Shows
Service Academy Business Mastermind#345: Helping Veterans Thrive Through Wild Bill's Franchise with Michael Quilty, USNA '88Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ ____ Michael Quilty (USNA '88) is a Navy veteran and franchise development leader who's built his career around creating opportunities for others. After years leading growth and strategy across multiple industries, he's now focused on helping fellow veterans transition to entrepreneurship through franchising. At Wild Bill's, he plays a key role in growing the company's franchise footprint, and expanding the presence of their nostalgic craft soda brand across the country. Michael's work focuses on identifying the right partners, particularly military...
2026-01-0832 minService Academy Business Mastermind#262: Turning Leaders into Thought Leaders with Justin Nassiri, USNA '02"I really feel like I've built my dream job where I get to meet people, learn, grow, and make money while doing it." -Justin Nassiri, USNA '02 Justin Nassiri is the CEO and Founder of Executive Presence, a fully managed social media service for CEOs and top executives. The company helps top-tier executives boost their visibility, activate their network, and position themselves as thought leaders. After transitioning out of the military and completing graduate school, Justin built and sold two successful companies before starting Executive Presence. He is also the creator and host of the podcast "Beyond...
2023-09-1536 minService Academy Business Mastermind#248: Helping Companies Build Complete Offerings and Helping Women in Business with Shaun McAndrew, USNA '93"It creates a stickiness and a partnership between our clients and their customers. That's really what complete offers are there to do: make it easy to sell, make it easy to adopt, and create stickiness with the two businesses that ends up being a longstanding partnership for both companies… that's the value of a complete offer. It creates the stickiness that you actually need." -Shaun McAndrew, USNA '93 Shaun McAndrew is the Vice President of Business Development at The Service Design Group, a consultancy specializing in a service design approach to help product groups and service teams bui...
2023-05-0139 minService Academy Business Mastermind#242: Supporting U.S. Special Operators at The Honor Foundation with Matthew Stevens, USNA '91"Culture really drives a lot of where people go. When you can create a family or team environment, that seems to attract a lot of folks from our community…our ultimate goal is to be able to serve everybody under the Special Operations umbrella who wants to come through our program." - Matthew Stevens (USNA '91) Matt Stevens is CEO of The Honor Foundation (THF), a non-profit organization whose virtual and in-person professional development programs effectively translate elite military service to the private sector and are helping to create the next generation of corporate and community leaders. Pr...
2023-03-1335 minService Academy Business Mastermind#240: Building a Full-Service Real Estate Business in Jacksonville, Florida with Josh Kristoff, USNA '07"In a partnership, you need to have trust and friendship…commitment to the people and systems that go is what I get really excited about."- Josh Kristoff (USNA '07) In 2021, Navy veteran Josh Kristoff and his wife Kassandra (also a Navy veteran) joined longtime friends and Army veterans Jered and Carly DaCosta, to form Nomad Capital Ventures LLC, a vertically integrated group of real estate businesses that started with short-term rental properties in Jacksonville, Florida. Over the last two years, the company has grown to include in-house property management, a real estate brokerage, and a co...
2023-02-2046 min
Naval Academy History ProductionsDr. Rae Jean Goodman, USNA's First Female Civilian Professor (Life at the Academy #8)Two midshipmen interview Dr. Rae Jean Goodman, Professor Emeritus of the Academy's Economics Department, to discuss her perspective on evolving Brigade culture after female midshipmen were inducted in 1976 as well as her innovative efforts to further educate and support her peers through "Teaching Portfolios."Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @usnahistoryFor more information about NAHP and the Naval Academy's History Department, please visit https://usna.edu/History/NAHP/
2023-02-0836 minService Academy Business Mastermind#239: Launching a Successful Government Contracting Business with Ryan Waguespack, USNA '03"The continuous development of future leaders is something we're big on. That's a piece where we set ourselves apart from other companies. We spend a lot of time recruiting and finding the right resources, but when we bring you on our team we don't care if you've been with us for a couple of days or a few months. If you have the right solution, we're putting you in front of the customer…instilling that into the culture has been critical." - Ryan Waguespack (USNA '03) Ryan Waguespack is the President and Founder of Iberia Advisory, a com...
2023-01-3026 minService Academy Business Mastermind#237: From Marine Corps to Money Management with Donald Pearson, USNA '16"There's so much more that goes into financial planning, especially when you're talking business planning, than pie charts and spreadsheets. More often than not, it's just clearing the way for the business owner to be able to work on the business instead of being sucked in to work in the business on a day-to-day basis." - Donald Pearson (USNA '16) Donald Pearson (USNA '16) is a Wealth Management Advisor at WestPac Wealth Partners and a Registered Representative (RR) & Investment Advisor Representative (IAR) of Park Avenue Securities. Upon graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2016, Donald commissioned...
2023-01-0742 minService Academy Business Mastermind#236: Building a Thriving eCommerce Ecosystem with Joshua Awad, USNA '02"For me, it's about creating as much value as you can and sharing it amongst as many people as you can. The bigger the community, the bigger the opportunity…I get a lot of joy from being around other people and working with other people. "– Joshua Awad (USNA '02) Navy Veteran, Joshua Awad is the Co-Founder of OnePet, a portfolio of digitally native companies in the veterinary and pet care space. He is also a Partner at eGateway Capital, a late-stage venture capital firm that invests in high-growth technology companies and operates as an M&A advi...
2022-12-0930 minService Academy Business Mastermind#233: Buying 170+ Investment Properties a Year with Wil Ingram, USNA '11"Ingram Capital builds community through real estate…we buy dilapidated, abandoned homes, fix them up, and turn them into safe, single-family homes as long-term rentals." - Wil Ingram (USNA '11) Wil Ingram is a U.S. Navy veteran on a mission to build community through real estate. His interest in real estate began while serving as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. After spending three out of his six years in uniform at sea, he decided it was time for a career change so he could spend more time with his growing family and fo...
2022-11-1738 minService Academy Business Mastermind#231: Becoming a Workplace Chaplain with Alan "Blues" Baker, USNA '78"We really believe that we're going to change the global workforce by taking the best of military chaplaincy and pivoting that toward the corporate world…our commitment is to impact the company bottom line by increasing employee resiliency, engagement, performance and retention through chaplaincy." - Alan "Blues" Baker (USNA '78) Alan "Blues" Baker is the Founder & CEO of ChaplainCare, which serves people and strengthens organizations by providing the benefits of military chaplaincy to civilian workplaces. Alan has over 34 years of experience in college, corporate, and military chaplaincy and now trains supervises, and endorses prospective and current chaplains in...
2022-10-2849 minService Academy Business Mastermind#227: Transforming the Lives of Military Families through Wealth-Building Housing Solutions with Rich Halverson, USNA '05"We are committed to our purpose, our mission to help our members live well and serve better so we like to think ahead as to what it means to craft a new model for housing and building wealth. We want to have a true impact on the main problems we're attacking…not only on our members' ability to build wealth, but also the connections our members are having to the local communities in which they live." - Rich Halverson (USNA '05) Rich Halverson (USNA' 05) is the Co-Founder of Joint Homes, a tech-enabled residential housing platform se...
2022-09-2329 minService Academy Business Mastermind#224: Leveraging Technology and Community to Help Military Veterans Raise Capital with Jake Dulle, USNA '01Jake Dulle is the Pre-Deployment Program Manager at LocalVest where he helps military veterans raise capital through their innovative online platform and community based events. Despite their impressive numbers, Veterans receive less overall financing from conventional lenders than their civilian-peers, despite filing more applications to more lenders. Without capital, Veteran businesses close and take their jobs, leadership and impact with them. Jake along with his team at LocalVest are here to change that. In this episode, we discuss: Jake's career transition from working at an 80,000+ employee company to working at a startup The LocalVest Pre-Deployment Program a...
