Beyond the Uniform: Recent Episodes
Justin M. Nassiri
Beyond the Uniform is a show to help military veterans navigate their civilian career. Each week, I meet with different veterans to learn more about their civilian career, how they got there, and what advice they'd give to other military personnel.
Steve here from BTU. I live in Huntsville, AL and I’m trying to help the Chamber of Commerce connect with E-6 and below service members that are within 18-24 months of their transition window; that can be either be pre or post transition.
The Chamber of Commerce is looking to connect via Zoom with soon to transition or recently transitioned junior/mid enlisted service members to pick their brains about transition, what jobs transitioning service members are looking for, what's important to them, what marketing material lands with them, etc.
Basically, there's a huge manufacturing labor shortage in the US and Huntsville has a lot of that manufacturing. The chamber is trying to figure out how to attract enlisted military talent that could step into high paying manufacturing jobs right out of transition after a little bit of training. For example, its entirely within the realm of possibility for an E5 to be starting a manufacturing job here making $100k; the problem is service members don’t know about the opportunities and local companies with manufacturing openings are struggling to connect with the ideal E-6 and below service member workforce.
My ask: do you know of anyone in your network who is an E-6 or below within 18-24 months of their transition window (either be pre or post-transition)?
If so and they’re interested, feel free to email me at steve@beyondtheuniform.org.
Rob is the Co-Founder and COO of ZeroEyes, an AI weapons detection platform that helps identify threats at first sight. In this interview we talk about: >> WHY Rob has made it his mission to end mass shootings >> How Rob has built a team that is ~60% military Veterans >> How entrepreneurship is an alternating feeling of hiding under your desk, or jumping on top of your desk >> What it's like to be COO of a quickly growing company
This is part two of a book review of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.
I've read a lot of books on productivity, and this is by far one of the best I've read. Because it takes a completely different approach to our view of time and how to get things done.
I recently read a book that I love: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.
I've read a lot of books on productivity, and this is by far one of the best I've read. Because it takes a completely different approach to our view of time and how to get things done.
In this episode, I go through a tactical list he includes in the book about 10 Tools for Embracing Your Finitude. I hope this helps you as much as it helped me.
I've interviewed 510+ top performers. Here are five characteristics I've seen them share:
- Readers 2. Mentors 3. BIG goals 4. Get out of doing 5. Active
Ryan is a case study in being proactive, intentional, and open to feedback. He shares some crazy stories about how his side hustles (6+) led to his eventual founding of Gridwise, which has raised over $20M in funding to date. Whether or not you're interested in entrepreneurship, you'll benefit from Ryan's story.
2 years after our initial conversation, Herb Thompson is back on Beyond the Uniform. In this conversation, we talk about topics including:
- What LinkedIn is and isn't
- How Herb wrote his first book in a single weekend
- How companies leveraging Veterans are improving their bottom line, not doing charity
- How to own your journey
- Building a bridge rather than a wall
- How Veterans gaining employment and success helps us all
- How important it is to believe you belong
- Why Herb chose to stand in front of 60,000 people, even though it made him uncomfortable
- Why it's important to not do anything alone
I've been MIA... I'm sorry! Here's a quick update on what's going on behind-the-scenes, and what's in store for Beyond the Uniform.
Someone in our community sent me a message requesting a few thoughts on their military career transition. I wanted to take the opportunity to share four things that have been on my mind lately.
Gordon Logan is the Founder & CEO at Sport Clips Haircuts, a company that he started back in 1993 and now has over 1,700 locations in the US & Canada. Logan started out at MIT, after which he served as an Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force for seven years. After his military service, he worked as a financial planning and control consultant with Price Waterhouse & Co. in Houston, Texas. He holds an MBA with Honors from The Wharton School of Business.
Why to Listen:
In the past I've interviewed veterans involved in Franchises. Gordon started a company that has become a franchise with over 1,700 locations, and many of their franchise owners are veterans. He gives an incredibly vivid look at what it is like to start and grow a company, how to remain fresh and grow with your business, and how failures are never final.
Why to Listen:
For those that listened to Episode #129 with John Francis, you know that I’ve been thinking about how veterans that are interested in entrepreneurship should really consider a franchise. It seems to be a business with training wheels. It helps bridge the gap between someone’s military strengths and what’s necessary to grow and run a successful company. My guest today is Marlon Terrell, who went straight from the Navy into owning a Chick-Fil-A franchise. I really enjoyed this conversation. Marlon provides just the right amount of detail. I walked away feeling like I understood what it’s like to be in a franchise owner’s shoes in terms of pay, career progression, and hours. He really painted a vivid picture of what life in a franchise looks like. I also think it’s helpful because Marlon was really articulate in discussing exactly how what he learned in the military was applicable to his work as a franchise owner as well as how he went about selecting a franchise. He also talks about why a franchise may or may not be suited for you as a veteran.
We've had over a month since our last episode, and we've got a string of five episodes coming your way. Here's what to expect.
Why Listen:This is an inspirational episode. Jesse is a case study in pursuing one’s dream - figuring out what unique aspirations you have, finding others to hold you accountable, and not letting the opinions or doubts of others get in your way. Jesse talks about how he used a kickstarter campaign, credit cards, and his personal savings to inch his way closer - one race at a time - to becoming a NASCAR driver. We talk about advocating for yourself, how to run a crowdfunding campaign, and how to train day in and day out to make your dreams come true. The topics we cover in this episode are relevant to every single career path - whether you too want to become a NASCAR driver, or want to start your own business, or write a book, or whatever your personal goals may be. If you like this episode check out our show notes at BeyondTheUniform.io, where, in addition to the resources we discuss in this episode, I also list 3 other episodes very similar to this one. About Jesse:Jesse Iwuji is the first active duty US Naval Officer to compete in NASCAR. He is also the Founder of The Red List Group which is an auto racing event company bringing drag racers together from the West to compete for trophies and cash prizes at track events. He started out at the Naval Academy, after which he served as a Surface Warfare Officer for 7 years before transitioning to the Navy Reserves.
Why Listen: Valerie left active duty after 15 years of service, and has gone on to found a company designed to help people thrive at work. In addition to discussing her own journey, we talk about how to find out if a culture is right for you, how to shift your mindset to be happier at work, how to make sure you are living a life of alignment, and more. About Valerie: Valerie Rivera is the Founder & CEO of Take Back WOrk, who’s mission is to partner with organizations of all stripes to create workplace cultures where people thrive. She served for over six years in the AIr Force, most recently as Team Leader for Tradecraft Deelopment and Capability Integration. She earned her MBA at Stanford Business School.
Why Listen:
Well, you know you're enjoying a conversation when midway through, you're already planning the next interview. Tyler is awesome. I just really appreciated so much about this interview. The thing that stands out to me most is his mastery in sales. He talks about his career, which is a variety of different experiences in the functional role of sales while also having most of that in the industry of energy. What I appreciated about his story is hearing about how throughout his career he's picked up different tools, different tricks, different skills that over time have allowed him to really have a mastery of this field in sales. I also appreciated his ability to communicate extremely effectively why veterans are well suited to sales, why this may be an appealing career path, even if you think it's the least likely career path that you would want to pursue. We talk about executive MBA, why he chose to pursue it, which is pretty unique for most guests that I have on the show, and a whole lot more.
About Tyler:
Tyler Johnston is a Sales Director at Black & Veatch. He is responsible for managing global relationships in the technology sector and helping his clients build critical infrastructure and distributed energy solutions. He started out at the Naval Academy, served as an Infantry Officer in the US Marine Corps for 5 years, and has held positions at NRG Energy, General Electric, and Shift.org. He earned his MBA at Columbia Business School.
Why Listen:
Today’s episode originally aired in June of 2019. This last week, I learned that Justin passed away following a battle with cancer. I wanted to rebroadcast today’s episode as a tribute to Justin’s life and legacy.
What to say about Justin? Well, he was shot in the head by a sniper and pronounced killed in action… but that didn’t stick. Justin was a Purple Heart recipient, an author, a lawyer, an motivational speaker, an entrepreneur, and worked with a company that helps over 24k military members and their families EVERY MONTH - that’s right, every month - find their ideal job and make their career transitions easier. It’s a little disappointing to be on a show with two Justin’s, and realize that the other Justin is kicking a— and you need to try your best to keep up. This is a great interview for any career path, and I think you’ll really enjoy Justin’s story.
In my previous conversation with Donnie, he offered to come back on the show to provide a primer about blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Ethereum. In this episode, we dive into this, as well as why the space may appeal to the mission and purpose-driven Veterans.
Why Listen:
Billy is a professional golfer, the first Naval Academy graduate to earn a PGA TOUR card, which he has done for the last seven years. The more I learn about Billy’s journey, the more I’m blown away by what he achieved. In a field that is crowded and incredibly competitive, Billy has succeeded despite having five years where - instead of focusing 100% on golf like his peer set - he was serving in the military.In this interview we talk about cultivating a mindet of excellence - even though serving as a Surface Warfare Officer didn’t directly relate to his aspirations as a golfer - he focused on it 100% and did the best job he could. We talk about making sacrifices and how to balance that with being present with one’s family. We talk about what life is like on the PGA Tour and more.
About Billy:
Billy Hurley III was a member of the victorious American team in the 2005 Walker Cup and served as captain of the 2004 Palmer Cup Team. He won seven collegiate golf titles at the Naval Academy, was named 2004 Patriot League Player of the Year and was ranked the #6 best amateur in the world. Billy was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, serving as a Surface Warfare Officer for five years. After his Naval service, Billy turned his focus to golf. He earned his place on the Web.com Tour in 2011, finishing the season in 25th place and becoming the first Naval Academy graduate to earn a PGA TOUR Card. He has continued to be a strong competitor on the TOUR, winning the 2016 Quicken Loans National – a Tiger Woods-hosted tribute to military personnel. With the win, Billy qualified for his first PGA and Masters Championships.
I've known France a little bit for a while now. The glimpses that I've had into his professional background and his personal nature have made me excited to have this interview. It's been a long time coming.
We go through a lot in this interview. And you'll see from France's background in this interview, he had military service with the Army. He worked as a lawyer, most notably as Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush. And then he's had an unbelievable entrepreneurial journey, including founding companies that have generated over $600 million in combined sales with over 1200 employees. He's succeeded in so many different facets. And it's easy to see why in this conversation, because he's very thoughtful and deliberate about how he approaches his life, most notably through a commitment to service.
There's a lot we talk about. But here's a couple that stand out to me. I loved his idea of what he calls T shaped careers. And he's borrowed that from someone else I forget the person originally coined that, but it's a thought of using the intersection of both breadth and depth as you approach your career. He talks about ignoring sunk costs. And I think that's such great advice personally and professionally. He talks about what he calls these hold my beer moments where he sees that there's a great opportunity that he has to pursue, and that's led to some of the best advances in his own life and career. We talk about the difference between following a set path and openness to serendipity. And we also talk about what he learned by commissioning twice in the US Army army and being honorably discharged twice in the US Army, once at 21, once at 35, and the differences in that. And then lastly, we talked about execution and innovation organizations, and how these are two different skill sets, and how you can be alternating as a leader throughout your career of judging whether it's better to be executing, or innovating in any given moment.
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Why Listen:
Well, my guest today, Dr. Laura Purdy not only served in the US Army for 14 years as a family physician. But she's also has been a military spouse for a very long time. We talked about a lot of topics on the show that we've never talked about before.
The first obviously is her work at MD integrations and the work that she's done since she left the military about nine months ago, we talk about virtual care, which is a huge and exploding industry. We talk about why that's important, and why listeners may want to consider a career in virtual care. But we talk about a couple other things that I'm really happy we did. First of all, Laura has a very unique career right now where she works with a lot of clients. And she also is involved in many organizations. And so very often her day is meeting with people seeing what they need, and then figuring out the best way to help them with that need. And I think it's a really exciting way to think of structuring one's time and career to have a bigger impact. But we also off-road a little bit to talk about things that I'm curious to know what our audience thinks of because, you know, I view it from the vantage point of myself 1015 years ago, when I was on active duty and how I might dismiss what Laura is sharing. And then I view it through my lens now of being a civilian for 10 years, and a lot of things that are very commonplace in the civilian workforce, are still not really common in the military. And so for those of you on active duty, who might want to dismiss what Laura is talking about when it comes to maternity leave, and things like that, I'd really encourage you to be curious about her perspective. After the recording, Laura and I talked about this a bit. And I'm reminded of how there is just so much that I've become accustomed to now having been a civilian for a decade. And I'm realizing that when people transition out of the military, a lot of those things are going to seem new. And so if you know some of the things she talks about, you feel the need to dismiss, I'd encourage you to be curious and open because I find these things are things you're going to have to transition to eventually when you do leave the military if you're still in, as always at beyond the uniform.org you'll find show notes with links to everything we discussed, as well as 437 other episodes just like this. So with that, let's dive into my conversation with Laura.
A book review of the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - A leadership fable, by Patrick Leoncioni
Why Listen:
Matt brings the perspective of what I'd call a midlife entrepreneur, someone who had decade in the military almost a decade of experience a couple degrees before he founded a company and I just always love hearing those stories. His company uses blockchain. So we talk about that how that impacts his business. What that industry looks like, like might be appealing to our listeners, he talks about COVID and how it actually helped him grow as a company in an unexpected way, a very atypical story. He talks about managing cash flow to the day predicting when he was going to run out of money and it's the pandemic he talks about playing Super Mario Brothers as an analogy for keeping a company alive and up leveling, I talked about over communicating in a crisis how Navy pilots are like entrepreneurs, how you figure things out and supplement your knowledge in whatever career you do. He talks about how in career in life, it's a game of at bats not batting average really great point that I'm still thinking about. And he talks about how we're migrating from in person not not migrating from in person to digital but connecting the two and really forward looking thought of where the industry is going.
Why Listen: Today’s conversation is the highlight of my time with Beyond the Uniform. More than anyone else I have witnessed, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are doing the most to elevate the civilian world’s understanding of military Veterans and what they bring to the table. In this conversation, we talk about what it is like for Jocko and Leif to work together now, out of uniform. We also talk about what it was like starting their company, Echelon Front… and it’s not as easy as I had thought it would be. We talk about their newest initiatives - EF Overwatch and EF Legion, incredible recruiting resources for the military community. We talk about career transition advice and mindsets to keep and tweak and more. About Jocko: Jocko Willink is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Dichotomy of Leadership, host of the top-rated Jocko Podcast, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer, leadership instructor, speaker and strategic advisor. Jocko spent 20 years in the SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer. As commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the U.S. Army’s First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War. Jocko returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. There, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield. Jocko is the recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards. Upon retiring from the Navy, Jocko co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company, where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. Jocko also authored the Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual, a New York Times Bestseller, and the best selling Way of the Warrior Kid children’s book series. About Leif: Leif Babin is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as President/Chief Operating Officer, leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Leif served thirteen years in the Navy, including nine in the SEAL Teams. As a SEAL platoon commander in SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, he planned and led major combat operations in the Battle of Ramadi that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s 1st Armored Division achieve victory. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War. Leif returned from combat and became the primary leadership instructor for all officers graduating from the SEAL training pipeline. There, he reshaped SEAL leadership training to better prepare the next generation of SEAL officers for the immense challenges of combat. During his last tour, Leif served as Operations Officer and Executive Officer at a SEAL Team where he again deployed to Iraq with a Special Operations Task Force. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart. Upon his departure from active duty, Leif co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company that helps others build their own high-performance winning teams.
Why Listen: Jeff works in the insurance industry, which is not an industry I knew a lot about before the interview, but I can see why he chose to spend 30 years in this career path after his time in the Army. In this interview, we talk about selling companies, understanding how companies are valued, how to drive value, how to increase the value of a company, how to defer benefits in selling a company versus finding a company that pays you a good salary from the start. We talk about approaching your career in 15-year increments, three different chapters in one's career, and what matters at those points. We also talk about identity, which comes up a lot in this podcast when it comes to identity as a Veteran.
About Jeff:
Jeff Arnold is an authority in the insurance industry. With over 30 years of experience managing deals ranging from six figures to 100 million-plus, he currently serves as the president of Rightsure, where he has distilled the zeal for the discipline he learned in the Army into profitable joint ventures. He's passionate about entrepreneurship, mergers, and acquisitions, and has also written multiple best-selling books.
Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guest today is not a military veteran, but I believe her message and perspective are a great contribution to our community.
Diana has helped a lot of veterans and is one of the authors of a book called The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, and I am so honored to have her on the show. I love this book so much that I send a copy of it to every new client that I sign up for my company, Executive Presence. In this conversation, we talk about your zone of genius and how to find a career that fits into that. We speak about limiting beliefs about ourselves, how those can cause us to rule out careers and career paths that we really shouldn't, and how to identify and overcome those limiting beliefs. We also talk about integrity. Diana's definition of integrity is slightly different from what I learned about at the Naval Academy and in the military. And I think it's very powerful. And then lastly, we speak about shifting to a life of play, how to gamify things rather than take everything seriously, and how much faster we learn when we find a way to do it through play.
