Shows
Beyond the UniformCalling Transitioning E-6 and Below!Steve here from BTU. I live in Huntsville, AL and I’m trying to help the Chamber of Commerce connect with E-6 and below service members that are within 18-24 months of their transition window; that can be either be pre or post transition. The Chamber of Commerce is looking to connect via Zoom with soon to transition or recently transitioned junior/mid enlisted service members to pick their brains about transition, what jobs transitioning service members are looking for, what's important to them, what marketing material lands with them, etc. Basically, there's a huge ma...2023-02-0101 minBeyond the UniformBTU #466 - Stopping Active Shooters with AI (Rob Huberty @ ZeroEyes)Rob is the Co-Founder and COO of ZeroEyes, an AI weapons detection platform that helps identify threats at first sight. In this interview we talk about: >> WHY Rob has made it his mission to end mass shootings >> How Rob has built a team that is ~60% military Veterans >> How entrepreneurship is an alternating feeling of hiding under your desk, or jumping on top of your desk >> What it's like to be COO of a quickly growing company 2022-12-1434 minBeyond the UniformBTU #465 - Four Thousand Weeks (Part 2)This is part two of a book review of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. I've read a lot of books on productivity, and this is by far one of the best I've read. Because it takes a completely different approach to our view of time and how to get things done. 2022-12-0721 minBeyond the UniformBTU 464 - Four Thousand WeeksI recently read a book that I love: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. I've read a lot of books on productivity, and this is by far one of the best I've read. Because it takes a completely different approach to our view of time and how to get things done. In this episode, I go through a tactical list he includes in the book about 10 Tools for Embracing Your Finitude. I hope this helps you as much as it helped me. 2022-11-3012 minBeyond the UniformBTU #463 - 5 characteristis of top performersI've interviewed 510+ top performers. Here are five characteristics I've seen them share: 1. Readers 2. Mentors 3. BIG goals 4. Get out of doing 5. Active2022-11-2315 minBeyond the UniformBTU #462 - Ryan Green (Gridwise)Ryan is a case study in being proactive, intentional, and open to feedback. He shares some crazy stories about how his side hustles (6+) led to his eventual founding of Gridwise, which has raised over $20M in funding to date. Whether or not you're interested in entrepreneurship, you'll benefit from Ryan's story.2022-11-1644 minBeyond the UniformBTU #461 - Herb Thompson2 years after our initial conversation, Herb Thompson is back on Beyond the Uniform. In this conversation, we talk about topics including: What LinkedIn is and isn't How Herb wrote his first book in a single weekend How companies leveraging Veterans are improving their bottom line, not doing charity How to own your journey Building a bridge rather than a wall How Veterans gaining employment and success helps us all How important it is to believe you belong Why Herb chose to stand in front of 60,000 people, even though it made him uncomfortable Why it's important to not do...2022-11-0932 minBeyond the UniformBTU #460 - Michael MuirI found the modern incarnation of Alexander Hamilton. This must be what Dr. Dre felt like when he discovered Eminem. He’ll be interviewed by Tim Ferriss one day, but know that his warm-up was with @Beyond the Uniform. Michael Muir and I connected via a LinkedIn post. We chatted for 20 minutes, and I knew I had to interview him. Here’s what you should know about Michael: - He spent much of his childhood homeless or in foster homes - He left a full ride to the University of Wisconsin to follow his...2022-11-0248 minBeyond the UniformComing soon to Beyond the UniformI've been MIA... I'm sorry! Here's a quick update on what's going on behind-the-scenes, and what's in store for Beyond the Uniform. 2022-10-2002 minBeyond the UniformBTU #459 - Four thoughts about career adviceSomeone in our community sent me a message requesting a few thoughts on their military career transition. I wanted to take the opportunity to share four things that have been on my mind lately.2022-09-2814 minBeyond the UniformBTU 458 - Matt Miller Air Force Pilot to Vending Machine Empire2022-09-2142 minBeyond the UniformBTU 457 - Founding Sport Clips Haircuts and Building 1700 Franchises Gordon LoganGordon Logan is the Founder & CEO at Sport Clips Haircuts, a company that he started back in 1993 and now has over 1,700 locations in the US & Canada. Logan started out at MIT, after which he served as an Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force for seven years. After his military service, he worked as a financial planning and control consultant with Price Waterhouse & Co. in Houston, Texas. He holds an MBA with Honors from The Wharton School of Business. Why to Listen: In the past I've interviewed veterans involved in Franchises. Gordon started a co...2022-09-1455 minBeyond the UniformBTU 456- The CEO of Franchise Business Review talks about Vets in Franchises Eric Stites Edit2022-09-0754 minBeyond the UniformBTU #455 - Active Duty to Chick-fil-A Franchise Owner (Marlon Terrell)Why to Listen: For those that listened to Episode #129 with John Francis, you know that I’ve been thinking about how veterans that are interested in entrepreneurship should really consider a franchise. It seems to be a business with training wheels. It helps bridge the gap between someone’s military strengths and what’s necessary to grow and run a successful company. My guest today is Marlon Terrell, who went straight from the Navy into owning a Chick-Fil-A franchise. I really enjoyed this conversation. Marlon provides just the right amount of detail. I walked away feeling like I unders...2022-08-3158 minBeyond the UniformBTU #454 - Veterans & Franchises (John W. Francis, aka "Johnny Franchise")John W Francis runs Next Level Franchise, Inc in Minnesota, where he helps franchisors, franchisees and supplier companies with their business issues by offering perspective, experience, advice and connections to help move them forward. He started back in 1980's helping in his family business, The Barber’s Inc, which was the franchisor of Cost Cutters, City Looks, and We Care Hair Salon. Over the next 15+ years he helped to grow the business internationally, eventually selling to the Regis