Our Mission & History
20+
Years of Success Since Founded
1000+
Students have gone through this program
500+
Businesses started or enhanced
Hands-On Foundational Learning
The VBOI Business Gym is a complimentary 18-module program that covers essential business functions. We offer, at no cost to the veteran, focused training in marketing, finance, legal matters, and business plan development to build a strong business foundation. Expert guest speakers share specialized knowledge to complement our core curriculum, while one-on-one mentoring provides personalized guidance. By program completion, you’ll have clear goals and a business plan ready for bank presentations.
At VBOI, we focus on YOU and your individual journey. We help veterans and their immediate family members identify their specific business development needs, no matter where you are in the process. Whether you’ve jotted down your idea on a napkin, dream of starting a franchise, plan to purchase an existing business, or need help with current business challenges—we’re here to support you.
Consider VBOI your comprehensive business resource center. We provide complete support—including education, training, coaching, mentorship, networking opportunities with clients and investors, and funding options. Most importantly, we help you find renewed purpose after your military service. Veterans and their immediate family members receive all our services at no cost. Remember: with VBOI, you’re never alone on your entrepreneurial journey.
Our Beginnings
The Veteran Business Owners Initiative (VBOI) began with a focused mission: helping veterans with physical and emotional challenges build successful ventures.
We’ve since expanded to support all veterans, their family members, and non-veterans on their entrepreneurial journeys. Our structured guidance covers every stage—from business planning to daily operations. While our members show strong entrepreneurial potential, many face challenges accessing the financing needed to launch or grow their businesses.
Founded in 2004 at the Bedford, Massachusetts Veterans’ Health Administration, we set out to help veterans discover opportunities beyond entry-level positions. Our organization, run by veterans for veterans and their communities, hosts monthly meetings where members share their progress. Through our Business Gym, an eighteen-week program, we teach essential business concepts and tools.
The Empowerment Bank, our non-profit organization under the Veteran Business Owners Initiative (VBOI), provides veterans with access to micro-loans for their entrepreneurial ventures.
Throughout this journey, we’ve witnessed remarkable transformations. Our veterans have grown more confident and successfully engaged with their communities. We’ve celebrated countless achievements—from profitable businesses to career advancements, higher education pursuits, and meaningful relationships. Through determination and strategic planning, we continue our mission: veterans helping veterans not just overcome challenges, but excel in achieving their goals!
Our Mission Is To Help You Define Yours
For over a decade, we’ve been committed to helping veterans overcome physical, emotional, and financial challenges while building their own businesses. Through tailored programs, expert guidance, and a strong community of like-minded veterans, we provide the tools, resources, and mentorship needed to turn military skills into thriving enterprises.
Your future lies in your capable hands, and we’re here to help you seize it. The Veteran Business Owners Initiative (VBOI) recognizes that the same dedication, discipline, and resilience that define exceptional soldiers also create successful entrepreneurs.
Our Future
Our program has earned national recognition. As our members’ businesses flourish, our organization grows alongside them. With support from the VA, SBA, and DOD, we’re expanding our proven methods across the country. Having launched over 250 businesses through the VBOA, our goal of establishing 500 veteran-owned businesses nationwide is within reach.
Your Next Steps
Get started in the Veteran Business Owners Initiative (VBOI) now, and your journey to entrepreneurship begins. Upon graduation, you can qualify for the Veteran Business Owners Association (VBOA). It’s a community built to support, connect, and empower veteran-owned businesses for long-term success.
Our Founder
Jerry Pinsky, LICSW, MSW, CPRP, serves as VA Facilitator and is the founder and driving force behind the Veterans Business Owners Initiative. As an entrepreneur and former CEO of a computer company, Mr. Pinsky spent over thirty years in corporate business and self-employment before transitioning to social work after his business career. After graduating from Simmons College’s School of Social Work, he completed a year-long fellowship at the Bedford VA Medical Center. There, he developed a pilot program studying how entrepreneurship could benefit veterans with psychiatric disabilities. This pilot program evolved into the Veterans Business Owners Initiative.