Veterans as Entrepreneurs: The Numbers
Military veterans are 45 percent more likely to start a business than their civilian counterparts, according to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Even more impressive, veteran-owned businesses tend to have higher survival rates and generate more revenue per employee than comparable non-veteran companies. These aren’t coincidences. They’re the direct result of skills, mindset, and values developed through military service.
There are approximately 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses in the United States, employing over 5 million people and generating more than $1 trillion in annual revenue. In the firearms industry, veteran-owned companies hold a special position of trust and credibility because customers know that the people building their rifles have actually depended on similar tools in life-or-death situations.
Leadership Under Pressure
Military service provides leadership experience that simply cannot be replicated in civilian settings. By age 25, many veterans have led teams of 10 to 50 people in high-stakes environments where the consequences of poor leadership are measured in lives rather than quarterly earnings. This experience creates business leaders who remain calm during crises, make decisions with incomplete information, and maintain team cohesion during difficult periods.
The military leadership development model also emphasizes servant leadership, putting the needs of the team before personal comfort. Business leaders who genuinely prioritize their employees’ wellbeing, training, and development build more loyal, productive teams. This isn’t soft management. It’s practical wisdom earned through experience.
Discipline and Work Ethic
The military instills a level of personal discipline and work ethic that becomes permanent. Early mornings, late nights, attention to detail, physical readiness, and the ability to push through discomfort are not occasional virtues for veterans. They’re default settings. In business, where success often comes down to who is willing to outwork, outprepare, and outlast the competition, these ingrained habits provide a significant advantage.
This discipline extends to financial management. Military personnel learn to operate within strict budgets and to accomplish missions with limited resources. Veteran-owned businesses tend to be more financially conservative, carrying less debt and maintaining larger cash reserves than comparable companies, which gives them resilience during economic downturns.
Risk Assessment and Management
Entrepreneurs must take risks, but successful entrepreneurs take calculated risks. Military training provides extensive experience in risk assessment: identifying threats, evaluating probability and impact, developing mitigation strategies, and making go or no-go decisions. Veterans who start businesses apply this systematic risk management approach to market entry decisions, capital investments, and growth strategies.
Importantly, veterans are comfortable with risk in a way that many civilians are not. Having faced genuine physical danger, the financial risks of entrepreneurship, while real, are kept in perspective. This comfort with calculated risk enables veteran entrepreneurs to pursue opportunities that others might avoid.
Mission-Driven Purpose
Military service is inherently purpose-driven. Veterans don’t serve for profit but for something larger than themselves. This sense of purpose carries into their businesses. Veteran-owned companies like G2 Precision aren’t just building products to generate revenue. They’re continuing a mission of service, providing quality tools to those who depend on them and creating good jobs in their communities.
This mission-driven approach resonates with customers who want to support companies that stand for something meaningful. When you purchase from a veteran-owned business, you’re not just buying a product. You’re supporting a veteran’s continued service to the community and the values that make America exceptional.
The Veteran-Owned Difference
In the firearms industry, the veteran-owned advantage is particularly pronounced. These are entrepreneurs who have used similar tools under the most demanding conditions possible and who bring that user experience directly into the design and manufacturing process. At G2 Precision, every rifle reflects not just manufacturing expertise but genuine operational experience. That’s the veteran-owned difference, and it’s something you can feel in every round downrange.
