The Utah Veteran Business Resource Center at Salt Lake Community College has declared 2025 the Year of the Veteran Entrepreneur. To launch the statewide initiative, the VBRC hosted a networking event, bringing dozens of veterans to The Mill Entrepreneurship Center at SLCC’s Miller Campus in Sandy to share their success stories. 

Several veteran-owned business entrepreneurs gave presentations about their companies at the event and explained how the VBRC helps them find resources, partnerships and support as they navigate their business journey.

“Bringing veterans together who are in all different stages of owning or starting a business provides them with the camaraderie that they experienced while in the military. They really connect and want to see each other succeed,” said Becky Guertler, VBRC manager. “Utah’s veteran business community is poised for unprecedented growth, and we’re excited to support them and recognize their contribution.”

The VBRC has worked with about 2,300 vet entrepreneurs since its founding in 2017. With nearly 19,000 veteran-owned businesses in Utah, the center offers assistance during every stage of business, from idea creation to getting financial assistance. 

Navy veteran Donyale West, owner of 21West Productions, provides video production and digital marketing to businesses to build brand awareness and recognition.

“This is an invaluable opportunity for our veterans to network, share experiences, and support one another on our business journeys,” West said. “The VBRC provides support and space to celebrate our successes, navigate challenges, gain insight into resources, and camaraderie around balancing military service, family and entrepreneurship. We discover we are not alone on our entrepreneurial paths.”

Other presenters included Katie Fry (Warrior Revival), Michael Donnell (Measure Once Cut Once), Bear Bangs ($99 Weddings), Joshua Benson (Salt Lake Dumpster) and Brian Herbstritt (Fidelitech). 

“Some of the things that I’ve learned over the years is collaboration over competition,” Benson said. “When I learned about this program, I realized this is an opportunity to actually come meet with other businesses. A lot of people get in the mindset of ‘we’re in this for ourselves’…But as I’ve gone through this business process, I’ve realized that working together, we can do so much more than we can alone.”

These VRBC networking events usually sell out but it’s just one component of services offered to veteran entrepreneurs. The Strive program is a deep dive into business start-ups and the Minnow Tank Pitch Competition offers a platform for entrepreneurs to win prize money for their ideas.  

Fry started her nonprofit, Warrior Revival, about 18 months ago. Its purpose is to empower veterans as they transition to civilian life through wellness retreats, recreation adventures and community building. 

“I noticed that there was this big gap of services on weekends and at night for military and veterans,” Fry said. “At first, we were offering one event a month, and now we’re up to about eight events a month, just getting veterans out doing recreational activities.

“We’re trying to really work with service members while they’re in service, as well as when they get out of service. We believe it’s a life-long process. The first year tends to be the hardest.”

For more information, visit utahvbrc.org. λ