True from the very first day we launched VeteranOwnedBusiness.com… there is still absolutely no cost to list a business and there is absolutely no cost to search for a business!  We have received numerous phone calls (some days more than 200 calls in a day) and thousands of emails of praise from proud Americans from all over the world thanking us and letting us know they’ve used VeteranOwnedBusiness.com to find a business.  We’ve also received a ton of calls and emails from businesses listed letting us know how much they appreciate their membership and how their free listing has helped them bring in business–and for many–help keep their doors open during these very trying economic times.

Other notable achievements:

• Nearly 7 million (7,000,000) pages viewed since going live on Veteran’s Day 2008
• Nearly 6 hundred thousand (600,000) visitors since going live
• Have nearly 200 profiles of non profits who directly help veterans, active duty military and their respective families
• Have received several testimonials (some on company letterhead) from members who told us their business profile has brought in at least one customer/client.

Our entire staff continues to work hard to further the development of VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.  We have many new features and functionalities planned for release in the 2nd half of 2010.  One of our biggest goals is to continue to grow our veteran owned business directory by reaching our goal of 5,000 businesses profiled by the end of 2010.   Having added over 500 new, free members in a little over a month puts us far ahead of this goal of reaching 5,000 by year’s end.

We know we have miles to go as far as having some of the development work done; however, our goal all along has been to create a comprehensive, user friendly place for procurement people, prime contractors, fellow veteran owned businesses and of course the every day consumer to go to easily find and conduct business with businesses owned by our country’s military heroes!  Because this number has grown so rapidly, we have actually had to spend more time on the sign up area than other areas.  Please be patient as we continue to work toward an even more comprehensive directory.

Please be sure to help us spread the word about VeteranOwnedBusiness.com by sharing it with everyone you know. You can simply email the link or you can visit our badge page and download a banner or badge for use on your site.  You can also become a Fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/veteranownedbusiness and Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/veteranowned.

Thank you for your continued support!

VOB Development Team
VeteranOwnedBusiness.com
Owned and Operated by U.S. Military Veterans
(877) VOB-List

Leading free directory of businesses owned by United States military veterans is competing for a $50,000 grant through the Pepsi April 2010 Refresh Project.

VeteranOwnedBusiness.com is just one of a handful of nominated $50,000 grant projects that can be voted on at www.refresheverything.com/veteranownedbusiness during the month of April. Facebook members can also vote via a special application. The Pepsi Refresh Project accepts submissions from organizations that will have a positive impact in the community.

Please take 30 seconds and vote for us!

VeteranOwnedBusiness.com’s founder, Brian K. St.Ours, stated, “We really need your vote! Since launching on Veterans Day 2008, VeteranOwnedBusiness.com continues to experience phenomenal growth. We have over 4,000 members from every type of business imaginable and from all around our great country. Our goal is to empower veteran owned businesses to grow their respective businesses in the hope that as they grow some will give back to organizations that support veterans, deployed troops and their respective families. We have a long list of development and marketing requirements needed to help us to continue to grow all while making sure our system remains totally free! We are hoping–with your votes–the great folks at Pepsi can help us out with a grant.”

Since its launch in late 2008, VeteranOwnedBusiness.com has received over 500,000 visitors and nearly 5,000,000 page views. Site users come from all walks of life and include procurement specialists from government agencies as well as purchasing people from small businesses all the way up to Fortune 500 companies. The easy to use interface also allows the average consumer as well as fellow veterans who want to show their support for our country’s military heroes a quick way to search for products and services that are all unique in the fact that they are made by, serviced by and/or sold by United States military veterans.

VeteranOwnedBusiness.com is in the running for a grant in Pepsi’s Refresh Everything April 2010 project.  We are asking for your help.  We would really appreciate it if you would take a few minutes and register for Pepsi’s Refresh Everything project and then take time to vote for VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.  We are hoping to get funding to help with several development projects that are necessary for us to reach our next major milestone of 10,000 business profiles (currently at 4,000).

The link to VeteranOwnedBusiness.com can be found here: http://www.refresheverything.com/veteranownedbusiness.  First time visitors need to sign up first (just a few questions).  The grant program is actually a daily voting process.  If you’ve got the time, please visit the site each day and vote for VeteranOwnedBusiness.com: http://www.refresheverything.com/veteranownedbusiness.  I added a daily reminder in my calendar to vote each morning.