2022-08-2637 minService Academy Business Mastermind#219: From Franchise Consultant to Tech Startup Co-Founder with Joshua Emison, USNA '14"I helped several veterans in franchising start businesses that they otherwise would not have found and do things that are good for their communities, but this is a way where I'm helping potentially hundreds, thousands, millions of people through the type of lending and investing that Sansbank is doing so I thought I'd go for it." - Josh Emison (USNA '14) Josh Emison is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sansbank, a tech startup on a mission to democratize commercial real estate investing to allow anyone to receive passive income. Through an innovative cashflow tokenization process, Sansbank...
2022-07-2238 minService Academy Business Mastermind#218: Developing an Award-Winning Audio Innovation & Technology Company with Eric Johnson, USNA '81"Number one, don't give up. Number two, think outside of the box. And, number three, build a strong team. If you have those three things working for you and a half-decent idea, you've got a good chance of making it." - Eric Johnson (USNA '81) Eric Johnson is CEO and Director at HELM Audio, a company focused on audio innovation. HELM Audio was founded in 2017 by a proven team of product developers, marketing strategists, industry veterans, and musicians who also happened to be great friends. With a passion for audio gear, great music, and the deep know-how...
2022-07-1538 minService Academy Business Mastermind#217: From Surface Warfare Officer to Singer-Songwriter with Christopher Nurthen, USNA '15"I genuinely believe that this pathway was made for me and I had to meet the right people and take the right steps and have the right hardships and the right adversity to be the person I am now to write these songs that I'm putting out there…that's what makes a song so good, capturing an emotion that's real and raw. It's a work of expression." - Chris Nurthen, USNA '15 On a mission to build something together, Chris Nurthen and his wife Keri started a small food truck business in 2018 out of a po...
2022-07-0849 minService Academy Business Mastermind#216: How to Optimize Your Tax, Legal and Financial Strategies with Chris Czaplak, USNA '00"All of this is very easy to do if you form a relationship with a firm like ours very early because we can crawl with the business, we can walk with the business and then run with the business as it goes from the idea phase to the startup phase to the growth phase…depending on where you are and how mature your business is, you can always reevaluate strategy, you can always identify what the strategy is and optimize it and tweak things, and you can always do maintenance on a partnership...we want to be in long-term re...
2022-07-0159 minService Academy Business Mastermind#214: Bringing Families Closer Together with Matthew Brown, USNA '05"If you want to build resilience in kids, the first rule is to take them into an unfamiliar environment…and the second rule is to plan it in a stepwise way meaning plan, discuss, do and then revisit the shared memory together….We built this curriculum for a ship out of a need, but this isn't just a Navy thing this is something that everyone can benefit from." - Matt Brown (USNA '05) Matthew Brown is the Founder of Chimeny Trail Co., a subscription box service that helps parents build resiliency and emotional durability in their children thro...
2022-06-1726 minService Academy Business Mastermind#209: Accelerating Innovation in Healthcare with Matt McBride, USNA '06"Grittiness and the ability to wear multiple hats simultaneously are the two areas that I see as being big lessons from my time in the military and that have carried over and proved true in spades as the leader of an early-stage startup." - Matt McBride (USNA '06) Matt McBride is a dynamic healthcare leader that has spent the last decade guiding early-stage technologies to the commercial market, managing start-ups, and driving innovation policy and processes at large academic institutions. Matt actively leverages Wave Strategy's extensive network to make meaningful introductions that expedite the development...
2022-05-0639 minService Academy Business Mastermind#206: Funding a Greater Purpose through Real Estate with Burnie Lund, USNA '03"My formula is 1) develop your relationship with God, 2) when you make big decisions, seek advice from those who are wiser than you, and 3) act. Action says I'm prepared to accept the risks and any consequences associated with this decision. This kind of mentality will help you move forward in any area of your life." - Burnie Lund (USNA '03) Burnie Lund (USNA '03) graduated with a degree in Chemistry from the U.S. Naval Academy before moving to San Diego to report for sea duty as a Surface Warfare Officer. While looking for a church...
2022-04-1857 minService Academy Business Mastermind#205: Advancing National Security through Classified Workspaces with Sean Blackman, USNA '07"Not having a paycheck for the first time in my life and taking a jump into the unknown was scary as hell, but honestly, I don't think I've ever felt more fulfilled in my career since making that decision. I was thinking, this feels great…I'm having a blast. For the first time in my life, it opened my eyes to the fact there's a different way of living, there's a different way of doing things. It's been really exciting to figure this out, to figure out a new way of living and doing." - Sean Blackman...
2022-04-0838 minService Academy Business Mastermind#204: How a Near-Death Experience Changed My Life with Jonathan David Messinger, USNA '81 "What I discovered, which is the most important message of everything we're saying, is that you have to become an authentic person. An authentic person knows who they are, you have discovered your gifts and powers, you have forgiven those that have wounded you, healed the wounds, you are trusting your intuition, you're confident, you're courageous, you're fearless." - JD Messinger (USNA '81) Jonathan David "JD" Messinger (USNA '81) is the Founder of The Messinger Institute, whose mission is to create authentic, congruent, and bold leaders who dare to imagine a new life, embrace a ne...
2022-03-3158 minService Academy Business Mastermind#203: Bringing a New Medical Technology to Market with Gabrielle Blocher, USNA '98"There have been times through the years when I've had a complex relationship with my experience of going through the ups and downs of being a student at the Naval Academy. But now, at this point, I would say that for the last 10 years of my professional journey in particular, it's explicitly no question that my experience in the military has been everything to me in terms of my ability to take on new challenges and not be afraid of them, to not be risk averse, to be decisive. I can get through any fears I have because I...
2022-03-2428 minService Academy Business Mastermind#202: From Classmates to Business Partners with John Reeves and Henry Russell, USNA '03"My belief is not what the business is, but in people, that's one thing I've learned throughout my career is teaming up with the right people." – Henry Russell (USNA '03) "I'm a true believer that the strength of your ally determines the strength of your outcome. It's never about me, it's the team that we put together and about the people who are out there helping us achieve the mission. And I'm just one cog in that wheel."– John Reeves (USNA '03) This episode is all about two Academy Grads coming together to build a rea...
2022-03-1751 minService Academy Business Mastermind#201: Leveraging Institutional Finance to Empower Disabled Veterans with Cal Quinn, USNA '97"Our priority is to do well while doing good…Diversity says there's a difference between one person and the next. Inclusion identifies the value of that difference. That's what we need for our veterans, that difference needs to be valued by the civilian marketplace, and it needs to be harnessed so that the collective can be better than the individual." - Cal Quinn (USNA '97) Cal Quinn (USNA '97) is Founder & CEO of Bancroft Capital, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and institutional broker-dealer committed to excellence with the underlying ideal of levering the firm to...
2022-03-0750 minService Academy Business Mastermind#195: Helping People Navigate Career Transitions with Gary Slyman, USNA '81"My whole goal, whoever I coach or whoever I'm working with, is clarity. I want you to have clarity about where you're going…I help people get better at what they do." -Gary Slyman (USNA '81) Gary Slyman (USNA' 81 ) is President and Founder of Great Transitions Strategies, a Leadership Consulting and Coaching practice with the mission to empower individuals and organizations to reach the next level of performance personally, professionally, and as an organization. After serving for 23 years in the United States Marine Corps in program management and as Commanding Officer of an aviation squadron in...
