Serving in the military equips you with unique expertise you can put to use in a private venture after completing your service. What’s more, veteran-owned small businesses are eligible for financial support via numerous grant programs.
According to 2024 labor statistics from the United States Census Bureau, veterans own about 5.4% of the country’s businesses. If you’re eager to join those ranks but unsure where to begin, here are some business ideas for veterans to get your creative juices flowing.
Business ideas for veterans
- Security consulting
- K-9 training
- Survival skills training
- Private investigation
- Moving company
- Apparel brand
- Americana- or military-themed shop
- Bookstore featuring veteran authors
- Brewery or distillery
- Adaptive sports programs
- Gym or personal training
- General contracting
- Coffee roastery
- Event planning
No matter which branch of the Armed Forces you were in, chances are you learned something about leadership, discipline, and logistics. These skills all translate directly into entrepreneurship. You might have even learned a specific skill, like surveillance or information technology, that’s valuable as a service. When you’re ready to get started, consider opening one of these veteran-owned small businesses:
Security consulting
You likely know a thing or two about keeping your environment secure. Use that knowledge to help businesses, schools, and other organizations in crafting security policies. You can start a security firm or sell security devices like safes and vaults to accommodate various needs, like veteran-owned Armadillo Safes.
K-9 training
If you trained dogs for the military, you can help civilians get their furry friends into shape. Consider offering everything from puppy training to agility classes. It’s also possible to stay more behind the scenes, like Rader K9, and sell dog training gear, such as leads and pouches.
Survival skills training
With a survival skills training business, you can monetize your experience dealing with harsh terrains like forests and deserts. Teach outdoor enthusiasts, corporate teams, and families how to survive without supplies with training courses and real-world retreats.
Private investigation
Many veterans excel at private investigation because of their discipline and discretion. You could offer services like background checks, surveillance, fraud investigation, or missing persons searches.
Moving company
Physical fitness is a crucial aspect of military service, and you can put that to good use providing demanding services like helping people move. As an example, Kansas Moving Company was founded by two military veterans.
Apparel brand
Many people, from fellow veterans to everyday Americans, love supporting the military, and you can capitalize on that by creating a military-themed clothing brand. Two veteran-owned businesses that do this are Bunker 27 and Nine Line Apparel. Both sell t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and more, tailored to service members and their supporters.
Americana- or military-themed shop
Another way to capitalize on military and American pride is with a novelty goods brand. You might follow in the footsteps of Cruise Customs, which makes Americana-themed home décor out of old bourbon barrels. Or, you might be inspired by veteran-owned K Bar Soap Company, which makes grenade-shaped soap bars.
Bookstore featuring veteran authors
If you’re a bookworm, opening your own bookshop (whether online or in person) is likely a dream come true. Make it stand out by curating books by veteran authors. You can also have a section on military history and host regular veteran book signings, speaking events, and book club meetings.
Brewery or distillery
Running a brewery requires attention to detail and managing a lot of moving parts—valuable skills many veterans have. For example, veteran Jordan Serulneck decided to employ the operational and management experience he gained in the Navy to his personal passion: craft beer brewing. The result is Seven Sirens Brewing Company, a brewery with three locations in Pennsylvania. The business even expanded to include an Airbnb rental located above their Bethlehem brewery.
Adaptive sports programs
If you have a passion for sports and a love of coaching, you can create a sports program where service-disabled veterans can play sports like sled hockey, wheelchair basketball, or adaptive climbing.
Gym or personal training
Bootcamp-style fitness is incredibly popular in the US, with 5.7 million people participating in this type of training in 2024. Consider launching a bootcamp-style personal training practice or gym. You don’t have to do this in person, either. Warfighter Athletic sells its training programs online, while Cutting Edge Physiques goes a step further by offering Zoom consultations with clients.
General contracting
Use your planning, leadership, and technical skills to run a general contracting company. This can include everything from building new houses to fixing a creaky stair. You might even consider hiring an all-veteran staff to support other military members as they transition back to civilian life.
Coffee roastery
The coffee that came in your MREs may have left something to be desired. Now that you’re out of the service, say goodbye to inferior beans for good by opening up your own coffee shop or roastery and selling coffee online or in person. Iron Bean Coffee, for example, is a veteran-owned coffee company that roasts its own beans and sells coffee subscriptions nationwide.
Event planning
In the military, every second is accounted for. If you love that sort of structure, you can help provide it for others by planning events. This allows you to organize and delegate tasks for large parties, corporate gatherings, weddings, and more.
Tips for starting a veteran-owned business
Running a successful business takes a lot of hard work—but you’re probably used to that. These tips can help guide you on your path to profit:
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Consider marketing your services to other active duty or retired military personnel. Other veterans are more likely to understand and relate to your experiences, and they’ll likely feel a sense of connection with your business.
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Align with causes that mean something to you. Having a mission, like how Kill Cliff donates proceeds to the Navy Seal Foundation, can make you more appealing to consumers who share your values.
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Look into small business grants and loan programs for veterans to help with startup costs. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) is a great place to start, but also check for state and local grants.
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Check out free training and mentorship. The SBA offers a program called Boots to Business that provides free entrepreneurship training for service members and military spouses.
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Certify your business as veteran-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned with the SBA. This can give you exclusive access to federal or government contracts.
Business ideas for veterans FAQ
How can a veteran get money to start a business?
Look into programs that offer grants to veterans, such as Warrior Rising and the Second Service Foundation. You might also consider an SBA 7(a) loan.
Are there any small business grants for veterans?
Yes, there are many small business grants for veterans, including the Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Grant Program, the Stephen L. Tadlock Veteran Grant, and the FedEx Small Business Grant. You can also check for federal opportunities on Grants.gov.
What kind of businesses are good for veterans?
Veterans often have skills valuable in entrepreneurship, including logistics, discipline, and multitasking. Security consulting, dog training, personal training, and teaching survival skills can help utilize other specialized skills they may have acquired during active service.
