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Today Dr Kate Gress joins us to talk about overcoming challenges, tips she would give to new syndicators, and her journey into multifamily real-estate.----Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitansThis episode originally aired on May 9, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Kate GressKate Gress is a dynamic professional with over 25 years of experience as a successful business owner, chiropractor, and real estate investor. As the visionary behind multiple thriving chiropractic practices, Kate has led teams of doctors to deliver top-notch care, embodying a commitment to enhancing the well-being of others. With a keen eye for opportunity and a heart for service, Kate ventured into real estate investing 22 years ago, initially focusing on commercial property before expanding into residential single-family homes and small multifamily units. Her focus now is on commercial multifamily apartments complexes. She is also a passive investor in the real estate sector. This diversification reflects her strategic approach to wealth creation and her dedication to empowering others to achieve financial freedom through passive investing.When not nurturing her businesses, Kate loves spending time with her husband and their five children. She is a traveler, drawn to sun-kissed destinations in the winter, and in the summer is drawn to the water, spending her days at her lake home in beautiful Wisconsin. Kate's also an avid reader and fitness enthusiast.Kate is a founding member and serves on the board of the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin, since 2012. She also sits on the executive board for the Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce and served as the Chamber President in 2023. Learn more about her at: https://ascendequitygrp.com/, or KateGress@gmail.com
About our Guest: T. Shane Johnson is a United States Marine Corps veteran, entrepreneur, author, ultra-endurance athlete, and motivational speaker. After surviving extreme physical trauma and homelessness, he rebuilt his life through faith and purpose. Today, he owns a veteran-focused coffee shop with his daughter and travels the country teaching self-reliance, connection, and healing. He's a Guinness World Record holder and national speaker dedicated to helping others repurpose pain into meaningful action. Episode Notes: TShane Johnson's story isn't just about survival—it's about mission, healing, and legacy. From Marine Corps service to surviving a near-fatal motorcycle accident and living on the streets, TShane clawed his way back to life. Today, he's a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, father, and world record holder—but most importantly, a man committed to turning pain into purpose. In this raw and powerful episode, Damo and TShane explore trauma, leadership, family, and what it truly means to rebuild. From creating a safe haven through his veteran-owned coffee shop to building an unprecedented coffee farm with his daughter, TShane shares what it looks like to lead with scars, not in spite of them. To have your “Do Better” reviewed on a future episode, please get in touch with us at ptsfpodcast@gmail.com Keep up with the ‘Permission to Speak Freely' podcast on our social media and YouTube - https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast Follow TShane on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tshanejohnson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tshanejohnson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tshanejohnson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tshanejohnson Website: www.tshaneinspires.com Big Guns Coffee – Official Links Website: https://www.biggunscoffee.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biggunscoffee Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biggunscoffee Additional Credits: PTSF “Theme Music” - Produced by Lim0
Dave Dubeau joins us today to discuss podcasting, creating dialogue with potential investors, and his journey in multifamily investing.----Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitansThis episode originally aired on May 2, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Dave DubeauDave Dubeau is a real estate capital raising expert, author, and podcast host. Since 2012. He has helped over 200 real estate investor clients raise over $325M in private capital. Now, through his new Capital Convo Podcast Service, Dave is helping syndicators leverage a podcast to consistently book 20+ accredited investor meetings a month.Learn more about him at: 20AccreditedInvestorsBook.com, linkedin.com/in/davedubeau
Neal Bawa joins us today to discuss his journey into real estate, the multifamily yield curve, and growing market trends.----Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitansThis episode originally aired on April 25, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Neal BawaNeal Bawa is a technologist who is universally known in real estate circles as the Mad Scientist of Multifamily. Besides being one of the most in-demand speakers in commercial real estate, Neal is a data guru, a process freak, and an outsourcing expert. Neal treats his $660 million-dollar multifamily portfolio as an ongoing experiment in efficiency and optimization.The Mad Scientist lives by two mantras. His first mantra is, “We can only manage what we can measure”. His second mantra is that, “Data beats gut feel by a million miles“. These mantras and a dozen other disruptive beliefs drive profit for his 1000+ investors.Learn more about him at: https://multifamilyu.com/
It was a pleasure to review the non-fiction book; "We Need To Talk About Defence", by Andrew R. Curtis OBE. Overall, it is a detailed, and well-crafted read that will do two things. It effectively informs those not familiar with UK specific military terms, jargon and culture, while defining the problem of UK defence management. This segue leads to the author's primary goal, which is to propose a reformation of UK defence management in order to address the modern threat landscape. We Need To Talk About Defence, reviewed UK Defence For the 21st Century The book starts out with a comprehensive glossary of terms. For those not familiar with security and military slang, I would recommend perusing its contents. After setting the context of why you should read this book in a Forward by Sir Richard Barrons, the book moves into chapter one, 'Introduction'. Here, the author sets out to define the UK's peacetime oversights on defence, which have led to structural issues such as too much or too little authority. Chapter one has a detailed, yet coherent account of the UK defence apparatus. It will equip the reader for the following chapters. The author also summarizes historic UK defence management to the current day. Of note is the business of UK defence versus military implementation of defence objectives. The delineation of the two is part of the problem the author wishes to address. As you leave chapter one, it is the author's submission that holistic change should focus on how defence management conducts its day-to-day affairs. Moving Through The Chapters Chapter two, 'Why We Need To Talk About Defence', explores inter-group and inter-personal relations, which allow political creep into areas that can ill afford them. Ukraine, as an example of the deteriorating international threat landscape affecting the UK, demonstrates why the past cannot determine the future of UK defence. Chapter three, 'Acknowledging The Past' walks at a deeper level to chapter one regarding major changes to UK defence. The focus on 'Multi Domain Integration', aka. MDI, and the 'Levene Reforms' are key explorations of UK defence. They also offer clues how misunderstanding context in a fast-evolving threat landscape can lead to strategic oversights. The author introduces the United States Marine Corps, aka. USMC, as a template for military land, sea, and air integration. I agree with the author's opinion that the USMC, as a template, would not automatically work for UK defence. Culture and mission mandate are materially different. Chapter four, 'Learning From The Past', examines current UK defence management in particular. Here, the illustrations move to key figures, such as the non-discretionary GBP14 billion, of GBP52.8 billion in the 2022-23 UK defence budget. While the Official Secrets Act prohibits certain disclosures, top down political oversight, and resulting disjoint to implementation, is a well-made point. Chapter five, 'Looking To The Future', digs into some key points. Ukraine's learned lessons, adversary study of western war-fighting strategies, and more, expose UK defence at a below-the-threshold of war level. A traditionally slim defence mandate has solidified over peacetime to present a threat to UK national security. An acceptance of holistic risk based observations is key to a level of flexibility which the UK and others are wise to accept. Chapter six, 'Canadian Armed Forces Unification', is a case study of good intent that initially failed. It went through three major stages of change in its sixty-year journey to become functional branches under one management roof. Chapter seven, 'The United States Marine Corps', is another case study that delves deeper than in prior chapters into the strengths and weaknesses of the USMC. The author evaluates them against UK defence needs. This includes the latest expansion of the corps into combating 'grey-zone' threats. Chapter eight, 'Modern Defence Forces', is a subjective look at what makes up a moder...
John Funderburk joins us today to discuss capital raising, marketing, and the importance of being a self starter.----Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitansThis episode originally aired on April 18, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----John FunderburkAs a principal in multifamily syndication, I help busy professionals achieve financial freedom and diversify their portfolio by passively investing in multifamily real estate. With over 6 years of experience in real estate, I have successfully managed and closed multiple deals, delivering high returns and consistent cash flow to our investors.I am a skilled negotiator, vendor manager, and leader. I have a Bachelor's Degree of Science and Technology, and Business Administration, which enables me to analyze the market trends, identify the best opportunities, and execute the optimal strategies. I am passionate about educating and empowering others to create wealth and passive income through real estate.Learn more about him at: https://rampantlioncapital.com/
The U.S. Army War College (USAWC) recently hosted its 2025 Homeland Defense Symposium, gathering experts to tackle the complex issues of defending the homeland. A key focus was clarifying the difference between Homeland Security (law enforcement and emergency response) and Homeland Defense (military protection against external threats). Bert Tussing, Director of the Homeland Defense and Security Issues Group at the USAWC's Center for Strategic Leadership, joined host Ron Granieri in the studio to discuss the major themes of the symposium. Participants emphasized the importance of preparedness, highlighting that future conflicts are likely to reach U.S. soil. The discussions emphasized the need for a whole-of-society approach, integrating not just federal agencies but also state and local governments, the private sector, and the general public into defense strategies. The term homeland defense may be unfamiliar to many listeners more accustomed to the phrase Homeland Security. These differences are significant even if the policies are intended to be complementary. Bert Tussing is Director of the Homeland Defense and Security Issues Group at the U.S. Army War College's Center for Strategic Leadership (CSL). He joined CSL in October 1999, following nearly 25 years in the United States Marine Corps. He is a distinguished graduate of both the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the Naval War College and holds master's degrees in National Security Strategy and Military Strategic Studies. In May of 2014 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters by Northwestern State University in recognition of his work in Homeland Security, Homeland Defense and Educational initiatives surrounding those topics. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo Description: A fervent advocate for issues of homeland defense and security, Professor Bert Tussing, Director of the Homeland Defense and Security Issues Group at the U.S. Army War College's Center for Strategic Leadership, recently gave a lecture titled "Evolving Direction of Homeland Defense" to the USAWC class of 2025. Photo Credit: U.S. Army War College
EPISODE #105 – Marine Airpower, the Battle of Ramadi, and Flying the Beast: The F-35 and MV-22 Strap in and arm hot, folks—this one's a burner. Welcome to Episode 105 of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! I'm your host Mark Hasara, retired KC-135 pilot, author of Tanker Pilot, and a lifelong aviation nut with over 60 years of airpower obsession. This week, I sit down with Colonel Byron “Shrek” Sullivan, a retired United States Marine Corps airpower warrior. And trust me—this is the kind of episode that makes your hair stand up. "Shrek" is a Marine's Marine—combat leader, airpower tactician, and the former commander of VMX-1, the Corps' top Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Yuma, Arizona. He's called in air support as a Forward Air Controller on the ground in Ramadi, and he's led Marines flying cutting-edge aircraft like the F-35B Lightning II and the MV-22 Osprey.
EPISODE #105 – Marine Airpower, the Battle of Ramadi, and Flying the Beast: The F-35 and MV-22 Strap in and arm hot, folks—this one's a burner. Welcome to Episode 105 of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! I'm your host Mark Hasara, retired KC-135 pilot, author of Tanker Pilot, and a lifelong aviation nut with over 60 years of airpower obsession. This week, I sit down with Colonel Byron “Shrek” Sullivan, a retired United States Marine Corps airpower warrior. And trust me—this is the kind of episode that makes your hair stand up. "Shrek" is a Marine's Marine—combat leader, airpower tactician, and the former commander of VMX-1, the Corps' top Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Yuma, Arizona. He's called in air support as a Forward Air Controller on the ground in Ramadi, and he's led Marines flying cutting-edge aircraft like the F-35B Lightning II and the MV-22 Osprey.
Jay Balekar joins us today to talk about syndication, sponsors, property management, and tips he would give to those just starting out. ----Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitansThis episode originally aired on April 11, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Jay BalekarJay Balekar, Principal at Prosper Capital, a real estate investment firm focused on acquiring and managing high-quality multifamily properties. Jay has helped raise over $15M in private capital and has managed a portfolio of 550+ rental units across multiple states.Beyond real estate, Jay is also the Principal Owner of Spray-Net Cincinnati, a home services company that specializes in exterior refinishing and kitchen cabinet transformations.Jay was trained as a computer engineer and spent 10 years in the cyber security consulting domain at a Big4 consulting firm.Learn more about him at: https://calendly.com/JayBalekar, or https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaideepbalekar/
The Korean peninsula was split into two countries after the Second World War. The Soviet backed North and the U.S. backed South. North Korea tried to unify the two by invading South Korea in June 1950. Initially North Korea had great success. It pushed South Korea's small military aside and rushed down the peninsula while the United States tried to get forces onto the peninsula. The North Koreans were finally stopped around the port of Pusan at the very bottom of the Korean peninsula. While fighting around Pusan was going on, the U.S. commander, General Douglas MacArthur, contemplated his next move. Instead of using his growing force to reinforce Pusan, MacArthur chose to do something far more risky. He would conduct an amphibious landing deep in the rear of the North Korean army, cut its logistics, and cause it to collapse. The place he picked for this landing was the port of Inchon. Robert D. Heinl, Jr. tells the story in "Victory at High Tide: The Inchon Seoul Campaign."
