This evening I read an article on Inc. Magazine’s website titled, “Why Women Veterans Are the Fastest-Growing Group of Entrepreneurs.”  I was excited to see that Inc. (love them) was covering something that I could relate closely to-- as I am a woman, a veteran, and a business owner. However, upon reading this article, my excitement quickly turned into dismay. The author, Kimberly Weisul, states three main points on why women veteran businesses are growing. To summarize point 1: Women are more likely to be caretakers and less able to hold a steady job; point 2: There are more benefits to being a woman-owned and veteran-owned business; point 3: There are a number of growing educational programs and groups willing to help veteran businesses succeed (one of the points I do agree with). Although Weisul makes some great points, many of these are benefits that occur after you own a business and not a key motivator to starting one. 

Here are some ADDITIONAL REASONS why women veterans are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs: 

They can deal with diversity. Although we women are serving in record numbers (an obvious contributor to our entrepreneurial growth), on average, there are typically still only 15 women for every 85 men in the military and about 10 female veterans for every 90 male veterans. These women know what it’s like to work twice as hard to achieve the same amount of respect as their male counterparts. They are willing to go the extra mile to succeed. The same dedication and time they put into their military careers, they use to succeed in business.

They are used to trying new things. When you can join the military and leave everything you know for something new, you’re a natural risk-taker, an adventure seeker, and an optimist. These are the same adjectives that could be used to describe many successful entrepreneurs. This same adventurous mindset makes for an optimistic outlook when contemplating the start of a new business.

They know the importance of family. One of the main reasons I decided to leave the military in the first place was the lengthy deployments and spending time away from my son. I wanted to see him grow up and to make up for the time that I had lost while being deployed. Owning my own business gives me the flexibility and the opportunity to spend more time with my family, a reason shared by many other entrepreneurs from various backgrounds for starting their own businesses.

They live and work by military values. The first day you join the military, words like honor, duty, dedication, are quickly engrained. These aren’t just words to a veteran, they are values that they live by, during, and after service.

That is why women veteran entrepreneurship is growing, we have the courage, the dedication, and the values to try something new, something as crazy as joining the military or starting a business. 

-Nadine Noky, Army Veteran & Founder of Lady Brigade