2022-01-1241 minService Academy Business Mastermind#187: Revolutionizing Community on a Farm with Gerardo Martinez, USNA '11"I always struggled to fit into a mold...people in Africa didn't want to fit me into a mold, they wanted to know who I was. There was no mold to fill and I really held onto that. I saw the impacts of having genuine conversations with people with no expectations or knowledge on either side of who the other person was or who they were in the past. Those interactions are liberating and we're trying to create and encourage these types of interactions at the farm." - Gerardo Martinez (USNA '11) We're delighted to w...
2021-11-0949 minService Academy Business Mastermind#186: Helping Small Businesses Grow Profit and Value with Scott Chesson, USNA '84"For me, the greater the challenge, the more fun it will be." - Scott Chesson Scott Chesson (USNA '84) is a highly experienced finance executive with over 20 years of experience as the CFO of several small to medium-sized businesses. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy with a mathematics degree, Scott served as a Surface Warfare Officer and got a masters degree in accounting. In 2020, Scott founded CFO 4Vets, where he currently specializes in liberating small business owners' time from financial entanglement while helping their businesses grow revenue, profits, and value. His services offer...
2021-10-2952 minService Academy Business Mastermind#184: How to Win Government Contracts with Randy Wimmer, USNA '91"What would you do if you knew you would not fail? Fail as many times as you need to be successful. You only fail when you quit." - Randy Wimmer (USNA '91) We're so excited to have Randy Wimmer (USNA '91) on the SABM podcast today. After 10 years of active duty military service, Randy launched his first Federal Government contracting company from his home after his kids went to bed and later sold it for 8-figures. With nearly thirty years either in or supporting the Federal Government, Randy is the ultimate "industry insider," having owned multiple successful c...
2021-10-1554 minService Academy Business Mastermind#182: Playing Ball with Mitch Harris, USNA '08"Nothing will ever feel as good as striking someone out in front of 40,000 people, but helping new clients realize what they can accomplish for their families with the financial resources they have and seeing the look of relief and amazement on their faces comes pretty close." - Mitchell Harris (USNA '08) In this episode, we discuss: How Mitch balanced military service and a professional baseball career How the U.S. Naval Academy helped him realize his dream Transitioning between military service, professional baseball and a career in finance Why Mitch is passionate about being a...
2021-10-0447 minService Academy Business Mastermind#180: Building Innovative Software Systems with Jason Williscroft, USNA '95"Sometimes old rules are the best...be nice to your friends, treat people well, and if there's someone you want to meet, provide them with value." - Jason Williscroft (USNA '95) Jason Williscroft is a U.S. Navy veteran and Founder and CEO of Tribify, LLC, an enterprise-grade, AI-enhanced data management system that leverages the power of social networking to help businesses find future customers, capture their attention, and engage with them at scale. As a software engineer with a streak for mathematics, Jason focuses on the design and implementation of Master Data Management and...
2021-09-1734 minService Academy Business Mastermind#178: Building Wealth While on Active Duty with Hersh Rai and Nick Vu, USNA '19Hersh Rai and Nick Vu (USNA '19) have set the record for the youngest Academy grads on the podcast! Hersch and Nick are both active duty in the Navy, stationed in Hawaii and Florida, and are partners in RaiVu Capital, a real estate investment firm that invests in multifamily real estate and mobile home parks. In this episode, we discuss: How they got started in real estate investing and how they landed their first deal How connections in the veteran community helped jump start their business Their best tips for starting a real estate side-hustle Con...
2021-09-0131 minService Academy Business Mastermind#177: Launching Real Estate Accelerator 2.0 with Buddy Rushing, USNA '04Click here to register for the Real Estate Investing Accelerator 2.0 Discovery Webinar on Saturday, September 18th! "People love the content, the fact that it's military and action-based...I care about helping people get closer to their goal of financial freedom. That's it. The results people have attained has skyrocketed because of how the course is structured. We all sharpen each other. The network grows more powerful with each course we complete. We're about helping military veterans create financial freedom so they can unleash their talents on the world. We're a coalition and a family." -Buddy...
2021-08-3027 minService Academy Business Mastermind#172: Breaking Ground In Real Estate with Jeff Quinn (USAFA '93), Buddy Rushing (USNA '04) and Bill Militello (USNA '92)"This deal reinvigorated me. Being part of the Real Estate Accelerator gave me a new focus where I applied what I learned to go after what I wanted." - Jeff Quinn (USAFA '93) "This is the best deal I've ever been part of. Action is the number one thing that separates the dream from reality...seize control of your fear and plow forward." - Buddy Rushing (USNA '04) "Money moves at the speed of trust. This deal exceeded my expectations for the Academy Fund." - Bi...
2021-07-2954 minService Academy Business Mastermind#171: Achieving Business Growth through Mergers and Acquisitions with Ty Rose, USNA '06Ty Rose (USNA '06) is a Managing Director at Oaklins Capital Alliance, a leading international mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and financial advisory firm. In his role as Managing Director, Ty focuses on working with business owners to capitalize on acquisition opportunities. In this episode, we discuss: The typical process Oaklins walks business owners through to achieve a successful sale Common problems that need to be fixed in order to prepare a business for acquisition The importance of understanding a seller's motivation and how Oaklins works to find sellers while maintaining confidentiality Connect with Ty:...
2021-07-2332 minService Academy Business Mastermind#168: Optimizing Your Performance with CBD with Chase Hobby, USNA '07Chase Hobby (USNA '07) is the Co-Founder of VRB Labs, a CBD company focused on optimizing physical and cognitive performance. Coming off active duty, Chase and his business partner Evan Seale (USMA '10) joined forces while at Wharton Business School to create a company focused on creating a clean, safe, and effective CBD product for elite military veterans. In this episode, we discuss: His personal story of how CBD helped him sleep better which made him a believer in the product How a shared background and value system with a fellow Academy grad resulted in a s...
2021-07-0545 minService Academy Business Mastermind#167: Turning Photos into Custom Paintings with Brendan Aronson, USNA '12Brendan Aronson (USNA '12) is the Co-Founder and CFO of Paintru, a company that turns photos into custom paintings. Through their network of artists, Paintru makes it easy to turn your most cherished moments and memories into a work of art. In this episode, we discuss: His moment of clarity that led him to bet on himself as an entrepreneur How Paintru can turn your photos into custom paintings that make amazing gifts The biggest lessons he learned from the Naval Academy and the Marine Corps that are helping him as an entrepreneur Connect with Bre...
2021-06-2533 minService Academy Business Mastermind#165: Partnering with Military Veterans on Real Estate Projects with Ricky Waters, USNA '06Ricky Waters (USNA '06) is a professional engineer and Principal with Bowman Consulting leading the Charleston, SC and Charlotte, NC offices. At Bowman, Ricky works with a broad range of clients on real estate development projects such as large commercial development and master-planned communities. Ricky also plays an important role in our 10X Vets program as the leader of the 10X Vets Real Estate Development Circle. In this episode, we discuss: His passion for finding the highest and best use for real estate His vision for the 10X Vets Real Estate Development Circle His goal for Aca...
2021-06-1340 minService Academy Business Mastermind#164: Helping Veterans Start Food Truck Businesses with Jordan Foley, USNA '12Jordan Foley (USNA '12) is the Founder and CEO of Chow, a community-focused nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide active vocational food truck training to veterans and military spouses. Chow seeks to provide its fellows with a "Food Truck MBA" and offers everything from food safety and culinary instruction to marketing and business training. In this episode, we discuss: Why Jordan wanted to start a nonprofit hyper-focused on food trucks Chow's "Service Above Self" ethos and its charitable mission His advice on starting a nonprofit and the biggest challenges he's faced Connect with Jordan:...