Corporation in 1999. Since then he has directly worked with franchises, as well as served as an advisor, board member, consultant, and sp...2022-08-2450 minBeyond the UniformComing soon to Beyond the Uniform the UniformWe've had over a month since our last episode, and we've got a string of five episodes coming your way. Here's what to expect.2022-08-2203 minBeyond the UniformBTU #453 - Navy Veteran to NASCAR Driver (Jesse Iwuji)Why Listen:This is an inspirational episode. Jesse is a case study in pursuing one’s dream - figuring out what unique aspirations you have, finding others to hold you accountable, and not letting the opinions or doubts of others get in your way. Jesse talks about how he used a kickstarter campaign, credit cards, and his personal savings to inch his way closer - one race at a time - to becoming a NASCAR driver. We talk about advocating for yourself, how to run a crowdfunding campaign, and how to train day in and day out to make your dre...2022-06-2736 minBeyond the Uniform452 - Finding a Workplace Where You Can Thrive (Valerie Rivera)Why Listen: Valerie left active duty after 15 years of service, and has gone on to found a company designed to help people thrive at work. In addition to discussing her own journey, we talk about how to find out if a culture is right for you, how to shift your mindset to be happier at work, how to make sure you are living a life of alignment, and more. About Valerie: Valerie Rivera is the Founder & CEO of Take Back WOrk, who’s mission is to partner with organizations of all stripes to create workplace cultures where people thrive. She serve...2022-06-2040 minBeyond the UniformBTU #451 - From Air Force to US Ambassador (Gary Grappo)2022-06-1353 minBeyond the UniformBTU #450 - Satellite Startup to $500M Acquisition by Google (John Fenwick)2022-06-0650 minBeyond the UniformBTU #449 - Mastering Sales (Tyler Johnston)Why Listen: Well, you know you're enjoying a conversation when midway through, you're already planning the next interview. Tyler is awesome. I just really appreciated so much about this interview. The thing that stands out to me most is his mastery in sales. He talks about his career, which is a variety of different experiences in the functional role of sales while also having most of that in the industry of energy. What I appreciated about his story is hearing about how throughout his career he's picked up different tools, different tricks, different skills that over time...2022-05-3052 minBeyond the UniformBTU #448 - Helping veterans of both parties run for office (Emily Cherniack)2022-05-2334 minBeyond the UniformBTU #447 - Life after being declared Killed in Action (Justin Constantine)Why Listen: Today’s episode originally aired in June of 2019. This last week, I learned that Justin passed away following a battle with cancer. I wanted to rebroadcast today’s episode as a tribute to Justin’s life and legacy. What to say about Justin? Well, he was shot in the head by a sniper and pronounced killed in action… but that didn’t stick. Justin was a Purple Heart recipient, an author, a lawyer, an motivational speaker, an entrepreneur, and worked with a company that helps over 24k military members and their families EVERY MONTH - th...2022-05-1654 minBeyond the UniformBTU #446 - Growing Black Rifle Coffee (with Evan Hafer)Evan Hafer is the Founder & CEO of Black Rifle Coffee, a small batch coffee roasting company. He started out at the University of Idaho, after which he spent 14 years in the U.S. Army as an infantryman, a Special Forces soldier, and a CIA contractor. I came across Evan in a 2016 Forbes Article about the Top 25 Veteran Founded Startups in America.2022-05-0947 minBeyond the UniformBTU #445 - Founding Alpha Architect (Wes Gray)2022-04-2548 minBeyond the UniformBTU #444 - Army Ranger to HBO and Writing & Directing Movies (Brian Hanson)2022-04-2152 minBeyond the UniformBTU #443 - An overview of Blockchain & Crypto Currency (Donnie Benjamin)In my previous conversation with Donnie, he offered to come back on the show to provide a primer about blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Ethereum. In this episode, we dive into this, as well as why the space may appeal to the mission and purpose-driven Veterans.2022-04-1843 minBeyond the UniformBTU #442 - Navy to PGA Golfer (Billy Hurley III)Why Listen: Billy is a professional golfer, the first Naval Academy graduate to earn a PGA TOUR card, which he has done for the last seven years. The more I learn about Billy’s journey, the more I’m blown away by what he achieved. In a field that is crowded and incredibly competitive, Billy has succeeded despite having five years where - instead of focusing 100% on golf like his peer set - he was serving in the military.In this interview we talk about cultivating a mindet of excellence - even though serving as a Surface Warfare Offi...2022-04-1450 minBeyond the UniformBTU 441 - Fill Your Life with Hold my Beer Moments (France Hoang)I've known France a little bit for a while now. The glimpses that I've had into his professional background and his personal nature have made me excited to have this interview. It's been a long time coming. We go through a lot in this interview. And you'll see from France's background in this interview, he had military service with the Army. He worked as a lawyer, most notably as Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush. And then he's had an unbelievable entrepreneurial journey, including founding companies that have generated over $600 million in combined sales with over 1200...2022-04-1148 minBeyond the UniformBTU #440 - Coach K2022-04-0716 minBeyond the UniformBTU #439 - The future of virtual care (Dr. Laura Purdy)Subscribe on: iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play Enjoy the episode? Review us on iTunes! Why Listen: Well, my guest today, Dr. Laura Purdy not only served in the US Army for 14 years as a family physician. But she's also has been a military spouse for a very long time. We talked about a lot of topics on the show that we've never talked about before. The first obviously is her work at MD integrations and the work that she's done since she left the military about nine months ago, we talk about virtual care, wh...2022-04-0438 minBeyond the UniformBTU #438 - The Five Dysfunctions of a TeamA book review of the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - A leadership fable, by Patrick Leoncioni2022-03-3107 minBeyond the UniformBTU #437 - Blockchain Ticketing (w/ Matt Zarracina at True Tickets)Why Listen: Matt brings the perspective of what I'd call a midlife entrepreneur, someone who had decade in the military almost a decade of experience a couple degrees before he founded a company and I just always love hearing those stories. His company uses blockchain. So we talk about that how that impacts his business. What that industry looks like, like might be appealing to our listeners, he talks about COVID and how it actually helped him grow as a company in an unexpected way, a very atypical story. He talks about managing cash flow to the day predicting...2022-03-2842 minBeyond the UniformBTU #436 - Jocko Willink and Leif BabinWhy Listen: Today’s conversation is the highlight of my time with Beyond the Uniform. More than anyone else I have witnessed, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are doing the most to elevate the civilian world’s understanding of military Veterans and what they bring to the table. In this conversation, we talk about what it is like for Jocko and Leif to work together now, out of uniform. We also talk about what it was like starting their company, Echelon Front… and it’s not as easy as I had thought it would be. We talk about their newest initiati...2022-03-2157 minBeyond the UniformBTU #435 - How to Sell a Company (Jeff Arnold @ Rightsure)Why Listen: Jeff works in the insurance industry, which is not an industry I knew a lot about before the interview, but I can see why he chose to spend 30 years in this career path after his time in the Army. In this interview, we talk about selling companies, understanding how companies are valued, how to drive value, how to increase the value of a company, how to defer benefits in selling a company versus finding a company that pays you a good salary from the start. We talk about approaching your career in 15-year increments, three different chapters...2022-03-1432 minBeyond the UniformBTU #434 - The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership (Diana Chapman)Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guest today is not a military veteran, but I believe her message and perspective are a great contribution to our community. Diana has helped a lot of veterans and is one of the authors of a book called The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, and I am so honored to have her on the show. I love this book so much that I send a copy of it to every new client that I sign up for my company, Executive Presence. In this conversation, w...2022-03-0754 minBeyond the UniformBTU #433 - Masters of Scale (Book Review)Normally on the show I interview a military Veteran about their civilian career: what they do, how they got there, and advice for others seeking to do the same. Today's episode instead is a book review of a book I just finished that has helped me in my career, and I hope it helps you as well: Masters of Scale.2022-03-0304 minBeyond the UniformBTU #432 - Taking Action (Aaron Hale)Why Listen: There are no words to introduce this interview. Aaron was left blind after an injury in Afghanistan. He overcame that and went on to do incredible things. Instead of allowing himself to become a victim, Aaron sees his injury as an example of divine direction. Shortly after that, he contracted bacterial meningitis and became fully deaf in both ears. He has since then gotten implants so he can hear. But Aaron overcame that as well. Living the "Challenge Accepted!" mindset and not letting any obstacles deter him from his goals, he now runs a company...2022-02-2833 minBeyond the UniformBTU #431 - Rocket Fuel (Book Review)In this episode I provide a high-level summary of the book, Rocket Fuel. This is a book for anyone interested in leading a 50+ person company, or for any entrepreneur looking to scale their company. You can find a copy of the book at https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Fuel-Essential-Combination-Business/dp/19429523172022-02-2406 minBeyond the UniformBTU #430 - The Unexpected Entrepreneur (Chris Anthony @ TeamWorx Security)Why Listen: Despite your career intentions, today is a great episode with a lot to learn from Chris. This is one of the first stories where the entrepreneur I interviewed didn't set out to be an entrepreneur; they were pulled into it. We start talking about his unexpected departure from the Army he'd planned on 20 years and due to an injury left at the 11-year point, and how he started his own company. We speak about the mentoring work he does with veterans every Wednesday. He has got a lot of great transitioning advice. We also talk...2022-02-2142 minBeyond the UniformBTU #429 - Atomic Habits (Book Review) In this episode I provide a book review of Atomic Habits by James Clear. This is a FANTASTIC habit relevant to any career path (as well as your personal life). It efficiently explains incredible tactics to employ to build habits that will get you where you want to go, and destroy the habits that keep you from getting there. 2022-02-1711 minBeyond the UniformBTU #428 - Your Moments, Hand-Painted (Brendan Aronson @ Paintru)Why Listen: My guest today, Brendan, started a company called Paintru, which he co-founded with two other Naval Academy graduates. What I think is so fascinating about Brendan's story is that he is a Naval Academy grad, served in the Marine Corps, earned his MBA from hardcore finance school Wharton, worked at a hardcore finance company, Goldman Sachs, and then started, of all things, a startup that focuses on art. It's such an unexpected twist in someone's story. About Brendan: Brendan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Paintru, which makes it simple to c...2022-02-1433 minBeyond the UniformBTU #427 - Mastering the Rockefeller Habits (Book Review)In this episode I provide my top 17 takeaways from an incredible book about leadership and growing a company: Mastering the Rockefeller Habits.2022-02-1012 minBeyond the UniformBTU #426 - Building a Community on LinkedIn (Justin & Jennifer Welsh)Why Listen: Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guests today are not military veterans, but I believe their message and perspective are a great contribution to our community. This is a great episode for anyone. Whether you're a job seeker, an entrepreneur, or an executive, LinkedIn is such a powerful platform. We talk about it all the time on the show. Today, we're going deep on tactics for how to use LinkedIn to grow an audience, sell products, find your next job, or