Veteran Influencer Podcast

In this episode I interview Ralph Kauzlarich from First Command Financial Services. Ralph graduated from West Point and served in the Army through the rank of Colonel, working in the education and energy sectors for several years after leaving active duty. He joined First Command as an advisor in the spring of 2019 to help veterans and military families accomplish their financial goals. We discussed why Ralph made the transition to financial advisory, and his advice for service members to seek careers that include some form of professional credentialing. Ralph also shares how getting into financial advisory became a new litmus test for his leadership abilities, broadening his perspective on how to counsel and serve his clients. He tells the story of meeting his First Command financial advisor in the officer's club on base as a young lieutenant, and how that advice set him on the path to financial security following his retirement from the Army. To learn more about joining the First Command team as a Financial Advisor, or discover other positions within their culture of service, visit https://rmvets.com/3bKIkmt.

Josh Rojas is a Facilities Manager with Jones Lang Lasalle, a leading professional services firm specializing in real estate and investment management. He describes his role as a great fit for the maintenance and operations leadership skills he developed serving as a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare officer for eight years following graduation from the Naval Academy in 2005. In today's conversation we discuss his path to this role as he went through his military-to-civilian transition seven years ago at the same time his wife was applying to medical school. If you are considering your last set of orders before you plan your transition, this episode is full of advice based on Josh's experience transitioning while serving as an Aide to a three-star Admiral. Josh admits that it was a lot of work at a time when he was also dealing with the challenges of being a new father and trying to study to get into business school. The key to success was transparency about his plans with his chain of command. Through some key conversations with his Navy Detailer, Josh was able to extend his orders in San Diego while awaiting admissions decisions from the medical schools where his wife had applied. Josh also emphasizes the importance of remaining associated with the Navy Reserves during his transition; he was supporting his spouse and her education while also managing his own job search and the kids. The Reserves gave him a place to reconnect with Sailors and remain grounded while everything else was new and different, and also develop a new network of fellow Reservists to help him achieve his career goals. Finally, Josh shares some really genuine feedback about how he got it wrong when selecting employers for culture and fit to his personality, and what questions to ask to understand if the company you're going to work for will be a great match for who you are and who you wish to become.

When Stan Walz hung up the uniform after a career in the U.S. Coast Guard, he knew he had more to contribute to the mission. Since becoming the CEO at VectorCSP in 2006, Stan and his team have been supporting U.S. Coast Guard acquisitions through the development of Integrated Logistics Support solutions. Selected by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies seven years in a row, Vector CSP supports multiple aviation platforms and has expanded their logistics and engineering offerings to federal and military maritime communities. Their current portfolio includes the Special Operations and Nuclear communities as well, giving their team room to grow and evolve what they do to impact the government and military. In this conversation, Stan and I discuss how he has used his values and passion for what he does to navigate his career. Unlike many previous guests, he found a role after military service that allowed him to directly solve some of the problems he had experienced during his active duty time. This unique focus not only created a clear path for him to apply knowledge and expertise gained in the service, but brought the government's investment in his military training and education full-circle by giving him a platform and a role to create meaningful improvement for the fleet from the private sector.

Ryan Sweeney transitioned out of the Army in 2016 and after an initial role in management with another brand, made his way to Madisonville, KY where he works as a Production Workflow Planner and the Plant Veteran Network Lead for GE Aviation. Ryan also hosts a podcast called View From the Skies, where his guests and audience engage in discussions about transition and to share stories of leadership in regards to servant leadership, building trust, empowerment and accountability. In this conversation we talk about how Ryan found a career after initially transitioning to a job he wasn't passionate about, and also how his organization has recently been impacted by the spread of Novel Coronavirus, and the changes to his manufacturing team and facility caused by this pandemic.

Lieutenant General retired Raymond Mason managed the Army’s $8B sustainment budget and oversaw the Army's global supply chain during his final role on active duty. In October, 2014 he began his first civilian job after a 35-year military career, facing many of the same transition challenges everyday solders encounter when leaving uniform for the first time. Serving as COO at a for-profit company for a little over two years, he felt the pull back to the Army and a desire to contribute to the mission. When a friend approached him about a potential role leading the team at Army Emergency Relief, he threw his hat in the ring. In this conversation we talk about his journey to what he’s doing now, and how his organization is responding to the national emergency surrounding COVID-19 infections. Our soldiers, veterans, and military families are facing financial hardships, so Ray and his team at Army Emergency Relief are focused on keeping the distractions and challenges of this crisis from impacting Army readiness. Find out more about what Army Emergency Relief is doing to help during the COVID-19 crisis at ArmyEmergencyRelief.org/covid19/

John O'Grady transitioned out of the U.S. Army after leading large teams tasked with challenging missions deployed to dangerous places around the world. In this conversation, we talk about how those experiences and his time at West Point as a Division 1 Athlete gave him a template for launching his own coaching and executive development practice after leaving uniformed service. John works with leaders in the athletic and executive spaces to refine their talent identification and mentoring, and provide intentional focus on leadership along with all the other disciplines necessary to organizational or team success. We talk a lot about how his perspective as an Army Colonel gave him confidence to work with new clients and audiences as a civilian coach, and how now he gets to earn a living while remaining connected to something that gave him great fulfillment and joy as a young man: athletics. 

