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"My pathway to Richmond was indirect. My ability to stay at Richmond was also pretty creative, but the school holds a very special place in my heart because I had to fight for it."Today on As Spiders Do, Brandon Shelton, '98 shares his journey from UR's Army ROTC to Ranger School and Military Intelligence to founding a company that invests in veteran founders. Tune in to hear how his lily-pad mindset has helped him build resilience throughout his life.Editing by Charlotte Haneke, Assistant Director of Student and Young Grad Programming, and Maggie Johnson, '18, Associate Director of Regional & Young Grad Engagement. Episode music by FASSounds from Pixabay.Nominate someone to be on our show by emailing alumni@richmond.edu.
Our 48th episode brings first time guest Brandon Shelton! We take a deep timeline dive on comic book movies, and we mean deep! We also touch on a ton of news including D23 and those announcements! All of this and your usual schenanigans from The Comics Exchange!
Brandon Shelton - Removing the Barriers to Capital for Veterans, TFX Capital Brandon grew up in rural Virginia. He was part of a long line of military service. This led him to utilize the ROTC program and attend the University of Richmond. After being commissioned as an Airborne Infantry Officer in the U.S Army. and serving for eight years he landed himself on Wall Street. This was the beginning of Brandon's experience in the financial realm. He worked hard and received his MBA from Duke University. It was through these years that Brandon began the passion and desire to remove the barriers to capital for veterans. He firmly believes that Veterans make great startup founders because of their experience in service. According to the Small Business Administration, 1 in 10 small businesses in the United States are owned and operated by Veterans. This is despite that less than half a percent of the the U.S. population has served in the military. Knowing this in 2015 Brandon founded TFX Capital Task Force X Capital Management Started in 2015, TFX Capital “invests in service driven, high performing and commercially tested former military and national security leaders.” Learn More Visit Brandon Shelton's LinkedIn Profile Visit Task Force X Capital Management Check out their Instagram @taskforcexcap Email: bshelton@tfxcap.com VeteranCrowd Network Our "forever promise" is to build the veteran and military spouse community a place to connect and engage. VeteranCrowd is simply a national network of veterans, veteran led businesses and the resources they need to prosper. Subscribe to stay in touch. Discount Heroes by VeteranCrowd Network Why do thousands of merchants put us through a bootcamp to join their loyalty program? Why do they make checkout an obstacle course? It's embarrassing. Time consuming. Intrusive. Cumbersome. Broken. Why? Because no one ever built a simple & secure way to validate our veteran status at checkout. Until now. Want to be recognized at select merchants simply by swiping your existing Visa card? Join our waitlist and be one of the first veterans to have this power in your wallet. About Your Host Bob Louthan is a VMI Graduate, Army veteran, and executive with over 25 years of experience in mergers, acquisitions and private capital formation. He founded the VeteranCrowd Network to bring veterans and veteran-led businesses together with each other and the resources they need to prosper.
Brandon Shelton - Removing the Barrier to Capital for Veterans, TFX Capital Brandon grew up in rural Virginia. He was part of a long line of military service. This led him to utilize the ROTC program and attend the University of Richmond. After being commissioned as an Airborne Infantry Officer in the U.S Army. and serving for eight years he landed himself on Wall Street. This was the beginning of Brandon's experience in the financial realm. He worked hard and received his MBA from Duke University. It was through these years that Brandon began the passion and desire to remove the barriers to capital for veterans. He firmly believes that Veterans make great startup founders because of their experience in service. According to the Small Business Administration, 1 in 10 small businesses in the United States are owned and operated by Veterans. This is despite that less than half a percent of the the U.S. population has served in the military. Knowing this in 2015 Brandon founded TFX Capital. Task Force X Capital Management Started in 2015, TFX Capital “invests in service driven, high performing and commercially tested former military and national security leaders.” Learn More Visit Brandon Shelton's LinkedIn Profile Visit Task Force X Capital Management Check out their Instagram @taskforcexcap VeteranCrowd Network Our "forever promise" is to build the veteran and military spouse community a place to connect and engage. VeteranCrowd is simply a national network of veterans, veteran led businesses and the resources they need to prosper. Subscribe to stay in touch. by VeteranCrowd Network Why do thousands of merchants put us through a bootcamp to join their loyalty program? Why do they make checkout an obstacle course? It's embarrassing. Time consuming. Intrusive. Cumbersome. Broken. Why? Because no one ever built a simple & secure way to validate our veteran status at checkout. Until now. Want to be recognized at select merchants simply by swiping your existing Visa card? Join our waitlist and be one of the first veterans to have this power in your wallet. About Your Host Bob Louthan is a VMI Graduate, Army veteran, and executive with over 25 years of experience in mergers, acquisitions and private capital formation. He founded the VeteranCrowd Network to bring veterans and veteran-led businesses together with each other and the resources they need to prosper.