build your brand. There a...2022-02-0755 minBeyond the UniformBTU#425 - WHO not HOW (Book Review)In this episode, I provide my key takeaways from a book a recent guest recommended to me; WHO not HOW. It is a book all about the fact that, when presented with a problem, we often think: how can I solve this? Instead, the book talks about shifting to a "who can help me solve this" mindset. By finding a WHO who has a network and area of expertise to solve your problem, you free yourself up instead to operate in your own particular zone of genius.2022-02-0308 minBeyond the UniformBTU #424 - Growing a Business through Acquisitions (Mike Maynard @ Napier)Why Listen: Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. Today's guest, Mike, has a unique career transition story that I haven't heard before and thought would benefit our audience. We talked about Mike's career transition of going from someone on the tech side to someone on the marketing side as an owner and operator, but also the process of acquiring other businesses. About Mike: Mike Maynard is the Managing Director of the Napier Group, a 7 million PR and marketing agency for B2B technology companies. He was a...2022-01-3121 minBeyond the UniformBTU #423 - You Are a Badass at Making Money (Book Review) In this episode I give a quick recap of a book that helped me and I know will help many Veterans who may think there's not enough time or money to go around. You Are A Badass at Making Money is a fantastic book about changing our beliefs about money and success, and I hope you'll check it out.2022-01-2713 minBeyond the UniformBTU #422 - Creating a Culture (Barry Saltzman)Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guest today is not a military veteran, but I believe his message and perspective are a great contribution to our community. Today's guest, Barry, is helping companies and individuals reach their full potential. Our conversation gave me a deeper understanding of myself, my drives, strengths, and weaknesses. As he puts it, I can be a hero or a villain, and some triggers can drive me in either of those directions; this is certainly applicable to self-knowledge. But we talked about it in the c...2022-01-2445 minBeyond the UniformBTU #421 - The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership (Book Review) In this episode I give a quick recap of one of my favorite books of 2021: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership. I plan to have every person I hire read this book. It is an exceptional framework for leading with integrity, and a book that has had a big impact on my and my business. 2022-01-2019 minBeyond the UniformBTU #420 - An Overview of the Space Ecosystem (Shelli Brunswick @ Space Foundation)Why Listen: Shelli is doing incredible work at Space Foundation, a nonprofit helping expand the space ecosystem and helping job seekers just like you find a job in the space industry. There are a lot of opportunities here. Shelli is one of the rare ones I've interviewed in 420 episodes where it is so clear that she found a good fit for herself in this organization. After 29 years in the Air Force, she is motivated by helping others and giving back. She desires to be inclusive with this industry and pay forward to the next generation. It's always...2022-01-1733 minBeyond the UniformBTU #419 - Mindset: FeelingsIn this episode we talk about feelings at work, and how - if leveraged properly - they can provide enormous insight into a leader and team about where they need to focus their time and energy.2022-01-1314 minBeyond the UniformBTU #418 - Becoming a Bakery Director (Ranjeet Singh @ Aspire Bakeries)Why Listen: Today's story is so different. Ranjeet has an incredible background of going from the Marine Corps as an Avionics Division Non-Commissioned Officer and then choosing to go down a path centered around food and operations, including roles like being a Plant Supervisor at Safeway, a Shipping Department Supervisor at Albertsons, an Operations Manager at Ralphs Grocery Company, and a Plant Manager at BakeMark. You probably recognize all of those names. You've definitely had one of his products from Aspire Bakeries, where his focus is on frozen baked goods. But so much to learn today about w...2022-01-1024 minBeyond the UniformBTU #417 - Mindset: GratitudeThis is a new episode format where I focus on a mindset that I'm working on and that I believe will help our BTU audience in their career and life. Today, I'm talking about gratitude and three "pro tips" about building up a muscle of gratitude and apprecation.2022-01-0610 minBeyond the UniformBTU #416 - How to Sell Shovels in a Gold Rush (Trevor Shirk)Why Listen: One thing that will come through in this interview is how much Trevor is constantly learning from others and books as a professional and an entrepreneur. I am ordering three different books based on the ones he recommended in this episode. We talked a lot about how the riches are in the niches and Trevor's own story of entrepreneurship of how he started to do things and had a realization and pursued that. And it led to what he's doing right now, which is selling software specifically-targeted at the cannabis dispensaries, which are booming here...2022-01-0354 minBeyond the UniformBTU #415 - Athlete Foundary (KC Chhipwadia)Why Listen: KC overlapped his time in the military with his time at NASA having over 20 years at each of those organizations. Although his childhood aspiration was to become an astronaut, and he got to the final stages of that process, he ended up starting a company called Athlete Foundary. I love their mission because it's aimed at helping children of any zip code and background fulfill their dream of becoming collegiate athletes. By leveling the playing field and making it clear what process people need to follow to become a collegiate athlete, he's helping hundreds of 1000...2021-12-1338 minBeyond the UniformAnnouncement: Live episode next FridayNext Friday (December 17th, 2021) at 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern, we'll be trying a live, interactive episode. We'll be using an app called Wisdom to record the show. If you download the app and follow @jnassiri, you'll be able to join us live. Here's the direct link to follow me on Wisdom: https://joinwisdom.audio/jnassiri If you'd like to participate, go to beyondtheuniform.org/live and complete the sort form there - you can ask a question or share your own knowledge with our audience. See you