Around 200,000 servicemen leave the United States military annually. Statistics show that veteran-owned businesses make up about 5.9% of all businesses.
It reflects the significance of helping service members shift to civilian life. These members and their spouses can gain entrepreneurship knowledge, becoming business owners post-military.
Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial program that can bridge this shift. It offers active-duty members and their spouses an opportunity to realize their career goals post-military.
The following piece covers various aspects of the program. It can help improve your understanding of the course.
Contents
What Is Boots to Business (B2B)?
Boots to Business (B2B) is an entrepreneurial education program. The SBA, short for the United States Small Business Administration, operates it.
It offers training courses and business education for service members and their spouses. This program helps them transition into a civilian lifestyle from the military.
B2B is also a part of the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP). It teaches the service members the essentials of beginning a business. Additionally, the program provides information on available resources.
B2B also includes an extra course called Boots to Business Reboot (B2BR). B2BR is open to National Guard and Reserve members, veterans of all eras, and their spouses. It caters to service members who are already living as civilians.
Program Requirements
The B2B program requires you to be a service member or a spouse of one. It needs you to be transitioning to a civilian setting.
The course offers reliable education to facilitate self-employment opportunities. You can also partake in the program as a retired veteran or a retiring service member.
Who Is Eligible?
The SBA operates the B2B program for transitioning service members and spouses. It provides relevant entrepreneurial education.
The training helps them become small business owners in their civilian life. The National Guard and Reserve affiliates also qualify for this business course.
Enlisted members and officers are also eligible for the Boots to Business. Individuals of all pay grades can take part in the course.
The transitioning service members involve two types of groups. One group includes active duty members transitioning to the civilian lifestyle.
The second group features participants retiring at the end of a long career in the military.
What’s the Cost?
The U.S. Small Business Administration conducts the Boots to the Business course for free. It allows service members and their spouses to develop a workable business plan.
The course includes free resources and technical assistance. You can get the knowledge to realize your entrepreneurial goals post-military.
How Long Is the Program?
The Boots to Business program works in three sections. First, you partake in the entrepreneurship track overview. This program section features an introductory video shown during the mandatory TAP course. The TAP course lasts for five days.
Second, you take a two-day in-person introduction to entrepreneurship course. This section teaches the essentials of commencing a business. It also informs them of the many resources available to aid their ventures.
The third part is the foundations of entrepreneurship. It is an eight-week course led by an instructor. In addition, the subject matter expert teaches the fundamentals of creating a business plan. This program also provides tools and tips for starting a business venture.
After completing the B2B and B2BR core courses, you can take an extra online course. This Revenue Readiness program takes six weeks to complete.
The Mississippi State University offers it to help you further your business education. It guides you in forming business concepts into actionable business models.
The Revenue Readiness program features two interactive, instructor-led classes weekly with relevant coursework.
What You’ll Learn
The instructors conducting the B2B courses include skilled business advisors. They prepare a quality curriculum with access to SBA resources.
The Boots to Business Curriculum
As mentioned earlier, the Boots to Business program features three primary sections. Participants may advance their knowledge afterward via the Revenue Readiness curriculum.
The general curriculum includes the following parts:
- Entrepreneurship track overview
- Introduction to entrepreneurship
- Foundations of entrepreneurship
- Revenue readiness
How SEO Can Help Entrepreneurs Participating in the Program
B2B participants can enjoy several benefits of incorporating SEO in their entrepreneurial ventures. SEO is critical in making your business plan a success. It drives visitors, clients, and prospects to your site.
SEO can help a military family grow its Business in three primary ways:
Reach People Already Looking For Your Business
Marketing your new Business is a core aspect of a business plan. SEO provides an effective means of accomplishing this goal. It lets you reach Google’s top spots.
People searching for items related to your Business can quickly see your website. Your site is among the first options they see. The top ranks increase their chances to click on your site. This process helps you increase traffic to your website, including potential customers.
Improve User Experience on Your Website
Different SEO tactics can enhance the user experience. For instance, you can incorporate links to your homepage, product page, or category. They also enable visitors and clients to navigate around your website comfortably. B2B members can use these strategies to show search engines their significance.
Use SEO-Friendly Content to Tell Your Story
Your content is the text Google reads to comprehend it and determine your search engine rank. You can make SEO-friendly content by referencing a keyword several times. Using heading tags and adding the keyword to the URL is another SEO strategy you can choose. You can also insert images with the keyword or use internal linking.
How to Register for Boots to Business?
You can register for the first B2B course by reaching out to your Transition Service Manager. This manager is the person facilitating the program in your local military installation.
The registration requires you to set up an online account. You can complete this task using your email address, full name, and service status. Participants can also use the account to access more information about the classes.
If you intend to join the advanced B2B Revenue Readiness course, you begin by setting up an account. Use basic personal information to create the account. You also need to sign up via the Mississippi State University website. This site offers a systematic guideline on how to complete your registration.
Does the Boots to Business Program Offer Grants?
The Boots to Business program does not offer an official grant to veterans that complete it. However, some states give grants to the institutions conducting the program. It is common to get donors such as the SBA funding the local and state government agencies.
Are Student Loans Available?
You do not need student loans to undertake the Boots to Business. SBA offers the cost-free to the service members and their spouses. Thus, you can prepare for the future without concerns about training fees.
Wrapping Up
It is wise to have a suitable plan for life post-military, ensuring you have a smooth transition. The Boots to Business may be a reasonable consideration for this change to civilian.
B2B is an excellent option for developing business skills, and offering access to resources. Its curriculum ensures you gain foundational knowledge to build a steady business. You learn to plan and create a workable business model. It can enable you to be among the success stories of post-military ventures.