2021-06-0437 minService Academy Business Mastermind#158: Discovering Your Passion through a Personal Challenge with Ed Henkler, USNA '78Ed Henkler (USNA '78) is the Founder of The Blind Guide, a company that helps people who have lost their vision shift their goals from surviving to thriving by offering employment initiatives, assistive technologies, and other resources. In this episode, Ed and I discuss: A career shift in his 50s that led him to pursue his passion to help the blind community The networking mistakes he made early in his career and his belief that networking is about giving back to others How the lessons he learned at the Naval Academy and during his time in the...
2021-04-2336 minService Academy Business Mastermind#152: Becoming a Personal Stylist with Tracey Moys, USNA '96Tracey Moys (USNA '96) is a Color Consultant with House of Colour in West Cornwall, England. Tracey has a master's degree in meteorology and oceanography but, after becoming a mother and experiencing loss, she shifted careers to focus on helping others discover their best selves. In this episode, Tracey and I discuss: How your image and style can impact your self-confidence and how she pushes her clients to be more authentic How she found her passion as a color consultant The lessons she learned at the Naval Academy and as a Naval Officer that are helping her...
2021-03-0748 minService Academy Business Mastermind#151: Becoming Happier and Healthier at Work with Theresa Larson & Jon Macaskill, USNA '01Dr. Theresa Larson, a USMC veteran, and Jon Macaskill (USNA '01), a retired Navy SEAL, are partners working to bring mindfulness and movement into workplaces with their M2Rx Seminar for Employees. Theresa is the president of Movement Rx whose mission is to empower people with the knowledge and tools to achieve a lifetime of physical freedom, and Jon is a mindfulness teacher. Through their seminar, Theresa and Jon introduce self-care techniques to employees so that they can be healthy and present to do their best work while simultaneously improving their physical and emotional health. In this episo...
2021-02-2850 minService Academy Business Mastermind#150: Getting 100X More Value from Webinars and Podcasts with Justin Nassiri, USNA '02Justin Nassiri (USNA '02) is the host of Beyond the Uniform, the iTunes #1 rated podcast for military veteran career advice, and is the CEO of Captivate, a platform that helps brands connect with their customers through micro content. The Captivate team turns webinars and podcasts into 50-100 pieces of micro content that can be published on any social media channel to drive sales and customer engagement. In this episode, Justin and I discuss: What makes a successful podcast and his best advice for anyone wanting to start a podcast How Captivate uses technology to identify the most...
2021-02-2247 minService Academy Business Mastermind#147: Harnessing Your Energy to Become a Great Leader with Michael Sipe, USNA '92Michael Sipe (USNA '92) is an independent business consultant and coach with Sipe Consulting. Mike's coaching program is based on energy leadership and he considers himself a Business Vitality Catalyst working with leaders to create a strategy and framework for a responsive and productive workforce. In this episode, Mike and I discuss: What the Energy Leadership Index Assessment is, how it works, and how he uses it as a tool with his clients Why he moved away from working in corporate America and the advice he has for others hoping to start their own business An opp...
2021-01-2549 minService Academy Business Mastermind#146: Developing $100M Public/Private Real Estate Projects with Ray Garfield, USNA '66Ray Garfield (USNA '66) is the Chairman of Garfield Public Private (GPP), a national real estate development firm that focuses on developing essential buildings for public entities. Ray founded GPP in 1997 in Dallas, Texas after an extensive career in commercial real estate, real estate development, and investment banking. Ray's projects include the Durham Performing Arts Center, University of Akron Football Stadium, Westin at the Oregon Convention Center, and many more. In this episode, Ray and I discuss: How GPP thinks creatively about structuring the financing on their projects Why GPP decided to focus on building in th...
2021-01-2255 minService Academy Business Mastermind#145: Becoming a Successful Business Coach with Jerry Pilewski, USNA '97Jerry Pilewski (USNA '97) is a business coach and trainer with FocalPoint Coaching. FocalPoint Coaches work with entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives to help them grow and realize their potential. Jerry believes that small to mid-sized businesses are the engine room of a sustainable society and he joined FocalPoint to be of service to business owners and their surrounding communities. In this episode, Jerry and I discuss: The strength of the FocalPoint coaches' network and it's content library How he has helped other Academy grads start their own Focal Point franchises How the Naval Academy and his tim...
2021-01-1136 minService Academy Business Mastermind#140: Real Estate Accelerator Success Story with Tom Connally, USNA '83Tom Connally (USNA '83) is the founder of Connally Consulting where he helps leaders and organizations improve their performance and success professionally, personally, spiritually, and physically. He is also a graduate of Real Estate Accelerator class 2019-2. In this episode, we discuss: Why Tom decided to join the Real Estate Accelerator after 5+ years into retirement Tom's path to purchasing five properties in less than a year The tax savings strategy that Tom used to save over $20,000 in taxes Connect with Tom Connally: Tom on LinkedIn Connally Consulting If you found this episode valuable, pl...
2020-11-2946 minService Academy Business Mastermind#137: Becoming an Amazon Delivery Service Partner with Shawn Ikpa, USNA '05Shawn Ikpa (USNA '05) is the Founder of Castletop Logistics, an Amazon Delivery Service Provider who has built his delivery team to 95 drivers in the Buffalo, NY market. Shawn was also a member of the very first Real Estate Accelerator class when we launched the program in 2018. In this episode, Shawn shares his experience from the Real Estate Accelerator and how he has recently changed careers and is now a full-time business owner in partnership with Amazon. In this episode, we discuss: How his Amazon delivery business has grown to delivering 200,000 packages per month in less t...
2020-11-0629 minService Academy Business Mastermind#131: Creating an Ecosystem of Military Veteran and Spouse Entrepreneurs with Mark Mhley, USNA '96Mark Mhley started Re4ormed after almost 22 years as a Naval Aviator. Re4ormed is a place for veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs to connect to a community and find high-quality business services bundled at lower prices. In 2019 Mark was selected to participate in The Global Good Fund's veteran fellowship program and credits the leadership coaching and executive mentorship with Re4ormed's growth and expansion. The Global Good Fund believes that investing in leadership is the best way to make an impact on a community and do global good. Through its yearlong fellowship program, The Global Good Fun...
2020-09-2554 minService Academy Business Mastermind#130: From Active Duty to Financial Freedom with Buddy Rushing, USNA '04Buddy Rushing (USNA '04) is the founder of White Feather Investments and the leader of the Real Estate Accelerator, a six-month course for Service Academy graduates and military veterans who want to achieve financial freedom through real estate investing. Since his first appearance on the podcast in 2018, Buddy has built multiple businesses and will be transitioning out of the Marine Corps in a few weeks (after 16 years of service!) to pursue his business endeavors full time. In this episode, Buddy and I discuss: How the Real Estate Accelerator grew from just an idea to a powerhouse c...
2020-09-1852 minService Academy Business Mastermind#128: From Naval Officer to NASCAR Driver with Jesse Iwuji, USNA '10Jesse Iwuji (USNA '10) is an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and a professional NASCAR driver. He is currently the only driver in all of NASCAR at the national levels to serve in the military. Jesse was also a free safety on the Navy football team and is the founder of The Red List Group, a trucking and logistics company based in Southern California. In this episode, Jesse and I discuss: His path to becoming a NASCAR driver His unique goal-setting process that helps him turn a vision into a reality The skills he lea...
