Veteran entrepreneurs at JCSU small business showcase

PHOTO | UNSPLASH

Bunker Labs is holding the second Veterans in Residence Showcase May 24 at Johnson C. Smith University.

Business and civic leaders will gather next week to support veteran entrepreneurs from the Charlotte area.

Bunker Labs, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit network of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs that helps members start their own businesses, will host its second Veterans in Residence Showcase May 24 at Johnson C. Smith University’s James B. Duke Library from 5-7 p.m. The nonprofit’s mission is to empower veteran small business owners through programs where individuals share opportunities on business building as well as exposure to veterans and advocates to help them succeed.

Bunker Labs has 40 chapters across the country and Charlotte is one of the three in North Carolina.

“What will be different is that now we’re going to have more publicity, more people are going to find out about it, we’re going to have a larger attendance,” said Bunker Labs ambassador John Cash, a JCSU adjunct professor. “Coming out of COVID, we couldn’t do anything in 2020 and 2021. But now, coming off 2022, we expect it to be bigger and more participation, and more coverage.”

Cash said the biannual showcase connects economic empowerment, business growth and investing in education. Its goals hit home for him because he can relate to veterans trying to “soul search” and help young entrepreneurs.

While serving in the Air Force, Cash shattered his leg and injured his rotator cuff. On top of caregiving for his parents, he had to make some life changes. One piece of advice Cash offers veterans is to be adaptable.

“The one thing you’ll see in your life and your lifestyle, your life is usually not a straight line,” he said. “And that’s what I want to share with veterans, and I want to be totally transparent not only with veterans, but everyone else.”

Cash emphasized the importance of bringing the showcase to JCSU because of two emerging programs. After a 10-year hiatus, JCSU is launching its Air Force and Army ROTC programs along with a new entrepreneurship initiative. North Carolina is home to 95,000 active military service members on eight bases and more than 640,000 veterans.  

“North Carolina is one of the top five veteran states in the country,” Cash said. “Veteran-owned businesses provide opportunities like everyone else and we want to grow our relationships, especially for minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses. …Look at how JCSU was, again, providing value to the overall Charlotte metro area, what we’re doing.”

For more information about Bunker labs follow their website at bunkerlabs.org.

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