About Diana:
Diana Chapman is an advisor to exceptional leaders who has worked with over 1000 organizational leaders and many of their teams, and is a founding partner at Conscious Leadership Group. She has created and implemented professional onboarding and ongoing programs—based on the comprehensive body of work she developed with CLG co-founder Jim Dethmer—with clients such as Asana and Esalen. In addition to facilitating CLG Forums in the Bay Area for founders, venture capitalists, and CEOs, Diana facilitates YPO Forums and Chapters worldwide. She also trains coaches in conscious leadership in the CLG training program she and Jim created. Diana co-authored the best-selling book, The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success, in 2015. She has been a speaker at TEDx, Mindful Leadership Summit, Wisdom 2.0, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Haas School of Business, YPO, and Kauffman Fellows.
Normally on the show I interview a military Veteran about their civilian career: what they do, how they got there, and advice for others seeking to do the same. Today's episode instead is a book review of a book I just finished that has helped me in my career, and I hope it helps you as well: Masters of Scale.
Why Listen:
There are no words to introduce this interview. Aaron was left blind after an injury in Afghanistan. He overcame that and went on to do incredible things. Instead of allowing himself to become a victim, Aaron sees his injury as an example of divine direction. Shortly after that, he contracted bacterial meningitis and became fully deaf in both ears. He has since then gotten implants so he can hear. But Aaron overcame that as well. Living the "Challenge Accepted!" mindset and not letting any obstacles deter him from his goals, he now runs a company with his wife, McKayla, called Extra Ordinary Delights. If you're looking for a story of determination, overcoming obstacles, and always taking action, you are in the right spot.
About Aaron:
Aaron Hale is the CEO and Founder of Extra Ordinary Delights. On December 8, 2011, Army Staff Sergeant Aaron Hale was severely injured in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated. Hale, of the 760th EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), served a tour in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan. The December explosion left Aaron completely blind. Aaron pressed on and became very involved with organizations who help wounded and disabled veterans get out and be active. Through these organizations, Aaron was able to climb mountains, white water kayak, and run 5 marathons throughout 2015 including Boston Marathon. In August 2015, Aaron contracted bacterial meningitis. This devastating illness left Aaron completely deaf in both ears. Since the illness, Aaron has regained his love for cooking and began creating in the kitchen again. With his wife, McKayla, at his side, the two combine their love for cooking and business experience to bring Extra Ordinary Delights to your door.
In this episode I provide a high-level summary of the book, Rocket Fuel. This is a book for anyone interested in leading a 50+ person company, or for any entrepreneur looking to scale their company. You can find a copy of the book at https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Fuel-Essential-Combination-Business/dp/1942952317
Why Listen:
Despite your career intentions, today is a great episode with a lot to learn from Chris. This is one of the first stories where the entrepreneur I interviewed didn't set out to be an entrepreneur; they were pulled into it. We start talking about his unexpected departure from the Army he'd planned on 20 years and due to an injury left at the 11-year point, and how he started his own company. We speak about the mentoring work he does with veterans every Wednesday. He has got a lot of great transitioning advice. We also talk about being willing to try new things and fall on your face, and a lot more.
About Chris:
Chris Anthony is an Army Veteran and CEO of TeamWorx Security, an enterprise-tech company that helps technical and non-technical people collaborate better. Chris’s career spans 26 years in cyber and information security-related technologies. He is a graduate of Norwich University and teaches Advanced Cyber Intelligence at the University of South Florida. He is a staunch military, military spouse, and Veteran advocate and continues to contribute to local and national charities each year.
In this episode I provide a book review of Atomic Habits by James Clear. This is a FANTASTIC habit relevant to any career path (as well as your personal life). It efficiently explains incredible tactics to employ to build habits that will get you where you want to go, and destroy the habits that keep you from getting there.
Why Listen:
My guest today, Brendan, started a company called Paintru, which he co-founded with two other Naval Academy graduates. What I think is so fascinating about Brendan's story is that he is a Naval Academy grad, served in the Marine Corps, earned his MBA from hardcore finance school Wharton, worked at a hardcore finance company, Goldman Sachs, and then started, of all things, a startup that focuses on art. It's such an unexpected twist in someone's story.
About Brendan:
Brendan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Paintru, which makes it simple to commission fine artwork from incredible global artists. He started out at the Naval Academy, served in the Marine Corps for nearly six years, and earned his MBA from Wharton, where he interned at Goldman Sachs. He founded Paintru in February of 2020.
In this episode I provide my top 17 takeaways from an incredible book about leadership and growing a company: Mastering the Rockefeller Habits.
Why Listen:
Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guests today are not military veterans, but I believe their message and perspective are a great contribution to our community.
This is a great episode for anyone. Whether you're a job seeker, an entrepreneur, or an executive, LinkedIn is such a powerful platform. We talk about it all the time on the show. Today, we're going deep on tactics for how to use LinkedIn to grow an audience, sell products, find your next job, or build your brand. There are so many different things that you can do with it.
About Justin & Jennifer:
Justin Welsh is a solopreneur building a portfolio of one-person businesses to $5M+ in revenue. As a "diversified entrepreneur," he splits his time between investing in early B2B SaaS companies, advising early-stage SMB SaaS companies in the healthcare technology vertical, building digital products, running a paid community for creators, and coaching entrepreneurs. Prior to his work as an entrepreneur, he spent a decade as an operator helping build two $50M+ ARR companies and raise over $300M in venture capital.
After a decade managing global office operations for high-growth startups, Jennifer pivoted to pursue her passion for personal finance. She's on a mission to share financial literacy and help people get started investing in the stock market. You can read all of her best tips on LinkedIn, where she's amassed over 50,000 followers in the last 12 months.
In this episode, I provide my key takeaways from a book a recent guest recommended to me; WHO not HOW. It is a book all about the fact that, when presented with a problem, we often think: how can I solve this? Instead, the book talks about shifting to a "who can help me solve this" mindset. By finding a WHO who has a network and area of expertise to solve your problem, you free yourself up instead to operate in your own particular zone of genius.
Why Listen:
Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. Today's guest, Mike, has a unique career transition story that I haven't heard before and thought would benefit our audience. We talked about Mike's career transition of going from someone on the tech side to someone on the marketing side as an owner and operator, but also the process of acquiring other businesses.
About Mike:
Mike Maynard is the Managing Director of the Napier Group, a 7 million PR and marketing agency for B2B technology companies. He was awarded a Master's Degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Surrey and an MBA from Kingston University. He acquired Napier in 2001. Since that time, Mike has directed major PR and marketing programs for a wide range of global technology clients reaching over 30 European countries. He is actively involved in developing the PR and marketing industries, is Chair of the PRCA B2B Group, and is a Visiting Lecturer in PR at Southampton Solent University
In this episode I give a quick recap of a book that helped me and I know will help many Veterans who may think there's not enough time or money to go around. You Are A Badass at Making Money is a fantastic book about changing our beliefs about money and success, and I hope you'll check it out.
Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guest today is not a military veteran, but I believe his message and perspective are a great contribution to our community.
Today's guest, Barry, is helping companies and individuals reach their full potential. Our conversation gave me a deeper understanding of myself, my drives, strengths, and weaknesses. As he puts it, I can be a hero or a villain, and some triggers can drive me in either of those directions; this is certainly applicable to self-knowledge. But we talked about it in the context of choosing the teams that you join, the companies you build, and the employees you hire. He also talks about having goals and being clear about what you want. Regardless of your career aspirations, Barry's got some great wisdom in here for you.
In this episode I give a quick recap of one of my favorite books of 2021: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership. I plan to have every person I hire read this book. It is an exceptional framework for leading with integrity, and a book that has had a big impact on my and my business.
Why Listen:
Shelli is doing incredible work at Space Foundation, a nonprofit helping expand the space ecosystem and helping job seekers just like you find a job in the space industry. There are a lot of opportunities here. Shelli is one of the rare ones I've interviewed in 420 episodes where it is so clear that she found a good fit for herself in this organization. After 29 years in the Air Force, she is motivated by helping others and giving back. She desires to be inclusive with this industry and pay forward to the next generation. It's always refreshing to speak with someone that has found a calling, not just a career.
About Shelli:
Shelli Brunswick is the Chief Operating Officer at Space Foundation, the world's premier organization to inspire, educate, connect, and advocate on behalf of the global space community. Her career includes work as a space acquisition and program management leader and congressional liaison for the U.S. Air Force to her current role, including overseeing Center for Innovation and Education, Symposium 365, and Global Alliance.
In this episode we talk about feelings at work, and how - if leveraged properly - they can provide enormous insight into a leader and team about where they need to focus their time and energy.
Why Listen:
Today's story is so different. Ranjeet has an incredible background of going from the Marine Corps as an Avionics Division Non-Commissioned Officer and then choosing to go down a path centered around food and operations, including roles like being a Plant Supervisor at Safeway, a Shipping Department Supervisor at Albertsons, an Operations Manager at Ralphs Grocery Company, and a Plant Manager at BakeMark. You probably recognize all of those names. You've definitely had one of his products from Aspire Bakeries, where his focus is on frozen baked goods. But so much to learn today about why he chose to focus on this industry. Today, he will talk about the advantages of being so focused in this way, what it's like to be a Bakery Director, and what his day-to-day life looks like.
About Ranjeet:
Ranjeet Singh is the Bakery Director at Aspire Bakeries, a North American baking company with a leadership position in specialty frozen baked goods. Some of their brands you may recognize are La Brea Bakery, Otis Spunkmeyer, and Oakrun Farm Bakery. Ranjeet served in the Marine Corps for nearly five years as an Avionics Division Non-Commissioned Officer. He worked as a Plant Supervisor at Safeway, a Shipping Department Supervisor at Albertsons, an Operations Manager at Ralphs Grocery Company, and a Plant Manager at BakeMark. He earned his BSBA in Management from Columbia College and an MBA from Syracuse University.
This is a new episode format where I focus on a mindset that I'm working on and that I believe will help our BTU audience in their career and life. Today, I'm talking about gratitude and three "pro tips" about building up a muscle of gratitude and apprecation.
Why Listen:
One thing that will come through in this interview is how much Trevor is constantly learning from others and books as a professional and an entrepreneur. I am ordering three different books based on the ones he recommended in this episode. We talked a lot about how the riches are in the niches and Trevor's own story of entrepreneurship of how he started to do things and had a realization and pursued that. And it led to what he's doing right now, which is selling software specifically-targeted at the cannabis dispensaries, which are booming here in Colorado and elsewhere.
As always at beyondtheuniform.org you'll find show notes with links to everything we discussed, as well as 415 other episodes just like this one.
About Trevor Shirk:
Trevor Shirk is the CEO and Co-Founder of Terrayn, where he has generated $28 million in revenue with over 160 dispensaries. He graduated from West Point in 2008. Trevor served in the Army for more than eight years, where he was a Ranger Qualified Combat Engineer, including combat ops in Afghanistan. When he left the Army, he did Stanford's Ignite Program and became CEO of Strattex Solutions, where he did SEO and digital marketing strategy work. After that, he co-founded Terrayn nearly two years ago.
Why Listen:
KC overlapped his time in the military with his time at NASA having over 20 years at each of those organizations. Although his childhood aspiration was to become an astronaut, and he got to the final stages of that process, he ended up starting a company called Athlete Foundary. I love their mission because it's aimed at helping children of any zip code and background fulfill their dream of becoming collegiate athletes. By leveling the playing field and making it clear what process people need to follow to become a collegiate athlete, he's helping hundreds of 1000s of people across the United States. This is a great episode for those of you interested in entrepreneurship. It's also great to see how someone is having a positive impact on the world after the military service, and also hearing about his experience at NASA.
About KC:
KC Chhipwadia is the CEO and Founder of Athlete Foundary. For the driven middle and high school student athlete, Athlete Foundary improves the odds of her achieving her dream to become a collegiate athlete, regardless of zip code, by providing a first-of-its-kind athletic and academic unified plan, integrated with qualities collegiate coaches actually value so they can track, build, and communicate a better journey to collegiate athletics. KC served for 20 years as a Senior Human Spaceflight Engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center, supporting over 50 Space Shuttle missions. He also served for over 20 years, both active and reserved in the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, including deployments to Iraq looking for our missing-in-action, and Afghanistan with Naval Special Warfare.
Next Friday (December 17th, 2021) at 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern, we'll be trying a live, interactive episode.
We'll be using an app called Wisdom to record the show. If you download the app and follow @jnassiri, you'll be able to join us live.
Here's the direct link to follow me on Wisdom: https://joinwisdom.audio/jnassiri
If you'd like to participate, go to beyondtheuniform.org/live and complete the sort form there - you can ask a question or share your own knowledge with our audience.
See you there!
Why Listen:
Today's interview is a different story than I've heard before. Because Justin didn't found a company, he was working at a company called Intuit, getting a lot of experience in product innovation. He was contacted by a company right when he was starting his entrepreneurial journey about having the possibility of him taking over as CEO. It's a path that I haven't heard of a lot. He's done well at tripling the size of this company in those two years. Even though at that time the pandemic started and he lost a third of his revenue overnight. I love this conversation. Keep an ear out for when he talks about it. He took action while on active duty, earning his MBA and volunteering so that when he got out of the military, his resume had mostly non-military items, which was an impressive idea. I learned a lot from Justin; he seems like a natural coach, and I'm personally looking forward to keeping in contact with him and continuing to learn from his example of leadership.
About Justin:
Justin Wells is the CEO at Interlaced.io. It's a 50-person IT services company in San Diego. They provide premium IT managed services, essentially enterprise-grade IT programs and fractional IT departments with Apple Cloud and networking expertise. Justin started at the Naval Academy, after which he served in the Navy for ten years as a Naval Aviator. He earned his MBA from UC San Diego, focusing on innovation strategy, business development, and growth partnership. Interlaced.io was founded in 2009. Justin took over as CEO two years ago, tripling the company's size over that time through organic growth and a recent acquisition.
Why Listen:
I had intended to spend the bulk of my conversation with Devin talking about growth and marketing because he has some great ideas. But we ended up going down a different path. Devin runs a company called StraightHemp, where they sell different hemp-related products. In this interview, we talked about CBD and other things. And he also is an advocate for psychedelics. Devin is a rare breed of person. He's building a company and making money, but that's not what's driving him. Devin is very community-driven. He's very much about making the world a better place. I know that sounds trite. But it just really I found our interview touching in that sense. As an entrepreneur, it was helpful to see an example of someone who is so purpose-driven.
About Devin:
Devin Alvarez is the Founder and CEO of StraightHemp. Using a proprietary extraction method to power their leading Straight Hemp family of products, they are positioned to become a top seller in the natural products channel. He started at the Air Force Academy before switching over to Florida State University. He holds a Master's of Science from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Environmental Science.
Why Listen:
Today's conversation is dense in terms of the amount of wisdom per square second. I've known Ken for a while now, and it was great hearing more about his story. I respect his vulnerability and authenticity in sharing how he navigated multiple times in his career in life. Things didn't work out the way that he thought they would. One example is his work in the ICU in Afghanistan and Iraq that changed his view about medicine and realizing that that path wasn't what he wanted to do. And he goes from there to consulting and then becomes a senior at a rapidly growing startup. It just shows that you can adapt and overcome. He talks about hiring, managing a remote workforce, and so many great things.
About Kit:
Kit Kieling is the President, COO, and Co-Founder of Orderly Health. Orderly Health is on a mission to make sure patients have access to the most up-to-date information about healthcare providers. Through proprietary algorithms of machine learning, Orderly Health improves the accuracy of provider directories and the overall interoperability of data for payers and providers. Kitt started at the Air Force Academy and earned his MD from the Oregon Health and Science University. He served as the Pediatric ICU Director in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has also worked as a Consultant at McKinsey & Company in addition to multiple medical positions before his time at Orderly Health.
Why Listen:
Erik is a man I tremendously respect. His background is unbelievably impressive. A few things that we talked about that stood out to me is, first of all, where we started the conversation, which is an alternate view on the veteran transition that I've never heard before; it puts veterans in a different light. And I think it's very thought-provoking. Second of all is Erik's work around Afghanistan, which he has done for the last ten years of helping people get out of Afghanistan and making sure that they're safe. Third of all, Erik has an amazing story of work in the food and agriculture space, and he talks about why that's so important to him. Fourth, it was remarkable to hear about the crazy journey that the quarantine put on his company, SafeTraces, and how they were able to pivot into something even bigger when most companies honestly would have gone out of business. Instead, they're thriving due to their adaptability. And he talks about how the military training was such an asset in that way.
About Erik:
Erik Malmstrom is the CEO of SafeTraces, a biotechnology company that is harnessing the power of DNA. SafeTraces has developed groundbreaking solutions for food and drug traceability, sanitation verification, and safe airflow verification that address the fundamental human need for safety. Erik started out at the University of Pennsylvania, after which he served for nearly seven years in the Army, where he graduated from Army Ranger School and Airborne School and earned the Bronze Star Medal for his service as a rifle platoon leader during deployments to eastern Afghanistan. After his military service, he earned degrees at Harvard Business School and Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. His career has included time at Cargill, working on food, agriculture, nutrition, and risk management, time as a White House Fellow, and time as General Manager of the Farmer's Business Network, a company that has now raised over $250 million in capital.
