Military Entrepreneurs: Recent Episodes
Dan Evans
Military Entrepreneurs is the premiere resource for business minded veterans. If you are entrepreneurial and want to learn how others like you made it in business and as entrepreneurs; this show is for YOU! My goal is to help others who are getting out of the military supplement their transition process from the stories of veterans who've made it in real-world business.
In 2003, 21 year old Marine Corporal Noah Currier from Poplar Grove, IL, was deployed to Iraq with Charlie Co 1st LAR as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Three days after arriving home from combat Noah and a fellow Marine were in a vehicle headed back toward Camp Pendleton when the driver fell asleep at the wheel sending their vehicle rolling down an embankment. Noah suffered a severe paralyzing spinal cord injury from the accident.
Seeking a way to afford the necessary physical therapy for himself and a fellow injured Marine, Noah came up with the concept of using a t-shirt inspired by his brotherhood in the Marine Corps as a fundraiser. He designed a shirt that boldly stated He who sheds blood with me shall forever be my brother across the back. The shirts quickly caught on with supporters and the fundraiser turned out to be an overwhelming success. Enough units were sold to afford Noah and his friend another six months of additional life-changing physical therapy.
Connect with Noah & OscarMike.org
- OscarMike.org
As a Marine officer, Justin Constantine volunteered for deployment to Iraq in 2006, and served as a Civil Affairs Team Leader while attached to an infantry battalion. While on a routine combat patrol, Justin was shot in the head by a sniper. Although the original prognosis was that he had been killed in action, Justin survived. Through teamwork and a positive mental attitude, he has had quite a successful recovery. Justin now speaks to audiences large and small about personal leadership, the critical role of teamwork in facing life’s challenges, and the upside of change. He applies his incredible story of overcoming adversity to every level of an organization, and all audiences to move beyond the challenges they are facing in their own lives.
While on active duty, Justin had served as a Judge Advocate in the Marine Corps. Upon recovering from his injuries, Justin continued to serve in the Federal government in a number of attorney positions, including the Department of Justice, Capitol Hill and most recently with the FBI on a counter terrorism team. Despite being shot in the head, Justin was the Honor Graduate of his class at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He also recently completed the Master of Laws (LLM) program at Georgetown University focusing on National Security.
Justin retired from the Marine Corps Reserves at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and now serves on the Board of Directors of the Wounded Warrior Project, Give An Hour, and SemperMax. In addition, in 2011 the Secretary of Defense appointed him to serve on a 4-year Congressionally-mandated Task Force for Recovering Warriors. In 2012 the Virginia Legislature passed a commending resolution highlighting Justin’s continued support of veterans and other wounded warriors.
Most recently, Justin was awarded the prestigious inaugural 2014 Lincoln Award recognizing his outstanding achievement and excellence in providing opportunities and support to our nation’s veterans and military families. Justin has also been named a Champion of Change by the White House, and was presented with the All-American Hero Award at the 2013 All-American Inaugural Ball. Further, Justin was invited to introduce President George W. Bush at a veterans’ symposium at the Bush Institute in February 2014.
Justin is a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in connection with their Hiring Our Heroes campaign, and works with a number of corporations on their veteran hiring initiatives. Justin has also been featured in magazines and programs such as CNN, Fox News, Men’s Health, the Huffington Post, the Atlantic, Financial Times, and the Department of Labor’s America’s Heroes at Work Success Stories.
Through his journey of courage, injury, resilience and triumph, Justin demonstrates that we are all stronger than we think we are. His personal story of recovery and success is a testament to the power of the human spirit, and the message he shares applies to every member of the audience. All will leave inspired to attack any difficulties in their own lives, and will search out opportunities to excel at work and at home.
Connect with Justin:
- JustinConstantine.com
- Justin on LinkedIn
- Justin on Twitter
As a Marine officer, Justin Constantine volunteered for deployment to Iraq in 2006, and served as a Civil Affairs Team Leader while attached to an infantry battalion. While on a routine combat patrol, Justin was shot in the head by a sniper. Although the original prognosis was that he had been killed in action, Justin survived. Through teamwork and a positive mental attitude, he has had quite a successful recovery. Justin now speaks to audiences large and small about personal leadership, the critical role of teamwork in facing life’s challenges, and the upside of change. He applies his incredible story of overcoming adversity to every level of an organization, and all audiences to move beyond the challenges they are facing in their own lives.
While on active duty, Justin had served as a Judge Advocate in the Marine Corps. Upon recovering from his injuries, Justin continued to serve in the Federal government in a number of attorney positions, including the Department of Justice, Capitol Hill and most recently with the FBI on a counter terrorism team. Despite being shot in the head, Justin was the Honor Graduate of his class at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He also recently completed the Master of Laws (LLM) program at Georgetown University focusing on National Security.
Justin retired from the Marine Corps Reserves at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and now serves on the Board of Directors of the Wounded Warrior Project, Give An Hour, and SemperMax. In addition, in 2011 the Secretary of Defense appointed him to serve on a 4-year Congressionally-mandated Task Force for Recovering Warriors. In 2012 the Virginia Legislature passed a commending resolution highlighting Justin’s continued support of veterans and other wounded warriors.
Most recently, Justin was awarded the prestigious inaugural 2014 Lincoln Award recognizing his outstanding achievement and excellence in providing opportunities and support to our nation’s veterans and military families. Justin has also been named a Champion of Change by the White House, and was presented with the All-American Hero Award at the 2013 All-American Inaugural Ball. Further, Justin was invited to introduce President George W. Bush at a veterans’ symposium at the Bush Institute in February 2014.
Justin is a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in connection with their Hiring Our Heroes campaign, and works with a number of corporations on their veteran hiring initiatives. Justin has also been featured in magazines and programs such as CNN, Fox News, Men’s Health, the Huffington Post, the Atlantic, Financial Times, and the Department of Labor’s America’s Heroes at Work Success Stories.
Through his journey of courage, injury, resilience and triumph, Justin demonstrates that we are all stronger than we think we are. His personal story of recovery and success is a testament to the power of the human spirit, and the message he shares applies to every member of the audience. All will leave inspired to attack any difficulties in their own lives, and will search out opportunities to excel at work and at home.
Connect with Justin:
- JustinConstantine.com
- Justin on LinkedIn
- Justin on Twitter
Anthony Garcia is the CEO & co-founder of GuideOn, Inc. GuideOn’s Mission – Pioneering technology solutions for the transitioning Veteran. Prior to founding GuideOn, Anthony worked in operations at SRI International where he later left to start his first business – GuideOn is his third.