Welcome to The Gun Experiment. On this episode we sit down with a former Marine Captain about the harsh realities of war.We release new content every Tuesday morning so be sure to subscribe and share the show with friends. Subscribe hereToday's episode is brought to you by Kings River Custom 1911's. When we say custom we mean it. If you can dream it, KRC can make it, from mild to wild they've got you covered. Matt Riker is the CEO of KRC, but he is also a great friend. He wants to make sure that Gun Experiment listeners are able to get one of their beautiful 1911's. From now until April 30th, you can email Matt and tell him you are interested in a Phoenix Fighting Gun and use the TGE10 discount for 10% off a Kings River Custom 1911. Reach out at Matt@KingsRiverCustom.com Ways to support the show:1. Join our mailing list: Thegunexperiment.com 2. Subscribe and leave us a comment on Apple or Spotify3. Follow us on all of our social media: Instagram Twitter Youtube Facebook4. Be a part of our growing community, join our Discord page!5. Be sure to support the sponsors of the show. They are an integral part of making the show possible.Ask us anything at AskMikeandKeith@gmail.comGet Your Gun Experiment Merch HereWe are going to get into tonight's interview right after we talk about Onsight Firearms Training. They offer so many different training options, but here are today's course highlights:Practical Pistol: Accuracy and AccountabilityRevolver Fundamentals Citizen First Responder These are just a few of their offerings, but they have so many more courses to offer so head to oftllc.us and find a class in your area. I. Interview Today's guest is a former US Marine captain with over ten years of active service, as both an enlisted and commissioned officer. In August 2005, as part of a four-man team from the United States Marine Corps' 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company he found himself smack in the middle of the deadliest city on earth, Ramadi, Iraq. For the next seven months, his team fought street by street against an insurgency that only grew more deadly. He tells this story in his new book
This Man Built A $22B Investment Firm By Finding His Noble Cause & Thinking About Valuation, Not Value.GuestJonathan Hirtle Founder & Executive Chairman Hirtle Callaghan $22B Bio:In his role as Executive Chairman, Jon continues his intense focus on producing ever better net outcomes for clients. He serves as a full-time advisor to the Firm's Management Committee and spends time with the families and nonprofits we serve. Jon appears regularly on national broadcast networks including CNBC, Fox Business and Bloomberg Television. He is highly sought after for his commentary on investing and was dubbed the "Oracle of Outsource" by Pensions & Investments as Hirtle Callaghan is best known for its role in pioneering the outsourced CIO (OCIO) model for families and institutions. Prior to founding Hirtle Callaghan, Jon worked at Goldman Sachs advising family groups and institutions on investment strategy and securities selection. Previously, he served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He earned his B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from The Pennsylvania State University.
Rob Pekarek joins us to talk about what to look for in business partners, advice he would give to new investors, and his journey into multifamily real estate.--Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitansThis episode originally aired on April 4, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Rob PekarekRob Pekarek is an Active Duty Air Force Officer and multifamily investor based in Hampton Roads, Virginia. His team acquired and manages a 24-unit property purchased in summer 2024. As the capital raiser, Rob secured nearly half of the $1.1 million in investor capital needed for the deal.He earned a bachelor's degree in Operations Research from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2021 and later received a fully funded fellowship to complete a master's degree in Industrial Engineering at Purdue University in 2023.Rob enjoys meeting new people and learning from others. He facilitates a small group of young entrepreneurs who exchange ideas to grow their businesses and achieve their life goals.Learn more about him at: https://www.instagram.com/robthepek/ or 443-738-4929 or https://www.linkedin.com/in/robthepek/
Anuj sits down with Captain Matthew Hoh, former US Marine and now Fellow with the Eisenhower Media Network. Matt's personal journey has literally moved through war, to trying to take on the machine of war making. While Matt is prominent as a writer, podcast and media guest for sharing his informed perspectives on current affairs, this conversation is a deeper look into Matt the man, and the personal journey that led him to be who he is today. Recorded in January 2025, this conversation captures many questions that we all should be asking ourselves about the state of the world, our perpensity for war, and what we can do to change the narrative of the future. EMN Associate Director Matthew Hoh had nearly twelve years experience with the US military and the wars overseas with the United States Marine Corps, Department of Defense and State Department. Matthew Hoh is the Associate Director of the Eisenhower Media Network. In 2009, Matthew Hoh resigned in protest from his post in Afghanistan with the State Department over the American escalation of the war. Prior to his assignment in Afghanistan, Matt took part in the American occupation of Iraq; first in 2004-2005 in Salah ad Din Province with a State Department reconstruction and governance team and then in 2006-2007 in Anbar Province as a Marine Corps company commander. When not deployed, Matt worked on Afghanistan and Iraq war policy and operations issues at the Pentagon and State Department from 2002-2008. From 2010-2024, Matt was affiliated with the Center for International Policy, first as a senior fellow and later as a senior fellow emeritus. He is a disabled veteran. Special Guest: Matthew Hoh.
In this episode, Shintaro sits down with Jeff Morris, Owner & Head Instructor of Greenwich Jiu Jitsu Academy. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, United States Marine Corps veteran, and active Law Enforcement Detective, Jeff shares his incredible journey—from discovering BJJ in the Marines to building a thriving academy and using martial arts for self-defense, personal growth, and community building.Jeff's 25 years of experience in BJJ, self-defense, and law enforcement brings deep insights into the power of martial arts on and off the mats. If you're passionate about Jiu-Jitsu, gym culture, or personal development, this episode is a must-watch!
In this episode of Seeing Them Live, we are thrilled to have Jose Rivera, founder, manager, and lead vocalist of the band Five Guys Named Moe. Jose shares his extraordinary journey from a budding musician to a prolific performer. He narrates how his fascination with the trumpet began in his early childhood and flourished during his time as a section leader and soloist for the United States Marine Corps. Jose describes his experiences performing before U.S. Presidents and numerous heads of state from 1972 to 1977.He shares captivating anecdotes about sharing stages with trumpet legends like Doc Severinsen and Al Hirt, and his early inspirations such as Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, and Bill Chase. One particularly memorable story includes a chance encounter with Chase the night before he left for Marine Corps basic training, which solidified his passion for high register trumpet playing. Jose also talks about the devastating impact of the plane crash in 1974 that tragically ended the lives of several members of the band Chase, and the emotional 40-year reunion concert that followed, filled with nostalgia and respect for the members who were lost. Jose reflects on his post-Marine Corps life and the formation of Five Guys Named Moe in 1988. The band quickly gained popularity with their unique style and vibrant performances, playing at numerous gigs across the Midwest every year. Jose's attention to professionalism and the importance of band dynamics and promotions are evident as he speaks about managing the band over the years. The impact of the Moe Heads, the band's loyal fans, is also a testament to their ongoing success. Jose underscores the hard work, dedication, and strategic planning required to sustain a band's longevity in the competitive music industry. As an experienced musician, he offers valuable insights about balancing artistic integrity with crowd-pleasing performances and the reciprocal importance of venue support in promoting events. By mingling with fans and maintaining a professional band practice, Jose ensures that Five Guys Named Moe remains a staple of vibrant live music in the Midwest.BANDS: Al Hirt, Bill Chase, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Blues Brothers, Chicago, Chase, Doc Severinsen, Five Guys Named Moe, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Lovecraft, The Kind, United States Marine CorpsVENUES: CD and Me, Cousins, North and Maple, Tailgaters, Ballydoyle, Buddy Pals, Q Bar, Poplar Creek, Superdome PATREON:https://www.patreon.com/SeeingThemLivePlease help us defer the cost of producing this podcast by making a donation on Patreon.WEBSITE:https://seeingthemlive.com/Visit the Seeing Them Live website for bonus materials including the show blog, resource links for concert buffs, photos, materials related to our episodes, and our Ticket Stub Museum.INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/seeingthemlive/FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550090670708
Cole Farrell joins us today to talk about his experience with property management, capital raising, and getting started in multifamily real estate. --Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on March 28, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Cole FarrellOwner of Volcan CapitalFounder + Host of Multifamily Mastery Meetup (MMM) in Allentown PAManaging partner in $10M+ of apartments$2M+ flipsCo-host of Forged in Fire PodcastCo-founder of Forge Academy (Multifamily education)B.S FinanceMBALearn more about him at: https://www.volcancapital.com/, or https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcap/
Show Notes: Transforming Challenges into Strength with Sonya Achara Guest: Sonya Achara – Mindset Coach, Former U.S. Marine, and Quantum Energy Healer Episode Highlights: In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Sonya Achara, a powerhouse of resilience and transformation. From a challenging childhood to serving in the United States Marine Corps, Sonya shares her remarkable journey of overcoming adversity, embracing personal growth, and stepping into her purpose as a mindset coach and healer. Key Topics We Discuss: ✔️ Turning Hardships into Strength: Sonya reflects on her tough upbringing and how it shaped her into the determined person she is today. ✔️ Lessons from the Marine Corps: She shares her experiences in one of the toughest military branches, including battling depression during recruitment duty and discovering her inner resilience. ✔️ The Power of the Mind: Sonya dives into her studies in neurology, psychology, and quantum physics, revealing how understanding the mind helped her heal from past struggles and step into her true power. ✔️ Quantum Energy Healing & Vibrational Shifts: She explains how she discovered quantum energy healing, its impact on her life, and how it helped her break free from anxiety and self-doubt. ✔️ Embracing a Purpose-Driven Life: Today, Sonya dedicates her life to coaching others, helping them find their confidence, purpose, and the courage to create the life they desire. Why You Should Listen: If you've ever faced challenges that made you question your strength, Sonya's story will inspire you to rewrite your narrative. Her journey is a testament to the power of self-belief, intentional action, and the limitless potential within all of us. ➡️ Tune in now for a conversation filled with wisdom, resilience, and life-changing insights! ---
Have you ever considered the role that discipline, trust, and storytelling play in shaping truly innovative leaders? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I'm honored to welcome Miles Garrett, a veteran leader, author, and former Executive Officer of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Cheyenne. Drawing from his extensive 25-year career spanning both the United States Marine Corps and the Navy, Miles shares powerful insights into leadership, innovation, and the critical role storytelling plays in high-stakes environments. Miles takes us behind the scenes to explore why consistent conversations around leadership are not just beneficial but necessary. He shares his own experience in the military, where peer-to-peer conversations shape organizational culture and instill vital traits like intrinsic motivation, professional trust, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. But what happens when these conversations aren't happening? Miles highlights how ignoring leadership fundamentals can quickly undermine organizational morale and effectiveness, whether in the military or in business. Our discussion also covers the fascinating connection between risk-taking, innovation, and storytelling. Miles vividly recounts historical examples, illustrating why leaders must balance boldness with accountability to inspire genuine breakthroughs. He argues convincingly that innovation thrives when leaders foster trust, enabling their teams to share ideas without fear confidently. Throughout the conversation, Miles challenges conventional perceptions of leadership, pushing us to reconsider what truly drives people internally versus externally. He offers practical strategies for cultivating intrinsic motivation, building professional trust, and pursuing excellence in any organization. Join us for this thought-provoking episode and explore how timeless principles from military leadership can fuel innovation in your own organization. Could a stronger focus on trust, motivation, and storytelling unlock new possibilities for your team? Tune in and share your thoughts.
Riley Tejcek is an active duty Captain in the United States Marine Corps, a top-ranked bobsled pilot, and the 2021 female Marine athlete of the year. Riley just published a children's book, "If You Can Dream It, Be It". Be sure to support her and her work after watching this episode.
