them right back. Happy shopping!

If you like learning about all things weird, check out the rest of our site for more interesting posts. You may enjoy our Interesting Facts section in particular. 

The post 4 Reasons to Support Veteran-Owned Businesses first appeared on Weirdomatic.