He served in the U.S. Army for eight years as an officer and Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) helicopter pilot. He served two back to back, combat deployments to Iraq (May 03 to April 04/Dec 04 to Nov 05), where he managed 21 Blackhawk helicopters, led over 90 pilots - flight engineers - and medics, while directing over 4,000 flying missions.
As a Captain and pilot-in-command (PIC) for the 54th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), his unit evacuated and provided critical lifesaving care for over 6,500 patients, comprised of Coalition Forces, Iraqi civilians, and insurgent enemy forces. They were awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Some of Anthony’s awards consist of 2 Bronze Stars for leadership in combat, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Air Medal, and the Sikorsky Aircraft 1000- hour award.
After his military service, Anthony obtained an MBA from Cornell University. He received a BA in Business Administration from St. Mary’s University of San Antonio and is a graduate of Robert G. Cole High School, Fort Sam Houston.
Anthony was born in Frankfurt West Germany at the 92nd General Hospital and is the son of a retired Lieutenant Colonel.
Connect with Anthony & Guide-On
- Guide-On.com
Ryan Michler served in the National Guard and founder of Order of Man. He's dedicated to taking back what it means to be a man. His podcast focuses on learning from the best men our world has to offer, and return to roots of masculinity.
Ryan says: "I am not an expert. I am learning! And, the only thing that qualifies me to do this work is that I have a passion for self-improvement. My goal is to take my shortcomings in life and make them my strengths"
Listen to this episode of the Military Entrepreneur show
Mike Zacchea was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 1990. He served at Camp Lejeune as a forward observer and platoon commander, deploying to Somalia for OPERATION RESTORE HOPE and to Haiti for OPERATION SUPPORT DEMOCRACY. He served as operations officer and executive officer of a Marine recruiting station. He was selected for advanced artillery school, and went on to command two artillery batteries and serve as a battalion assistant operations officer. He served another tour on recruiting duty in the northeastern US. In March 2004, as a major, he deployed to Iraq for OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM II. His team’s mission was to build, train, and lead in combat the first Iraqi army battalion trained by the US military.
After an initial 4-month training period, his adviser team led the Iraqi battalion in combat operations for 7 months. During this time, the battalion participated in OPERATION PHANTOM FURY, the 2nd Battle of Fallujah. The battalion spent 6 weeks in urban combat, the longest of any deployed Iraqi unit, and accomplished a number of historical firsts for the Iraqi army. During the battle, Mike was wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Mike’s military awards include the Bronze Star Medal (with Valor device) (with gold star in lieu of 2nd award), the Purple Heart Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, and numerous unit and campaign awards. Mike was also the first and at the time only American recognized by the Iraqi government by the Order of the Lion of Babylon. As a result of his wounds, Mike has been medically retired.
Mike helped form a non-profit organization of military advisers in 2006 to help Iraqi interpreters immigrate to the United States, which eventually became known nationally as Netroots: the List Project. In 2009, he founded the the UConn Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, through which he has helped veterans start more than 90 businesses. He served on a multi-agency cross-disciplinary working group chaired by the CT Dept of Veterans Affairs focusing on veteran reintegration, education, training, and workforce re-entry issues, and presently serves on the Benefit corporations state task force.
Mike founded the CT Veterans Chamber of Commerce 501(c)6 organization in 2013, the only veterans organization registered to lobby in the CT General Assembly. He has been recognized as the 2012 Veterans Business Champion by the Small Business Administration, and been inducted into the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame. Mike serves on several veterans advisory boards for elected officials. Mike is also a member of the Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs for the Small Business Administration, advising the Administrator on policies and issues affecting more than 3.6 million veteran-owned businesses producing more than $1.7 trillion in national gross product and employing more than 8 million employees.
Mike is a frequent guest speaker in the media, and has been featured in several books and documentaries addressing the Iraq War, veterans issues, and Iraqi refugee issues. Mike presented “Managing Trauma in the War Theater” to the International Congress of Stress and Trauma Management in 2013. Mike is the author of “Veteran’s Advocacy: the Fight for Social Justice and Healing Through Activism” in Healing War Trauma: A Handbook of Creative Approaches (Routledge: 2012) and of “Social Entrepreneurship Solution for Veterans’ Reintegration through Entrepreneur Training for Disabled Veterans” in Social Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst for Social Change (Infoage: 2013).
Mike’s education includes a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MA from Hawaii Pacific University. He earned an MBA from the School of Business at the University of Connecticut. Mike is married and has a young son. He lives in northwest rural CT.
Connect with Mike
Raphael Hernandezserved as the Chief Marketing Officer for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, United States Marine Corps and in coordination with J. Walter Thompson Atlanta, the Marine Corps’ advertising agency, led a strategically aligned, multi-million dollar, national level, research driven integrated marketing program designed to support 3,700 plus U.S. Marine Corps enlisted and officer recruiters, located across the United States.
Raphael recently retired from the United States Marine Corps after 22 years of service and has extensive experience in marketing, customer relationship management, logistics, strategic and operational planning and execution, talent acquisition, operations and organizational leadership. Prior to serving in the Marine Corps, Raphael worked for the El Paso Housing Authority, El Paso, Texas and worked his way through school as a retail customer service representative and as an Administrative Assistant in a law office. He earned a business degree from the University of Texas At El Paso and a Masters in Organizational Leadership from National University, San Diego, California.
Raphael served in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2002, 2003 and 2004; and in 2011 was part of a 6 person planning team that assisted the Department of State, U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, to rapidly develop contingency plans as a result of the 9.0 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis. In addition, he served as the Director of Operations and Logistics, for the Third Marine Expeditionary Brigade, during Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief Missions in the Sri Lanka in 2009 and the Philippines in 2009 and 2010.
Raphael volunteers in the community as the Chief Marketing Officer a non-profit – Military Mentors, Inc.
Connect with Raphael
- Raphael Hernandez on LinkedIn
- Raphael Hernandez on Twitter
AJ Richards was born in southern Utah and spent his childhood with his cousins playing at the family cattle ranch. He dropped out of high school his senior year because it was boring and decided to join the military. From the age of 16 until he deployed, AJ went through a new job every three months. He deployed with his field artillery unit to Ramadi, Iraq where they were tasked with three objectives. Field artillery, entry control point security, and patrolling route mobile and route Michigan preventing IED placements.
