Syracuse University faculty and staff members from the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), recently returned from Jacksonville, Florida, where they hosted a record-breaking turnout for the 26th installment of the Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) conference. The cohort for this unique training program is exclusively composed of women who are either veterans themselves or military spouses with aspirations to launch or expand their small businesses.
V-WISE is held biannually across the United States, and while this wasn’t the first time the conference was held in Jacksonville, this cohort turned out to have the largest in-person turnout of more than 190 women actively participating in the three-day conference.
Prior to arriving in Jacksonville, the participants completed the initial phase of the V-WISE training program, which entails three weeks of online coursework to establish the fundamental principles of entrepreneurship. Following the virtual phase, the IVMF brings the cohort together for a three-day conference filled with in-depth discussions and panel sessions addressing the specific challenges faced by women in the entrepreneurial landscape, especially those with a military background.
According to the IVMF’s 2022 National Survey of Military Affiliated Entrepreneurs, among the top hurdles for female veteran entrepreneurs are the lack of mentors and limited exposure to fellow business owners. V-WISE effectively addresses these obstacles by providing an exclusive platform for military-connected women to build meaningful relationships and find mentorship within the program.