Entrepreneurship is hard, it requires guts, sacrifice, and the willingness to endure, which is one of many reasons why Today's guest, Brandon Shelton, is bullish about investing in veteran-led startups. Brandon is an Army Veteran, as well as the Founder and Managing Partner of Tasks Force Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in service-driven, high-performing and commercially tested military and national security startups, led by Veterans who have a passion for solving real-world issues by using technology to build ideas that are net new to our society. Brandon is a bit of a contrarian when it comes to venture investing. He has strong views about what's wrong with the industry, which we'll get into on the show, and believes too much emphasis is placed on funds and their leadership, and not the founders. If you're thinking about raising capital or are already in the process of doing so, make sure you get out some pen and paper for today's show. Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8NeOrder my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kgLearn more about Tasks Force Capital here: https://tfxcap.com
The United States military has been the archetype for innovation and power around the world. Over the last two decades, faults within the system have become alarming evident. And the venture industry has the solution. In this episode, we will examine the force and ingenuity behind VCs and how they can disrupt the archaic processes behind our country's defense framework. We hear from experts how VC-backed startups can form better partnerships with the Pentagon to yield a safer, more competitive America for all. Ted Schlein, General Partner at Ballistic Ventures and Kleiner Perkins, shares how the VC industry has progressed in cybersecurity and discusses how VC-backed startups in cybersecurity can navigate selling their products to the federal government. Michael Brown, Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in the U.S. Department of Defense, provides the perspective from the intersection of the federal government and VC to the conversation. Michael explains the challenges faced by VC-backed companies while partnering with the Pentagon, and how the Pentagon is reforming the acquisition process. Shaan Gandhi M.D., D.Phil., 2022 NVCA Rising Star winner, recalls his story of the power of drug development that motivated him to support the next generation of biotechnology companies.Brandon Shelton, Managing Partner of TFX Capital, explains why military veterans bring unique value to the VC industry and offers advice to veterans wanting to launch their own startups. To register for our events, or to learn more about the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) visit our website.
Brandon Shelton loved jumping out of airplanes as an airborne officer. After leaving the service and working on Wall Street, Brandon is now co-founder of TFX Capital which backs high performing veterans who are domain experts tackling nasty problems. Veterans make up 0.5% of the population but start 10% of the small businesses in America – making veterans an attractive demographic to invest behind. In the 1960s, US government funding helped create the first boom in Silicon Valley. TFX Capital is helping to create a new investment ecosystem around veterans that will perhaps create the next golden age of interaction between Silicon Valley and the US Military.
This week we have a conversation with Brandon Shelton, Founder and Managing Partner at TFX Capital, an early-stage venture firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina which backs founders with a military background.
Brandon Shelton is Managing Partner of TFX Capital, a Venture Capital firm that invests exclusively in veteran-founded companies.