Brit Yonge and I are friends through a veteran organization outside of work and we wanted to have a conversation on the podcast today about what’s happening in his career, as well as his ideas about what lies ahead for our country and our economy over the next few years. Brit helps businesses evaluate technology both for acquisition within the businesses as well as from a product development and strategy standpoint. Since leaving the Navy Special Forces Intelligence Community in 2012 he has worked in enterprise software at a startup, co-founded a company, and now works in private equity with his portfolio companies. Brit offers a really unique perspective about the chaos and uncertainty people are experiencing right now, as well as some examples of how that might actually create significant opportunities for people who are willing to think creatively in these times. Check out more of Brit's thoughts and leave him a comment on his blog at BritYonge.io/

As someone who used to work with explosives for a living and has trained physically throughout his career as a member of Special Operations teams, Josh Duntz is no stranger to physical and mental stress. In today’s episode we catch up about his transition from the Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal community via a remote-work sales role facilitated by the DoD Skill Bridge program. Josh and I recorded our first conversation in August of 2019 while he was still on Active Duty. I wanted to follow up with Josh now to hear about his experiences and offer listeners some insight into how this program works. At the end of his fellowship, Josh made the decision to transition again and chose entrepreneurship as his path. He is now working hard to launch Stasis, a Human Performance Optimization company focused on delivering high-tech, self-serve ice baths to gym owners and other fitness practitioners. We discuss how Josh and his team are inventing new technology and software which allows users to pay by the minute to jump in an ice bath at their local gym or health club, versus the far more expensive and liquid nitrogen based cryosauna offered elsewhere. Through a combination of technology innovation, facilitated by a mobile app, Josh is trying to offer customers a way to expose themselves to healthy stress without needing to pay for an expensive membership or subscription. We talk about the benefits of cryotherapy, and the advantages of a cold-water bath treatment versus the more expensive liquid nitrogen based cryosauna, as well as how routine exposure to stress can create a buffer to deal with the slings and arrows of everyday life.

David Dorfman is the Southwest Sales Leader for Tektronix. He transitioned out of the Navy’s shipbuilding Project Management community into a role that he quickly realized wasn’t the best fit. He found his way to a career in sales where he was able to find his true calling, working in some of America’s top R&D laboratories to service their needs for testing and measurement equipment. We talk a lot about the early mistakes he made as a civilian, including a costly mistake he made with his first hire. David’s experience really highlight the importance of a solid hiring plan when hiring for a critical positions, and specifically the costs to the business and customers within a sales territory when you’re not able to ramp up a new hire in the expected timeline. Bradley-Morris has tackled this topic in the past, specifically when we hosted our Contingency Webinar about the cost of slow time-to-fill. With some big changes in the job-seeker landscape these days, it’s going to be more important than ever for companies to have a plan for how their organizations will continue to drive growth while managing their needs for full-time employees. Getting this wrong can result in lost productivity, a huge management headache, and unhappy customers. At the end, David shares some advice for job seekers who might be about to transition; everyone's story is going to be different. If you find yourself in a rocky situation, take a breath. The adversity faced in the first few years, the things you will learn about yourself and your professional skills will be worth the frustration. Rely on the fundamentals you learned in the military: hard work, perseverance, and mental toughness.   Connect with David on LinkedIn

Noah Currier is the President and Founder of Oscar Mike. In this episode we talk about his service in a Marine Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion during the first wave of the invasion of Iraq. Noah was injured in a car crash while home on leave and found adaptive sporting as a way to recover from his injuries both physically and  mentally. We discuss how he launched Oscar Mike to support equipment and travel needs for veterans participating in adaptive sporting, and as an apparel business and online store to fund their operation. Support Oscar Mike and learn more about their mission to help veterans recover and heal through adaptive sports:  https://www.oscarmike.org/

Rich Cardona was a Marine Corps Helicopter Pilot when he transitioned to civilian life, now he helps business owners manage their brand with Executive Video Content. Rich's customers fall into one of three buckets: 1. People who realize video is incredibly important but don't have the time to execute. 2. People who understand video is critical to business growth but don't want to be on camera. 3. People who do not know how to tell their story effectively. Rich helps create, repair, or amplify the personal or company brand of his customers using first-class video strategy, content, and distribution. This saves his customers time and helps them generate leads for their business without getting bogged down in the technical elements of producing content, or the stage fright of being on-camera. In this conversation, we discuss Rich's transition from the military into his first role at a major technology and shipping fulfillment company. After about a year, Rich realized he wasn't happy and on the advice of his mentor made the transition to digital marketing as an entrepreneur. Now that he's out on his own, Rich has worked with well-known executives like Gary Vaynerchuk, authors like Dorie Clark, podcasters like Pat Flynn, influencers like Heather Monahan, politicians, non-profits like Bunker Labs, and many more. In this conversation you will hear about a veteran who wasn't happy with his status-quo and made the deliberate decision to go through some temporary hardship as a founder in order to come out the other side happier, more fulfilled, and wealthier. Listen to Rich's Podcast: The Leadership Locker Follow him on Instagram: @RichCardona Check out his website: RichCardonaMedia.com

Ken Thompson is a Principal with AlignOrg Solutions based out of Salt Lake City, a team of organizational design and change management partners. His team helps clients clarify existing and new strategies, optimize organizational set up, and implement systems that drive growth. Ken is also a former Apache helicopter pilot with the United States Army and remains a member of the Army Reserves, serving as the Deputy Brigade Commander for his unit in Scottsdale, AZ. Since his transition several years ago, Ken’s leadership roles have crossed industries ranging from the Department of Defense logistics and supply chain, to the fashion and apparel industry. He has championed significant organization change, created operational excellence, and implemented leadership development and employee betterment programs, leading to significant overall success. In this conversation, we discuss Ken's transition into a COO role immediately after his active duty service, and how being introduced to his team for the first time as an, "Apache Commander," set an unwanted tone for his leadership style and approach to managing civilian teams in a new environment. We talk about the impact such a perception can have, and the work he did early-on to reset peoples' expectations of what it means to hire a leader fresh from military service. Ken Recommends: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute

