Veteran Entrepreneurs in San Antonio: A Growing Force
San Antonio has a vibrant community of over 160,000 veterans, many of whom are transitioning from military service to entrepreneurship. Veteran-owned businesses constitute about 7%-8% of all employer firms in the San Antonio metropolitan area, nearly double the national average of 4.65%. Texas itself has around 213,000 veteran-owned businesses, with San Antonio frequently ranking in the top 20 U.S. cities for veteran entrepreneurs.
Spotlight on Kelsey Waters
Kelsey Waters, a Marine Corps communications officer from 2009 to 2012, exemplifies this entrepreneurial spirit. After serving, she spent several years in the tech industry before co-founding Openlane in August 2024. Openlane is an AI-driven platform that assists small businesses in passing security audits and compliance certifications, allowing them to gain customer trust.
Waters’ entrepreneurial journey was inspired by the inefficiencies she observed in her previous roles, particularly in manual processes that relied heavily on spreadsheets. “I just said, ‘Wow, this is kind of insanely inefficient,’” she commented, leading her and her co-founders to create a more efficient solution.
Her military background played a crucial role in her approach to problem-solving. “I think that’s a very military skill set — to take the initiative and say, ‘What is out there does not meet people’s needs,’” she stated.
Community Support
Waters credits her success to community support, noting that it is essential for overcoming the challenges of starting a business. She has been a member of Geekdom since 2020 and recently secured a $30,000 investment from the Geekdom Community Fund. According to Brian Sierakowski, an entrepreneur in residence at Geekdom, navigating the complexities of building a business is more challenging than most anticipate.
Veterans, equipped with skills such as responsibility and proactive thinking, are encouraged to connect with mentors and community resources, which can be pivotal for their entrepreneurial success. “Surround yourself with good mentors, find a good community,” Waters advised, highlighting the strong network of military, veteran, and reservist founders in San Antonio.
Resilience in Entrepreneurship
Waters remains undeterred by the inevitable obstacles of starting a business. “Founders are going to be founders,” she said, emphasizing that veterans are resilient and persistent.
For those interested in exploring San Antonio’s startup ecosystem, SA Startup and Tech Week offers over 40 free sessions across various downtown locations, providing further opportunities for learning and networking.
For more details and registration, visit SA Startup Week.
