Rise from the ranks: from military strategy to business savvy.

• Author: Kinder, Peri
• Position: Business Trends

Skills learned in the military don't always translate to the civilian workplace. But the military philosophies of serving the community and helping those in need are great business ethics and a good starting point for veterans interested in launching their own careers.

Major Michael Hawkins and Lieutenant Colonel Michael Eliason of the United States Air Force took that philosophy a step further and opened Interim Healthcare in February 2014. Their intention is to provide quality home care for veterans or anyone else in need of professional home health services.

Eliason, a 23-year veteran and Air Force pilot, didn't want to take his military skills into the commercial airline industry once he retired, considering the things he learned in the service as too important to give to the airlines. Instead, he chose to work with veterans and seniors.

"There's a certain nobility about military service, and a certain nobility about caring for the elderly and treating them with dignity and respect."

But starting up a home healthcare business was far from easy. Hawkins credits his military service for teaching him how to work hard, focus and have the discipline necessary to see the process through from planning, to hiring, and to opening the doors.

A 21-year veteran, Hawkins compares operating his own business to drinking out of a fire hose. "You have to take in so much information so quickly that you just can't absorb it all"

Fortunately, veterans have resources if they're interested in starting a business. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides information for vets about everything from creating a business plan and acquiring funding to hiring employees and developing a marketing campaign.

Mike Steck is the co-owner of Joe Firearms, a manufacturing business that designs and machines high-quality firearm accessories, as well as provides conceal/carry weapons training. Steck served for eight years with the Utah Army National Guard, and his service included two combat tours in Kuwait and Iraq.

Along with his gun business, Steck graduated from the University of Utah with a law degree and specializes in business law, with an emphasis on estate planning for gun owners. Steck says coming home after being deployed is a big I transition, especially when that day-to-day support offered in the military is no longer available. Going it alone can be daunting, so a business mentor is invaluable.

"Like being in the military, being a small business owner...