2020-09-0455 minService Academy Business Mastermind#127: Creating a Custom Payment Platform with Ryan Smith & Lionel Hines, USNA '94Lionel Hines (USNA '94) is a partner with Payment Lock, an all-in-one solution for both in-store retail transactions and online payments. Their platform is designed for speed and built on military-grade encryption. I am also joined by Ryan Smith, the founder of Payment Lock and a former professional football player. In this episode, we discuss: Their payment processing platform that saves business owners on expensive credit card fees Their favorite client success story How their experience as athletes has helped them as entrepreneurs Connect with Lionel and Ryan: Lionel Hines on LinkedIn Ryan Smith o...
2020-08-2842 minService Academy Business Mastermind#125: How to Grow Your Business with Podcasting with Thomas Schwab, USNA '87Thomas Schwab (USNA '87) is the Founder of Interview Valet, a company that helps business owners turn listeners into leads and leads into customers by talking directly to ideal customers with Podcast Interview Marketing. In this age of Social Distancing, the most effective way to market your business is through Podcast Interview Marketing where you're interviewed as the expert guest on podcasts that your potential customers already listen to. You get a long-term return on investment (ROI) that beats blogging, advertising, and social media postings. In this episode, Tom and I discuss: Tom's experience from being...
2020-08-1646 minService Academy Business Mastermind#121: Avoiding HR Land Mines with Trevor Benitone (USAFA '95) and Joe Ruzicka (USNA '96)Trevor Benitone (USAFA '95) and Joe Ruzicka (USNA '96) are leaders at Adams Keegan, a national and privately held HR services firm based in Memphis, TN. Their services include payroll, HR management, benefits administration, compliance support, and recruiting. James Keegan (USMA graduate) was an early investor in Adams Keegan and currently serves on the Board of Directors. In this episode, we discuss: How their company has grown over the last 33 years and the new geographic markets they have their sites on How they help small and mid-size businesses avoid HR land mines The personalized support they off...
2020-07-1744 minService Academy Business Mastermind#115: Becoming a Business Owner through Franchising with Joshua Emison, USNA '14Joshua Emison (USNA '14) is the owner of Tracer Consulting, a company that specializes in helping military veterans find the right franchise opportunity. As a Franchise Consultant, Josh assists those in a career transition to decide if franchising is right for them. His free services will teach you what franchising is, help you discover your funding options, and ultimately help you find the right franchise that is the perfect fit for you. In this episode, Josh and I discuss: How he got started as a Franchise Consultant The best ways to finance a franchise and discounts ava...
2020-06-0738 minService Academy Business Mastermind#113: Launching a Turnkey Real Estate Investment Company with Stuart Grazier, USNA '02Stuart Grazier (USNA '02) is an active-duty Navy pilot who has served 17 years in the military. Over the last 11 years, he has purchased approximately $600,000 in performing mortgage notes, 4 single-family rental properties, an RV park, is a part-owner in an apartment complex and mobile home park syndication, and has recently started a turnkey real estate company with his best friend and USNA roommate where they are providing rehabbed, cash flowing rental properties to their network of military/veteran and patriot investors. Starting in June of 2018, his company Storehouse 3:10 Ventures has acquired and sold approximately 35 turnkey rental properties, averaging 2-3 properties...
2020-05-1550 minService Academy Business Mastermind#111: Disrupting the Tattoo Industry with High-End Boutiques with Peter Joukov, USNA '05Peter Joukov (USNA '05) is the co-founder of Inq Tattoos, a company that is disrupting the tattoo industry with high-end boutiques that focus on clean design, transparency, and a customer-first philosophy. Their sole focus is to ensure that customers feel welcome, safe, and walk away with an amazing tattoo that they absolutely love. In this episode, Peter and I discuss: Why he decided to open tattoo boutiques and revolutionize the customer experience Franchising opportunities they have available across the country The most important skills he learned at the Naval Academy that have helped him as an e...
2020-05-0242 minService Academy Business Mastermind#110: 'ChowCall' Food Delivery to Military Bases with Todd Waldemar, USNA '89Todd Waldemar (USNA '89) is the founder of ChowCall, a Marine Veteran owned, 3rd party food delivery business, unlike anything you have ever seen. With a tap on your phone, ChowCall delivers food from your favorite restaurants right to your barracks, home, or office. Armed with the latest technology, experienced local delivery professionals, and a commitment for service, ChowCall brings food delivery to a new level. In this episode, Todd and I discuss: His explosive sales growth since launching the company in 2019 His unique competitive advantage (military bases!) that allows him to capture market share from...
2020-04-2539 minService Academy Business Mastermind#109: Striving for Financial Freedom By Age 30 with Anthony Pinto, USNA '14Anthony Pinto (USNA '14) is an active duty submarine officer and owner of Pinto Capital Investments, a Commercial Real Estate Investment company based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Anthony is building his real estate portfolio and plans to achieve financial freedom before he completes his military obligation. In this episode, Anthony and I discuss: His goal to reach financial freedom before he completes his military service obligation Lessons learned from his first real estate investments and how he has scaled up to larger properties His favorite real estate books and courses Connect with Anthony Pinto: A...
2020-04-2041 minService Academy Business Mastermind#108: Starting a Cloud-Based Law Firm with Tim Parlatore, USNA '02Tim Parlatore (USNA '02) is the Founder of Parlatore Law Group, a cloud-based law firm that eliminates all the unnecessary overhead expenses associated with traditional law firms while providing the highest quality legal services. By trimming all the excess expenses and passing those savings on to clients, Parlatore Law Group's attorneys can devote their full efforts to solving problems and working together as a cohesive team without the necessity of working in a physical office. In this episode, Tim and I discuss: The #1 reason why his teammates and clients love the cloud-based business model His firm's c...
2020-04-1340 minService Academy Business Mastermind#104: Earning Passive Income While on Active Duty with Mike Foster, USNA '13Mike Foster (USNA '13) is a real estate investor and entrepreneur who serves as the Director of Education and Podcast Host for Active Duty Passive Income. While active duty, Mike was fortunate enough to have several remarkable mentors that taught him the importance of credit-building, creative financing techniques, and wealth-building strategies. Mike has acquired multiple real estate investments, he owns several businesses, and has the passion and drive to mentor thousands of veterans around the world. In this episode, Mike and I discuss: The ADPI podcast, course, and Facebook group that helps veterans with real estate i...
2020-03-1432 minService Academy Business Mastermind#103: From Navy Quarterback to Successful Entrepreneur and Book Author with Fred Stuvek, USNA '74Fred Stuvek Jr. graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1974 after lettering three years as quarterback for the Midshipmen. After serving as a Naval Officer, he transitioned to the business world where he has held senior leadership positions in private and public companies, both domestically and internationally. Key successes include an international medical imaging start-up that led to a successful IPO and forming a private medical services company, which he subsequently sold. He's the author of the book, It Starts With You which is a complete training manual to develop the operative mindset, habits, and skills for succeeding a...
2020-03-0741 minService Academy Business Mastermind#98: Co-Working Spaces for Private Practices with Bo Bergstrom, USNA '03Bo Bergstrom (USNA '03) is the CEO of Humanly, a company that offers co-working spaces to help therapists and other private practitioners transition into their own private practice. In addition to flexible office space, they also provide their members with an active and supportive community along with business classes to help them thrive. In this episode, we discuss: His company's goal to grow to 500 locations in the next five years How they are planning to grow using the franchising model His personal story from serving as a Marine that attracted him to this business Connect...
2020-02-0138 minService Academy Business Mastermind#97: Starting a High-End Snack & Beverage Delivery Business with Claude Burns, USNA '06Claude Burns is the Founder of Office Libations, a corporate beverage and snack service delivering to offices in the San Francisco Bay area. They offer craft and local brands of coffee, tea, snacks, beer, wine, and spirits. In 2019, Office Libations was ranked as the #2 fastest growing business in Oakland by the Inc 5000. In this episode, Claude and I discuss: His journey from the Navy into the snack & beverage delivery business How business school helped him formulate his idea His growing team and an open position he has at his company Connect with Claude: Office L...
