Why do veterans and entrepreneurial ventures go together so naturally? Because plenty of skills apply in both worlds. I interviewed Bart Lomont, cofounder of lawn care service Robin, in order to learn more about the connections between the two. Here’s a quick look at the skill set a veteran can rely on for entrepreneurial success:
You Have No Playbook
When you are self-employed, there isn’t necessarily a guide to help you along the way, and on a daily basis, you’ll need to make time-sensitive decisions that can impact your company.
Communication Is Essential
In the military, communication is the most critical components to a successful mission and the ability to communicate effectively to your team can also help while building your business.
You Stay Accountable
In the military and when you own a business, being accountable for one’s work and actions can help the team understand their role and outcome goals. As Bart tells it:
You Know How to Adapt
There are many twists and turns to building a business and the ability to adapt to the unexpected things that come your way and maintain a steady head is a valuable transitional skill for veterans. If Bart could go back in time to the start of his career, he’d tell himself to stop worrying about the ‘what-ifs.’ Robin proves that Bart and his co-founder Justin Crandall know how to adapt: The company recently launched the nation’s first robotic lawn care service. A startup’s greatest advantage is its adaptability. We don’t have to run decisions through committees and receive approval from different departments. We can make decisions in the field that make an immediate impact and gain us considerable advantages over the competition.”
Teamwork Matters
One of the biggest core values of the military is teamwork and it’s the most important component to help a unit complete a mission. For Bart and his cofounder Justin, they knew that teamwork includes individuals who have the experience and willing to help others succeed in their company mission. Robin had a connection to a local Bunker Labs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports early phase veteran-owned startups, and the cofounders reached out for help. Bunker Labs is heading in the second year of a two-year, $1.5 million commitment from JPMorgan Chase to launch a 10-month tour to hold events and open new chapters across the U.S. Any veteran entrepreneurs hoping to start a business already has the experience and skills to succeed and need to remember to leverage available networks. A great place to start building a network is at Startup Week where you can meet other entrepreneurs or advisors who can help you achieve your company mission. This article is part of a Startup Week content series brought to you by CHASE for BUSINESS. Startup Week is celebration of entrepreneurs in cities around the globe. CHASE for BUSINESS is everything a business needs in one place, from expert advice to valuable products and services. Find business news, stories, insights and expert tips all in one place at Chase.com/forbusiness. Read the rest of our Startup Week series.
