DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL — Starting over after military service can be challenging, especially when it comes to building a career. The Jim Moran Institute is now helping veterans take their next step by offering a free entrepreneurship certification program.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
Veterans in the Tallahassee area gathered Monday evening for a free information session focused on entrepreneurship. Organizers with the Jim Moran Institute introduced a certification program designed specifically for veterans looking to start or grow a business.
"This is a program that we are standing up to serve the veteran community here in Leon County and the greater Panhandle area, and we are looking to support aspiring entrepreneurs as they grow in their new ventures," Eric Liguori said.
Liguori is the associate dean for research and external relations at the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University.
"What we know is that veterans work hard, they're reliable, they execute on systems, and these things play very well in an entrepreneurship space. So it's kind of a double effect. If we can equip the veterans into entrepreneurship, we know that we've got a much higher probability of success," Liguori said.
Monday, attendees had the chance to meet program leaders and connect with other veterans. The program provides hands-on training, mentorship, and real-world business skills.
One veteran says the city needs programs like this.
"I think it's really important to have a veterans program here in Tallahassee...Veterans are everywhere, and we are the capital, so a lot of veterans come here to work for the state. Also, we have a great reserve center as well. I'm a veteran entrepreneur myself, my business ten years [old] two months ago. I'm very well-versed in the JMI Programs as I'm a graduate of one of them, and I would have loved to have a veterans program back when I went through," veteran and business owner Giavona "G" Williams said.
Organizers say they want to help veterans transition back into the corporate world and build a strong support network through partnerships and grants.
"Supporting military families and they're so important to VyStar and our mission to do good and lead by example. Currently, our VyStar foundation is open for military grant cycles...Our grant cycle is open for those organizations that support military families through social services — so food insecurities, housing, and mental health. We're here to support them with that grant cycle to ensure that they know they are eligible for that," VyStar branch VP Ivy Salters said.
The institute hopes the full, free certificate program can provide long-term support to veterans who want to turn their ideas into successful businesses and help those who have already started.
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