Why Listen:
Ken is an absolute Rockstar. His career includes working at some of the most iconic brands in Silicon Valley; Siebel Systems, McAfee, AVAST Software, FireEye, and now founding and running his own investment firm, NightDragon. Here are six different things to keep an ear out for in this episode. First of all, why veterans should consider a career in cybersecurity and what the characteristics of this industry are. Second, what life is like as a mid to late-stage investor. Third, the one thing everyone overlooks when it comes to networking. Fourth, using the lens of fun learning and money to evaluate career shifts. Fifth, why you should always take a job interview even if you're happy at your current job. And sixth, an overview of the corporate development role, something we've never talked about on the show.
As always at beyondtheuniform.org you'll find the show notes for this episode with links to everything we discussed, as well as 408 other episodes just like this all provided for free.
About Ken:
Ken Gonzalez is the Managing Director of NightDragon, an investment and advisory firm focused on investing in growth and late-stage companies within the cybersecurity, safety, security, and privacy industry. Prior to NightDragon, Ken was the Managing Director of ForgePoint Capital. Previously, he led the strategy and corporate business development functions at FireEye, AVAST Software, McAfee, and Siebel Systems (now part of Oracle) and was responsible for acquisition target selection, deal negotiation, and post-merger integration. He also served in the United States Army as an infantry officer with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Why Listen:
I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have this conversation with Alex. I reached out to him via LinkedIn because I saw he was in Denver, and he was a Marine who has done incredible things as an entrepreneur and basically treated this interview as part two of a conversation with him. Here's a couple of things that stood out to me that I hope you benefit from this interview. At one point, Alex says, I don't know anything, pay me and teach me. I think that's such a great thought as he was taking different jobs as he was starting his company; such a great way to approach anything, which is find something that can make money and teach you a skill set. I really appreciate his lessons on patience. You'll hear that in his 15-year journey of building up a real estate company that spans so many different functional areas now, but it wasn't an overnight success. He also talks about pounding the rock. It's not a single pound that cracks the rock. But it's the repeated relentless intention of showing up every day. I think there's a lot there that I can learn as well going along with that his story really has these threads of constant improvement. And I'm just appreciating his thoughts on inclusivity and how creating an incredible place to work really depends on understanding each unique person, their history, and what they're wanting out of life. And then you can create and craft an environment that's right for them. It was really powerful to think of that from a cultural standpoint.
About Alex:
Alex is the Chief Executive Officer at Cardinal Group Companies, a fully integrated real estate investment, construction development, marketing, and management firm specializing in opportunistic and value-added investments throughout the United States. Alex started out at Miami University after he served in the Marine Corps for four years as a Logistics Officer. He started the Cardinal Group out of the Marine Corps, and over the last 15 years, has bootstrapped his company. For those of you that are unfamiliar with that term, bootstrap means he did not bring on outside investment. He bootstrapped his covenant over 2100 employees, somehow finding time to earn an MBA at Chicago's Booth School of Business along the way.
Why Listen:
I enjoyed this conversation; Abe's honesty, his directness in revealing the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, as well as the many pivots that he's experienced in his own life. He started True Made Foods seven years ago when he was 38. He had four kids. It was not necessarily in line with what he did in his background. They are growing rapidly. They were named one of the top 10 most innovative food companies of 2021. In this interview, I appreciated how he talked about how most people get jobs through their network, not the front door. And when you leave the military, you're almost starting with an empty network. He talks about how big-name degrees at big schools don't solve everything. He talks about going to Bulgaria and taking over a plastics company to do turnaround work. He also talks about how his four kids were eating ketchup and he couldn't get them to stop. So he wanted to address a problem around his table. I love what he shares about saying no to growth and being honest about when you're ready to grow.
About Abe:
Abe is the CEO and Founder at True Made Foods. Prior to True Made Foods he had an eight-year career as a Naval Aviator, where he deployed around the world and for OIF. Post Navy, Abe lived and worked as an entrepreneur in emerging and frontier markets, including China, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Ghana, Uganda and Lebanon. He launched multiple businesses in difficult environments and helped raise debt and equity capital for SMEs in Africa and China.
Why Listen:
Normally on the show, I have a military veteran as my guest. We talk about what they do, how they got there, and advice to others seeking to do the same. Today I am doing that, but with three guests, two Army and West Point grads, one Naval Academy and fellow Submariner, who joined forces to found Imperium Capital. There's a lot that I love about this interview. It is a blend of talking about financial planning and tips that anyone listening can apply to their career to get themselves more financial freedom and stability, as well as a lot about entrepreneurship and building up the skill sets. Here are a couple of things that stood out to me. First of all, I love the story of how they met and decided to start this company. And you're going to get three different perspectives on what drew these people to the finance industry and also to entrepreneurship. They are three different versions with some overlap, which was cool to see. What I love, as well, is that they each had clarity and what they were wanting in their career. And that plays a role in financial planning; they talked about the clarity you need when it comes to finances. But you can also see that clarity applied in each of their career journeys. One thing that I learned in this interview was how you can take risks in your career outside of the military in a way that you might not be able to in the military, and how it's a way to get insights around what you like and dislike, and how it gives you room to explore. We talk about the advantages of working within a big company and learning a trade skill set before going on to entrepreneurship. We talked about interviewing companies rather than being interviewed by them. We talk a lot about finances, and just a lot of things that are top of mind for me, as I grow my family. And I know you will benefit from that as well.
About Imperium Capital’s team:
Christopher Rojewski started out at West Point in 2011. He served in the Army for eight years. And then he spent two and a half years between New York Life Insurance and Northwestern Mutual. Then he co-founded a company called Imperium Capital, which we're going to talk about today.
Brandon Stevenson was at West Point in 2007, ten years in the Army, and then four years at Northwestern Mutual.
Nicholas Birger was at the Naval Academy, the oddball of the group. He went to Harvard Kennedy School, close to nine years on submarines, and then at Northwestern Mutual.
Janell Hanf sent me an email yesterday morning asking about my experience at the Naval Academy on September 11th. Here is a quick episode sharing more about that experience and my hope this day to honor those who lost their lives that day, those who served that day, and those drawn to service thereafter.
Why Listen:
As an entrepreneur focused on marketing, it was an extreme honor to interview today's guest, Bruce Cleveland. Bruce is an absolute Silicon Valley legend, having worked in operational roles at companies including Oracle, Apple, and Siebel Systems. In addition to that, he has worked in venture capital for 15 years, where he has personally generated over a billion dollars in returns. This includes his work at InterWest Partners, one of the most respected VCs in the world, but also as the founder of Wildcat Venture Partners where he worked for five years. He is now the Chief Marketing Officer of a company called C3.ai. He just took that company public. It was founded by Tom Siebel of Siebel Systems, who has now created three different billion-dollar ventures. We talk about marketing, the CMO role, artificial intelligence, venture capital, and more.
As always, at beyondtheuniform.org you'll find show notes with links to everything we discuss, as well as a lot of books and great resources that Bruce recommended.
About Bruce:
Bruce Cleveland is the Chief Marketing Officer at C3.ai, a leading enterprise AI software provider for accelerating digital transformation with nearly 700 employees listed on LinkedIn. C3.ai raised over $228 million before going public in December of 2020. Bruce started out at West Point with the class of 1980. He left early to pursue a career in technology including time at Oracle, Apple, Siebel Systems, nine years as a General Partner at investment firm InterWest Partners and more.
Why Listen:
It is always intimidating speaking with a flag officer. And that all said General Caslen made that so easy. He's such a gracious man. He served for over 43 years in the military, including being Superintendent at West Point. He was at the Pentagon on 911. He snuck back in to assist with fighting fires and ensuring that his colleagues were safe. He has no shortage of unbelievable experiences in the military. After the military, he went on to become the president at the University of South Carolina, so continued leading at the highest level in a civilian capacity. We cover a lot of ground. We talked about mistakes he made in his transition out of the army. You've heard them before, but it's reassuring to hear them from someone at his level. We talk about the differences and similarities between military leadership, academic leadership. We talked about what it was like leading the University of South Carolina through COVID-19, and I appreciate the General's candor. We talked about his recent resignation from the school and just learning about that situation. There are some great takeaways there for anyone aspiring to lead at a high level. Then we talk about comfort zone, and I appreciate, in contrast, a lot of things we talked about previously, this sense of really being out of your comfort zone and being willing to fail, make mistakes, and to recover.
About Robert:
Robert Caslen is the former President of the University of South Carolina and the President of the University of South Carolina system, as well as the 59th Superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point. He also serves as HigherEchelon Special Advisor on Executive Leadership and Character Development in his 43 years of military service in the United States Army. He has done far too much to ever encompass in a brief bio and we're going to touch on those things, including an unbelievable role in 911 and many other situations.
Why Listen:
My guest today is an entrepreneur, but not the type that you usually think about. We've had a couple of guests on the show who have done what is called a search fund, which is what I thought I was doing most of my time at Business School. Rather than coming up with an idea, which many people struggle to do and starting your own company, a search fund enables you to raise money, to go out and find a company, usually a mom and pop type shops, something that's doing well that could use a new owner, new management, you purchase that company, and then grow it from there, which is what my guest today did. He purchased a company with 20 employees, and he's grown it to many more than that 20 employees. We talk a lot about that, his advice on search funds and advice on entrepreneurship, what it's like managing outside of the military versus inside of the military. Just really a lot of great advice for those of you considering entrepreneurship.
About Nic:
Daniel Reese is the CEO of IntellaTriage, the number one provider of tailored nurse triage solutions. After graduating from the Naval Academy, he served on nuclear submarines and then attended Harvard Business School. Daniel acquired IntellaTriage through an entrepreneurial vehicle called a search fund.
Why Listen:
This is a quick short episode in between our normal format of Beyond the Uniform, which is me interviewing military veterans about their civilian career, what they did, how they got there, and advice for how you can do the same. So today’s guest is someone who is not a military veteran, but I love this story. It's something that I did for my company Captivate.ai., and I wanted to share it here as well. I put together a three-minute video that's worth checking out if you like Paul's story. So here's the backstory. I spent a lot of time on LinkedIn, and my company Captivate.ai does a lot with marketing technology. Last week, when I was on LinkedIn, I saw a post by a man called Paul David, who had gotten 200,000 likes on his post, which roughly translates to at least 6 million people who saw this post. So immediately, it caught my eye, and I reached out to Paul. First, I did a little bit of digging to see what he had been doing on social media, and what led to this literally overnight success. He will talk about this in the interview; he posted this at night, went to bed, and woke up, and he had 1000s of people who had messaged him, so I wanted to also reach out to him and learn more about his story. I think this was a great story especially for those of you who are interested in marketing and promoting yourself, your business, your product, whatever it is. It's just interesting for me to hear the stories of how people have managed to get attention. But I also think it's a great reminder of the power of knowing who you are in being authentic and courageously vulnerable. And Paul exhibits all of those things.
Why Listen:
This is one of the more energizing conversations I've had on the show. In addition to serving in the Air Force, working in the State Department, serving in the CIA, and now running two different companies - one of them designed to fight human trafficking - Nic is needless to say, an amazing human being. As a founder of two companies, his biggest advice to entrepreneurs is to not start a company. We talk about how success is opportunity meeting preparation, and how oftentimes we focus on motivation when we should be focused on preparedness and the reasons why we are doing things. We talk a lot about mission and some of the best tactical advice I've heard from a guest about how to specifically and tactically uncover your next mission. We talk about the choices that we make every single day and how we have limited opportunities and being precise in what we say yes to, and better and more important, what we say no to. We talk about not just having compassion and empathy lead the tears, but having that lead to motivation. We talk about so much on this show. And I think it's one of the few episodes I would say is worthy of three or four listens.
About Nic:
Nic McKinley is the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of VERAFĪ, a private intelligence and due diligence firm specializing in collecting, analyzing, and presenting intelligence so you can make confident decisions about key hires and investments. He is also the Founder and CEO of DeliverFund, a nonprofit private intelligence firm that disrupts human trafficking markets by providing intelligence and delivering specialized analytics about human trafficking activities to law enforcement authorities. He is a 10-year veteran of the US Air Force, where he served as both pararescuemen and as a pararescue instructor and a pararescue team leader. He has also worked for both the US Department of State as well as the Central Intelligence Agency.
Why Listen:
For those of you who smoke cigars, and you know the phrase knuckle burner - this is a knuckle burner of an episode. I went in trying to keep this to 30 minutes, but we used 58 minutes for this conversation. It's because Trier has so many great points about so many different topics. You'll learn about her career. She's the co-founder and CEO of a company called Just Work. She has a tremendous amount of experience at Goldman Sachs, Twitter, other great organizations around people management, and she has so much great advice about taking care of your people, which is something our audience knows well. But doing that outside of the military blind spots, you may have to talk about empathy in very tactical ways and share stories that I found compelling. She talked about language-specific language to use to create openers within the civilian workforce of getting to know your team and making it an inclusive environment. We talk about entrepreneurship. Despite starting two different organizations, Trier talks about how she doesn't consider herself an entrepreneur, how she's much more interested in scaling something than building it. We talk about how you may not be unique in the military, but you are a unicorn when you get out of the military - the concept of followership again.
About Trier:
Trier Bryant is the co-Founder and CEO of Just Work, which works with leaders and teams of all sizes across a range of industries creating more effective organizations where respect and collaboration combine to produce just workplaces yielding exceptional results. She started out at the Air Force Academy, served in the Air Force for 7 years, and has held roles at Goldman Sachs, Twitter, SigFig, Astra, and more.
Why Listen:
I think it's amazing this conversation I had with Josh because most of it is about adding value and - what he calls - leveraging generosity for marketing and sales. And what's crazy for me is that the way that I met Josh a couple of months ago was through a connection, and I even forget how I met him. I run a company Captivate.ai that works all in marketing, and Josh is such an expert in sales systems and marketing. I think that this is a little bit different from a typical episode. We don't talk a lot about career transition. But we talk about getting attention, using marketing and sales in a way that's authentic and genuine and doesn't feel icky, is probably the best word I can use. One thing you'll take away from this episode is just a lot of great ideas about an authentic way to get attention, to market, to do sales, to get your message across, whether that's personal or professional. Second of all, I think that Josh is an incredible entrepreneur, and I admire him. I've been doing podcasting for four years, and I often feel like an old hat at this. Josh has been doing it for 14 years, a full decade longer than I have. His thoughts on entrepreneurship, on media, PR, all of these different things; there's just a goldmine here.
About Josh:
Josh is the founder and CEO of Up My Influence, which provides step-by-step tools, coaching, and public relation hacks for entrepreneurs to dramatically increase their sales by attracting their perfect audience, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional PR services. Since serving in the Navy as a broadcast journalist, he has founded and led multiple companies including SavingsAngel, and the Josh Elledge Consulting Company. Josh has been podcasting for 14 years - most people don't even know that podcasting has been around for that long - and he has had over 2000 media appearances.
Why Listen:
Well, my guest today is an absolute Rockstar. There's a couple of reasons to listen. First of all, he started his career in marketing. He has been at the helm of very senior companies, including Kraft Foods, Wrigley, Novartis, Nestle, The Blue Buffalo Company. He's on the board of Campbell Soup. He took Blue Buffalo public. He was the head of Gerber when it was acquired by Nestle. He has an incredible history, and part of his advice is just focusing on the job in front of you, not having a sense of where you want to go. But not planning out every step and just knocking out of the park whatever job you're working on, tons to learn from his description of his previous jobs. His current role is at the Chronos Group, which is in the cannabis space, they do 50 million in sales, 1.2 billion in cash. It really speaks to the credibility of this as an industry, why veterans may consider it as a career path. And just hearing what it's like after decades of being at the helm of very large companies. What it's like to take a more entrepreneurial twist and be at the helm of a very, very, relatively small company.
About Kurt:
Kurt is now the CEO of the Cronos Group, which is an innovative global cannabinoid company with international production and distribution across five different continents. Since graduating from the Naval Academy, he has held senior positions at Kraft Foods, Wrigley, Novartis, Nestle, The Blue Buffalo Company, and Campbell Soup Company. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, and Kurt spent 14 years working internationally in Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, and Australia.
Why Listen:
I just wrapped up my conversation with Shawn, and it was so enjoyable. There were a couple of things that stood out to me. One was his great quote about always being ready for opportunities and embracing the right thing. His story is so incredible, from this perspective, starting with his unexpected medical discharge from the military, to a winding road through consulting and startups, and ultimately back to startups and starting his own company. It just really shows you the power of resilience, but also the power of being open to unexpected deviations in your career, which will inevitably happen.
Second of all, we talk a lot about networking. He gives a couple of really poignant examples where 10 to 20 years after meeting someone, he and people in his network, reconnect in a way that alters their career. It really gets away from this transactional thought of networking and moves toward something that veterans excel at, which is genuinely meeting people, enjoying them, and being generous.
To that point, immediately after recording, Shawn asked me, “How can I help you with your company Captivate.ai?” It was just so powerful to see him immediately and genuinely putting to use his principle - approaching networking from a generous and giving standpoint.
