Service Academy Business Mastermind

Jim Collison, an Army veteran, is the CliftonStrengths Community Manager for Gallup.  The Clifton Strengths Assessment is an online talent assessment that helps you discover what you naturally do best and has been taken by more than 25 million people. The Assessment helps individuals learn about their own strengths and provides managers with the tools and framework to have their teams work well together. In this episode, we discuss: An overview of CliftonStrengths and how you can use it to find your passion How Jim has used his natural talents to craft his job within Gallup that allows him to do what he does best How the Assessment can help entrepreneurs just starting out as well as those in large corporations And, as a bonus, his best tips for starting a podcast Connect with Tim and learn more about the CliftonStrengths Assessment: Jim Collison Gallup's Strength Coaching Webcasts CliftonStrengths Assessment If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Servi

Today we welcome Todd Waldemar (USNA ‘89) back to the podcast (he first joined us on Episode #110).  Todd is the founder of ChowCall and recently went through the 757 Accelerate program.  He joins us today along with Evans McMillion, 757 Accelerate’s Executive Director, to share how the program helped ChowCall grow.  757 Accelerate is a nonprofit startup accelerator program focused on founders and their growth.     In this episode, we discuss: ChowCall’s exciting growth and their newest offering, grocery delivery from base commissaries 757 Accelerate’s focus and how it works with founders to grow their businesses The type of founders 757 Accelerate focuses on supporting, specifically military and underrepresented founders Connect with Todd and Evans: Todd Waldemar ChowCall Evans McMillion 757 Accelerate 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

Marques Hardin (USAFA ‘03) is an art buyer and advisor and the cofounder of Artgence, an agency focused on connecting art collectors with artists.  Artgence offers personal art shopping services, hosts virtual art galleries and offers premium 3D virtual art fair experiences. In this episode, Marques and I discuss: The career pivot that brought him from the corporate world to the art world How he uses technology to share art with his clients The skills he gained during his time in the Air Force and at the Air Force Academy that helped him build his own business  Connect with Marques: Marques Hardin Artgence 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 Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Marques for

Ed 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 Navy are helping him today in the business world Connect with Ed: Ed Henkler The Blind Guide 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 Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review

Dave Jesurun (USAFA ‘96) is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Pilot at High Country Air Service, an aviation services firm.  High Country Air Service offers turnkey flight services to its customers including aircraft acquisition, aircraft/fleet management, aircraft ferrying, maintenance, and pilot contracting.  In this episode, Dave and I discuss: How his master’s thesis at Naval Postgraduate School led him to start High Country Air Service The high level of attention to detail that High Country Air Service offers its customers, inspired by his career as an Air Force pilot The exciting next step he is hoping to take with High Country Air Service Connect with Dave: Dave Jesurun High Country Air Service 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

Barbara Ashe is the Director and Founder of the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP), a nonprofit focused on training veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses on how to compete, comply and perform in the federal marketplace.  VIP offers four different curriculums to connect veteran-owned businesses with the information and resources they need to grow in the federal market at no cost to participants.   In this episode, Barbara and I discuss: The tremendous growth companies experience after going through VIP’s programs and the community VIP fosters How VIP’s mission and focus remains the same since its inception almost 12 years ago VIP's exciting new marketplace platform that is keyword searchable for industry and government Connect with Barbara: Barbara Ashe National VIP 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 sta

Joshua McCarver (USMA ‘07) is the founder of Academy Politics, a nonprofit focused on recruiting, educating, and connecting Service Academy graduates who want to transition into politics.  Academy Politics focuses on improving the bipartisan problem-solving nature of government while working to put more veterans into public office at the local, state, and national levels.  In this episode, Josh and I discuss: Why it is important to get more veterans into public office How his organization started with a Facebook group in 2018  Academy Politics’ training partners and the network that supports Service Academy graduates interested in running for office The lessons he learned at West Point and during his military career that are helping him grow the Academy Politics community Connect with Josh: Joshua McCarver Academy Politics The Academy Politics Facebook group 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

Michael Cygan (USMA '01) is a Director at Alix Partners where he helps clients manage their supply chain by  focusing on the intersection of consumer products and procurement.  He is also a graduate of the Real Estate Accelerator class 2019-1. In this episode, we discuss: Why Michael decided to join the Real Estate Accelerator after a career transition in 2018 How he climbed his way out of credit card debt and put his family on an exciting new path How his extreme discipline combined with accountability and mentoring from the Accelerator team has changed the trajectory of his financial future Connect with Michael Cygan on LinkedIn. If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and would like to learn more about our Real Estate Accelerator, please visit: https://sabmgroup.com/realestate/ Subscribe and help out the show: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Speci

