Veterans wanting to start business invited to workshop slated at SIU

The Small Business Veteran’s Roadshow is coming to Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Sept. 25 to provide veterans with all of the information they need to decide if it makes sense to start a business, or find out how to help their operation grow and become more successful.

“We are excited to have the SBA, the Veterans Business Outreach Center and other resources here at SIU to support our region’s entrepreneurial veterans,” said Greg Bouhl, director of the Small Business Development Center.

A wide variety of topics will be covered in the workshop. Sessions will focus on:

Entrepreneurship for You! Veterans Edition: highlights the concepts of small business ownership, tailored especially for veterans.

Financing a small business.

Kick-start your business: low- and no-cost ideas to improve the profitability of existing companies.

Learning from experience: Tom Harness, of Harness Digital Marketing, will discuss his own entrepreneurial journey following military service.

Details about state and federal resources for veteran-owned businesses.

The free workshop is  scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Illinois Small Business Development Center/International Trade Center, which is located at 1740 Innovation Dr. in Carbondale. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

The workshop is a collaboration between the Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU, the Veterans Business Outreach Center and the Small Business Administration.

Breakfast and lunch are provided, courtesy of Country Financial.

All current active duty military personnel, members of the National Guard and reserves, and all veterans of any era, along with military family members who are interested in starting a business or who already own a business are invited to attend.

Though there is no cost to participate, preregistration is required. Preregistration is available online at https://ilsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/30306 .

More information about the event is available by calling 618-536-2424 or emailing sbdc@siu.edu.