Calling all VeteraNoles!

David Booth, CEO of
Combat Veterans to Careers (CVC)

Time flies when you are having fun! I think I can speak for all of the EBV staff and most of the participants when I say this year’s program absolutely flew by. It seems like just yesterday, our 2012 class was leaving Tallahassee a day early due to an oncoming tropical storm. They didn’t even get a Graduation/Closing Ceremony, unless your name is David Booth that is. Booth, a 2012 graduate, came back to our program this year to present as a guest entrepreneur, and speak during our Closing Ceremony. He was very excited to finally attend a Closing Ceremony even if it wasn’t his own.

Now, back to the main event…this year’s class. 2013 was comprised of 22 veterans traveling from 11 different states. Some of our farthest participants came from Colorado, Maryland, and Ohio. Seven participants drove to Tallahassee from different parts of Florida. We also had men and women representing a variety of branches including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. Each participant brought fantastic business ideas to the table, some of which were mere ideas, others being businesses already up and running. Business ideas varied from lawn maintenance, website design, counseling, and decorative concrete companies. 

The week went fairly smooth with the Registration and Orientation kicking things off on Tuesday, June 4^th. It was a dreary, wet day (not unusual for EBV week apparently) which made it harder for our participants to travel to Tallahassee. Several planes were delayed and drivers were extra cautious about getting here carefully. 

 

Our Opening Dinner was an intimate ceremony which took place shortly after our participants arrived and received information about the week ahead of them. We didn’t keep the participants out too late to ensure they receive a good night’s rest before their first day of classes. Tired from traveling, the 2013 class called it a night and woke up refreshed and eager to learn on Wednesday morning, the official start of bootcamp classes. The first couple of classes entailed Director of the program, Dr. Randy Blass, speaking on the Entrepreneurial Experience. Themed classes continued throughout the week with several guest entrepreneurs sharing personal experiences from starting and running their own business. FSU professors and speakers flew in from around the US to share their expertise in specific fields.  

It never fails that about half-way through the program, the participants start getting tired. 

Overwhelmed with their newly acquired knowledge and work put into their business plans, the days seem to drag on. We’ve done this program enough times to know that around this time of the week, a night of relaxation is much appreciated. This year the participants took a tour of the football facilities, as well as the President’s Box, where they ate dinner overlooking the football field. This night is a very special occasion where everyone can come together, enjoy good food, and relish the fact that they get the night off from working on their business plan and presentations.

With only 3 days left of the program, our participants got back at it the next morning and crunch time was called for at the night sessions while trying to finish up their venture pitch presentations. Student volunteers attended each night of the program and the participants made sure to utilize their knowledge. 

As I stated in the beginning of this blog, time flies when you are having fun. Tuesday, June 11^th, arrived quickly and each participant looked smashing while presenting their business idea to a panel of judges. The presentations were fantastic and each veteran conquered this challenge like it was nothing! With some free time on their hands and the chance to take a deep breath knowing they just finished the last requirement of the program, our participants took the rest of the afternoon to prepare for the Closing/Graduation Ceremony and just enjoy each other’s company before heading back home on Wednesday.

Our program came to an end with the Closing Ceremony, an emotional event each year and this year proved to be no different. Our EBV classes arrive as strangers, yet leave as family. After receiving their diplomas, everyone took plenty of pictures and exchanged numbers and Facebook information knowing it would be a while before seeing each other again. Wednesday morning all of our participants traveled back home to start putting to use the knowledge they gained while in Tallahassee. We are now proud to say we have officially welcomed 22 new members into our VeteraNole family! Congratulations, again, 2013 FSU EBV graduates. Be proud of all you have accomplished while attending the Florida State University!