After returning from Iraq AJ found himself miserable selling pest control door to door and depressed. Misdiagnosed by doctors with PTSD chose to not take the prescribed antidepressants and discovered CrossFit as a way to enhance his mental and physical well being.
AJ opened a CrossFit gym in 2011 and then in 2013 had an idea to do with CrossFit athletes and competition what Dana White did with the UFC which was to make it entertaining and add weight divisions. Now only 3 years in AJ has the pleasure of figuring out how to grow Rush Club and take it across country as well as international productions.
Mika J. Cross is a seasoned Workplace Transformation Strategist specializing in innovative global workplace initiatives, culture change, strategic communications, knowledge management, next generation/future workplace predictions, mobility and flexible work policy, diversity, inclusion and employee engagement. Her 18-year career in public service includes assignments throughout the United States Intelligence Community and across the Federal government. She is a veteran of the Unites States Army, having served as both an enlisted soldier and commissioned officer.
Mika is highly regarded as a thought leader for flexible and transformational workplace practices and is regularly featured as a professional speaker at industry conferences and events. On behalf of the White House and the National Security Council (NSC), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) invited Mika to contribute to the “Workforce of 2020” strategy session as a component of the joint-led task force to develop a new business model for vetting current and future Federal employees into positions of national security. Mika was invited to speak at the House Smart Contracting Caucus roundtable on Telework and Mobility, by Co-Chairmen Gerry Connolly and Rob Wittman. She has also worked in partnership with Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on behalf of the White House Council on Women and Girls and the Federal Women’s Program, to design innovative learning strategies to help align Work/Life, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Resources professionals from across the government to share strategic vision and value for integrating a flexible and supportive workplace.
In 2014, Mika was selected as a President’s Management Council (PMC) Interagency Fellow at OPM and worked on government-wide projects affecting culture and process change. As a component of the President’s Second Term Management Agenda sub-goal on People and Culture, she helped create an online Employee Engagement Community of Practice (eCOP) within OPM’s interactive dashboard (the Unlocking Federal Talent data tool at unlocktalent.gov). The eCOP is targeted for Senior Executive Management to help Federal agencies collect and use data to create a more engaged workplace. She also has led several workforce transformation initiatives resulting in winning the organizations she has worked for numerous industry awards- the most recent being USDA named on the Forbes 500 Best American Workplace rankings in March 2015.
Mika has led the strategic communications and initiatives capability for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and currently does so for the Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS.) Mika was awarded the Fed50 “Most Inspiring Up-and-Comer” award, the Federal News Radio “Causey Award” as well as a Next Gen Gov public service award. In 2013 she was named a ‘Work-Life Rising Star’ by WorldatWork’s Alliance for Work-Life Progress. She currently serves as Government Chair of the Human Capital Shared Interest Group (HC-SIG) for the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Panel (ACT-IAC) and as a Board member for WorldatWork’s Alliance for Work/life Progress (AWLP.)
LtCol. Garth Massey is the Chief Leadership Officer for MLMethods, a learning and development firm based out of Los Angeles, CA. Building on his military experiences, Garth is currently serving as an infantry battalion commander in the reserves.
Since leaving active duty, Garth has held several executive level leadership positions in corporate America. He has created a leadership development program that brings measurable results to industries, he specializes in accelerating leadership growth while building a pipeline for the future of their company.
His approach combines the best of two worlds bringing impactful programs that can be put into action, immediately. For Veterans, his program is the answer to the question about what skills from the military translate into something that corporate America needs.
Connect with Garth
- MLMethods
- YouTube
Gordon Whitehead specializes in leadership and organizational development with a particular interest in helping emerging leaders accelerate their leadership growth. His career includes 13 years in the United States Marine Corps where he served both as an enlisted man and as an officer.
He left the Marines as a Captain to join the Nike team where he held several positions with international responsibilities, including the Director of IT for the Americas Region. Other professional positions include: Director of IT for Sequent Computers, Vice President for FB&B Consulting Group, and Vice President of IT Operations for CorVel Corporation. Gordon has been a head varsity basketball coach and an assistant varsity football coach for championship teams in Oregon.
Gordon received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oregon State University in Business with concentrations in business administration and finance with a minor in Japanese. He holds a Doctor of Management degree from George Fox University and is an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University. Gordon is a published author on various leadership topics. He founded Leaders247 to advance the art of leadership by teaching, mentoring, and coaching leaders and organizations to higher performance by unlocking the capacity of their people. Gordon is married to Diane Whitehead and together they have eight children and seven grandchildren.
Connect with Gordon
- www.leaders247.com
A quick update on transitioning out of the Marines and where we are going. I had the pleasure to sit down with my wife and talk candidly about our decision leave the military. We talk about our next play including careers, family, and faith.
Rabbi Kevin Bemel joined the United States Navy after spending over 20 years in the business world. After nine years on active duty, he returned to civilian business to help veterans find high-paying jobs and start businesses. Listen to this weeks episode of the Military Entrepreneur Show and learn winning strategies for transitioning out of the military.
Kevin has worked with thousands of Marines and sailors in Okinawa, Japan, during a Persian Gulf deployment with the air wing for the USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN-76); the submariners at Submarine Squadron 11, Naval Base Point Loma; and Airborne Command, Control and Logistics Wing, Pt. Magu. His call sign, which has since become his nickname, is “Rabs.” Today, he is a hit in the blogosphere, at bemel.com, where he writes about fitness, entrepreneurship, relationships, the soul, and making transitions.
Connect with Rabs
- www.Bemel.com
Travis Scott Collier is originally from Georgia. After graduating the US Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut, Travis has been assigned across the country in many iconic places: New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, California, and now, New Orleans. Travis has spent his career immersed in the Coast Guard’s military training system. He holds a Master’s in Instructional & Performance Technology from Boise State University, has trained over 650 foreign nationals in 19 nations, led three of the US Coast Guard’s apprentice training programs (including the culinary training program), and helped develop small boat engineering and coxswain training programs for the Republic of Georgia Coast Guard.
Travis recently returned from deployment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he developed a comprehensive training system to help the Kingdom train a new 5,000 soldier, critical infrastructure protection force.
Travis is currently serving as a commercial vessel inspector and port state control officer, assigned in the Port of New Orleans. He has been awarded three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, with Operational Distinguishing Device. He is applying for early retirement, to transition in 2017.
The Command Your Transition Story
I made a “Year 9” Decision at Year 11.
In the current, soon to be replaced, retirement system, military members got a defined pension at 20 years of service. Therefore, 20 years was the gateway to the golden carrot, nothing sooner. And while military members don’t like to say we’re in it for the money, money is a huge motivation for the dearth of people who don't leave during their second decade of service.