David Perez is the founder & CEO of OMEGA International Group Inc. a private security firm specializing in the Sports and Entertainment Industry. He is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, who worked in the White House & Pentagon. Gloria Rodriguez- Her cases consist of criminal defense. Lisa Huscher - is an intuitive & spiritual guide with over 25 years of experience helping others heal, grow, and evolve. Lisa Huscher - is an intuitive and spiritual guide.Movie Reviews and More is broadcast live Tuesdays at 5PM PT on K4HD Radio - Hollywood Talk Radio (www.k4hd.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Movie Reviews and More TV Show is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).Movie Reviews and More Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
Money psychology by way of Buddhist teachings. Consumer confidence- waning. Markets - March Sadness with Lag 7. This week's guest: Wesley Gray - Founder, Alpha Architect. NEW! DOWNLOAD THIS EPISODE'S AI GENERATED SHOW NOTES (Guest Segment) Wes Gray - After serving as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, Dr. Gray earned an MBA and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago where he studied under Nobel Prize Winner Eugene Fama. Next, Wes took an academic job in his wife's hometown of Philadelphia and worked as a finance professor at Drexel University. Dr. Gray's interest in bridging the research gap between academia and industry led him to found Alpha Architect, an asset management firm dedicated to an impact mission of empowering investors through education. He is a contributor to multiple industry publications and regularly speaks to professional investor groups across the country. Wes has published multiple academic papers and four books, including Embedded (Naval Institute Press, 2009), Quantitative Value (Wiley, 2012), DIY Financial Advisor (Wiley, 2015), and Quantitative Momentum (Wiley, 2016). Dr. Gray currently resides in Palmas Del Mar. Puerto Rico with his wife and three children. Follow @alphaarchitect Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Follow @andrewhorowitz Looking for style diversification? More information on the TDI Managed Growth Strategy - HERE Stocks mentioned in this episode:
Paul Moore joins us today to talk about strategies, avoiding mistakes, and what advice he would give to those starting on their multifamily journey.---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on March 21, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Paul MoorePaul Moore's journey to success is anything but ordinary. After starting his career at Ford Motor Company, Paul co-founded a staffing firm and became a 2x finalist for Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year. After selling the company to a publicly traded firm, Paul discovered his passion for real estate. Over the years, he has founded multiple investment and development companies, appeared on HGTV, and successfully completed over 100 commercial and residential real estate investments and exits.Today, Paul serves as the Founder of Wellings Capital, a real estate private equity firm committed to helping investors achieve consistent, above-market returns. Wellings Capital raises money and awareness to combat human trafficking and rescue its victims, aligning business success with a higher purpose.Learn more about him at: wellingscapital.com, or Email: paul@wellingscapital.com
Rescue and patchwork relationship.B Book 3 in 18 parts, y FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Loving your enemy is easy, you know precisely where both of you stand(Right where we left off)The closest Marine had been waiting for me to finish my bonding moment with Menner before speaking. He walked and talked like an officer."You are certainly Mr. Cáel Nyilas," he nodded. "I'm Lt. Robeson, United States Marine Corps. I would like to take you and your party home. What is the situation?""Lieutenant, this young lady is Aya Ruger. She was kidnapped along-side me and managed to kill over twenty of our enemies, so be careful around her." I was deadly serious about what I said. Aya should get proper credit for all the people she sedated then drowned. Dead was dead, even if it was accidental."These two," I pointed to Zhen and Mu, "are Lúsìla ninda and Amar, Taiwanese nationals suffering some shock from the abrupt crash landing of the aircraft. They don't seem to know why they were kidnapped, but they were instrumental in aiding Aya and me making it to shore during the typhoon.""If you say so, Sir," he nodded. He did believe me, yet a soldier was taught to be skeptical of anything a civilian told him about a military situation. "The bodies?""Those are the corpses we found after the storm. I decided we should attempt to place them in your custody so you can figure out who they are," I suggested."Sir, I don't think we can let civilians keep their weapons aboard the flight," the Marine Lt. stated since I had both a pistol and submachine gun, Aya had her pistol and Zhen had her and Mu's blades. A Marine NCO sent a party to gather the dead."Marine, I am Cáel Nyilas, Irish diplomat, freebooter and Champion of the worst possible causes," I began my spiel."You probably have some orders concerning bringing me in alive. I am not so constrained and am more than willing to steal this aircraft and fly back to Hawaii without you. My team keeps their weapons, or you give me your best shot, right now," I met his gaze. He mulled over his options. Two Romanians and two Marines were starting to load the ad hoc body bags aboard the C-37B."Normally I don't take that kind of crap from a civilian and I don't want you to think I'm making an exception because of your Security Clearance. I'll let your people keep your weapons, but if something goes wrong, I'm shooting you first," he assured me."Done deal," I offered my hand and he shook it."Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day," he congratulated me."What?" I gasped. Rescue and patchwork relationships{6 pm, Sunday, August 17th ~ 22 Days to go}{11 pm Sunday, Aug. 17th (Havenstone Time)}{And just this once, 11am Monday, Aug. 18th Beijing Time}"Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day;, nice work.," the Marine congratulated me."What?""How is that possible?" muttered Mu."Yippee!! No more burning monks," Aya fist-pumped. Personally, I think she did that for the enjoyment of our guardians and to piss off Zhen and Mu just a tiny bit more.(Mandarin) "Brother," Zhen studied her brother's pained expression. "What has gone wrong?"(Mandarin) "The province of Tibet apparently has broken away," he groused. In English, to the Marine Lieutenant he repeated, "How is this possible?""I take it you didn't know Peace Talks had broken out?" he grinned. I doubted the Lt. bought my 'these are my two Taiwanese cobelligerents' story, but belief was above his pay grade, so he didn't give a shit."Yes," Mu mumbled, "we knew of the proposed cease-fire.""Yes, you mean both sides actually honored it?" I added. I really had been out things for a while."Nearly two days ago, noon, Peking Time, the People's Republic of China and the Khanate put a six month cease-fire into effect which has remained intact for forty-one," he looked at his watch, "forty-one and a half hours." He was being a cock to the petulant Mu. No one called Beijing 'Peking' anymore. I had even ordered Beijing Duck on several menus. Peking was the height of Western Imperialist thinking, or so it looked to Mu.(Mandarin) "He is yanking your chain, Mu," I explained. "You are looking pissed off at being rescued, which isn't doing my alibi for you much good.""My apology," Mu nodded to the lieutenant. "Is there any news from the Republic of China? Are they free as well?" That was nice of Mu to call Taiwan by its pet name, the ROC."Not yet," he patted Mu's unwounded leg, "but with the utter shellacking the Khanate put on the People's Navy (really the People's Liberation Army Navy, but the Marine was getting his shots in) it is only a matter of time."I had been translating in a low voice to the V nători de munte in order for them to keep up with the conversation. They all started laughing. The Marines joined in. There was a huge joke here that we had missed out on while stranded.(Romanian) "So, ask them if they know where their aircraft carrier is," Menner chuckled. Most Romanians had grown up knowing of only one China.Me: (Romanian) "What!"A Naval Corpsman who didn't know Romanian, but knew 'aircraft carrier' just fine jumped in: "Oh yeah, the missing Chinese Aircraft carrier," she chortled.Mu: "What!"I'd only been gone two and a half days. What the hell had been going on?(What had transpired in my absence and the subsequent consequences)(Notes:P R C = People's Republic of China; PLA = People's Liberation Army;P L A N = People's Liberation Army Navy;P L A A F = People's Liberation Army Air Force;R O C = the Republic of China {aka Taiwan, aka Chinese Taipei, aka the "other China"};The First Unification War {aka what the Khanate did to China in 2014};Truce lasts from August 16th 2014 until February 15th, 2015 = 183 days)There are several classic blunders grownups should know to avoid: never fight a land war in Asia, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and, if you are going to cross a master thief, first make sure you have nothing of value. For the land war in Asia, check with my partner, the Khanate. Substituting Black Hand for Sicilian ~ check with Ajax, use an Ouija board. So far, destiny was batting .500.The last blunder I created entirely on my own, but I felt it was the true and right response for the circumstances. So witness the Six Families of the Ninja and the greatest theft in all of recorded history.In the closing hours of the First Unification War, as in many wars, some serious theft was going on; mainly it was the People's Republic getting fleeced.The most obvious and immediate blows came in the Spratlys and Parcel Islands where Khanate forces (actually, elements from all the JIKIT players) seized the key island in the Parcel chain, Woody Island, and secured the P L A N base the Chinese had created there, including the 2,700 meter runway built there in the 1990's. The 1,443 Chinese civilians and 600 military inhabitants in the area were incidental complications and the survivors were about to be 'repatriated' to the mainland anyway; the Khanate didn't want them hanging around as they prepared for the inevitable end of the six-month truce.Yes, the Khanate had stolen the most important island airfield ~ an unsinkable carrier really ~ in the South China Sea. It was also the northern end of the potential People's Republic of China's stranglehold on the east-west sea lanes between East Asia and the rest of the World, i.e., roughly 25% of all global trade.The southern end? That would be the Spratlys. There are few 'real' islands in that 'island group' and only two worth having: the artificial one the P L A N was building and the one the ROC has a 1200 meter airfield on. That artificial island and every other PRC/P L A N outpost in the region was also stolen by the Khanate between 4 a.m. and noon of that final day of active conflict.Every geological feature that had been the basis for the PRC's claims to all of the South China Sea was now in Khanate hands. Considering how much the P L A N had bullied everyone else in that portion of the globe, the Khanate taking over their geopolitical position was incredibly awkward. It was going to get worse.Technically, the Khanate hadn't stolen the P L A N 'South Sea Fleet' (SSF); they'd blown the fuck out of it, including sinking the sole fully-functioning P L A N carrier Liaoning as well as five of the nine destroyers and six of the nineteen frigates in her battle group. The Liaoning and one destroyer had died in those last few hours as the SSF was racing for the relative safety of Philippine waters ~ so close, but no cigar.So the Khanate had stolen the ability of the P L A N to project power in the South China Sea until February 15th, 2015 when the U N brokered truce ended. But that was not the epic theft, though. That distinction went to the Ninja. What did they steal? A semi-functional Chinese nuclear powered super-aircraft carrier still under construction.The beast had no official name yet, but she was a 75,000 ton engine of Global Domination laid down in 2011 and clearly complete enough to float and to be steered under her own power. (To be on the safe side, the Ninja included stealing four tugboats to help in their getaway.) So, you may be asking yourself, how does one 'steal' a nuclear-powered, 1000 foot long, 275 foot wide and ten-story tall vessel?For starters, you need a plan to get on board the sucker. We had begun with the Black Lotus. They wanted to sneak onboard, exit the dockyard the ship was being built in, then sink it off the coast so it couldn't be easily salvaged. That was plan A.Enter the Khanate and their plans; they too wanted to sink this vessel, and destroy the dry docks while they were at it. That was plan B. Actually, the Khanate desire was to contaminate that whole section of the port city with fallout from shattered reactors. They knew they would have to apply overkill when they smashed that bitch of a ship because the PLAN had hurriedly put on board its defensive weaponry ~ ensuring that the Khanate couldn't easily destroy it. For their approach, Temujin's people wanted the Black Lotus' help with the on-the-ground intelligence work. But the Black Lotus didn't want to help anyone irradiate Chinese soil.Enter JIKIT as referee. All those islands the 'Khanate' was busy stealing were actually part of a larger JIKIT mission called Operation Prism. Another object that was a part of the overall plan was Operation Wo Fat, the sinking of the Liaoning ~ again GPS direction and distance to be courtesy of the Black Lotus.JIKIT absolutely needed the Black Lotus. The Black Lotus wouldn't help anyone planning on poisoning any part of China for the next thousand years. Sinking the unnamed and incomplete vessel off the coast in deep waters meant no nuclear leakage and plenty of post-war time to salvage the wreck before it did start to hemorrhage. The Khanate wanted to kill this potential strategic nightmare no matter what it cost the Chinese ecology.JIKIT went to the Ninja to help them adjudicate the issue. All the lights flared brightly in Ninja-Town when they heard of that delicate dilemma. They could make everybody happy and send a clear message to the Seven Pillars expressing how unhappy the six surviving families were about the 7P's trying to annihilate them when all of this 'unpleasantness' began.The Khanate was already going to blast the shipyards and docks, the Black Lotus was already going to sail the ship into deep waters, so why not take it one step further, sail the ship into Japanese waters and declare it Khanate property as a colossal Fuck You! to the PRC, PLAN and specifically the Seven Pillars, all at the same time?Now normally, you can't steal a ship that big. The owners will notice it is missing and come looking for it. And you can't sell or hide the damn thing. So, you steal it at the tail end of a war before the players can capture, or sink it. It just so happened the Ninja had access to a war and such a time table.The next problem: where do you put it? The Khanate's closest safe haven was 8,000 km away at the Eastern Mediterranean Seaport of Izmir.But wait!The Khanate was about to steal an island airbase with its own (albeit small) harbor. The Khanate was confident that a few weeks after the truce, an alternate port, or two, would become available for the two-to-three year process it would require to prepare the vessel so it could be commissioned as the true warship it was meant to be.So, how do you steal a well-guarded, humongous ship with its skeleton crew of 500? You need a distraction ~ a big one. Remember those Khanate airstrikes? They intended to destroy the dockyards anyway. Now all they had to do was 'miss' the carrier.They could do that. If you recall, to dissuade the Khanate from sinking the ship in the final days of the war, the PLAN had hastily put teeth on the thing by giving it all its pre-designed defensive weaponry and added jury-rigged radar and sonar systems. The carrier could defend itself if needed. With the new plan (C), the airstrikes could avoid those teeth, thus reducing the risk of losing their precious planes and pilots.A series of bombing runs and missile hits near the carrier would convince the PLAN admiral in charge to hurriedly put some distance between the ship and shore, Not out to sea. That would be stupid. Within the harbor, his weaponry could adequately defend his ship. And if she took serious damage, he could run her aground, so the vessel wouldn't really sink.The only problem was that out in the harbor, with everything exploding, he was away from the only ground security support available. That was when the Amazons, Black Lotus, Ninja and JIKIT mercenaries would make their move. How could they sneak up on such a big, important ship? By using the submarines the US