I’d also appreciate it if you would please pass this on to others you know who are veterans, family members of veterans or other Americans who proudly support our country’s military heroes (which should be every American).  Any additional support we can get will be greatly appreciated as we are already a bit behind (the voting started on 4/1/2010 at 12:01am).  In addition to letting others know about this program, you can also mention something about it in your blog and/or alert those in your social network about it (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.).

Lastly, if you are a veteran, active duty military or reservist and own a business, by all means sign up for your business’ free profile (look for the red “sign up” button) by visiting http://www.VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.  You can Fan us Facebook here: http://www.Facebook.com/VeteranOwnedBusiness and follow us on Twitter here: http://www.Twitter.com/VeteranOwned.

The entire team at VeteranOwnedBusiness.com joins me in thanking you in advance for your support!

Regards,

-Brian

Brian K. St.Ours, Founder
VeteranOwnedBusiness.com
The Directory of Businesses Owned by U.S. Military Veterans
2420 Minton Road
Melbourne, FL 32904
(877) VOB-List (862-5478)

http://www.VeteranOwnedBusiness.com

http://www.Facebook.com/VeteranOwnedBusiness
http://www.Twitter.com/VeteranOwned

True from the very first day we launched VeteranOwnedBusiness.com… there is still absolutely no cost to list a business and there is absolutely no cost to search for a business!  We have received numerous phone calls (some days more than 100 calls in a day) and thousands of emails of praise from proud Americans from all over the world thanking us and letting us know they’ve used VeteranOwnedBusiness.com to find a business.  We’ve also received a ton of calls and emails from businesses listed letting us know how much they appreciate their membership and how their free listing has helped them bring in business–and for many–help keep their doors open during these very trying economic times.

Other notable achievements:

• Nearly 6 million (6,000,000) pages viewed since going live on Veteran’s Day 2008
• Over half a million (500,000) visitors since going live
• Have nearly 200 profiles of non profits who directly help veterans, active duty military and their respective families

Our entire staff continues to work hard (practically around the clock) to further the development of VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.  We have many new features and functionalities planned for release in 2010.  One of our biggest goals is to continue to grow our veteran owned business directory by reaching our goal of 5,000 businesses profiled by the end of 2010.  We know we have miles to go as far as having some of the development work done; however, our goal all along has been to create a comprehensive, user friendly place for procurement people, prime contractors, fellow veteran owned businesses and of course the every day consumer to go to easily find and conduct business with businesses owned by our country’s military heroes!  Because this number has grown so rapidly, we have actually had to spend more time on the sign up area than other areas.  Please be patient as we continue to work toward an even more comprehensive directory.

Please be sure to help us spread the word about VeteranOwnedBusiness.com by sharing it with everyone you know. You can simply email the link or you can visit our badge page and download a banner or badge for use on your site.

Thank You!

VOB Development Team
VeteranOwnedBusiness.com
Owned and Operated by U.S. Military Veterans
(877) VOB-List

Here are January’s numbers (rounded):

• 35,000+ = Site visitors in January 2010
• 460,000+ = Page views in January 2010
• 13+ = Number of pages viewed on average per visitor
• 12,000+ = Number of unique search terms used to find VeteranOwnedBusiness.com in various search engines
• 350,000+ = Total number of all pages in VeteranOwnedBusiness.com
• 22+ Minutes = Average time on site

We’d like to thank the thousands of websites out there who have taken the time to link their websites to VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.  It’s partially because of these great veteran owned business supporters that our daily visitor numbers continue to rise. If you would like to show your support for Veteran Owned Businesses and/or you own or work for a veteran owned business and would like to let the world know, please visit our “free banner” page to download one of several free banners you can put on your website, embed in emails, etc.: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/VOB_reciprocal_link.php.  Be sure to let us know if you added a link to receive special recognition.

Regards,

Project Services Department
VeteranOwnedBusiness.com
Directory of Veteran Owned Companies

Veterans Business Resource Center details:

The Saint Louis Veterans Business Resource Center (VBRC) is a Project of the Veterans Advocacy Foundation; a St. Louis based IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.

WHO THEY HELP?

• Active Duty Personnel transitioning to civilian life
• Reserve and National Guard members, both pre- and post-deployment,
• Honorably discharged Veterans who are self-employment ready
• Veterans with existing businesses and Veterans preparing for self-employment.

