How Owners In Honor™ Advanced Veteran Entrepreneurship in 2025
2025 was a year of rapid growth. Owners In Honor™ helped facilitate the purchase of six (6) small businesses by Veterans across Texas (2), North Carolina (1), Washington, DC (1), Maine (1), and Georgia (1) and we entered 2026 with fourteen (14) Veterans actively searching for acquisition opportunities.
Why ETA Is the Next Chapter of Service
“Service does not end with a discharge date… This is where purpose is rediscovered and where legacy is written.”
In 2025, we strengthened national partnerships, expanded university education efforts, and grew our veteran pipeline because when a Veteran carries forward the legacy of a small business owner, the American Dream isn’t redistributed. It’s inherited with honor.
Vision & Values
Mission: To empower veterans and small business owners to command their converging paths forward through education, advisory support, capital access, and structured community engagement.
Vision: An ecosystem of thriving veteran-owned small businesses where communities, partners, donors, and owners honor the American Dream together.
Values:
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Get Dirty: leadership forged in action and ownership in the arena.
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Move With Intention: disciplined, purpose-driven decisions.
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Find a Way: adaptability, resilience, and forward motion.
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Honor the Legacy: stewardship, responsibility, and moral clarity.
Two Communities,
One Path Forward: Ownership
We serve two communities with one shared struggle:
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Veterans, Military Spouses, and Gold Star family members seeking purpose, identity, and community after service.
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Small business owners (especially Veteran owners) seeking continuity, trusted successors, and legacy preservation.
Impact by the Numbers
Veteran Pipeline Growth:
Prospects engaged: 1,876
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Applicants accepted: 357
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Candidates in Basecamp: 323
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Fellows actively searching: 14
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Operators who acquired businesses: 6 (4 independent / 2 franchises)
Economic & Community Impact:
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Total enterprise value of businesses acquired: $10M
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Total SBA loans: $5.7M
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Community economic impact: $30M (3x EV)
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Operator employees supported: 60
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Communities supported: 20
Stories That Define the Work
“Owners in Honor gave me the resources, expert guidance, and genuine friendship I needed to turn an unaffordable ETA plan into successfully buying a franchise and owning my own business.”
— Nicholas Bellenbaum, Chief Petty Officer (SEAL), USN (Ret.)
“I’ve seen firsthand how this organization gives Veterans the relationships, resources, and confidence to reclaim their identity during transition… That kind of durable, long-term impact is exactly what’s needed…”
— Genine Fallon, OIH Board Member and Principal Brand Ambassador
Partners & Collaborators Powering Veteran Business Success
Owners In Honor™ collaborates with veteran service organizations, universities, banks, advisors, and corporate partners to support the full lifecycle of veteran entrepreneurship through acquisition.
Partners highlighted in 2025 include: Disabled American Veterans, SMB.co, Exit Planning Institute, Texas Association of Business Brokers, and more.
How Funds Fueled Veteran Impact
We’re committed to disciplined stewardship building lasting systems while maximizing program impact.
2025 Financial Overview:
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Total revenue: $207,905
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Total donations: $175,336
Program Efficiency: Approximately $0.85 of every $1 directly supported programming, coaching, education events, and Veteran impact.
Operational Metrics (Monthly):
Owners In Honor 2025 Impact Rep…
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Volunteer hours committed: 112
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Coaching delivered: 32 hours (estimated market value: $10,000)
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Live events: 9
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Advisory / pro bono: 15
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Board governance: 6
Thank you for fueling this mission because of your support, lives, families, communities, and generations are changing for the better.