Drayton Florence Drayton Florence

Drayton Florence: The Importance of Legislative Advocacy for Veteran-Owned Businesses: A Call to Action During Invest In Veterans Week

As we honor our veterans during National Invest In Veterans Week, it's crucial to remember the ongoing challenges faced by veteran-owned businesses. In this column, Drayton Florence, Director of Veteran Business Advocacy for National Invest In Veterans Week, explains why legislative advocacy is crucial for veteran entrepreneurs and how a national proclamation can make a significant impact.

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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®.

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Phil Hulett | Official Endorsement
National Invest In Veterans Week®
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    President Angel Shuford

    Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | Army Veteran

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

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    LTC Rickey L. Pope USA, Ret.

    CO-FOUNDER | Retired Army Veteran, Retired Firefighter

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    Drayton Florence

    CO-FOUNDER | NFL Veteran & Military Brat

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    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