Fox Valley Tech program assists veterans looking to start a business

APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) - Fox Valley Technical College is looking to help area veterans launch a business or expand their current one.

Over the past four years, the college has helped dozens of veterans do just that, thanks to a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

Benjamin LaCount credits Fov Valley Tech’s Innovation Accelerator for Veterans program for getting his business on track.

His environmental consulting business currently has him working on a wetland mitigation project in Suamico.

“It really helped me fine tune, put together a business plan, we had a lot of work and had done really good, but just to put together a business plan to plan for the future and growth of the company, and just different tools you can use,” says LaCount, owner of Evergreen Consultants.

LaCount went through the free, three-month program in 2019.

The program includes a $1,000 grant upon completion.

“A three-phase initiative to help veterans who want to launch a business, or help establish veteran business owners who are looking to clarify their vision and avoid costly mistakes and kind of enhance and elevate their entrepreneur and small business skills,” explains Amy Pietsch, FVTC Venture Center Director.

“It goes through everything, they bring people in each week to discuss different laws, taxes and just networking. You know other ones were marketing, they helped us, they hooked us up with the company that helps with our website and just some of the different marketing tools that we use,” adds LaCount.

Since launching the program in 2017, Fox Valley Tech has assisted 52 veterans.

“Veterans work well together, they support each other and they come in to this program equipped with a lot of skills that make them ideal business owners. We have had 29 business launches, about 15 business expansions and we have probably a half dozen veteran businesses that will be launching during 2021,” says Pietsch.

Fox Valley Technical College still has openings for its upcoming Innovation Accelerator for Veterans programs that start in February and March.

For more information about the program, CLICK HERE.

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