Serving others comes naturally to some. For those in the armed forces, more so than others. Army Sgt. Adam Pattisall, after serving his country for four years as a SAT COM operator, went on to serve on another level as a test engineer and technical support engineer at Fujitsu.

As a former Army armor officer and highest ranking cadet at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), Bill Sharp knew the importance of honesty and hard work. When he decided it was time to open his own business, he only considered concepts that revered those values as much as he did.

“Integrity is something that really means a lot to me. As a cadet at VMI, I was taught not to lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do. This code of ethics carries over to everything that I do. It’s in the fabric of who I am,” said Sharp, 36. “I wanted to align myself with an organization that makes a promise and delivers quality results. CertaPro Painters did that and more.”

As a veteran, you have the skills, maturity, and experience needed to succeed. Initiative and drive are your motto, and – if you hadn’t noticed – the motto of most business owners. So why not try being a vetrepreneur? You could be doing yourself a big favor!

You’ll also be doing yourself a favor if you understand that the biggest obstacle to starting a business isn’t knowledge or even skill. It’s attitude.