Veterans In Business Show with James Van Prooyen

Faizun Kamal is an author, speaker, and coach! She is the CEO and founder of the Franchise Consulting Company. Faizun is driven to create significant life changes through entrepreneurship, specifically franchising. This stems from her own personal experience as what she calls, a corporate refugee. She loves working with military and veterans and has so much value to offer Veteran Business Community! 

Mike grew up around the military as his dad was involved in the Army for 41 years. Mike was a great athlete from a young age and could have tried both baseball or football. He chose to pursue football and played college football before realizing that his dream of playing professional football was not to be. After trying college after returning home, he quickly realized he wanted something else. Mike joined the Army and served eight years as a combat medic. After getting out Mike went back to school and got a business degree. In 2015 he founded Heroes Sports as a non profit. Heroes Sports wants to be an example for others going through issues transitioning from the combat zone to civilian life and show ways that would assist in their transition. 

John is a Marine veteran who served twenty three years as a pilot. He currently is serving now in a different capacity as he works for the State Department in Iraq. He has a great life story and it was such an honor to get to hear John tell about what he has taken with him and all he has given to others in his service to date. His love for great salad dressing and his finding there just wasn't very good options for good salad dressing led him to create his own. Semper Savage was born. John says he is on a global crusade to bring great tasting, homemade salad dressing to the World.

Greg, a West Point Army graduate and veteran, discovered his aha moment in business when he found an idea around his own product in the area of promotional products. His story is one of persistence and determination. Greg founded Lunar Branding LLC to provide quality and unique promotional products and services for any companies target market.

Laura retired from the United States Air Force at the rank of CMSgt after almost 28 years! Shortly before leaving the Air Force, Laura started preparing to both a leadership and personal growth coach. She has done so much in her life already and used her background and experience to move into business for herself. She is a certified Proctor Gallagher Coach, and has helped over a 100 CEO's, Executives, and Entreprenuer's live a more focused life.

Heather, an Army veteran is a very self motivated action taker! After leaving the Army, she took a few different jobs that were sales related. She started thinking about doing her own business while at a marketing event put on by ClickFunnels founder, Russel Brunson. Heather around this time started getting used to being on video by getting help from her daughter on the social media app, Tic Toc. She has really enjoyed learning how and helping others create and implement sales funnels and growth hacking for business. She is someone who just kind of figures it out. She created the community around this she calls Digital Warrior HQ.

William is a Marine veteran who started off in business by opening a Martial Arts Gym in Southern California. He credits his work ethic and strong desire to learn anything fast and then quickly implement to his business success. William then moved into understanding marketing and opened up his own business helping other small businesses with both their Search Engine Optimization as well as other marketing practices. There are a lot of lessons we talk about that he has and continues to learn to make a difference in business and life.

David is an Active Duty Marine, and is also the founder of From Military to Millionaire. From Military to Millionaire is all about helping provide training and resources for military and veterans to be able to build wealth through real estate investing, entrepreneurship, and understanding personal finance. David has bought and sold over 50 rental units since 2015. He has purchased a house hack, apartment, mixed-use building, house flip(s), raw land, and is working on his first apartment syndication! 

Zack served in Atlanta as a police officer. He later decided he wanted to join the Army National Guard and further serve. Through a situation that happened as a police officer, Zack decided to start a business to solve a problem that he saw. The business he founded in 2017, Knight Protection Services LLC, was started out of seeing the need to protect personal property and do a better job at serving personal security and home protection services. Zack was sent to Afghanistan shortly after starting the business and has learned a lot through managing a business while serving the country at the same time.

Jonathon Bates, Active Duty Navy and business owner talks about how he got started in business and the importance of systems and processes. He has served 24 years in the Navy and has launched multiple businesses in this time period.

Jacob levin joined the Army as an Infantry Officer. His military service was cut short by an injury sustained in a car accident. He used fitness to get healthy. He spent time as a firefighter and used this time as well to get into better physical shape. Through mentors and fellow trainers, Jacob decided to start his own business around fitness and personal training, specifically focusing on taking it online. 