We talk about grad school, he gives an example of a friend who sold his company for $240 million and then went to business school. He underscores this thought by showing that there is no “one right size fits all” approach to education and your career journey. It's about learning and serendipity.
Finally, we talk about his own startup journey and the milestones achieved along the way as he created and continues to build his company. I did something for the first time in this interview, which is a kind of live mentorship where I asked him a specific question about my company Captivate.ai. I think his answer will benefit anyone interested in entrepreneurship.
As always at BeyondTheUniform.org. You'll find a lot of great resources all for free, over 395 episodes, just like this one, and we've got episodes lined up for every single week going forward. So I'm really excited about that. So with that, let's dive into my conversation with Shawn Olds at boodleAI.
About Shawn:
Shawn Olds is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at boodleAI, which specializes in Enriched Analytics for sales, marketing and fundraising teams. boodleAI is on a mission to democratize data, making it faster and easier for ALL organizations to locate their best leads and prospects in any contact list. By using advanced data enrichment and predictive insight analytics, boodleAI clients have already experienced significant lifts in conversion, engagement, and retention rates. boodleAI has over 30 employees, has raised $3M in funding, and is located in Tysons, VA. Shawn holds a B.S. from West Point, an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, and a JD from Northwestern's Pritzker School of Law.
Why Listen:
I just wrapped up recording this episode, and it will cost me about
$60 in books, or maybe $5 in late fees from the library because there were so many great books that Joe recommended. Here are a couple things that stood out to me from this interview. And first of all, make sure you check out the show notes for this episode at BeyondTheUniform.org. In addition to a link to Joe's company, HigherEchelon, there are also links to all of the books he describes, as well as an interview we did with Taylor justice years ago, who you'll learn was one of the founding members of the HigherEchelon team and has gone on to found UniteUS, which has exploded, absolutely exploded as a company.
So a couple of things that I really liked from this interview, the first one is that Joe has a great perspective on entrepreneurship. And he and his other two co-founders started by only investing $1,000 into this company, and they made the commitment that they would not join the company full time until it could pay their salary, you know, at a competitive rate. And it took three or four years to get there. And I feel like this is so contrary to what I would call bad advice I so often see of "burning bridges", "jumping off", Carpe Diem, seize the moment to start the company, all of these things that I think are potentially really harmful for aspiring entrepreneurs. That's one thing that I think is great. The second though, is that HigherEchelon is a company that is all about enhancing company and individual performance. And Joe gives a lot of great frameworks that are applicable to your career in life, no matter what that lifestyle is, whatever that career path is. He talks about things like people process and technology, and constantly learning about which one to focus on in your life or organization. He talks about the values that drive his companies, which I'm going to start borrowing, which is learn grow, adapt, and lead and why that's so important. He does a lot of work with transition assistance and talks about mindsets that he sees in military veterans.
And I found that really helpful as well. There's a lot of goodness here. And so be sure to to check out this episode. As always at beyond the uniform.org. You'll find a lot of great resources all for free, over 394 episodes, just like this one, and we've got episodes lined up for every single week going forward. So really excited about that. So with that, let's dive in to my conversation with Joe Ross at HigherEchelon
About Joe:
Dr. Joe Ross is the President and Co-Founder of HigherEchelon, a service-disabled veteran-owned, human and organizational performance consulting firm that works with both public and private sector clients to enhance performance. HigherEchelon has over 150 employees in 25 different states with the corporate office in Arlington, VA, but Headquarters in Huntsville, AL. Joe started HigherEchelon over 10 years ago with his business partner, Paul Maggiano. Joe holds a B.S. from West Point, a Masters of Education in Psychology and Athletic Consulting from Springfield College, and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Walden University. Amidst all of this, he also found the time to serv as the Assistant Football Coach at West Point from 2009-2012.
Brian Reese is a leading expert on and advocate for U.S. veterans’ benefits. A former active-duty Air Force officer, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his MBA as a National Honor Scholar from the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. Brian is the Founder & CEO of VA Claims Insider, a Coaching and Consulting company whose mission is to educate and empower veterans to get the VA disability benefits they’ve earned for their honorable service.
Jason Van Camp is the author of the book, Deliberate Discomfort, which is both a Wall Street Journal and 2x #1 Amazon Best Selling book. For the last 10+ years, he has run the consulting firm, Mission Six Zero, which dramatically improve sales performance, reduces costs, and wins by providing their client's teams with a new way of solving organizational problems. He is also the Executive Director of the 501-3c organization, Warrior Rising. He is a graduate of West Point, as well as Brigham Young University's Business School, and is a 14-year Veteran of the US Army, where he served in the Green Beret.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-van-camp-076a5339/
https://www.amazon.com/Deliberate-Discomfort-Operations-Comfortable-Uncomfortable/dp/1733428011
https://missionsixzero.com/
https://www.warriorrising.org/
Thanks for your support, BTU community! I got two emails this week I wanted to share with all of you.
Today's episode is entirely different than our other 390 episodes. A while back, Jeff Maleski and Jeff Bubulz reached out to us and asked to have me and Steve Bane on their podcast - The Agile Wire - where they discuss adventures and misadventures on their continuing journey towards Agility. Steve and I both had a blast being on the other side of the microphone, as we both shared our perspectives on what we've learned from Beyond the Uniform, why Veterans are more flexible in the workplace than you'd think, and more.
I loved my interview with Jason Santamaria. Special thanks to Vincent Martino for making this connection. They became good friends in business school and co-authored a book. Two things you should pay attention to for this interview:
1 - alignment. There's very few people I can think of in the last 390 interviews that are as aligned as Jason is with his career. The way that he speaks, the way that he thinks, the way that he processes information... he found the right career for him. And it's so refreshing to see that.
2 - Maybe even more important is that as we unwrap his story, I think you'll realize that that was not clear to him when he was in the Marine Corps, or when he left the Marine Corps. It wasn't like he had his sights set on a career in transformational company work. And I think that that should hopefully be refreshing for all of you listening to this to see how his story unfolds to see that he found a career path that really resonates with him. But it wasn't a master plan, it was taking the next best step every step of the way, and thinking about what he wanted.
About this Episode: After serving in the Army for 6.5 years, Christian founded an advisory and technology firm focused on helping High-Growth Technology Companies build, manage, and certify their Security, Privacy, and Compliance programs. He has quickly grown his company - risk3sixty - to over 20 employees and it seems like they are just getting started. In this interview we talk about character, we talk about being a steward of a company, we talk about the differences in leadership in and out of uniform, about long-term thinking, finding a co-founder and much more. About Christian: Christian White is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of risk3sixty, an advisory and technology firm focused on helping High-Growth Technology Companies build, manage, and certify their Security, Privacy, and Compliance programs. He is a graduate of West Point, and a 6.5 year Army veteran, most recently serving as Company Commander in Fort Campbell. He holds an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Why Listen:
This is the third installment in our series where we are taking a deep dive into each branch’s credentialing assistance program.
Today we talk with Mike and Cristy from Coast Guard COOL. This is a relatively new program that was stood up in January 2020, but it already has over 1,500 credentials available for Coast Guardsmen.
Here's the program in a nutshell:
•CG COOL funds enlisted members only (active and selected reservists) and can help pay for exam, application, state licensing, membership and renewal fees.
•The exam has to be related to service member’s rating, out-of-rate assignment, collateral duty, or academic degree.
•There is no dollar amount cap on the cost of credential.
•CG COOL only funds one exam attempt per credential and service members can only have one approved funding request per FY.
•There is no additional duty service requirement for utilizing this resource and there is no recoupment if the service member fails exam.
Mike and Cristy rattle off a plethora of resources, so be sure to check out our show notes where I’ve linked to everything mentioned.
If you’re in the Army, you can find your deep dive in Episode #383 and if you’re in the Navy, you can find yours in episode #387.
About Mike:
Mike Reynolds served in the Navy Reserves for 4 years as a Seabee and then 11 years in the Army in telecommunications. Notably, he served in the Pentagon and the White House during the Clinton and Bush administrations, separating in 2002. Mike has been with the federal government since 2008, working for both the Air Force and Army in educational roles. He has been with the Coast Guard since 2019 and serves as the Coast Guard's COOL Project Manager. He holds a Masters in Education in Teaching and Learning from Liberty University.
About Cristy:
Since January 2020, Cristy Minshew has been a Team Lead for the Coast Guard credentialing program, managing daily operations, metrics, funding and execution. Prior to working for the Coast Guard, Cristy spent 12 years serving in a variety of roles with the Navy's Voluntary Education Program. Additionally, she's a former Army MilSpouse and holds a BS in Education from Old Dominion University.
Why Listen:
Today’s interview is the 2nd installment in a series where we take a deep dive into each branch’s respective credentialing service.
Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transition tools and resources available to service members to accelerate their post-military careers. Certifications add professional capability and credibility and help you stand out to a hiring manager.
In this conversation, we talk with Mike Talley – the Director of Navy COOL, and he breaks down all the nuances of the program. Additionally, Mike offers insight into the DoD Civilian COOL program.
In short, Navy COOL covers credentialing exam fees for all Sailors, regardless of rank or compo for anywhere between 1,400 and 1,600 credentials. Navy COOL has its yearly budget and its first come, first serve. Sailors can utilize funding for as many credentialing exams as they want, but can only pursue one exam at a time on the Navy’s dime. Navy COOL will only fund one exam attempt per credential. Furthermore, Navy COOL will help pay for continuing education units to help Sailors maintain their credential once obtained.
If you’re in the Army, you can find your deep dive in Episode #383. Interviews for the Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard are in the works.
About Mike:
Mike served as a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy, retiring after 20 years of service. After transition, Mike held various customer support and managerial positions with AT&T, Gap, and Old Navy before returning to the U.S. Navy as a civilian employee. Today, Mike is the Director of Navy COOL for the Navy’s Credentialing Programs Office. He holds a Bachelor’s in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University.
Why Listen:
I loved hearing John's unique approach to entrepreneurship and life. After 20 years of military service, John was drawn into starting his own business. While starting any company requires sales, John's approach to sales is to simply be curious about whoever he is speaking with, and learn about their pain points. This is such great advice for so many different career paths. I also appreciate how John has constructed his life to have a fulfilling family life, outside of work life, and professional life.
About John:
John Schmitt is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served 20+ years as an Aviator and Acquisition Corps officer. Upon leaving the Army, John started his own consulting firm with a focus on biotech, advanced manufacturing and marketing projects. Additionally, he serves as a board member for multiple local non-profits. John holds a BS in Biological Sciences from UC-Davis and an MS in Microbiology and Immunology from Vanderbilt Univ.
Why Listen: In 380 episodes, my guest today - Jess Swanson - is the strongest person I've met. I say that amidst a backdrop of Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, NFL players, UFC Champions and more. At 6 months old, Jess oldest daughter experienced epileptic seizures - usually 8 a day - and shortly after was diagnosed with autism. Rather than letting this derail her life, Jess used it to pave a new path that has helped not only her family, but countless others as well. She pursued a graduate degree to better understand how to help others like her daughter, became an activist who influenced legislation in congress that helped others like her daughter, and started a company to help other families in her situation. Jess' story of (1) lessons versus losses, (2) her advice about finding something to appreciate even in areas you might initially deem them a tragedy, and (3) her perspective on controlling what you can and letting go of the rest, these are all incredible lessons borne from enduring unbelievable hardships but choosing to press on for those she loves and to benefit the world around her. About Jess: Jessica Swanson is the Executive Director and Owner of Summit Health Services, an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) company serving the Monterey Bay and San Diego areas in California. They are an in network Tricare-West provider proudly serving active duty families. She is a military spouse, her husband having served in the Army for nearly 17 years. This episode is brought to you by PassLife. Serving in the military is inherently dangerous - are your affairs in order? The grief a service member's family feels upon learning of their passing is difficult enough, but the days, weeks, and months that follow are filled with stressful decisions. PassLife is a single solution, secure cloud-based platform where Funeral Preparations, Last Wishes, Will Information, Financial Assets, Business Continuation Information, Social Media Account info, etc., can be uploaded to recipients of the user's choosing. PassLife allows you to alleviate the stress and lift the fog for your loved ones, preeminently, by giving them a vital trove of information in multiple areas. Listeners can save 10% by using the code "BTU” at checkout. Learn more at Pass-Life.com.
Why Listen:
I was riding a high after my conversation with Jeff for days - I appreciate his strength, vulnerability, and authenticity in this conversation. You can view this interview in two parts - the first part we discuss his transition from the Marine Corps into law enforcement, including work in prisons, on patrol, and with the SWAT teams. In the second half, we both talk about our experience with therapy and mental health. Jeff talks candidly about PTSD and depression, and we both open up about the positive impact therapy has had on our lives.
If this latter topic resonates with you, there are so many great resources out there to support you. The one that comes immediately to mind i learned about in episdoe #368 with Joe Quinn, where he talked about Headstrong - at GetHeadStrong.org - you take a 60 second survey and as a veteran get paired with a best-in-class clinician for unlimited therapy.
But - as we talk about in this interview - I don't want to spin this as a - if you're contemplating suicide, get help. I'm a big believer that therapy is a preventative maintenance - that it is similar to olympic athletes working with an elite coach - it's a great way to deepen as a human being, understand yourself more, and ensure you're operating at your peak capacity.
About Jeff
Jeff McDonald is a Safe School Specialist at the University of Montana. His Career started in the Marine Corps, where he served for four years with two combat deployments and has included work in Law Enforcement and as a SWAT officer.
Our Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by PassLife. Serving in the military is inherently dangerous - are your affairs in order? The grief a service member's family feels upon learning of their passing is difficult enough, but the days, weeks, and months that follow are filled with stressful decisions. PassLife is a single solution, secure cloud-based platform where Funeral Preparations, Last Wishes, Will Information, Financial Assets, Business Continuation Information, Social Media Account info, etc., can be uploaded to recipients of the user's choosing. PassLife allows you to alleviate the stress and lift the fog for your loved ones, preeminently, by giving them a vital trove of information in multiple areas.
Listeners can save 10% by using the code "BTU” at checkout.
Learn more at Pass-Life.com. That's pass dash life.com. PassLife, pass your loved ones a lifeline.
After three years of tireless volunteering support for Beyond the Uniform, our Editor, Kathleen Dillon, is moving on to other things. THANK YOU, KATHLEEN for your unbelievable support of Beyond the Uniform. Kathleen is wrapping up school in six months and hopes to enter the sports industry in a strategy or business analytics role . If you have any connections in these areas, drop her a note on LinkedIn - she is a rockstar worthy of support!
Why Listen: Well, normally this show is hosted by Justin. But I came to him with an idea. I talk to a lot of transitioning service members, and its eye opening how many of them – regardless of branch – have never heard of the various credentialing programs that are offered.
Today is part 1 in a series where I’ll be interviewing each branch’s credentialing program manager to get the facts on credentialing assistance in an effort to spread awareness to the servicemembers who can use them.
Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transition tools and resources available to service members to accelerate their post-military careers. Certifications add professional capability and credibility and help you stand out to a hiring manager.
We’ll start with the Army, so if you’re a Soldier, listen up. Today, we’ll talk with Sophia Sweeney, the Program Manager for Army Credentialing Assistance (CA) and Credentialing Opportunities On Line (COOL).
Why Listen: Special thanks to Jim Sinai for making the intro to Michael. While Michael had a full career in the Marine Corps, with over 21 years of service, he didn't let either what he did in the Marines, or how successful he was at doing it get in the way of his going on to have a truly exemplary tech career as a Chief Information Officer at some truly incredible companies. Here are a few things to look for in this interview: * How Michael is always dreaming of what is next, and then working his tail off to be proactive and bridge any skill gaps in his next career move * How Michael is always learning, always pushing himself forward and NEVER playing it safe * How Michael uses his network - not just to find a job, but to sharpen his skills and be the best he can be in his current position * How Michael "paints the target" to determine what he wants to do, and then doesn't allow himself to lose sight of the bullseye
At the end of this episode, Michael rattles off a whole host of books and frameworks. Don't worry, we've listed them all at BeyondTheUniform.org. While you're there, if you've got 400 hours free, be sure to check out over 381 other episodes hand crafted to help you crush your post-military career. About Michael: Michael Hansen is the Chief Information Officer at Procore Technologies, a company with nearly 2,000 employees that provides cloud-based construction software to clients across the globe. He started out in the Marine Corps, where he served for 21 years as an IT Security Architect. His career has included 2 years in Guantanamo Bay Cuba as the CIO, 2 years as a Cloud Architect for the Federal Government, and 5 years as CISO and then CIO of Mindbody both pre and post IPO.