It's a precipice: between getting a defined pension, or walking away with nothing.
There are four years-of-service “gates” where members most often get out: Years 5, 10, 20, & 25. And we’re always reminded of our date of entry with every paycheck stub.Years of service drive manpower size and strength. Promotion, advancement, assignment—they’re all based on seniority of time. And while it can take a company a decade or two to mature, military careers must mature by 10-12 years to be viable. If you haven’t made a “terminal” rank by 12 years, or put yourself on the path to ensure a terminal promotion by 15 years, you’re out.
Connect with Travis:
- travicollier.com
Justin Sloan served in the Marines for five years, He went on to study fiction in the Master of Arts writing program at Johns Hopkins and interned with the “Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Review. He’s authored several fiction books and nonfiction books alike. Justin is a Video game writer and narrative designer with credits on Telltale Games' GAME OF THRONES, THE WALKING DEAD: MICHONNE, TALES FROM THE BORDERLANDS and MINECRAFT: STORY MODE. He currently lives with his family in the Bay Area, where he’s now a Writer and Editor at Military.com
In this episode of the Military Entrepreneur Show Justin discussed how he used LinkedIn to find mentors to sharpen his writing, and how networking led to a lucrative job in entertainment. Learn from a professional as he shares his routine writing strategies that have helped shape his personal narrative, and how you can use writing to help tell your story and market yourself effectively.
JUSTIN'S PODCASTS:
- www.CreativeWritingCareer.com
- MilitaryVeteransinCreativeCareers.com
- SPAPodcast.com
CONNECT WITH JUSTIN
- www.JustinSloanAuthor.com
Heather MacArthur has been career coaching individuals at all levels and across various industries for fifteen plus years. Her career has spanned from serving in the Air Force as a Russian Linguist for the National Security Agency, to being a learning and development leader for companies such as Princess Cruises and The Walt Disney Company.
It’s these diverse experiences that have built her philosophy and approach to what she does. Regardless of whether she’s coaching, facilitating, or speaking at an event, she strives to help people tap into their unique strengths, connect the dots of all their talents and experiences, and partner with one another to get the job done.
Her efforts have also led her to write her book that captures many of the lessons learned and top tips she's collected in her career called, "Low Man on the Totem Pole: A Tough-Love Letter to the Employee in All of Us," available this summer.
Sarah Plummer Taylor, MSWc is a holistic health coach and social scientist who practically, personally, and inspirationally encourages others to enhance all areas of their well-being. A former Intelligence Officer in the Marine Corps and Military Olympic athlete, she loves to work with other military veterans, women, and entrepreneurs. Sarah is an author, professional speaker, wellness counselor, and yoga instructor who travels North America and the UK teaching mental fitness and holistic wellness.
Sarah is the founder of JRWI Wellness and Semper Sarah and spends a great deal of time both running her private counseling practice and conducting resilient leadership training and retreats. She is passionate about empowering people to improve their holistic health, happiness, and quality of life in ways that are meaningful to them.
Sarah says, "I believe that people intuitively hold so many of the right answers within themselves and can discover them if they make the space to be still, ask the big questions, and listen. As a wellness coach and the author of the newly released book, Just Roll With It: 7 Battle Tested Truths for Building a Resilient Life, my work is about kindly and boldly nudging people to make the kind of small changes that create big results in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health."
In this episode of the Military Entrepreneur Show, Sarah Plummer Taylor talks candidly about ...
Connect With Sarah:
- Just Roll With It: 7 Battle Tested Truths for Building a Resilient Life
- Just Roll With It Wellness
- Sarah’s Blog
Nick Bradfield is the founder of Divvy Investments LLC, a registered investment advisor with the SEC. He started his career in financial services as a financial advisor with a large brokerage firm. Through this experience, he found an interest in helping people plan for retirement while minimizing fees - and soon, the idea for Divvy Investments was born. He started Divvy Investments to simplify retirement investing. He holds a Masters of Science in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University and served four years in the United States Marine Corps, achieving the rank of Sergeant.
Connect with Nick
- Divvy Investments
This week's episode of the Military Entrepreneur Show features Navy Veteran turned MPM, PhD & PMP, Eric Wright. He is a two-service, two-era Military Veteran; Co-Founder and CEO of Vets2PM; an experienced, credentialed project manager and recognized mentor; and an entertaining instructor/public speaker on project management, PMI’s PMP and CAPM exams, and on project manager development.
Eric helps Military Veterans become Project Managers through inspiration, training, preparation, and presentation to the PM hiring community. For more information, please visit www.vets2pm.com.
In this episode we discuss:
- Eric's transition out of the military- and gaining multiple certifications
- When Eric discovered his passion as a teacher, speaker, and entrepreneur
- The challenges and hurdles Eric is facing and overcoming with his business
- How your military experience translates into Project Management
- PMP preparation, testing & certification
- Key things to be aware of when transitioning out of the military into the workforce
- Resources to help you land a job as a Project Management Professional
Connect with Eric:
- Twitter.com/vets2pm
- LinkedIn.com
- Vets2PM.com
- Follow Vets2PM on LinkedIn
Dr. Theresa Larson received her doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Saint Augustine in San Diego California. She is a former Marine Corps Engineer Officer and Combat Veteran. Theresa played professional softball in Italy as well as semi-professional softball in the United States, was an All- American Division I softball player at Villanova University, as well as a former Body-for-Life Champion.
In addition to being part of the staff at MobilityWOD and an instructor for CrossFit Mobility courses, Dr. Larson’s activities include competing at the Elite division in obstacle racing, crossfitting, snowboarding, yoga, working with adaptive athletes, writing for The Lab, and working on her forthcoming book WARRIOR (www.drtheresalarson.com). She has guest coached the special warfare students at CrossFit University of San Diego and has created an adaptive strength class for the wounded warriors from Balboa Naval Hospital, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Team Red White and Blue, and anyone and everyone who has adaptive needs. She is Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS), CrossFit Level 1, Mobility, Olympic Lifting, Selective Functional Movement Systems and Spartan Group Exercise (SGX) certified. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, specifically the Orthopedic and Federal sections.