Navy, the British Royal Navy and Japanese Defense Force were providing, of course.Note: As I stated earlier, Lady Fathom, Addison and Riki had wandered way off the reservation . By this time, if you were a Japanese, British, or American submarine commander in the Yellow Sea and you weren't part of this madness, you were insanely jealous of those who were.The missions JIKIT was sending them on were:-definitely Acts of War if they were ever discovered,-far more dangerous than any war game exercise they'd ever been part of, and-the ultimate test of their crews and equipment.These people weren't suicidal. They believed they were the best sneaks under the Seven Seas and now they could prove it ~ in 50 years when this stuff was declassified (if it ever was).For the one American, two British and four Japanese submarines inserting the assault teams, this whole mission had a surreal feel to it. They were transporting a packed assortment of women of Indian, Malaysian and Indonesian descent along with some very lithe Japanese ladies and gents, none of who talked a whole lot.There was a third group with the spooky women and spookier Japanese teams, and that group was scared shitless about the sudden turn their lives had taken. They were all former American and British servicewomen (to not tick off the Amazons too much) with carrier and/or nuclear reactor experience who had been RIFed (Reduction in Force, aka fired) in the past five years from their respective national navies.Around a week ago, they had all answered an advertisement by a logistics support corporation that was going to do a 'force modernization' in an unnamed country. They all knew that mean the Khanate. The job had been laid out as 'basically your old job with the addition of training the natives' and it included the promise of no combat.It was a guaranteed five year contract with an option for a year-to-year extensions for another five years if you desired to stick around. For that, you received your 'pay grade upon retirement + 20%', free room and board, private security, judicial protections and a $10,000 to $10,900 signing bonus. For many struggling military families, it was manna from Heaven and thousands were signing up.Then 72 hours ago, a different group from the same company came knocking on the women's doors. If you could come with them right then and there, they had a satchel of money, $100,000 to $109,000, tax free, and a Non-disclosure Agreement for you to sign. Sure, the deal sounded shady, but the money was very real.Twenty-four hours later those who accepted the money found themselves in a small fishing village on Ko Island, Japan. There some rather fiercely intense people outlined the job they were needed for. From a submarine, the assault teams would sneak aboard the carrier, neutralize the crew and then the new crew (them) would sail it to Jeju, Jeju Island, South Korea.At that point they would be allowed to stay with the vessel (preferred), or depart for a non-war zone of their choice. Both options came with another $100,000 to $109,000 payment. Anyone who declined this particular job would remain incognito on Ko Island for another 48 hours then be allowed to leave without the need to return their initial payment.Of the 312 job applicants, 293 volunteered for both the first and second parts of the assignment. With the technical and linguistic expertise of the Amazons and 9 Clan members that would be enough to get their prize to Jeju Island's temporary safety and then make the last leg to Woody Island and a more permanent anchorage.Besides the airstrikes to goad the carrier away from the wharves, all the Khanate had to do with the carrier was put three or four clearly Mongolian faces onboard when the various nations of the world came calling. After all, what was the public going to believe:, the Khanate had pulled off yet another daring (i.e., mostly JIKIT) Special Forces coup, just as they'd managed to do throughout this short war, or that 'Ninjas stole my Battleship, umm, carrier' stuff some PRC leaders were claiming? Forty-eight hours later the whole globe was able to watch the newly named Khanate supercarrier, the z Beg Khan, passing through Japanese territorial waters while being escorted by South Korean and Japanese warships.The PRC did complain to the United Nations over the 'theft' of both the carrier and 'their' islands, but the Security Council, led by the UK, could and would do nothing about the 'latest round of injustices heaped upon the People of China'. By the time the UN got around to doing nothing, the next round of JIKIT diplomacy was causing the PRC even greater headaches.That greatest theft, while remarkable in its own right, was really a sideshow to the reordering of the political order in Southeast Asia. The big winner wasn't the Khanate. And it certainly wasn't the mainland Chinese. No, the nations to immediately prosper were an unlikely pair, the Republic of India and the People's Republic of Vietnam (PRV). The Republic of China (R O C) was also getting its own small boost as well.By gambling their precious navy, India had become the largest power broker in the South China Sea's resource bonanza. She went from a minimal presence to being the critical ally of the Khanate and the 'big stick' (naval-wise) of Asia's new dynamic duo. The Indians had the only two functional aircraft carriers in the region and the Khanate had Woody Island with a mega-carrier number of planes sitting on it.Their combined naval aviation was not something any of the others powers wanted to mess with. The duo then sealed their supremacy by making the duo a trio. That third member was the PRV. Vietnam was the land-based logistical anchor of the three regional powers.Not only did Vietnam gain the prestige denied it for over two centuries, it redressed the P L A N humiliating treatment of their own navy for the past thirty years. The Khanate's naval aviation would shield Vietnam's economic exploitation of the Parcel Islands. The Indian Navy could counter anything the P L A N South China fleet could come at them with.Yes, the P L A N had two other fleets, the Northern and Eastern, but both had been put through their own 1001 levels of Hell by the Khanate's air power, plus they had to protect the Chinese heartland from Russia and North Korean ambitions. The South Koreans and Japanese were suddenly a very real threat from the East too. But for the time being, the Indians had the decisive edge.The final location for the z Beg Khan was an old familiar haunt for some Americans, Da Nang, PRV. It had the facilities, courtesy of the US military from the 1960's and 70's, to be the new base for the Khanate's Eastern Fleet and logistical hub for their naval aviation forces in the Parcel Islands.The Vietnamese were thinking with more than their testicles, as were the Indians. Sure, geopolitical clout was nice, yet that was only the icing on the economic cake that was the Parcel Island Accords. That hasty bit of JIKIT backroom dealings gave a 50% stake in the Parcels to the PRV.India got 20% of something she had 0% in a month ago. The Khanate gained a 20% stake for their audacity and the ROC gained 10% because the other three would protect its share from the PRC. Something was better than nothing and the three legitimate powers agreed to the deal because in less than six months, the PRC would be back in the game.The Indians and Vietnamese wanted the Khanate to stay interested in the region and the Taiwanese wanted to forge closer ties to the Khanate. That treaty was a 'no-brainer'. Within one week, the Vietnamese were strutting like peacocks and internal political opposition to the Indian intervention into the South China Sea in the Indian parliament was silent.The Spratly Islands was a tougher deal to work out within the six month timetable. There were more players ~ the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand (who had a non-functional carrier). The JIKIT deal gave everyone but the Indians a 10% piece of the huge natural gas, oil and fisheries pie and the Indians got 20% once more.The Philippines and Malaysia were both very opposed to this treaty; they believed they deserved a far larger portion of those regional resources. Indonesia and Thailand also felt they could hold out for a bigger slice and weren't happy with India getting so much for basically having a double handful of ships (34 actually) sailing about.That 'handful of ships' was the point JIKIT was trying to make. If the PRC beat the Khanate next year, did any of the players think the PRC would give them anything, even if they promised them more right now? Really? When the PLAN had the biggest guns, they hadn't respected any other claims to the region. Why would that change in the future?The reality was this: India would only stick around if they had the economic incentive to remain. Vietnam, the Khanate and the ROC were watching the clock and realized this was the best deal they would get. Brunei and the Philippines were also coming to that understanding. Brunei was tiny (thus easy to defend), very rich already and a good ally of the British.The Philippines had a very weak navy and a non-existent naval air force. They couldn't even enforce their current claims versus Brunei, much less confront the PLAN, or any other nation's current military. The Philippines was, sadly, relatively big and very poor. Its big traditional ally was the United States, and the US was currently busy doing 'not much' about the South China Sea situation.The world's biggest navy was partially taking up its traditional (and treaty bound) role of interposing itself between the North Koreans, PLAN/PLAAF and Russians arrayed near Japan and South Korea, or busily not 'ratcheting up tensions' in the region by sending more forces into the front lines.President Obama was urging dialogue and 'stepping back from the brink' even though every country in Southeast Asia felt the brink had already dissipated the moment the PRC was forced to accept the cease-fire. In this context, the Philippines had good reason to be feeling lonely at the moment.Bizarrely, both New Delhi and Hanoi were singing the praises of US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Rt. Honorable Phillip Hammond, Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for the UK, for their deft handling of the crisis, thank you, Riki Martin and Lady Yum-Yum.Riki wasn't expecting any thanks. She was certain she'd be fired and imprisoned for the rest of her life. Lady Fathom Worthington-Burke was sure she'd get two additional knighthoods out of the deal, which would look very nice engraved on her tombstone. Javiera had long ago decided to face the music and go down with the ship, so to speak.The CIA's Addison Stuart already had her exit strategy. She was going to go work for the Khanate, building up their clandestine service when this whole mad scheme collapsed into recriminations and 'extreme sanctions'. Mehmet, Air Force Sr. Master Sgt. Billings and Agent-86 had all decided to go with her. Katrina had their escape plane on standby. Mehmet's family was already 'vacationing' in Canada.Anyway, the Republic of India, the Khanate, the Republic of China, the People's Republic of Vietnam (the Vietnamese were happy to already be getting half of the Parcel Island windfall), the Sultanate Brunei (Lady Fathom 'knew' some people and the Sultan was an autocratic Muslim ruler, just like the Great Khan) and the Philippines (because they had no other true choice) were all coming around to signing the Spratly Accords.Indonesia and Thailand were kind of waiting for a better deal. Malaysia was downright hostile, having gravitated toward the PRC over the past decade and been assured by the PRC a better apportionment would be their reward for upsetting the treaty process.The Great Khan's answer was simple. He publically threatened the Malaysian Federation in general and both the King (Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah) and Prime Minister of Malay (Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak) in particular with military action if they kept dragging their feet.He even told them how he'd do it. He'd butcher or expel every living thing in the states of Perlis and Kedah (~ 2.1 million people) and give those empty lands to Thailand to settle along with the added sweetener of Malaysia's 10% of the Spratlys. He would also invade Eastern Malaysia, taking the island state of Labuan for himself while giving Sarawak to Indonesia and Sabah to the Philippines if those to states agreed to the split.He'd also decimate their navy & air force before devastating every port city, just like he'd done to China. He'd already killed more than two million Chinese. What was another two million Malays to him? Also, Indonesia wanted Sarawak and the Philippines had claims on Sabah. While they were openly and publically defying the Great Khan's plan, could Malaysia really take the chance?What would India and Thailand do while this was going on? Thailand stated that it would protect its territorial integrity, whatever that meant. India wasn't returning Malaysia's phone calls while showing their populace re-runs of Malaysian violence against their Hindu minority, the bastards!To the world, the Indian Navy proclaimed it would 'defend itself and its supply lines' which was a subtle hint that they would shepherd any Khanate invasion force to their destination. Why would the Indians be so insensitive? The Malaysians were screwing up their deal to get 20% of both the Parcel and Spratlys wealth, that's why.If the Khanate went down, there was no way India could defend their claims (which they'd won by doing nothing up until now). Oh yeah, Vietnam began gathering up warplanes, warships, transport ships and troops for the quick (710 km) jaunt across the Gulf of Thailand to north-eastern Malaysia to kill Malaysians because Vietnam needed the Khanate to ensure their own economic future as well.That military prospect had a cascade effect, especially among the Indonesian military. If the Indian Navy remained active, the vastly more populous Western Malaysia couldn't reinforce the state of Sarawak. Sure, the Philippines was unlikely to conquer Sabah on their own, but all the Indonesians needed was for Sabah to be kept pre-occupied while their army took their promised territory, fulfilling a fifty year old dream of conquest/unification.The United Nations blustered. It wasn't that they didn't care, they did. They also cared about the deteriorating situations in Libya, Nigeria, Syria and Ukraine. The situation was complicated by the unwillingness of the permanent members of the Security Council, namely the PRC and Russia, to recognize the Khanate.In reverse, when those two tried to stick it to the Khanate, the UK stoically vetoed them. Why? Well, more on that later. Let's just say the Khanate was good for business in the European Union in general and the United Kingdom in particular because the Khanate was prepared to economically befriend the British. Ireland was being treated in a promising manner too. The United States,the United Nations?Let's just say that in the two months following the cease-fire, the Khanate bloodily and brutally solved the ISIS conundrum and the Donbass Crisis. When the smoke cleared, the Khanate had reintroduced the practice of impalement to the modern battlefield, driven the separatists from the Ukraine and was on the border with Israel and Jordan.Sure, the Ukrainians were stun-fucked by the Khanate's 'peace-keepers' going on a bloody rampage through the eastern rebellious regions, but they had delivered up peace by mid-September. Yes, the Russians were in an uproar about the impalements.As the Khanate spokesperson said, 'if they aren't your people, then it is not your problem' and 'there are no more Russians left alive in the Ukraine'. In fact, fewer than a thousand people, all armed insurgents, were executed in such a manner, but the terror created by the highly publicized killings had the effect of sending a hundred thousand people stampeding over the frontier into Russia proper.Next, the Khanate said it wanted to 'reexamine' the Crimean situation. There were Turcoman in that area and they weren't being treated well, or so it was claimed.Even as Russia and the Khanate were posturing in the Donbass, the Khanate struck in the Middle East. By the end of September, Syria and Lebanon had ceased to exist as organized entities. Most of those two countries as well as portions of western Iraq became Turkish provinces in the Khanate infrastructure. Northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq became the Khanate state of Kurdistan.It was a campaign reminiscent of the 13th century Mongol conquest, not a modern military struggle. Whole villages were eradicated. The entire Arab population of Mosul was exiled to the new territories in the East. The city was repopulated with Kurds from Turkey. Back in Turkey, those Kurds were replaced by Armenians from Azerbaijan, cauterizing another internal issue within the Khanate.Jordan was cautiously hopeful. Israel? "We don't seem to be having problems with Hezbollah