We’ve all heard the saying “Life is about choices.” Although it is tempting to point a finger to negative experiences, bad people, or peer pressure, it is still up to us to pick the path to move forward on their journey. James Eastland is a Marine, Veteran, ultramarathoner, and entrepreneur. However, he really should be a statistic. His biological father was sent to jail when he was 11 and released when James was 46. He had a few years with an engaged step dad, but that was lost when his mom div...
Jan 04, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Donna and Jay come back together for a little one on one catch up. They reflect on the last 10 months, how Beyond the Frontline was born, and wrapping up the Entrepreneurship series. They review the guests they brought on, discuss the various aspects of entrepreneurship - franchises, start-ups, non-profits, and tips for success. They discuss their own journey and the lessons they have learned along the way. Listen closely! At the end they will be announcing their next mini-series. Donna’s Links ...
Dec 21, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In 2003, American Airline attendant, Janis Roznowski, started flying Soldiers and Marines in and out of Kuwait City. During this time she was deeply impacted watching them come home injured and ill. Feeling the need to give back, Janie started visiting wounded service members at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and later Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio. In 2004, she started the non-profit, Operation Comfort. What started out as a simple gesture to give back has morphed into...
Dec 07, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 27
What could be better than fun in the sun?! Having fun in the sun while supporting Veterans, is what! In 2005, two friends, Wes Garnett and Seth Warnick, watched the first troops come home from Afghanistan and Iraq, and were motivated to help. What started as taking a few wounded service members out on a boat, has turned into Operation Float a Soldier, an all volunteer 501(c)3 dedicated to giving respite time to the soldier and family. They do this through water recreational sports - fishing, boa...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 26
There is a saying, entrepreneurs would give up a 40 hour job to work 80 hours for themselves. Starting up a new business can easily take many more hours than a cushy 9-5 job. But entrepreneurs would happily put in the extra hours to be in full control of their lives. What about the entrepreneur that owns multiple businesses? How do they keep up? In this episode, Donna and Jay talk to Mike Johnson - veteran, owner of a print supply business, operator of Mr. Fireworks, and home building consultant...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Do you have an entrepreneurial itch? Do you see a gap in the market that you feel you can fill? Are you just tired of having a boss or grinding out the 9-5? Are you staying at home to raise your children and thinking about ways to bring in a little extra income? Starting a business from the ground up is no easy feat. We often hear people throw out the statistic that the average business start-up lasts only 5 years. But wait, that is not every start up! There are start-ups that have been and are ...
Oct 26, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Did you know the DoD has a program that allows any service member, with commander’s approval, to do an internship if they are within 6 months of separation? The Skillbridge Program was developed in 2009 to help connect service members with industry to get real world civilian experience and skills. Theron Van Meter is a 21 yr retired Air Force Red Horse civil engineer. After 6 duty assignments and multiple deployments he was ready to move on to his next adventure. Him and his wife decided to move...
Oct 12, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Did you know the DoD has a program that allows any service member, with commander’s approval, to do an internship if they are within 6 months of separation? The Skillbridge Program was developed in 2009 to help connect service members with industry to get real world civilian experience and skills. Jose Ontiveros had no idea he was going to be an integral part in the development of the Skillbridge Program in San Antonio, after his own 20 year career. Currently he is the Skillbridge Manager and Co...
Sep 28, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Have you been considering getting into the franchise business, but not sure if it is for you? Do you ever wonder how to go about owning a franchise business? Is it affordable? How long does it take to start making money? Last episode we talked with franchise recruiter, Gary Chernow, on how the franchise business in general works; and how his role as a recruiter is instrumental in ensuring an optimal match. In this episode, Donna talks with Clint Blundon, owner of the franchise, Payroll Vault. Cl...
Sep 14, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 21
As Donna and Jay continue their entrepreneur series, they explore the world of franchises. In 2021 there were over 750,000 franchises in the US and it is expected to grow to close to 800,000 by the end of 2022! That equates to almost $800 billion in revenue and giving 8 million people jobs. When we think of franchises, we may immediately think of the food industry - McDonalds, Chik-a-fila, Taco Bell, etc. However, food only accounts for only a little over 25% of the franchising industry. There a...