there!2021-12-1002 minBeyond the UniformBTU #413 - 3x Growth in Two Years as CEO (Justin Wells)Why Listen: Today's interview is a different story than I've heard before. Because Justin didn't found a company, he was working at a company called Intuit, getting a lot of experience in product innovation. He was contacted by a company right when he was starting his entrepreneurial journey about having the possibility of him taking over as CEO. It's a path that I haven't heard of a lot. He's done well at tripling the size of this company in those two years. Even though at that time the pandemic started and he lost a third of his...2021-11-2945 minBeyond the UniformBTU #412 - Hemp & Psychedelics (Devin Alvarez @ StraightHemp)Why Listen: I had intended to spend the bulk of my conversation with Devin talking about growth and marketing because he has some great ideas. But we ended up going down a different path. Devin runs a company called StraightHemp, where they sell different hemp-related products. In this interview, we talked about CBD and other things. And he also is an advocate for psychedelics. Devin is a rare breed of person. He's building a company and making money, but that's not what's driving him. Devin is very community-driven. He's very much about making the world a better...2021-11-1527 minBeyond the UniformBTU #411 - Air Force to Health Tech Startup President (Kit Kieling @ Orderly Health)Why Listen: Today's conversation is dense in terms of the amount of wisdom per square second. I've known Ken for a while now, and it was great hearing more about his story. I respect his vulnerability and authenticity in sharing how he navigated multiple times in his career in life. Things didn't work out the way that he thought they would. One example is his work in the ICU in Afghanistan and Iraq that changed his view about medicine and realizing that that path wasn't what he wanted to do. And he goes from there to consulting...2021-11-0844 minBeyond the UniformBTU #410 - Army to CEO (Erik Malmstrom)Why Listen: Erik is a man I tremendously respect. His background is unbelievably impressive. A few things that we talked about that stood out to me is, first of all, where we started the conversation, which is an alternate view on the veteran transition that I've never heard before; it puts veterans in a different light. And I think it's very thought-provoking. Second of all is Erik's work around Afghanistan, which he has done for the last ten years of helping people get out of Afghanistan and making sure that they're safe. Third of all, Erik has...2021-10-2550 minBeyond the UniformBTU #409 - Investing in Cybersecurity (Ken Gonzalez)Why Listen: Ken is an absolute Rockstar. His career includes working at some of the most iconic brands in Silicon Valley; Siebel Systems, McAfee, AVAST Software, FireEye, and now founding and running his own investment firm, NightDragon. Here are six different things to keep an ear out for in this episode. First of all, why veterans should consider a career in cybersecurity and what the characteristics of this industry are. Second, what life is like as a mid to late-stage investor. Third, the one thing everyone overlooks when it comes to networking. Fourth, using the lens of...2021-10-0440 minBeyond the UniformBTU #408 - 0 to 2,100 Employees (Alex O'Brien @ Cardinal Group)Why Listen: I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have this conversation with Alex. I reached out to him via LinkedIn because I saw he was in Denver, and he was a Marine who has done incredible things as an entrepreneur and basically treated this interview as part two of a conversation with him. Here's a couple of things that stood out to me that I hope you benefit from this interview. At one point, Alex says, I don't know anything, pay me and teach me. I think that's such a great thought as he was taking...2021-09-2744 minBeyond the UniformBTU #407 - True Made Foods (Abe Kamarck)Why Listen: I enjoyed this conversation; Abe's honesty, his directness in revealing the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, as well as the many pivots that he's experienced in his own life. He started True Made Foods seven years ago when he was 38. He had four kids. It was not necessarily in line with what he did in his background. They are growing rapidly. They were named one of the top 10 most innovative food companies of 2021. In this interview, I appreciated how he talked about how most people get jobs through their network, not the front door. And...2021-09-2043 minBeyond the UniformBTU #406 - A Well Designed Financial Plan (Imperium Capital)Why Listen: Normally on the show, I have a military veteran as my guest. We talk about what they do, how they got there, and advice to others seeking to do the same. Today I am doing that, but with three guests, two Army and West Point grads, one Naval Academy and fellow Submariner, who joined forces to found Imperium Capital. There's a lot that I love about this interview. It is a blend of talking about financial planning and tips that anyone listening can apply to their career to get themselves more financial freedom and stability...2021-09-1356 minBeyond the UniformReflections on September 11thJanell Hanf sent me an email yesterday morning asking about my experience at the Naval Academy on September 11th. Here is a quick episode sharing more about that experience and my hope this day to honor those who lost their lives that day, those who served that day, and those drawn to service thereafter.2021-09-1109 minBeyond the UniformBTU #405 - Taking a Company Public During a Pandemic (Bruce Cleveland)Why Listen: As an entrepreneur focused on marketing, it was an extreme honor to interview today's guest, Bruce Cleveland. Bruce is an absolute Silicon Valley legend, having worked in operational roles at companies including Oracle, Apple, and Siebel Systems. In addition to that, he has worked in venture capital for 15 years, where he has personally generated over a billion dollars in returns. This includes his work at InterWest Partners, one of the most respected VCs in the world, but also as the founder of Wildcat Venture Partners where he worked for five years. He is now the...2021-09-0641 minBeyond the UniformBTU #404 - Leading at the Highest Level (LTG Robert Caslen)Why Listen: It is always intimidating speaking with a flag officer. And that all said General Caslen made that so easy. He's such a gracious man. He served for over 43 years in the military, including being