Today is Veteran’s Day and typically on this date, I blog about ways to support veteran-owned businesses. Veterans, according to both the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Small Business Administration, are the most entrepreneurial group, accounting for 11 per cent of all business owners. I recently came across a posting on the website Military Wallet titled “Veterans Day Meals and Deals”. The posting lists restaurants offering free meals to veterans today, with proof of their military service. The list is dominated by large chain restaurants, such as Chili’s and California Pizza Kitchen, who should be commended for their generosity.
Small businesses should show their support, too, and seek to be included on this list so veterans know they are welcome to receive a free meal at locally owned restaurants. I honored Veterans Day by offering a workshop on small business disaster resilience to local veterans – particularly important information to convey given the number of National Guardsmen who serve on the weekends while running their businesses during the workweek and must put plans in place to enable their businesses when they are called to active duty overseas.