Corporate Captains Podcast

The podcast is alive!  Officers are hungry. They want to lead, they want grow and develop, and they want to be challenged. Unfortunately, across the military, officers hit a brick wall in their leadership development because of the built in design of a "leadership plateau" at the 6-10 year mark. We're 2.5 years into the transition and the "Leadership Plateau", as we talked about 19 episodes ago, was one of the largest factors in our decision to ultimately transition. It's time to check in on what we've learned and how the theory holds up. Recommendations: Jay - The Hustle, Gone Baby Gone Brent - The Popcast Podcast, Shot Caller, Passengers  Find more from Corporate Captains at corporatecaptainspodcast.com  We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com, hit us up on LinkedIn, & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 700 current and former military officer talking transition. 

Later this week, we'll be revisiting the Leadership Plateau, but before we do, as a refresher and a launchpad to continue the conversation, we re-airing Episode 4 of the broadcast. Enjoy this primer we we get geared up for Episode 22 coming Thursday. REBROADCAST SHOW NOTES Early in their career, military officers start in a leadership sprint, launching past their civilian peers, but after 6 or 7 years, leadership development begins to taper off & they start to make up ground. In this episode, Brent & Jay talk about the "Leadership Plateau." What is it & what are the implications for officers considering a transition into business & corporate America? Find more from Corporate Captains at corporatecaptainspodcast.com  We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 650 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

This is a CAN'T-MISS episode! We can pull back the curtain as much as we want when it comes to the transition, but honestly, salary negotiation is a tough egg to crack. And for military officers, it's really freaking tough to prepare seeing as how we're part of a very small career field that has their exact salary literally posted on the wall. Then, when it comes to preparing for salary negotiation, should you make more? Less? Same? Once you've figured that out, how do you prepare for the first conversation you've ever had to negotiate how much you'll actually be paid? After that, what are the implications for your future salaries if you get it right or wrong? Amongst dozens of other considerations, all extremely important questions and all are very tough to answer for transitioning military officers. That's what we brought in the big guns! Philip Spencer is a former active duty Air Force officer (currently a Reservist) that has spent the better part of a decade learning about salary negotiation helping friends and clients prepare to maximize their earning potential. In fact, he's been so successful at something that basically started as a hobby that he wrote a book about it. Fortunately, Philip agreed to join us for a conversation on how what he has learned can help transitioning officers (and basically anyone looking for an edge in salary negotiation).  I think that'll do it for the show notes portion of this podcast. This conversation was a blast and we both learned a ton. Enjoy the show and while your listening, click the link below to pick up Philip's new book that was released last Friday and check out his website for an awesome tool for officers preparing to transition. Stealing From Your Future Self: How to Break Through Insecurities and Confidently Negotiate Your Salary by Philip Spencer Find more from Corporate Captains at corporatecaptainspodcast.com  We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 650 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

As much as we have tried to make each episode "timeless" (as in, military officers can hopefully pick and choose episodes depending on where they are at in the transition) we can't avoid the 10,000-pound COVID elephant in the room any longer. Like it or not, COVID has changed the landscape of the transition for military officers. What hasn't changed though is the push good officers continue to make towards development and their drive towards "purpose." So, while it can feel grim and a lot safer in the uniform, what hasn't changed is the desire for companies to bring in superior talent. This is good news for officers. We talk about that, the bad news COVID might bring, what to do about it, and what are seeing in our own transition. The usual disclaimer is, we don't have the dadgum answers, but we do see the value in having the conversation. That's what the podcast is here for, glad you joined us! Recommendations: Brent Kings Wild Project - Premium Playing Cards Subscription  Brad Nailer and Air Compressor Jay    Find more from Corporate Captains at corporatecaptainspodcast.com  We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 650 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

For the military, as an institution, there simply is no care for your "purpose" or your "why." This isn't an indictment on the military, but if you're even taking a second look at taking the leap into corporate America or starting your business, this is a harsh reality that needs to be considered and dealt with. This not to say companies on the other side aren't guilty of the same thing, but as we talk about in the episode, the implications and what it means for officers is quite different. That's just the starting point of the conversation for this episode. Queue it up and reach out. Let us know what you think. What's been on your mind as you consider your own transition? Recommendations: Brent - Forest App (Focus app for iOS/Android) Jay - Shift.org (Transition resource for vets interested in tech) We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 650 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

