Building Resilience and Renewed Purpose: Dog Tag Inc.

In celebration of our partners and the great work they do to advance economic progress for all, we interviewed some of our Nasdaq Foundation quarterly grant recipients about their roles, backgrounds and the importance of their work. We spoke with Meghan Ogilvie, Chief Executive Officer of Dog Tag Inc., on their mission to equip veterans, military spouses, and caregivers with the tools and education to build resilience, find renewed purpose, and forge community beyond the military.
 

Tell us about Dog Tag, Inc. What is its core mission?
The Dog Tag Entrepreneurial 5-month Fellowship Program equips veterans, military spouses, and caregivers with the tools and education to build resilience, find renewed purpose, and forge community beyond the military. Dog Tag provides a bridge from military service to the civilian world through a Business Administration Certificate Program at Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, a Capstone presentation, research on funding opportunities, and practical application in a DC bakery to set them up for success as small business owners. Paired with a holistic approach to wellness, the program enables fellows to develop as individuals in the context of a new circle of support. 

The social impact model of Dog Tag includes a brick and mortar bakery in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, that infuses the local community with $400,000 annually by employing local bakers, chefs, and catering staff. Profit from the bakery helps fund the program, giving partners and donors the opportunity to connect with the mission and be part of the Dog Tag community with something as simple as a cup of coffee. 

Our funding partners are active participants in our success from opening their doors to host pitch sessions, resume review, and networking, to offering insight on finance, business chemistry, and competitive markets. In the spirit of the organization, more than 40% of program alumni go on to support other veterans via their own businesses or working in other organizations with renewed purpose and commitment. 

Can you share a story that illustrates the impact of Dog Tag? 
While it’s an interesting line item that our most successful method of recruitment is word-of-mouth; more than flyers, or tables, or social media, it’s representative of something much deeper. 

Nnana Obioha was a fellow in Dog Tag’s 5th cohort, an Army veteran that now works in Cybersecurity for the EPA. He’s been a strong alumni partner in all of the years since, but more importantly when he met George Jensen on an engagement for Mission Continues, a Veteran Service Organization focused on community projects for veterans, and discovered his goal of small business ownership, his first suggestion was to become a Dog Tag fellow. A Marine veteran with a service connected disability, George joined cohort 18 and learned to take his vending machine start-up to the next level. It was such a transformative experience for him, personally and professionally, that his wife, Sasha Savage, noticed the difference. She applied to Dog Tag and was accepted into cohort 19 the following Spring where she workshopped and developed her leadership coaching business. Everything from logos and presentations to draft budget, strategy, and an outreach plan – The Savage Model was born in the program. 

This camaraderie was felt by other members of the cohort and continues to be felt by current fellows as all of them attend Dog Tag graduations and networking events to pass along the spirit of entrepreneurship, leadership, and community to the man on their right. 

Can you tell us why Dog Tag’s mission is so important? What impact are you hoping the Nasdaq Foundation’s Quarterly Grant will have on Dog Tag, Inc.’s success? 
The importance of Dog Tag’s mission is made clear everyday when alumni from the first cohort, 10 years ago, return to teach a learning lab to current fellows and share what they have learned about the realities of small business ownership. When at the end of 5-month’s of redefining what success looks like for themselves and incorporating individual identity and goals into a new community, a fellow gets up on stage to tell their story and shares that she once “held a human heart in her hands as a cardiac nurse; that you have to hold it firmly, but gently; and that in this program the human heart is held with care in a different way as the work is done to make it whole.” 

With Nasdaq Foundation’s Quarterly grant Dog Tag will have the agility to be responsive to surveys and feedback from our fellows as well as cross organizational strategic planning. We cannot serve and thrive by staying the same. This investment in our future will mean fellows receive the accommodations they need to be successful in a hybrid program – allowing applicants from all 50 states to engage. We can share the impact of a high-touch person-first transition model that results in more veteran entrepreneurs as well as more businesses led by women and people of color, more widely. We can, and will, stretch the definition of ‘community’ to its fullest potential by continually offering resources for alumni businesses to thrive including guidance on loans, registrations, licensing, ethical AI, grant programs, and events. Dog Tag’s success is measured by that of our fellows and the effect of the community we have built. 

What’s on the horizon in 2025 for Dog Tag? 
Dog Tag is taking lessons learned over ten years of service, and the insight of its fellows, to continue to optimize the format and execution of the 5 month program, utilizing the unique social impact of the bakery. In partnership with stakeholders, Dog Tag has found its place in a changing workforce landscape in Washington, DC, and for veterans and military families redefining purpose after service and federal employment nationwide. Dog Tag will not hesitate to be the best next step to take when these families need to pivot. With the support of our partners, both educational and professional, we will continue to share current best practices for entrepreneurship. 

Our relationship with Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies is stronger and better aligned to activate the incredible talent in our community than ever. The bakery continues to build wholesale partnerships that feed the program on every level. We intend to be seen by those who can benefit from Dog Tag so that the impact can continue.