By Eric Fitzpatrick, Founder of The Roaring Bean Coffee Co.
When I left the military, I thought the hardest part of service was behind me. I was wrong.
The real battle began when the uniform came off — when the structure, purpose, and brotherhood that had defined my life suddenly disappeared. Like many veterans, I found myself drifting, unsure of who I was without the mission. The sense of belonging that had carried me through deployments was gone, replaced by silence — and in that silence, came the weight of mental struggle.
For years, I fought invisible battles: depression, anxiety, and the deep emptiness that comes when you lose your sense of direction. Every day felt like a mission I wasn’t sure I could complete. But with the help of my wife and family, holding onto one simple idea — if I could focus on small victories, maybe I could make it through another day.
Some days, that victory was just getting out of bed. Other days, it was having a cup of coffee and reminding myself to be grateful I was still here.
That daily ritual — coffee and gratitude — became the spark that led me to start The Roaring Bean Coffee Company. It wasn’t about caffeine; it was about connection. I wanted to build something that brought people together the way the military once did for me — a place where stories, laughter, and encouragement could flow as easily as a fresh pour-over.
Owning a small business gave me back what I thought I had lost: a mission. It challenged me, gave me purpose, and reconnected me with my community. Every event we serve — whether it’s a wedding, corporate gathering, or local pop-up — is a reminder that healing doesn’t always happen in isolation. Sometimes, it happens in the small, ordinary moments when we serve others.
Across the country, veterans are struggling to find purpose after service. Too often, we’re handed medication before we’re handed opportunity. We’re told to “transition,” but not shown how to rebuild identity outside the uniform.
The solution isn’t just more programs — it’s empowerment.
We need to encourage veterans to build again: to create businesses, mentor others, and take ownership of their futures. Entrepreneurship isn’t just about making money; it’s about rediscovering the spirit of service. When we start rebuilding the veteran spirit and they start a business, they don’t just create income — they create connection, community, and purpose.
Thankfully, there are now organizations and private companies partnering with the VA to make that possible. Programs like Boots to Business, ACP, and Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) offer mentorship, business planning, and startup support to veterans who want to take that next step.
These initiatives show that when we combine government resources with real-world mentorship, we can transform more lives than medication alone ever could.
We can’t rebuild the veteran spirit from a distance. It takes local partnerships, mentorship, and community involvement.
When a community rallies behind a veteran-owned business, they’re not just supporting a product — they’re supporting recovery, resilience, and rebirth.
We don’t need pity. We need purpose.
We need systems that empower veterans to lead again — through apprenticeships, small business grants, and mentorship programs that turn service skills into civilian success stories.
We need spaces where veterans can connect, collaborate, and rediscover that same sense of brotherhood — not through war, but through work that brings good into the world.
For me, every cup of coffee served isn’t just a transaction; it’s a conversation — a reminder that we’re still part of something bigger. It’s proof that hope can be rebuilt, one step — or one sip — at a time.
If you’re a veteran struggling today, know this: you haven’t lost your mission. It’s waiting for you. You just have to take that first small step — maybe it’s building something, maybe it’s connecting with someone, maybe it’s simply choosing to get out of bed and try again tomorrow.
Because the truth is, the spirit of service doesn’t die when we hang up the uniform. It just needs a new way to live.
