Operation Entrepreneur Connects Veteran and Military Family Entrepreneurs to Online Workshops 

Last month the Prince’s Trust Operation Entrepreneur launched POE Connects for military and military family entrepreneurs.

The program offer entrepreneurs in the military and veteran community the opportunity to get together for a one-hour weekly discussion. The sessions are an opportunity for entrepreneurs facing business challenges in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues to find solutions.

“When I learned of the Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur, I looked at the website to learn more about it,” said Shane Patterson. “I will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces in four years, and I am starting to prepare for a second career. On the website you can see some resources listed, a number of veteran businesses, and some success story profiles. I also saw the notice identifying an opportunity to videoconference in the POE through Zoom for a led discussion with veteran entrepreneurs and the program leaders. I booked myself in, but I was a little concerned because I did not feel that I was really fully prepared to step into the entrepreneurial realm.”

“They provided all sorts of great advice and pointed us in the right direction for other resources. There was no pressure and it all felt very supportive, so I am really glad I took that step. I feel like I can plan with confidence knowing that POE is there to provide guidance,” said Shane Patterson. 

However, Patterson noted that the team at Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur, Kathleen, Jacqueline, and Antoine were approachable, supportive, and answered all the questions.

“They provided all sorts of great advice and pointed us in the right direction for other resources. There was no pressure and it all felt very supportive, so I am really glad I took that step. I feel like I can plan with confidence knowing that POE is there to provide guidance,” Patterson said.

Along with POE Connects, the organization is also hosting its One-Day Workshop online.

Both of the programs are held via video conference. Antoine Carrière, Operation Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, hosts the POE Connects weekly sessions.

POE Connects sessions are being held every Friday from 12:00-13:00 EDT. The next session will be held on May 1, 2020. The sessions cover a range of various business management topics, including:

• • • • • Managing business continuity
        • Modifying and adapting products and services
        • Deferring options for delivery
        • Right-sizing business options
        • Creating and adjusting revenue and cash flow models

“We are focused on providing programs to our transitioning folks,” said Kathleen Kilgour, senior program manager.

One-Day Workshops Online

The organization has also added One-Day Workshops to its repertoire of programs they offer online.

“We were planning to offer programs, like our One-Day workshop online to reach our community members that may not live close to the larger bases, where we normally hold our workshops in the next six months, but the current situation has moved it up,” said Kilgour.

Follow this link to register and receive the Zoom link here to register for the POE Connects. To learn more about the One-Day Workshop visit here.

With files from Ambar Syed