Chris Bugg is the owner of Sandler Training Coastal Virginia Professional Development, the only Veteran-owned Sandler Training center in Hampton Roads. Chris is a 1996 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and holds a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University, as well as an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke which he earned through their executive-track program. Chris served for 12-years in the U.S. Navy flying F/A-18Cs in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom before transitioning to the Reserves, retiring as a Commander in 2016. As a Sandler Trainer, Chris works with business owners and executives and their teams to engineer strategic growth; often this takes the form of sales coaching and training. Prior to starting a Sandler Training center, Chris worked in Sales, Business Development and Management for two large high-technology defense firms. Send Chris an email to connect

Bobby Herrera is the President of Populus Group and also an Army veteran. We discuss his approach to leadership and his new book The Gift of Struggle: Life Changing Lessons About Leading. Bobby shares his background as the son of a Mexican immigrant and how that influenced his mindset regarding work, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and his approach to leading his current team. As a veteran, successful entrepreneur, author, leader, and father Bobby's experiences have given him a unique perspective on embracing the  struggles of life in a way that has allowed him to be enormously successful despite the humblest of beginnings. Check out more from Bobby here: Website: https://bobby-herrera.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-herrera-5781821/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyherrerapg/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobbyherrera.pg/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobbyHerreraPG  

John Berry is the owner and CEO of the Berry Law Firm a practice focused on state and federal criminal defense, white collar crimes, civil litigation, Title IX defense, and veteran and service-member related issues. Berry Law firm has been recognized on the INC 5000 and Law Firm 500 lists three years in a row, and is one of the top 5 fastest growing law firms in the Midwest. His firm has also been recognized by the Department of Labor with the Hire Vets Medallion, the only federal-level veterans’ employment award recognizing organizations committed to hiring, retaining, and professionally developing veterans. John served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army where he completed Airborne School and Ranger School, deploying to Bosnia in 1999 as a Platoon Leader, then as a Company Commander in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. John recently finished his military career after serving for over 20-years in the active U.S. Army and the National Guard. During this time, he held 3 commands and retired as the Commander of Officer School and Warrant Officer Candidate School for the Nebraska National Guard.

Greg Keeley is the founder and CEO at OnDuty CBD, a company dedicated to producing a vertically integrated, veteran farmed and American made CBD product for first responders, law enforcement, active duty military, and any other professionals who have been called to service. Greg’s career began with service as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy, and following a chance meeting with a 3-star Admiral who “asked” him to join his team, he became the first officer to be commissioned into the U.S. Navy from a foreign ally. Restarting his career as Ensign Keeley after retiring as a commander, Greg served another 10 years working in jobs in intelligence and legislative affairs on capitol hill. First introduced to CBD in January of 2019 by an acquaintance, Greg discovered a potential alternative to the seven different opioid medications he had been prescribed by doctors at the VA in order to treat chronic pain incurred during a career full of deployments. He quickly realized that the CBD industry was “the wild-west,” with unregulated and questionable companies marketing products of dubious quality and safety. Over the span of 3-4 months, Greg and his team committed to creating a business with an entirely vertically integrated supply chain, a claim that less than 3% of CBD companies operating in the U.S. can make. As result, OnDuty CBD now sells products sources from hemp grown in the United States, mostly by farmers and cooperatives owned and operated by veterans. Check out OnDutyCBD.com where our listeners can get a 20% discount by using the code 'onduty' during checkout. If you're considering trying CBD and want to learn more, email the trained medical professionals with your question at info@ondutycbd.com

Andy Riise is a West Point graduate transitioning to civilian life after 20 years of service. For the last 7 years he has been a part of Mission 6 Zero as the Chief Learning Officer, blending evidence-based practices from military special forces and behavioral science disciplines to help clients improve the performance of their teams under stress. He is also the co-author and senior editor of the new book, Deliberate Discomfort: How U.S. Special Operations Forces Overcome Fear and Dare to Win by Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable available February 18th, 2020. In this conversation we dive into his process for planning his transition, and the resources he recommends for service-members who wish to match their personality, strengths, and leadership skills to the right career after serving. Andy shares his insight into what motivates him, and how he set his goals early, and based on an intentional process. He’s pursuing a fellowship during his final time in the Army as a way to make space for a variety of exciting engagements with organizations blending athletics, coaching, performance psychology, and veteran issues. We get a chance to talk about what he has lined up for himself as he begins the next chapter in his working life.

Michael McCoy is the Community Engagement Manager for Operation Stand Down Tennessee and a staff logistics officer for an armored squadron with the Tennessee Army National Guard. His team manages communications, volunteers, strategic relationships, and events including monthly and quarterly meet-ups and job seeker networking. Operation Stand Down Tennessee helps over 300 service members find employment in Tennessee each year, working directly with local employers, base and installation managers, and veterans and service members within the local military and National Guard communities. This conversation covers: How veterans should embrace the adventure of the next chapter of their career. Feeling comfortable at a new company where you might have less seniority than you did in the military. Balancing life, work, and service in the Army National Guard, while also helping soldiers to do the same. Giving yourself permission to start with, "No," and the natural process of elimination during a job-search.  

Chuck Dishmon is the Director of Software Development for Greenlight Guru where he leads agile software development teams to create and optimize technology offerings for clients in the medical device space. He learned how to program at an immersive, full stack software engineering program called Coder Camps where he re-tooled his skill set after leaving the Marine Corps. He is also the Founder of Indy Tech Talks, an 800+ Member community hosting monthly conversations related to the Indianapolis Technology community. In this episode, we discuss Chuck’s transition from the Marine Corps and how he found his way to a career in technology by way of academia and philosophy. I love his advice for networking, and appreciate the authenticity he brings to this conversation. We also dive into his advice to veterans transitioning to a career in technology, either on their path to learning new skills or finding a career once they've graduated.