Superintendent at West Point. He was at the Pentagon on 911. He snuck back in to assist with fighting fires and ensuring that his colleagues were safe. He has no shortage of unbelievable experiences in the military. After the military, he went on to become the president at the University of South Carolina, so continued leading at the highest level in a...2021-08-3051 minBeyond the UniformBTU #403 - Buying and Growing a Healthcare Company (Daniel Reese)Why Listen: My guest today is an entrepreneur, but not the type that you usually think about. We've had a couple of guests on the show who have done what is called a search fund, which is what I thought I was doing most of my time at Business School. Rather than coming up with an idea, which many people struggle to do and starting your own company, a search fund enables you to raise money, to go out and find a company, usually a mom and pop type shops, something that's doing well that could use...2021-08-2326 minBeyond the UniformInadvertent Viral Post (Paul David)Why Listen: This is a quick short episode in between our normal format of Beyond the Uniform, which is me interviewing military veterans about their civilian career, what they did, how they got there, and advice for how you can do the same. So today’s guest is someone who is not a military veteran, but I love this story. It's something that I did for my company Captivate.ai., and I wanted to share it here as well. I put together a three-minute video that's worth checking out if you like Paul's story. So here's the ba...2021-08-1917 minBeyond the UniformBTU #402 - Find Your Mission (Nic McKinley)Why Listen: This is one of the more energizing conversations I've had on the show. In addition to serving in the Air Force, working in the State Department, serving in the CIA, and now running two different companies - one of them designed to fight human trafficking - Nic is needless to say, an amazing human being. As a founder of two companies, his biggest advice to entrepreneurs is to not start a company. We talk about how success is opportunity meeting preparation, and how oftentimes we focus on motivation when we should be focused on preparedness...2021-08-1643 minBeyond the UniformBTU #401 - Taking Care of Your People (Trier Bryant)Why Listen: For those of you who smoke cigars, and you know the phrase knuckle burner - this is a knuckle burner of an episode. I went in trying to keep this to 30 minutes, but we used 58 minutes for this conversation. It's because Trier has so many great points about so many different topics. You'll learn about her career. She's the co-founder and CEO of a company called Just Work. She has a tremendous amount of experience at Goldman Sachs, Twitter, other great organizations around people management, and she has so much great advice about taking care...2021-08-0948 minBeyond the UniformBTU #400 - Up Your Influence (Josh Elledge)Why Listen: I think it's amazing this conversation I had with Josh because most of it is about adding value and - what he calls - leveraging generosity for marketing and sales. And what's crazy for me is that the way that I met Josh a couple of months ago was through a connection, and I even forget how I met him. I run a company Captivate.ai that works all in marketing, and Josh is such an expert in sales systems and marketing. I think that this is a little bit different from a typical episode...2021-08-0239 minBeyond the UniformBTU #399 - Consumer Packaged Goods (Kurt Schmidt)Why Listen: Well, my guest today is an absolute Rockstar. There's a couple of reasons to listen. First of all, he started his career in marketing. He has been at the helm of very senior companies, including Kraft Foods, Wrigley, Novartis, Nestle, The Blue Buffalo Company. He's on the board of Campbell Soup. He took Blue Buffalo public. He was the head of Gerber when it was acquired by Nestle. He has an incredible history, and part of his advice is just focusing on the job in front of you, not having a sense of where you...2021-07-2648 minBeyond the UniformBTU #398 - A Future Built on Trust (Leemon Baird)2021-07-1938 minBeyond the UniformBTU #397 - Depression to Expression (Scott Ste Marie)2021-06-1449 minBeyond the UniformBTU #396 - Approaching Networking From a Generous Standpoint (Shawn Olds)Why Listen: I just wrapped up my conversation with Shawn, and it was so enjoyable. There were a couple of things that stood out to me. One was his great quote about always being ready for opportunities and embracing the right thing. His story is so incredible, from this perspective, starting with his unexpected medical discharge from the military, to a winding road through consulting and startups, and ultimately back to startups and starting his own company. It just really shows you the power of resilience, but also the power of being open to unexpected deviations in...2021-06-0742 minBeyond the UniformBTU #395 - Purpose Driven Entrepreneurship (Joe Ross @ HigherEchelon)Why Listen: I just wrapped up recording this episode, and it will cost me about $60 in books, or maybe $5 in late fees from the library because there were so many great books that Joe recommended. Here are a couple things that stood out to me from this interview. And first of all, make sure you check out the show notes for this episode at BeyondTheUniform.org. In addition to a link to Joe's company, HigherEchelon, there are also links to all of the books he describes, as well as an interview we did with Taylor...2021-05-3141 minBeyond the UniformHow to Create a Clear Brand Message (Ryan Rhoten)2021-05-1749 minBeyond the UniformYou Deserve It (Brian Reese)Brian Reese is a leading expert on and advocate for U.S. veterans’ benefits. A former active-duty Air Force officer, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his MBA as a National Honor Scholar from the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. Brian is the Founder & CEO of VA Claims Insider, a Coaching and Consulting company whose mission is to educate and empower veterans to get the VA disability benefits they’ve earn...2021-05-1047 minBeyond the Uniform391 - Deliberate Discomfort - Jason Van CampJason Van Camp is the author of the book, Deliberate Discomfort, which is both a Wall Street Journal and 2x #1 Amazon Best Selling book. For the last 10+ years, he has run the consulting firm, Mission Six Zero, which dramatically improve sales performance, reduces costs, and wins by providing their client's teams with a new way of solving organizational