Why Listen: Special thanks to Steve Bane for making this interview happen. My guest today, Justin LeHew, is many things. He earned the Navy Cross for his heroic actions in Iraq in 2003, he has an obstacle at Parris Island named after him: LeHew's Challenge, he achieved the rank of Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps. Yet its not merely these accomplishments that set him apart - it is the way that he focuses on others rather than broadcasting his significant achievements. We talk a lot about that in this interview, as well as his work at History Flight, a private MIA search and recovery organization, responsible for locating and repatriating over 365 missing American servicemen to date. In the show notes for this episode at BeyondTheUniform.org there is an incredible, one-minute YouTube video about this - I highly recommend checking that out, as well as our 380 other episodes just like this one. About Justin LeHew Justin LeHew is the Chief Operating Officer at History Flight, the world's most successful, private MIA search and recovery organization, responsible for locating and repatriating 365 missing American servicemen to date. Justin has his own Wikipedia page, so here are a few highlights: * He served in the Marine Corps for over 25 years, achieving the rank of Sergeant Major * Parris Island has an obstacle named in his honor. "LeHew's Challenge" is an 8 ft high suspended log supported by two pedestals that is part of the famed 54-hour crucible event which culminates the basic training of a United States Marine * He was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions in Iraq in March of 2003
Most notably, none of this information you'll find on his LInkedIn Page, and I'm guessing none of it would come up if you were at a bar with Justin. We traded emails about this, but I wanted to start off our conversation here - in an era where self-promotion is at an all-time high, you seem to be an example of someone who is not broadcasting his merits, is not touting the unbelievable achievements you've accomplished... what advice do you have for listeners about this. Resources: * WWII Marine's Remains Found - YouTube * https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-lehew-080aa94b/ * https://historyflight.com/ * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_LeHew * https://jockopodcast.com/2020/08/12/242-there-are-things-bigger-than-you-do-whatever-it-takes-to-establish-a-winning-mentality-not-just-for-yourself-w-marine-gunnery-sgt-justin-lehew/ * https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/i-am-where-im-supposed-to-be-historyflights-sgtmaj-justin-lehew/ * https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/3634
Why Listen: I'm so excited to start off 2021 with an interview that was so much fun to do. Back in 2017, and Episode 95, I interviewed Andrew watts, who was military veteran who became a full time author. And we reconnected for today's interview, I'm adding in Jason Casper, and a couple things that I loved about this interview. So just for context, Andrew, is a writer who is still a writer, but now also started a publishing company, the Severn river river publishing company, and he publishes over 20 different authors now. So we talk about that journey since our last interview three years ago. And Jason is a another military veteran, best selling author, and now works with Andrew and Andrew publishes his books, although this is a story of maybe would call it the arts of people becoming veterans becoming published authors and extremely successful ones at that. What I really appreciated, comparing it to my own background in entrepreneurship is the number of parallels this has for any form of entrepreneurship, of paving one's own way of taking, making a bet on oneself, of really learning to craft. And I think that that's an element that will come through for listeners with both Jason and Andrew, is how much each of them have devoted themselves to perfecting their art and their craft and how much they use persistence and discipline to succeed in their chosen vocation. And so regardless of your career interest, whether or not you're interested in entrepreneurship, or writing or whatever else, I think there is an element here to learn about that discipline about that constant sharpening of one's toolkit to get better. So, as always, at beyond the uniform.org, you'll find show notes with this. With all the things that we discuss in this interview. I do want to give a plug in there is no financial incentive for me to do so. But I really just enjoyed meeting Jason. He has a new book coming out on January 15 2021, called the enemies of my country. I will put a link to that in the show notes, but I'd encourage you to check it out whether it's on Kindle, whether it's on Audible, whether it's in a physical book. And with that, let's dive in to my conversation with Jason and Andrew. About Jason: Jason Kasper is a former Army Special Forces officer and a USA Today bestselling author. His new book, THE ENEMIES OF MY COUNTRY, releases on January 15, 2021. About Andrew: Andrew Watts is the USA TODAY bestselling author and founder of Severn River Publishing. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2003 and served as a naval officer and helicopter pilot until 2013.
Why Listen Vincent's story is pretty much the opposite of the standard entrepreneurial success story you hear. Yes - he has experienced incredible success - his company, VisitPay, now has over 100 employees, 3 of his 7 C-Suite executives are Service Academy graduates, and he has received over $26M in funding from some of the best investors in the world, like Norwest. However, where his story differs is that this didn't happen overnight. Vincent has been at this for nearly 12 years. His success didn't come all at once, it came through a sustained effort over a decade. What I love most about Vincent's story is how he elegantly merged two vital aspects of entrepreneurship that - to me - often seem to be complete opposite skill sets - that of rapidly iterating (building, learning, and reacting as quickly as possible to feedback from customers), and at an opposite extreme, building for scale (slowing down to build things properly so that it can sustain the load of a massive influx of customers). I learned so much from my conversation with Vincent and hope you will too. Vincent Vincent Martino is the Co-Founder of VisitPay, a company he started nearly 12 years ago that now has over 100 employees and has raised $26M in funding from top notch investors like Norwest. 3 of his 7 C-Suite executives are Service Academy Grads. His journey started at the Naval Academy, included five years in the Marine Corps, followed by an MBA at the Wharton School, and includes work at Dynamicsoft, Capital One, COO at Balihoo and co-authoring the book, The Marine Corps Way.
Why Listen: For today’s guest, Chris Hsu, I could have spent a full episode on six incredible positions he held since his time in the Army - his work as an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, as Managing Director at KKR, as Senior Vice President at HP, as CEO at Micro Focus, and as an Advisory Partner at Andreessen Horowitz - each of those blow my mind. While we touch on this briefly, we spend the bulk of our time on his current role as CEO and Co-Founder of Zibo, which blends real estate, financial services, and software. I view this interview more as a personal mentorship call, where I soaked up as much of Chris 20+ years of experience as possible. Whether you are interested in entrepreneurship, developing a side hustle into a full-time job, consulting, finance, or tech, this interview will have a wealth of knowledge for you. About Chris: Chris Hsu is the CEO & Co-Founder of Zibo, a company he started nearly 2 years ago to radically improve financial services for independent landlords. Chris has raised over $10M in venture capital and LinkedIn shows over 20 employees. His path to this point started at West Point, included over 5 years in the Army in tanks, and has included work at General Mills, Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, Managing Director at KKR, Senior Vice President at HP, CEO at Micro Focus, and Advisory Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Why Listen My conversation today is with two different Veterans senior in the tech industry. In addition to talking about their long and successful career including operations, program management, product management and more, we talk about the ideal team player (based on their experience hiring hundreds of people), the difference between a good boss and a bad boss, differences in leadership out of the military, and more. This interview brings over 20 years of hard earned experience that is a wealth of knowledge regardless of your desired career path. About Mike Sedgwick Mr. Sedgwick is Vice President of Defense and Aerospace Products for SCI Technology, Inc. (SCI), a Sanmina company, in Huntsville, Alabama. Mike is responsible for oversight of SCI’s Aircraft and Tactical product organizations including the FireComm® and TOCNET® product lines. He has extensive expertise in wide-ranging areas including Strategic Planning, Defense & Aerospace Contract Management, P&L Accountability, Business Development, Project Management, Contracts, Budgeting, Scheduling, and Logistics. Mike previous held the titles of Senior Program Manager and Director of Aircraft Systems with SCI. Prior to his latest move to SCI, Mr. Sedgwick served as General Manager of AAR Integrated Technologies and Business Director for the Hypersonic Design and System Integration segment at i3. Mike has managed organizations and teams that include Program Management, Engineering, Contracts, Quality, Manufacturing, HR and Supply Chain to ensure the seamless production of sophisticated defense and aerospace hardware. Beyond his impressive business credentials, he served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces. He currently serves in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Military Intelligence Officer. Previously, Mike served as Battalion Intelligence Officer (S-2) with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and as a Company Executive Officer with the 82nd Airborne Division. Mr. Sedgwick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. About Peter Cianfaglione Peter Cianfaglione is Vice President of Operations at SCI Technology, Inc., a Sanmina Company, in Huntsville, Alabama. Peter is responsible for SCI’s manufacturing operations to include production, manufacturing, quality engineering, and supply chain. Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, Peter completed an Electrical Engineering degree at the University of Ottawa in the Regular Officer Training Program (the Canadian equivalent to ROTC). During and upon completion of his degree, he served in the Canadian Army as a Combat Engineer and Infantry Officer (including service with the Commando in the Canadian Airborne Regiment). In 1993, Peter joined Motorola while transitioning to reserve service. He moved to the United States in 1997 with Motorola while continuing his service as a Canadian Army Reservist including exchange postings with 82nd Abn, 36th ID (Texas National Guard) and 4th ID. In addition to these roles, he also supported the sharing of information between the Canadian and United States militaries on lessons learned in IED awareness from both the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. Shortly after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2005, he was mobilized in support of recovery operations following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Following a move to Huntsville, Alabama, in 2006, Peter took on various capacities with Benchmark Electronics in electronics manufacturing while both continuing his role with the Canadian Army Reserves as well as completing a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering. Peter returned to his home town of Ottawa, Canada from 2009-2011 to work for General Dynamics while commanding a reserve Engineer Battalion. While in Ottawa, he completed his third and final deployment. Upon his return to the United States in 2011, he resumed work with Benchmark Electronics in various capacities, including General Manager and Vice President - Global Accounts. Peter is a graduate of the Canadian Army Command and Staff Course, New Zealand Grade 2 Staff Course and Canadian Joint Command and Staff Programme. He joined SCI in 2020 and is currently working towards completion of a PHD in Engineering. He and his wife of 25 years have seven children, two of which are presently serving in the U.S. military.
In so many of the 375 interviews I’ve done, Veterans talk about their journey to find a new purpose in life. That’s come up in countless conversations with friends of mine who didn’t serve in the military - I think it’s a pretty fundamental part of what makes us human. That’s why - as many of you know - earlier this year I teamed up with Craig Filek to co-lead a program called Purpose Mapping - to help people in the military as well as military veterans and military family members identify their current purpose in life. That’s a pretty lofty mission, and I’m humbled to say that - two cohorts of this group later - we are delivering on that promise. For today’s episode, I invited two people from our latest cohort onto the show to talk about their own journey to uncover their life’s purpose. I’m so grateful that they were both willing to do so - it is obviously deeply personal work, and so I admire their courage and willingness to talk about this. I love both of today’s guests. They represent two very different perspectives - one on Active Duty for many years to come, the other several years out of the military. They are siblings as well, which made for a really incredible experience. I just wrapped up spending 12 weeks with them and the rest of the group and greatly admire and respect both of them and so am honored to have them share their stories on the show. If you are interested in this - it is something I deeply believe in and am committed to continuing to do. If you’re listening to the show in real-time, on November 18th at 6pm Pacific we’ll be hosting a free 90 minute webinar where you can experience this first-hand. Do not wait to reserve your spot - go to BeyondTheUniform.org/puprose to get more info and claim your free spot. that is BeyondTheUniform.org/purpose -I’d love to see you there, I’d love the chance to work with you, and I would LOVE to get this work in front of more members of the military community. So please help me in spreading the word - again that is BeyondTheUniform.org/purpose.
Normally on the show, I interview a military Veteran about their civilian career – what they do, how they got there, and advice for other Veterans seeking to do the same. This episode is a little bit different. Last week I was fortunate to be part of a panel called “Off The Page: Navigating the Military to Civilian Career Transition Webinar”. This episode is that webinar – I had a blast, and loved the insights of both the moderator and the other two guests. Let me give you some context. First of all, this webinar was recorded during one of Kogan Page’s Off The Page Digital Events. It was to promote a new book called Success After Service, by Lida Citreon. (Lee-duh, Sit-Trow-en) Long-time listeners will remember Lida from Episode #273 – Your Personal Brand (https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-273-personal-branding-lida-citroen?rq=lida). Pretty wild – that was literally exactly 100 episodes ago. I consider Lida a dear friend, we’ve grabbed breakfast and lunch a number of times, as she’s here in Denver. I say this on the panel, but I’ll say it here: Lida’s heart is in the right place. No one does work in the Veteran space to get rich. Lida has had a very successful career and her work and this book are in the spirit of giving back. So it is an honor to help out a friend who is doing great work to help our community. Second, Kevin and Chris who were on the panel with me, are total bad asses. Lida will give you info about their bios, but I learned a lot from their perspectives. All three of us have had very different journeys, and I think our listeners will appreciate each of these vantage points. We only had 60 minutes for the webinar but – as you’ll see – I wish we had 3-4 hours. So, strap in for a lot of information that will help you in your career. Lastly, Lida’s book comes is available @ https://www.koganpage.com/product/success-after-service-9781789665932?utm_source=beyondtheuniform&utm_medium=otpaudio&utm_campaign=skills_careers&utm_content=successafterservice
Why Listen: I just finished up my conversation with Alan and a couple things stand out to me. First of all, it's it's pretty surprising to me that it's taken 374 other episodes, to get to the point of interviewing someone in the aerospace and defense industry. And, you know, it's it's surprising, first of all, because so many veterans go into this space. But more importantly, I feel like Alan, in our conversation, we really flipped the script on my understanding of this industry. And what I mean by that is, nearly all of the people I've interviewed on beyond the uniform talk about purpose, and mission, after military service. And Alan kind of surprised me when I was asking him to explain what he does for a living, he immediately went to that spot of, he's continuing to support the military communities continuing to support his brothers and sisters who are still in uniform. And throughout our conversation that came through, like, wow, this is actually a really good fit for so many veterans, especially those who want to continue a similar sense of purpose that they felt that they likely felt in the military. A second thing that really stood out to me with this conversation is we went deep down the rabbit hole on Alan's role, which is business development. And I know we've done a couple interviews on sales related topics. But I think that you will really benefit from Alan's story, he has over 20 years of experience in business development. And I love so much of what comes through in this. But let's just say in a nutshell, it's not what you expect from a sales related role. And the way that Alan comes across just as a human being, as well as how he explains why veterans are so well suited to this, it really goes against most of the stereotypes that I have of sales people. And it comes down to listening to others, being curious about them, and figuring out how you can help them and deliver value. And even if you're not interested in the defense industry or business development in particular, it's still worth listening because, you know, in my experience, every every role that you will have has some element of quote unquote, sales, and the relational things that Alan talks about this interview, are I'm sure going to help you in your career. As always, at BeyondTheUniform.org you'll find Show Notes for this episode, you'll find links to everything we discussed, as well as a link and information about SCI. We haven't done a lot of coverage of companies in this space. But I appreciate Alan's perspective and want to give some some notes there about the company he works for. So with that, let's dive in to my conversation with Alan About Alan: Alan is responsible for the Global Business Development for the IMS business segment within SCI, which includes customer relations, program performance, and the acquisition of new and follow-on business. Alan brings more than 20 years of experience in the Integrated Manufacturing industry. During this period, Mr. Hislop has held positions at PIVC, LLC, STMicroelectronics and Sanmina-SCI. Alan served on active duty with the U.S. Army, with the U.S. Army Reserves in New York and with the Alabama National Guard in Huntsville. Alan graduated from the US Army Officer Infantry School in Fort Benning, GA. Mr. Hislop holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Degree from University of Alabama Huntsville, and an Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences from Clinton Community College. He and his wife, Olga, have 6 boys.
Why Listen: In episode #367 I interviewed John Wayne Troxell, who talked about his transition journey after serving as Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his nearly 40 years of military service. After our interview, he mentioned his friend Anthony, and I jumped at the opportunity to have a similar conversation. Anthony served in the Marine Corps for 35 years, serving most recently as a Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major. We talk about his career journey, his work serving on multiple boards, a long list of resources he would recommend to listeners, and, most importantly, the vital role that curiosity plays in one’s life and career About Anthony: Anthony is a leadership consultant, strategist and Veterans advocate. He is the former Command Senior Enlisted Leader (Sergeant Major), USINDOPACOM, having served in the Marine Corps for 35 years. He serves as the Vice President and Director of Development & Special Projects at the Robert Irvine Foundation, the Vice President of Training for 5th Principle, a Consultant at BeaverFit North America, and serves on multiple boards including Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, FourBlock, Youth Impact Program, and Advisor Board Chairman for FITOPS.
Why Listen: In addition to having an extremely rich career in marketing at multiple brands that you will have heard of, my guest today, Tom Kent is distinguished for another reason. And that is that after nearly a decade of being Chief Marketing Officer and VP of Marketing etc. he started his own company called CareerNerds. And it was really born out of his own experience of having difficulty in job searches, explaining his backgrounds, interviewing, and landing the job of his dreams. And so what he's done with CareerNerds over the last several years, is help hundreds of other people and Veterans craft their online persona polish up their LinkedIn profile figure out how to explain their story in an interview and communicate it in a resume. And there is so much rich tactical advice in what Tom presents today. In fact immediately after our interview I reached out to him to work with him in polishing up my LinkedIn presence for my own company. And, you know, I've been doing sales for over 10 years as an entrepreneur i've landed deals with 35 different fortune 500 companies - I'm pretty good at it. And some of the stuff that Tom mentions here about reaching out to people to network, I'd never heard before. It's really shifted my own thinking in how to approach some of this stuff. About Tom Tom Kent is the Founder & CEO of CareerNerds, which has held over 200 executives advance their careers with personal branding and networking. A 1995 graduate of West Point, Tom served as a Military Intelligence Officer for five years. Since his military service, Tom has had a prolific career in marketing, with work at Intel, IBM, Expedia, Vayama, Avast and ZenMate, holding roles including Chief Marketing Officer, VP of Marketing, Director of Marketing and more.
