IN THE NEWS St. Louis-based nonprofit center helps veterans grow businesses Pub: Missouri Lawyers Media Author: Sarah Wienke Issue Date: 09/28/2009 ST. LOUIS, MO -- A St. Louis-based nonprofit is giving back to veterans for their service to the country by helping them establish and grow their own small businesses. The Veterans Business Resource Center in St. Louis has helped many veterans start or build their businesses. Darcella Craven, executive director, said the center acts as business consultants to honorably discharged veterans, National Guard and reservists and active duty personnel. The center also offers seminars, research and public relations assistance for its clients. For Jesse McDaniel, owner of a UPS Store franchise in St. Charles, working with the center has helped him get additional business. It also has helped him learn how to work with the government to secure government contracts. "It's a great start for learning the basics about your business and how to be a better business person in the community," he said. McDaniel served 20 years in the Air Force, and his son is currently serving in the Air Force in Iraq. Dennis Boxdorfer, owner of Denco Construction Services, said he started working with the Veterans Business Resource Center in June and is hopeful that relationship will help him secure government business. Boxdorfer, an Army veteran, started his design-build remodeling company in November 2002. His company focuses on remodeling and additions for residential and commercial clients. He had seven employees up until early 2008 but had to downsize due to the recession. He explained that 75 percent of his business was paid for through home equity loans, so when the housing market went sour, so did his business. Boxdorfer's firm has already had jobs through the Veterans Administration doing modifications for disabled veterans to make their homes ADA compliant. He is working with the Veterans Business Resource Center to connect with larger companies through which he can work as a subcontractor on bigger jobs. The benefit to working with the Veterans Business Resource Center is that they will help a business network and find educational opportunities, he said. The resource center will analyze the business and help the owner come up with a business plan. They also help with advertising. "They don't offer jobs for you, but they do get your name out there," Boxdorfer said. The Veterans Business Resource Center counsels about 1,700 clients per year on everything from setting up a business plan strategy to securing a business loan. Craven said the center, started in 2004 by a Vietnam-era veteran, is a service that's not provided by any other group or organization in the region. "While there are other organizations that assist veterans, we are the only one that does economic development for small business solely for veterans," she said. "I am constantly looking at new ways to assist our clients move toward small business ownership successfully." The Veterans Business Resource Center has been recognized as one of the St. Louis Top 15 Places to Help Your Business Grow 2009 by Small Business Monthly readers, and is the 2009 SBA Veterans Small Business Champion of the Year for Region VII & Eastern Missouri. For more information about the center, visit www.vetbiz.com, or call 314-531-VETS. St. Charles, MO 63304 I  phone: 636.410.6600  I  fax: 636.329.9250 I email

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