We covered "decision factors" a little over a year and a half ago. That episode came at a time when the transition was still fresh and may have been better described as a therapy session. Well, it turned out to be one of our most popular episodes and a place we revisit often when it comes to talking about what's matters to military officers considering or going through the transition. Episode Links/Resources: Episode 3 - The Decision Factors Jay - When to Jump Podcast with Mike Lewis Brent - Trade Coffee, The Bouqs, MeUndies, Panera Coffee Subscription We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 600 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

A major part of the decision to transition for military officers is the internal struggle and debate we have with ourselves as we weigh our options. Everyone's "decision factors" are unique to them, but regardless of Navy, Marines, Air Force, or Army, there are common threads when it comes to the struggle we face to make the best decision for our career and, really, our lives. So, nearly a year and a half after it was first recorded, we are rebroadcasting one of our most popular episodes to pave the way for Episode 19, coming later this week, where we revisit the "Decision Factors." We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 600 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

Every now and then we come across a resource or idea that is extremely helpful to some of the things we, as military officers, faced in the transition decision. That's what happened for Jay when we stumbled upon a podcast that covered the heart behind a book called "Stretch" by Scott Sonnenschein. In this episode, we dive into the topic of "stretching" and "chasing" and how knowing the difference can be a game-changer for officers early in the transition process. Here's a link to the podcast episode we talk about on Stretch with Brene Brown and Scott Sonnenschein. A Google Talk where Sonnenschein unpacks his ideas on what it means to "Stretch." We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 600 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

This bonus episode of the pod features Brent and a post-transition with the Post Modern Patriot himself, John McCarthy. Reflecting on his own successful transition as a Marine and through the lens of the things he's doing with his own podcast and blog, John reached out. We exchanged a few emails and had a couple of conversations. The more we talked, I realized the conversation we were having could provide a ton of value to military officers wanting to have the transition conversation. One of the biggest reasons I thought this conversation, in particular, would be helpful to military officers is because of how different John's perspective and transition-story is different than mine and Jay's We talk MBA, salary, data & analytics, and what we’ve learned are best ways officers can posture themselves to crush it in the transition. We also get pretty personal about some of the things we've discovered about identity through the joys and struggles of our own transition. Needless to say, it was a fun conversation, and hopefully, you snag a piece or two to apply to your own transition. If you like what you hear, go check John out at postermodernpatriot.blog where John tackles mental toughness, fitness, and personal finance. And give his podcast, Post Modern Patriot, a listen. We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 600 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

As military officers, we are constantly looking for signals or information to let us know whether we should get out or stay in. Better yet, it sometimes feels like it would be a whole lot easier if someone would just tell us what to do. Right now, COVID is hyperbole controlling the narrative and if we aren't careful, we could let it be a deciding factor. COVID or not, there seems to always be an internal conversation going on for military officers going on as they look to make the next best decision for their career. Truthfully, for us, even going on two years after the transition there are still shades of this conversation. So, for this episode, we try and unpack the struggle things like COVID present to the decision making process, uncover the reality, and discuss what to do about it. This one is a good one... We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 600 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

For many officers, the decision to transition (or not) comes down to a matter of security or safety. Guaranteed promotions, paychecks, and pensions can leave officers with the perception that staying in is the safe choice.  Sure, the transition is a bit of a risk, but the truth is, for many officers, this perceived safety is a fallacy. A fallacy that keeps us from pursuing what's important to us, finding a career that best uses our talents and skills, and discovering a new definition of "security" and "safety" that the tunnel vision of the military doesn't allow us to see. We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 600 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.

This episode is a portion of an interview I (Brent) did with a fellow podcaster amongst the military officer ranks. The 20+ minute clip is a shockingly enlightening synopsis of why the conversation around the transition is so important. It was particularly shocking because I was on a podcast trying to create more officers (CommisionED: An Air Force Officer Podcast) and while this is certainly not the mission of Corporate Captains, one could argue we are trying to make fewer officers.  I was asked to talk about my career field and experience as an Air Force officer, but about halfway through the interview, the host of the show (Colin Slade) gave me the opportunity to talk transition. I'm sharing it on the Corporate Captain's feed because when I listened back to our conversation, I was blown away with how well it hit on why it's critical for officers to be thinking transition early (regardless of whether they get out or stay in) and truthfully, why Jay and I even started the Corporate Captains podcast.  Check out what Colid Slade and Reed Gann are doing over at CommissionED, and if you have someone if your life interested in becoming an officer, their podcast and Facebook page are incredible resources. We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & the Corporate Captains Facebook Group has over 600 current and former military officer talking transition. Come join us.  

