The St. Louis-based Veterans Business Resource Center is inviting veterans to an open house from 9 to 11 a.m. June 26 at its new Kansas City office.
That office is located in the Small Business Administration’s Kansas City district headquarters, at 1000 Walnut St, Suite 500.
The event is free, but registration is required before June 24 by contacting the SBA’s Robbie Moore (816-426-4933; robbie.moore@sba.gov) or Barbara Caldwell (816-426-4902; Barbara.Caldwell@sba.gov).
Tracy Bentley, VBRC business development consultant, will be on hand to welcome attending veterans. She wants them to know that she is dedicated to helping them transition from being service members to starting and running their own businesses.
“This is just an introduction to let them know that we are here,” said Bentley, a former small business owner with more than 20 years of corporate experience. “But we are absolutely looking to make an impact and partner with existing resources here for military veterans and their families, as well as reservists, to help them chart their path to entrepreneurship.”
What the Veterans Business Resource Center Does
Free VBRC services are available to veterans with an honorable discharge and their spouses. Services include business education and training, one-on-one mentoring and counseling, assistance in identifying resources, instructions on getting a business loan and guidance in selecting an accountant, an attorney and insurance coverage.
A central feature of the VBRC’s mission is working with veterans to identify and apply their military skills to the needs of growing a small business.
“Say, for instance, you have a person that has been in the military for many years, and that’s all they’ve done,” Bentley said. “They’re like, ‘I’ve got combat experience. I’ve got communication experience.’ So they had to coordinate, and they probably had to do some project management.
“So we highlight those skills and parlay them into business skills. We say, ‘You’ve already put a team together. You know how to engage teams and move them forward, how to meet deadlines and work within budgets.’”
For now, Bentley is the VBRC’s only staff member in Kansas City. Her office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, although appointments can be made as needed. She can be reached at 877-825-4190. For more information about the VBRC, go to vetbiz.com.