We are hard at work getting our next series of brand new episodes ready. But, in the meantime, I’ve got a question for you: are you looking for a side hustle? Are you looking to build up social media and marketing skills?
If so, check out www.BeyondTheUniform.org/captivate
I’m in the midst of launching my next company and looking for members of the military community (and their families) to help. We pay by the project and will teach you all you need to know as you go.
See you next week with a new episode and I hope to see your application!
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In this episode, I share thoughts about five books every Veteran should read, which are:
- Slight Edge
- So Good They Can’t Ignore You
- Positive Intelligence
- Mindset - growth vs. fixed mindset
- Extreme Ownership
- Our Sponsor:
- StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.
- Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books
Why Listen: There’s so much I loved about my conversation with Andrew. For those of you wanting a mental image of Andrew - picture Dwayne Johnson with hair… that’s Andrew. After five years in the Air Force, Andrew served in the CIA for seven years. Since then, he has taken the lessons he learned in the CIA and used them - for himself and his clients - to get the most out of life. If you’re interested in the CIA or entrepreneurship, there’s something in this episode for you. But no matter what your intended career path, I love two things in particular that we riff on. The first is, the sense of bringing awareness to the assumptions we make in life. For example, in that intro audio clip, Andrew is speaking to how often we assume one needs to work 9-5, Monday through Friday. When you realize that is just a myth, it gives you a considerable competitive advantage that you can exploit in your career. Andrew has all sorts of incredible mental hacks that I LOVED hearing. Second, I find that there are often judgments about people who leave the military, people who leave public service like the CIA and go on to do something different that is right for them and their family. We talk about this head on, and I believe nearly all Veterans will benefit from this part of our conversation. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out BTU #337 - Entrepreneurship and Self Knowledge (Khemit Bailey) (https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-337-entrepreneurship-and-self-knowledge-khemit-bailey?rq=khemit) and BTU #328 - Struggle is What Gives Us Value (Micah Fink - Heroes & Horses) (https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-328-struggle-is-what-gives-us-value-micah-fink-heroes-horses?rq=micah%20fink), which have similar elements to this episode. both of those will be linked in the show notes. And, I’m sorry to say, this is the final episode made possible by financial support from the Carlson School of Management. They gave us resources for 10 brand new episodes, and we’re very grateful. We’re hitting the pavement to find our next sponsor so we can bust out our 371st episode soon! Here’s more information about our sponsor - again, I’m grateful for their financial support and the freedom to pick and choose the episodes we produced with their support. This episode is sponsored by the Carlson School of Management. Whether you're transitioning to a civilian career or continuing military service, an MBA from Carlson at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high-impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits, experiential learning, and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver, all admitted full-time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and stipends to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. E-mail mba@umn.edu to learn more. That's mba@umn.edu.
Why Listen:
I reached out to Charles about six months ago, and am so happy that I was finally able to get him on the show. In this interview, we talk a lot about building up specific skills in one’s career. In Charle’s case, he learned skills at business school and then in private equity which both were in line with his eventual career goal: entrepreneurship. And we talk about a form of entrepreneurship you’ve probably never heard about - search funds. So many Veterans want to run a company, but don’t know where to start. A search fund is a way to buy an existing business and then build and grow it. Actually, for most of my time at Stanford Business School, I thought I would do a Search Fund, and I still believe it’s an incredible career path for many Veterans. As I mentioned, I reached out to Charles 6 months ago based on his background… I don’t really think I realized how incredibly smart and capable he is until we had this conversation… as an entrepreneur myself, I’m blown away by the moves this guy has, and on his ability to explain them to our audience. If you do like this episode, check out
BTU #117: Jim Vesterman: Marine Corps to Search Funds and Buying a Company to Run (https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-84-jim-vesterman-marine-corps-to-search-funds-and-buying-a-company-to-run?rq=search%20funds) which I’ll list in the show notes for this episode at BeyondTheUniform.org.
And, of course, this interview was only made possible due to the financial support of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, and I want to share a little bit more about them. Whether you're transitioning to a civilian career or continuing military service, an MBA from Carlson, at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits, experiential learning, and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver, all admitted full time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and stipends to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. To learn more, you can visit the show notes at BeyondTheUniform.org for this episode, or you can email MBA@UMN.edu.
About Charles:
Charles Mullenger is the CEO of President of Ethos Preparedness, which has been building the most trusted brands in preparedness, starting with Med Sled®, since 2004. A 2010 graduate of West Point, Charles served as a Field Artillery officer in the Army for 5 years, before obtaining his MBA at Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He has served on the board of directors for Purity Zinc Metals, and founded Steel Tree Capital, which led to his ownership of Ethos Preparedness.
Why Listen: Today’s episode is a must-listen. Here’s my top three reasons. One - entrepreneurship. Joe and his brother started Feltman’s of Coney Island and is a self-proclaimed hotdog slinger. Seriously… do you need another reason? Ok, fine - reason #2: selflessness. The impetus for starting Feltman’s was the loss of Joe’s brother on September 11th. The way in which Joe and his brother honor their deceased brother is touching to say the least. Third - mindset. Joe is the Executive Director of Headstrong, which provides best-in-class therapy for Veterans. Its an incredible organization. We also talk about how often we as Veterans can mask our own internal struggle by looking to help others - there’s some really good insights there. So, those are my top three reason for listening to this episode, but honestly, wouldn’t this have been easier for all of us if you would have just taken my word on this one. And, of course, this interview was only made possible due to the financial support of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, and I want to share a little bit more about them, whether you're transitioning to a civilian career or continuing military service, an MBA from Carlson, at the University at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits experiential learning and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver all admitted full time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and stipends to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. To learn more, you can visit the show notes at beyond uniform.org for this episode, or you can email MBA@UMN.edu.
Why Listen: I just wrapped up my conversation with John and i put this in a rare category of interviews where I just started taking notes for myself during the conversation. And john, as you'll hear, is such a wealth of wisdom about career success in in any arena. And so I found myself I've got a half a page to a page of notes for my own career advice that I got from him about achieving what you want to achieve in your in your professional life. JOHN, as you'll hear about worked his way up to the pinnacle of service in the military, but more impressively after 30 you know, nearly 40 years of service he just powered through to continue to find purpose to find a calling that pulled him towards it, and keeping more than busy with many different things but giving back continuing to give back after the Military. So I appreciated John's example not only in terms of his example of what a high performing extremely high achieving individual looks like and and what it takes to do that, but also someone who continues to redefine purpose in his life. So I imagine this interview will be extremely applicable to all of our listeners. We also at the very end, we touch on something that is so powerful about what I would call the subconscious bias that we have, for most people who serve I would imagine this bias and and opinions and beliefs about officer and enlisted on both sides. And I think that our conversation at the end is really worthwhile about challenging those assumptions. And I hope you stick around till the very end because we talked about that. It's one of the last things we talked about. Of course, this interview was only made possible due to the financial support of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Back when I interviewed Matt Hussey in Episode 358, that was a similarly energizing conversation. And what I said to him this man, we were fortunate enough to receive sponsorship from the Carlson School of Management. We've got a few more interviews we can do. I'll talk to anyone you would recommend. And john is who he recommended. And so thank you to the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management for making this possible. I want to get provide you with a little bit more information about an organization that's putting their money where their mouth is and supporting our mission at beyond the uniform. So whether you're a transition, transitioning to a civilian career or continuing your military service, an MBA from Carlson at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits experiential learning and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver, all admitted full time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and stipends to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. To learn more, you can visit the show notes at beyond the uniform.org for this episode, or you can email MBA@umn.edu. About John Wayne Troxell Before his retirement in December 2019, Troxell advised the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of Defense for four years on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel. Troxell enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1982. By 2020, Troxell joined forces with FitOps to lead the Foundation’s strategic advisory board, working closely with Matt Hesse and the team to help prevent and end veteran suicide. Troxell’s primary focus will be helping FitOps reach service members who plan to separate from the military and equip them with training prior, so that when they hit the ground as a civilian, they are equipped to immediately serve their communities again, this time as personal trainers and coaches.
Why Listen:
Normally I start with a nice quote, reasons to listen to the episode. I’m not doing that today. Today is a conversation I should have had 300 episodes ago - its a conversation I wish more people were having more candidly. Today I chat with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, where we spend the bulk of our time discussing race and gender and the role it plays in the military. It is an open, honest, and very imperfect conversation, and something I sincerely hope you take the time to listen to. With that let’s dive in to my conversation
About Natasha:
Natasha is an international speaker, leadership consultant, mentoring coach, and the visionary founder of the nonprofit Leadership LINKS, Inc. A graduate of the US Naval Academy and a former Marine Corps officer, she is the author of Mentor for Life and Hope for Us.
Why Listen:
When Carlson’s School of Management came to us with an offer for financial sponsorship, Steve and I were like kids in a candy store. We had the resources to do any interview we’d like… that’s like a dream come true. As I was thinking through who I wanted to reach out to, I started thinking about purpose - purpose is something that comes up time and time again in my interviews. So, I wanted to find a company that is purpose driven. A company that is doing something pretty different. And that is how I view Impossible Foods. They are re-envisioning how we eat and driven by a deep desire to help us take better care of our planet. Not only that, but they have become a massive sensation - according to LinkedIn there are now over 500 employees at Impossible, and according to Crunchbase they have raised over $1.2B… that’s right - $1.2B… the amount of money a villain in a James Bond movie would demand to avoid destroying the world.
Here’s what I love about today’s interview. First of all, I’m joined by TWO incredible Veterans with TWO incredible career paths. We talk about innovation and sales, two very different career paths, and their perspectives on what it’s like to work at Impossible. While we do talk a lot about Impossible, we cover a lot of ground about general career advice.
If you enjoy this episode, check out the show notes for this episode, where I link to a few interviews I’ve done in the Cyrpto space - that seems to share the same purpose-driven culture that I felt in this interview.
And, of course, this interview was only made possible due to the financial support of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, and I want to share a little bit more about them, whether you're transitioning to a civilian career or continuing military service, an MBA from Carlson, at the University at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits experiential learning and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver all admitted full time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and stipends to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. To learn more, you can visit the show notes at beyond uniform.org for this episode, or you can email MBA@UMN.edu.
About Ryan & Dan:
Dan Greene is a SVP of US Sales and Growth. He started out at the Naval Academy and served over 10 years as a Navy fighter pilot and director of operations for multiple aviation units. Dan served as Chief Revenue Officer for a conversational artificial intelligence startup, and served as an executive consultant with other early-stage software companies. Prior to that, Dan spent 11 years overseeing large teams and revenue-generating business units at Google and Twitter.
Ryan Fisher is the Director of New Product Innovation. He served in the US Army for over four years as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Officer. He has worked in global supply at both Apple and Uber. He holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Why Listen:
Craig is a serial entrepreneur who’s current company - Veteran Tax Credits - is relevant to all of our listeners. First of all, if you are a Veteran seeking a job, Craig talks about how the government provides tax credits for any employer who hires you. This is a financial benefit to employers that could play a deciding role in your next job offer, so it is worthy of your attention. Second, if you’re an employer, Craig talks about a tax incentive surprisingly few businesses know about. He’ll walk you through what you need to do to take full advantage of this benefit. In addition, we talk about entrepreneurship, partnerships and more. Lastly, one thing I really appreciated in this interview is the sense that when Veterans raise awareness of this sort of tax incentive, not only are they helping themselves, but they’re helping other members of the military community who may benefit from these tax incentives in the future. Many thanks to Craig for the work he is doing to help our military community, and for his sponsorship of this episode to help Beyond the Uniform further our work.
About Craig
Craig Washburn is the Founder & CEO of VTC Veteran Tax Credits. VTC helps Veterans get pre-certified and find gainful employment through our partnerships. We help companies’ find outstanding Veteran talent and collect valuable tax credits for employing them. Craig started out in the Navy as an Administrative Supervisor, where he served for four years. His civilian career includes work at HealthCare Dimensions, PacifCare Health Systems, as well as Owner of the Pivot Management Group.
Why Listen:
I'm so honored to have had time with Christian today I want to give a little bit of backstory that I give at the start of the interview but I think it's worth recapping here. So, as many of you know we were fortunate to receive financial sponsorship from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. It allowed us to do a new series of interviews and so as Steve Bane and I were talking about who we wanted to interview, I realized that we haven't talked to anyone in the drone industry, and I think it's an industry that has a lot of interest for veterans - it's growing rapidly, it's cool, it's high tech. And so I did a little bit of searching and Steve sent me some articles and we looked for Veterans in this space. And I came across Christian. He was the only person I emailed and I just sent a cold email explaining what I do with Beyond the Uniform and asking if you'd be willing to be on the show. And I just want to bring that up first of all to say like, I was so energized and inspired by this conversation. And it all came about because of simply writing an email to another veteran. And I just want to bookmark that for all of you listening because I think great things come when you get out of your head when you get out of your comfort zone when you get out of your office or home and talk to people. And that's a major theme in today's interview and Kristen has a really brilliant man I think that will come across in his, his advice to listeners, but he in 1998 got out of the military went into tech, when tech was just or that you know that is software programming, and that was just becoming a thing. And I think that you'll learn a lot from his story, although it's, it's one of entrepreneurship it's one about the drone industry. It's really advice relevant to every career path, because his story demonstrates, time and time again, the value that comes from pursuing one's passion, the value that comes when you put aside money. At least temporarily to focus on adding value and learning, and also a story of how, when you get out of your comfort zone when you talk to people when you circulate ideas, great things come about. So we cover a lot of ground we talk about minimum viable product we talk about customer development. We talked about why you should never have an NDA that's a non disclosure agreement. We talk about leadership on it was just really exhilarating conversation and so I'm really honored to have had Christian on the show.
About Christian:
Christian Sanz is the CEO and Founder of Skycatch, the leading industrial aerial data collection and analytics company, focused on indexing and extracting critical information from the physical world. He served in the Navy for 4 years, and his civilian career includes work as a software engineer for The Walt Disney Company, a Senior Software Engineer at LoopNet, the Senior Director of Engineering at Break Media, the CTO at Kin Community, the Founding CTO of Storify (acquired by Adobe), and the Founder of DroneGames. Over the last 7 years, Christian has grown Skycatch to have over 50 employees and $46M in funding.
Why Listen Welcome back to beyond the uniform, I'm Justin Nassiri and my goal is to help the military community thrive in their civilian career. Today's episode number 362. Hope unseen part two, with Tiffany smiley. Two weeks ago I interviewed Scottie smiley for Episode 359. As soon as the interview is over I emailed Scotty his wife Tiffany to set up an interview, because it was clear from Scotty story how big of a role she played in scotties recovery and success. I'm so glad I did. Tiffany is an incredible woman, and this interview is such a powerful reminder of how military spouses are often the unsung heroes in our country. I was moved to tears in our conversation and hope you appreciate Tiffany's story of strength resilience and optimism. I'm very grateful because this episode was made possible through a financial sponsorship through the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, and I want to share a little bit more about them, whether you're transitioning to a civilian career or continuing military service, an MBA from Carlson, at the University at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits experiential learning and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver all admitted full time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and stipends to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. To learn more, you can visit the show notes at beyond uniform.org for this episode, or you can email MBA at UVM in.edu to learn more. That's MBA@mnu.edu. So with that, let's dive in to my conversation with Tiffany. About Tiffany Born and raised in Pasco, WA, Tiffany is married to her high school sweetheart, Scotty Smiley. The two met as teenagers and never looked back, even as Tiffany attended Whitworth University to become a nurse and Scotty attended the United States Military Academy. In 2005, while Scotty was deployed in Iraq, he was injured by a suicide car bomb and lost his eyesight. Tiffany, who was working as a full time nurse at the time, left her job to care for him. Scotty and Tiffany founded Hope Unseen in 2010 in an effort to use their story to help and inspire others. They have appeared on Fox News, CBS, CNN, the Katie Couric show and multiple newspapers and magazines. In 2016 Tiffany launched TiffanySmiley.com, a platform that she hoped would empower women to overcome whatever circumstances they were facing and to uncover true joy in their lives. Through her candid writings, the site reaches thousands of readers each month and has given Tiffany a platform to encourage women to be strong and join together for the good of those around them. She is in the process of planning Story by Faith, a conference dedicated to helping women share their journeys with confidence to impact and change their communities.
Why Listen: Purpose is one of the most cited things on this show. In 350 episodes, I cannot count the number of my guests who have talked about how they have struggled to find their next purpose once they leave the military. I experienced this... and I've experienced multiple times since I left the military over 10 years ago.
In this episode, I have Craig Filek back on the show to talk about his Purpose Mapping work. Craig and I just finished up a 10 week course with 5 veterans, and we share some of our takeaways from this work.
