Episode Details

The VA self employment track can pay veterans to start a business instead of pushing them back into another degree, and almost no counselor talks about it.

In this episode, two veterans reveal how they got the VA to fund their LLCs, certifications, laptops, training, and even a monthly stipend while they learned to win government contracts. If you are a veteran with a business idea and a service connected disability, this is the exact path most counselors will steer you away from.

Here is what you will learn in this episode:

• How the vocational rehabilitation self employment track can reimburse up to $100,000 in track one or $25,000 in track two, plus post standup costs like a mentor or business consultant
• Why the self employment and OJT tracks pay for your LLC, certifications, website, insurance, and computer when the educational tracks will not
• The exact phrase and preparation that turned a denial into an approval, including why Chapter 8 of the M28R regulation is your strongest leverage
• How Rafa used the OJT track to earn two incomes at once while getting SDVOSB, EDWOSB, and HUBZone certified through Brave One Contract Agency
• How Renona sold her HR consulting idea through the accelerator program and feasibility study to get Hermar Solutions funded

EPISODE CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Using the VA to fund your entire startup
2:04 - Vocational rehabilitation tracks and self employment explained
4:17 - Why Rafa chose contracting over going back to school
6:03 - How the OJT track pays you monthly
8:19 - Self employment track reimbursements and hard costs covered
10:32 - Track one and track two funding amounts explained
12:26 - Building your feasibility study and selling the idea
18:16 - Getting SDVOSB, EDWOSB, and HUBZone certifications through the track
20:32 - Why counselors discourage the self employment track
24:11 - Finding the M28R regulation and doing your homework
26:36 - First steps to contact voke rehab and apply
35:15 - Timeline for getting funded and final advice

Mindy gives you the federal opportunities, agency signals, recompete intel, and pursuit briefs that tell you not just what contracts exist, but which ones to chase and how to win them.

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Connect with Encore Funding: http://govcongiants.org/funding