Women Veterans, Bold Business: Turning Vision into Reality
How Wounded Warrior Project Is Partnering to Empower Women in Business Ownership
For many women veterans, hanging up the uniform and kicking off the combat boots doesn’t signify the end of a road – it marks the beginning of a new one. Yet the transition from military life to the civilian workforce can be filled with uncertainty, particularly for women.
The women warriors report by Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) shows that women warriors experience a higher unemployment rate (15.7%) than the U.S. veteran population (3.6%), the U.S. general population (3.8%), and even the U.S. general population with a disability (7.4%).
But behind each of those statistics is a woman striving to find her footing — to rediscover purpose, confidence, and community. That’s where WWP™ and its partners step in. Through collaborations with organizations like the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and Dog Tag Inc. WWP helps women veterans turn their resilience into opportunity. Together, these organizations empower each warrior on their path to thriving.
Turning Ambition into Action with IVMF
After serving 22 years in the Air Force, Precious Mitchell knew all about discipline, resilience, and leadership — but she wanted to build something that went beyond her trained skills and focused on empowering others. She was committed to finding her next mission, but knew it had to give her purpose, a sense of service, and a reason to smile. That vision became Vitality Practice 4Fitness, her holistic health and wellness business focused on fitness, leadership, and personal development.
Continuing her lifelong commitment to growth, Precious embraces every opportunity to learn, lead, and strengthen her business.
“I wanted to build something that empowered people beyond the military or corporate environment,” Precious said. But turning that vision into a thriving business required more than ambition.
Through WWP’s partnership with IVMF, Precious attended the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Wounded Warrior Project (EBV-WWP), where she learned how to merge her military strengths with entrepreneurial skills.
“They taught me about resilience in business, financial literacy, networking, and the importance of telling my story as both a veteran and an entrepreneur,” she said. “Most importantly, they showed me that women veterans have a powerful voice in the business world.”
Now, Precious is using what she learned through WWP and IVMF to inspire other women to lead and find their own voice and passion in the professional world. She’s proud to share her story and learnings, but she also leads by example in her own business. For Precious, her message for other women warriors is clear: Don’t wait for perfect conditions.
“The road won’t always be easy, but the impact you make can be life-changing for you and for others,” Precious said. “Use what you learned in service — discipline, adaptability, and resilience — and transfer those skills into your dream. Seek out programs like Wounded Warrior Project and IVMF because they provide the community and knowledge that can make all the difference.”
Turning Patience into Progress with Dog Tag Inc.
A veteran turned holistic health advocate, Jessica Coulter empowers others to heal — mind, body, and spirit.
After four years in the Air Force and deployments to Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, Jessica Coulter was ready to take her next step. She wasn’t quite sure where to begin, but she had a passion: holistic health. That passion recently turned into a newfound purpose, influencing her decision to move from the U.S. to Jamaica with a new mission.
Jessica wanted to restructure her business into an international wellness company. The path felt overwhelming. “I didn’t know how, I didn’t know where to start,” Jessica said, “And researching just can get so overwhelming,”
Her breakthrough came through WWP’s partnership with Dog Tag Inc., where she joined a cohort of veterans, military spouses, and business owners of varying experience levels taking entrepreneurship courses at Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies and putting education into practice at Dog Tag Bakery.
“Being part of such a collaborative and diverse group showed me that success isn’t just about individual wins. It’s about learning, adapting, and growing together,” Jessica said.
Through Dog Tag and the support and perspectives of those around her, Jessica shifted her perspective on success. Previously, if something changed or didn’t work, she said she would think of it as a simple failure. But now, she views those hiccups as opportunities for development – something she can take control of and change. That mindset allowed her to embrace patience and strategic growth, a lesson she now incorporates into her business and her life.
Finding strength in stillness, Jessica leads by example, showing that healing starts from within.
Jessica’s vision has expanded beyond her company. She’s now building plans for a biannual rest and relaxation retreat in Jamaica for women veterans, combining wellness, community, and shared experiences of service.
“My idea of what success is shifted [because of Dog Tag],” she said.
Through collaboration, reflection, and the support of WWP, Jessica has learned that building something meaningful doesn’t have to happen overnight — and that’s a lesson she hopes to pass on to other women warriors. To her, it’s all about the power of the pivot.
“As an entrepreneur, you want to do everything right now – you want to see the win, and see it soon,” said Jessica. “But now I know I can pivot and not just grind for the sake of business. I can take my time, and do things with intention, make decisions with purpose, it can be personal, and that’s how I can really make it a success.”
Turning Investment into Empowerment with WWP
The challenges women veterans face in the civilian workforce - from higher unemployment rates to navigating industries that often overlook their skills - are real. Precious’ and Jessica’s stories show that challenges can be transformed into opportunities.
Through WWP’s partnerships with organizations like IVMF and Dog Tag Inc., women warriors gain the tools, confidence, and community to turn ambition into action and patience into progress. These collaborations are part of a larger commitment by Wounded Warrior Project to ensure no warrior walks alone on their journey to thriving.
As the largest nonprofit funder of other veterans service organizations (VSOs), WWP has invested $436 million in 221 military and veteran organizations since 2012 — expanding its reach and impact through powerful partnerships that help veterans, service members, caregivers, and their families succeed beyond service.
These programs do more than teach business skills — they cultivate communities where women veterans see themselves reflected, lift each other up, and discover the strength and impact of their unique voices.
“Most importantly, believe that your voice, your story, and your vision matter,” said Precious.
To access more resources on WWP’s free employment assistance, check out the Warriors to Work web page.
Contact: Kaitlyn McCue, Public Relations, kmccue@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.870.1964
About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project is our nation’s leading veteran services organization, focused on the total well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, or injured veterans. Our programs, advocacy, and awareness efforts help warriors thrive, provide essential lifelines to families and caregivers, and prevent veteran suicides. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.
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