2020-01-2432 minService Academy Business Mastermind#96: Launching an Innovative Platform for Healthcare Professionals with Brad Artery, USNA '95Brad Artery (USNA '95) is the CEO of MOCingbird, an innovative online platform for healthcare professionals to monitor certification and educational requirements. The platform allows users to track and store MOCs, CMEs and state licenses in a secure vault in order to stay up-to-date and compliant. In the Navy, Brad was a submarine officer, doing tours on two Los Angeles class fast attack submarines. In this episode, Brad and I discuss: His journey from the Navy into the healthcare business The value proposition of his platform to healthcare professionals His lessons learned getting the product to ma...
2020-01-1740 minService Academy Business Mastermind#93: Launching a Subscription Apparel Business with Kevin Tighe & Ben Allen USNA '07Ben Allen (USNA '07) is the Chief Operations Officer at Beachly, a subscription-based premium apparel company inspired by the coastal lifestyle. I'm also joined by Kevin Tighe, Co-Founder & CEO at Beachly. In this episode, we discuss: Why they chose a subscription model to sell their coastal themed clothing How they attracted their first customers and how they are getting new customers today Valuable lessons learned on hiring and building a business from the ground up Connect with Ben & Kevin: Ben on LinkedIn Kevin on LinkedIn Beachly website If you found this episode valuable, pl...
2019-12-2944 minService Academy Business Mastermind#90: Scaling a Wine Company Nationwide with Alex Chehansky, USNA '95Alex Chehansky (USNA '95) is the CFO and Partner at Notorious Wines, a wine company that has achieved national distribution through its great tasting wine and winning team. Their flagship wine, Notorious Pink, is an award-winning rosé made from 100% Grenache. In this episode, Alex and I discuss: How they got their first customers and have grown sales to 50,000+ cases per year Best practices and lessons learned from growing their team Advice for Academy grads working in a start-up environment Connect with Alex: Alex on LinkedIn Notorious Wines If you found this episode valuable, pl...
2019-12-0644 minService Academy Business Mastermind#88: SUP 'n' Surf Retreats for Veterans with Jim Bartelloni, USNA '90Jim "Bart" Bartelloni (USNA '90) is a Naval Academy graduate and former Rugby player. He cut his teeth in the military as a Naval Aviator, flying F-14s and graduating from the US Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun). The opportunity to relocate to San Diego brought the chance to learn stand up paddle (SUP) surfing. After attending a SUP 'n' Surf retreat he made the decision to bring this opportunity to veterans with the hope they enjoy the same unique experience as he did. In this episode, Jim and I discuss: How SUP boarding can...
2019-11-2239 minService Academy Business Mastermind#87: From Flying Jets to Becoming an Author and Keynote Speaker with Caroline Johnson, USNA '09Caroline Johnson graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2009 and is a former F/A-18 Super Hornet Weapons System Operator. She was one of the first women to fly a combat mission over Iraq since 2011, and she was the first woman to drop bombs on ISIS. Transitioning to the private sector, Caroline co-authored Jet Girl and has become a professional speaker. She has spoken at international banks, Fortune 100 tech companies, hedge funds, industry events, leading higher education institutions, high schools, retirement communities, and her following is growing. In this episode, Caroline and I discuss:
2019-11-1744 minService Academy Business Mastermind#86: Becoming a Billion Dollar Real Estate Agent with Dan Lesniak, USNA '02Dan Lesniak (USNA '02) is a billion-dollar real estate agent, best-selling author, investor, developer and coach. He began his career in real estate in 2012 after having successful careers both as a Naval submarine officer and defense contractor. His HyperLocal strategy led to one of the fastest starts in real estate with over $22 million in sales in his first year. In this episode, we discuss: How he and his wife Keri grew their team to 65 agents and $400M in annual sales A strategic marketing shift that has attracted hundreds of new leads His new coaching and real e...
2019-11-1053 minService Academy Business Mastermind#85: Creating Disruptive Technology for the Construction Industry with Blake Ratcliff & Scott Kushino, USNA '84Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/intellispex Blake Ratcliff (USNA '84) is the founder of IntelliSpeX, a company that is revolutionizing how the construction industry handles time and workforce management. IntelliSpeX's patent-pending site-performance technology captures Evidence of Performance and other high-value data to increase productivity on the job site. We are also joined on the podcast by Scott Kushino (USNA '84), Head of Corporate Development, and Dion Rudnicki, CEO. In this episode, we discuss: How their mobile app is saving construction managers tons of time and money Initial feedback they have received from their cu...
2019-11-0343 minService Academy Business Mastermind#82: Helping Business Owners Save on Taxes with Chandra Adusei, USNA '05Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/chandra-adusei/ Chandra Adusei is the Founder of Veteran Wealth Partners, a financial services company whose mission is to serve Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners by providing innovative and alternative solutions to the traditional model of planning, scaling, and protecting a business. Chandra was a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy and served onboard the USS Bunker Hill and USS John L Hall. In this episode, we discuss: How she utilized captive insurance to help a $5M client save on taxes How she found her niche and h...
2019-10-1132 minService Academy Business Mastermind#80: Discovering Your Unique Genius with the Enneagram with Chip Neidigh, USNA '93Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/chip-neidigh/ Chip Neidigh (USNA '93) is the Founder of Kairos Consulting, a leadership development company that sparks personal transformation and shifts organizational culture. His career has included consulting, teaching, coaching, and leadership roles in the U.S. Marine Corps and the private sector. Chip combines logic and intuition to help leaders build a better future. In this episode, Chip and I discuss: The Enneagram assessment and how it determines your personality type so you can thrive as a leader His Box Chart framework and how it sparks personal tra...
2019-09-2742 minService Academy Business Mastermind#75: Launching a Craft Beer Company with Tara Hankinson & LeAnn Darland, USNA '08Female craft beer drinkers are growing twice as fast as the industry itself, yet breweries are not effectively targeting this group. As two passionate homebrewers working in the beer industry, LeAnn Darland (USNA '08) & co-founder Tara Hankinson are seizing this opportunity. Design-forward packaging, an elevated taproom experience, flavor-first beers, and an engaging, empowering brand will make TALEA Beer Co. the first female-forward beer brand in the US. In this episode, we discuss how they: Have sold over 100 barrels of beer in less than three months Got their beer in all the Whole Foods across NYC Secured...
2019-08-2344 minService Academy Business Mastermind#73: Investing in Tech Companies with Patricia Hume & Gary Griffiths, USNA '72Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/gary-griffiths/ Gary Griffiths (USNA '72) is the co-founder and managing director of Wisdom LLP. A 35-year veteran of the high-tech industry, Griffiths has led some of the web's most innovative companies. Prior to co-founding Wisdom LLP, Griffiths was CEO of iPass (NASDAQ: IPAS), a leader in global Wi-Fi technology and services, which was acquired by Pareteum, Inc (NASDAQ: TEUM) in February 2019. He was also president of products and operations at WebEx, acquired for $3B by Cisco Systems, Inc. Griffiths was also co-founder and CEO of Everdream Corporation, a SaaS company, from 1999 to 2005, acquired b...
2019-08-0856 minService Academy Business Mastermind#71: Buying a $30 Million Office Building with Bill Militello, USNA '92Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/bill-militello-92/ Bill Militello (USNA '92) is the Founder of Militello Capital and LocalVest. Militello Capital is a team of veteran entrepreneurs who invest capital in joint ventures with a select group of highly successful private equity and real estate operators. LocalVest.com is an exclusive community for accredited investors to discover, research, and discuss private investments with knowledgeable investment professionals. In this episode, we discuss: How mindset and visualization can attract massive wealth Bill's due diligence process and how he structures a $30M deal Why he likes the Tampa...
