{"id":48224,"date":"2018-03-22T18:07:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T18:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/22\/need-help-networking-youre-not-alone\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:39:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:39:10","slug":"need-help-networking-youre-not-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/education-transition\/2018\/03\/22\/need-help-networking-youre-not-alone\/","title":{"rendered":"Need help networking? You\u2019re not alone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s note:<\/b> This story was updated with additional information from one of the study\u2019s researchers.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veteran entrepreneurs know that networking and having a mentor are important for business. But developing those relationships may be easier said than done, a recent study shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University asked veteran and military-connected business owners across the country about their entrepreneurship journey. According to their findings, veterans listed mentorship and networking as two of the most helpful resources for their business \u2014 as well as two of the most challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some, the challenge came from relocating to a new area after their transition from the military, the report states. Others simply didn\u2019t know how to cultivate those relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found that many veterans are not maximizing their networks,\u201d said Nyasha Boldon, co-author of the IVMF study<\/a>. In at least one group discussion, researchers found most of the participants weren\u2019t approaching this aspect of their business thoughtfully, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report, \u201cBridging the Gap: Motivations, Challenges, and Success of Veteran Entrepreneurs,\u201d is based on nearly a year of interviews and surveys of 85 aspiring and current military-connected business owners \u2014 most of them veterans. Researchers are planning to dive deeper into some of the study\u2019s specific findings, including participants\u2019 responses on networking and mentoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military culture is a big reason veterans struggle in this area, said Michael Abrams, executive director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration and co-author of the guidebook, \u201cBusiness Networking for Veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lance corporal would never go into the first sergeant\u2019s office and say, \u2018Hey, first sergeant, let\u2019s sit down and talk about your career\u2019 and \u2018How can I advance in my career?\u2019\u201d Abrams said. \u201cThey\u2019d be viewed as a kiss up or someone who is just trying to get ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the military, the challenge becomes teaching service members that networking isn\u2019t brown nosing and that\u2019s it\u2019s OK to build mutually beneficial professional relationships with people who are more experienced, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Limited networks can be another reflection of military culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\t