One of the most frequent questions we get asked is how to effectively balance "going it alone" while also working with a recruiter. Often the recruiter what's you to pour everything you have into their program, but as a transitioning military officer, you have to do what's best for you. Often, that means beginning the networking and career hunt on your own This episode, we share our experience, what we learned in the process of doing our own thing while working with recruiters, and provide some recommendations on how to tackle the issue in your own transition. GIVEAWAY INFO: We're giving away, "Range" by David Epstein, one Brent's recommendation from Episode 13. You've got up to 6 opportunities to win. Here's how to be eligible for the book: Subscribe to the podcast (Send us a screenshot to the pod in your library) Rate the podcast (5 stars if you feel the pod is worthy, plus that'll help us find more officers) Share the podcast (Shoot an episode to a junior military officer in your life that might benefit from candid discussion on the transition) Join the "Corporate Captain" Facebook group (already in the group? Great! Just let us know) Email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com Send us some screenshots or just let us know which entries you took advantage of, then email us or reach out to Brent on Facebook, or LinkedIn. Each step is worth an entry. So, up to 6 chances to win. BONUS ENTRY - When you reach out, drop us a question or let us know something specific that you've been thinking about as you work through your own transition decisions.  

"You have to network." "Networking is the most important thing." "You're nothing without a network." We've all heard it a thousand times, but it's a lot easier said than done. So, what are practical steps military officers can take RIGHT NOW to expand their network and prepare for a successful transition. Just like the "click-baity" title says, we have a conversation that covers 9 tactical and strategic tips we used in our own transition that not only paid dividends in the transition but continue to bear fruit a year-plus into the transition. Episode Recommendations: Brent - Thank You Cards from Amazon Jay - Make Me Smart w/ Kai and Molly We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & Corporate Captains now has a Facebook group!

In this episode, we talk about the paralyzing thought of thinking the transition has to be perfect. The thought that, straight out of the gate, you have to get an offer with a certain job title, number of reports, and salary. The thought that you have to land at the perfect company, with a great culture, and all the opportunity in the world. This simply isn't the case. The transition for military officers is all about playing the long game of growth and development as a leader. Business and corporate America is a great way to make it happen and taking a step sideways, or even what seems as backward, is not just a good career move but capitalizes on one of the great benefits of transition; flexibility and growth. We hammer through the truth of the lies we tell ourselves about the transition, the current culture on the "outside," and ways capitalize on countless opportunities once you've made the transition. Episode Recommendations: Brent - Use pandemic-time to start a blog (or a podcast) and build your brand! Jay - Take Charge of Your Brand by Giselle Nunez We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & Corporate Captains now has a Facebook group!

We have an Air Force and Marine background, but there are some universal truths about the skills military officers have. One of those truths is that it's difficult to know the exact skills we have that are not only transferrable by desired by business, corporate America, and the private section. We discuss what skills do transitioning military officers have that are transferrable to business and corporate America. We talk "hard skills" vs "soft skills" and what employers are actually looking for vs what the job posting says.  Episode Recommendations: Brent - Range by David Epstein Jay - Subscribe to a business publication and take a deep dive into the current culture and climate of the private sector (Fortune is a favorite) We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & Corporate Captains now has a Facebook group!

We are both a year-plus into the transition and it's been everything we expected and nothing we expected all at the same time. We give an update on what's been going on, surprises we've encountered, the best/worst parts of the transition (so far), and how our outlook has changed/evolved, if at all.  We want to hear from you! You can email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com & Corporate Captains now has a Facebook group!

