By Paula Pedene
Empowering Veterans to Build Businesses, Create Jobs and Give Back
By Paula Pedene
Leadership consultant Patrick McNeil arrived at the Honoring America’s Veterans Business Summit wearing one of his signature bow ties, a personal trademark. Before the morning was over, his bow tie had become a conversation starter.
Why? Because standing out matters.
For McNeil, the bow tie isn’t just a fashion statement. It’s a reminder that every business owner needs something memorable that reflects who they are and what they stand for. It was a fitting lesson during a summit devoted to helping veteran entrepreneurs discover and communicate what makes their businesses unique.
But his greatest takeaway wasn’t about marketing. It was about leadership.
“Leadership either unlocks capacity or suppresses it. My thanks to Honoring America’s Veterans for giving us the capacity to grow. The Summit helped me learn new ways to enhance our Center for Leadership Capacity business. For that I am grateful.”
That sense of purpose captured the spirit of this year’s HAV Business Summit.
Nearly 100 veteran entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, corporate veteran advocates, and community partners gathered at the University of Phoenix to strengthen Arizona’s veteran business community. Throughout the morning, they exchanged ideas, built relationships, discovered new resources, and left with practical tools to help grow their organizations.
The morning began with entrepreneur and business strategist Jay Gladney, who reminded attendees that every successful business starts long before the first customer walks through the door.
A thoughtful business plan, he explained, provides direction, but experienced mentors help entrepreneurs navigate the inevitable challenges that every business encounters.
For veterans, those lessons are especially powerful.
Military service develops discipline, accountability, strategic planning, and leadership—qualities that naturally translate into entrepreneurship. Combined with veteran-owned business certifications and government contracting opportunities, veterans possess competitive advantages that many new entrepreneurs never realize they have.
One of his simplest reminders resonated throughout the room:
“The market doesn’t care how much you love your business concept—it only responds to whether you solve a real problem that people will pay for. Testing is how you find out before your savings do.”
Technology was another major focus of the summit. Business advisor John Choate demonstrated practical ways artificial intelligence can help small businesses operate more efficiently—not by replacing people, but by helping entrepreneurs spend more time growing their companies and less time on repetitive tasks.
Rather than overwhelming attendees with technology, Choate encouraged business owners to begin with one manageable challenge.
Could AI answer customer questions more quickly?
Could it automate repetitive administrative work?
Could it identify new market opportunities or reduce costly mistakes?
His advice was refreshingly practical: choose one problem, implement one solution, measure the results after 30 and 60 days, and abandon anything that doesn’t deliver measurable value.
For many in attendance, AI shifted from being an intimidating concept to becoming another business tool.
One of the most engaging sessions featured a marketing panel led by Terri Ouellette of ABC15, Greg Barr of the Phoenix Business Journal, and Dave Pratt of Pratt Marketing.
While each speaker offered unique insights, they all returned to one central theme:
People don’t simply buy products. They buy stories.
The panel encouraged business owners to share why they started their companies, what challenges they overcame, and the purpose driving their work.
Authenticity, they emphasized, builds trust far more effectively than polished advertising.
Terri Ouellette reminded attendees that while customers may forget statistics or marketing messages, they’ll remember how a business made them feel. For veteran entrepreneurs whose companies are often rooted in service, sacrifice, and resilience, those stories become one of their greatest competitive advantages.
In fact, when Terri noticed Patrick McNeil’s distinctive bow tie from the stage, she couldn’t resist asking about it.
He smiled and explained he owns more than thirty bow ties because he believes people should never be afraid to stand out.
The audience laughed, but the exchange perfectly illustrated the panel’s larger message.
Successful brands are not built by blending in; they are built by being authentic.
Whether it’s a signature bow tie, a compelling personal story, or a mission rooted in military service, customers remember businesses that reveal the people behind the brand.
Entrepreneurship was only part of the conversation. Recognizing that many veterans continue serving through corporate careers, the summit also explored how employers can better recruit, retain, and support veteran talent.
A thoughtful discussion between Brendon Bartholomew, General Manager and Executive Director of USAA, and Dr. John Ramirez, Dean of Operations for the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies, examined how corporations, universities, and community organizations can work together to expand opportunities for veterans transitioning into civilian employment.
The discussion reinforced a central message of the summit: strong veteran communities are built through collaboration across every sector.
Closing keynote speaker Jessica Pierce challenged attendees to rethink what success truly means.
Building a successful company should never come at the expense of personal health, family, or purpose.
Her presentation on avoiding burnout reminded veteran entrepreneurs that resilience includes knowing when to rest, delegate, and invest in personal well-being.
Perhaps no presentation captured the spirit of the summit more than the opening remarks from Freddy Alvarez, CEO of Veteran Service Brands of Arizona and the summit’s presenting sponsor.
After serving his country and spending four decades in corporate America, Alvarez unexpectedly found himself searching for a new beginning.
An Amazon delivery contract became his first opportunity. His first day consisted of delivering just twenty packages. That modest start eventually became a business generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue, ultimately growing into the $10 million Veteran Service Brands of Arizona organization he leads today.
But Alvarez’s story wasn’t about financial success. It was about what success makes possible.
Today he mentors fellow veterans, creates employment opportunities, and reinvests in organizations like Honoring America’s Veterans because someone once invested in him.
His journey reflected the mission of the HAV Business Summit: helping one veteran succeed so that veteran can help many more.
Events like this don’t happen by accident.
They are the result of months of planning and partnerships built on shared purpose.
Much of that success belonged to Camille Jesmont, Southern Arizona SCORE Chapter Leader, whose leadership and tireless coordination quietly kept every detail moving.
Her philosophy resonated with many attendees when she shared, “Leadership isn’t about sitting safely in the command post—it’s about setting the perimeter and taking care of your people. Your network is your Quick Reaction Force. When the mission gets tough, they’re the ones who show up to hold the line with you.”
That sentiment reflected the atmosphere throughout the summit: veterans helping veterans.
As attendees headed home with notebooks full of ideas, new business connections, and renewed confidence, the conversation naturally turned toward the future: What should next year’s HAV Business Summit look like?
Honoring America’s Veterans is already looking ahead and wants next year’s summit to be shaped by the needs of Arizona’s veteran business community.
Attendees are invited to reply to this email and share:
• Topics that would help them grow their businesses or nonprofits.
• Speakers whose experiences would inspire fellow veterans.
• Resources or workshops they would find most valuable.
• Opportunities for networking, mentoring, and collaboration they’d like to see expanded.
The HAV Business Summit exists to serve Arizona’s veterans, and every year’s program grows stronger because of the ideas and experiences shared by those who attend.
If this year’s summit demonstrated anything, it was that leadership is about unlocking potential.
Sometimes that begins with a mentor.
Sometimes it begins with a conversation over coffee.
And sometimes, it begins with a veteran wearing a bow tie who reminds all of us that the courage to stand out is often the first step toward making a lasting difference.