In this incredibly powerful, raw, and motivating interview, we hear Brandon's story of persistence, belief, and perseverance. He is the product of hard work and determination, and I was incredibly grateful for the insights and wisdom he shared! Follow him and check out his firm, Task Force X Capital.Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)
Brandon Shelton is the Founder and Managing Partner of Task Force X Capital, one of the few venture capital firms in the southeast dedicated to growing startups and early-stage businesses that are led by veterans. After participating in ROTC at the University of Richmond and earning his bachelors in Business Administration, Brandon was commissioned as an Airborne Infantry Officer in the U.S Army. During his time in the military, he completed the Ranger School and also served as a Military Intelligence Officer. Brandon received his MBA from Duke University which launched his career in investment banking. His passion for investment banking led him to roles at companies such as Barclays, JP Morgan, and McKinney Rogers. In addition to Founding TFX, Brandon's position on the Advisory Council for Veteran Business Affairs allows him to give back to the veteran community. We sat down with Brandon to talk business, veterans, and his experience in the military on the VeteranCrowd Spotlight. Visit his LinkedIn Profile here Visit Task Force X Capital here Check out their instagram @taskforcexcap Visit the VeteranCrowd Network here
Brandon Shelton comes from one of those long lines of military and he was ROTC in college, then active service, then reserves. He was a bond trader and landed right in the middle of the financial crisis so he has seen much, if not all. Their firm is a tech VC firm backing B-B, SAS companies that have security businesses with leaders that make good decisions under pressure. And they have that pressure now - and all have responded well so far. Matt Abrams was a board member for one of the portfolio companies and has become a strong member of the firm. Also from a military family, Matt has spent the last years in enterprise software. This current "downturn" is the third he has witnessed, so he is a veteran of more than just the military. Remote working is nothing new to Matt so the current lockdown situation is pretty transparent. For Matt, we have a tremendous opportunity now to rethink how we do business moving forward from the COVID impact. In the meantime, Brandon feels that only an amazing company, with a great investment price tag, will induce them to make any new investments. For now, they'll focus on the companies they currently back.
In this interview with Brandon, we discuss:The inspiration behind the creation of LeadShieldThe surprising thing Brandon found in the process of creating LeadShieldThe growth strategies Brandon's used for his 3 SaaSHis use of Mechanical Sequences to plan his promotionsThe importance of keeping customers happy and offering a great productThe two parts to effective email marketingThe benefit of segmenting your listWhy you want to collect the lead first and weed out the bad leads laterThe importance of understanding your ideal target market when developing a SaaSYou can connect with Brandon:LeadShield.ioDiscount page: go.leadshield.io/databeatsOn Facebook as Brandon Shelton - send him a friend request
Blogging can be big business. There’s money to be made if you create valuable content that people can find. Often because it’s a virtual business blogging or website management gets discounted as a viable business but today’s show is going to make it clear, you can have a profitable blogging business. Today is part 4 of my military entrepreneur series. In part 1, episode 52, Jen Pilcher founder of Military OneClick and CEO of Patriot Boot camp came on to discuss the basic training of Veteran and Milspouse entrepreneurship, PBC. In part 2 which is episode 53, Nick Bradfield came on to discuss Bunker Labs. In part 3, episode 54 I talked with Brandon Shelton from TFX Capital about business funding options. My guest today, Ryan Guina is one of the most well know military money bloggers. In this show, he is sharing what blogging really is, how to get started at it and make money. Ryan also shares some of the common mistakes to avoid in blogging and the finances behind running a blog. Ryan Guina is the founder of TheMilitaryWallet.com and CashMoneyLife.com. He is a writer, small business owner, military Veteran, and current member of the Air National Guard. Be sure to stick around for What’s on Lacey’s Mind. The VA may owe us some money! Blogging Business Episode: How Ryan started blogging What blogging is How people make money blogging How do you get started in the blogging business Common blogging mistakes to avoid Ryan’s tips for blogging when you don’t have experience How to not get overwhelmed by the blogging business Product based businesses and blogs Beginning a blog when you have debt The finances of a blog business How to handle challenges in business Show notes