anymore," with a shrug and "it could be worse." As for ISIS; there really was an Islamic State controlling more than half of Iraq and all of Syria now and it allowed no other pretenders to that distinction. By the time the world woke up to that reality though, the Great Hunt had happened and I was dealing with the consequences of that.A larger ideological and political matter was occurring in the United States, the United Kingdom (and to a limited extent Australia and Canada). The Ramshackle Empire (aka the Khanate) was just that ~ a Frankenstein nation fueled more by nationalistic pride and nostalgia for a Super-State (that only two living people had firsthand experience with) than an integrated armed forces and infrastructure.It may have been built upon more than a 13th century creation and two hundred years of real and imagined oppression. It did have long term planning and real genius driving it forward. Having throttled the PRC into giving them six precious months of peace to 'tidy up the backyard' (aka the Middle East and Russia) and forge a true nation, the Khanate was now hiring experts to aid them in the task.First and foremost, Temujin and the Earth & Sky had envisioned an armed state built upon military principles and discipline. Fate had delivered to them the means of their own salvation in the form of NATO's policy of disarmament and 'Reduction-In-Force' levels (RIFed).The US and UK had trained tens of thousands of male and female volunteers in their Armed Forces in infrastructure creation and management for the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. From 2010, those militaries had informed those experts that their services were no longer required. Unlike the shrinking militaries of the 1990's, there was no private sector to 'soak up' the majority of those personnel.The Earth & Sky had been working on the problem of nation-building on a time table and they kept coming up short. They had to fight to create their state first, so the all-important after-battle had been something their leaders dreaded. Temujin had been understanding about not everything being 100% ready. Few wars were fought that way.Then a young male Amazon of mixed Magyar ancestry talked history with the Earth & Sky representative to a seemingly inconsequential personage's funeral. A few critical E&S leaders (a minority, to be sure) immediately sought ways to cultivate this man into what was a ten year plan to open doors to the Amazons. Then that man saved the Great Khan's life and everything changed.Before the E&S had even remotely considered directly approaching the Amazons for help, the Amazons came knocking on their door. The Seven Pillars of Heaven had tried to kidnap a camp full of Amazon children ~ an assault on their future. The two secret societies were bound by one unique, fortunate idiot and a mutual thirst for vengeance.They were also directed by two incredibly foresighted, ambitious and brilliant people. In Katrina of Epona, the E&S elders found someone who equaled their hope to see the Seven Pillars humbled and humbled immediately. Moreover, these were the Amazons they were dealing with. Amazons always sought both lightning decisions and long term solutions.From the moment Iskender left his third meeting with Cáel Nyilas, Katrina put the fruits of the First Directive (the Amazons efforts to recruit militant outsider women) into overdrive. Havenstone had the apparatus in place to screen potential inductees. All they had to do was add a "can you suggest any other people who might be interested in this line of work" box to their employment forms.That brought men into the process in surprising numbers. The market was flush with military veterans having trouble readjusting to the civilian community. The Khanate wasn't hiring killers. They wanted ex-military and civilian police officers to create a national police force.They also wanted engineers and builders, cadres for their cadet corps and a whole range of specialist in jobs most of the Western World took for granted. The money came from off-shore accounts funded by Havenstone International. The employment opportunities came from Earth & Sky front companies operating in the UK and the US (and Israel, but that was another matter).They had already started hiring scores of civilian English-speaking experts to help build their newborn nation's infrastructure before the first blow landed. English hadn't been chosen out of any cultural bias. Relying on Russian and Chinese sources wasn't feasible, the Khanate wasn't overly linguistically gifted where distant tongues were concerned and, as pointed out, the English-speaking world had a glut of applicants.Now to the problem, there were people in the US and UK who weren't happy with their citizenry going to the Khanate and helping them to survive and thrive. These power groups wanted the Mongol-Turkish Empire to keep the resources flowing to the West, without any reciprocal commitment on their part.Imagine their surprise when some wonks at the State Department and Foreign Ministries found bundles of expedited passport requests to the (former) nations of Turkmenistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Mongolia (and later Afghanistan and Iraq). The Department of Defense Ministry of Defense were discovering their former military personnel and civilian contractors with Security Clearances were heading the same way.Of all those destinations, only Mongolia and Kazakhstan were under any kind of 'Restricted Travel' advisories. Barring any coherent anti-Khanate strategy from their administrations, the bureaucracies were doing their jobs, with Havenstone exerting just enough influence to get the job done while flying beneath the radar.After JIKIT was created, the group had a US Senator greasing the wheels to get the requests expedited. In England, Lady Worthington-Burke shamelessly used the people at the other end of the O'Shea hotline to get the job done overseas. She did have to sell out a teammate, but that was what good boys were for ~ taking one for the team. (That would be me, if there was any misunderstanding.)When Cáel Nyilas was kidnapped under the watchful eye of the FBI (I wasn't sure how they got that bum-wrap), the whole situation exploded. The PRC didn't have me, yet promised they might produce me if certain concessions were made. According to Addison, I was worth 5,000 barrels a day of refined fuel oil and 50 tons of coal a month, and the Great Khan agreed to pay! Woot! I was loved by somebody who was a somebody.All that attention drove home some salient points. I was a noble scion of Ireland, Romania, Georgia and Armenia (in no particular order) and they all wanted to know why the US had let me be kidnapped. Didn't my president know I was a sacred national treasure? After JIKIT tracked down the bribes and clandestine activities to Chinese shell corporations, those powers wanted to know what sanctions would be applied.'But wait, wasn't I a private citizen?' my national leaders pleaded. Then the PRC made a case which boiled down to 'I had it coming for being a fiancé to Hana Sulkanen and a brother to the Great Khan', while ignoring me being snatched in the territorial US of A. Of course, they didn't claim to have actually done the kidnapping.Javiera was waiting on that one; 'What was their excuse for kidnapping a little US girl to force my compliance?' The furious Federal authorities even found two dead adult bodies and two digits from said child to add to the media frenzy. To prove I had migrated to fantasy land, the CNN journalist got it right ~ they had tortured the girl and I had killed two of them for it. Just ask the Romanian Army how lethal I could be.In a rare comment, Temujin informed the international press that he believed I was still alive. Why did he believe that? If I wasn't, they would have been able to spot the pile of dead enemy around me and my 'boon companion' (go Aya!) from orbit. Until they discovered this carnal pit from Hell, I was surely still alive.Just at the cusp of turning publically against the Mongol barbarians, the world suddenly got angry with their enemy, the PRC. The principal two Western regimes were paralyzed with indecision until my miraculous cry for help from the middle of the Pacific showed the world I was alive, had punished my enemies and rescued others from under the opponent's cruel thumb.Clearly if I started ranting against the People's Republic of China, my government would be rather peeved with me. I hadn't screwed a dozen poli-sci majors to miss out on that obvious situation. I behaved and hoped they wouldn't make me die from an embolism, or some other equally implausible cause.(DC is a marvel. 9 pm, Monday, August 18th. 21 days)I'd been dragged to DC, to honor promises made in Rome a week ago. I had another choice; I could have justifiably said I was still getting over my kidnapping ordeal. But that choice fucked over Javiera Castello, my boss at JIKIT (Joint International Khanate Interim Task force).That was how I ended up in a 'secret and secure' meeting with Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) and his experts. He was someone I didn't know. The rest, I'd had a verbal run-in with them after the Romanian bloodbath. I'd been cranky. I would hardly consider us to be on good terms now.All four experts were from the US State Department. They were foregoing their usual group of flunkies because this meeting wasn't really happening. All the participants were officially somewhere else, mostly not even in D.C. Had this soiree 'really happened', the Congressional sub-committees would have been able to request the minutes of Tony's meeting with members of JIKIT and:· Victoria Nuland, Ass. Sec. of State for European & Eurasian Affairs (ASSEEA)· Robert O. Blake Jr., Ass. Sec. of State for S & C Asian Affairs (ASSCAA)· Daniel R. Russel, Ass. Sec. of State for E. Asian and Pacific Affairs (ASSEAP)· Bill A. Miller, Director of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) (aka Big Willy)We made stiff, formal introductions (which signaled the utter lack of trust in the room.) Javiera hadn't wanted to put me through an interrogation this soon after my near-death experience, considering my snarky nature when stressed. The White House was putting the squeeze on her. The main player was Tony, who talked with the Leader of the Free World on a weekly, if not daily, basis.The Diplomatic Security Service people had successfully peeled off Pamela and my SD Amazons only after they agreed I could keep Aya. They tolerated me keeping the nine-year old girl despite the obvious fact she had gone through worse hardships than I had endured and was still packing her Chinese QSW-06 suppressed pistol.I had already fabricated and submitted my report on how I'd overcome a plane-full of rogue delinquents from the Forumi i Rinis Eurosocialiste t Shqip ris (Euro-socialist Youth Forum of Albania) bent on recruiting impressionable European socialites by accessing my Twitter account.That's right, the Albanians had it out for me. I reiterated that critical bit of data to the Department of Homeland Security when they questioned me on the veracity of my memories. The two ethnic Chinese I was found with? I thought they were from Taiwan, and they both appeared to be suffering from amnesia.I was already suffering repercussions from my pathological refusal to take life seriously. Javiera believed I was about to get a formal apology from Ferit Hoxha, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations. Damn it! Now I had to do something nice for the Albanians. Maybe I'd offer them membership in the Khanate, full-statehood with an economic package to sweeten the deal.Yes, that was how Albania and Kosovo joined the Khanate, a product of my love for exaggeration and a little post-Ottoman solidarity over Tarator (cold soup made of yoghurt, garlic, parsley, cucumber, salt and olive oil with a side of fried squids), Tav Kosi (lamb meatballs) and Flia & Kaymak (a dessert I highly recommend).We had toasted the Pillars of Kanun (Albanian oral law and tradition): ~ Nderi (honor), Mikpritja (hospitality), Sjellja (Right Conduct) and Fis (Kin Loyalty), ~ and he promised to tell his people that I had Besa which was an Albanian-ism for being a man who would honor his word of honor (despite us being brought together by my lie). The shit-ton of financial and military aid I asked the Great Khan to sweeten the pot with might have helped as well.Later, Lady Yum-Yum told me that the military leaders of NATO called it a 'master-stroke' in neutralizing Comrade Putin's Russian-backed 'Greek threat
In this heartfelt episode, Marine veteran and leadership expert Travis Hearne shares powerful insights about personal discipline, goal setting, and the importance of celebrating both victories and losses. From discussing Admiral McRaven's famous "make your bed" speech to exploring the balance between future ambitions and present mindfulness, Travis offers practical wisdom about building resilient leadership habits. The conversation delves into the value of daily routines, gratitude practices, and the often-overlooked importance of acknowledging setbacks as stepping stones to success.Dr. Travis Hearne is the Founder and CEO of the Titanium Consulting Group (TCG), an international best-selling author, keynote speaker, Marine Corps Combat Veteran, and former Intelligence Officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency. A cybersecurity industry expert, he earned a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California in 2021, focusing on transformational leadership within the Department of Defense's cybersecurity sector. With nine years of service in the United States Marine Corps, he led teams in Iraq and Afghanistan, gaining firsthand experience in leadership under extreme conditions. He later served as a Senior Intelligence Analyst at U.S. Northern Command and held key intelligence and cybersecurity roles within the Defense Intelligence Agency, specializing in counterterrorism, border security, and advanced cyber threats from Russia and China. Since 2015, Dr. Hearne has traveled globally, delivering tailored keynote speeches on leadership, cybersecurity, and organizational change, drawing from his extensive military, intelligence, and academic experience.Chapters:Introduction and Welcome [00:00 - 01:12]Show introductionInitial conversation about runningPersonal Loss and Reflection [01:12 - 03:15]Discussion about Travis's grandfatherSharing personal storiesMilitary Discipline and Daily Habits [19:12 - 20:44]Admiral McRaven's "make your bed" speechImportance of daily routinesGoal Setting and Present Mindfulness [22:57 - 34:15]Discussion of B.H.A.G.s (Big Hairy Audacious Goals)Balancing future goals with present awarenessCelebrating Progress [34:15 - 37:48]Gratitude practicesTaking time to acknowledge achievementsLearning from Losses [37:48 - 45:42]Celebrating failures as learning opportunitiesGrowth mindset discussionContinuous Learning and Development [45:42 - 49:29]Educational achievementsPersonal growth storiesClosing Thoughts and Contact Information [51:17 - 52:38]Book promotionFinal reflections and outro#10xYourTeam #Leadership #PersonalDiscipline #GoalSetting #ResilientLeadership #Mindfulness #DailyHabits #GrowthMindset #SuccessStrategies #VeteranLeadership #Gratitude #SelfImprovement #MotivationConnect with Travis:Website: https://www.titaniumconsultinggroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travishearne/Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/Dr.THearne
Today Tony Lopes joins us to talk about finding your metric, working with mentors, and the current market.---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on March 14, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Tony LopesTony Lopes is a first-generation American, real estate professional, bestselling author, coach and speaker. His investments and understanding of markets and economics allowed him to retire at age 44. What drives Tony is sharing his knowledge and experience so that others can enjoy the same level of freedom he doesSocial Links: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@DirtyBootsCapital Instagram: https://instagram.com/dirty_boots_capital/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/DirtyBootsCapital LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tony-lopes-far/
The Honorable James D. Rodriguez served as Assistant Secretary within the Biden administration Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service from January 2021 until January 2025 where he served 440,000 veterans annually. He is an accomplished executive leader with over 30 years experience across the government and corporate landscapes and over 20 years in the United States Marine Corps in numerous leadership and management positions. Last year, he joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute's Casey Rodriguez, the Senior Program Manager of Leadership Programs. But not only is Casey managing the operations of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, she's the daughter of Secretary Rodriguez.
