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Robert Pizzini has led an interesting life.
He grew up watching "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau ," became fascinated with ocean exploration and diving and then joined the Navy, first as a diver and eventually as an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) officer. He served 26 years in special operations -- in Iraq and on the Arabian Peninsula. And he received a Bronze Star.
On several training missions near the end of his service, he discovered the next chapter of his eventful life. He spent time at a few indoor skydiving facilities teaching EOD teams parachuting skills, when he saw something that intrigued him.
"We would go to different parts of the country and train," he says. "And we would see the other military units who traveled from out of town to train, but we would also see the birthday parties and mom and dad on date night out, and the families flying. We saw the full business model."
What he saw inspired him to launch iFLY Virginia Beach indoor skydiving facility. In 2018 his company was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year.
But now his way forward is difficult as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
"In March it was very dark. It was very bleak," Pizzini says. "COVID is a big fog, and you can only see so far down the road in this fog. I'm risking everything I have financially, and I have a family. I have children to raise."
The coronavirus has put unprecedented obstacles in the path for businesses, with an estimated 97,000 closures nationwide. In Hampton Roads, many entrepreneurs have the kind of unique skills from years in the nation's military forces. Now they're facing different challenges.
Pizzini knew he had to put his people first. He made the decision not to pay his mortgage for April, just as the pandemic was starting. Instead, he made his payroll for three crucial weeks.
"In March the CARES Act wasn't out, the P3 program wasn't out. Nobody knew what was going on," he says.
He knew if his company got an opportunity to open, he would need a team which was ready to go. Luckily, iFLY was able to reopen for military training three weeks into the shutdown. It was tight, but the company lasted long enough to reopen to the public in early June.
He says the summer had enough tourist traffic to keep his business operating. But the coming winter will be a challenge for Pizzini and other business owners.
"This winter is going to be survival," says Michael Stacks. He's a retired Navy SEAL whose brewery, The Bold Mariner, recently had its 5-year anniversary. Stacks grew up in Michigan, helping a father and grandfather who were both home brewers. He spent his military years occasionally brewing his own recipes and handing them out to friends and colleagues.
"People kept saying, 'You need to open up a brewery, you need to do this,'" he says, "And I'd always laugh and say, 'Yeah, that's the plan."
He watched the craft beer industry blow up as he neared the end of his service. Virginia changed laws to make it easier for small startups to put new beer brands into the market. Stacks decided to make the jump.
Even before COVID-19, he said, the transition from SEAL to private businessman was a challenge. The military, he said, was demanding, but it provided structure, resources, backstops.
"When you go into the civilian sector, and you're starting up your business, you're out there and you're fending for yourself," he said.
He recommends that anyone following his example start planning their business at least two years in advance. And with the current environment, the key is flexibility. New entrepreneurs have to be ready to adapt their fledgling businesses to harsh conditions.
The Bold Mariner started a to-go service with a drive thru booth outside its Oceanfront location in Virginia Beach. They have a partnership with Bar-Q (pronounced "Bark") for food.
From week to week, Stacks is ready to make more changes. Businesses have adapted to new restrictions as state leaders react to COVID spikes. But Stacks thinks his business model is strong, and his brand has a deep connection with the community.
"We are a very maritime environment," he said. "Whether you're military, or you're a longshoreman, a fisherman, a surfer, a sailor. I feel like anyone who lives in this area can relate to that brand."
Michael Stacks has determination, a clear plan and good instincts, according to Cherylynn Sagester. She is Program Director of Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) at Old Dominion University, and she helped Stacks build his business model. Her organization is a resource new entrepreneurs can rely on during this pandemic.
Sagester and her staff are all veterans themselves. She served in both the Navy and Army, and she's owned two companies. Veterans come to her to help them focus on a plan to launch a new business.
She thanks them for their service, she says, and then asks them questions about their motivations, their marketing plan and their experience in the industry they want to join.
She puts them through the intense two-day workshop, "Boots To Business," sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
According to the SBA website, "participants are introduced to the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to launch a business, including steps for developing business concepts, how to develop a business plan, and information on SBA resources available to help."
After that, VBOC has its own one-day boot camp to help would-be entrepreneurs do their industry research and marketing research. If they're still willing to make the move, VBOC helps them get startup capital, which Sagester calls the biggest challenge vets have to a get business launched.
"It's kind of like making soup," she said. "You've got all these different ingredients that need to be in there for the soup to turn out just right."
New businesses already face tough markets. The pandemic adds an extra layer of uncertainty, Sagester said.
"They have to pivot like they're on a ski slope," she said. "Through our time in service we learn failure is not an option."