Battle-Tested Business: First-Year Survival Guide for Veteran Entrepreneurs
Navigating Year One with Confidence and Grit
Introduction
The first year of entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster of emotions, challenges, and triumphs. For veterans transitioning from the structured environment of the military to the world of business ownership, this period is pivotal.
I want to offer some essential advice to help my fellow veteran entrepreneurs not just survive but thrive in your first year. And believe me, if a former U.S. Marine Corps grunt can build a successful business from scratch, you can too.
Here’s how.
1. Give Yourself Permission to Fail
One of the most counterintuitive yet crucial pieces of advice I can give is to give yourself the freedom to fail. In the military, mission accomplishment is paramount, and failure is often not an option. Entrepreneurship demands a different mindset.
If you’re too scared to fail as an entrepreneur, then you probably don’t need to be in this sector. The first year is a time of experimentation, and setbacks are inevitable. Learning to view failure as data instead of defeat was the mindset shift that saved me.
2. Validate Your Idea
A U.S. Marine on the lookout. (Source: DVIDS)
Before you write a 40-page business plan or quit your job, validate the damn idea. You can date the idea before you marry it.
Build a pilot or minimum viable product (MVP)
Get it in front of real paying customers (or at least people who act like it)
Listen hard, then iterate fast
Now, here's the thing: I did not do this. I eloped only after some minor testing. I've spoken many times on the record that I founded Evocati PR having no idea what I was doing—no business plan, no business background, nothing. I had a vague-ish business idea and incorporated in Virginia from my small study. That was the very undramatic way we began.
READ MORE: From Dog Tags to Ownership: Entrepreneurial Insights from a Marine Veteran — Evocati PR
What I did do in the first year that paid dividends was find a couple of pro-bono clients who were willing to let me test the waters while I worked full-time. I provided them with a service; they gave me feedback on its efficacy. Their feedback gave me enough confidence to leave my full-time job for Evocati PR, despite having no business plan, and the rest was history.
LISTEN BELOW: Barrett Y. Bogue talks about his entrepreneurial journey on the DogTags to Ownership podcast.
3. Master the Cash-Flow War (Because Running Out of Money is the Real Mission Failure)
Eighty-two percent of businesses die from cash-flow problems, not because the idea was bad. In the military you had logistics and a budget. In Year 1, you are the entire supply chain.
Here’s what I wish someone had tattooed on my forehead in 2018:
Keep 6–12 months of personal runway before you go all-in (yes, even when the contracts are “90% sure”)
Charge upfront deposits or progress billing every single time you can
Track every penny—set up accounting (Xero or QuickBooks) ASAP
Treat your VA disability or retirement pay as sacred base funding; never bet it on payroll, never inject it into your company
Return as much revenue into the company as possible
I paid myself a laughably small salary—it wasn't pennies, but it sure was close—in Years 1 - 3. Even today, our employees make more than me. When you do that, it signals two things: you're committed to growing your company and treating your employees right.
4. Leverage Your Military Skills
CPL Barrett Y. Bogue (right) poses for a photo in the Iraq with his squadmates. (Source: Barrett Y. Bogue)
Your military experience is your unfair advantage. The discipline, leadership, strategic thinking, and resilience you built under fire translate one-to-one into business. Here's more on how you stand out:
Discipline: The ability to stay focused, organized, and execute tasks efficiently.
Leadership: Experience in leading teams, making decisions under pressure, and inspiring others.
Strategic thinking: The capacity to analyze situations, develop plans, and adapt to changing circumstances.
Resilience: The mental toughness to persevere through challenges and overcome obstacles. As I've emphasized, this resilience, this "winning edge," is a key differentiator for veteran entrepreneurs.
Stop listening to civilians who tell you your MOS “doesn’t translate.” It translates harder than an MBA. I should know, I was an 0311.
READ MORE: The Winning Edge: Applying Legendary Coaching Strategies to Your Business | Evocati PR
5. Sell Like Your Life Depends On It (Because Your Business Does)
Most veterans hate selling because it feels slimy. Get over it. In the military, no one had to convince Gunny to give you ammo. In business, if you don’t close, everyone starves—including your family.
Charging what you’re worth is not taking advantage of people; it’s exchanging value. Practice your pitch out loud 100 times. Repeat.
READ MORE: 3 Bootstrapping Lessons from the President & Founder of Evocati PR — Evocati PR
The fastest way to stop feeling salesy is to get ridiculously good at selling.
6. Build a Support System
EPR President & Founder Barrett Y. Bogue (center frame) engaging in a discussion with Veteran Leadership Program Scholars at the George W. Bush Institute. (Source: George W. Bush Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program)
Entrepreneurship is lonely as hell, but it doesn’t have to be. Find mentors who’ve already done it (not just “coaches” who read a book). Join a veteran entrepreneur peer group—Bunker Labs literally saved my sanity in Year 1. Surround yourself with people who’ve been in the suck and kept moving. Peer power is the one thing every veteran entrepreneur needs to win. Focus in finding these three things to build a support system:
Mentors: Seek out experienced entrepreneurs who can provide guidance and advice.
Peer groups: Connect with other veteran entrepreneurs to share experiences, challenges, and successes. Organizations like Bunker Labs offer invaluable peer support and resources. As I've stressed, peer power is essential; it's the one thing every veteran entrepreneur needs to be successful.
Networks: Attend industry events and connect with potential customers, partners, and investors.
I crafted a comprehensive list of veteran-focused peer support groups you can get involved with today at the link below.
READ MORE: Peer Power: The One Thing Every Veteran Entrepreneur Needs to be Successful | Evocati PR
7. Prioritize Self-Investment
Devote time every single day to yourself. Read, train, lift, meditate—whatever keeps your edge sharp. Burnout is real, and the mission fails if the leader goes down.
You Got This
You’ve already done harder things with worse intel, worse comms, and way worse food. Year 1 is just another hump or patrol.
Lock your gear, check your sectors, and move out with violence of action.
If you’re a transitioning veteran, a first-year founder, or just stuck in the mud, hit me up on LinkedIn or at Evocati PR. I answer every single veteran who reaches out—no gatekeepers.
Semper Fi, Airborne Leads the Way, Aim High, Never Shall I Fail, (I have no idea what the Space Force says), Hooyah, or whatever your flavor is.
Quit reading and attack. I've got your six.
More Tips for Veteran Entrepreneurs…
