SOF Week is synonymous with defense industry exhibits, emerging technologies, and discussions about the future of special operations. But spend enough time walking the convention floor, and another side of SOF Week becomes apparent.
Throughout SOF Week, veteran entrepreneurs, veteran-owned businesses and nonprofit organizations gather not only to discuss issues affecting the special operations community, but also to build relationships and create opportunities beyond military service. For many attendees, those connections often become the foundation for future partnerships.
Those connections also introduce veteran entrepreneurs to organizations dedicated to helping them build and grow their businesses after military service. From branding and marketing to communications and business development, SOF Week brings together organizations that help veteran entrepreneurs turn ideas into sustainable businesses.
Veteran Entrepreneurs at SOF Week Find Support Beyond Military Service
One such organization participating in SOF Week was Victor + Valor, a nonprofit founded to help members of the military community strengthen their brands and tell their stories more effectively. The organization supports active duty service members, veterans, military spouses, military children, and SOF personnel through branding, marketing, and communications services designed to help them grow their businesses and expand their impact. Its approach extends beyond traditional branding and marketing, helping entrepreneurs build businesses that align with their strengths and ambitions.
SOF spouses have become one of Victor + Valor’s standout client groups. Ali Craig, founder of Victor + Valor, said many SOF spouses possess qualities that translate exceptionally well to entrepreneurship.
“They’re exceptionally adaptable. Living in the SOF community means constantly navigating change, uncertainty, and challenges while still finding ways to move forward. That resilience translates incredibly well into building a business,” Craig said. “What stands out most, though, is that many SOF spouses don’t start businesses simply because they want to be entrepreneurs—they start them because they see a need they genuinely want to solve. Their businesses are deeply rooted in service. I think that’s why their brands are so authentic.”
While Victor + Valor works with entrepreneurs across the military community, the organization has found that helping SOF entrepreneurs often begins before branding or marketing.
“At Victor + Valor, we believe branding should never begin with a logo. It should begin with purpose,” Craig said. “One of the biggest challenges we see is that people often carry expectations into civilian life that don’t necessarily fit who they are. Sometimes it’s the assumption that because they served in a particular role or MOS, they should build a business around that same experience. But purpose doesn’t always translate that directly. That’s why our process is so individualized. We aren’t trying to build the fastest-growing business. We’re trying to build the right business for that person.”
One company that has benefited from Victor + Valor’s personalized approach is Three Forks Wood Reclamation. Founded by former members of the special operations community, Chris Kelley and Christian Knutzen, the company salvages historic wood from architectural landmarks across Europe and beyond, giving centuries-old materials new life through luxury architecture and design. Victor + Valor worked with the company to strengthen its website, presentations, and social media presence.
“Victor + Valor didn’t redefine our story, they refined how we tell it,” Chris Kelley said. “They elevated our brand across presentations, our website, and social media, giving us a level of professionalism and consistency that better reflects who Three Forks is.”
Christian Knutzen agreed, adding that Victor + Valor “helped us present our company with the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that we put into every project.”
While defense remains at the heart of SOF Week, the conversations happening between sessions continue to create opportunities long after the event ends. For many in the SOF community, those conversations are where the next mission begins.
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Photo: Panelists from the “SOF for Life: Veteran Entrepreneurship Ecosystem” discussion pose for a photo during SOF Week 2026. Pictured left to right are Patrick Flood (Owners in Honor), Robert Zackery III (Primer Development Group, LLC), Damon Friedman (SOF Missions), and Theresa Irving, founder of EPIC Military Brands and a Victor + Valor board member. The panel explored the organizations, resources, and relationships that help veterans build successful businesses after military service.