In this episode of the Outdoor Adventure Lifestyle Podcast, we dive into upland bird hunting with Edgar Castillo—hunter, writer, and retired law enforcement officer. Edgar shares his unique background, how a neighbor introduced him and his father to hunting, and what led him to dedicate his outdoor life to chasing birds. We explore his favorite upland hunting destinations, the gear he never leaves behind, and his journey into outdoor writing. Plus, we discuss the critical role of public lands and conservation in keeping these adventures alive for future generations. Get ready for an inspiring and adventure-filled conversation with Edgar Castillo! Show Notes Huntsbirdz Kansas Bird Hunting United States Marine Corps What Happened: "When I first moved to the U.S. from Guatemala, hunting wasn't even a concept in my world. My family didn't do it. My dad didn't do it. It just wasn't a thing. But then our neighbor, Tom, took my dad under his wing and introduced him to the world of hunting—first waterfowl, then upland game. I, of course, tagged along, eager to be part of whatever my dad was doing. Everything was going great until one fateful day when Tom handed my dad some venison. My dad took one bite… and got violently sick. Not once, not twice, but every time he ate deer meat. Turns out, he was allergic to venison. That was it—deer hunting was officially off the table for our family. My dad stuck to birds, and so did I. Looking back, I could've ventured into hunting big game on my own. But I know myself—I go all in when I commit to something. If I started deer hunting, I'd be up to my ears in gear, obsessively tracking seasons and probably planning elk hunts across the country. So, I made a choice: stick to what I love, where the adventure is just as thrilling, and where I don't have to explain to my wife why I need a new deep freezer." Principle: Sometimes, the best decisions come from knowing your limits. It's easy to get caught up in the idea of doing everything—whether it's hunting, business, or life in general. But true mastery (and real joy) comes from focusing on what you truly love and getting really, really good at it. Transition: Too many people try to do it all. They think more = better, whether it's hunting, hobbies, or even running a business. But that's not always the case. The reality? Spreading yourself too thin often means never truly excelling at anything. That's Why: That's why, in this episode of The Outdoor Adventure Lifestyle Podcast, I sat down with Edgar Castillo to talk about how he found his niche in upland hunting, why he never strayed into big game, and how his passion for storytelling and conservation led him to an unexpected writing career. If you've ever struggled with choosing your lane—or wondered how to make the most of the one you're in—you'll love this conversation. Call to Action: If you've ever felt like you're chasing too many things at once, this episode is for you. Learn how to find joy, adventure, and mastery in one passion—and how focusing can actually open up even bigger opportunities. Listen now to our latest episode here: #Outdoor Adventure Lifestyle Podcast, #bird hunting, #Edgar Castillo Writer, #Outdoor Writers Association of America, #OWAA, #law enforcement, #United States Marine Corps, #hunting, #waterfowl, #upland game, #public lands, #Alaska, #ptarmigan, #grouse, #quail, #conservation, #wing shooting, #storytelling, #outdoor writing, #public land access, #mentoring, #outdoor recreation, #outdoor camp, #freelance writing
In this conversation, Benny Carreon and Dennis discuss the critical importance of cybersecurity for small to mid-sized businesses, highlighting the increasing risks they face from cyber threats. Joined by Bob Quandt from Bullseye Compliance, they explore various aspects of cybersecurity, including the evolution of cybercrime, the necessity of multi-factor authentication, password management best practices, and the human element in security.Bob Quandt is an experienced security leader with over 20 years' experience. Prior to starting Bullseye Compliance in 2017, Bob was the Vice President of Information Security and Information Security Officer at Sharecare (formerly Healthways) where he led the information security function and helped build a solid security program. Prior to this role, Bob led an IT audit function and worked in security, application development, and internal audit at a Fortune 100 healthcare provider. Bob is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and a member of the Middle Tennessee ISACA and ISSA organizations. Bob received his bachelors' degree from Middle Tennessee State University and served in the United States Marine Corps.Hosted by Benny Carreon and Dennis JacksonBob Quandt - https://www.bullseyecompliance.comDennis Jackson-WorX Solution- dennisj@worxsolution.com ; www.worxsolution.comBenny Carreon- Velocity Technology Group- benny@velocitytechnology.group;https://velocitytechnology.group/
I'm thrilled to share some incredible insights from my latest episode featuring Mark McGrath, the Chief Learning Officer at AGL and a former captain in the United States Marine Corps. This conversation is packed with wisdom on leadership, decision-making, and thriving in complex environments. Here are some key takeaways:
Today Alex Kingman shares with us some of her multifamily challenges and advice she would give to those who are just starting out.---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on March 7, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Alex KingmanAlex is the Director of Investor Relations at KGI Capital. Her company helps people who choose to live life on their own terms invest passively in apartment buildings, reduce their tax burden, and grow passive wealth. KGI capital invests in 20-100 unit distressed and heavy value-add multifamily properties in the Southeast and Midwest. To date, they have acquired 253 multifamily units and have $30MM in assets under management. Before going full time into real estate, Alex was one of the top Airstream salespersons in the country. She is located in the San Francisco bay area and is a mother of two girls.Learn more about her at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-kingman-033815241/ or https://youtube.com/@kgicapital7096?feature=shared or https://www.facebook.com/alex.kingman.503
In today's episode, Andy sits down with Jill Schulman, a former United States Marine Corps officer and acclaimed expert on the science of bravery. Together, they explore:Courage and bravery within the workplaceJills extensive background in military service Corporate leadership Positive psychology to offer actionable insights on how we can unlock individual and team potential through the science of braveryJills academic research on bravery Powerful strategies to help us recognize fear and take bold actions to overcome itWhether it's having difficult conversations, pursuing ambitious goals, or breaking out of our comfort zones, this episode is packed with valuable lessons for anyone looking to bolster their courage in both personal and professional spheres. Join us as we dive deep into cultivating a brave mindset for a more fulfilling and impactful career.Jill Schulman is a former USMC officer, leadership expert, happiness scientist, and keynote speaker who specializes in helping individuals and teams unlock their potential through the science of bravery. With a diverse background spanning military service, corporate leadership, and academia, Jill combines research-based insights with real-world experience to empower others to push limits, embrace bold goals, and elevate their impact—all while enhancing well-being and life satisfaction.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Jill Schulman here:LinkedIn
Lieutenant Joey Sperlazza, Ed.S. is joined by J. Harris Academy of Police Training Instructor Lieutenant Collin Congleton, JD in LEO Radio Episode 32. Collin is a subject matter expert in Use of Force. Collin founded and now supervises the Force Investigation Unit for a major urban Police Department in New Jersey, is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a nearly 20 year veteran law enforcement professional. He earned a B.S. in National Security Studies (Summa Cum Laude) from New Jersey City University and a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law (Newark) where he was awarded the prestigious Judge J. Skelly Wright Prize for work in civil rights. He also completed the Certified Public Manager Program at Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration, where his research work on police training reform was nominated for the nationally recognized American Academy of CPM's Askew Award. Some of his certifications include: FBI certified hostage and crisis negotiator; Force Science Institute certified force analyst; Gracie University certified Instructor of Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) Levels Iⅈ NJ PTC certified firearms instructor; NJ certified ICAT and ABLE instructor. Collin is also heavily involved in volunteer work supporting veterans and is an avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiujitsu. Full bios for Joey and Collin are available at JharrisTraining.com. Joey and Collin analyze three incidents in this episode of LEO Radio: • NYPD Officer Involved Shooting of Christopher Ferguson: The New York State Attorney General Office of Special Investigation is currently conducting an investigation into the death of Christopher Ferguson who died on December 5, 2024 following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD 77th Precinct) in Brooklyn. OSI has released videos from body-worn cameras that officers were equipped with during the incident and video from a dashboard camera. The full footage is available on the NYC AG website (https://ag.ny.gov/osi/footage/christopher-ferguson) and on the NYPD YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/I1oAPLhD9GU?si=JsdFy0uw8TZNIw-h) • Cranford, NJ Police Officer Involved Shooting of Kevin Harlfinger: According to the preliminary investigation, officers from the Cranford Police Department were pursuing a stolen vehicle when it crashed in the area of a southbound exit on the Garden State Parkway. After the crash, the driver of the vehicle, Mr. Harlfinger, exchanged gunfire with Cranford Police Officers Christopher Folinusz and Ryan McSharry. Mr. Harlfinger was pronounced deceased at the scene at approximately 12:04 a.m., December 29, 2023. A firearm was recovered near Mr. Harlfinger. Officer Folinusz sustained a non-fatal gunshot wound, was treated at a hospital, and later released. The full footage is available on the NJ AG Website: https://njoag.app.box.com/s/q0so00a1u4lbh1x005yy7gch4nuewvf5• Cleveland Police Officer Involved Shooting of Tamir Rice On November 22, 2014, 12-year-old Tamir Rice, an African-American boy, was fatally shot by Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann while playing with a toy gun at a recreation center; the incident sparked widespread controversy due to the rapid shooting despite the caller mentioning the gun was likely fake and the victim's young age, highlighting issues of police brutality and racial profiling within the Black Lives Matter movement. Tamir Rice was playing with a replica airsoft pistol at a park when someone called 911 to report a person with a gun. The video was released by the Cleveland Police Department, and the incident is well covered with dispatch and 911 audio by News 5 Cleveland: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/tamir-rice-shooitng-video-warning-cleveland-police-release-surveillance-video LEO Radio is a podcast produced by the J. Harris Academy of Police Training. As always, the items described in this podcast are for information only.
Joseph Root joins us today to talk about his success in scaling and property management along with what tips he would give anyone who is just starting out.---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on February 28, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Joseph RootAs a seasoned leader in Chicago's multifamily real estate market, Joseph Root has delivered exceptional results, earning recognition as a trusted expert in the industry. A Partner at East Superior Real Estate Partners, Joseph drives the firm's strategic vision and capital-raising efforts, overseeing 18 investments in value-add multifamily properties. Previously, he led Root Realty, transforming it into a premier property management company honored twice on the Inc. 5000 list for fastest- growing private companies. Under his leadership, the firm managed thousands of apartments, completed over 600 renovations, and was recognized as a Notable Leader in Commercial Real Estate by Crain's Chicago Business. Joseph holds an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and a BS from Fordham University.Learn more about him at: https://www.esrepartners.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/rootjoseph/
Today John Casmon joins us today to talk about structured goals, tips for new investors, and his journey through multifamily.---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on February 21, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----John CasmonJohn Casmon is a real estate entrepreneur, who has partnered with busy professionals to invest in over $100 million worth of apartments. John also consults active multifamily investors to help them start or grow their business. He hosts the Multifamily Insights podcast (formerly Target Market Insights) and is the co-creator of the Midwest Real Estate Networking Summit.Learn more about him at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/multifamily-insights/id1269346577 or https://casmoncapital.com/
Send us a textIn this episode, Stephen shares his career journey, from early influences that led him to engineering to his experiences in the Marine Corps and various engineering roles. He discusses the technical challenges he faced, such as working on the Patriot 2 missile at Raytheon and the innovative solutions he implemented. Stephen also talks about his passion for personal engineering projects, including an automated sprinkler system and a home security system, and the inspiration behind these projects. He provides advice for aspiring leaders and discusses the importance of personal projects in maintaining engineering skills.Main Topics:Stephen's early influences and decision to pursue engineeringExperiences in the Marine Corps and technical challenges in the industryTransition to Surecon Corporation and personal engineering projectsDevelopment of the automated sprinkler system and home security systemAdvice for aspiring leaders and the value of personal projectsAbout the guest: Stephen Johnson's engineering journey began with his service in the United States Marine Corps from 1987 to 1992. During this time, he worked on F/A-18 airframes with VMFA-333 "Fighting Shamrocks" and served in the Marine Corps Security Forces aboard the USS Wisconsin and USS Kitty Hawk during the Gulf War. These experiences instilled in him a strong foundation in discipline and technical precision.After his military service, Stephen pursued a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering at Purdue University, graduating in 1996. He was actively involved in Epsilon Tau Sigma, serving as Treasurer for two years. His early career included a role as a Design Engineer at Raytheon Electronic Systems, where he worked on the Patriot II Missile Systems and the Milstar Satellite Program, focusing on automatic test equipment for power systems and satellite communications.Transitioning to the embedded systems industry, Stephen joined Heurikon Corporation as a Support Engineer. The company, which later became Artesyn Technologies and was eventually acquired by Emerson Electric, provided him with opportunities to work on embedded computer boards and systems, including cPCI, cPSB, ATCA, and VME designs. He also developed Board Support Packages (BSPs) for VxWorks and supported Linux for embedded systems.In 2008, Stephen joined TDS Telecommunications LLC, where he initially focused on implementing and maintaining IPTV elements, from content providers to set-top boxes. Over the years, he advanced to the role of Network Consultant, working on the Server & Applications team for VoIP infrastructure and the Cable TV Platform. His expertise includes Python programming, systems design, and electrical engineering. Recently, he has been working with the core network and developing tools to automate various processes, reflecting his passion for automating tasks that humans should not be doing.Beyond his pAbout Being An Engineer The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community. The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us
-CHAPTERS-00:00 Introduction to Jason Morrison's Journey03:09 Growing Up in Indonesia: A Unique Perspective08:26 The Courage of a Missionary Life13:02 Family Influence and the Drive for Service17:22 Transitioning to Military Life: A Culture Shock27:22 Becoming Elite: The Path of a Recon Marine37:59 The Balance Between Grind and Mental Health40:35 The Burden of Service and Self-Recognition42:44 The Dynamics of Training and Selection49:25 The Evolution of Identity in the Marines53:55 The First Combat Experience01:04:49 Understanding Fear and Its Impact01:14:41 Transitioning from Military to Contracting01:19:22 The Quest for Truth: A Skeptic's Journey01:22:03 Finding Peace: Reflections from Bible School01:24:22 The Call of Duty: Embracing the Warrior Spirit01:27:01 Business as War: Transitioning from Combat to Corporate01:31:58 From Rock Bottom to Redemption: The Writer's Journey01:43:43 Lessons from PTSD: Embracing Vulnerability and Grace01:51:31 The Future Ahead: Writing and New Ventures-SUMMARY-In this episode, Jason Morrison shares his extraordinary life journey, from his upbringing in Indonesia as a missionary's son to his service in the United States Marine Corps. He discusses the challenges of navigating two distinct cultures, the courage instilled in him by his parents, and the lessons learned from his military experiences. Jason reflects on the grind of becoming elite, the realities of combat, and the importance of understanding one's own limits and capabilities. His story is a testament to resilience, personal growth, and the pursuit of excellence in the face of adversity. In this conversation, Jason Morrison discusses the complexities of heroism in combat, the nature of fear, and the challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life. He reflects on his experiences in the military, the impact of PTSD, and the importance of self-discovery and personal growth. Jason also shares insights on the parallels between business and warfare, emphasizing the need for veterans to recognize their value in the civilian workforce. Ultimately, he highlights the transformative power of facing one's fears and the journey toward fulfillment and purpose.-TAKEAWAYS-Jason's upbringing in Indonesia shaped his ability to communicate across cultures.Courage is not just physical; it's about understanding context and empathy.The dichotomy of freedom and security is a recurring theme in Jason's life.Growing up in a challenging environment prepared Jason for the rigors of military life.The grind of military training teaches valuable lessons about self-discovery and resilience.Jason emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with capable individuals.The transition from a free-spirited upbringing to the structured military life was significant for Jason.Combat experiences are both exhilarating and terrifying, highlighting the unpredictability of war.Jason's desire to prove himself drove him to seek out elite military training.Understanding one's own limitations is crucial for personal growth and success. True heroism involves constant danger and commitment.In combat, one can be seen as both a hero and a failure.Fear can be a learned response that diminishes over time.Transitioning from military to civilian life can be challenging but rewarding.Faith and reflection can provide peace after trauma.Business requires the same strategic thinking as combat.Personal growth often comes from facing adversity and trauma.Understanding one's fears can lead to greater resilience.Self-discovery is a continuous journey, especially after trauma.Finding purpose in life can stem from the lowest points.
In this special episode of EMS One-Stop, host Rob Lawrence welcomes General Robert B. Neller, the 37th commandant of the United States Marine Corps, to discuss leadership, decision-making, team building and the evolving challenges facing public safety professionals. General Neller shares his perspective on leading under pressure, making critical decisions, and fostering an ethical and resilient organizational culture. With decades of military leadership experience, he provides actionable insights that apply not only to the armed forces but also to EMS, law enforcement, and fire and rescue personnel. Throughout the episode, General Neller emphasizes the importance of training, adaptability and the role of leadership in guiding organizations through times of uncertainty. He highlights the significance of ethical leadership, followership and how leaders must take responsibility for failures while empowering their teams. The discussion also explores the impact of emerging technologies, such as AI and body-worn cameras on public safety, and the crucial need for ongoing training despite staffing and funding challenges. This thought-provoking conversation delivers key takeaways for current and aspiring leaders across all branches of public safety. 15 leadership quotes from General Robert B. Neller “Making decisions is part of your training — you're expected to make them, and you have to do it in critical moments.” “If I could wave a magic wand, I'd put everyone at 110% staffing so they had the time to train properly.” “The leader's job is to set the example — how you carry yourself, how you treat others, and how you communicate matters.” “Good leaders anticipate. They don't just react — they look ahead and keep their teams informed.” “Followership isn't blind obedience; it's about understanding the mission, contributing ideas, and executing effectively.” “Accepting responsibility is a core tenet of leadership — when things go wrong, the leader must own it.” “Change is inevitable, and good leaders learn to embrace it while preparing their people for what's ahead.” “Take care of yourself — physically, mentally and morally — because leadership starts with personal discipline.” “As a leader, you have to accept that sometimes you'll make the right call, and things still won't go your way — that's part of the job.” “You have to train and rehearse because time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted.” “The worst thing you can hear as a leader is that ‘you don't care' — your people need to know that you do.” “To build culture and cohesion, you set the example — you take the physical fitness test, you wear the uniform properly, and you carry yourself the right way.” “Good leadership is not about the complete suppression of ideas — if you have time, get input, because someone might have a better idea than you.” “If you have good followers, being a leader is significantly easier — if you don't, it's a challenge every day.” “Change is inevitable — if you're not evolving, you're not making progress, and that's a problem.”