Todd Skiles has had a 34 year career with Ryder, creating logistics and transportation solutions for his customers. His career has been unique in that he has had one foot on either side of the civilian/military divide by affiliating with the Army Reserves, and hiring others who are doing so as well to help create a culture of service within Ryder. In today’s conversation, we discuss Todd’s thoughts on the value of military-experienced talent within corporate America, specifically intangible leadership skills and the ability to work with a close-knit team. We also discuss Todd’s thoughts regarding how veterans become comfortable in the military dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity, translating that capability to leadership roles in the civilian sphere. This is a great perspective on not only the value of hiring veterans from a corporate standpoint, but also to encourage candidates to think outside the borders of their functional discipline or MOS, and to consider how military service has made them a different kind of an employee, in terms of their work ethic, values, and personal discipline.

Matt Hesse is the Chairman and Founder of the FitOps Foundation, helping veterans find purpose and community through fitness. Matt transitioned from the Army in July of 2000 and began a career in the fitness and nutrition industry, ultimately launching his own brand in 2008 manufacturing and marketing health and wellness products. He launched FitOps almost four years ago to give veterans a physical mission and career skills to enable entrepreneurial success, as well as to offer themselves in service to others as a coach and trainer. We discuss how Matt’s program addresses the biggest risk to veterans in transition, their loss of purpose. For those still, “thawing out,” from time in a combat zone, FitOps helps identify and short-circuit self-sabotage behaviors common among returning service members, deliberately seeking mental and emotional breakthroughs during the early weeks of the program. Matt’s team works to replicate the camaraderie inherent in the military, creating a supportive environment that rebuilds participants once they’ve broken down those barriers in the first weeks. His program takes a holisitic approach to beginning a fitness career, not just certifying trainers. The curriculum addresses common failure points for people starting out in the industry and offers elements of business management as a part of the training. This mentorship doesn’t end when veterans leave camp, but rather continues on into their careers in the industry with a network of fellow alumni and successful fitness professionals. With the new facility they’re building in Arkansas, Matt hopes to continue expanding their mission and scaling the team to offer the program to more veterans each year.

Zach Thomas is an entrepreneur, author, coach, and speaker. In this episode, we discuss his journey from TRADOC to Seminary to Chick-Fil-A, leading and motivating people with a sense of purpose at every step of the way. Veterans make great franchise owners, leading small to medium sized teams in fast-paced operations where seamless execution is critical to success. They also serve well in roles oriented around process improvement and LEAN methodology, looking for efficiencies and cost-savings within an organization or process. Zach has cultivated a culture of process improvement within his franchise, and spearheaded the launch of the Lean6Ninja program. Zach’s career combines these disciplines of leadership and process improvement and highlights the value that military leaders bring to organizations in the form of employee development and empowerment. Check out Zach's website to get your FREE copy of Leader Farming: Growing Leaders to Grow Your Business, just pay shipping. Also take his Leadership-Style quiz and find out what kind of leadership style you trend towards. Are you a command-and-control style or passive leader? Find out HERE!

Marco Nelson transitioned from the military to a career in technology through a blend of active duty academic pursuits, a hobbyist interest in mobile app development, part-time real estate investing, and eventually additional academics immediately after his transition. He knew early on in his Navy career that he had a strong pull to develop and build mobile device applications, and pursued a path that led him to a place where he’s using software to solve real-world problems he encountered as a real estate investor. His story is a great example of extracurricular skills training and academic accomplishment while still in uniform, blending relevant career milestones with personal interests to set a foundation that positioned him well to transition to entrepreneurship. He's also a tech founder launching a startup from New Orleans, LA far from the software engineering talent mecca of Silicon Valley. We discuss the challenges this poses and how his team has grown despite being located in a city not usually known for its technology workforce. For those considering a career in application development, real-estate, or entrepreneurship this episode is for you. Follow Marco's company on LinkedIn HERE or learn more at their website GetRentCheck.com  

Tom Wolfe joins me for the 50th episode of the podcast to discuss his book Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition. Tom and I share a lot in common, we’re both Naval Academy graduates who served as Surface Warfare Officers aboard ships and subsequently transitioned to careers in military placement and talent strategy. Tom and his firm Career Development, where he was a Principal for 29 years, became a part of Bradley-Morris in 2007. During that time, Tom produced a variety of written and video content that was in use throughout the candidate preparation pipeline when I was a candidate from 2011 to early 2012. His Career College for Candidates video series shaped my early understanding of the process as a candidate, and later became the foundation of my advisory practice when I became a Candidate Recruiter in early 2012. Tom's knowledge and insight into military-to-civilian transition provides a sound model for making career decisions during transition from active duty, as well as throughout your career beyond transition. I was glad to mark the 50th episode of the podcast by having someone on whose advice is not only meaningful in a general sense, but personally meaningful to me throughout my career. Check out more from Tom at Out-of-Uniform.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Steve Hawley is a Loan Officer with Southern Trust Mortgage, and the brother of one of my recent guests John Hawley. John recommended we connect to try to get to the bottom of why he and I keep getting so much junk mail about our VA loans. Steve is an expert in residential mortgage lending and was gracious to lend about an hour of his time to answer my questions about the VA Loan program, and how veterans are marketed to and why. We discuss: The role of a mortgage broker in the process of purchasing a home. Misconceptions regarding mortgages When to check your credit and understand your financial picture (before you transition!) Steve and I also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the VA loan program, as well as the pros and cons of home ownership versus renting for Active Duty and Transitioning military personnel. My hope with this conversation was to have a really simple explanation of some of the basics around using the VA Loan and avoiding some of the potential sales pitches you might receive once you own a home.   If you'd like to know more about getting a mortgage in the Hampton Roads area, email Steve here

Today I had a great conversation with Mark Munger about the Marine for Life Network. Mark is the Regional Network Coordinator for the Southeast Region, one of the busiest and most engaged regions due to the high number of veterans that transition back to the southeast following transition. We talked about how Mark got involved with Marine for Life, and what their mission is across the country. Mark and I also dive into how marines and their families can get access to the network both during their initial separation from active duty, as well as throughout their post-service careers. I’m excited to share this episode a few days ahead of the U.S. Marine Corps’ 244th birthday this Sunday November, 10th. Founded at Tun Tavern in 1775, the Marine Corps is one of the three original branches of the armed forces founded before America’s independence. The Marine corps has a long tradition of service to our nation, and the team at Marine for Life cares deeply about continuing that tradition of service, even after Marines hang up the uniform. Check out the official M4L LinkedIn Page or Facebook Page, or follow them on Twitter.