Aside from her practice, Dr. Larson is a huge advocate for Team Red White and Blue, Linder Kids, Service Women Action Network, and the National Eating Disorder Association. She is also an advocate of the Resiliency Project which was started by Marc Pro™ and Dr. Kelly Starrett from MobilityWOD. This project was created to help our nation’s wounded and tactical athletes get the recovery tools they need to be as high functioning as possible. Dr. Larson works with many levels of wounded athlete as well as tactical athlete and is fortunate to be able to offer more recovery options than she ever had the opportunity to in a traditional physical therapy practice!
Theresa has a hunger to learn and a desire to help individuals who want to help themselves. Theresa is mentored by Gary Gray, PT who started the revolution of applied functional science, as well as Dr. Kelly Starrett, founder of San Francisco Crossfit and MobilityWOD with his wife Juliet Starrett.
Theresa’s mission is to help you “beyond the clinic walls” in your element to achieve your performance goals and tackle the “why”behind your bodies movement inefficiencies!
Dean Bundschu currently serves as the Executive Director of Bunker Labs Raleigh-Durham. He is an entrepreneur, accomplished sales professional and business advisor who has spent his entire career building successful businesses for himself and his clients by creating high performance business development and marketing organizations. Prior to venturing into the business world, Dean served 8 years as an Infantry Officer in the US Army, to include a combat tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
This week's episode covers a variety of meaty topics with an emphasis on entrepreneurship for Veterans- Dean transitioned out the military on three occasions, including post deployment in support of OIF.
Dean shares valuable information on the programs available for Veterans through Bunker Labs RDU- Including Bunker in a Box, a 16 week course for entrepreneurial Veterans. I've signed up for the course, its user friendly and I can already tell it is going to be awesome! Leave any comments about your experience with the course or the podcast below, or on Facebook.
About Dean:
- Recommended Book: Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal
- Dean on LinkedIn
- Dean on Twitter
- BunkerLabs.org
- BunkerLabs on Twitter
- BunkerLabs on Facebook
Annelle Despaignes served in the United States Army Reserve for ten years. Upon transitioning out of the Army, she sought out an opportunity with Fox Sports where she currently works as a Production Operations Coordinator.
As a managing partner and founder, Brandon Knotts combines his long and successful military experience with a passion for technology. He leads Dash2’s overall operations and the Solutions division. Brandon spent more than a decade in the U.S. Marines as an officer, fighter pilot and flight instructor. He continues to serve as pilot for the Marine Corps Reserve.
Prior to starting Dash2, Brandon worked in the U.S. defense industry as an IT project manager, and co-founded a successful technology company focused on federal contracting.
Brandon is a graduate of Florida State University and a passionate outdoorsman. Outside of work you can find him up in the mountains climbing, biking, trail running, fly fishing, or skiing. He particularly enjoys grueling endurance events like the Park City Point to Point, the Speedgoat 50k and adventure races throughout the West.
Scott Levy has starred in film, television, video games and music videos following his service as a Stinger missile gunner in the United States Marine Corps during the Persian Gulf War.
On film, Scott played the lead role alongside Vanilla Ice in The Helix… Loaded, a parody of The Matrix. He has also acted in The Dentros with Mariette Hartley and John Saxon, Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt? and as a Marine in Afghanistan in The Submarine Kid with Finn Wittrock.
On television, Scott has had roles in, Sniper: Inside the Crosshairs, The Eric André Show, Crisis: New York Under Water and many others.
Scott has also lent his motion capture and vocal talents to video games including, Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel, Battlefield 4, Battlefield Hardline, Devil’s Third and Medal of Honor: Warfighter which led to starring in Linkin Park’s Castle of Glass music video.
Connect with Scott Levy
On Twitter
On LinkedIn
Post 9/11, Michael Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and began his service in Twenty-nine-palms, CA with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines, Weapons Co. He served in two tours of duty, both to Ramadi, Iraq. After re-enlisting in 2007, he reported into MCB Quantico as his next duty station. Michael became a Combat Marksmanship Instructor, Foreign Weapons Instructor, and security forces trained Designated Marksman.
After having successfully trained 17 officer details and numerous requalification details, Michael had made a positive impact as an instructor but it was time to get back to the fight. He volunteered for another combat tour, this time with 1st Battalion 5th Marines. Assigned as section leader on embedded Police Advisor Team, Michael and his Marines [and DOCS] operated away from their unit in northern Helmand province. This Marine Corps experience has paid off in life as an entrepreneur.
After 8 years and 3 combat tours, Michael left the Corps and opened his first business, finally settling in the Raleigh, NC area in January 2015. He and the Marines of Cigars and Sea Stories share candid conversations with fellow veterans. Showcasing their efforts and how they add VALUE to the world. Check them out at cigarsandseastories.com
Links
CigarsandSeaStories.com
Connect with Michael
michaeljpenney.com
Michael on LinkedIn
Michael on Facebook
Michael on Twitter
This week's Military Entrepreneur is Mark Babbitt, a renowned business speaker, author, and leadership expert. He served four years in the United States Air Force, he managed to master the art of building relationships in his transition. Mark's hard work paid off, subsequently had six job offers upon leaving the service.
Mark shares his story of transitioning into the corporate grind, becoming frustrated and eventually branching out starting his own business- which has shaped and changed his life in a tremendous way. He credits much of his success to seeking out mentors- something he now specializes in pairing young talent with corporate America.
Mark's Biography:
Mark Babbitt – a veteran of the USAF – is co-author of A World Gone Social: How Business Must Adapt to Survive. An in-demand speaker and mentor, Mark has been named a “Top 100 Leadership Speaker” and “Top 50 Leadership Innovator” by Inc. – and one of “15 Twitter Accounts Every Entrepreneur Should Follow" by Business News Daily.
Mark serves as CEO of YouTern, a community that enables young talent to become highly employable. He’s also President of Switch and Shift, a site that champions Social Age leadership.
His newest community, ForwardHeroes.org, will launch in 2016 to help military veterans transition successfully into civilian careers.
Connect with Mark:
- ForwardHeroes.org
This episode of The Military Entrepreneur Show features a candid interview with Brandon Buttrey, entrepreneur and founder of Counter Strike Coffee & also the Marketing and Social Media Manager for the Lone Survivor Foundation.
Brandon “Doc” Buttrey is a U.S Navy Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman Veteran that has spent the majority of his life providing hydration, a change of socks, and Motrin to our combat warriors. He enlisted in the Navy out of his home town of Cape Girardeau, Missouri just four days before 9/11. His first duty station was with the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery working for the Surgeon General in 2003.
