As it turned out, the week I was notified that I had been selected as Vetrepreneur of the

Year I was off to Naval Submarine Base New London to be inducted into the Holland Club as a 50- year submarine qualified veteran. The two of these events together just flooded my mind with a trip down memory lane to my four years in the Navy Submarine Service and how that experience changed my life forever.

Looking back on my time in the service and being part of a submarine team where you had to completely depend on each other and be able to respond to any emergency at any time, at any place on the sub; training, practice and following established procedures was critical. These were significant events and experiences that prepared me for my journey eventually leading me to my own business and decision to leave a successful career in the corporate world.
 

It’s up to you to push yourself

Compare starting your business to boot camp – you will have to do whatever is needed to survive and build your business base and create a self‐supporting cash flow. Unlike boot camp there will be no one hounding and pushing you. You will have to fill both roles and be very demanding on yourself. True entrepreneurs are passionate and driven. That is really what sets them apart.

Remember at the beginning you have to wear many hats but to grow your business you will have to hire people and train them, this is where systems, procedures and replication play a big role. Again, remember your military training and experience. This is critical and you also have to be prepared to make the tough decisions when they have to be made. You cannot put them off it could be the difference between success and failure.

Your Company Needs Your Leadership

You may have to wear many hats and do whatever needs to be done, but there’s another variable here. You will also have to grow personally to lead your business and be the visionary. Many entrepreneurs fail because they cannot grow and transition as their company does.

Everything has a way of changing. Look at the current economic downturn that has lasted much longer than anyone projected or even thought possible. There have been failures, but the survivors took steps necessary to survive. In fact, a downturn is an opportunity to revitalize your business, prune it back and really take a hard look at every function and expenditure. It is hard to do that when there are no issues and you are growing. Take that step back and revitalize your business and come back stronger and wiser as the market returns.

For those of you with the fire in your belly to call your own shots and the determination and willingness to do what it takes, there is nothing like owning your own business. It will give you the inner satisfaction of accomplishing your dreams and will allow you to have the freedom to focus on what you do best.

I am very humbled and honored to have been chosen as Vetrepreneur of the Year. My prayers are with all of our men and women in the military and hopes for their safe return to home and families.

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