Veteran-Owned Business Resource Hub: tools for success and stories to inspire

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, a celebration of United States military personnel, veterans, and their families. To support the 1.9 million veteran-owned businesses who enrich our communities, we’ve compiled this resource hub of valuable business information, inspirational stories, and Yelp’s own efforts to give more visibility to veteran-owned businesses.

Supporting veteran-owned businesses helps enrich the quality of veteran and military family lives—and is an opportunity to say “thank you” to those who answer the call to serve.

Explore the hub:

Veteran-owned attribute
Did you know?
From the Yelp Blog
Business resources
Tools for allies
Yelp tools
Veteran-owned business spotlights

Veteran-owned attribute

Business owners can add the “veteran-owned” attribute to display on their Yelp Page. This free, searchable attribute helps consumers find and support veteran-owned businesses in their communities. More than 101,000 businesses have self-identified as veteran-owned on Yelp.*

If you are a veteran-owned business and want to add the attribute to your Yelp Page and appear in “veteran-owned” search results, you can opt-in via your Yelp for Business account by following these simple steps:  

1. Log in to Yelp for Business (Business Information tab)
2. In the Amenities section, click Add or Edit 
3. Select Yes next to “veteran-owned”
4. Click Save

Did you know?

• You can get a free veteran-owned business sticker in the mail by filling out this request form (eligible for businesses with a physical location listed on Yelp). Stickers are sent out on a monthly basis. 

• You can add unlimited attributes to your page to help you identify your business, including Asian-owned, Latinx-owned, Black-owned, women-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and more. Add your choice of attributes by following the same instructions as above.
• In 2022, Yelp launched a Veteran Business Fund, awarding $10,000 to several veteran-owned small businesses. Meet three of the winners and learn about their big plans for the future.

From the Yelp Blog

Business resources

Veteran-owned businesses | Small Business Administration
A list of career development information and opportunities for a wide range of veterans, service members, and their families

Veteran Entrepreneur Portal | U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Step-by-step guide to starting and growing a business

Career counseling| American Corporate Partners
Resource for one-on-one mentoring, networking, and online career advice

Institute for Veterans and Military Families | Syracuse University
Career, vocational, and entrepreneurship education and training for veterans, service members, and their families

Key Resources for Veteran Business Owners | JPMorgan Chase
Programs to provide veterans business capital and opportunities

Resources for Veteran Entrepreneurs | SCORE
Mentorship opportunities, networking, and training resources

Tools for allies

Employer Services | Military Talent Partners

Veterans Employment Toolkit | U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

Veteran Mentorship Program | Warrior Rising

Supporting veterans in the workplace | Mogul

Yelp tools

Read more about the impactful things you can do on your Yelp Business Page to communicate with your customers, increase business, and more.

Veteran-owned business spotlights

Great veteran-owned businesses span multiple industries and excel in different ways. Check out these Yelp for Restaurants and Yelp for Business spotlights to learn more about local, veteran-owned businesses thriving in their communities and on Yelp.

Saturday Soirée in Newport News, Virginia

Vené Pryor is a proud Navy veteran and owner of Saturday Soirée, a picnic and party planning company in Newport News, Virginia. Whether she’s planning a birthday party or micro wedding, Vené aims to create meaningful spaces that help her clients make lasting memories. 

Business mission: “Our mission at Saturday Soirée is to gather people simply and significantly. People often think that to have a gathering and for it to be successful, you have to be in a grand space or in an expensive space, and that’s not the case. Quality time is free, so we [help] you spend quality time.”

How being a veteran shapes her entrepreneurship: “The number one thing I’ve taken away from being a veteran and starting a business as an entrepreneur would be to be kind to everyone. In the military [and in business], you meet people from all walks of life, and you realize that some people aren’t as personable or they don’t have the skills to be kind. [All of our clients] deserve the same amount of respect and effort as everybody else.”

Advice for veteran entrepreneurs: “Utilize your resources. There are so many resources available to you to help you begin a business, pick your business back up, or anything else you may need. Yelp has been an immaculate resource for us, whether it’s been an email or a one-on-one meeting with a mentor [through the Yelp for Business x Luminary Fellowship]. They have been there with us every step of the way.”

Vené’s tip for supporting veterans as a local business: Consider offering a military discount, which you can also note on your Yelp Page through business attributes. Saturday Soirée offers a discount on its picnic and event packages on “Military Mondays” in November.

Sundae Scoop in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Army veteran Philip and his wife, Sibs, talk about how military life prepared them to take on the challenge of entrepreneurship with Sundae Scoop.

*Yelp Internal Data as of October 31, 2024