Sinema hears often fromveteran small business owners about the challenges they face accessing mentorship, funding, and resources to grow their businesses
PHOENIX – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema convened a roundtable with Arizona veteran-owned small businesses at Black Rifle Coffee Company – a veteran founded and owned business – to hear about the challenges the veteran community faces and discuss solutions to help veteran-owned businesses grow and thrive.
“After bravely serving our nation, Arizona veterans have earned our gratitude, respect, and support. I’m focused on making it easier for their businesses to thrive by supporting efforts that build economic freedom and opportunities,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Gaining access to capital is one of the greatest challenges Arizona veterans face in starting and growing their businesses. It is well documented that veteran-owned small businesses face greater difficulty in accessing capital relative to nonveteran-owned businesses – an issue only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At her roundtable, Sinema heard from Arizona veteran entrepreneurs about the unique challenges they face in starting, growing, and operating their businesses. The Senator spoke about her work to strengthen their access to key resources such as capital and federal assistance tools, grants, and workforce development programs. During her time in Congress, Sinema helped improve and expand the VA’s Veteran’s First Contracting Program, and voted to make permanent the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act.
Sinema highlighted how the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) advocates for veteran-owned businesses by offering a range of programs and initiatives tailored to veterans including access to capital, entrepreneurial development, training, and advocacy with government contracting. Acknowledging that navigating the bureaucracy can be daunting, the Senator offered her office’s support to help with federal agencies and ensure veteran small business owners get the support they’ve earned.
Representatives from the Arizona branch of the U.S. SBA, the Arizona Corporate Council on Veteran Careers, and Southwest Veterans Chamber of Commerce helped lead the roundtable discussion to detail the local challenges, opportunities, and resources available to the entrepreneurs present.
Veteran-owned small businesses participating in Sinema’s roundtable included Black Rifle Coffee Company, 3D Management & Consulting, LLC/Cyber Electronic Warfare Intelligence, LLC, Quiet Waters Maternity Spa & Wellness Center, PLLC/QW-Global Maternal Wellness, Warriors Code Inc., Connect Security, Better Direct LLC, Patriotic Pest Control, LLC, Cider Corps, GoX Labs, Inc./FITT Scientific, LLC, American Crown Commercial Cleaning, LLC, and Gordon C. James Public Relations, representing business from Northern Arizona, Southern Arizona and Maricopa County.
Members of Sinema’s Veterans Advisory Council – a group of veterans with backgrounds in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines formed to seek feedback from Arizona veterans – were also in attendance.