Tallahassee, Fla. — The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, in the Florida State University College of Business, graduated 37 military veterans and veteran family members from the inaugural R.I.S.E. (Resilience. Innovate. Sustain. Evaluate.) program on Friday, October 23. Focused on sustainability, the online program covered relevant topics small businesses have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presented by the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF), the bootcamp-style program for military veteran business owners and military family business owners was held during a six-week period from September 14 to October 23. Graduates learned how to pivot and grow their businesses during the pandemic and resultant economic downturn. Topics included redetermining a company’s business model, content ideation, rebranding for reopening, determining a sustainable growth rate and strategic assessment.

“In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognized an overwhelming need for small business owners to alter their business models in order to survive and ultimately thrive during these unprecedented times,” said Melissa Roberts, managing director of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship. “Our staff collaborated with IVMF to create a cutting-edge program directly addressing these needs, and we are proud to have taken a leading role in assisting veteran entrepreneurs with retooling their business operations during a global pandemic.”

Participants completed 12 sessions consisting of live and pre-recorded content delivered by experts from the Jim Moran Institute, IVMF, FSU, Syracuse University and the Florida Small Business Development Center Network. The program culminated with action plan presentations delivered by the participants to their peers.

To be eligible for the R.I.S.E. program, applicants must have been a military veteran or first-degree military family member who owns or maintains 50% or more of a small business, have been operating the business for at least one year and needs to expand or contract their business. Graduates of other IVMF programs were also eligible to participate.

As a result of the generous support of Jan Moran, her late husband Jim Moran, The Jim Moran Foundation and the IVMF, the inaugural R.I.S.E. program was offered at no cost to participants.
 
About the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship
The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship cultivates, trains and inspires entrepreneurial leaders through world-class executive education, applied training, public recognition and leading-edge research. Jim Moran was an automotive pioneer and an entrepreneur at heart, who at the age of 7, sold soda pop at sandlot baseball games in Chicago. With a career that spanned more than six decades, he built an amazing chronicle of achievements in the automobile industry. His vision for the Jim Moran Institute was to provide opportunities that would help others become more successful business owners. A 1995 contribution from Jim and Jan Moran and JM Family Enterprises established the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at the Florida State University College of Business. Since 2011, further enhancements to the Jim Moran Institute and its outreach have been made possible by Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation.