TORONTO – BUSINESS – Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur (POE), a program of Prince’s Charities Canada that helps those transitioning from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to become entrepreneurs, today launched the first Canadian Veteran Business Directory. POE’s searchable directory allows patriotic Canadians to identify and locate veteran businesses, to support the men and women who have served our country by using their services or buying their products. To access the Directory, visit www.princesoperationentrepreneur.ca/canadian-veteran-business-directory.
The directory also allows veteran entrepreneurs to stay connected with each other. Entrepreneurship can offer an exciting career opportunity for those transitioning from the CAF, and can be a great fit for those who have been released from service for medical reasons. Military culture is very team focused, and feedback from program participants shows that networking with and mutual support from other veteran entrepreneurs is a key factor for success.
“We have so many success stories of veterans who are thriving and contributing to the community. This directory provides an opportunity for Canadians to see this success and support our veterans in a way that hasn’t been possible before,” said Janet McCausland, Director, Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur.
Established in 2012, POE offers the education, tools, resources and networks veterans need to launch and run successful businesses. Entrepreneurship provides an attractive option for exiting military, allowing them to build on the skills developed while in service and focus on a new mission: their own business success. POE is the only national program that addresses the needs of veterans who want to become business owners.
POE offers one-day “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” workshops across Canada, seven-day boot camps as well as ongoing support in the form of short-term business coaching by two Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, monthly webinars and online resources.
“I owe a lot of my success with Hero Dog Treats to participating in POE’s boot camp program as well as the ongoing networking and connections I made there. Business grew exponentially after completion of the boot camp,” said Leendert Bolle, President at Hero Dog Treats. “Veterans need this type of support and no one else is providing these resources for us.”
POE invites all veteran small business owners to participate in the Canadian Veteran Business Directory. With over 169 businesses started by 289 boot camp alumni, and over 1,400 attendees of the one-day workshops, POE’s goal is to ensure Canadians can locate the great selection in businesses owned and operated by veterans. Current veteran businesses listed in the directory include everything from tutoring services in Winnipeg; dog treats and fire starters available for purchase online; bike trips in Cuba; space optimization services in Quebec City and more.
To include a business in the directory, POE alumni and veterans can fill out a form on the website www.princesoperationentrepreneur.ca accessed through “Veteran Login”. POE will promote these businesses through social media and profiles, which will be included on the POE and Prince’s Charities Canada websites.
About Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur (POE)
The Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur (POE) is a made-in-Canada program of the Prince’s Charities Canada that combines two of HRH The Prince of Wales’s lifelong interests: encouraging entrepreneurship and support for the Armed Forces. POE provides education, tools and resources for transitioning military members interested in their starting their own businesses. Supporters include Government of Canada, True Patriot Love Foundation, Wounded Warriors Canada, TD Bank, The John C. and Sally Horsfall Eaton Foundation, BDC, Aimia, Boeing, Garda World, COBS Bread and Via Rail. http://www.princesoperationentrepreneur.ca
About Prince’s Charities Canada
The work of Prince’s Charities Canada (PCC) is focused on The Prince of Wales’s core interests that have been well-established in the U.K. for more than 30 years. These include improving the lives of disadvantaged youth, education, responsible business, improving the built environment, regeneration of heritage, environmental sustainability and support for the armed forces. PCC works with existing Canadian charities already connected to The Prince and facilitates new opportunities for charitable organizations in Canada and the U.K. to work together. www.princescharities.ca