Jay shares a conversation he had recently with one of his former Marines that hits close to home for any military officer that has made the transition. Regardless of how successful the transition is, there can be a sense that something is missing. The feeling of purpose and what that looks like everyday changes, even amid chasing vocational goals and dreams in business and corporate America.  We discuss this venue change for purpose and why it can be a great thing, but still be difficult to deal with. We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

In this episode, we talk about the "why" behind the transition. Everyone's transition is unique, but we are all chasing something. It's a tough game to play with so many unknowns and we are often led to a situation where we have to wait to be in the place, job, or situation we ultimately want to be in.  So, we talk salary, job titles, location, and everything in between to expose a lot of the "shiny objects" that can keep your "why" from being at the core and prevent us from casting a strong vision We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

For this episode, we have the incredible honor of welcoming Jay's wife Caitlin and Brent's wife Sarah to the podcast. The transition was not a journey we took alone and we both have a debt of gratitude to the role they played in our transition. We are eternally grateful, but one of the main reasons we wanted to have our wives on the show is because of the unique perspective they bring. The more we talked to them during and after the transition, the more we realized the value they'd bring to ANY military officer considering the transition to business and corporate America. So, single, married, doesn't matter. This is a great episode as our wives take the filter off and share the good, bad, and the ugly of the transition. We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

This is part 2 of the discussion with our wives on all things transition. If you haven't listed to part 1 yet...STOP!...go check it out and come back after your done. We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

In this episode, we tackle non-military resume bullets. As military officers, we know the drill. Chase bullets, get the OPR in shape and be sure to lock in a good stratification. Building the military resume is the easy part, it's natural for good officers, but it's difficult to figure out what steps are worth taking when it comes to knowing what bullets to add prior to the transition into business or corporate America Should you go get your MBA or PMP? What professional certifications are worth your time, if any? We talk about our experience and what ultimately matters.  We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

In this episode, we talk to Pete Van Epps from Cameron Brooks. Pete is a recruiter, sure, but the reason we were excited to talk to him goes far beyond his profession as a recruiter. Pete speaks the language of the military officers AND business/corporate America as well as anyone we've met in our own transition, and his insight into the transition is truly unique. There's a little something for every officer in this episode, regardless of where you are in the transition.  We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com Find out more about Cameron Brooks @ cameron-brooks.com

In this episode, we dive into all things recruiters. We cover the good, the bad, and the ugly and share our experience. Whether you had no idea there were recruiters targeting military officers, are working with one, or you're dedicated to working through the transition solo, the ground we cover on this episode is for everyone. We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

Early in their career, military officers start in a leadership sprint, launching past their civilian peers, but after 6 or 7 years, leadership development begins to taper off & they start to make up ground. In this episode, Brent & Jay talk about the "Leadership Plateau." What is it & what are the implications for officers considering a transition into business & corporate America? We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com.

This is where the rubber meets the road! Brent and Jay dig into the real reasons people get out of or stay in the military. They share their own stories on the factors they considered before officially dropping their papers and transitioning of the Air Force and Marines. Finally, they provide insight on how to effectively work through the decision and begin the career transition into business and corporate America. We want to hear from you! You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com.

Brent and Jay discuss all things pre-transition. You know, that painstaking time between when you consider the transition and when you actually make a decision. We've been there. We discuss our experience and offer ideas on how to work through it. We want to hear from you. You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

Brent and Jay lay the foundation for what's to come on the Corporate Captains Podcast. They both share a little bit about their transition from the Air Force and Marines and the ground they hope to cover for officers looking to make the career transition from active duty military into business and corporate America. We want to hear from you. You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com

The Corporate Captains Podcast is a show hosted by two former military officers, Brent Nichols (me) and Jay Adams, talking about all things career transition from active duty to business. My background is in the Air Force and Jay was in the Marines; both of us spent years working through the decision to get out of the military. After just over a decade of service, we're just a few short months removed from being in the uniform and we've learned a ton through the process. In a lot of ways, we are still working through the transition.   As we made our way through the biggest career transition of our lives, we realized there were going things we wish knew and conversations we wish we'd had, but the truth is, you don't know any better until in the midst of it. The transition has been an exciting, yet humbling, experience for both us. Jay and I want to share what we learned and help other officers considering getting out to transition well. Over the course of 9 to 10 episodes (hopefully more!), we take the gloves off to tell the whole story on what it's like to transition before making it to the magical 20 years and how we made the most of our own transition.   If you're a young military officer considering the transition, check out a few episodes, let us know what you think, and we invite you to be part of the conversation.   As you dig into the content, we want to hear from you. You can reach out via Twitter @corpcaptainpod or email us at corporatecaptains@gmail.com