Veterans, military families complete FSU entrepreneurship program in Bay County
Florida State University Panama City and the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship have graduated the first Bay County cohort of the Veterans Florida Facilitated Getting Started Program, with 13 veterans, active-duty service members and military spouses completing the free program designed to support military-connected entrepreneurs.
Delivered in partnership with Veterans Florida, the program provided hands-on entrepreneurship education focused on helping participants strengthen business concepts, evaluate market opportunities and build practical entrepreneurial skills. Cohort participants represented a wide range of industries and business ideas, including healthcare, leadership consulting, financial services, home inspections, real estate, beauty products, vacation rentals and children’s publishing.
“This program was about helping veterans and military-connected families transform ideas into actionable opportunities,” said Eric Liguori, associate dean for research and external relations in FSU’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, who led the partnership between FSU and Veterans Florida. “The momentum and enthusiasm that came out of this cohort were incredible. Participants left the program with stronger business ideas, clearer direction and a growing network of fellow entrepreneurs and supporters who will continue helping drive their success long after the program ended.”
Throughout the program, participants engaged in interactive workshops focused on customer discovery, business modeling, marketing, funding strategies and entrepreneurial decision-making. Participants also learned directly from Florida State University faculty, entrepreneurship leaders and business experts while building connections with local entrepreneurial resources and fellow veterans pursuing similar goals.
By the conclusion of the program, participants demonstrated substantial growth in familiarity with business registration, marketing, funding sources, legal structures and the Business Model Canvas framework. Confidence in both business viability and marketability also increased significantly throughout the cohort, with all participants reporting confidence in the future potential of their business ideas by the end of the program.
Participant feedback highlighted the program’s practical focus, collaborative atmosphere and strong sense of community.
“The networking opportunities and guest speakers were one of the most valuable parts of the program,” one participant shared in a post-program evaluation. Another described the experience as “very well structured and organized,” while several participants praised the hands-on startup guidance, marketing insights and real-world applicability of the sessions.
Participants also emphasized the value of connecting with fellow veterans and military-connected entrepreneurs facing similar challenges and opportunities. Several participants completed the program with clear next steps already underway, including launching businesses, pursuing licensing requirements, refining marketing strategies and expanding professional networks.
“This program reflects the kind of applied, community-centered entrepreneurship education that creates real momentum for individuals and communities,” said Randy Hanna, dean of Florida State University Panama City. “Veterans and military-connected families already possess extraordinary leadership, discipline and resilience. This program helps channel those strengths into entrepreneurial success and long-term economic impact for Bay County and beyond.”
Graduates of the program received a certificate of completion from Florida State University and are now eligible to join the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship’s statewide alumni network of more than 2,700 Florida business owners.
The Bay County cohort builds on Florida State University’s broader statewide veteran entrepreneurship initiative led by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship in collaboration with Veterans Florida. Learn more about JMI’s veteran program offerings at the Jim Moran Institute website.
About Veterans Florida: Veterans Florida is a state-created and funded nonprofit organization. It provides free career, SkillBridge, and entrepreneurship training and opportunities for separating or retiring servicemembers, veterans, and their spouses residing in or moving to Florida. It also assists employers seeking to strengthen their workforce with military talent. For more information, visit www.veteransflorida.org.