Right: GCSEN CEO Mike Caslin with Alex Othmer, filming Veteran's Playbook, episode 8.
In 2023, after many years of focusing our educational efforts on colleges and universities, GCSEN decided to add more offerings for post-graduate adults. We identified an area of huge need: U.S. Military Veterans, Active Duty in Transition, and their families.
We began by launching our first-ever TV show, Veteran's Playbook, which aired on Discovery Network and CBS stations nationwide. In our show, hosted by our founder and CEO Mike Caslin, we sought out and highlighted the stories of entrepreneurs who told of the struggles and successes of life after the military.
A 10 YEAR TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS – NOW FOR VETERANS!
Veteran News
On November 11th, Veteran’s Day 2024, local CBS stations across the nation aired our TV show, Veteran’s Playbook, to honor the Veterans who’ve risked their lives for America, by showing examples of real-life heroes who’ve gone on to start ventures that uplift their communities. At the same time, GCSEN President Professor Mike Caslin joined staff and volunteers to serve a dinner for Baltimore area homeless Veterans through its host The Baltimore Station (70 Veterans in Residence) and New Profit Community Action Social Entrepreneurs and Donor volunteers from The Well. More
Three Veterans who starred in GCSEN's TV Show, Veteran's Playbook: Patrick Powers, AJ Beaudoin, and Alex Othmer
Veteran's Programs
US Military Veterans have never had it easy. Especially those Transitioning from Active Duty or Long-Term underemployed. You know the challenges. It doesn’t have to be this way. That’s where GCSEN comes in… We assist & train Veterans to open their own venture businesses!
- In 2024, there were 17.5 million Veterans in the US civilian population.
- About 8 million Veterans were employed; about 9 million were over age 65. (Dept. of Labor)
- Over 60% of those 8 million working Veterans, 4.5 million were Underemployed (Penn State Veterans & LinkedIn Studies)
- And over 250,000 were completely Unemployed (Dept. of Labor)
- At least 48,000 US Veterans are Homeless today (Dept. Veterans Affairs)
- Since 2001, there are over 6,000 Veteran suicides in America annually. And the rate is ever increasing.
WHY?
Transitioning and maintaining in civilian life isn’t easy after years of service.
There’s often employer misunderstanding and a mismatch between Veteran skills and civilian job requirements. There is also discrimination against Veterans, and some have service-related disabilities. Many Veterans want to start their own businesses but need a realistic vision, ownership-readiness training and meaningful long-term business support.
GCSEN has programs to fill the gap for Veterans in transition, who may want to start a venture that gives them a leg up, makes money & gives back to their community & to the nation:
3-Hour Veteran campfire orientation & grounding program
2-Day Veteran workshop in Social Entrepreneurship practices
5-Day Veteran bootcamp in business venture start-up with long-term support
Above: GCSEN CEO Mike Caslin (Top Right) with Veteran Business-Owners-in Training
INTERESTED IN SPONSORING A GCSEN VETERAN PROGRAM IN THE HUDSON VALLEY?
OR SPONSORING ONE VETERAN TO ATTEND? Get in touch below!
Since 2015, GCSEN Foundation has been a world leader and innovator in teaching Entrepreneurship for Impact- 4P Social Entrepreneurship- and has expanded its focus on teaching our 4P values (People, Planet, Profit, Place) to include Veterans, Active-Duty Military, and their families.
Inspired by our trending television show in 2023, Veteran's Playbook, GCSEN Veteran's Programs offer the next step for Veterans to move from being inspired to being taught and supported in their own Veteran Venture exploration. Veteran’s Playbook showcased deeply inspiring success stories of Veterans who have founded their own ventures. These "Vetty winners" hail from our episodes, where we feature Veterans, who come from all backgrounds, military branches, and enlisted, commissioned officers, often with significant combat experience.
We would like to work with Veterans who, despite having lived through incredible trauma and adversity, are tapping into the skills developed in the military (Service, Integrity, Confidence, Grit, Perseverance, Resilience, Overcoming Adversity, Discipline, Attention to Detail, Problem-Solving, Resourcefulness, Flexibility, Stress Inoculation, Communication Skills, Teamwork, Mentorship and Leadership.)
And they want to embrace the transformative power of entrepreneurship to channel their grit and dreams, and pursue passion and purpose for peace and prosperity for themselves, their loved ones and their community. We want to assist you in creating your very own success story!
Sign up for more information today!
What's in it for you?
Upon successful completion you will receive:
- Up to four Social Venture Course Certificates that you can add to your LinkedIn Profile and Resume- via course completion of SE 101- Principles of Social Entrepreneurship, SE 102- Social Venture Formation, SE 103- Pitch Perfect- Business Plan Presentation with Personal Presentation Power.
- A Recommendation from GCSEN on your LinkedIn Profile, Graduate School Application or Employment Application
And be able to:
- List yourself as a GCSEN 4P Social Entrepreneur on your LinkedIn Profile and Resume
- Benefit from a GCSEN Professional Reference
- And as an Alum you will gain the right to ongoing Veteran Venture Launch support for your own 4P Social Enterprise (benefitting People, generating Profit, Stewarding the Planet and increasing the peace and prosperity in your community.)