Bryan Jacobs served in the Navy and spent time in direct support of the war efforts after September 11, 2001 as a Navy Corpsman. After his service, Bryan struggled to find a job that would be fulfilling. He also struggled to adjust to life after the military and discover who the real Bryan was outside of his role in the military. The thing that stuck for Bryan was his love for cooking. Bryan went to Culinary School at the Institut Paul Bocuse. He was able to be a private chief for the Busch family among others. This led to Bryan founding Vets 2 Success to train others coming out of the military that wanted to learn to be a chief. He also recently founded Reveille Meals.   

Anthony Gantt launched his business while still an Active Duty Marine. Anthony is currently a Marine officer instructor at the University of Texas at Austin. His business that he recently launched, At Ease Rentals, is a short-term rental service, similar to Airbnb, but specifically for active military members. Anthony is also a big part of the Military and Veteran entrepreneurship scene in Austin as a prior member of Bunker Labs Veterans In Residence program, and a current city leader for Bunker Labs in Austin.

Marcus Aurelius Anderson joined the Army at an older age than most and just wanted to serve his country in the infantry. He suffered a severe spinal injury on duty that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Marcus had his life turned upside down, and after dying twice on the operating table, he was told he would never be able to walk or use his hands again. In this time he chose to not become a victim but instead use this adversity to change his mindset and impact others. Marcus is now a Author, Mindset Coach, as well as a public speaker.

Marketing and how well it is done is a big part of any business. A very common name when it comes to marketing in the last 30 years, is Joe Polish. According to his website, Joe is one of the most sought after marketers alive today. He is the founder of a high end professional business network, the Genius Network. He has helped build thousands of businesses both directly and indirectly through this group as well as his consultant work. Joe cofounded two podcasts, 10X Talk and iLoveMarketing podcasts. Joe has overcome isolation and drug addiction to now what he calls the opposite of isolation, connection. 

Looking to start your own business or project? Don’t miss this episode’s tips and tricks for success straight from the Mutt Sauce Founder, Charlynda Scales. Charlynda, the CEO of Mutt’s Sauce and a US Air Force veteran, joins host James Van Prooyen on Veterans in Business Show to discuss the path that led her not only into the military but also into the world of entrepreneurship. Charlynda talks about family legacy, googling questions about starting a small business, and lessons that she still carries with her from the military. Charlynda and James even swap a few book recommendations for all you bookworms out there.

Paul Volpe had a long and successful Army career of 28 years doing things like being a Drill Sergeant and an Armer crewman. He graduated the Army Sergeants Major Academy in 2006. Paul talks about how through experiences he had toward the end of his military career, it shaped what he launched in business. He leveraged his knowledge and experience of corporate partnerships to then help develop military hiring programs with hundreds of Fortune 500 companies. He cofounded  Forward March INC in 2013 to provide companies with outstanding military talent. They specialize in bringing elite leader training to businesses and organizations.

Richard Brion of Revolution Agriculture, is a Navy veteran who took what he experienced in Afghanistan with the problem of lack of a good agriculture growing options to develop his business idea. Richard talks about using technology to bring prebuilt farms that can then be placed to grow high quality food hyper-locally. His story is one of a true trendsetter and tenacity!

Valerie Rivera is a City Leader for the Bunker Labs Omaha Chapter. Valerie talks to us about her time in the Air Force as a Mandarin Linguist. She loved the process improvement part of her job and decided to leave Active Duty to pursue a business helping with both Culture and Design Thinking.

Avery Skipalis, an Active Duty Air Force Master Sergeant, joined the podcast to talk starting and running a business while still serving on active duty. Avery founded Skip Tactical Solutions February of 2018 and also has her own podcast, Skip’s Tactical Solutions Podcast. There is a lot to take away from her story!

