Service Academy Business Mastermind

Stuart 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 per month. Stuart is also the President of the Military Investor Network, which aims to network, educate, and connect other military/veteran service members that are interested in real estate investing. In this episode, Stu and I discuss: How to purchase and analyze a turnkey rental property and the returns they offer investors Their fa

Paul Huszar (USMA '90) is the President and CEO of VetCor, a restoration company that solves water and mold damage problems and provides other related services to commercial and residential property owners. VetCor is staffed by military veterans and is currently seeking new franchisees as they expand across the U.S. In this episode, Paul and I discuss: His goal to become the #1 private employer of military veterans The steps to take if you want to become a franchisee The markets they are expanding into across the U.S. Connect with Paul Huszar: Paul on LinkedIn VetCor Franchising If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Paul for joining me this week.  Until next t

Peter 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 entrepreneur Connect with Peter Joukov: Peter on LinkedIn Inq Tattoos If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher

Todd 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 the big guys His goal to expand to 9 locations in the next 18 months "Chowcall's unique ability to serve base customers gives us a competitive advantage larger delivery companies can't provide."  -Tim Sollars, Director of Ops. Dixon Foods dba McDonalds Connect with Todd Waldemar: Todd on LinkedIn ChowCall If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Serv

Anthony 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: Anthony on LinkedIn Pinto Capital Investments If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star

Tim 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 current job openings The most important skills he learned at the Naval Academy that have helped him as an entrepreneur Connect with Tim Parlatore: Tim on LinkedIn Parlatore Law Group Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Tim for joining me this week.  Until next time! -Scott Mackes,

Grant Demaree (USMA '13)  is the Co-Founder of Onebrief, a collaborative platform that facilitates rapid executive decision-making for businesses and military planning.  Onebrief supports large-scale collaboration on the Joint Planning Process and automates the outputs, such as OPLANs, OPORDs, sync matrices, and maps.  Onebrief is being used in exercises in the Army and Air Force, including the Army War College and is backed by AFWERX and by Alchemist Accelerator. In this episode, Grant and I discuss: His company’s goals to become the interoperability standard for all joint planning across the US military and our allies How he connected with his co-founder and the story of how they brought their product to market His best lessons learned from the Alchemist Accelerator and the AFWERX application process Connect with Grant Demaree: Grant on LinkedIn Onebrief Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special

Stephen Semmelroth (USMA '11) is a veteran-focused cybersecurity recruiter where he develops Cyber Vets and finds them jobs.  As a cybersecurity recruiter, he matches the nation's best Cyber Veterans (any Federal alumni, clearance holder, or military spouse) with tech jobs across the country. In this episode, Stephen and I discuss: The explosive growth of the cybersecurity industry Current job openings he has available The ups and downs of starting a business and how he has persevered Connect with Stephen Semmelroth: Stephen on LinkedIn StrataCore Website If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Stephen for joining me this week.  Until next time! -Scott Mackes, U

On today’s podcast I’m joined by Bill Militello (USNA ’92) who shares how an “abundance mindset” and a simple shift in thinking can help us navigate successfully through uncertain times. Bill is the CEO of Militello Capital and LocalVest.com.  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 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: How he uses vision boards and mind movies to create a life of abundance How your feelings attract abundance (or scarcity) into your life Why Academy grads will persevere through this crisis and create more value than ever before Connect with Bill Militello: Bill on LinkedIn Militello Capital LocalVest *Special thanks to Ginni Guiton (USMA) from GGHypnosis.com for providing the intention to start the p

Mike 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 investing Their new lead generation program for real estate agents A new service they created to connect investors with real estate agents and lenders across the country Connect with Mike Foster: Mike on LinkedIn Active Duty Passive Income If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to

Fred 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 at any endeavor. In this episode, Fred and I discuss: Why he chose to attend USNA and his favorite experiences from playing on the football team His experiences from building businesses and the best lessons he learned along the way His best tips for writing a book Connect with Fred Stuvek: Fred on LinkedIn It Starts With You If you found this episode valuable, please shar