2019-07-2345 minService Academy Business Mastermind#70: From Navy Admiral to Starting a Distillery Business with Scott Sanders, USNA '80Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/scott-sanders/ Scott Sanders (USNA '80) is the owner of Tobacco Barn Distillery, a true ground-to-glass distillery bringing the best whiskies, bourbons and rums to the Maryland area. Their signature "Constellation Rum" is fermented, double-distilled, and sealed in four bourbon barrels for an embarkation aboard the U.S.S. Constellation in Baltimore, Maryland. Pretty cool story! In this episode, Scott and I discuss: How they grew the business to sell their products in over 20 liquor stores in the Maryland area and their plan to expand into other states How th...
2019-07-1523 minService Academy Business Mastermind#68: Using Technology to Improve Patient Care with Jaden Risner, USNA '07Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/jaden-risner/ Jaden Risner (USNA '07) is the Founder of Family Proud, a company that connects patients and families to the technological resources necessary to effectively maximize their quality of care. Their mission was founded on the principle idea that no patient under any circumstances should be afforded less support then the next. Jaden is dedicated to helping those in need with an effort to make the largest possible positive impacts through this company. As a Navy Reserve pilot and startup CEO, Jaden proudly continues to serve both his country and community.
2019-06-2732 minService Academy Business Mastermind#66: Building a Successful Franchise Business with Mark Mooney, USNA '74Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/mark-mooney Mark Mooney (USNA '74) is the owner and operator of multiple wellness and home health care businesses under the Massage Envy and BrightStar Care franchise brands. His vast experience in franchising includes building a market from scratch along with buying and selling existing franchise businesses. In this episode, Mark and I discuss: His strict criteria for investing in a franchise concept Important due diligence questions you should ask the franchisor before making an investment The franchise concepts he believes have the greatest potential Connect with Mark Mo...
2019-06-0737 minService Academy Business Mastermind#61: Starting a Successful Coffee Business with Eric Johnson, USNA '08Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/eric-johnson Eric Johnson (USNA '08) is the Founder of Trident Coffee, home of America's finest cold brew. Using their signature blend, they handcraft their cold brew coffee for 18 hours then infuse it with nitrogen in a ready-to-go can. The result is the smoothest, creamiest cold brew coffee on the market with a sweet chocolate and caramel flavor. At Trident Coffee, their mission is to continually create a community experience and connect people over a cup (or can!) of coffee. In this episode, Eric and I discuss: The story beh...
2019-05-0338 minService Academy Business Mastermind#59: Creating Amazing Outdoor Team Building Experiences with Gerardo Martinez, USNA '11Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/gerardo-martinez/ Gerardo Martinez (USNA '11) is the Founder of Triple Direct Leadership LLC, a company that provides high end leadership development to organizations by customizing the experience to the participant's mission and vision. Whether its rock climbing with the board of directors, an expedition with a department head or kayaking with the whole team, their experiences are unforgettable and results driven. In this episode, Gerardo and I discuss: His customized outdoor team building experiences that get results Why he doesn't deliver any training by PowerPoint or in conference roo...
2019-04-1931 minService Academy Business Mastermind#56: Expanding Your Brand with Licensing Agreements with Pete Canalichio, USNA '81Website link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/pete-canalichio Pete Canalichio (USNA '81), the global authority on brand expansion, is on a mission to help brands become more alive in the hearts of those that experience them. He does that by helping them write a better story through compelling content, inspiring platform talks, in-depth consulting and workshops, and practical tools. Pete considers it a privilege to use his experience in global brand licensing and expansion at admired organizations such as Coca-Cola and Newell Rubbermaid to help his clients and their organizations reach their full potential. In this e...
2019-03-2841 minService Academy Business Mastermind#50: From National Boxing Champion to Entrepreneur with Mike Steadman, USNA '10Website link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/mike-steadman Mike Steadman (USNA '10) is the Founder and CEO of IRONBOUND Unlimited, a veteran owned social enterprise that runs on-site corporate boxing classes for forward-thinking companies. IRONBOUND Boxing strives to strengthen community, relieve stress, and promote physical fitness as a way of life. Proceeds from the corporate classes power the IRONBOUND Boxing Academy, IRONBOUND's nonprofit boxing gym. The Academy provides free recreation to youth and young adults in Newark, NJ. In this episode, Mike and I discuss: How he found his passion in boxing and became a th...
2019-02-1342 minService Academy Business Mastermind#49: Building an Innovative Fleet Management Company with Jeanné Woodfin, USNA '94Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/jeanne-woodfin/ Jeanné Woodfin (USNA '94) is the Founder of XenaTech, a business that is changing the way companies track and manage their fleets of vehicles. XenaTech leverages the Internet of Things (IoT) to provide intelligent transportation solutions through web-based and mobile applications development and hardware integration to improve efficiencies of fleet management. In this episode, Jeanné and I discuss: How she improves fleet efficiency with her innovative software Her journey as an entrepreneur and how she overcame the fear and uncertainty of starting her own business What she lear...
2019-01-3029 minService Academy Business Mastermind#45: Real Estate Accelerator Success Stories with Buddy Rushing, USNA '04Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/success-stories/ Buddy Rushing (USNA '04) is the CEO of White Feather Investment and the fearless leader of SABM's Real Estate Investing Accelerator. Over the past 10 years Buddy and his team have flipped houses, wholesaled, invested in trust deeds, structured seller financed transactions using Roth IRA funds, purchased an apartment complex, executed multiple 1031 exchanges, and much more. In the past eighteen months, White Feather Investments has purchased 80+ rental properties, added $10MM+ worth of real estate to their collective portfolios, and established $70k+ in monthly rental income. Bu...
2018-12-0555 minService Academy Business Mastermind#44: Investing in Startups with Jim Stallings, USNA '78Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/jim-stallings Jim Stallings (USNA '78) is a globally recognized business leader with extensive experience transforming companies and teams for sales and profit growth. He is the managing partner of PS 27 Ventures, a private investment company focused on innovations in the expanding wellness and sustainable living market. He has held top leadership roles in several Fortune 25 companies and been involved in numerous startups. He serves on the boards of Fidelity National Information Services Corporation, Seaside National Bank and Trust Company, and the World Affairs Council of Florida. In this episode, J...
2018-12-0138 minService Academy Business Mastermind#41: Selling Grooming Products Online with Nick Karnaze, USNA '04Nick Karnaze (USNA '04) is the Founder of Stubble & Stache, an online retailer of men's grooming products. From hydrating your handsome face to reducing beard itch, their award-winning skincare products answer your grooming needs regardless of facial hair length, complexion or skin type. Prior to starting Stubble & Stache, Nick served over seven years as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. First as an intelligence officer, then in 2007 joining the Corps' newly formed elite special operations unit: MARSOC aka the Marine Raiders. He was a member of the 2nd Raider Battalion until leaving the Marine Corps i...
2018-10-2839 minService Academy Business Mastermind#38: Creating a Game-Changing Product for Diabetics with Brian Olivier, USNA '02Brian Olivier (USNA '02) is the Founder of Gluconfidence, a company that enables people with diabetes to pursue an active, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. In 2005, while serving in the United States Navy as a Helicopter Pilot, Brian was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and told he could no longer serve as a Pilot in the U.S. Navy. After living with Type 1 Diabetes for over 13 years, and seeing the need for a concentrated, convenient source of Glucose… he created Gluconfidence! Also, Brian just launched a CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN for Gluconfidence! Support his campaign here: https://www.sabmgroup.com...