Shelly Rood, an Army veteran, took some time to talk about how her childhood upbringing and instilled work ethic gained by working construction in Detroit helped her excel in the years following high school. Shelly talk a little bit about her life journey that led her to time serving in the Army National Guard and then her other endeavors that ranged from some business attempts and then later a job as a consultant. Then Shelly founded Mission Ambition LLC, her company that includes public speaking and events to include personal development seminars. Shelly also founded a community called Missila that offers products for and encouragment for strong women.

Jaime Scott, an Air Force veteran, talks on the podcast about leaving the Air Force and finding success but also wanting more. Her hard work and determination led her to start and grow a cleaning company, Cosmopolitan Cleaning originating in Colorado Springs. Through some health challenges to her and her family, Jaime has found something that has worked for her and that is Hemp and CBD based products. She is now looking at ways to use business to bring awareness and training as The Hempuralist.

Sean Douglas, an Active Duty Air Force Technical Sergeant, joined the podcast to talk starting and running a business while still serving on active duty. Sean has started multiple businesses  and sold one of the businesses and is now growing out not only himself as a speaker, but a speaker training business, The Success Corps. He is also the founder of his own podcast, Life Transformation Radio.

Ron Tuch, founder of Red Pill Rebellion, an Amazon Fulfillment FBA Seller, and former professional Poker Player, came on the Veterans In Business Show to tell about all the lessons he has learned in his business and life journey. Ron, an Army veteran, talks about why he joined the branch he did, a little bit about his military experiences, and how he took some of this background and is using it to travel and create a business for himself. He has a lot of great takeaways that he shares in this episode.    

Jason Hewitt, the founder of Illustrata: Brand Enlightenment, joined the Veterans In Business Show and shared his story of how it was he joined the Navy and how it would take an interesting direction. Not that any job or career isn’t interesting, but Jason’s is one that was plenty memorable. Jason talks how he turned his creative side into helping use this natural skill to help businesses. He does this specifically through brand messaging. We even talk a little podcasting!

Isiah Beauchamp, the founder and CEO of TruChampions, joined the Veterans In Business Show to talk about how he went into the Marines, and used education to launch his transition that led to both employment at Ford, as well as him founding his company, TruChampions. Isiah is a great example of how hard work and dedication can go along way to getting what you want. He helps others on their educational journey. You’re going to want to listen to his story!

Jenn Nelson, the founder of Wine Antics as well as cofounder of Ladies Go Live, joined the Veterans In Business Show to talk about how her journey through the Army and beyond which has led to being involved in new media, specifically Live Video shows. Jenn talks lessons she has learned through her Wine Antics show, and the opportunity to get a message of all things wine in a way maybe not covered by traditional media. This is a fun  conversation and why not when talking wine!

Dwayne Paro, the host of the Charlie Mike Podcast as well as the Founder of Landmark Life Coaching, joined the Veterans In Business Show to talking about his path into the Air Force and then his life post military service. Dwayne comes from a family of people serving in the armed services. He talks about what led to the launch of his podcast as well as starting his own coaching company. He shares what he has learned through his experiences and many podcast interviews.

Lindsey Germono, the host of the Drop and Give Me 20 Podcast as well as the Founder of Germono Advertising Company, joined the Veterans In Business Show to talk about her journey of both becoming a military spouse and a business owner. She grew up understanding the importance of making a profit as she helped out around the cash register in her grandfathers business. Lindsey had so much great advice on filling a need and talking to others about problems that both her and others are experiencing, and doing something about it. This was a fun conversation!

Scott Bradshaw of Laid Back Enterprise LLC, joined the Veterans In Business Show to give some of his lessons learned. He quickly explains how all the training and jobs such as working in a hardware store in his youth have helped on his entrepreneurial journey. Scott has taken advantage of opportunities and is able to implement.

It was an honor to get to work with and know Troy Collins at the end of my time in the Air Force. Troy really has a lot of life experience that have helped him in business. He spent time as part of the Army Corps of Engineers, recently retiring and returning to business. Troy gives some great advice to other Veterans In Business.