Aug 31, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Have you ever thought of starting your own business but have no idea where to start? We hear lots of people talk about “start-up”. What exactly does that look like? How is it funded? How long does it take to make an income? Take a journey with Jay and Donna, as they kick off a series on entrepreneurship. Kicking off this series with their own experiences with starting up a business. They talk about why they decided to get into owning their own businesses, how they each went about it, and the pos...
Aug 17, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 19
It’s time we start highlighting some of our outstanding Veterans! Donna and Jay bring on Mike Clark, a 26 year Army helicopter pilot and 28 years educator to discuss his life over the decades, how the military has changed since his days, and why he continues to support his community and veterans. Originally from Iowa, the Clark family moved from Arizona to Spring Branch, TX in September 2015. Mike enlisted in the Army in 1966 eventually retiring in 1992 in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel. He ser...
Aug 03, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 18
It is incredible to realize there are over 40,000 veteran focused non-profits. The heartbreaking part is the majority of them have a lifespan of 1 year! So many people have altruistic intentions, only to find themselves overwhelmed with the business side needed to keep the nonprofit running. Donna and Jay bring in guest host Michelle Lang - veteran spouse, mom, and founder of the nonprofit, Veteran Help Point. They discuss why Veteran Help Point was launched, what it took to start it, and tips t...
Jul 20, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Federal resumes can be confusing, intimidating, and frustrating. However, knowing how to write a solid federal resume can open the door to amazing opportunities. If you are interested in applying for a government job, but unsure how to put together a Federal resume this podcast is for you! Donna and Jay bring back Alisha Brown, a Career Consultant and specialist in federal resume writing, to discuss how federal resumes differ from other resumes, the nuances of federal resumes, and tips on how to...
Jul 06, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Resumes. Many of us groan and give a little eye roll when we hear the word. Hard skills, soft skills, skill set, one page, too many pages, too wordy, not enough detail…it is enough to make the sane go mad. We hate writing them, but we love them in helping us to get our foot in the door. In this episode, Donna and Jay bring in guest host Alisha Brown, a Career Development Consultant, to get into the weeds and breakdown resumes. Alisha touches on various types of resumes, their importance and how ...
Jun 22, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Growth plans. What are they? Who uses them? Why are they important? How can they improve our lives? In this episode, Jay and Donna discuss the importance of developing a growth plan, examples of types of growth plans, how they are utilized, but most importantly why it can help lead you to an empowered path of growth. Both Donna and Jay share examples of their growth plans and what has worked for them both past and present. Donna’s Links Website: www.rebel-llc.org Book: Warrior to Patriot Citizen...
Jun 08, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Coaching is an art. It is vastly different from mentoring and consulting. Donna and Jay talk with Jay’s Coach Cynthia Restivo, executive coach, entrepreneur and author, about what coaching is and is not, her discovery of coaching, the benefits of coaching, and when people should consider it. They even touch a little on how coaching impacted Jay in his professional and personal life. "You have served, you have you put on your brave, you put on your courage and you served your country faithfully, ...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Ahhh mentoring. When you hear the term do you grimace or think fondly of the term? We hear the word used all the time and in many environments. Corporations have mentoring programs, individuals seek mentors, there is formal mentoring and informally mentoring. According to MentorcliQ : 84% of US Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs 100% of US Fortune 50 companies have mentoring programs On average, US Fortune 500 companies with mentoring programs had better profits during the 2020 Covid-...
May 11, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 12
It is estimated there are 137,000 volunteers throughout the US. Interestingly, the average age is 42, very similar to the average age of those retiring from a full military career. The VA alone has 25,000 volunteers. Volunteering is a win-win and shows that a person is willing to roll up his or her sleeves and engage where there is a need. Volunteering provides personal gratification both to the person and the community. In this episode, Donna and Jay share their experiences with volunteering bo...
Apr 27, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 11
New experiences, exploring different cultures, creating new connections. Several of the many opportunities while in service. In this episode Jay and Donna lighten up things and talk best of the best! Donna and Jay reminisce about their time in the military and chat about their favorite bases, assignments, jobs, and mentors. What was your best assignment? Unit? Team? Workmates? Reach out to Donna and Jay at cominghomewell@gmail.com as they build a great episode of our listeners best of the best a...