Be sure to sign up for our FREE 90-minute webinar, where you can start to uncover your purpose and mission in life @ https://beyondtheuniform.org/purpose-mapping-webinar
Why Listen: Well, I just got done talking with Murph, and it's just such a great conversation and I wanted to just bookmark. A couple of things that we talked about in this interview because we cover quite a bit of ground. The first of all, I love Murphy's thinking around, expanding your thinking about what you're going to do in your career, and in his in his own story, and advice that he received along the way. He ended up doing things that he didn't initially plan when he got out of the military, out of the Marine Corps after 22 years of service, and it came from a conversation about expanding his thinking. He has great advice around never stopping your pursuit of your career, and there's stories, you'll hear about when he kind of backed off or thought he had a job and then it fell through, and I think is great advice for both career hiring, as well as sales. He works over at the University of Central Missouri and as their director of military and veteran services so he does have some great thoughts from his experience they're helping a lot of veterans. Talk about the value of education that keeps on coming up again and again and Murph story is the value that education has been to him to his Marines, his students, and whether that's after 20 years of service, or after three years of service, expanding one's horizons through education. We talked about the TV show that he's on called tough as nails and what it's like to be on a reality TV show and even though Murph is a giant of a man. He's a very you know gentle giant and very introverted and so he talks about what that experience was like being on the set, and what it was like and how that opportunity came about. And then I love He talks about a diploma being a certification of dedication I've never I've never heard that before but he talks about how rarely one's degree directly relates to what one does in their career, but it is beneficial for other reasons. We talked about Instagram and putting oneself out there, we talked about how his dream job was in the Marine Corps and a lot more. And so I think you'll really enjoy the show and check out the show notes, we've got a lot of links from today's episode, and check out CBS as tough as nails with him, it'll be launching. Shortly after this podcast goes live. I want to give a special thanks because the only reason we were able to record. Today's brand new episode is thanks to a sponsorship financial sponsorship from the Carlson School of Management and really can't express enough gratitude for how much I enjoy doing new episodes and how many people that benefits and this point were only really able to do that through financial sponsorship. So I wanted to share more about an organization that is putting your money where your mouth is and helping beyond uniform continue our operations. So whether you're transitioning to a civilian career or continuing military service, an MBA from Carlson at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits experiential learning and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver all admitted full time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and a stipend to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. You can learn more in the show notes for this episode at beyond the uniform.org, or you can email, em, ba, actually, let's see if I can remember this, Mike Bravo alpha at uniform. Mike november.edu that's MBA at IU mn.edu to learn more. Thank you. And with that, lets dive into today's conversation with Murph .
About Murph:
Murph is the Director of Military and Veteran Services at the University of Central Missouri. He is also a competitor on CBS’s new show, Tough as Nails. TOUGH AS NAILS is a competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who roll up their sleeves and don’t think twice about working long hard hours and getting their hands dirty, in order to keep their country running. On the show, competitors compete in challenges that take place at real-world job sites. Murph served in the Marine Corps for 22 years. Since his military service, he has worked as an Adjunct Faculty member at Central Texas College and Columbia College and also worked at Lowe’s in their as a Human Resrouce and Training Manager.
About Scotty:
Scotty is a graduate of the United States Military Academy (USMA). He began his career as an active duty officer. While leading his platoon overseas, Scotty came face-to-face with a suicide car bomber. That was the last thing that Scotty has seen. He woke up in the United States at Walter Reed Hospital blind and fighting for his life. Scotty not only had to learn how to live again, he also had to learn to lead. After fully recovering, Scotty became the military’s first active duty member to continue his service as a completely blind active duty officer. Scotty went on to receive a Master’s in Business Administration from Duke University and he has taught at USMA. Scotty commanded a 250-person company. In this role, he used his skills and abilities to lead his team through dire circumstances and adapt to much change. The Army Times named Scotty “Soldier of the Year” in 2007 and in 2008 he won an ESPY as the world’s Best Outdoor Athlete. Scotty retired from active duty and now works in the financial industry at Drexel Hamilton. He's written two books: Hope Unseen and Beatfeat.
Why Listen: There is so much to love about today's interview. First of all on the professional side, Matt went from the Army National Guard and an unexpected departure into opening a series of nutrition supplement franchises that built up a skill set for him to then start his own performance supplement company, actually creating and selling many of these products, and then to his current role with company called Fit Ops which is doing absolutely unbelievable things in the military community training people physically, mentally, and emotionally,.
II just loved so much of what Matt had to share in this interview. We cover a lot of ground in this interview we talk about things like mentorship, finding clarity through, of all things daydreaming. Finding one's purpose through a combination of authenticity, excitement and discomfort. And we talk about letting your gut guide you in decisions. And I love in particular Matt's thoughts about not discounting yourself not counting yourself out from the dreams and aspirations that you have.
This is both an informative interview, but it's also a very inspirational conversation and I think you'll really enjoy this this episode.
I want to give a special thanks to the Carlson School of Management, whose financial sponsorship made this interview possible. I want to share a little bit more about them, because while many people talk about supporting the military community, the Carlson School of Management, put their money where their mouth was and literally gave us the funds to produce five or six new episodes which you'll see in the next couple of weeks. So whether you're transitioning to civilian career or continuing military service, an MBA from Carlson at the University of Minnesota prepares you for a high impact career in business. Carlson is committed to the veteran community and provides the benefits experiencial learning and network to accelerate your career. In addition to a resident tuition waiver all admitted full time MBA military candidates receive generous scholarships and stipends to cover expenses that may not be eligible for the GI Bill. If you're interested in learning more, you can email MBA at you. in.edu also in the show notes at beyond uniform.org I'll include this information as well. Thank you so much Carlson School of Management for your support. So with that, let's dive in to my conversation with Matt Hesse.
About Matt:
Matt Hesse is the Chairman & Founder of the FitOps, the CEO of Performix, and the Founder & CEO of COrr-Jensen. He also serves as an Advisory Council Member on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He served in the Army and National Guard for nearly five years, and was a multi unit franchise store owner for GNC.
In this episode, I share thoughts about freelance consulting work and why both Veterans and those on Active Duty should consider this sort of work, either as a side hustle or a full time career.
A quick announcement about brand new episodes coming your way, courtesy of financial support from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.
Why Listen: Today’s episode originally aired one year ago. Usually, when I do rebroadcasts, I like to go a lot further back then that, but Robin’s episode has been on my mind a lot lately. We got a one-star review on Apple Podcasts recently, after a 132 5-star review streak. The review criticized Beyond the Uniform for focusing on the 10% of Veterans who are most successful in their career transition. I feel that there is some truth there - I imagine it can be frustrating, especially for those of you who are approaching a career transition or who are experiencing difficulty in your transition - to constantly see stories of seemingly simple success. That’s certainly not my intention for this show. However, one of the things I loved about my conversation with Robin is her candor in her own 13 year journey of mistakes, pitfalls, and setbacks, that eventually led her to a job that she truly loves. I personally put Robin in a small category of people I have interviewed where it feels like she has felt her calling in her current career path, rather than simply a job. She talks about how the attributes that made her successful in the military were a liability in the civilian world - how she had to adapt her communication and response to corporate culture in order to be successful. We talk about her job in public service and why this sort of career may be very fulfilling to other veterans.
Additionally, Robin Brown is one of three Veterans spotlighted in the 30-minute documentary, Adventure Not War. I watched it and consider myself a movie aficionado -it’s fantastic. Google it - it’s also free. It is inspiring, to say the least.
If you like this interview, be sure to check out Episode #268 - How the Outdoors Saved My Life (Stacy Bare), as Stacy is featured in Adventure Not War along with Robin.
About Robin:
Robin Brown is the Executive Director at Grand Junction Economic Partnership, a non-profit organization that is your first point of contact if you are looking to expand or relocate your company to the Grand Junction, Colorado area. She served as an Army as an Aviation Officer flying OH-58s for 8 years, where she deployed twice to Iraq- first as an AS3, then as a Company Commander of an attack helicopter company. She is also a self-proclaimed "Army brat from a family of Army brats,” and her husband served as an Army pilot as well.
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Today’s episode originally aired all the way back in February of 2017. I was just getting my feet underneath me with Beyond the Uniform, and this was one of my first big episodes. I still think of this episode today. And, I have to disclose that I don’t follow football… I’m not a football fanatic… my appreciation of today’s guest has nothing to do with what he did in the NFL and EVERYTHING to do with two things that helped him get there:
- Failure - Nate has achieved the impossible - repeatedly in his life. He talks about being a grinder, of just working hard to go after his dreams. And he talks about how it's not about not having fear - it's about having the courage to realize that there is no downside, that the only risk is not taking an opportunity. There are far too many incredible words of wisdom to summarize here, but believe me - it's a lesson every single veteran will benefit from hearing.
- Passion - Nate talks about how many veterans fall back on what you know. He talks about how tried many things - and failed at many things - in his journey to find his calling and what he enjoys most. Again, these are lessons I found inspiring and hope you do too.
Today’s episode originally aired all the way back in Oct ober of 2017. I recorded it a few weeks after episode #115 with Ray & Samantha Allen. They recommended a few books, and I read one that continues to impact my life called, The Slight Edge.
I think about this book all the time. In fact, in the last four weeks, I’ve discussed it twice with my Executive Coach, as the principles I learned in this book continue to impact the way I approach work and life. I’m also currently co-hosting Beyond the Uniform’s Purpose Mapping Seminar with Craig Filek, and I just sent a copy of this book to all of our seminar participants - it is such a great complement to any intended career path in life.
In this episode, rather than interviewing something, I play Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow and do a book review for you. While I still recommend reading the book, I hope this episode gives you some tips and tricks you can apply today in your personal and professional life.
Andy Chan works at Wake Forest as Vice President for Innovation and Career Development. He oversees The Office of Personal and Career Development (OPCD) which is creating a supportive university-wide career community designed to empower and equip students to successfully navigate their path from college to career. Previously, he was the assistant dean and director of the MBA Career Management Center at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Before joining Stanford, he served as president and CEO of eProNet, an online recruiting and career network based on exclusive relationships with university alumni associations. Earlier, he was president and CEO of MindSteps, a corporate education software start-up. He has extensive executive leadership and career coaching experience as well as business experience in venture-backed start-ups, The Learning Company, The Clorox Company and Bain & Company. He earned his BA and MBA from Stanford University.
Why Listen:
Today’s episode originally aired back in June of 2018 and I’m guessing that a lot of our newer listeners have not heard it. If that’s the case… fix yourself. If you HAVE already listened to it, this is one of a handful of episodes that i believe is worth a second or even third listening for everyone - whether you’re currently in uniform, hung it up a long time ago, or never wore a uniform.
Andy brings over 20 years of experience helping more than 11k students at both Stanford University and Wake Forest figure out their next career move. In this interview he covers ground about the most common challenges people face in a career transition, and simple actions to take to approach this change with more confidence and skill. Andy packs in so much incredible information in a very short amount of time - I hope you enjoy and benefit greatly from his advice.
Why Listen: My guest today has done the seemingly impossible - he went from medically discharged from the Army Rangers to consultant, director, and actor on CBS’ Seal Team, amongst other impressive accomplishments. But what sets Tyler apart isn’t his incredible accomplishments, it is his attitude. In this interview, Tyler talks about how we are all equally unprepared for our military transition - be it from medical injury or after 30 years of a career. He talks about giving up control, and putting in the effort even if it takes decades to achieve your dreams. He talks about networking, about what one wants to do versus what one NEEDS to do in life, about how Veteran is a status, not a job title, and more. Regardless of your interest in Hollywood, I guarantee there are multiple inspirational and motivational lessons for you in today’s interview. About Tyler Tyler Grey is an consultant, director, and actor on CBS’Seal Team. Tyler Grey is an Army veteran who served with the 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd Battalion as a sniper in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was medically discharged in 2005 after he ran into some explosives during a nighttime raid in Afghanistan. He's spent years working in Hollywood as a military advisor
Why Listen: Often on interviews my guests talk about how - after they leave the military - they struggle to find a purpose, mission, or calling like they had in the military. One of the things i love about my guest today, Daris, is that his time since the military has been spent addressing a new purpose. I haven’t had anyone on the show before to talk about the education space. Daris has spent time as a teacher, leading a classroom of four year olds. He talks about how this is one of the best and most challenging job he ever had, and how it taught him resilience, leadership, and perseverance. He has continued in education, now as a full time doctoral student at Penn’s Graduate School of Education. He talks about meeting two different US Presidents, all in one crazy day, and more. About Daris: Daris McInnis is full time doctoral student at Penn GSE (Graduate School of Education) and a summer learning curriculum specialist at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Prior to Penn, Daris served as an early childhood teacher in Washington, D.C., an Education Pioneer in New Orleans, LA, and five years on active duty as an Ordnance Logistics Officer in the United States Army.
Why Listen: A lot of Veterans I speak with are interested in technology. Most of us in the military get a fair amount of experience with technology, and we hear about the high growth this industry has seen. It’s a pretty broad industry - to me, 10 years out of the military, hearing someone refer to Tech feels like someone referring to “the military” - it’s a great catch all phrase, but there is so much beyond that high level term - branch of service, MOS, warfare speciality, etc. Today’s interview feels like a gateway to that world of tech. My guest, Art, works at a company called Micron Technologies, which is in the semiconductor industry. Which, as you’ll learn, is a foundational element in pretty much every technology industry: drones, autonomous vehicles, tablets, social media… it’s everywhere. I don’t think I’ve ever had an interview that has packed in so much information at the end. I really try to keep these interviews to 45-50 minutes, based on feedback I’ve received from listeners. Today was a rare case where we kept going because there was so much richness in what Art was sharing. We talk about translating one’s experience on both a resume and interview. We talk about diversity of perspective as a strength when one is applying to a job. We talk about three things I rarely hear on these interviews: how important it is to evaluate a company by the size of the company and what this offers to you in terms of a community and mentorship opportunities, evaluating a company’s team and how those individuals will challenge and support you to grow, and also looking at how a company behaves in a crisis… like the one we’re going through right now. All of these are fantastic lenses through which to evaluate a company and job opportunity, and they’ve never come up in the 349 episodes that precede this. As always, at BeyondTheUniform.org you’ll find 350 other free episodes, just like this one. You’ll find show notes with links to everything we discuss today. And you’ll also find a special, limited time offer at BeyondTheUniform.org/micron, where Art is graciously offering to connect with 20 of you to help you with your resume, and answer your questions about job transitioning (side note: he has conducted thousands of interviews), the semiconductor industry, and Micron Technology. About Art Behnke Art Behnke is a Manager of Talent Acquisition at Micron Technologies, which is a world leader in innovative memory solutions that transform how the world uses information. Micron Technologies has over 37,000 team members in 18 countries who work with the world’s most trusted brands, delivering memory and storage systems for a broad range of applications and sparking countless possibilities in technology. Art served in the Marine Corps for 21 years as a FA/18 Hornet WSO and is a graduate of the TopGun program. He has held a wide variety of roles throughout his career and has completed 173 combat flights, with 2,500 total flight hours. He has completed an MBA and is a graduate of the Naval War College
Why Listen: The top two reasons to listen to this interview are: 1.Straight talk - Josh is very direct about the struggles he has faced in his career and transition. The wisdom he shares is incisive, and I think a lot of Veterans will appreciate both the sincerity and authenticity of his advice. 2.Consulting & project management - we talk about Josh’s experience with both consulting and project management, and why Veterans may love either of these career paths. Beyond the Uniform has over 350 podcast episodes and 20 videos with America’s top Veterans, including Jocko Willink, the former CEO of Pepsi, NFL players and more. They are all for free at BeyondTheUniform.org. If you benefit from Beyond the Uniform and would like to help get this in front of more members of the military community, please consider donating at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate. You can also text SUPPORTBTU to 33777 and we will send you additional information. Our cost of production is $300 per month, we are an all-volunteer team, and we could use your financial support. That is at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate or by texting SUPPORTBTU to 33777. About Josh: Josh is a Consultant at Whitney, Bradley & Brown (WBB), as well as a Training Consultant at PM-ProLearn. He started out at the Naval Academy, after which he served in the Marine Corps for over 11 years.
Why Listen: The top two reasons to listen to today’s episode are: 1. Mindset - Bobby’s book, The Gift of Struggle, shares stories of adversity he has faced in his personal and professional life and how each of those struggles was a gift to him, his family, and his team. There is a great lesson for every listener in this. 2. Leadership - Bobby built his team to over 300 employees with nearly 9,000 contractors worldwide. He is humble and direct in sharing the mistakes he has made along the way to this incredible feat. If you enjoy today’s episode, be sure to check out: BTU #328 - Struggle is What Gives Us Value (Micah Fink - Heroes & Horses) - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-328-struggle-is-what-gives-us-value-micah-fink-heroes-horses?rq=fink BTU #99 - Jacob Martinez: Army Sergeant to President of USA's 592nd Fastest Growing Company - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-99-jacob-martinez-army-sergeant-to-president-of-usas-592nd-fastest-growing-company?rq=jacob%20martinez Beyond the Uniform has over 350 podcast episodes and 20 videos with America’s top Veterans, including Jocko Willink, the former CEO of Pepsi, NFL players and more. They are all for free at BeyondTheUniform.org. If you benefit from Beyond the Uniform and would like to help get this in front of more members of the military community, please consider donating at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate. You can also text SUPPORTBTU to 33777 and we will send you additional information. Our cost of production is $300 per month, we are an all-volunteer team, and we could use your financial support. That is at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate or by texting SUPPORTBTU to 33777. About Bobby: Bobby Herrera is the author of The Gift of Struggle, a book about leadership and the life-changing lessons we learn through our struggles. He is also the co-founder and president of Populus Group, a staffing & recruiting company with over 300 / 9k employees. Bobby founded Populus Group nearly 18 years ago. He served in the Army in Field Artillery for over seven years. With a passion for building strong culture and communities through trust and storytelling, his leadership style is about empowerment, connections, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Bobby grew up in a big family with parents who immigrated to America without much. While this is not an uncommon story, the leadership style and company culture that it inspired is. The belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed is at the core of Bobby’s philosophy in business and in life. Everyone has struggles and business leaders are no exception. Bobby’s passion is helping others understand how their individual struggles can help them connect with their communities and inspire other is what will ultimately transform their leadership style. Bobby is a proud Army veteran and currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and three children.
