9 Entrepreneurs in the Military & Veteran Community to Salute in Honor of Black History Month

You know what’s amazing about our military and veteran community? How diverse it is! People from all different backgrounds come together for a mission: to serve our country. There’s plenty of inspiration that can be found within our circle of service members, military spouses, veterans and veteran spouses!

So, today, in honor of Black History Month, I’m excited to share with you nine Black entrepreneurs in our military, veteran and milspouse community who continue to inspire me and those around them.

Serena West | @shopwesthouse

Serena’s light shines bright—between her contagious smile, warm personality, and her shop Westhouse! As an Army spouse and mom of two, she didn’t let the unpredictable nature of military life tame her fire and creativity. Instead, she used it as fuel to create a thriving business: Westhouse, which focuses on making gifting easy for the modern military spouse and equipping military spouses to bloom wherever life plants them. Trust me, when you visit her online shop, you’ll have a hard time not clicking “Add to Cart!”

Alicia Henderson | @aliciahendersonbiz

This woman is a force in the military spouse entrepreneur world. With an entrepreneurial background, she uses her experiences, education, and skills to help women service-based entrepreneurs create a profitable empire by attracting their dream clients! How? Through The Empirenista Business Success Academy™. There’s no doubt she’s crushing her mission to empower women, who want more out of life and motherhood, to make an impact and build a business they love.  

Charlynda Jean | @muttssauce

If there’s one thing to know about Charlynda, it’s this: she’s fulfilling her purpose as an entrepreneur and veteran! In fact, she launched Mutt’s Sauce in honor of her late grandfather, Charlie “Mutt” Ferrell, Jr., a U.S. Air Force veteran. Charlynda knew Mutt’s secret recipe (which he left her with) was meant to be enjoyed by others. So, she took his creative concoction and turned it into a successful business. As a humble leader, Charlynda continues to spread Mutt’s legacy with nothing but determination and heart.

Chandra Adusei | @ChandraAdusei

If you’re a female entrepreneur looking for help strategizing, building, and implementing systems that close the revenue gap caused by uneven work/life balance, Chandra’s got your back. As a business strategist, consultant, certified project manager, and mother of two, she’s got the know-how to help maximize a few short hours a day so businesses can flourish! Oh, and you don’t want to miss her Chats During Naps series where she joins fellow entrepreneurs for conversations on topics such as organization, how to increase success, and work-life balance.

Curtez Riggs | @militaryinfluencer / @curtezriggs

Following 21 years serving our country and gaining extensive experience as a Regional Manager of Recruiting and Talent Acquisition, retired 1st Sergeant Curtez Riggs took his skills, as well as his passion for empowering service members and impactful relationships cultivated, to bring his first conference to life—the Military Influencer Conference (MIC). Since 2016, the MIC—brought to you by his brand Military Influencer, which delivers podcasts, a magazine, and events—has been bringing together veterans, active-duty service members, military spouses, and civilians who have one thing in common: a shared mission of service and entrepreneurship. 

Brittany Rhodes | @blackgirlmathgic

This woman is good with numbers, let me tell you! As a mathematician turned tech founder, Brittany is on an important mission to uplift Black girls in math, building their math confidence and increasing representation. Her company, Black Girl MATHgic™ (BGM), delivers the first and only monthly subscription box of its kind, which is curated with a relevant and engaging math activity booklet, items to support the activities, an affirmation to inspire confidence, a profile of a black woman mathematician, and a Caring Adult Guide. Way to go, Brittany!

Elijah Best | CEO of Vet Boss

Elijah, a former avionics technician for the Air Force, is now the CEO of Vet Boss, an organization that focuses on helping transitioning veterans with building and scaling profitable consulting or coaching businesses. Join the free Vet Boss FB group community to discover how to build and scale a business doing what you love!

Phyllis Newhouse | @phyllisnewhouse

If you haven’t already met Phyllis, let me introduce you to this entrepreneur, military veteran, and pioneer in cybersecurity. She’s the founder and CEO of Xtreme Solutions, Inc., an information technology services and solutions provider, and founder of ShoulderUp, a movement dedicated to educating and empowering women around the world by helping them reach their greatest economic, political, and cultural potential. Phyllis is a force who genuinely empowers others to operate in greatness!

Bernard Edwards | @bernardedwards_

Bernard, a U.S. Air Force veteran turned entrepreneur, serves up authentic transition advice (@goodfuckingtransitionadvice) that’ll help his fellow veterans gain a competitive advantage as they return to civilian life. He’s also a speaker, consultant, and branding strategist, so it’s true when I say he wears many hats!

Take a minute to browse their profiles, learn more about their work, give them a follow, and cheer them on with us here at WILCO Supply! Tell us, who else inspires you?!