During that time he became a nationally certified EMT-B, Auxiliary Security Force certified, and was instructed in Marine Corps Martial Arts. Brandon served two combat tours with 4th MEB, Anti Terrorism BN totaling 21 months in Iraq and a combat tour in Afghanistan during the invasion of Marjah. Doc ended his second enlistment on the 17th of March 2011 where he successfully transitioned out of the service and moved to the great city of Houston, Texas.
Over the past few years, Doc Buttrey has been actively involved within the veteran community by mentoring, counseling, motivating, and directing veterans to adequate veteran resources. Doc successfully received his bachelors degree in Business Management and Administration while working full time in the oil and gas industry and taking care of his family. He is the proud owner of Counter Strike Coffee which actively donates to various reputable veteran charities by means of selling motivationally branded pre-packaged ground and whole bean coffee.
Brandon is a master of marketing and strives to be a positive veteran role model to our community. He takes pride in the success of others and is excited to be a part of the Lone Survivor Foundation team.
Rick Yost is a serial entrepreneur, attorney, author, and the co-founder of VeteransList.US. A service-disabled veteran himself, Rick brings his 12 years of military experience as an Army officer, extensive education (MBA/JD), startup and business experience to bear in consulting, entrepreneurship, and providing support to multiple businesses.
In this episode, Rick talks about his experience transitioning out of the U.S. Army, going to work and his ambitiousness to learn. He shares his experience pitching for capital and how to present your idea to potential investors- he debunks common misconceptions about SBA loans for veterans. If you are looking to start a business- this episode with Rick Yost is for you!
I had a lot of fun speaking with Rick, He is such a personable guy and is sincerely invested in helping other veterans get their businesses off the ground. He often gives pro bono advice from both a business and attorney's perspective, as he did for me after our show. Listen to the podcast and he'll let you know how to connect with him offline.
Connect with Rick & VeteransList:
VeteransList.US
VeteransList on Twitter
Rick Yost on LinkedIn
Lydia Davey is a vision-driven communications strategist and the Founder/CEO of Moriah Creatives PR. She leads a team of gifted designers and storytellers to elevate small business and consultancy client brands nationwide.
Lydia has more than a decade of expertise in storytelling, communications strategy, and campaign management. She served around the globe as a U.S. Marine Combat Correspondent before launching her business in 2012. She holds a BA in Communications Studies from Indiana University.
She dedicates her pro bono hours to veteran and humanitarian nonprofits, and when she's not creatively engaged in promoting purpose-driven organizations, she can usually be found adventuring off the beaten path with minimal gear.
In this episode, we discuss how Lydia transitioned out of the Marine Corps twice. Once from active duty and another from the reserve. She talks about her journey into entrepreneurship and starting her own PR firm.
Contact Lydia:
MoriahCreativesPR
Lydia on Twitter
Lydia on LinkedIn
This week features James Brobyn and Chris Maloney- two Marine Officers and friends who recently left active duty and started their own business. We discuss why they left active duty, family, entrepreneurship, and their newest venture- CauseEngine
James is a nonprofit advocate and co-founder of CauseEngine, a social enterprise connecting nonprofits with freelancers to drive impact. Positively shaped by his time as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, and two tours in Iraq, James is passionate about service and designing new ways for nonprofits to build scale and impact. In 2010, after serving thirteen years in the Marine Corps, James transitioned out of the military so he could raise his daughter and further his education.
Prior to CauseEngine, James was the Executive Director of the Travis Manion Foundation. A Philadelphia native and graduate of the US Naval Academy and The University of Pennsylvania, James is a proud father and recipient of the Purple Heart Medal.
Chris is also a co-founder of CauseEngine. He served ten years on active duty in the Marine Corps, deploying four times as a pilot and forward air controller. He continues to serve as a Marine reservist. Chris received his MBA from Fordham University and graduated from the US Naval Academy. He supports multiple veteran organizations and continues to believe in people, making a difference, and the viable business that combines the two.
Learn More:
Twitter @CauseEngine
CauseEngine on Facebook
CauseEngine.com
Founder and Host of the SuccessVets Podcast, Byron Y. Chen tells us what veterans must know about salary compensation before accepting an offer with your new employer. We discuss his personal experience accepting a low offer during his transition out of the Marine Corps, what he learned from it, and how you can avoid the same mistake by doing a little homework before saying "YES".
In this episode, Byron gives valuable advice from the research he did while writing his newly published book Barracks to Boardrooms, Negotiating Your Salary After Serving in the Military. We cover everything from researching your skillset value, positioning yourself as a high-value candidate for the job applying for, correspondence with recruiters and interviewers, and when and how to negotiate salary and benefits. This episode will prepare you to navigate the interview process and get paid what your worth.
You'll learn how to skillfully negotiate your salary while tactfully demonstrating the value you'll bring to the company. This 35-minute episode of the Military Entrepreneur Show will put more money in your wallet without doing any extra work.
If you know someone transitioning or on the job hunt- please share this podcast with them so they don't sell themselves short on the first offer that comes their way. For more tips on salary negotiation and preparation, check out this complimentary article by Byron.
Learn more about Byron
- SuccessVets on Facebook
- SuccessVets on Twitter
- SuccessVets.com
Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas earned her PhD in Health Promotion and Health Education. She is an assistant professor at Charleston Southern University. A former Captain in the Marine Corps, she loves to work with other military veterans. Kate is a health science researcher, professional speaker, and yoga teacher who travels the country teaching mental fitness.
Kate is the co-founder of JRWI Wellness and spends a great deal of time conducting resilient leadership training. She is passionate about helping people improve their holistic health, happiness, and quality of life.
She is the author of a new book, Brave, Strong, & True: The ModernWarrior’s Battle for Balance.
Businessman and Life Coach, Aaron T. Walker, has inspired many through his leadership, mentorship, and consistent pursuit of excellence. He enjoys helping others and believes experience is a great teacher. 35 years of entrepreneurship and marriage have given Aaron a wealth of experience. Aaron continues to reach new heights and broaden his perspective of the terrain by examining his experiences and growing from them.
Thomas Schwab graduated with honors from the United States Naval Academy in 1987, he hold a degree in mechanical engineering. He served for 5 years as a Naval Officer and left the military with a young family to work at Stryker. He went on and founded two companies in the medical industry and is currently the COO of View From the Top, a coaching firm focused on building businesses through community and masterminds.
Today, Thomas is an experienced entrepreneur, writer, and speaker who empowers entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and small business owners to easily understand and use digital tools to build a scalable automated sales and marketing machine that delights the customer and business.
