When you ask someone to think of small business, they most likely think of a coffee shop, dry cleaner, bakery, butcher shop or a service station, just  to name a few. It would be rare indeed for the average person to instantly develop a mental picture of an author or an editor when they think of a small business owner. In fact, many authors probably don’t consider themselves as a small business either – but they are.

Authors, poets, artists and anyone who produces creative works designed for public consumption is clearly an entrepreneur. Your membership in the Military Writers Society of America is an obvious indicator of that fact. Kelly Wilken, a Navy veteran who wrote a basketball-themed work of fiction titled “Collective Bargaining (Taking Control Away From The Players),” explained why she is an entrepreneur.

Like many aspiring authors, there were barriers, challenges, and apprehensions on the way to making her passion a breadwinner.

“Being an author isn’t like selling a product at Wal-Mart,” she said. “An author has to sell themselves, and if people like the author, they may purchase the book. Most authors publish four or five books before they have the type of name recognition that sells books immediately. The key to being a successful author is marketing.”
 

America Wants to Buy from Veterans

American patriotism prospered during World War II. It prospered again after Desert Storm. And in this post-9/11 era, patriotism’s prosperity remains strong.  Evidence abounds at your local Memorial Day parade route, lined with standing ovations for veterans, during pre-game ceremonies at sporting events, observing schoolchildren faithfully reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and in the countless yellow ribbons that decorate our cars. Even mainstream mass media outlets thank the troops and veterans. So patriotism is prospering.  You probably already know that.

But here’s something you may not know.  Independent research conducted for the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) in 2009 found that 70 percent of Americans would prefer to purchase from a business owned by a military veteran versus a business that is not veteran-owned. This prompted the creation of a national “Buy Veteran” campaign designed to encourage not only veterans to buy from other veterans, but also the average American consumer.

There are ample ways to help our brother and sister veterans who have been injured and those who suffer social maladies like drug addiction, homelessness and mental issues borne out of untreated PTSD.  As a country, we absolutely must take care of those in need.  In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln called for proper treatment and care of veterans in his inauguration speech urging America "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan." Congress ensured this in 1930 with the establishment of the Veterans Administration (now the Department of Veterans Affairs), which constantly strives to adapt to meet the changing needs of veterans.

But many Americans, 210 million in fact, seek a way to support your average veteran who operates in veteran anonymity.  They want to support that veteran, you, on a regular, recurring basis.  They want to thank you. They trust you. They want to buy from you. They always have. Now they can – because now, you can be found.
 

Gratitude and Trust, not Charity

It’s important to point out that the Buy Veteran campaign is not about supporting veteran-owned businesses out of a sense of obligation or entitlement. This isn’t charity. In fact, nothing is further from the truth. This is one divided by charity. It’s entitlement to the negative one power.  In fact, our research reveals Americans’ strong desire to say “thank you” purely out of an elevated sense of gratitude. 

It’s also about trust. It can be difficult to find small businesses, especially authors, writers, proofreaders, editors, poets, artists, etc.  The research findings, however, provides that there are fewer images more trustworthy than that of a troop in uniform, which conjures knowledge that this person ceded to a code of ethics far stronger than any other.  By declaring yourself a veteran-owned business, you’re re-subscribing to that code of ethics and letting customers know you stand by that sacred code of honor. 

To learn more about the Buy Veteran campaign, visit www.buyveteran.com.

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