Meet Carl and Lori Churchill of Alpha Coffee.

Carl served in the US Army for 21 years, starting as a 17 year-old private and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He is a Desert Storm combat veteran with multiple deployments to the Middle East, Africa, Central America, the Balkans and Asia.

Meet Brad Halsey.

Brad is a Navy veteran and the CEO & Founder of Building Momentum. Building Momentum is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that provides world-class professional technology education through challenge-driven emerging technology instruction (like robotics, 3D printing, and drones). Using StreetShares contract financing, Brad was able to buy the equipment he needed to provide Marine Corps units with technical training in real-world scenarios.

Tomorrow we celebrate the Fourth of July, which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. As we prepare for family reunions, barbecues and cook outs around the country, let’s also remember the reason for this special holiday. The Thirteen Colonies were legally separated from Great Britain after the American Revolution and the United States of America was founded.

This was the beginning of recognizing our veterans for their service and sacrifice for our country. Let’s recognize the men and women who have served our country since the American Revolution. We honor veterans every day as they’re also the ones who are growing the U.S. economy through small business. At StreetShares, we're the go-to financing partner for veteran small business owners looking to grow their businesses with business loans, lines of credit or government contract financing. This week’s Highlighting Our Heroes include veterans from industries such as energy, education, consumer goods and online communities connecting veterans through marketplaces, business and real estate.

Learn more about each hero below and on iHeart Radio’s BIG 100 local Washington, DC radio station or stream online at 5:00pm eastern every week day. Inspired by these stories and want to help veteran businesses? Start investing in them by opening a Veteran Business Bonds account and earn 5% interest. Learn more here.

The United States of America will turn 241 years old next week on the Fourth of July. Since its birth, millions have served in the military. As of 2014, there are 21.8 million veterans in the armed forces, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Even more, veterans account for 9 percent of small business in the U.S., according to the SBA.

We honor our heroes every day by working with veteran business owners and helping fund their businesses through term loans, lines of credit, contract financing and veteran business grants. This week, we’re highlighting extraordinary veteran business owners who have founded companies that give back to the community, whether it’s through charities, consumer products, lifestyle coaching, mental health, venture capital or medicine.

Learn more about each hero below, at highlightingourheroes.com and on iHeart Radio’s BIG 100 local Washington, DC radio station or stream online at 5:00pm eastern every week day. Inspired by these stories and want to help veteran businesses? You can start by investing in them by opening a Veteran Business Bonds* account and earn 5% interest. 

With the Fourth of July approaching, we’re celebrating and honoring military veterans who continue to make an impact in our country with the businesses they’re running. Our heroes this week feature veteran business owners in business consulting, mental health, drone services, government contracting and subscription services.

Learn more about each hero below and on iHeart Radio’s BIG 100 local Washington, DC radio station or stream online at 5:00pm eastern every week day. Subscribe to the StreetShares blog to see who is featured next week.   

This week’s military and veteran heroes come from backgrounds in intelligence, entrepreneurship, small business and government contracting. Learn about their stories in deployment overseas and what they’re doing now back in the United States to continue to serve their country. Our heroes this week include StreetShares members such as StreetShares Foundation finalists and supporters of the veteran small business community.

Join us in ‘Highlighting Our Heroes’ with iHeart Radio and the StreetShares community, by learning about them and sharing their stories. Tune in to BIG 100 in the Washington, DC metro region each weekday at 5:00pm eastern or stream online at iheartmedia.com to hear stories of our veterans, service members and military families. Subscribe to the StreetShares blog to be the first to know who we’re featuring.

Honoring our veterans and military heroes is something we do every day at StreetShares. We’re starting the summer strong by continuing our ‘Highlighting Our Heroes’ campaign with iHeart Media.

You’ve heard stories from veteran small business owners who have taken advantage of our veteran business loans, lines of credit and government contract financing solutions to veteran business supporters who invest in these small businesses through their Veteran Business Bonds investment accounts.

This week, we’ve got several stories from finalists and winners who have participated in the StreetShares Foundation Veteran Small Business Award contest. Their unique backgrounds and military experience has helped them each to become successful veteran entrepreneurs. If you missed last week’s heroes, we’ve got them highlighted here, too.

Tune in to BIG 100 in the Washington, DC metro region each weekday at 5:00pm eastern or stream online at iheartmedia.com to hear stories of our veterans, service members and military families. Subscribe to the StreetShares blog to be the first to know who we’re featuring.

During Armed Forces Day, we honor everyone serving in all branches of the United States military. President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish this holiday and in 1961, John F. Kennedy declared Armed Forces Day a national holiday that is celebrated on the third Saturday of May.

“Our Servicemen and women are serving throughout the world as guardians of peace–many of them away from their homes, their friends and their families. They are visible evidence of our determination to meet any threat to the peace with measured strength and high resolve. They are also evidence of a harsh but inescapable truth–that the survival of freedom requires great cost and commitment, and great personal sacrifice.”

– President John F. Kennedy, 1963

With Memorial Day approaching, we continue to ‘Highlight Our Heroes’ and StreetShares members, veteran business owners and investors with iHeart Media as we feature veterans from each military branch. Tune in to BIG 100 in the Washington, DC metro region each day this week a 5:00pm Eastern or stream online at iheartmedia.com to hear their stories. 

Subscribe to the StreetShares blog to be the first to know who is featured each week at highlightingourheroes.com.

Last week we celebrated National Military Spouse Appreciation Day and recognized 10 influential military spouse business owners. We’re continuing to honor military members this week during National Military Appreciation Month through our joint campaign with iHeart Media, Highlighting Our Heroes.

Our heroes this week include members from all branches of service including military spouses who have also sacrificed for our country. StreetShares members include veteran small business owners who have taken a veteran business loan, line of credit or received government contract financing, or every day investors in the U.S. who are supporting these veteran small businesses with their investments.

Tune in to BIG 100 in the Washington, DC metro region each day this week a 5:00pm Eastern or stream online at iheartmedia.com to hear their stories. Subscribe to the StreetShares blog to be the first to know who is featured each week at highlightingourheroes.com.

It's week two of National Military Appreciation Month. This week is Public Service Recognition Week (PRSW) and today is Victory Day in Europe. Seventy-two years ago today, the world celebrated Victory in Europe Day as the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. The veterans of World War II served their country both in uniform and as civilian leaders; 49 percent of veterans in this Greatest Generation would go on own to operate their own small business.

StreetShares works every day to power a "New Greatest Generation" taking on the challenge of leadership — Syracuse University reports that 25 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans plan to start their own business in the next 10 years.

Let’s highlight five of the "New Greatest Generation" veterans and military community members in our ‘Highlighting Our Heroes’ joint campaign with iHeart Media. Tune in to BIG 100 in the Washington, DC metro region each day this week a 5:00pm Eastern or stream online at iheartmedia.com to hear their stories. Subscribe to the StreetShares blog to be the first to know who is featured each week at highlightingourheroes.com.