Michael is the head of social marketing for the W2O Group, an integrated agency that uses analytics to drive marketing and communication programs. Previously, Michael lead social business strategy for Edelman Digital. He is an Adjunct Professor at San Jose State University teaching social marketing communications and recently wrote Your Brand: The Next Media Company. He proudly served 8 years in the United States Marine Corps.
Matt Butler grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received an undergraduate degree in Physics at Augsburg College. After graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant. He has been in the Air Force for 17+ years. He is currently a Lieutenant Colonel.
During that time frame, he lived in eight different locations to include Europe. Some of the highlights of his military career are being the Director of Operations of a test and evaluation squadron and Deputy Director of command and control strategy and acquisitions at Air Combat Command. He served multiple contingency operations in multiple overseas countries.
While serving in the military, Matt developed a small business that is based around an outdoor game called Rollors. Rollors has been wonderfully received by its tens of thousands of consumers.
Some of the marketing highlights for Rollors game is being on the Today Show multiple times and awarded Men’s Journal “Best Gear of 2014”. Today Rollors is sold is hundreds of retailers throughout America and is expanding into Canada in 2015.
Matt Miller spent the first 9 years of his career as an Air Force pilot, before entering the corporate world to work at both Abbott Laboratories and Valassis. While a top performer for both companies, his long term desire was to start a business and be his own boss. A good friend one day mentioned the gum ball machines he and his young daughters owned, and that conversation began a 10 year business quest that has brought Matt's franchise company, School Spirit Vending, to the cutting edge of both the vending and school fundraising industries. Today, the School Spirit Vending franchise is helping professionals across the country develop more freedom and security, while supporting local schools at the same time.
Nicole Heffel served in the United States Navy as a Master-at-Arms for 5 years, under both Marine Corps and Navy commands. During her active duty enlistment she was able to complete her undergraduate degree, despite the high demands of the military. After transitioning from active duty, Nicole went on to earn her Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
In May 2014, she opened the doors to the Heffel Law Firm in San Diego, California. She focuses on strategic asset protection and estate planning strategies, business entity development, and is a fierce advocate for her veteran brothers and sisters. Her work as a veteran advocate has earned her the San Diego Military Heros Award, American Combat Veterans of War Veteran of the Year 2014, Department of Veterans Affairs Resiliency Award, and the 2015 California State Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award.
She is the President of the San Diego Veterans Bar Association, and the Chair of Women Veterans Engaging the Nation.
Aaron Saari is a growth strategist and entrepreneur living in San Francisco. He graduated from West Point in 2007 and soon thereafter deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He served as an engineer officer before leaving the Army in 2012.Since leaving the service, he has been the Head of Operations for two successful venture backed startups, including his current role as Head of Operations for Remoov.He also consults for businesses on growth with his own company, Base of Fire, where he applies Silicon Valley technology and principles to automate operations, and optimize online marketing.
He is a World Affairs Council Veteran Fellow, the Co-Chairman of the Advisory Board for Global Glimpse, a non-profit that fosters global citizenship through youth travel to developing countries, and the creator of Vets Digest, a weekly newsletter that delivers a curated calendar of veteran events to thousands of veterans and their supporters across the Bay Area.
Wes is The Sales Whisperer®, a ruthlessly pragmatic entrepreneur, sales trainer, copywriter, and speaker who believes marketing is just selling in print. A graduate of the Air Force Academy, he spent 5 years on active duty with assignments in South Korea and the Middle East, among others.
He is the author of "It Takes More Than a Big Smile, a Good Idea & a Twitter Account To Build a Business That Lasts” and "The Definitive Guide To Infusionsoft.” You can pick his brain as long as you’re providing a fine cigar and a smooth scotch, or by listening to The Sales Podcast, which he has deftly hosted since 2013.
Amber Robinson is a non-profit vice president and communications director, public relations freelancer, writer, editor and Army Combat Veteran. Amber entered the military as a Public Affairs soldier at the age of 24.
Public Affairs gave her specified training in journalism, basic photography and public relations. Amber served as an enlisted photojournalist and public relations soldier for 10 years, which included three combat tours to Afghanistan. She served 6 years with the prestigious 10th Mountain Division, 3 years with Hawaii’s 25th Infantry Division and 1 year with U.S. Army Pacific, a 4-Star Command.
Her military career allowed her to travel all over the world and work with influential military leaders from Australia, the Philippines, Czech Republic, New Zealand, France and Afghanistan. She has worked as a military journalist in the volatile Korengal Valley, along the Pakistan border and in the Pech River Valley.
As a deployed public affairs leader, she worked to shape information strategies for her command, coordinate press events, media coverage and one-on-one interviews. She has worked with prominent war correspondents from CNN, CBS and NBC. Her candor and expertise leant to her shop's reputation as the most sought-after unit for journalist embed in Regional Command East. Her expertise as a public affairs leader gained her a coveted Bronze Star.
Amber now dedicates all her time to helping fellow veterans through American History Theater, an official 501C3 she co-founded with fellow veteran and Theater professor, Hal Berry.
She is the VP and Comm. Director for their organization which raises awareness around veterans’ issues through theater, educational and special events, with a specific focus on female service members.
Paul A. Dillon is a a U.S. Army Reserve veteran, he served in Vietnam as a 1st Lieutenant, and was awarded 2 Bronze Star Medals. Paul is also a Certified Management Consultant with more than 37 years of experience in the professional services industry. He is the president and CEO of Dillon Consulting Services LLC (http://www.dillonconsult.com), a U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs certified Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, based in Durham, NC and Chicago, IL, which provides services to veterans who want to start their own businesses. Paul is the creator of the concept for a veteran startup incubator in Chicago, called Bunker Labs (http://www.bunkerlabs.com), as well as the creator of the concept for a veteran entrepreneur support organization in North Carolina, called VetStart(http://www.vetstart.biz/). He recently represented our nation's veterans on the opening plenary session of the Kennedy Forum on Mental Health in Boston
(http://livestream.com/avfx/KennedyForumConference/videos/89731829).
Paul holds an A.B. degree from John Carroll University (Cleveland, OH), a M.S. from Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL), and has served as an adjunct professor or visiting lecturer at Governors State University (University Park, IL), the University of Illinois at Chicago, and, most recently, at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, where he created and co-taught the first course in the history of the University of Chicago on veterans issues. He is a former trustee of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and a former Public Member and Commissioner of the national Commission for Case Manager Certification.
