Comments on: Blacklisting the National Veterans Business Development Corporation http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2009/01/21/blacklisting-blacklisting-the-national-veterans-business-development-corporation/ Wed, 23 May 2012 05:43:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Bob Guinto http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2009/01/21/blacklisting-blacklisting-the-national-veterans-business-development-corporation/#comment-10513 Bob Guinto Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:46:00 +0000 http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2009/01/21/blacklisting-blacklisting-the-national-veterans-business-development-corporation/#comment-10513 If you have a suggested Veterans group that has the Veteran first, please feel free to make the suggestion. If you have a suggested Veterans group that has the Veteran first, please feel free to make the suggestion.

]]> By: Howard http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2009/01/21/blacklisting-blacklisting-the-national-veterans-business-development-corporation/#comment-10459 Howard Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:12:04 +0000 http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2009/01/21/blacklisting-blacklisting-the-national-veterans-business-development-corporation/#comment-10459 Glad I came across this. In 1999, I was asked by the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist in facilitating the development of a Government Chartered Organization to assist Veteran-Owned Businesses as per PL 106-50. I did this gladly and was instrumental in creating the framework for the original NVBDC (we got tired of saying the entire name over the phone). In 2000 I was asked to come aboard with the original staff to help develop the organization. I would like to state that the original staff was approved by a Congressional Committee and all had a firm background in business and/or economic development. Within six months we had procured $200 million in federal contracts for a consortium of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses. This was associated with the Coast Guard's "Deepwater Project". Around this time, there was a change in the leadership of what was to be thereafter referred to as "The Veterans' Corporation". The new leader was a retired two star general, who had spent his entire career in contract acquisition, which was one of the agencies that had caused the recognized need for the NVBDC. I must admit that I spent a good deal of my time generating a usable database of Veteran-Owned Businesses. I had even contacted the VFW and the American Legion obtaining information concerning businesses registered with them. I also obtain the SBA's and the VA's data, compiling a list of 128,000 Veteran-Owned Businesses. This list was acquired with the understanding that it would be used strictly to assist in identifying potential candidates for contracts. The first thing the new administration did was use the database to send out a request to 68,000 Veteran-Owned Businesses requesting a donation to the organization. This was contrary to the agreed use of the data. The second thing the new administration did was cancel the "Deepwater Project" involvement and prohibit us from participating in any such further activities. From that point on the focus of The Veterans’' Corporation was changed from viewing the Veteran-Owned Business not as our "Product" but as our "Market". The Veterans' Corporation was supposed to be self-sufficient within six years, from that point not requiring further Federal funding. Obliviously this goal had not been obtained even though within the first six months our commission from the Deepwater Project would have achieved this independence. I lasted two and a half years, in the end finding myself marketing "packaged" training programs and attempting to get veterans to subscribe to an "empathy" veteran credit card. It was extremely difficult to watch such a promising opportunity for us to help a very deserving population (Service-Disabled Veterans), deteriorate into a self-serving and parasitic organization. Glad I came across this. In 1999, I was asked by the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist in facilitating the development of a Government Chartered Organization to assist Veteran-Owned Businesses as per PL 106-50. I did this gladly and was instrumental in creating the framework for the original NVBDC (we got tired of saying the entire name over the phone). In 2000 I was asked to come aboard with the original staff to help develop the organization.

I would like to state that the original staff was approved by a Congressional Committee and all had a firm background in business and/or economic development.

Within six months we had procured $200 million in federal contracts for a consortium of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses. This was associated with the Coast Guard’s “Deepwater Project”. Around this time, there was a change in the leadership of what was to be thereafter referred to as “The Veterans’ Corporation”. The new leader was a retired two star general, who had spent his entire career in contract acquisition, which was one of the agencies that had caused the recognized need for the NVBDC.
I must admit that I spent a good deal of my time generating a usable database of Veteran-Owned Businesses. I had even contacted the VFW and the American Legion obtaining information concerning businesses registered with them. I also obtain the SBA’s and the VA’s data, compiling a list of 128,000 Veteran-Owned Businesses. This list was acquired with the understanding that it would be used strictly to assist in identifying potential candidates for contracts.

The first thing the new administration did was use the database to send out a request to 68,000 Veteran-Owned Businesses requesting a donation to the organization. This was contrary to the agreed use of the data.
The second thing the new administration did was cancel the “Deepwater Project” involvement and prohibit us from participating in any such further activities.

From that point on the focus of The Veterans’’ Corporation was changed from viewing the Veteran-Owned Business not as our “Product” but as our “Market”.

The Veterans’ Corporation was supposed to be self-sufficient within six years, from that point not requiring further Federal funding. Obliviously this goal had not been obtained even though within the first six months our commission from the Deepwater Project would have achieved this independence.

I lasted two and a half years, in the end finding myself marketing “packaged” training programs and attempting to get veterans to subscribe to an “empathy” veteran credit card. It was extremely difficult to watch such a promising opportunity for us to help a very deserving population (Service-Disabled Veterans), deteriorate into a self-serving and parasitic organization.

]]> By: Rachel http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2009/01/21/blacklisting-blacklisting-the-national-veterans-business-development-corporation/#comment-7529 Rachel Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:35:47 +0000 http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2009/01/21/blacklisting-blacklisting-the-national-veterans-business-development-corporation/#comment-7529 I won't knock any organization that helps veterans and the businesses they own since any help is better than none; however, I do know there are many other resources online that do a decent amount of work for veteran owned businesses. Most of these resources don't charge a dime (and get $0 in funding). Check out the VeteranOwnedBusiness.com Directory for instance: http://www.VeteranOwnedBusiness.com. There are over 1,000 veteran owned businesses listed with a ton of information about each company. There is also a non profit section with detailed information about organizations that offer free services for veterans, active duty military, families of veterans and active duty military and service disabled veterans: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/browse.php?category=172. Total cost to veteran owned businesses for a listing = $0. Total government funding for VeteranOwnedBusiness.com = $0! Value to small, veteran owned businesses that are struggling right now in today's economy = priceless (ok... maybe it's not priceless... but it does help!). I won’t knock any organization that helps veterans and the businesses they own since any help is better than none; however, I do know there are many other resources online that do a decent amount of work for veteran owned businesses. Most of these resources don’t charge a dime (and get $0 in funding).

Check out the VeteranOwnedBusiness.com Directory for instance: http://www.VeteranOwnedBusiness.com. There are over 1,000 veteran owned businesses listed with a ton of information about each company. There is also a non profit section with detailed information about organizations that offer free services for veterans, active duty military, families of veterans and active duty military and service disabled veterans: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/browse.php?category=172.

Total cost to veteran owned businesses for a listing = $0. Total government funding for VeteranOwnedBusiness.com = $0! Value to small, veteran owned businesses that are struggling right now in today’s economy = priceless (ok… maybe it’s not priceless… but it does help!).

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