Veteran-run businesses are more than enterprises; they play a vital role in the social and economic fabric of our communities across Australia. In addition to providing employment opportunities for ex-service and civilian men and women, they are essential points of connection for people transitioning from military into civilian life.
On this week's episode of Helping Hands, we delve into the economic benefits of veteran-run businesses in a feature panel discussion with Chris North, co-founder of Frontline Labs, Adrian Sweatman, a retired nurse and founder of sweatFXmoulage, and Narelle Mason, co-founder of Frontline Mental Health.
A veteran business is one which is run by an ex-service man or woman or their spouses. There are over 35,000 veteran businesses across Australia, and, like any other business category, they have the potential to contribute billions to the economy with many social benefits as well.
The challenge for many veteran businesses, according to Chris North, is to ensure veteran businesses become part of regular supply chains in the economy, so they are "not a nice-to-have, but a need-to-have."
"There are a couple of times a year when defence is front and centre, and veterans become top of mind, ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day," says Chris, "... and (supporting veteran business) is an opportunity to acknowledge contribution and value during service, and contribution and value after service."
As the CEO and co-founder of Frontline Labs, Chris trains and mentors veterans in the skills needed to run successful businesses. He says that by adding veteran businesses into our daily purchasing transactions, as well as at major events (such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day events), we can make a difference that will make a positive long-term impact.
"The social fabric is not just what happens outside in the economy, but also what happens inside the house," he says. "The social fabric (of veteran businesses) is only strengthened if the outside support is there to build the fabric. So if there is a place in the economy for a veteran business, that means then ... that a veteran or spouse ... has a purpose, and then they can build a cohort, and they can build a tribe, and that's the group that keeps them together."
As a nurse in the military, Adrian Sweatman has used his army training and skills to set up his moulage business, providing realistic training moulage to first responders and military personnel by re-creating wounds which look 'absolutely real' and which are placed on the body or on prosthetics. This increases training value and limits the risk to mental health injuries, says Adrian.
Adrian's business, sweatFXmoulage is based in Townsville, and is part of a supply chain that spans the entire country, from Perth and regional Western Australia, New South Wales, Brisbane and rural areas as well. His business has a touch point with over 50 suppliers and customers on a regular basis.
Narelle Mason’s business, Frontline Mental Health, is also part of a national supply chain. Having served in the police force and the military for a total of sixteen years, she was inspired to establish Frontline Mental Health - which promotes prevention and education around mental health within the military, corporate, government and education sectors.
The training provided by Frontline Labs enabled Narelle and her business partner to learn the skills needed to run a successful business, and helped her to join the dots between her army training and a successful business.
Narelle says it is difficult to measure the positive social and economic impact of her business, which is based in South Australia, as she has clients in every state. "The flow on effect of what we are doing is impacting organisations at a financial level, with less absenteeism and more productivity by having people in the workplace who better understand their own mental health, but on an individual level ... we are helping people in their personal lives as well."
Successful veteran businesses create many positive ripple effects that extend beyond the bottom line. Their social contribution to the economy should not be overlooked or understated, with veterans being among the highest categories of people who volunteer in local community works, veterans having high moral standards and ethics, and veterans having the ability to employ and be a positive influence on fellow veterans and civilians alike.
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