Alex Pederson  (USAFA ‘08) is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Polco, an online platform that supports community engagement in local government.  Alex and his partner built Polco because they found that government officials, specifically those at the local level, have difficulty getting real-time and reliable input from their communities.    In this episode, Alex and I discuss: How direct feedback from a city manager led to a pivot in his business A success story with a small town 90-year old constituent that illustrates how Polco gives community members a chance to share their voices Why he thinks working with another Academy graduate or military veteran makes for a strong business partnership The key skills and lessons learned from his time at the Air Force Academy and in the Air Force that are helping him today as an entrepreneur   Connect with Alex: Alex Pederson Polco If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate an

Tracey 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 run her business, especially during the pandemic Connect with Tracey: Tracey Moys House of Colour West Cornwall 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 Podcasts, Spotify &

Dr. 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 episode, Jon, Theresa, and I discuss: How their seminars give participants mindfulness and movement tools to increase their productivity and improve workplace culture The timeliness of their offering as everyone’s stress is at an all-time high and movement is at an all-time low because of the global pandemic Their personal stories of how what they are teaching has helped them overcome personal and professional challe

Justin 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 timely pieces of content to publish The most important lessons he learned at the Naval Academy that have helped him as an entrepreneur  Connect with Justin: Justin Nassiri Captivate.ai Beyond the Uniform 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 tod

Christian Espinosa (USAFA ‘93) is the founder of Alpine Security, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Cyber Security business that he recently sold to a publicly-traded company.  Christian’s latest venture, The Smartest Person in the Room: The Root Cause and New Solution for Cybersecurity, is a new book that helps technical-minded individuals become thriving leaders. In this episode, Christian and I discuss: The process of selling a company and what’s next for him in business The framework he shares in his book that transforms great technical-minded individuals into great leaders How the discipline and persistence he learned at the USAFA and in the Air Force have helped him as an entrepreneur Connect with Christian: Christian Espinosa Christian Espinosa.com The Smartest Person in the Room 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 t

In today’s podcast, I am excited to welcome Bill Militello (USNA ‘92) back to the show to talk about 10X Vets.  The 10X Vets program at SABM is for military veteran entrepreneurs who want to grow their business to a 10X level through new learning, collaboration, and connections. Bill has been part of 10X Vets since its inception in June of 2020 and has helped grow it to over 50 members in the past six months.   In this episode, Bill and I discuss: The inside story of what’s been happening in the 10X Vets program since we launched last June Success stories and how the program has helped expand the knowledge, network and net-worth of the members  The 10X Challenge, a new framework we are developing to help our members 10X an aspect of their business or personal life Learn more about 10X Vets: https://sabmgroup.com/10x/ 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 supporti

Michael 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 opportunity for listeners to take an energy level assessment and talk through the results with him Connect with Michael: Michael Sipe Michael Sipe Consulting 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

Ray 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 the public sector The key experiences Ray had as a midshipman and a Naval officer that helped him as an entrepreneur Two job opportunities for the SABM Community Connect with Ray:  Raymond Garfield Garfield Public Private 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,

Jerry 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 time in the Navy equipped Jerry to succeed in business and prepared him to serve others Connect with Jerry: Jerry Pilewski FocalPoint 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:

David Garza (USMA ‘87) is the managing director and CEO of Compass Human Capital Advisors, a consulting practice that assists growing businesses scale and optimize their workforce.  David started Compass Human Capital Advisors after 25 years as an HR executive and honed his practice after he noticed that small business owners often struggle with hiring and developing their employees’ talents.   In this episode, David and I discuss: The four things businesses must address to successfully scale their workforce How he helps business owners define and nurture their companies’ cultures His best tips for hiring How a “just step forward” mentality garnered from West Point helped him grow his business Connect with David: David Garza Compass Human Capital Advisors 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 th

Charlie Felker (USMA ‘06) is the co-founder of Free-2-Grow which provides back-office support to service-based companies, allowing the owners and operators to focus on their customers and growing their businesses.  Free-2-Grow offers its customers the services of a full-time office manager at half of what it would cost to hire someone full-time and provides team support with its cross-trained staff. In this episode, Charlie and I discuss: How he built a product and a company around a pain point from his last business The creative ways he finds new clients The skills that he learned in the Army and at West Point that have helped him succeed as an entrepreneur  His best tips for creating a successful business partnership Connect with Charlie: Charlie Felker Free-2-Grow 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

Mike Nemeth (USMA ’04) is best known across the Service Academy community for his hilarious pranks that capture the spirit of the Army/Navy rivalry.  In addition to his role as the community prankster, he’s also a very successful entrepreneur who has built a 7-figure apparel business from the ground up. In this episode, Mike and I discuss: His apparel company that has grown to over 7-figures in sales in the last three years His marketing pivot during COVID that helped him target the clients he loves serving His latest pranks which include the Navy Tears of Sadness Candle and one surprise Connect with Mike: Mike on LinkedIn Emblem Athletic Mike’s book: Discipline the Annapolis Way 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 Podcasts, Spoti