Entrepreneur of Impact 2026 - Day 4, Round 4: Impact Through Honor Flight and Competition Standings
- dougkatz8
- 16 hours ago
- 2 min read
One of the things I've realized during this competition is that you're not just voting for a product. You're voting for an Entrepreneur of Impact — and that means the whole person, not just the business. I haven't talked enough about what that looks like for me outside of NULU.
What Impact Looks Like Beyond the Business
I serve as Vice President of the Veterans Network Committee of Northern Illinois, an organization that supports programs for veterans across the region. One of the most meaningful initiatives we're involved in is Honor Flight — a program that provides trips for veterans, originally World War II and now primarily Korea and Vietnam era, to travel to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials built in their honor. The veterans don't pay a dime. It's funded entirely through donations and made possible by volunteers.
For many of these veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam, the trip is more than a visit to a monument. It's a moment of recognition that never came when they returned home. It's a chance to reconnect with what they served to protect — and a chance for the country, and for individuals, to say thank you in a way that actually means something. If you've ever witnessed one of these trips firsthand, you understand immediately. It stays with you.
If this resonates, there are simple ways to get involved: support your local Honor Flight organization, volunteer on a trip, or donate to help fund travel for veterans who otherwise couldn't make it. These programs exist across the country and rely entirely on community support. It's one of the most direct ways I know to make a real difference.
Where We Stand in the Competition
We're currently in Round 4 of the Entrepreneur of Impact competition. In my group, 10 participants remain and 5 will advance — with about 4 days left in this round. Across the full competition there are hundreds of groups, so while we've made real progress, there's still ground to cover.
What makes this competition different is that votes reset at each phase, which means consistency matters more than a single burst of support. A daily vote takes only a few seconds and costs nothing, but it has a direct impact on whether we move forward.
If you've been with us, thank you.
If you haven't voted today, you can do that here: entrepreneurofimpact.org/2026/douglas-katz
Impact Is Broader Than Business
It's easy to think of impact in terms of products, companies, and innovation. But real impact is also how you show up in your community, what you choose to support, and where you invest your time. For me, that means building NULU and supporting programs like Honor Flight. Both matter. And ultimately, that's what you're voting for.
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