Apr 13, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Transitioning to the civilian world? We all have to do it and it is how we choose to transition that can make or break our success. In this episode Jay and Donna have a personal discussion on their transition. Jay retired 12 years ago and Donna is just over a year into her transiting from service. Both Jay and Donna talk about their retirement, how they handled the process and what they did (or didn’t do) when they left. They discuss how they have moved forward and where they are now. We would l...
Mar 30, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 9
It is not surprising, during an entire lifetime, most people will experience some form of trauma. In the developmental years, trauma can affect the development of the brain and in adulthood it can rewire processing. When trauma is left untreated, it can have a significant impact on us at unexpected times in our lives. Left untreated, trauma can compound and form into complex trauma. Veterans are at a significantly higher risk for complex trauma. In this episode Part 2, Donna and Jay continue the...
Mar 16, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 8
It is not surprising, during an entire lifetime, most people will experience some form of trauma. In the developmental years, trauma can affect the development of the brain and in adulthood it can rewire processing. When trauma is left untreated, it can have a significant impact on us at unexpected times in our lives. Left untreated, trauma can compound and form into complex trauma. Veterans are at a significantly higher risk for complex trauma. In Episode 7 Part 1, Donna and Jay continue their ...
Mar 02, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Did you know we have three brains? Learn more about the way our different brains work with each other to help us live in the present in Part 2 of Brainwaves and Neurofeedback. Join Donna and Jay as they continue the conversation with Dr. Novian about brain waves, neuropathways, and neurofeedback, and how this non-pharmacological treatment has become a game changer in treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD and many, many more brain dysregulations. Episode 6 Part 2 continues the discussion of ne...
Feb 16, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Brainwaves and changing the pattern from firing and wiring for protection to connecting and learning through neurofeedback. Episode 5: Brain Waves! (Part 1) Donna and Jay have a special guest in this episode of Beyond the Frontline. Their guest is Dr. Allen Novian, a 20+ year family counselor with a focus (and passion) in neurofeedback. Dr. Novian joins Donna and Jay to get down and dirty about brain waves, neuropathways, and neurofeedback. They discuss how this non-pharmacological treatment has...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 5
The Human Brain - How Subconsciousness Affects Consciousness Did you know an estimated 85% of our day is automated? In this episode Donna and Jay talk about the conscious and subconscious mind. How do they work? Are they separate entities? They’ll discuss the countermodel to the Freudian Theory, as well as ways you can work on optimizing your mindset. Be sure to subscribe so you do not miss a show and leave a review if you have a minute or two. We would love your feedback! Connect with Donna: We...
Jan 19, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 4
Understanding Human Behavior Our behavior is shaped by a combination of nature (hardwire) and nurture (our environment). In this episode, Donna and Jay discuss human behavior in regards to the various personalities we encounter every day; and why it is important to understand the behavior behind the personalities as well as knowing oneself. Be sure to subscribe so you do not miss a show and leave a review if you have a minute or two. We would love your feedback! Connect with Donna: Website: www....
Jan 05, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Welcome to our brand new podcast Coming Home Well Podcast Beyond the Frontline, available every other Wednesday starting 12/8. Tune in as your hosts, Donna Hoffmeyer and Jay Johnson, both U.S. Air Force veterans, as they tackle topics relating to transitioning from the Frontline to the Homefront. In our first episode get to know a little bit more about your hosts Donna and Jay. Connect with Donna: Website: www.rebel-llc.com Book: Warrior to Patriot Citizen (2017) Blog: Taking Off The Armor Conne...
Jan 01, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Oftentimes the hardest person to face is the one in the mirror. Donna and Jay discuss introspection. What is introspection? Why is it important for growth? How do you reflect on yourself? Donna and Jay will bring the audience on a journey of learning to quiet the mind. They will reflect and share some of their own journey, as well as give insight on how to start your own journey on introspection to help them find their purpose and live their best life during and after transition. Be sure to subs...
Jan 01, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 2