Jamie Desautels was a supply officer in the Navy who transitioned into a logistics role with a Fortune 100 company via their military officer hiring program. He is now the Sales Director for Glen-Gery Corporation, a manufacturing leader in masonry, brick, and stone construction materials. In this episode, we talk about how his first job showed him that your military branch or MOS does not and should not predetermine what career you pursue when you get out. Jamie shares how flexible different service backgrounds really are, and the drastically different communities veterans come from in corporate hiring programs where they may share a job title. This is an encouraging conversation because Jamie has clearly benefited enormously from the way companies view veteran leadership talent. He is also holding up his end of the bargain and the promise of veterans in corporate America, leading revenue-producing teams and pushing himself and the people around him to grow. That’s only possible through the commitment his family has made along the way and throughout multiple major career transitions over the last 10 years. We touch on the impact that has had on their lives to get to the point where the hard work is finally paying off.

Dan Manning is the Founder of Firepower Concepts, a strategy practice that works with executives from business, non-profits, and government to use applied creativity to unlock ideas and solve tough problems. Dan creates what he calls a Designed Strategy, a roadmap for a strategic decision maker based on the principles of Design Thinking. He is also the author of Stuck on Stuck Street : Unstick Your Creativity for a Better Business and a Better Life. Dan retired from the U.S. Air Force where he flew the A-10 Warthog and served in diplomatic affairs and international security coordination. The second half of his career afforded him the opportunity to earn his PhD in Development Economics and International Development which drove the direction of his roles for the final 6 years of his active duty service, where he focused on foreign policy and leadership decision making. In this episode, Dan shares his belief that austerity is the father of creativity, and how he carefully launched his business during his transition from the active duty to be able to hit the ground running as his career in the Air Force came to a close. He now helps companies adapt their businesses and avoid being functionally fixed on a process but rather on pursuing opportunities in the market to produce customer value. We talk about the impact he makes with non-profits and small businesses, helping teams gain clarity on their strategic goals. Dan’s approach is to be Specific, Concise, and Prioritized. Check out more from Dan on his Applied Creativity Blog

John Wayne Mullins is an officer in the Coast Guard Reserve and the founder of JWM-Coaching LLC. His leadership coaching practice offers entrepreneurs and small business owners a formal process for actualizing structured goals. He writes frequently for LinkedIn about Employee Engagement, Succession Planning, and expanding your Comfort Zone.   We discuss his decision to start this business, gaining confidence from the support of his wife and his own personal business coach. We also dive into how to avoid distractions and learn how to say "No" when you need to prioritize your time as an entrepreneur trying to grow a new business.   Check out more of John's writing on LinkedIn HERE

Bronchae Brown is a former Marine Corps aviator and the CEO of Zoomiee, a company tackling the challenge of providing photography on-demand for attendees at school events, sporting games, and live performances who want to get out from behind their smartphone and be present in the moment. Bronchae left a lucrative career in computer science after graduating college to pursue his passion and goal of becoming an aviator in the military, accepting a commission in the U.S. Marine Corps where he served for 20 years before making the transition to civilian life and entrepreneurship in 2014. He opens up about the good and bad elements of his journey to becoming a CEO and Founder, and how his deliberate planning skills from the military gave him a solid foundation for a career in business. He shares his advice for: Planning the transition from a financial perspective, including making a budget for a 6-month sabbatical to reset priorities and take a breather before jumping into the next chapter of your career. Translating your experience and titles to avoid the resume screening algorithms that disqualify many veterans before they ever get a chance to interview for a civilian job. Pivoting to a role in sales-leadership role to gain valuable selling experience when his first attempts at launching his own business revealed a weakness in his professional skillset. How he is building a team at his startup and the confidence gained by bringing in experienced people who believe in your vision and want to contribute. Connect with Bronchae on LinkedIn Bronchae recommends: The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf

Robert Woods transitioned from the Air Force using the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to earn an education and launch his career. He is now the founder of Banneret Career Consulting, focused on helping other veterans do the same. He also hosts his own podcast called The Knight’s Tale Podcast where he interviews other veterans, employers, and talks about how companies can work with veterans to create on the job training programs. We discuss how he was able to increase his income by relocating, earning more education to advance his career, and network in a major city. Robert also shares his ambitions about impacting veteran housing, based largely on his experiences during transition trying to find a place to live in a major city while attending school.   Robert's recommendations: Listen: GaryVee’s Podcast Read: The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone  

Anthony DeToto's career is in private wealth management and in today’s conversation we hear about his transition as an Army officer, but the reason why we were introduced and the focus of this podcast is on 1836Veterans, an organization he founded to help veterans in the Houston area create small businesses in the lower-middle market. His group at 1836 believes that veterans have a competitive advantage in business due to their leadership, work-ethic, and character and that they have a natural inclination to feel comfortable with risk while creating performative teams that operate successfully in dynamic environments with incomplete information. They strive to offer a strong local network, mentorship, and experienced legal, financial and operations resources to help Houston-area veterans build successful companies. In this conversation we discuss this program, how he’s looking forward to the future of veterans in business, and his advice for others looking to start their own entrepreneurship journey.

