Â鶹ƵµÀUniversity faculty and staff members from the , recently returned from Jacksonville, Florida, where they hosted a record-breaking turnout for the 26th installment of the Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) conference. The cohort for this unique training program is exclusively composed of women who are either veterans themselves or military spouses with aspirations to launch or expand their small businesses.
V-WISE is held biannually across the United States, and while this wasn’t the first time the conference was held in Jacksonville, this cohort turned out to have the largest in-person turnout of more than 190 women actively participating in the three-day conference.
Tiffany Jones (right) assists V-WISE participants during the check-in process for the multi-day conference in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Michael Parks/Daystar Photography)
Prior to arriving in Jacksonville, the participants completed the initial phase of the V-WISE training program, which entails three weeks of online coursework to establish the fundamental principles of entrepreneurship. Following the virtual phase, the IVMF brings the cohort together for a three-day conference filled with in-depth discussions and panel sessions addressing the specific challenges faced by women in the entrepreneurial landscape, especially those with a military background.
According to the IVMF’s , among the top hurdles for female veteran entrepreneurs are the lack of mentors and limited exposure to fellow business owners. V-WISE effectively addresses these obstacles by providing an exclusive platform for military-connected women to build meaningful relationships and find mentorship within the program.
The D’Aniello Institute is renowned for its exceptional support for program participants, and University staff members play a pivotal role in ensuring the program’s success. Tiffany Jones, a program coordinator for the IVMF’s entrepreneurship and small business programs, was at the forefront of the behind-the-scenes operations for the first time in Jacksonville. She emphasized the vital role played by the IVMF’s robust alumni network and their partner organizations in the success of this particular cohort.
From left to right, Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Merryl Tengesdal, the first and only Black woman to fly the U-2 spy plane; IVMF Chief Operating Officer Maureen Casey; and Whitman School of Management Assistant Teaching Professor Elizabeth Wimer. (Photo by Michael Parks/Daystar Photography)
“As the IVMF’s alumni network continues to expand, thanks to all the programs and services offered, our ability to reach eligible veteran audiences through word of mouth has increased. Additionally, our partners and sponsors play a key role by sharing our programs and services with their networks,” says Jones. “One organization in particular, Wounded Warrior Project, the main sponsor for V-WISE Jacksonville, immensely helped with recruitment through their own outreach and engagement.”
In addition to Jones and other IVMF staff members, Whitman School of Management Assistant Teaching Professor Elizabeth Wimer was present at the event. She took center stage on the final day of the conference to deliver a presentation on creative problem-solving.
“Everyone encounters problems that can be solved creatively; even a surgeon faces creative problem-solving challenges,” says Wimer, the granddaughter of two World War II veterans. “What most people get wrong is they take something novel and something useful, then mash them together and call it creative. Just having those elements doesn’t automatically make it creative; you need a process and a guide to generate creative ideas,” Wimer emphasized during her presentation.
The conference provided a comprehensive overview of essential topics for aspiring business owners, encompassing business planning, financial management, marketing and networking. While these skills are crucial for all entrepreneurs, they hold particular value for veterans and military-affiliated women who may be new to the world of business ownership. For many of the participants, however, the most significant appeal was a rare opportunity for networking and camaraderie along with experiencing a program exclusively designed for women and tailored to their unique experiences.
“I really just wanted to be in a room with a bunch of female veterans doing the same thing I am,” says one participant, Kelly Fosberg, a U.S. Army veteran now running her own business as a life and career coach, focusing on helping veterans transition into their post-service careers. “I flew across the country for this, and I’m so glad I did. For any female veteran entrepreneur unsure about starting a business, they should absolutely attend V-WISE to resolve some of those lingering questions.”
V-WISE is set to return to Atlanta, Georgia, in 2024 with the in-person conference scheduled to be held in April at the Omni CNN Center. For those interested in learning more about the program, visit the IVMF’s website for .