problems. He is also the Executive Director of the 501-3c organization, Warrior Rising. He is a graduate of West Point, as well as Brigham Young University's Business School, and is a 14-year Veteran of the US Army, where he served...2021-05-0344 minBeyond the UniformApril 2021 fan mailThanks for your support, BTU community! I got two emails this week I wanted to share with all of you.2021-04-0804 minBeyond the UniformBTU #390 - Special - Justin, Steve, Jeff B. and Jeff M. riff (The Agile Wire)Today's episode is entirely different than our other 390 episodes. A while back, Jeff Maleski and Jeff Bubulz reached out to us and asked to have me and Steve Bane on their podcast - The Agile Wire - where they discuss adventures and misadventures on their continuing journey towards Agility. Steve and I both had a blast being on the other side of the microphone, as we both shared our perspectives on what we've learned from Beyond the Uniform, why Veterans are more flexible in the workplace than you'd think, and more.2021-04-0548 minBeyond the UniformBTU #392 - 20 years of transformational, company turnaround and growth work I loved my interview with Jason Santamaria. Special thanks to Vincent Martino for making this connection. They became good friends in business school and co-authored a book. Two things you should pay attention to for this interview: 1 - alignment. There's very few people I can think of in the last 390 interviews that are as aligned as Jason is with his career. The way that he speaks, the way that he thinks, the way that he processes information... he found the right career for him. And it's so refreshing to see that. 2 - Maybe even more...2021-03-2953 minBeyond the UniformBTU #389 - Founding a high-tech security company (Christian White)About this Episode: After serving in the Army for 6.5 years, Christian founded an advisory and technology firm focused on helping High-Growth Technology Companies build, manage, and certify their Security, Privacy, and Compliance programs. He has quickly grown his company - risk3sixty - to over 20 employees and it seems like they are just getting started. In this interview we talk about character, we talk about being a steward of a company, we talk about the differences in leadership in and out of uniform, about long-term thinking, finding a co-founder and much more. About Christian: Christian White is the Managing Director a...2021-03-2253 minBeyond the UniformBTU #388 - Coast Guard COOL (Mike Reynolds & Cristy Minshew)Why Listen: This is the third installment in our series where we are taking a deep dive into each branch’s credentialing assistance program. Today we talk with Mike and Cristy from Coast Guard COOL. This is a relatively new program that was stood up in January 2020, but it already has over 1,500 credentials available for Coast Guardsmen. Here's the program in a nutshell: •CG COOL funds enlisted members only (active and selected reservists) and can help pay for exam, application, state licensing, membership and renewal fees. •The exam has to be related to ser...2021-03-0833 minBeyond the UniformBTU #387 -Navy and DoD Civilian COOL (Michael Talley)Why Listen: Today’s interview is the 2nd installment in a series where we take a deep dive into each branch’s respective credentialing service. Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transition tools and resources available to service members to accelerate their post-military careers. Certifications add professional capability and credibility and help you stand out to a hiring manager. In this conversation, we talk with Mike Talley – the Director of Navy COOL, and he breaks down all the nuances of the program. Additionally, Mike offers insight into the DoD Civilian COOL progra...2021-02-2250 minBeyond the UniformBTU #386 - Starting a business on your own terms (John Schmitt)Why Listen: I loved hearing John's unique approach to entrepreneurship and life. After 20 years of military service, John was drawn into starting his own business. While starting any company requires sales, John's approach to sales is to simply be curious about whoever he is speaking with, and learn about their pain points. This is such great advice for so many different career paths. I also appreciate how John has constructed his life to have a fulfilling family life, outside of work life, and professional life. About John: John Schmitt is a retired Army...2021-02-1558 minBeyond the UniformBTU #385 - The strongest person I've interviewed (Jessica Swanson)Why Listen: In 380 episodes, my guest today - Jess Swanson - is the strongest person I've met. I say that amidst a backdrop of Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, NFL players, UFC Champions and more. At 6 months old, Jess oldest daughter experienced epileptic seizures - usually 8 a day - and shortly after was diagnosed with autism. Rather than letting this derail her life, Jess used it to pave a new path that has helped not only her family, but countless others as well. She pursued a graduate degree to better understand how to help others like her daughter, became an activist w...2021-02-0849 minBeyond the UniformBTU #384 - SWAT team, mental health, and more (Jeff McDonald)Why Listen: I was riding a high after my conversation with Jeff for days - I appreciate his strength, vulnerability, and authenticity in this conversation. You can view this interview in two parts - the first part we discuss his transition from the Marine Corps into law enforcement, including work in prisons, on patrol, and with the SWAT teams. In the second half, we both talk about our experience with therapy and mental health. Jeff talks candidly about PTSD and depression, and we both open up about the positive impact therapy has had on our lives. ...2021-02-0157 minBeyond the UniformThank you Kathleen Dillon!After three years of tireless volunteering support for Beyond the Uniform, our Editor, Kathleen Dillon, is moving on to other things. THANK YOU, KATHLEEN for your unbelievable support of Beyond the Uniform. Kathleen is wrapping up school in six months and hopes to enter the sports industry in a strategy or business analytics role . If you have any connections in these areas, drop her a note on LinkedIn - she is a rockstar worthy of support! 