Have you ever wanted to launch your own business but weren’t sure where to begin? The Veterans Launching Ventures (VLV) certificate course could be the start.

Offered by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the VLV program provides essential training for Veterans and their families looking to open or grow a business.

entrepreneurial training logoThis free certificate course is designed to help participants seize entrepreneurial opportunities by imparting essential skills and competencies to succeed in today’s business environment, including developing business and marketing plans, devising financial projections, and formulating fundraising strategies.

The course leverages a team of experienced faculty and successful entrepreneurs and combines in-person and virtual learning to create an interactive, informative academic platform. A unique aspect of the VLV course is that Veterans are matched with a mentor who can provide individual guidance throughout the course and up to 10 months following course completion.

The course also allows Veterans to train alongside other Veterans.

Joey Mac Dizon, a U.S. Marine Corps Iraqi War Veteran, is the CEO/co-founder of The Mobile Cigar Lounge and Mission Transition. He completed the VLV course in 2017 and emphasizes the valuable knowledge, skills and support the VLV course provides.

“Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s ‘Veterans Launching Venture’ program is an integral part of my business’s success,” Mac Dizon said. “The amount of knowledge, support and resources are fantastic. I continually support and keep up with any news from the organization because they continue to help Veterans, like myself, become an entrepreneur. This is a must for any Veteran or military spouse looking to go into business or grow their business. Thank you to VLV and the staff supporting the program. They really help us achieve the dream of owning our own business.”

The VLV certificate course is free and open to all Veterans and their families. Applications are now being accepted for the spring and fall 2022 classes, and each course can accommodate up to 50 students.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit Veterans Launching Ventures | Fairleigh Dickinson University.

The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products or services on the part of VA.

Topics in this story

Leave a comment

The comments section is for opinions and feedback on this particular article; this is not a customer support channel. If you are looking for assistance, please visit Ask VA or call 1-800-698-2411. Please, never put personally identifiable information (SSAN, address, phone number, etc.) or protected health information into the form — it will be deleted for your protection.

9 Comments

  1. Stephen Shanks December 19, 2021 at 14:18

    Sorry, but just 3 days after receiving the email announcing this veteran “opportunity”, classes are filled for the next year. Only an opportunity for a very few.

  2. Anthony Rolon December 16, 2021 at 18:23

    Awesome! What will a veteran need to provide to get started.

  3. Rob Hart December 16, 2021 at 18:09

    Looks as if the program’s filled up for Spring and Fall Classes in 2022. And it’s on-site only, so it’s 100 (local) students per year but you can be on their mailing list. Sounds as if you can get your business off the ground when you’re 140?

  4. James C Peters Jr December 16, 2021 at 17:37

    Hi Steven!
    Your comment is most interesting. With so many years of experience what alternative or alternatives are as good if not better than VLV?
    I’m most interested in your response because I have a hold of something that is truly and sorely needed. But it has to be properly launched and I don’t know how to do that.

  5. Timothy J. Rabun December 16, 2021 at 16:23

    One of the truly great characteristics of Veterans is their ability to adapt and overcome any obstacle. As a college instructor of Business Law for over 20 years, it has been my honor to see the excitement and success of Veterans who learn how to: write a business plan, market their product or service, and protect their business, customers and themselves by learning the simple procedures of ADR: mediation and arbitration. And, most importantly, all of this is learned in just 1-3 (easy) courses in any local Community College.

    Timothy J. Rabun, Esq. USN/USMC 1968-71

  6. Steven Chapman December 16, 2021 at 13:07

    The idea of helping to educate new business owners before they jump off the bridge and try to start a business before they know what they’re doing is a great idea. After 40 years of starting, building and running my own businesses I can tell you how much this is needed. The problem is you need to offer a more practical and less academic level of training. WHY? Because 95% of all the businesses that are running across the USA are not small to medium (SMD’s) sized businesses they are micro-enterprises. The primary difference is the academic/ corporate approach to solving problems is to identify the problem, establish a budget to hire people and support the plan. Micro-enterprises don’t generate the revenues to budget for problem solving this way. The owners must be able to solve their own problems with more creative solutions than just throwing money at them.
    As a veteran and a micro-enterprise owner with 40 years of hands-on working experience I know what I’m talking about. This mis-matched approach is a major contributor to why the failure rate is so high for startups.

    • Sharon December 18, 2021 at 16:24

      Your commets hit right where we are at. My family is trying to start a micro business that will help support an individual with disabilities (not SSI eligible). Wish I had your experience and expertise- Are there any resources, advice or help for us you can pass on?

    • William Cherry December 25, 2021 at 21:21

      Steven, It would be greatly appreciated for any direction you could give. I am not local and not able to attend in a traditional setting. But, as this has been a dream for a lifetime I would love any information and direction you could provide as my business would fall into the “micro enterprise” or “micro business”. Thank you in advance.

  7. Thomas E Schmidt December 16, 2021 at 11:16

    I don’t understand the changes all around but it seems to me, you are making great strides in improvement. I am unable to work anymore but my Caregiver Wife is very talented and educated. She wants to go back to work, she has to bc we have no insurance for her.

Comments are closed.

More Stories