For veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs, growth often starts with a simple question: What if this could become something bigger?

For dozens of founders in Dallas, that question became more than an idea at Walmart’s Road to Open Call, where small business owners had the opportunity to pitch their products, receive feedback, and connect with one of the world’s largest retailers.

Among them were two military-connected entrepreneurs: military spouse Nicole Brown and Air Force veteran Dylan Jones.

For Brown, the journey started with a popcorn kettle and a goal of helping pay for her daughter’s college education.

What began as weekend festival sales grew into Pop’s Praiseworthy Popcorn, an artisan popcorn business with wholesale partners across the country and plans for continued expansion.

As a military spouse, Brown is no stranger to uncertainty, adaptation, and starting over. Those same skills helped her grow a business from a side hustle into a company ready to sit across the table from one of the most recognized retailers in the world.

“Applying for Road to Open Call felt like a big step in our scaling journey,” Brown said.

While she did not receive a Fast Pass, she left with something just as valuable: confidence that her business belonged in the conversation.

“Walking into that room and holding my own was a moment I won’t soon forget,” she said.

Across the event floor, Dylan Jones was telling a different story, one rooted in years working alongside Military Working Dogs during his Air Force career.

After leaving the service, Jones founded LYX, a hydration company focused on helping dogs stay healthy, active, and properly hydrated. His mission was inspired by firsthand experience caring for working dogs and understanding the role hydration plays in performance and recovery.

For Jones, Road to Open Call was an opportunity to share that mission with a national audience and introduce LYX to a company with a demonstrated commitment to supporting veteran-owned businesses.

“As a veteran founder, Walmart’s commitment to supporting  veteran-owned businesses made this an opportunity to introduce LYX to one of the largest retailers in the world while sharing the mission and story behind our brand,” he said.

The opportunity matters because access remains one of the most persistent barriers for military-connected entrepreneurs. IVMF research has shown that many veteran and military spouse business owners need more direct pathways to buyers, stronger networks, clearer feedback, and better information about what it takes to compete for corporate opportunities.

For military spouse entrepreneurs in particular, growth can be complicated by barriers that go beyond the product itself. IVMF research has found that military spouse business owners often face challenges accessing distribution channels, reaching broader markets, securing financing, and finding the right people to help their businesses grow.

That is where strong corporate partners can make a meaningful difference.

Through its ongoing partnership with Walmart, IVMF is helping veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs access opportunities that might otherwise feel out of reach. From entrepreneurship education and mentorship to events like Road to Open Call, the partnership is designed to help founders strengthen their businesses, expand their networks, and compete at every level.

“Many veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs have great products and strong businesses, but gaining access to major buyers can still be a challenge,” said Barb Carson, Managing Director of Programs and Policies. “Opportunities like Road to Open Call help bridge that gap by connecting founders with decision-makers, providing valuable feedback, and helping them better understand what it takes to compete at a national level.”

Walmart’s commitment to veteran and military spouse-owned businesses is reflected in its actions. In FY24 alone, the company sourced $1.2 billion from military-connected owned suppliers, helping create pathways for military-connected entrepreneurs to reach new customers and grow their businesses.

At Road to Open Call, entrepreneurs stepped in front of buyers, exchanged ideas, received valuable feedback, and made new connections. Just as importantly, they had the opportunity to learn from fellow founders navigating many of the same challenges and opportunities, creating a sense of community that extended beyond the event itself.

Neither Brown nor Jones measured success solely by whether they walked away with a Fast Pass.

Success meant showing up prepared. It meant having meaningful conversations. It meant testing their businesses in front of decision-makers. It meant proving that their products and stories were ready for the next stage of growth.

For Brown and Jones, the experience in Dallas was just one chapter in their entrepreneurial journey. The relationships, insights, and opportunities gained there will continue long after the event.

And through strong partners like Walmart, more veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs are getting the opportunity to take that next step from side hustles to stronger businesses, to the store shelves and markets where they belong.