Clarksville, TN – As a Clarksville native, Fort Campbell has always been a part of local life for me, one I admit I sometimes take for granted. Fort Campbell and Clarksville have formed a symbiotic relationship over the years, though. Without Fort Campbell, Clarksville would be much, much smaller; both economically, and culturally.
One of the great benefits of Fort Campbell’s proximity to Clarksville is the ethnic and cultural diversity it infuses into our community. Clarksville is definitely a “New South” city, in part, because people who have grown up in Clarksville in the last few generations have grown up around people from all over the world, brought here by and through their connections to Fort Campbell.
I believe it is a tribute to Clarksville that so many Fort Campbell soldiers and their families choose Middle Tennessee as a place to live when they reintegrate themselves into civilian life.For many of them, this is a difficult transition. For career military personnel, civilian life is quite different than life in the military. For some, the added challenge of the scars of war, both physical and psychological, provide social and professional hurdles that are not easy to overcome. Our servicemen and their families deserve our support, and Clarksville natives in every part of town do an outstanding job of supporting them.
One organization that has recently come to my attention that notably reaches out to retiring servicemen, servicewomen, and their spouses is the Tennessee Small Business Development Council (TSBDC) at Austin Peay State University. Through the TSBDC, service members and veterans can participate in “Operation Boots to Business”.
’Operation Boots to Business’ is a Two-day Transition Assistance Program (TAP) This workshop is for transitioning service members and veterans, you will determine if starting a business is right for you, if your business idea is feasible.
How to conduct market research, and the importance of market research. Legal forms of business the opportunities and challenges, government contracting. Financing and business plan development. Entrepreneurship and small business ownership is a key opportunity for transitioning service members and veterans as they transition to civilian life.
If you have a passion and the drive to start a business, this intensive training workshop is a perfect fit for you! (source: TSBDC @ Austin Peay State University)
I was invited to speak at the workshop, on June 26th. After my talk, I fielded questions for almost an hour. Also, I had the opportunity to sit in on part of Dr. Ronald Gordon’s lecture, and I was very impressed by the expert presentation he made. I think Operation Boots to Business is an excellent resource, among several offered by the TSBDC, for service members considering a start-up or other small business venture in Middle Tennessee.
For more information about Operation Boots to Business, click here to visit the TSBDC @ Austin Peay State University page on the TSBDC website. Clarksville is fortunate to have found in Fort Campbell a strong partner in local business. I am honored, as are many Clarksville natives, to have the opportunity to support the service members that adopt our city as their own, and work to make Clarksville a better place to live and work.