Speaking with the Veterans Cohort at 26 West Center: Real-World Capital Strategies

June 18, 2025•1 min read

On May 21st, I had the honor of speaking to the Veterans Cohort at the 26 West Center—a group of driven, resilient entrepreneurs who’ve served our country and are now building businesses of their own.

I’m truly thankful for the opportunity to share my experience with these veteran founders. We explored real-world capital strategies—what works, what to avoid, and how to fund a business in today’s environment.

We broke down every major financing option:

💰Debt

📈Equity

🌐Crowdfunding

🤝Revenue Share

📄Leasing

More importantly, we discussed how to combine these tools strategically to build a capital stack that fits the unique needs of each business. These conversations are critical—especially for founders transitioning from military service to entrepreneurship.

Thank you to the 26 West Center at State College of Florida for your continued commitment to empowering veteran entrepreneurs. Your work is building more than businesses—you’re building a stronger, more self-reliant community.

#VeteranEntrepreneurs #AccessToCapital #26WestCenter #BusinessFunding #Entrepreneurship #RitchVentures #VeteransInBusiness #StartupSupport #CapitalStrategy

ROBERT RITCH

Robert Ritch is a Florida-based investor and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in business development, M&A, and corporate turnarounds. He is the founder of Ritch Ventures, a family office that invests in companies and focuses on acquiring and growing small to mid-sized businesses. Ritch has launched and exited multiple successful ventures, served in executive roles across finance and operations, and regularly hosts investor events, including Pitch Days for early-stage and distressed companies.

Back to Blog