VETCON brings veteran entrepreneurs together

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The annual Veterans in Economic Transition Conference works to connect veteran business owners with work opportunities. Anthony Kuhn, VETCON Chair, said the mission is centered on providing transitional resources he, and many others, did not have.

“We’ve all deployed," Kuhn said. "We’ve all gone places and then come home and tried to provide for your family, you’re trying put food on the table and you lost your job or you had some difficulties came up. That’s what drives a lot of these veterans into entrepreneurship so we’re trying to provide the resources for them that didn’t exist for us.” 

Now in its seventh year, the event brings over 500 veterans to the area, in addition to New York State agencies and other businesses ready to hire for upcoming projects. Daniel MacDonald continues to bring his business to VETCON every year to network with like-minded veterans and share his own success as a business owner.

“I can pass on what I learned to my fellow vets," MacDonald said. "I do that and that’s why we’re here. We had to take care of ourselves in the battlefield, and we’ve got to take care of ourselves on this battlefield.” 

Other attendees, like Michael Molinski, are looking to learn from successful veteran business owners and make connections to help them grow in their own businesses.

“Being able to be here and bounce ideas, good and bad, and experiences, good and bad, with other veterans, it does help make you feel not so alone and that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that you can be successful," Molinski said.