Bill Kieffer is the President and Chief Advisor for Kieffer & Associates, LTD. He is also a TEDx speaker, former U.S. Army officer, and Ohio native. His career has focused on training, leading, and shaping organizations from within the talent management and human capital department of the companies he has worked for. I was excited to have Bill on to talk about how decisions are made at the front lines of talent management in corporate America as it relates to hiring, training, and retaining veterans. Bill's experience during his own transition and career offers a unique and complete perspective from both sides of the uniform and civilian hiring process. I was really struck with how often we agree about the topics discussed during our conversation, areas like interview readiness, asking questions during the hiring courtship process, and managing money and negotiating compensation. In this conversation, we cover best practices for a job seeker leaving the service and trying to peel back the psychology behind how companies think about their workforce and strategic talent acquisition programs. If you're interested in learning more about Bill's work with Veterans, Executive Coaching, and Strategic Talent Management check out some of the articles in the links below! Where Do You Want to Go? The Key Question for Those in Transition What Do You Mean I'm Not Your Top Priority? NOWwork, NEWwork, NETwork Four Aces of Transition Success   Do you enjoy the Veteran Influencer Podcast? Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts

Josh Duntz is a Navy EOD Master Technician experienced in leading small, high performing and dynamic teams of special operations personnel. Josh has done seemingly everything possible to engage proactively with his military-to-civilian transition. Over the last couple of years he has finished his bachelor’s degree, completed the 6-month transition fellowship with The Honor Foundation, worked with Elite Meet to network with other veterans, and is jumping into a DoD SkillBridge internship with a company on the west coast he was introduced to through Shift.org. Josh is also a founder and member of the leadership team at the Navy Special Operations Foundation, a not-for-profit organization which ensures Special Operations personnel and their families have the tools needed to overcome the challenges they face.   I wanted to talk to a currently transitioning service member like Josh because his perspective is based on a very modern, holistic approach to leveraging transition resources. During the last couple of years Josh has been deliberate about his planning and preparation for a career after the military which has positioned him ideally to get a job that he's excited about that will allow him and his wife to relocate back home to Tampa in a work-from home business development role.     Do you enjoy the Veteran Influencer Podcast? Rate and Review the show on Apple Podcasts to help us reach more veterans and service members.

Today's conversation is with John Boerstler CEO of Combined Arms, an organization helping veterans transition to Houston and the greater Texas market after their military service. John and I discuss how he is approaching this mission and the unique way his team is creating a bridge for service members looking to network, go back to school, and generally get connected to the Texas economy after their service. We also discuss briefly how the lessons learned developing regional resources like combined arms are being shared around the world with other countries. We talk about how putting former military members back to work in gainful employment is not only the right thing to do, but also a stabilizing force on countries that have been at war or recently experienced conflict and have not yet discovered how to re-deploy their service members into society. Without overstating the point, Combined Arms' mission is helping to address a challenge not only in the Houston and U.S. economies, but also around the globe in developing nations as well. Check out the Combined Arms website here to learn more about their mission and get access to their resources.

Today's conversation is with Naval Academy graduate and former nuclear-trained naval officer Tom Schwab. Tom transitioned to corporate America after his service and leads a media marketing business called Interview Valet. His focus is on making introductions between guests and podcasters to help clients tell their story and share their ideas with new audiences in a popular, high-converting medium. Their slogan is, "You are the guest, we take care of the rest." Tom's career began in the early 90’s in medical device sales where he quickly found his strength introducing people and helping create new conversations. This led him to develop a career in technology and conversation-based marketing strategies, ultimately found a business that gives him the ability to do what he loves while employing a team of 16 geographically-dispersed, remote-work marketing professionals. Listen to this episode if you're curious about what it takes to make a start in the medical device sales industry, how that skill set and experience helped someone like Tom transition to small-business ownership, and eventually entrepreneurship as a founder and CEO. If you're curious about how Tom and his team are helping companies meet and engage with new audiences through the medium of Podcast Interview Marketing, check out Interview Valet. You can download Tom's 9 Secrets to Getting Booked on Your First Podcast and his Ultimate Podcast Guest Checklist.      

Jon Macaskill is a U.S. Navy SEAL, Mindfulness Practitioner, Expert Monotasker, and Certified Wrong Thinker. After 20+ years as both an enlisted sailor and a commissioned officer, he is transitioning out of the military and launching a mindfulness and emotional intelligence coaching company - Macaskill Consulting, aiming to bring meditation, mindfulness, and EQ to organizations and creating a strategic advantage within high-performing teams. In this conversation Jon defines terms like meditation and mindfulness and discusses common misconceptions surrounding these practices, as well as shares his first encounters with the discipline and how it helped him both at home and at work in stressful situations. We also get into how he decided to create a business for himself as a part of his transition based on input from a trusted mentor. This episode covers the financial planning that has gone into his transition strategy, how he has begun building his business in order to respect the DoD -- Civilian balance, and his long-awaited cross-country road trip in the family RV.

Claude Burns is the CEO and founder of Office Libations. After exiting the Navy following six years as an Information Professional Officer, Claude attended the MIT Sloan School of Management where he earned his MBA, taking the plunge directly into entrepreneurship after graduation. In 2014 he founded Noble Brewer by scaling-up specialty craft beer recipes created by homebrewers and delivered them by mail to consumers across the country in gift boxes. Although this business was showing signs of success, in 2018 he launched his current company which has grown to almost 20 employees while answering a clear demand signal from his customers. For those of you considering entrepreneurship, this is a great example of how to pivot and adapt when you're receiving market signals, as well as a good example of a post-MBA career track that doesn't just lead into investment banking or consulting. We discuss how he's been tackling challenges, some of the lessons he's learned as an entrepreneur, and the best parts about launching a business and seeing a successful idea gain traction and begin to grow. Connect with Claude on LinkedIn HERE  Check out Office Libations HERE Do you live in San Diego and enjoy $.25 Beer?

