Posted by Todd Connor, Operation Iraqi Freedom Navy veteran, CEO of The Bunker
Editor's note: As 11/11 rolls around each year, we’re reminded of the veterans who selflessly serve our nation with great honor. We’re especially inspired by the veterans who return to civilian life to build successful small businesses — the engine of our economy. To celebrate those who serve our country in more ways than one, we sat down with vet-run companies to learn the stories behind their vision, the influence of the military on their business philosophy, and their advice for aspiring veteran entrepreneurs. Here, we hear from Todd Connor, Operation Iraqi Freedom Navy veteran and current CEO of The Bunker, an incubator for veteran-owned technology companies.
Entrepreneurship is a commitment to solving problems, and I’ve committed to solving one that’s especially close to home for me: helping veterans start and grow businesses they believe in.
My own military journey began as a freshman at Northwestern University, when I joined the school’s ROTC program; four years later, I was commissioned as a Navy Officer and eventually served in the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After returning to civilian life, I got my MBA, worked as a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton and started a few companies. While I loved the excitement of entrepreneurial life, I missed the purpose and community of the military. Then the idea for The Bunker took shape, and I finally found a way to marry my passion for entrepreneurship with my desire to work with vets.
The Bunker is an incubator for vet-owned technology startups and aspiring veteran entrepreneurs. We help them with strategic business decisions and plans, connect them with investors and mentors, and guide them through the unique regulations around running a certified veteran business. We just launched last month, and with support from the likes of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, the Tillman Foundation and 1871, we’re off to a solid start.
In many ways, military experience gives vets a skill set that naturally lends itself to entrepreneurship. They’re trained to be leaders in any situation. They put their mission first and don’t let uncertainty or obstacles get in the way. They have an unwavering work ethic and don’t give anything short of their best. Bringing vets with these skills together at The Bunker creates a powerful ecosystem of like-minded, ambitious entrepreneurs who share a common mindset and an incredible bond.
But military experience also creates some difficult challenges. When vets return to civilian life from the military, they’re so far removed from the startup space that they lack the access to execute on their vision — they don’t have the capital, mentors, investors or the networks to turn their idea into a company. The Bunker is their gateway to the entrepreneurship community. It opens the door to the larger startup world and the people, companies and resources that come with it. That’s one of our primary goals — to help them find the tools they need to be successful.
Vets and their businesses need to be embedded in mainstream society, too. That’s why The Bunker sits inside 1871, the epicenter of Chicago’s startup scene — so our entrepreneurs are as much a part of the city’s business hub as they are of the veteran community.
The Bunker is young, but we’re already growing our footprint. News of and excitement around The Bunker spread so quickly to vet groups nationwide that we’ve built a network of Bunker incubators in 7 cities across the US. The best part? I’ve met less than half of the folks leading the charge in those 7 cities, but because they’re all vets, I trust them to carry the Bunker vision forward — just as I trusted the guys next to me when I served in the Navy. That’s the kind of community that has each others’ backs.