Bonnie is the CEO of Bonnie L. Silver Inc! She is an author, speaker, and consultant! This is just of the few things she is involved in! This Army veteran has an incredible story and journey! Her heart is one of connecting and advocating to help other veterans! Prepare to gain value!

Valerie Ellis, of Luminary Global, LLC, stopped by the studio and talks about her journey! There was one name that came up so many times in the Tampa Bay community! That was Valerie! She talks about how she got in the Army, and progressed well with her determination! The void she saw drove her to make a difference in the local community to help transitioning service members! You will want to listen to her story!

It was great to learn about how Lee Rainer entered into his service in the Army! There are so many lessons from his story that will help in both life and business! Lee's experience in both the Army and then the State Department have served him well! He tells how finding and taking advantage of opportunity can serve us well! Lee Rainer is the Sr. Manager and owner of LRAssociates LLC. You will want to hear this episode!

Richard of Quick Clips LLC and lead instructor at Learn To Shoot Again came from a family of public services! He chose to serve and entered the United States Army! He served honorably and after his military career, returned to the battlefield as a government contractor! He suffered an injury from an explosion that took a leg and an arm! Richard did not let this stop him and did not cause him to sit around feeling sorry for himself! He still had a lot to give as he started talking to a lot of others with similar special needs! This lead to the development of his business, Quick Clips LLC! His journey is one of inspiration! 

David and Amy Rowland talk about their journey from idea to implementation and continuous development of Play Across America, a crowdsourced playground guide! There have already been so many lessons they have learned as they find a way to stay with this idea because they see the need! David is still an Active Duty officer in the United States Army, so he balances service, family, as well as this business! You will want to hear all about it!

Tyler Sheff of the Cash Flow Guys podcast takes some time to drop value for the Veterans In Business Community! Tyler, a former Army Military Police, explains his journey from his youth when he would cause trouble for fun, then into his military experience! His story takes many interesting turns and challenges! Through it all, he has turned them all into making it all work! You will leave both motived and challenged!           

John Van Horn of Veteran Unmanned Solutions joins the Veteran In Business Show and talk his journey from his first day of freshman orientation, to later that day his entry into the Air Force! His story is nothing short of amazing! This 2012 Pat Tillman Scholar has so many value nuggets to drop! This is must listen!

Navy veteran Bill Nowicki comes into the Veterans In Business Show community and tells his story of what it was like to be on a submarine as well as how that impacted him later! He is a fellow podcaster who has been a mentor for the past few years! He know has a podcast around the area he lives in, Marietta, Georgia! He drops awesome value learned on his journey!    

In this episode, Ben Brown who resides in the Tampa area talks sales! This former Marine brings so much value into the Veterans In Business community! He discusses his journey after his military career and how he got into business! His book, Master The Art of Closing the Sale, breaks the sales process down into 10 steps that when followed, produces great results! Get ready to learn from a great leader!  

This is a very special episode for me to bring to the listener! Chris Krimitsos founded a podcast conference in the Tampa Bay area called Florida Podfest! It was this community as well as Tampa Bay Business Owners Organization that inspired not only this podcast but the Military Podcast Network! Learn more about why podcasting is so powerful! Check out podfest.us for the next podcasting conference! 

I met Aaron in a interesting way! We connected via a social media post on Gary Vaynerchuk's Facebook Fan Page! This was such a great interview to hear about his story of getting into public speaking! You will love his passion!    

It was awesome for me to get a chance to interview a prior supervisor of mine in the Air Force for this podcast! Paul Ruiz retired recently at the rank of CMSgt! He tells how it was he decided to try his hand in business! We learn the importance of paper work and great people around you! 

Excited to have the first guest come in and talk veteran business! We met at the biggest podcast conference, Podcast Movement, in 2015! Ivan made a huge impression on me! Here we go!

This is the introduction to what to expect on this podcast! I talk about why it is coming out!