Meet Dr. Mindi Anderson, Founding Executive Director, Community Outreach & Project Director of the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce

Mindi has a long-standing reputation in developing, growing, and leading dynamic teams within her military, civilian and non-profit career. She is a disciplined 22+ year military leader focused on opportunities to grow and enhance teams or individuals through a diverse and inclusive lens. Mindi currently serves in the Idaho Air National Guard as the Human Resource Advisor (Chief People Officer) for the 124th Fighter Wing providing organizational development and learning to over 1,400 Airmen as a certified diversity and inclusion coaching practitioner. She serves as an executive coach to 40+ executive leaders advising and assessing the culture and delivers human centered group/individual coaching, education, and training.

In November of 2020, Mindi launched Idaho’s first veterans chamber of commerce and largest veteran network navigation hub designed to provide navigation services and a space for collaboration of resources, opportunities, and services offered between the Idaho community and the military community to include veterans, military serving, and their families.

Through the launch of her own business several years ago, Mindi identified there are many resources for entrepreneurs; but not many that focus on veterans and can understand the unique challenges faced by military serving or transitioning military members and guide them to business success. Additionally for military spouses, it's also challenging when they follow their military member to start a business in a community with no network. Many military spouses choose to go into business for themselves so they can move with their significant other and avoid having to establish employment every time they move. The IDVCC is a navigation network hub that connects them to those business resources and centers across Idaho to allow them to flourish and grow while contributing to a healthy ecosystem. All these factors have been experienced by Mindi not only as an Idaho Air National Guardsmen but also as a spouse of an active-duty Air Force member. “At IDVCC, we help people find their community and build their network one military connected business owner at a time,” said Mindi.

IDVCC Navigation Entrepreneur Team Lead Marisa McCarter said, “From my own personal experiences as a veteran and an entrepreneur, I can say we have some unique barriers to overcome in regard to connecting to our local community.”

That’s where Marisa and the IDVCC navigation team comes in and opens the proverbial door. By building and maintaining partnerships and relationships with businesses, agencies, associations, organizations, and nonprofits IDVCC can provide pathways for veterans to find the right resources every time.

“The Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce provided me the connections to participate in Buy Idaho and by advocating for my cybersecurity company, we were able to land paying customers as a result,” IDVCC client James McCarter and CEO & Founder of Shadowscape said.

“My job is to keep their mission moving forward not only as an advocate, but a navigator through what can be an intimidating entrepreneurial journey,” said Marisa. “We are fortunate to live in the state we do with so much support and so many resources for our veterans. But it’s tough to know which direction to go and it can be discouraging when something doesn’t work. So, my drive is to make those calls, send the emails, work through what doesn’t work until I find what does. In the end, I hope I have given my clients the ability to connect, feel a ‘win’ of whatever size it may be and provide them the tools to move forward.”

Are you a veteran or spouse business owner, or are looking to become one? The Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping you achieve important tasks to positively impact your business. Our entrepreneur team is available to provide one on one navigation services to resources, connections and networks that can help your business grow and thrive. Our services are offered at no charge, and are available to any veteran, military serving, and their spouse regardless of when they transitioned out of the military. Visit https://www.idahoveterans.org/entrepreneur or email [email protected] for more information on how to take the next steps in your business launch, development, or growth with the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce.

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