2018-09-1137 minService Academy Business Mastermind#36: Win $10,000 and World-Class Business Coaching with Gary Slyman, USNA '81Gary Slyman (USNA '81) is a leadership coach and Mentor at the Global Good Fund. The Global Good Fund is a leadership development enterprise built by and for social entrepreneurs. Their Veterans Leadership Program is a year-long program supporting the leadership development of entrepreneurs who are military veterans. They invest in these innovators by pairing them with executives who serve as Mentors, and by providing leadership assessment resources, a network of peers, sector expertise, and targeted financial capital. In this episode, Gary and I (along with Devon Sanford and Brenda Dilts from the Global Good Fund) discuss:...
2018-07-3130 minService Academy Business Mastermind#34: Intellectual Property Law for Business Owners with Justus Getty, USNA '04Justus Getty (USNA '04) is an attorney with Duane Morris LLP, an AmLaw100 firm with more than 800 attorneys in offices across the globe. His work is primarily focused on the acquisition, enforcement, and licensing of patents and trademarks. His practice is also focused on startups, entrepreneurs, and early stage companies. He is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches "Intellectual Property for Startups." He has worked with more than 40 startup companies to protect their Intellectual Property to position them more competitively in the marketplace. In this episode, Justus and I discuss: How...
2018-07-1156 minService Academy Business Mastermind#31: Creating an Innovative Pocket Square with Jeff Payne, USNA '04Jeff Payne (USNA '04) is a Founding Partner at Greyfeather Capital and the Founder of Squared Away – The Pocket Square Movement. At Squared Away, Jeff has completely re-imagined the traditional pocket square with an innovative design which makes it super easy to wear a pocket square in your suit pocket. Today, we'll discuss the launch of Squared Away and his crowdfunding campaign that you can support! In this episode, Jeff and I discuss: His completely re-imagined pocket square system that will make you look awesome in your suit! How he found a manufacturer and launched his bus...
2018-05-2347 minService Academy Business Mastermind#30: Building a Private Equity Company with Bill Militello, USNA '92Bill Militello (USNA '92) is the CEO of Militello Capital and Mil Advisor. Militello Capital is a team of veteran entrepreneurs who invest capital in joint ventures with a select group of highly successful private equity and real estate operators. Mil Advisor is an exclusive community for accredited investors to discover, research, and discuss private investments with knowledgeable investment professionals. In this episode, Bill and I discuss: His entrepreneurial background and how he got started in private equity His online platform that connects entrepreneurs with capital The skills he learned at the Naval Academy that have helpe...
2018-05-1645 minService Academy Business Mastermind#28: Earning Passive Income through Real Estate with Buddy Rushing, USNA '04Buddy Rushing (USNA '04) is the CEO of White Feather Investments, a real estate investing company. Over the past ten years Buddy and his team have flipped houses, wholesaled, invested in trust deeds, structured seller financed transactions using Roth IRA funds, purchased an apartment complex, executed multiple 1031 exchanges, and much more. In the past ten months, the White Feather Investor's group has purchased 45 rental properties, added $6MM+ worth of real estate to their collective portfolios, and established $51,450 in monthly rental income. In this episode, Buddy and I discuss: How his team closed 45 deals in the last 11 mo...
2018-05-0249 minService Academy Business Mastermind#22: Building a Leadership Training Company with Jason Brezler, USNA '00"It started very intimately with a couple of Marines I deployed with and we thought there was value in the lessons we had learned in a place as unforgiving as Fallujah." -Jason Brezler, USNA '00 Jason Brezler (USNA '00) is the Founder of Leadership Under Fire, a leadership training company that develops leaders and prepares organizations for the moral, physical and mental rigors critical to optimal performance in highly-competitive settings by developing strength of mind, body, character and critical thought. In this episode, Jason and I discuss: How he built a leadership training company...
2018-02-0648 minService Academy Business Mastermind#18: Launching an Innovative Recruiting Company in Technology Sales with Nick Breedlove, USNA '01 & Justin Ossola, USNA '06"We bring in the right candidates, equip them with right hard skills, and deliver them to companies that can develop them into successful Account Executives." -Justin Ossola, USNA '06 Nick Breedlove graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in '01 and Justin Ossola graduated in '06 and together they founded Tech Qualled, an innovative sales training and recruiting company for military veterans. Tech Qualled works with over 80 leading technology companies that are committed to their mission of hiring Veterans. Through a competitive, immersive and intense training program, Tech Qualled helps motivated Veterans achieve new levels professional potential in...
2017-12-2845 minService Academy Business Mastermind#16: Creating an Innovative Jump Rope & Building a 20,000+ Member Fitness Community with Dave Hunt, USNA '04"I've always had an obsession with jumping. So what spurred the idea for this was my interest in entrepreneurship and my love of fitness and specifically jumping." -Dave Hunt, USNA '04 Dave Hunt graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2004 and is the founder of Crossrope, a company that sells an innovative jump rope system that helps people stay fit. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article about how Crossrope helped a business executive lose over thirty pounds. In this episode, Dave and I discuss: How downtime from an injury sparked his ide...
2017-12-1550 minService Academy Business Mastermind#13: Predicting Energy Markets & How to Choose the Right Business Partner with Terry MacGregor, USNA '00"When you have a great partner, it's unbelievable. It's worth its weight in gold. You're much stronger with somebody else." -Terry MacGregor, USNA '00 In this episode, you'll learn: How Terry's team uses data analytics to predict energy markets Tips for choosing the right business partner Tips for improving team communication Terry graduated from USNA in 2000 and is the founder of Byte Lion and Law IQ. At Byte Lion, Terry's team works with innovators in the startup and corporate world to create disruptive products and services. And at Law IQ, Terry's team uses predictive data anal...
2017-11-0635 minService Academy Business Mastermind#11: From $0 to $22 Million in Real Estate Sales in One Year with Dan Lesniak, USNA '02"I started off with a very narrow focus. I wasn't trying to be everything to everybody." -Dan Lesniak, USNA '02 Dan Lesniak graduated from the Naval Academy in 2002 and is the founder of the Orange Line Living Team, a real estate company based in Arlington, VA. He began his career in real estate in 2012 after having successful careers both as a Naval Submarine Officer and Defense Contractor. His hyper-local strategy led to one of the fastest starts in real estate with over $22 million in sales in his first year. Since then, Dan's team has become one of th...
2017-10-1052 minService Academy Business Mastermind#5: How to Run a Great Conference with Michael Bradley, USNA '01Michael Bradley graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in '01 and is the founder of M3S Networking and the Navy Nuclear Power Officer Career Conference, the only career conference connecting nuclear power officers with the country's best companies and schools. Mike has attracted companies such as Apple and Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos' company) along with colleges such as Wharton Business School to his career conference. In this episode, you'll learn: How to turn your talent and passion into a sustainable business How to host a conference and market your event to maximize attendance How t...
2017-07-1958 minService Academy Business Mastermind#4: From Submarine Captain to Best-Selling Author with David Marquet, USNA '81David Marquet graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in '81 and led a distinguished career in the United States' Submarine Force, culminating in command of the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Santa Fe. In command of Santa Fe, Captain Marquet completely turned around the submarine, which went from being "worst to first." Noted author Dr. Stephen Covey rode USS Santa Fe and discusses one of Captain Marquet's leadership practices in his book, The 8th Habit. David currently runs the leadership program he founded, "Turn the Ship Around!" In this episode, you'll learn: Unconventional practices that will he...
2017-07-0638 min