Chuck Casey returns to Stories from the Center of the Universe from when he was on with John Hollis and Jeremy Bowling in Episode #309. Paul and Chuck touched on their organization, The Longest Climb Foundation and Paul reiterated his commitment to help the organization. They then started to talk about Chuck and his military background. Chuck accurately labeled his career as a Unicorn. Chuck's path is unique and varied as he touched three of the branches of the military during his education and career. After graduating high school, Chuck went into the U.S. Air Force and after about two years, he entered the U.S. Air Force Academy. During that time, he participated in an exchange program and spent a semester at the U.S. Naval Academy. It was there that he met and observed some U.S. Marines and that influenced him to switch from the USAF to the United States Marine Corps after graduating from the USAF Academy. They discussed his career over his nineteen years as a USMC Officer which was also varied and unique. They also talked about Chuck growing up in Massachusetts doing anything and everything on a board and being a drummer. They finished by talking about his wife Annie and how they have four kids.
0:14Good morning, good morning, good afternoon.0:15How are you doing out there in the world?0:18And well, this is a revamp of prepare responder covers program we put on last two, oh, guess two years ago, right, We started with it.0:29I'm looking into all different aspects of what it is to respond to large scale emergencies and not just Emergency Management. Still, we're looking at law, fire, EMS, private industry, public side of things.0:47It's a broad brush.0:49And so I'm excited.0:51And so Todd and I, Todd Manzat is the 2 Todd's here.0:55Start talking about it, what it is and, and, and you know, he's got some really great insight.1:01I've known Todd for a while now.1:04And as you can tell here, the Blue Cell is the premier sponsor of this program.1:08And so I want to thank Todd for that.1:10And Todd, welcome.1:11Welcome to our show, I guess, for lack of better term.1:14Hey, well, thanks, thanks for the welcome.1:16And, you know, it was, it was kind of funny as we were kind of batting this around at the end of last year and, you know, here we are now getting ready to kind of jump right into it.1:29But certainly the world's events have helped us to have at least some stuff to talk about in the last 30 days.1:38It feels like it's April already.1:40And I know we'll get into a little bit of that.1:42But thanks for having me.1:43I'm glad to be part of it.1:46I think this is the longest January I've ever lived, Right?1:53Well, it's, you know, in some ways we're thinking back a little bit to, you know, what's going on.1:58I was in New Orleans this week and the events of New Year's Eve are in the distant past when they're worried about the Super Bowl.2:06They had a snowstorm and they had a a Sugar Bowl.2:09And it's, it's really interesting that the tempo right now is as real as it gets with regards to, you know, what we are going to be talking about here, you know, interested about that.2:22It's like, you know, obviously the, the events of January 1st with both New Orleans and Vegas, how quickly it came out of, out of the news cycle because you know, fires happened in, in, in California, you know, and that kept us hopping over here.2:40You know, obviously you guys all know that I live in, well, maybe not everybody, but I, I live in Southern California.2:46And so those fires directly impacted my area, not necessarily where I live, but close enough to where I have friends that lost homes and stuff in the fire.2:57So, I mean, and then then we got rain right after that, which is causing problems.3:03And then there's snow storms in in Louisiana in the South that's causing problems there.3:07And we're still not recovering from Hurricane Helene, You know, And then in the midst of all this, we get a new presidential administration, which is definitely moving fast, you know, And yeah, so are, are we going to be able to take your breath?3:28Well, you know, I don't know that we have a choice, right?3:30It's that kind of race.3:32And, you know, being as ready as we can be in different places, that's kind of part of it.3:38So that the folks who are sprinting as fast as they can can be relieved.3:41And one of the things that was interesting when I was in, in Louisiana this past week, they were talking about barring snow plows from another state.3:49Who, who does know how to do that, you know, pretty interestingly.3:52And then obviously, unfortunately, the events in DC with the, with the plane crash as the, you know, the most recent thing, another really, you know, significant type of event and response.4:09Just hearing, you know, some of the press conference stuff where they're talking about, you know, the things that, you know, I teach all the time, Unified command 300 responders out there.4:21Got to replace those responders.4:23Got a lot going on, got a lot of media, right.4:26All those aspects of something that makes any kind of response a little more complex.4:34Definitely it's going to be a a fun filled year of topics if we stay at this at this pace for sure.4:44Yeah, I want to talk about that plane crash here for forbid, not not about the plane crunch itself, but about how as a those of us in the field, you know, I know a whole bunch of people that are traveling at any given time.5:01I mean, you're one of them, a couple of friends down in Texas.5:05You have a friend of mine who carries Fronza, who's the president of IEM, who she was travelling during this time.5:13And I went to my, my, my click box of, oh, who do I need?5:17Who do I need to call to see if they're impacted by this?5:20And even if it's something as far away as DC, you know, and now you're going, oh, crap.5:25I mean, I called you or at least reached out to you to see if you know if you're travelling yet.5:30So you don't.5:30It's just this is amazing, like how small of a world we truly are when it comes to that.5:36And then I have friends that work and you do too, Todd, you know, that work in the capital that a part of Metro and and and DC fire and Fairfax fire.5:46And you know, you, you see this happening.5:48You're going, these are people who you know closely that are already impacted by this event, let alone the tragedy of the those lives that were lost, you know, in this tragic accident.6:01And I think that's part of the thing with what we do here between you and myself and, and the, and the organizations that, you know, we do touch every aspect of, of the United States and at some point global when it comes to Emergency Management, We're going to be able to bring those, that perspective to, to the this conversation.6:24Yeah.6:24I think the, the other thing that kind of jumped out at me was, you know, trying to think back through the history and, and certainly some of the legacy media folks were talking about the last time we had a crash and how long ago it was.6:38And in fact, I don't know if you picked up on it.6:41That last one was Buffalo and obviously Buffalo, NY.6:46You've got connections to that place, right?6:48Yeah, yeah, right.6:52And I'm headed to Binghamton, NY next Friday, which is not that far down the road.6:57So it's, you know, to bring it somewhat full circle, preparedness, response and recovery are interconnected.7:05All these disciplines are interconnected.7:09How we do things, we're trying to make them as interconnected, you know, as possible.7:17And I think it's going to be the right conversation, especially when we bring some doctrinal things in and and talking about some specific topics and then trying to overlay it to things that are really happening.7:31I think that's going to be one of the unique things about the conversation, hopefully, as we move the show forward.7:38Yeah, absolutely.7:39And I think the other thing too, Todd, that you know, you and I have some really deep conversations, you know, when it comes to the state of Emergency Management, the state of disaster response, you know, where where we need to go and how to get there.7:57And you know, the fact that we have a kind of book in this thing here, but we have progressive states that look at Emergency Management and disaster response and disaster preparedness and planning as holistic, right?8:13So that means like fire, police, EMS, public works, right, that we always forget, you know, public health, they're all involved in the conversation.8:23And then you have some States and somewhere areas that are myopic, right?8:27And they're very much silos on everything they they do.8:30I think some of the conversation that we're going to have here is hopefully to break down those silos and and be able to have those full conversations that we are all hazards approach to everything that we look at.8:42And I think that's critical, right?8:45And I think also in the, you know, our show concept, and I think it's important to share, you know, in this first episode, it won't just be me and you hanging out with each other.8:55I think our concept of bringing in guests as a, a third element to the show, a third voice, I think will be important.9:04I know you're working on lining up a few.9:06I'm working on lining up a few.9:08It'll be exciting.9:09And, you know, as we move into the coming weeks to get that guest line up out to folks and they can kind of hear a perspective and we'll definitely, you know, be leveraging our relationships.9:21I think to to bring in some strong, strong individuals to give a dynamic focus on, you know, what we're talking about.9:31And Speaking of relationships, I mean, you know, the other good part about this too is Todd, you and I both have some good relationships with some people that can bring really great insight.9:43And so we'll be leveraging those relationships as well to be able to bring you the audience some more insight to what what's happening in, in close to real time as possible.9:53And then of course, you know, my position with IEM allow some conversations to to happen as well.10:01And the Today as an example, well, we, we have to talk a little bit about the, the elephant in the room is what's going on with FEMA.10:10The, the president has set forth his vision on, on making changes.10:16And I don't think there's an emergency manager in the United States right now that doesn't think the Stafford Act needs to be, you know, looked at and, and fixed, right?10:30You know, it's an old act, right?10:33And that FEMA does need to have, you know, to be maybe remodeled a little bit.10:38Sure.10:39I, I definitely don't think it should be destroyed and taken away, But you know, where does it belong and, and, and how does it work?10:47And you know, I've been calling for a few years now.10:49Well, let's say probably over 10 years now that FEMA should be a stand alone agency.10:53And there's, there's cons and pros for both for, for all of this, right?10:59And then today I got to sit down with the acting administrator, Hamilton to hear a little bit about his background and what his, his, you know, his goals are.11:11And the good thing is, is what he's doing right now is listening to the emergency managers out there, meeting with the big groups such as IEM and Nima, big cities, meeting with them to discuss what their needs and goals and, and desires are when it comes to what FEMA is and can be.11:34And I think it's a really important first step.11:37And I, and I commend them for that.11:40Yeah.11:40You know, the, the, the basic rules and kind of organizational leadership are you, you got to, got to figure out what your objectives are, to figure out what your mission is, that type of thing.11:51And, and many times it's a driving factor in where you end up or who you're working for working under and, and how it's supposed to work.12:00I think, you know, that revisit it's, it's not something necessarily that, you know, every time you get a new leader in that you need to do that, But you also can't go 20 or 30 or 40 years and have problems and not do it.12:16And you know, there obviously is a, has been for some time a heartbeat out there saying, Hey, let's let's have it as a, a cabinet member.12:27And my position is whether it's a cabinet member or not, it's still going to come down to the mission, the organization, understanding what the mission is and the talent that's inside the organization.12:40I was in this little teeny organization for a short time called the United States Marine Corps.12:45It's a it's a branch under a department, but everybody knows who we are.12:51Everybody knows what we do because we've got a clear mission.12:53I've had it for 250 years and we're the best at what we do.12:57So in some ways, when you do it well, it doesn't matter that you're not equal to the Department of the Navy and under the Department of the Navy, just as an example.13:09And so I think that's going to be a hard, long conversation and a lot of work that'll have to be done to establish that capability that is not only understood but is respected and is effective in the field.13:27Because that's what's been coming into question is it's effectiveness in the field.13:31Where it sits organizationally probably doesn't have much to do with that.13:35So I think it'll be interesting moving forward.13:39I'm not watching from afar.13:40Certainly have a lot of folks that I'm talking to that are, they're nervous and they're trying to, you know, decipher what's happening and figure it out and where do I fit in?13:51In the end, you got to do the best job that you can and not have that question because you did the best job that could be done.13:58And so I I think that'll be something worth talking about moving forward and, and watching how it kind of transpires.14:08Yeah, absolutely.14:09And, and you're right, I think nervousness, I think is a good word to say.14:13Uncertainty, right?14:14It breeds nervousness a little bit.14:15And I think that's kind of where we're at.14:17And, you know, the current administration's communication style is, is interesting at the at the best or at the worst, I suppose, or whichever we look at it is sometimes I believe, you know, President Trump just floats things out there just to see how people react.14:34And, you know, he's a, he's interesting guy that way.14:40And I think it takes a little bit of time to get used to that style of communication.14:45Whether you agree with it or not.14:46It just says it is what it is, right?14:48You know, not just talking about the yeah, go ahead.14:55I was going to say that.14:56I was just going to judge.15:01We all have to get used to how Manhattan downtown developers do business.15:08That's, that's what we have to get used to.15:10And, and most of us haven't had to deal with that.15:13So it's a, it's a different way that things get done.15:17There's no question.15:19Yeah, absolutely.15:20And like I said, I'm not, I'm not judging it.15:23I'm not putting a value to it.15:24I'm just saying it is what it is.15:25And this is what we have to deal with.15:26You know, I, I think as emergency managers and, and, and guys that are in the field, you know, when we're looking at situations, we have to understand that we don't have time to placate on whether we agree with something or not.15:43We just have to deal with the consequences of what's happening.15:45And, and, and this is where we're at.15:47We have to deal with the consequences that, that, that are happening.15:51And so, you know, that being said, you know, what is the future of Emergency Management when it comes to to what the federal government believes in?16:03That's going to be a long conversation.16:05You know, you know, and we, we have a long history of things changing.16:13And I think we forget this because, you know, we we live in the generation that we're in, right?16:20And we may look back at the previous generations, but we live in where we're at and what we're used to and in that comfort zone.16:28And, you know, I think if we reflect back to when, you know, Franklin Donald Roosevelt created an office that would look at Emergency Management, if you will, without using the terminology.16:39It's where we grew up from, you know, to Truman turned it into really the civil defense of what we think of today, you know, with the Burt the Turtle and all that nuclear stuff that they were dealing with.16:50And and then it kind of got to Jimmy Carter at this point where he turned it into FEMA in 79.16:56And then, of course, the Stafford Act.16:58These are chunks that we didn't live in, right?17:01You know, some I, I, you know, realistically, Todd, you and I, we're from, you know, 70s into the, to the 80s when we were, you know, kids and then we're working.17:12The experience has been this short box.17:14So we look at these boxes that we've lived in and not understanding what the, what the history was and what the changes are.17:20So, so this too, you know, will be a little uncomfortable, but maybe it's uncomfortable that we need to be better.17:28And if we look at it that way and, and as long as we're part of the conversation, that's my only concern is if we start having conversation without us, then what does that mean?17:38Right, right.17:40And I think the, the other thing, just analyzing it a little bit as an outsider looking in, I think what are the alternatives going to be?17:51You know, they're, they're talking about a few alternatives and, and putting pressure or responsibility in other places, like for example, the states.18:00Well, they better do a true analysis of whether that capability is actually there.18:07It sounds great and it probably looks good on paper, but there's going to be a harsh reality that that may not be the answer.18:17And I'm, I'm not going to call out any one state or any 10 states or any 25 states.18:22I'm just going