Angel Shuford Angel Shuford

HarvardX Strong: Leading National Invest In Veterans Week® into a New Era

Excerpt: Harvard Leadership and the Future of Veteran Entrepreneurship

As President & CFO of National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW), I have the privilege of leading one of the most impactful veteran entrepreneurship initiatives in the world. My experience at HarvardX’s "Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market" has provided me with a structured framework to scale innovation, financial sustainability, and long-term economic impact.

Harvard Business School’s Professor Karim R. Lakhani and Professor Vish Krishnan emphasized that entrepreneurship isn’t just about ideas—it’s about execution, market fit, and sustainable growth. Their insights have directly influenced how I approach building a scalable, financially strong, and globally recognized NIVW.

With a multi-generational vision, I am ensuring that NIVW’s leadership, economic strategy, and national influence continue to expand. By applying HarvardX methodologies and leveraging institutional partnerships—such as our work with Live Oak Bank, New York Life Investments, and Congressional leaders—NIVW is evolving into a sustainable force for veteran business success.

Further Reading & Resources:

Read More

Veteran Business Super Intelligence℠ · Sponsored by National Invest In Veterans Week®

The Pulse Deck Veteran Enterprise in Motion

Sources: SBA VetCert certified-firm export of 2026-10-04 (aggregates only); U.S. SBA Office of Advocacy, Issue Brief No. 18, "Deconstructing the Change in Veteran Business Ownership" (May 2023), Census Annual Business Survey; IVMF Research Review, Deming, Carpenter and Anders, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy (2025); IVMF, "The Access to Capital Challenge" (2019), 2016 Survey of Consumer Finances. Veteran Business Super Intelligence℠ · Sponsored by National Invest In Veterans Week®.

A shopping bag with an American flag design inside a green circle, with text indicating dates from March 1 to March 7.
Phil Hulett | Official Endorsement
National Invest In Veterans Week®
Download

🫡Our Team

  • A woman wearing a navy blazer with an embroidered coat of arms, gold lapel pin, and jewelry, sitting with her hands clasped, with American flags in the background.

    President Angel Shuford

    Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | Army Veteran

  • A man in a blue suit and white shirt standing in front of an American flag against a black background.

    Retired U.S. Army First Sergeant Kevin D. Shoun

    Senior Advisor | Civic Leadership and Policy Development

  • A woman with blonde hair smiling in front of an American flag and a black background with a logo that says 'National Invest in Veteran Owned Business Week.'

    Sara Pomposo

    Chief Advisor | Audience Growth & Strategic Syndication

  • A man in a red shirt holding a music award trophy, standing next to a framed platinum record plaque on display, with framed posters and awards hanging on the wall behind him.

    Jim Freeman of The Five Satins

    GRAMMY Hall of Famer | Brand Ambassador

  • A man with gray hair and glasses stands behind a music stand, speaking into a microphone while using hand gestures, against a dark background.

    Pastor Ron Henson

    Social Impact Advisor | Navy Veteran

  • A man in a U.S. military uniform in front of an American flag.

    LTC Rickey L. Pope USA, Ret.

    CO-FOUNDER | Retired Army Veteran, Retired Firefighter

  • A man in a gray blazer and shirt posing with arms crossed in front of a city skyline at dusk, with buildings and a bridge reflected in the water.

    Jeff Shuford

    CO-FOUNDER | Iraq War Veteran & Military Spouse

  • Three men in a discussion in an office break room with black and white geometric wallpaper. One man with a beard, wearing glasses and a suit, is talking to a bald man wearing a black sweater, who is making a gesture with his hands. The third man with dreadlocks, dressed in a blue suit and holding papers, listens attentively.

    Drayton Florence

    CO-FOUNDER | NFL Veteran & Military Brat

  • A smiling man with glasses, wearing a green sweater over a striped collared shirt, standing with crossed arms in an office space near a window, with framed certificates on the wall behind him.

    Erik M. Pelton & Associates, PLLC

    Trademark Attorney | Veteran IP Advocate

  • A man in a green vest with a plaid shirt and bow tie standing in front of a booth labeled 'Body Aqua' at a trade show or expo.

    CPT Sherman WIlliams, USA, Ret.

    Advisor | Retired Army Veteran

  • Two men in business suits having a meeting in an office with a window showing a city view, discussing a presentation on a laptop.

    Brandon Sugar

    Legacy UX/UI Designer | Army Veteran

  • A young man with dark hair styled back, light eyes, and a light beard, wearing a blue suit and white shirt, looking at the camera.

    Mike Bicek

    Creative Director | Army Veteran

  • A small brown and black puppy sitting on a red folding chair at the beach, with sunglasses and a colorful bag in the background.

    Private Jewel

    Co-Founders Pup | Biewer Terrier

  • A smiling man wearing sunglasses and a striped white shirt.

    Lonnell McCall I

    Sr. Spokesperson | Retired Navy Veteran

  • Celeste Everett

    Legacy IT Consultant | Army Veteran

  • Composite image of three young men dressed as a graduate, a football player, and a young man in formal wear against a stadium background.

    Lonnell McCall II

    Jr. Spokesperson | Military Brat

  • Close-up of a young man with dark brown hair, styled back, with light eyes, a light beard, and wearing a dark shirt, standing in front of a background with horizontal lines.

    Christopher B. Mueller

    Lead Video Spokesperson | Veteran Advocate

“As an educator committed to professional growth, I fully endorse National Invest in Veterans Week® for recognizing that veterans are vital economic assets who deserve tangible support in entrepreneurship and workforce development.”
— Samuel Lee, Lecturer at OpenClassrooms, Harvard Graduate, and Amazon Engineer