WHAT CAN THEY DO TO HELP YOU?

• Business Counseling and Consulting
• Business Plan Review and Assistance
• Loan Packaging Assistance and Guidance

Are you with a non profit organization?  If you are, be sure to get your organization’s free listing in the Veteran Owned Business Directory: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/signup.php?plan=4.

Special Kindness In Packages, Inc. (SKIP) details:
SKIP’s Care Packages For Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines are FUN! In fact, SKIP’s “Fun in a Box” Care Packages are among the most requested care packages by deployed US military members around the world.  SKIP is an eligible “Chase Community Giving” charity.  Look for the “Chase Community Giving” link (blue hand print) to vote for SKIP!

Are you with a non profit organization?  If you are, be sure to get your organization’s free listing in the Veteran Owned Business Directory: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/signup.php?plan=4.

Here are November’s numbers (rounded):
30,000+ = Site visitors in November 2009
300,000+ = Page views in November 2009
10 = Number of pages viewed on average per visitor
10,000+ = Number of unique search terms used to find VeteranOwnedBusiness.com in various search engines
300,000+ = Total number of all pages in VeteranOwnedBusiness.com

We are happy to see that our staff’s hard work continues to pay off.  We know this is working because we have received numerous emails and phone calls from businesses profiled letting us know they’ve been contacted by prospects and clients.  From a  storage facility in Ft. Myers, Florida to a rattlesnake removal company in Northern California, VeteranOwnedBusiness.com continues to be a great resource for helping businesses owned by veterans, active duty military, reservists and service disabled veterans grow their respective businesses in this very tough economy.

Lastly, we’d like to thank the thousands of websites out there who have taken the time to link their websites to VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.  It’s partially because of these organizations, people and businesses that our daily visitor numbers continue to rise.

If you would like to show your support for Veteran Owned Businesses and/or you own or work for a veteran owned business and would like to let the world know, please visit our “free banner” page to download one of several free banners you can put on your website, embed in emails, etc.: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/VOB_reciprocal_link.php.  Be sure to let us know if you added a link to receive special recognition.

Regards,

Project Services Department
VeteranOwnedBusiness.com
Directory of Veteran Owned Companies

October 2009 VeteranOwnedBusiness.com website statistics:

• VeteranOwnedBusiness.com unique site visitors in October 2009 surpass 25,000.
  • Brings total site visitors for 2009 to nearly 250,000.
    
• Page views for October 2009 surpassed 280,000
  • Brings total for 2009 to nearly 2 million page views.
  • Average number of pages viewed per visitor equals 11 pages.
    
• Average time spent on site still exceeds 5 minutes per visitor.
• 334 veteran owned business profiles added in October.  Brings total member profiles to nearly 2,500.
• Total of 17 new spotlight sponsors and enhanced listings added in October, 2009.
  
• 14 non profit organizations who help veterans, active duty military and families of veterans and active duty military were added to the Veteran Owned Business Directory in October, 2009.

*To put everything in perspective, VeteranOwnedBusiness.com has had nearly 5,000,000 web hits so far this year.  Most sites track web hits and not actual visitors or page views.  Hits can relate to the amount of links, images and more on a page.  So, depending on the site, one visitor visiting one page may produce 100s of web hits.

Thank you for helping make VeteranOwnedBusiness.com the fastest growing, most comprehensive, user-friendly directory of veteran owned, active duty military owned, reservist owned and service disabled veteran owned businesses online!

AVET Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the needs of active-duty military and veterans of the United States of America. AVET Project has an ambitious goal to furnish, free of charge, every military member (approx 1.5 million) with a Empowerment Equipment Bag (EEB), which is a collection of personal care items and empowerment information. Donations are needed and appreciated so we can continue to expand this important mission.

Additionally, AVET Project is seeking donations to support our “Project Rest and Recuperation”, which affords returning service members and their spouses an opportunity to readjust and reconnect with their loved ones after leaving combat 24/7 for months,… even years. AVET Project believes our heroes deserve a safe, relaxing place on the East & West coasts to decompress, sleep well and recuperate… all for FREE.

Are you with a non profit organization?  If you are, be sure to get your organization’s free listing in the Veteran Owned Business Directory: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/signup.php?plan=4.