John Cordle, Dr. Eng, leads a 12 person team at Huntington Ingalls Industries teaching Maintenance Management to over 12,000 U. S. Navy personnel, including all officer pipeline training across the waterfront. He is the USNI Proceedings Author of the Year and Surface Navy Literary Award winner for 2018, having written about implementing a Circadian Rhythm watch rotation while serving as CO of the USS San Jacinto (CG-56). His crew was awarded the 2010 Vice Admiral Bulkeley Safety Award for improved watch stander resilience. In our conversation, John shares what it was like when he transitioned to a role with Huntington Ingalls Industries in mid-2013 with the goal of remaining in the local area, where a high concentration of other senior officers with similar experiences were vying for jobs at a time when sequestration had disrupted the local job market. We also cover how he made the decision to pursue additional academics as a civilian, and what led him to earn his Dr. Eng from ODU while also traveling extensively for work and leading a geographically dispersed team.   Finally, we talk about how he has found a way to give back to the Navy and is working to help veterans after transition deal with the impact of their service on their circadian rhythms, physiology, and overall well-being.

If you are an active-duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces with 12-18 months before the end of your service commitment, you have to check out this episode! Today's conversation is with Tyler Bloecher, one of our newest Recruiting Managers and the first-ever DoD SkillBridge Fellow that we've had here at Bradley-Morris. This program is relatively new and is designed to connect active-duty service members with fellowship opportunities at companies during their final six months of service to expose them to new career skills and facilitate a smoother and more informed transition process. Tyler and I discuss how he first learned about SkillBridge, the steps he took to pave the way for approval with his chain of command, and what he's doing now to make sure as many service-members as possible are aware of this great DoD program. Learn how you can test-drive your next role through a DoD SkillBridge fellowship by connecting to Tyler on LinkedIn or through email at tyler.bloecher@bradley-morris.com.

John Hawley is a Naval Officer, Nuclear Engineer by training, Building Construction major, and has been improving high performance/high stress teams as a design thinking expert. He has created and facilitated course work to 7,000+ people via intimate workshops and off-site events across the Navy, DoD, and now increasingly within civilian organizations and companies. He has received numerous accolades in human centered design including recognition as THE premier course for the Navy and considered among the top programs of the Department of Defense. John has done all of this while still serving actively, juggling his responsibilities to his "day job" while simultaneously planning his transition to entrepreneurship in the spring of 2020. We had an opportunity in this episode to discuss: How he began leading facilitated leadership and planning engagements His approach to building teams and his process as a facilitator The careful steps he has taken to create a business while still active duty Valuable lessons learned from his work to develop awareness for his brand Check out John's website here and connect with him on LinkedIn here.

Matthew J. Louis is an expert in career transition for veterans and public service professionals. He coaches individuals on their transition efforts and advises employers on hiring programs designed to successfully assimilate these valuable talent pools. He is the author of the forthcoming book Mission Transition, a practical guide for veterans in transition and their employers. In this conversation, we had a chance to hear some of his advice from the book, through the lens of his own transition story which began in the mid 90's with business school. When I reflect on the conversations I've had with other officers about what to do outside of the military, I struggle to imagine a more successful or competitive path than that which Matthew has followed throughout his career. His perspective on transition is also a compelling approach to career management and self-promotion in general, and follows a deliberate model to walk job-seekers through the process. I was also surprised at how closely his advice aligns with the advice I've given other officers who were working with Bradley-Morris during their transition. Having seen a sneak peek of his manuscript, I found myself nodding my head as I was walking through his process step by step. If you're interested in learning more about his upcoming transition guide, check out this episode! If you want to learn more about where to find your copy, go to Matthew's website by clicking here.

Chandra Adusei is a 2005 graduate of the US Naval Academy, former Surface Warfare Officer, and Senior Managing Partner at Veteran Wealth Partners, a firm dedicated to helping Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners discover innovative and alternative solutions to the traditional model of planning, scaling, and protecting a business. After serving aboard a Frigate and a Cruiser, as well as spending a year deployed overseas to Afghanistan, she transitioned to the civilian sector as a Systems Engineer. After promoting through a variety of roles at several major companies in southern CA, Chandra made the decision to become an entrepreneur and start her own business. In this conversation, we discuss how she planned her transition, some of the leadership challenges she faced after leaving the active duty, and how she approaches her current line of work serving a variety of customers from small and family owned businesses.  

Defense Health Agency’s Connected Health Branch is the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) innovative provider of behavioral health technologies, supporting DoD’s goals for increasing access to care, establishing best practices and standards and reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health services. Dr. Julie Kinn works for Defense Health Agency’s Connected Health Branch to help develop mobile apps and online resources to improve the lives of service members, veterans, and their families. These mobile and online tools are free, easy to use, and trusted by members of the military community. Some of the apps include: Breathe2Relax, DreamEZ, Virtual Hope Box, and T2 Mood Tracker. In this conversation we discuss why and how the DHA is working to bring these resources into the lives of service members, veterans, and their families through technology and how beginning small habits like a few minutes of daily reflection and meditation can be a great way to care for your mental health and wellness during your career transition out of the military. We also had a great opportunity to dive into the way this transition impacts families, and what the DHA has done to address children that are navigating the transition process along with their military parents. Check out the DHA podcast page here or on iTunes at the following links: A Better Night’s Sleep, Military Meditation Coach and Next Generation Behavioral Health You can also follow Connected Health on Facebook and Twitter

In this episode I was excited to talk to Kirk Petty, a candidate Bradley-Morris placed about 12 years ago as he transitioned from the Marine Corps to a career in the power-generation industry. Kirk's time at Capstone Turbine has exposed him to a variety of roles and functions, leading to his current title as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing. Capstone manufactures a comprehensive lineup of clean-and-green microturbines that are able to run on a variety of gaseous or liquid fuels ranging from Natural Gas and Propane to things like Landfill Gas or Aviation Fuel. This flexible fuel format along with their small size and modular design allow these power-generation turbines to be located remotely or within a distributed power generation grid in order to meet customer needs for power production wherever or whenever their work necessitates. During our conversation, Kirk and I talk about his transition and the process of rising through the ranks and promoting to his current role as an operations manager. We cover certifications and academic credentials that he was able to tackle while still on the active duty, and how he was able to take his aviation flight-line experience and bring that into this new manufacturing environment while also developing a brand new set of skills.  