Carly DaCosta (USMA '04) and her husband Jered own DaCosta Real Estate Investments, an investment company focused on buying high-quality short-term rentals leveraging Airbnb and apartment complexes through syndication.  In 2018, Carly left her full-time job to purchase a $2MM multifamily apartment building in San Francisco.  In March 2019, Jered joined Carly on her real estate adventure, and they relocated their family to Jacksonville, FL to build out their real estate portfolio. I am also joined in this episode by Buddy Rushing (USNA '04), Founder of White Feather Investments and the fearless leader of our Real Estate Investing Accelerator. In this episode, we discuss: Carly’s decision to relocate her family and start a real estate business in Jacksonville, FL How the Real Estate Accelerator has impacted both her life and business Her goal to achieve financial freedom this year through real estate investing Connect with Carly DaCosta: Carly on LinkedIn Join our upcoming Zoom call on March 7th to learn mo

Rachael Jackson is a West Point graduate with a degree in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, former Army Captain and Apache Attack Helicopter pilot. As an Army officer, she saw first-hand the importance of taking care of soldiers and their families. As CEO of TRIBAL, she has seen first-hand the power of story and the necessity for relationships to change hearts and drive action. Her life’s work is to connect people to a greater sense of meaning through stories, resources, and relationships.  TRIBAL is a relationship and community-building platform that helps leaders connect with, grow and inspire their people. In this episode, Rachael and I discuss: How her mobile app helps employees create conversations and build stronger relationships How she brought her idea to market and got her first customers Her best tips for overcoming fear when launching a new business Connect with Rachael Jackson: Rachael on Linkedin TRIBAL If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. Subscribe a

Today is the 100th episode of the SABM podcast. In today’s episode I share the story of SABM, where the idea came from and how it has evolved over the past three years.  Since launching the community in 2017, we have grown immensely thanks to all the amazing grads who have contributed their time, talent and ideas. In today’s episode, I share: How the idea for SABM started with a coffee mug business and the need to be surrounded by like-minded people The story and mindset shift of transitioning from a side-hustle to a full-time business Overcoming fear and procrastination when launching a new business (or any creative project) Special thanks for Ginni Guiton (USMA) for joining me on today’s podcast.  And thank you to all our podcast listeners, meetup attendees, real estate accelerator members, investor group members, and mastermind members.  Without you, there wouldn’t be an SABM.  The face of SABM will always be the community of academy grads who make our tribe so special. If you found this episode valuable

France Hoang (USMA '95) has developed a patent-pending artificial intelligence engine to help organizations predict who in a new list of people are most like the original list using hundreds of data points.  Their predictive models help nonprofit fundraisers find new donors (boodle.ai), help political candidates raise contributions (adjutant.ai), and help companies find new clients that match the profile of their existing clients (guidon.ai). In this episode, we discuss: How their AI tool can find potential clients from an existing list of prospects How they help companies reduce marketing cost through their predictive models The most important skills he learned in the Army that have helped him as an entrepreneur Connect with France Hoang: France on LinkedIn Boodle.ai for non-profits Adjutant.ai for politicians Guidon.ai for companies If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play,

Bo 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 with Bo Bergstrom: Humanly Bo on LinkedIn If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Bo fo

Claude 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 Libations Claude on LinkedIn If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Claude for joining me thi

Brad 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 market Connect with Brad: MOCingbird Brad on LinkedIn If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-st

Chris Prentice (USMA '92) has over 20 years of medical device experience in both large strategic healthcare companies and in successful startup companies. Most recently he was Vice President of Commercial Integration at Medtronic. Prior to his position at Medtronic, he was CEO of Mazor Robotics, which was acquired by Medtronic in December 2018 for $1.6B. In this episode, Chris and I discuss: His journey from the Army into the medical device industry How he grew a company that sold for $1.6B His new robotics company that is revolutionizing upper extremity rehabilitation Connect with Christopher: Harmonic Bionics Chris on LinkedIn If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Play, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special tha

Charles Mullenger (USMA ’10) is the owner of Ethos Evacuation Strategies, a leading partner in emergency preparedness and an American-made manufacturer of cost-effective evacuation solutions, including its flagship product, the Med Sled®. Since 2004, Med Sled has been developing products to support disaster preparedness and emergency evacuation to ensure that non-ambulatory individuals are transported safely in an emergency. In this episode, Charles and I discuss: His path into business ownership through a search fund The 3 different types of search funds and the benefits of each His short- and long-term goals for Ethos Evacuation Strategies Connect with Charles: Ethos Evacuation Strategies Charles on LinkedIn If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today. Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also avai