Military families offered entrepreneurship training

PUHI — The start date for the Startup Training Resources to Inspire Veteran Entrepreneurship has been moved back to May 30 to accommodate any veterans, military spouses and active-duty military interested in registering, said Mary Kay Hertog, the commander for the Kaua‘i Veterans Council.

Alicia Sams, the veteran support counselor at Kaua‘i Community College, said the STRIVE program is a free entrepreneurship training opportunity.

KCC announced the launch of its first cohort in the STRIVE program that is part of a landmark initiative designed to transform veterans and military family members into entrepreneurs.

STRIVE helps to identify, overcome and mitigate challenges for the new venture to help pave the way for veteran business ownership success. Applications are welcomed from all veterans, active duty and military spouses who demonstrate a strong interest in entrepreneurship and small-business ownership.

Sams said on completion of the program, eligible candidates will have access to national veteran resouces through the Institute for Veterans and Military Families and Syracuse University.

“If that’s not enough, the opportunity to obtain seed money for your business will be available on completion of the program,” Sams said. “There are just a limited number of seats for this first STRIVE cohort.”

Application forms are available online at https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/entrepresneurship/ideation/strive/#app.

STRIVE is a nine-week course consisting of evening, in-person classes that will be held at KCC. The classes are Mondays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information, or to get help in registering, contact KCC STRIVE representatives Sams (808-245-8317, samsa@hawaii.edu), or Dirk Some (808-245-8228, dsoma@hawaii.edu).

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.