to say there will be serious questions as to whether certain states can take on those previous FEMA responsibilities.18:33And I think it could be a bigger mess and a bigger tragedy if that's not really looked at very, very hard and and very critically in terms of what the capabilities actually are in some of those locations.18:51You know, I think about the fires that we just had here in Los Angeles County and one of the last fires that kicked off as this thing was burning, you know, they were able to put 4000 firefighters onto a fire in in a very short period of time to stop it from burning up the town of Castaic or the village, I guess, right.19:13We got lucky in one aspect that there were already firefighters down here from all over the place that we can, we, we can move those assets over.19:20You know, that's one state.19:23State of California is unique in that aspect of it.19:26I mean, I don't think and, and I'm going to pick on a state and I mean, I can, you know, if, if you fear for that state, please let me, I'm telling you, I don't know the assets.19:35So I'm not not saying that you can't do it.19:37But if you took like Montana, for instance, who has lot of wild land fires, I don't know if they could put in in in 30 minutes of a fire kicking off, Could they put 4000 firefighters on that fire in 30 minutes of a kicking off?19:52Or Colorado for that matter, where you're from, you know, do they have those assets?19:57And, and maybe they do, maybe they don't, but that's the difference between having mutual aid and the federal government coming in to be able to pay for things on the back end than it is to to not right.20:09And and again, maybe Montana and Colorado could put those assets on their.20:13I'm not, I'm not trying to say that you're not on issues as an example, I want to be clear on that.20:19But you know, without federal assistance immediately, can the smaller states handle those large scale disasters as quickly as they can right now?20:34Sure.20:34I yeah, I definitely think that's, you know, that resource management piece is a is a big aspect of it.20:40But let's say you're a week into it, do some of the states have the ability to even manage that?20:50You know, when we start to think about some of the large scale operations and you know, maybe maybe you have an Emergency Management office, full time staff of 20 people that may not have, you know, the ability or the experience of handling, you know, that type of complexity.21:11That is the word that always bothers me.21:16The, the actual complexity.21:18You know, incident command speaks to it quite a bit.21:21We've got a pretty good system for incident command.21:23We've got a pretty good system at the top tier of who manages complex incidents and who's qualified to manage complex incidents.21:32Well, you know, some of that would somewhat come into question if you don't have that guidance from, from FEMA or even some of their support from an IMAP perspective.21:42And then we're that we're going to rely on a state agency of, of 16 people to, to be able to do it.21:51I don't know.21:52I I think it's definitely something that it's going to be a, a bridge we have to cross if that's the direction that we end up going.22:00Yeah, absolutely.22:01And, and, and going back to some of the smaller states.22:03And I'll pick on Maine here for a minute because I was talking, I was talking to one of the guys from Maine and they have volunteer emergency managers, you know, you know, and I'm like, well, and it blew my mind when we had this conversation with him.22:22I'm like, you know, I I never thought about that, that you have a town, you know, a state that's so, you know, sparsely populated in some areas that they just have some dude who's like, all right, I'll, I'll do it for a volunteer.22:34You know, like that means you get your regular day job that you're doing and in the evening, maybe you're, you know, you're doing Emergency Management stuff.22:42Yeah, that kind of that kind of blows my mind a little bit.22:45So, you know, what do we do with states like that that don't even have the ask the the ability to pay for emergency managers, you know, to live in what?22:53I mean, you know, how do we ask?22:56How do we?22:56And the support doesn't necessarily, you know, I want to rewind the minute, the support doesn't necessarily have to be be people on the ground, right?23:05You know, those volunteer emergency managers in Maine may have the the capabilities of doing it as on a volunteer basis because they don't have a lot of disasters that occurred.23:13That's fine.23:13I'm not, I'm not making fun of that position.23:17What I'm saying is they need support and the support that they might get might just be from training, you know, grants to help pay for things because obviously their tax base is going to be lower.23:29So they may need those, those grants from from the federal government to to pay for programs, you know, the send people to EMI or whatever they change their name to, you know, you know, for, for training, you know, the university.23:50Is that the university?23:52FEMA you or, or, you know, used to be FEMA you.23:56yeah.com.23:58Good Lord.23:59Something we're going to, we're going to send us hate mail.24:02Jeff Stearns, Doctor Stearns, We're not making fun of you, man.24:05We're just right.24:12Excuse me, but yeah.24:14I mean, we go into this like, how do we support those smaller states that don't have big budgets?24:20I'm lucky to be from living in California and from New York, which are, you know, have big budgets, but I mean, heck, even New York State, you know, I mean, if you want to take a look at the responders in New York State, there's the majority of the responders in New York State are volunteer.24:41You know, it's one of the states that there are more Volunteer Fire departments in New York State than paid, you know, So what does that look like?24:50And, and what support are they getting from, from the federal government, whether it's through FEMA, the National Forest Service, I help it out with, with different grants and stuff.25:00The you, you know, out here in, in the West Coast, we have BLM, which has firefighting assets and things that could be used.25:09There's a lot of stuff that National Forest Service.25:12There's a lot of stuff that we're relying upon and maybe even too much, right?25:17Maybe that's the back of our mind and and we're relying on those, those assets.25:22You don't compare it to saying let's pretend they don't exist, right?25:26I don't know.25:28That's the stuff I think is making a lot of people nervous about some of the changes that are going on right now of the unknown answers to unknown questions.25:39Yeah.25:41Well, it's going to be interesting.25:42It's going to be good.25:43And we'll kind of start to figure out right the next, next episode and who knows who's going to be in what jobs.25:54So we, we may, we may get a, a really good guess right as we, as we move forward or some of the folks who've previously been in those positions that give us some insight.26:06I think that's really our goal.26:10Absolutely.26:11Well, Todd, you know, we're trying to keep these within that 30 minute window and we're coming up to the last few minutes here on our conversation.26:22Is there anything that you'd like to say to the listeners out there that are coming back and, and how do we, you know, to the new listeners that might be just finding us?26:32I say, you know, TuneIn and we definitely will keep it interested and keep it moving from that perspective and, and give some feel reporting too.26:41That's one of the things I know that we've talked about that we want to incorporate here because I think it'll give a little bit different feel to to the conversation.26:52But I think this was a good one to get us started and look forward to talking to you next week.27:00Absolutely, my friend.27:01Looking forward to seeing you next week.27:03It's always, it's always nice to see that big smile right there very often.27:09Right.27:09Yeah.27:11All right, all right, everybody, until next time, you know, stay safe and well, stay hydrated. 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Today Aleksey Chernobelskiy joins us to talk about his business, investments, and advice he would give to those just starting out. ---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on February 14, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Aleksey Chernobelskiy Aleksey Chernobelskiy advises limited partners (“LPs”) on existing and future investments. He writes weekly to 5,000 investors at www.LPlessons.co to explain how to properly vet and think about LP investments in the grand scheme of their portfolios. Aleksey also helps General Partners on matters relating to LPs, such as capital calls or feedback on investment decks.Prior to advising LPs, Aleksey ran STORE Capital's $10 billion commercial real estate portfolio and oversaw the firm's underwriting team. Aleksey graduated from University of Arizona with a quadruple major – Finance, Mathematics, Economics, and Accounting.Learn more about him at:•LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/chernobelskiy•Twitter : https://twitter.com/chernobelskiy•Weekly newsletter (LP Investing Lessons): http://www.lplessons.co
Corporal Roy Roush served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He fought in the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of Tarawa, the Battle of Saipan, and the Battle of Tinian. He later served in the Air Force as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. In this interview, Roush describes his experiences during the Battle of Saipan & the Battle of Tinian To learn more about Roush, check out his book, Open Fire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Four years of service in the United States Marine Corps, extensive martial arts training, and a back injury sustained from snowboarding left Tim McDevitt's body broken, weak, and in pain. Tim sought out yoga simply to strengthen his core, back, arms, and legs, but his practice evolved into the exploration of a deeper path with the holistic powers of sound baths, chakras, and breath work. In addition to touching on the community and mission of the Empowered Wellness Studio, Tim shares his perspective on various aspects of fitness, teaching methods, and the historical significance of and working with Indian clubs.Connect with Tim✩ Empowered Wellness Studio:https://www.empoweredwellnessstudio.com/✩ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/timothycmcdevitt/✩ Soulistic Sound: https://soulisticsound.com/✩ Soulistic Sound Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/soulisticsoundsllc/✩ Soulistic Sound Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554027992488&skSupport and stay connected with the GTY community✩ Website:https://www.gtypodcast.com/✩ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gtypodcast/✩ Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@guystalkingyogapodcast✩ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guystalkingyogaCheck out Yoga For Dudes with Larry✩ Website:https://www.yogafordudes.com/✩ Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@UC4yM9Mv-q7fA8VKBEyzt27A
Randy Langenderfer joins us today to talk about ways of getting into multifamily, networking, and his advice for those starting out in real estate.---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on February 7, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Randy LangenderferRandy is Founder and President of InvestArk Properties and general partner in 1,500 doors representing $250M in assets under management. He has invested in a total of over 3,000 units in TX, OK, AZ, SC and LA. His investment strategy focuses on providing the passive investor significant returns by improving communities using a safe and timetested approach. He is passionate about helping the busy professional achieve their goals in real estate and has been a part of several national educational programs and is currently a private multi-family coach. He is a board member and previously served as the Chief Compliance and Audit Officer for a large academic medical institution in Houston, TX. He has a bachelor's degree in accounting, Information Systems, an MBA in Finance, and is a CPA.Learn more about him at: https://www.invest-ark.com/home/ or https://multifamilymaestros.com/
Corporal Roy Roush served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He fought in the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of Tarawa, the Battle of Saipan, and the Battle of Tinian. He later served in the Air Force as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. In this interview, Roush describes the Battle of Tarawa. To learn more about Roush, check out his book, Open Fire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Andy Borses shares with us details about his book he just wrote, the importance of being able to shift your mindset, and his journey through multifamily. ---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on January 31, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Andy BorsesAndy, with over 20 years of project management experience, has managed $20M+ projects for top-tier clients like Disney, Fox, and ESPN. In 2020, he transitioned into real estate, guided by mentors Jen and Stacy Conkey, leveraging his expertise to raise over $4.5M and co-lead over 416 multifamily units. Andy's book, The Common Thread Method: Your Uncommon Path to Successful Capital Raising, co-authored with Jen Conkey, offers deep insights into investor relations and is now available on Amazon. Andy teaches a capital raising class and is developing "Rise By 25," a mentorship program empowering youth through real estate investing.Learn more about him at: https://www.instagram.com/andy_borses/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyborses/ or https://buycoastal.org/
Joe Rinderknecht joins us today to discuss underwriting, risk factors, and his journey through multifamily. Link to post: https://bit.ly/3EjTTDp ---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on January 24, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Joe RinderknechtJoe specializes in underwriting and asset management from his experience over the last 5 years learning from and working side by side with seasoned investors underwriting 100's of Residential and Commercial properties. He is the founder of United Investment Properties, which focuses on acquiring value-add multifamily properties along the Wasatch Front. Their strategy is to maximize revenues while providing a safe & valuable living space for their residents. Along with graduating in 2018 with a BS in Finance and minored in real estate and entrepreneurship Joe is also the owner of a 506(c) Non-Profit called Tiny's Tribe that strives to help families who have been in life-changing accidents. In his free time Joe enjoys fishing, traveling & ranching with his wife and two children.Learn more about him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joerinderknecht/ or https://upcfund.com/
Sharon Riddle joins us today to talk about how she got her start in multifamily real estate and her journey in scaling her business. ---Continue the conversation with Brian on LinkedInJoin our multifamily investing community for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitanThis episode originally aired on January 17, 2025----Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsYmSLMxQCA9hgt_PciN3g?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to us on your favorite podcast app:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv ----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has owned over twenty apartment complexes worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is dedicated to helping aspiring apartment investors learn how to do the same. He founded the Tribe of Titans as his platform to educate aspiring apartment investors and is continually creating new content for the subscribers and coaching clients.He is the founder of Streamline Capital based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is probably working on closing another apartment complex in the greater SLC area. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021 after 20 years of service.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Sharon RiddleOver her career, Sharon Riddle has worked in companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. She has provided business solutions in the areas of software upgrades and business process analyses and has conducted best business practice research for over 30 years. Sharon began investing in single-family real estate in 2005 with her husband and business partner, Dan. She took a leadership role in managing all facets of the business, including property analysis, acquisition, rehab, property management, and resale of properties. Sharon, with her business partner Dan, started the transition to multifamily real estate in 2015 through initial education and investing passively in 18 properties in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Florida, and Ohio, totaling 3,507 units to date. She joined the Women's Multifamily Mastermind in 2019, has been a personal mentoring student of Brad Sumrok since 2015, Brad Sumrok's Millionaire Multifamily Mastermind since 2019, Hunter Thompson's RaiseMasters Mastermind in 2023,Wealth Wise Women in 2024, and co-founded Excalibre Investments of Texas LLC with Dan in 2022. Sharon and Dan Riddle have a 28-year-old daughter who will join them as a partner in a real estate LLC in 2024 or 2025. Additionally, Sharon and Dan are actively involved in local, regional and global charities.Learn more about her at: www.excalibretexas.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-riddle-949a3b2b7/