In this inspiring episode, Shawn Welsh welcomes Natalie Hall, Economic Development Specialist and Veteran Business Development Officer for the US Small Business Administration's (SBA) North Florida district office. Natalie dives deep into the wealth of resources available to veterans and military spouses transitioning into entrepreneurship.
She highlights transformative programs like "Boots to Business" and "Reboot," offering two-day entrepreneurship training designed to guide participants in drafting a business plan and turning their ideas into thriving businesses. Natalie also outlines SBA’s mentoring and counseling services, loan programs, and certifications such as 8(a) Business Development, Woman-Owned Small Business, HUBZone, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business certifications.
The conversation touches on SBA’s disaster assistance programs and the strong support network provided by SBA partners like SCORE, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers.
A major highlight of the episode is the 8th Annual Veteran North Summit, taking place on December 6th, 9 AM - 2 PM, at FSCJ Downtown. This free event, themed "Innovation for the Future," will feature resource providers, lenders, and success stories from small business owners. Attendees will gain insights into accessing capital, contracting opportunities, and expanding their ventures.
Natalie emphasizes the importance of community and continuous learning, sharing how feedback from past summits has helped the event grow and evolve over the years. She invites aspiring and established entrepreneurs to connect with SBA resources and take advantage of the opportunities at this year’s summit.
For more information, Natalie shares her direct contact details (Natalie.Hall@sba.gov | 904-431-9022) and encourages listeners to visit the SBA websites (sba.gov/NorthFlorida and sba.gov) and follow SBA on LinkedIn.
Don’t miss this episode packed with actionable insights and a special invitation to an event designed to empower the veteran community in business. https://www.sba.gov/district/north-florida https://www.sba.gov/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-small-business-administration/posts/?feedView=all https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hall-7935131b/ And don’t forget to visit our sponsor, Spearpoint Solutions, for a variety of business training and consulting services:
https://spearpointonline.com/
Referral Code: VETSOS #vetsos #VeteranEntrepreneurs #SmallBusinessSupport #SBAResources #BootsToBusiness #VeteranNorthSummit