You want to start a business but how are you going to pay for it? What type of business are you going to start? Is a service-based business? Or is it a product based business. My guest today is here to break down your business funding options and the business types they work best for. This is the third part of my series on military entrepreneurship. Brandon Shelton is a strategy leader, a problem solver and a relationship builder. He led the grassroots effort that became Task Force X, a driven network of experts and advisors that evaluate talent and develop entrepreneurs and businesses. A veteran entrepreneur himself, Brandon first founded T2 Growth Advisors to help teams design and activate strategic frameworks to reach their goals. Brandon developed his financial, strategic and operational skills through various experiences in high intensity and change environments from the military after 9/11 to Wall Street in 2008. Using military principles, Brandon helped client teams grow while a partner at a boutique strategy consulting firm with his largest client hiring him to drive growth, expansion and technology changes at a multi-billion dollar company in North America. Brandon founded T2 Growth Advisors to connect these skills to startups and small businesses. He also is a Board Director at NAVSO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of veterans and military families and a Board Director at StreetShares Foundation, America’s small business funding community. And last but not least, Brandon is also one of my mentors from Patriot Boot Camp. In this episode, Brandon shares with us the common ways to fund a business, what venture capital is and how to figure out what the best funding for your business. Show notes
Coming from an all-military family, Brandon approached his service full bore, wanting to be the best in whatever field he chose. Despite having failed many, many tests the first time, he kept going back until he broke through and was successful. After a stint at Toys R Us, he became interested in starting his own business and helping other vets. In March 2015, conversations began and with the same determination and fire, launched TFX Capital Management in January 2016 to groom and fund veteran businesses. Veteran Founder Podcast with your hosts Josh Carter and Carmen Nazario We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland. Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main Website was designed by Cameron Grimes Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster Theme music: Artist: Tipsy Track: Kadonka Album: Buzzz Courtesy of Ipecac Records 10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes Listen to the Veteran Founder Podcast live on-air every Friday at 1:00pm pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com
Brandon Shelton is the Founder and Managing Partner of TFX Capital. In this episode of The Mission Daily, Brandon shares the value of hiring and supporting veteran founders and employees, his experience on the trading floor during the 2008 financial collapse and finding the next generation of leaders. To view the full show notes and more, go to themissiondaily.com The Mission publishes the #1 newsletter for accelerated learning. Join our community of hundreds of thousands at themission.co/subscribe The Mission creates custom media for world-class companies. To connect with our team of creatives, please reach us at info@themission.co
You are in for a real treat today with Erica Madden who is now the Executive of Launch LKN – an initiative started by Mark McDowell and brothers Chris and Jon Boggiano to bring founders, mentors and investors together in Lake Norman area. While new to the Startup and investment world, Erica has spent years working with non-profits who also display a high level of passion and run on a tight budget. Once it was announced that Launch LKN was getting off the ground, I thought it was important to do a podcast with Erica for several reasons. First, she’s becoming a fantastic resource for entrepreneurs in Lake Norman – and broader Charlotte. Next, Lake Norman looks to have a huge untapped talent pool to help entrepreneurs and investors and I wanted to get Erica’s sense on how it develops. Finally, due to her involvement with Launch LKN she’s started to work with a local Charlotte area startup – meaning local startups are in the market for top talent. Highlighting all three of those while letting you get to know Erica seemed like a win for listeners. What is Launch LKN (www.launchlkn.org)? Building a community in greater Charlotte and Lake Norman to match the members – founders – with mentors who are serial entrepreneurs and executive leaders. The ‘hidden talent’ in the Davidson/Lake Norman area is largely untapped. First event was held in late January and more than 60 or 70 people attended and since that time even more people are visiting the website to sign up as mentors or offer to support. Why is now the time for the Lake Norman community to develop and flex its entrepreneur community? A very beneficial plug for Start Charlotte (www.startcharlotte.com) – an initiative by Juan Garzon – as the resource or central location for all things startup Charlotte. Listen to Juan’s podcast here on the Charlotte Angel Connection. What is the future or vision for Launch LKN? What role is Davidson College having in the startup and entrepreneur scene in Davidson? One big initiative is being led by brothers and serial entrepreneurs Chris and Jon Boggiano. Jon was on Episode 3 of the Charlotte Angel Connection. What are the similarities between the non-profit space and startups – including Erica’s first introduction to the startup/venture capital space, working with Brandon Shelton of Task Force X (www.tfxcap.com). An introduction to a young startup in Charlotte – Fit to Rent (www.fit2rent.com) – which is designed to benefit both renters and landlords through an interactive and thought providing course. Be on the lookout for a podcast coming soon with Founder of Fit to Rent, Sean Healy.
Bill Smallwood and Brandon Shelton drop by the Funky Monkey MMA Radio to discuss ttheir mixed martial arts careers