Tom Morkes is a West Point grad, Iraq War veteran, and founder of InsurgentPublishing.com, a company that helps authors launch their books to bestseller. You can get inside his brain at Tommorkes.com where he applies what he learned leading troops in combat to writing, art, and entrepreneurship.
Sam began his career in asset management in 2007 after serving five years in the Marine Corps. Enlisting in 2002 as a Nuclear Biological Chemical Defense (NBCD) Specialist, Sam was awarded several commendations and merits across his 2 tours to Iraq. He served with 2nd Marine Logistics Battalion at Camp Lejeune, NC as Non-commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) for the NBCD Training Unit, and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion in Okinawa Japan as NBCD Chief and NCOIC of the Recon Tactical Command Unit. Honorably discharged as a Sergeant of Marines, he began his career with WR Platform Advisors, a hedge fund investment platform, where he supported the executive team as Vice President of Business Development. He developed several successful marketing strategies for the firm while playing a key role in operations and technology. Sam currently serves on various charitable boards that support the development of children and military affairs. Sam oversees Sandboxx development, capital raising, strategy and team vision.
Jim Perkins is an Army officer and the founder of Military Mentors. He is a nerd at heart who currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife while attending business school. He is passionate about leader development, solving problems, and leaving the world around him better than he found it. He generally dislikes the status quo in the military. Jim has had a few excellent mentors, like Chevy, but he rarely felt personally engaged in the military, so he decided to solve the problem for himself and hopefully for others too.
Byron was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps and a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. His six years of active duty included one deployment to Iraq and two company commands. He is the founder of successvets.com
Nate served as an enlisted soldier and Operation Desert Shield/Storm before entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY at age 21. He graduated and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1996 with a degree in Sociology and Computer Science Engineering. After serving five years as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer and Ranger, he graduated with an MBA in Strategic Management and Finance at George Washington University, Washington, DC in 2002 and graduated with an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning from Georgetown University, Washington, DC in 2004.
At the age of 32, through the initial real estate investment portfolio he built in 2001, he had a personal net worth of over $1 million dollars and he retired to Jacksonville, FL to accept an opportunity to be a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services. From 2004 to 2006, he was able to accumulate $6.5 million in assets under management before accepting an opportunity to be the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a mortgage and real estate technology company. In 2007, at the age of 36, Nate’s personal real estate investment portfolio had commercial and residential properties in Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, and Florida valued at more than $5 million.
In July 2014, he released his book, “Life Is Rich”. In December 2014, he started teaching the “Life Is Rich” principles in small groups called “Circle of 10″. His goal for 2015 is to recruit, train, and develop a team of 100 leaders to facilitate the “Life Is Rich” program. Nate Scott Aims to Educate, Equip & Empower
Nate’s personal mission is to live each day principle-centered based upon biblical teachings and to be a person of value and personal influence. His goal is to create a $10 million dollar endowment fund to foster personal growth and entrepreneurship.
Adam believes in hard work but more importantly – looking at things from a different perspective. There’s always a better way to get things done than the last way they were done. This mentality has carried him through everything he does – from discovering new ways to prolong the life of batteries in the artillery unit’s radios during fire missions, to systematizing how his SWAT team conducted operations as a law enforcement officer- he became about systems, processes, communication, and transparency. If you communicate properly and have nothing to hide, nothing is difficult to communicate.
Adam attended boot camp in 1990 at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California heading there just one day after graduating high school. He felt he needed direction in life – and he certainly got it. Adam went on to serve 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserves as a field radio operator in artillery, eventually finishing his service working in the armory and as a firearms instructor on the range. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps in 1996.
Adam is now the Senior Vice President of marketing for Real Estate powerhouse RE/MAX, a publicly traded franchising company operating in 100 countries with over 100,000 agent members. He oversees brand advertising, marketing and communications, over 70 events a year, and the leading business development team in the franchising industry. Adam sees business as a canvass, with opportunity to make creative adjustments every time the artist’s brush touches. And that’s how business growth continues.
Koka is a veteran of the United States Army and served his country as a military police officer. Today, he is one of the most recognized social experts in the technology industry. With ten+ years of sales experience at well know companies such as Paragon, Insideview, and now LinkedIn.
Gordon joined the Marines in 1982. During his 13-year Marine Corps experience he moved through the ranks from Private to Captain. His military service took him to far reaching places around the world, including Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Korea to name a few.
He later received a prestigious and highly competitive scholarship to the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program. Gordon received his Bachelor of Arts from Oregon State University in Business with concentrations in both Business Administration and Finance, and a Minor in Japanese and going on to earn his Doctor of Management from George Fox University where he focused on leadership development and organizational behavior. He left the Marines in 1995 to work for Nike and other professional positions including serving as the Director of IT for Sequent Computers, Vice President for FB&B Consulting Group, Vice President of IT Operations for CorVel Corporation, and several entrepreneurial ventures.
Gordon is the author of three books, a father of eight children passionate about his family, his church, and a mentor to many.
Dan is interviewed by his wife, Stephanie about his aspirations and journey from the Marines and transitioning into a new career.
Heather Dopson is a proud Texan living in Arizona who believes she was put on Earth to serve others. As an only child, she grew up on a race horse breeding farm and joined the Air Force in 1992. Her love of excitement and adrenaline led to her job as a Munitions Systems Specialist for 4 adventure filled years where she traveled all over the world, including the sands of the Middle East. She later moved on to civilian law enforcement.
These days, she helps brands understand how to incorporate social media into all facets of their company and she has an unwavering passion for helping people build their personal brand whether they are entrepreneurs or employees. She and her dog Private Joker (a la Full Metal Jacket) are working toward becoming a certified canine therapy team so they can visit Veterans in the hospital, rehab centers and other facilities.
The founder, creative genius, military entrepreneur, and unstoppable force behind #SocialHangout, Eric L. Mitchell has never been accused of being shy. This hard-charging United States Marine attacks issues with the same enthusiasm and drive he displayed while defending our country. Well-known within the SaaS community and tech circles, Eric is no stranger to the Silicon Valley playbook, having been a founder, acquired (twice), and built start-ups from the ground up. Passion is the word that best describes Eric Mitchell, who currently advises several tech startups and is instrumental in their success. Eric spends his free time rooting winners -- the San Francisco Giants.
In this interview, I have #realtalk with #socialhangout host Eric L. Mitchell about his experience in the Marines and his journey into entrepreneurship. We talk about the Corps, LinkedIn, and how to gain the right education. Eric provides actionable steps you need to take to build a reputable personal brand and network to ease your transition out of the military into the next phase of your life.