2021-01-2802 minBeyond the UniformBTU #383 - Army Credentialing Assistance (Sophia Sweeney)Why Listen: Well, normally this show is hosted by Justin. But I came to him with an idea. I talk to a lot of transitioning service members, and its eye opening how many of them – regardless of branch – have never heard of the various credentialing programs that are offered. Today is part 1 in a series where I’ll be interviewing each branch’s credentialing program manager to get the facts on credentialing assistance in an effort to spread awareness to the servicemembers who can use them. Credentialing Assistance is a great way to leverage the transiti...2021-01-2525 minBeyond the UniformBTU #382 - CIO Pre and Post-IPO (Michael Hansen)Why Listen: Special thanks to Jim Sinai for making the intro to Michael. While Michael had a full career in the Marine Corps, with over 21 years of service, he didn't let either what he did in the Marines, or how successful he was at doing it get in the way of his going on to have a truly exemplary tech career as a Chief Information Officer at some truly incredible companies. Here are a few things to look for in this interview: How Michael is always dreaming of what is next, and then working his tail off to be proactive...2021-01-1850 minBeyond the UniformBTU #381 - Broadcasting your values, not your accomplishments (Justin LeHew)Why Listen: Special thanks to Steve Bane for making this interview happen. My guest today, Justin LeHew, is many things. He earned the Navy Cross for his heroic actions in Iraq in 2003, he has an obstacle at Parris Island named after him: LeHew's Challenge, he achieved the rank of Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps. Yet its not merely these accomplishments that set him apart - it is the way that he focuses on others rather than broadcasting his significant achievements. We talk a lot about that in this interview, as well as his work at History Flight, a private...2021-01-1157 minBeyond the UniformBTU #380 - Becoming Best-selling Authors & publishers (Andrew Watts and Jason Kasper)Why Listen: I'm so excited to start off 2021 with an interview that was so much fun to do. Back in 2017, and Episode 95, I interviewed Andrew watts, who was military veteran who became a full time author. And we reconnected for today's interview, I'm adding in Jason Casper, and a couple things that I loved about this interview. So just for context, Andrew, is a writer who is still a writer, but now also started a publishing company, the Severn river river publishing company, and he publishes over 20 different authors now. So we talk about that journey since our last interview...2021-01-041h 00Beyond the UniformBTU #379 - Rapid Iteration vs. Building For Scale (Vincent Martino - Co-Founder @ VisitPay)Why Listen Vincent's story is pretty much the opposite of the standard entrepreneurial success story you hear. Yes - he has experienced incredible success - his company, VisitPay, now has over 100 employees, 3 of his 7 C-Suite executives are Service Academy graduates, and he has received over $26M in funding from some of the best investors in the world, like Norwest. However, where his story differs is that this didn't happen overnight. Vincent has been at this for nearly 12 years. His success didn't come all at once, it came through a sustained effort over a decade. What I love most about Vincent's s...2020-12-1446 minBeyond the UniformBTU #378 - Know Your Boundaries (Chris Hsu - CEO @ Zibo)Why Listen: For today’s guest, Chris Hsu, I could have spent a full episode on six incredible positions he held since his time in the Army - his work as an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, as Managing Director at KKR, as Senior Vice President at HP, as CEO at Micro Focus, and as an Advisory Partner at Andreessen Horowitz - each of those blow my mind. While we touch on this briefly, we spend the bulk of our time on his current role as CEO and Co-Founder of Zibo, which blends real estate, financial services, and software. I vi...2020-12-0756 minBeyond the UniformBTU #377 - The Ideal Team Player (Peter Cianfaglione & Mike Sedgwick)Why Listen My conversation today is with two different Veterans senior in the tech industry. In addition to talking about their long and successful career including operations, program management, product management and more, we talk about the ideal team player (based on their experience hiring hundreds of people), the difference between a good boss and a bad boss, differences in leadership out of the military, and more. This interview brings over 20 years of hard earned experience that is a wealth of knowledge regardless of your desired career path. About Mike Sedgwick Mr. Sedgwick is Vice President of Defense and Aerospace P...2020-11-161h 00Beyond the UniformBTU #376 - Two Journeys to Find PurposeIn so many of the 375 interviews I’ve done, Veterans talk about their journey to find a new purpose in life. That’s come up in countless conversations with friends of mine who didn’t serve in the military - I think it’s a pretty fundamental part of what makes us human. That’s why - as many of you know - earlier this year I teamed up with Craig Filek to co-lead a program called Purpose Mapping - to help people in the military as well as military veterans and military family members identify their current purpose in life. That’...2020-11-0937 minBeyond the UniformEpisode #373- Navigating the Military to Civilian Career Transition WebinarNormally on the show, I interview a military Veteran about their civilian career – what they do, how they got there, and advice for other Veterans seeking to do the same. This episode is a little bit different. Last week I was fortunate to be part of a panel called “Off The Page: Navigating the Military to Civilian Career Transition Webinar”. This episode is that webinar – I had a blast, and loved the insights of both the moderator and the other two guests. Let me give you some context. First of all, this webinar was recorded during one of Kogan Page’s Off The Pa...2020-11-0255 minBeyond the UniformBTU #375 - Business Development in the Defense Industry (Alan Hislop)Why Listen: I just finished up my conversation with Alan and a couple things stand out to me. First of all, it's it's pretty surprising to me that it's taken 374 other episodes, to get to the point of interviewing someone in the aerospace and defense industry. And, you know, it's it's surprising, first of all, because so many veterans go into this space. But more importantly, I feel like Alan, in our conversation, we really flipped the script on my understanding of this industry. And what I mean by that is, nearly all of the people I've interviewed on beyond...2020-10-2655 min