Welcome back to Beyond the Uniform. I’m Justin Nassiri and our mission is to support the military community in their civilian career. Today is episode BTU #347 - Marines to PMP Instructor and PM-ProLearn (Ian Fisher) Why listen: Here are the top two reasons to listen to today’s episode: 1.Project, Program, and Portfolio Management - at BTU we often hear questions about these three career paths, and Ian goes into great detail about what these fields are, how they relate to one’s military background, and how to succeed in these career paths. 2.Certifications - Clayton has great advice about education, certifications, and how to make one self appealing to a hiring manager. Beyond the Uniform has over 350 podcast episodes and 20 videos with America’s top Veterans, including Jocko Willink, the former CEO of Pepsi, NFL players and more. They are all for free at BeyondTheUniform.org. If you benefit from Beyond the Uniform and would like to help get this in front of more members of the military community, please consider donating at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate. You can also text SUPPORTBTU to 33777 and we will send you additional information. Our cost of production is $300 per month, we are an all-volunteer team, and we could use your financial support. That is at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate or by texting SUPPORTBTU to 33777. About Ian: Charles “Ian” Fisher is Director of Operations at PM-ProLearn. He served for over 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and since then has worked as both an IT Consultant as well as the Assistant Director of Professional Services at TimeClock Plus, a Data Management company.
Why listen: Here are the top three reasons to listen to today’s episode: 1.Tenacity - Clayton describes his experience stepping on an IED in Iraq and the grueling road to recovery. His thoughts on perspective & perseverance are exceptional. 2.Sales - Clayton’s attitude towards business is inspiring. His competitive nature and desire to provide for his family are inspiring. 3.Entrepreneurship - Clayton has repeatedly started organizations that thrive. From USi, which was acquired by Ignite, to Black Patch Distilling and his current government contracting company, SPS, Clayton has demonstrated his gift at starting and growing businesses. Beyond the Uniform has over 350 podcast episodes and 20 videos with America’s top Veterans, including Jocko Willink, the former CEO of Pepsi, NFL players and more. They are all for free at BeyondTheUniform.org. If you benefit from Beyond the Uniform and would like to help get this in front of more members of the military, please consider donating at BeyondTheUniform.org/donate. You can also text SUPPORTBTU to 33777. Our cost of production is $300 per month, we are an all-volunteer team, and we could use your financial support. That is SUPPORTBTU to 33777 About Clayton: Clayton is the Chairman of the Black Patch Distilling Co, a Combat Veteran-Owned and Operated Distillery. He started out at West Point, and served as an Infantry Officer for nearly five years before medically retiring as a Captain due to wounds sustained during an improvised explosive attack while conducting a night raid to kill or capture Al Qaeda in Iraq. He is an Honor Graduate of the US Army Ranger School, and holds a Masters from Georgetown University. After his departure from the military, he served as President and CEO of USi, which was acquired by Ignite in 2016.
Why Listen: In 344 other episodes we spend so much time talking about WHAT sort of work people do - the industry they choose, the functional role they take on, the size of company, even the part of the world in which they work - but we hardly ever devote time to HOW they work. Well, today’s interview is all about the HOW. Mike is an Army Veteran and acclaimed expert on how the workplace affects employee engagement. We talk about remote working and other flexibility options, and why listeners may want to pursue this in their next career move. I loved my conversation with Mika - she is energetic, knowledgeable, passionate and generous. She is also extending a discount for her company - Flexjobs - to all Veterans, and there’s additional info in the show notes for this episode at BeyondTheUniform.org About Mika: "Mika J. Cross is a widely acclaimed workplace expert, speaker, strategist and innovator specializing in interdisciplinary expertise in the areas of innovative global workplace initiatives, culture change, strategic communications, knowledge management, next generation/future workplace predictions, performance and talent management, and employee engagement. Her 20+ year career in public service includes assignments throughout the United States Intelligence Community and across the Federal government. She is a veteran of the United States Army, having served as both an enlisted soldier and commissioned officer."
Why Listen: When I was in the Navy, I’m not sure how much I respected Admirals. I certainly feared them - I got that instilled in me at the Naval Academy. But I think I was caught up in this mindset of: it’s inevitable that I get promoted from O-1 to O-2, and from O-2 to O-3… so it can’t be that hard to make it to flag rank. In the ten years since I left the Navy, my respect for senior officers and flag rank officers has grown exponentially. I’ve seen how difficult it can be to reach the top of any organization - civilian, government or military. And I admire the determination, talent, and intelligence required to achieve these pinnacle leadership echelons. Today’s interview only served to reinforce that respect. Admiral Mullen served as Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff under both President Bush and President Obama. I was fascinated to hear what it is like to work at this level, and a lot of the principles of leadership that helped Admiral Mullen achieve success. We also talked about leadership of the Beyond the Uniform audience - how we, as leaders, can look out for the men and women we served with, and how we can pay forward the benefits we’ve experienced in our careers. About Admiral Mullen: Admiral Michael Mullen is a retired United States Navy admiral, who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to both President Bush and President Obama. Previously, he served as the Navy's 28th Chief of Naval Operations, and was only the third officer in the Navy's history to be appointed to four different four-star assignments: Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Commander Allied Joint Force Command Naples, and the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval Operations. He retired from the Navy after over 42 years of service. Fast Company has called Admiral Mullen “not just a new model for military officers-and a new kind of business titan-but also a case study in 21st Century leadership.” Since retiring from the Navy, Mullen has joined the boards of General Motors, Sprint and the Bloomberg Family Foundation. He teaches at the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He is also known for his efforts on behalf of service members, veterans and their families. He is renowned for his role in dismantling “don’t ask, don’t tell” and allowing gay service members to serve openly.
A preview of 6 new podcasts and three new webinars coming your way in March. Also, if you're not yet on our Newsletter list, text 33777 with BTU to join, or subscribe at BeyondTheUniform.org
Why Listen: Although Brian lost both of his legs while serving in Army, he didn’t let that deter him from finding a mission where he could continue to make a difference in the world. Brian ran for and is now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida’s 18th District. In this interview we avoid politics and focus on what it’s like to work IN politics, as well as why Veterans may want to consider this as a career path. For listeners who enjoy this episode, be sure to check out: BTU #70 - Emily Cherniack: How New Politics is helping veterans of both parties run for office - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-70-emily-cherniak-how-new-politics-is-helping-veterans-of-both-parties-run-for-office?rq=emily%20cher BTU #250 - Navy Veteran to Congressional Candidate (Josh Welle) - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-250-navy-veteran-to-congressional-candidate-josh-welle?rq=josh%20welle BTU #316 - Navy to Nebraska State Government (Jason Jackson) - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-316-navy-to-nebraska-state-government-jason-jackson?rq=josh%20welle BTU #66 - Sean Barney: Purple Heart recipient to Congressional Candidate - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-66-sean-barney-purple-heart-recipient-to-congressional-candidate?rq=barney About Brian Brian Mast is a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida’s 18th District. After high school, he followed in his father’s footsteps, enlisting in the U.S. Army where he served for over 12 years as a member of the elite Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as a bomb disposal expert. While serving, the very last IED Brian found resulted in sustained catastrophic injuries, which included the loss of both of his legs. Following retirement from the Army, Brian continued his work in counter terrorism and national defense as an Explosive Specialist under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He also volunteered to serve alongside the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to show support for the freedom Israel represents throughout the Middle East and the world.
Why Listen: Joe’s story is a great example of a military Veteran who makes a BIG career change after the military. He majored in Computer Science at West Point, but never had any intention of going into Software Engineering. However, he loved to program and so he kept doing it on the side while in the military. That hobby landed him a job at Google and a completely different life and career path. In this interview we talk about Software Engineering - what it’s like, how to succeed in this role, what career progression looks like, and the difference between a large company like Google and a small startup like his current employer, Heap. Regardless of whether or not you’re interested in Software Engineering, Joe’s story shares great advice on how to make a transition to a wildly different career path than the military. About Joe Joe Schafer is a Software Engineer at Heap, a technology that allows organizations of all sizes can remove technical bottlenecks and gain a single comprehensive view of their customers. He started out at West Point, where he studied Computer Science, after which he served in the Army for five years. After his military service, he worked at Google as a Software Engineer for nearly three years.
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- BTU #98 - Jared Wymer: Marines to Amazon & a PhD… simultaneously - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-98-jared-wymer-marines-to-amazon-a-phd-simultaneously?rq=jared
- BTU #103 - Dr. Felicia Haecker: From RV to Dr, entrepreneur, and mom - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-103-dr-felicia-haecker-from-rv-to-dr-entrepreneur-and-mom?rq=doctorate
- BTU #50 - Aileen Teague: Marines to Fulbright Scholar to PhD Student - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-25-aileen-teague-marines-to-fulbright-scholar-to-phd-student
Why Listen: There is so much to appreciate about today’s interview. First of all: diplomacy. This is the first interview I’ve done around diplomacy, and I started off in the deep end of the pool, to say the least. Gary went from Air Force Officer to the US Ambassador to Oman. He had an incredible career in which he was involved in monumental work around the world. However, what I appreciate most about Gary is the humility and specificity he brings to this interview. It’s not just about why Veterans may enjoy a career in the foreign service (and, by the way, Gary makes a pretty solid argument for this). It’s the texture he brings to the conversation, of finding his own career path, starting over again in foreign service after earning his MBA and working in the corporate world, of being diligent in learning a new craft and working his way up… after having done just that in both the military and the corporate world. It was a privilege to be able to learn from Gary, and I hope you enjoy this candid and enlightening conversation. About Ambassador Gary Grappo Gary Grappo is a Distinguishe Fellow at the University of Denver and the CEO & Founder of Equilibrium International Consulting. He served as the United States Ambassador to Oman from 2006 to 2009, and previously Grappo was Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Counselor of the United States Mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He served in the US Air Force for over 8 years, and holds a BS in Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy, an MS in Geodesy and Survey Engineering from Purdue University, and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Why Listen Jon went from 20 year Navy SEAL to a meditation instructor. In this interview we talk about Jon’s work with Veteran’s PATH, since I believe that every listener could benefit from this free program. We also talk about mindfulness, how it has helped both Jon and I, and what it is. We also talk about how Jon found his way to the non-profit space. One note, in my introduction I use the wrong title for Jon’s role at Veteran’s PATH - it is actually Deputy Director - my apologies on the oversight… if Jon catches wind, and his SEAL training overrides his meditation training, I could be in trouble on this one. For those who enjoy this episode, be sure to check out: BTU #123 - The Veterans Yoga Project (Dr. Dan Libby) - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-123-the-veterans-yoga-project-dr-dan-libby?rq=yoga%20project BTU #150 - Silent Meditation Retreats - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-150-silent-meditation-retreats?rq=yoga%20project About Jon Jon is the Deputy Director at Veteran’s PATH, a non-profit that enables returning veterans to rediscover meaning, purpose, and joy in their lives through mindfulness, meditation, and a safe community. He started out at the Naval Academy, and since then has served as a Navy SEAL for nearly 19 years. For those who listened to episode #336 with Marguax Lohry on Tuck’s Next Step program, Jon is a graduate of that program as well.
Why Listen: Many of the guests I’ve had on the show talk about their struggle to find a new purpose after they leave the military. I struggled with that as well, but - spoiler alert - that doesn’t end when you leave the military. I’m 39 right now, I’ve been out of the Navy for over 10 years, and I’ve been working on this same question for the last several months. That’s what actually led me to today’s guest, Craig. Craig and I met through John Wineland’s Emobdied Men’s Leadership Training - that’s the yearlong program I’ve talked about before on Beyond the Uniform. We were in the same small group of seven people, which meant we’ve spent hundreds of hours together this last year. However, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered Craig’s superpower: helping people find their purpose. Today’s interview is different, because Craig and I have spent about four hours together over the last couple of weeks working on helping me clarify my purpose and current mission in life. We actually rolled right into this interview after an hour together of some pretty heavy duty work together. I deeply believe in the importance of this process - of finding one’s purpose, of having clarity about what one is seeking in life. I believe in it for myself and for our audience. So, you can view today’s episode as part one of a much bigger offering. Craig and I will be hosting a 90-minute webinar about Purpose Mapping, where you’ll get a worksheet and make significant headway towards refining your purpose in life. If you sign up for our webinar - either to attend live, or to watch the recording after the fact - we’re also going to include a variety of videos from my own work on this. I’ll show you an honest look of what this process has looked like for me. It hasn’t been easy, but honestly the weeks since Craig and I met have been incredible. There’s a lightness in being closer to identifying what my mission is right now - of being able to say “no” to things more easily and “yes” to things where I otherwise might be hesitant. Be sure to signup for the webinar if you’re at all interested in this topic. There’ll be links in the show notes for this episode, as well as on the Events page of BeyondTheUniform.org if you’re listening to this in real-time, or in the “on-demand webinar” section of our website if you’re listening this in the far-distant future. Craig and I are collaborating on a lot more in this arena, and the best way to stay abreast of that journey as it unfolds is by registering for the webinar. About Craig: Craig is a a father, a depth coach and a highly attuned facilitator bringing over 20 years of experience in transformative men’s work, shadow work and authentic relating to the unique process for radically clarifying your purpose, making a powerful contribution and stepping into your flow. Enriched by a decade of applied study in Ken Wilber’s Integral Philosophy, and a founding member of the Integral Center in Boulder, CO, Craig's work is informed by the factors that precipitate growth and development in human systems. Craig’s 15-year entrepreneurial career has carried him from being an unemployable philosophy major with an unplanned child to building a company from 2 to 22 people and $1.5MM/yr in just under 3 years. Along the way, he churned through a dozen false starts because the businesses were not authentic for him.
Why Listen: Donna is one of the earliest adopters of LinkedIn, and has written two books about LinkedIn profiles, including, LinkedIn Profile Optimization for Hummers. She is graciously providing her course FOR FREE to Veterans, which includes one-on-one feedback from her on your profile… please, please, please take her up on this. Donna is a goldine of information about practical ways to improve your LinkedIn profile and you will leave this interview with simple steps to take today to overhaul your LinkedIn profile. About Donna: Donna is the author of the books, LinkedIn Profile Optimization For Dummies and LinkedIn Makeover: Professional Secrets to a POWERFUL LinkedIn Profile. She is the Founder & Owner of Vision Board Media, which she has run for over 10 years and helped countless individuals improve their LinkedIn profile.
Why Listen: There are two reasons to listen to this interview. First of all, Khemit created a platform to help people discover their values and create a life of alignment with one’s values. I really enjoyed his approach to this, and found it both novel and effective. Second of all, Khemit’s story illustrates how he has built a career that is in alignment with his purpose in life. He left Apple to pursue a career better suited to his unique aspirations. This led him to living in Lisbon. Regardless of your career pursuits, you’ll benefit from hearing Khemit’s unique story. About Khemit: Khemit is the founder of The Character Arc. He is a US Air Force veteran, former Mandarin Chinese linguist & intelligence analyst, and a founding member of the New Product Security team at Apple, Inc. in both China and the US. He holds an MBA in International Marketing from The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California. He is also a writer, fitness & martial arts enthusiast, and unabashed fiction buff.
Why Listen:
In previous episodes, several of our guests have talked about Tuck’s Next Step program - which is an accelerated way for military Veterans (and elite athletes) to go deep on learning business skills without having to spend two years getting an MBA. While we do talk about the Next Step program in this interview, we spend the bulk of our time talking about takeaways relevant to any military Veteran, such as: why it’s just as valuable to DISPROVE an potential career path as it is to find the right career path. We talk about why Next Step pairs elite athletes with Veterans for their curriculum and how much these two groups have in common - I honestly had never put this together, and when Margaux explained it it made incredible sense. We talk about the skills that will make Veterans successful in the civilian workforce, we talk about patience and flexibility, and all sorts of other tips that you’ll be able to put to use right away. If you like this episode, be sure to check out: BTU #180 - Career Advice from Andy Chan - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-180-andy-chan-career-advice?rq=andy%20chan BTU #222 - Career Transition Advice from 16 Years of Recruiting (George Randle) - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-222-career-transition-advice-from-16-years-of-recruiting-george-randle?rq=george%20randle BTU #239 - Career Advice #2 with George Randle - https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-239-career-advice-2-with-george-randle?rq=george%20randle
About Margaux:
Marguax is the Associate Director for Transition to Business Programs at Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth. She holds a B.A. from Colgate University and an M.S. in Sports Management at Columbia University.