An amazing event took place recently that helped many ex-military personnel to promote their own businesses.

The ‘Boost With Facebook For The Armed Forces Community’ day included panel discussions and training sessions on the best ways to use Facebook and its partner social media platform, Instagram, to support business growth.

More than 300 Armed Forces Veterans attended the digital skills workshop, which was run by Facebook in partnership with X-Forces Enterprise (XFE). The event was held at the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza Hotel in London – the venue for the Soldiering On Awards!

Several Soldiering On Award Winners and Finalists enjoyed the benefits of attending such a useful and motivating event, including John Geden, Winner of the 2019 Business of the Year – Community Impact Award for his company, Sinah Common Honey, and James Wilthew, whose business The Afghan Rug Shop was Highly Commended. It was also a pleasure to see Gary Tucker, whose Network Training Partnership received the 2019 Business of the Year – Start Up Award, and Animal Partnership Finalist Richard Mearns with Ziggy.

This event is just one example of the ways Soldiering On Award Winners and Finalists can benefit as a result of being nominated for an award. XFE offers a fantastic package of tailored support to Award Winners, but the team also supports a much wider variety of businesses that stem from within the Armed Forces Community. So if you nominate someone for a Soldiering On Business Award – and there are three categories to choose from – even if your nominee doesn’t make it through to the Finalist stage, they can still benefit from their introduction to XFE.

Why wait? Nominations are open now. If you’re inspired by an individual or a business that’s associated with the Armed Forces Community, click here to see the full list of categories and tell us why your nominee deserves the recognition and honour of winning a Soldiering On Award.

XFE founder and CEO Ren Kapur MBE took part in one of the panel discussion about entrepreneurship, and was asked for advice for those embarking on business ownership.  Delegates were keen to hear what key nuggets of advice the panel could provide; click here to read Ren Kapur MBE’s business tips.

She said of the day, “Facebook brought together individuals from across the Armed Forces Community in this purposeful event, and each of us went away enthused by the power of social media and its important role in business. I was delighted to see so many XFE beneficiaries embracing the opportunity and we hope this is the first of many collaborations with Facebook.”

It was fantastic to witness Facebook signing the Armed Forces Covenant on the day, thereby pledging to provide veterans with equal opportunities.

Steve Hatch, Facebook’s managing director for Northern Europe, said:

“It has been a great privilege to hear the inspiring stories of the many of the veterans we have worked with on this programme, who have either set up their own businesses since leaving the armed forces or are looking to get started on their own entrepreneurial journey. “I am immensely proud to be signing the Armed Forces Covenant, and want to thank the UK’s veteran community for their service, on behalf of everyone here at Facebook.”

Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, Chief of Defence People at the Ministry of Defence, added:

“It is an honour to be signing the Armed Forces Covenant with Facebook, who are taking great steps not only to ensure veterans are supported in the workplace, but that the wider community of Armed Forces personnel can access digital skills training to help them achieve their entrepreneurial ambitions.”

Who do you know that would benefit from this kind of fabulous business advice? You can nominate any business associated with the Armed Forces Community – as well as individuals who have impressed and inspired you.

(Thanks to XFE for sharing some of their words and the photo.)