Today I spoke with Lieutenant Colonel Robin Johnson, Employment Director with the Army's Soldier for Life (SFL) program. Recently completed with Battalion command, Robin has joined the SFL team with the goals of raising awareness of the program and developing a culture of life-long engagement beyond merely the transition assistance program. In this episode we discuss her career and approach to the program, what the Army is doing to bridge the gap with employers and create a more opportunities for soldiers transitioning to civilian life, and the larger impact on force readiness and career development that a strong transition program lends to the operational military. This is an important conversation because we discuss most of the key resources soldiers should be looking into when planning their transition. There's a lot we didn't touch on, but I'm glad our conversation created something of an action plan for those who are listening and beginning the process of planning a civilian career.   Robin's Email Robin's LinkedIn Soldier For Life LinkedIn Soldier For Life Website

David Gutierrez is an active duty naval officer and co-founder of Storehouse 3:10 Ventures, a turnkey real estate business focused on offering cash-flowing real estate investment opportunities to the military and veterans, while upholding the ideals of honesty, integrity, and giving back to the community. In this episode we speak about his company, how he and his Naval Academy room mate made the decision to go into business as partners, and how he's managing these responsibilities while also serving as an XO in the active duty Navy. David shares his thoughts on generating passive income and how that might enable others to execute their own transition with more security and financial stability. If you're interested in connecting with David or learning more about turnkey real estate investment, check out his website here or email him at storehouse.ventures@gmail.com. Book recommendation: Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki Resource recommendation: Active Duty Passive Income  

Today's guest is an alumnus of the Bradley-Morris placement process. Barrett Scruggs graduated from West Point and served in the Army as an officer for 5 years before making the transition to corporate banking via the Military Officer Leadership Program at Citi. He is now the Director of the Workforce Management Department at leading investment and banking firm Sofi based in Salt Lake City, UT. Barrett began his journey working with another recruiter and made his way to Bradley-Morris during his transition when our team reached out about a role with Citi on their consumer banking team. In this conversation, we catch up about how that program shaped him to do what he's doing today and cover topics like: -His decision to follow a mentor to SoFi from Citi. -Banking Operations - what is the difference between consumer or investment or corporate banking? -Differences between understanding military organization and structure, adapting to the culture. -Attacking the first 90 days at his new job. -Learning to trust the team and your peers without a shared service background. -First major project wins and seeing the fruits of a good plan.  -How to know when the time is right to transition from the military.   Book recommendation: The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho  How to contact Barrett: Twitter @CBScruggs Instagram BarrettScruggs  

I had an opportunity to interview Chris Moreira, US Marine Corps Aviator and the CEO of TeleDrip - a platform that uses AI to connect consumers and businesses. Chris and I met a few weeks ago at the LeadsCon 2019 trade show for marketing and technology where he was a panelist discussing how companies are keeping pace with advancements in marketing technology. Chris was gracious enough to offer to share his time and his transition story on the podcast, as well as his advice about how to create a vision for what you want to become as you exit the service. In this episode, we talk about how he made his decision to pursue an MBA at UNC Chapel Hill while finishing his time on active duty, his choice to leave the service, and how he found his way in the world of technology and entrepreneurship.

Today's guest is Tom Kent - CEO and Founder of CareerNerds.com, a professional coaching and networking strategy site aimed at offering insights and strategy to those in career transition. Tom began his military career after graduating from West Point in the mid 90's, serving as an Intelligence Officer stationed in Europe and Asia. After transitioning to a civilian career in Project Management, Tom pursued and earned his MBA from the University of Texas Austin with a focus in Marketing. Following his master's studies, Tom spent 14 years in various senior level Marketing positions within the software and tech industry, helping companies identify and acquire new customers, brand themselves effectively, and grow their sales figures. In his current role at CareerNerds.com he helps career minded professionals market themselves to employment opportunities with a focus on personal brand and Unique Selling Proposition, future goals and growing without the past getting in the way, and optimizing social media profiles and strategy to help job seekers network more effectively to land their desired job interviews. You can connect with Tom and learn more about his work at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tom-kent-coaching/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaskent/

Todd Crevier is the founder and President of New England Adventures, a not-for-profit organization which hosts all-expense-paid outdoor sporting and therapeutic outdoor activities for New England veterans, current service members, and their families. Todd is a retired Sergeant First Class with the US Army and a disabled combat veteran. After being medically retired from the Army Todd wanted to reignite the sense of purpose and community he felt while he was on active duty. After a trip to Yellowstone national park with his family, he made the decision to dedicate himself fully to offering veterans a connection to the outdoors in order to help them recover mentally, physically, and spiritually from the trauma of their service, or from a rocky re-integration to civilian life. Todd's journey has involved a lot of self-guided research into how to found and fund a nonprofit organization, and ultimately led him to complete his master's degree in nonprofit management as way to turn his vision into a reality. To learn more about how to begin your New England Adventure, check out Todd's website at New England Adventures or connect with Todd on LinkedIn.