IBM launches business toolkit for vets p1 - Military - Start Your Own Business - Military Times Edge

Thinking about starting your own business when you leave the military? An online toolkit for veteran small-business owners that launched Memorial Day is great place to begin your research.

SMEToolkit.org is a joint initiative of IBM and the International Finance Organization, the private-sector arm of the World Bank. The material in the new veteran section of the site is not veteran-specific, but was selected to walk would-be military entrepreneurs through the business life cycle, said IBM spokeswoman Lisa Lanspery.

So you’ll find advice about deciding on a business, creating a business plan, figuring out licenses and permits, and finding financing. You also can use various calculators to estimate starting costs, cash flow and other money matters.

But don’t confine your explorations to the veteran channel — there are plenty of other resources for entrepreneurs, veteran or otherwise, on the site, including message boards, chat rooms, secure file sharing, group calendars and email accounts.

And there’s more to come: American Corporate Partners, a nonprofit that pairs veterans with corporate mentors, will be developing more unique information for vets on the site, and profiling veteran success stories.