Summary In this episode, we interview Denny Girardi, a former Army Infantry Team leader and co-host of the Be The Standard podcast. We discuss Denny's deployments to Afghanistan, the challenges of stop loss and surge deployments, and the differences in op tempo between the National Guard and special operations units. They also talk about working with SEALs and ODA teams, the reputation of Jocko Willink, and their experiences with CrossFit and MMA. Denny shares his journey from studying political...
May 16, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 17
Summary In this episode, former Navy SEAL Jon Macaskill discusses his experience in Operation Red Wings and the impact it had on his career and mental health. He shares how he dealt with survivor's guilt and moral injury, and how mindfulness and meditation saved his life. John emphasizes the importance of opening up about mental health and building a supportive community. He also discusses the challenges faced by first responders and the need for mental fitness in society. The conversation cover...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 20 min
Summary Today, we dive into Mike Klemmer's entrepreneurial journey with Aerial Resupply Coffee, a brand that honors military logistics and support personnel. Mike began his venture with minimal coffee roasting knowledge, emphasizing the importance of starting small and gradually scaling up. Through research and experimentation, he has became the most trusted voice in the veteran coffee space. Mike's innovative and unconventional marketing strategies include creating engaging characters for his b...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 14
Summary Join us in Welcoming Amber Smith, a former Kiowa Warrior pilot and Senior Pentagon Official, as we discuss her experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan and her decision to write a book about her military career. She highlights the importance of the Kiowa Warrior platform and its role in supporting ground troops. Amber also talks about the challenges of shooting from a helicopter and the perishable nature of the skill. She shares her journey of writing her first book, 'Danger Close,' and the r...
Apr 30, 2024•53 min•Ep. 16
Summary Join us in welcoming former Navy SEAL and serial entrepreneur--Kyle Buckett. In this episode we'll be discussing Kyle's impressive list of accomplishments and the importance of leadership and innovation in special operations. He shares stories of building a Naval Special Warfare compound and the culture of innovation within the SEAL teams. Buckett also talks about his transition to the private sector and his role at Core Scientific, a data center company mining Bitcoin. He emphasizes the...
Apr 24, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 13
Summary Join us in welcoming Joe Muscleman to the Harder Not Smarter Podcast. Joe was the mastermind behind formation of the The Honor Foundation and is now the founder and managing partner at Bravo Victor Venture Capital (BVVC). On this episode, we'll be discussing the purpose of his podcast (The TLC Equation) and the importance of the Schoolhouse, an accelerator for national security founders. He highlights the need for a Y Combinator-like program in the national security space and explains th...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 12
Summary Tom Scarda, owner of the Franchise Academy, joins the Harder, Not Smarter Podcast to discuss the ins and outs of franchising. He shares his personal experiences of owning successful and unsuccessful franchises, highlighting the importance of choosing the right franchise and understanding the business aspect behind it. Tom also addresses the misconceptions and challenges of franchising, including the prevalence of franchise lead companies on LinkedIn. Tom provides insights into the vettin...
Apr 10, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 11
Summary Please welcome former Green Beret Ryan Hendrickson, Founder and Owner of Tip of the Spear Landmine Removal (501c3), to the Harder Not Smarter Podcast. The conversation discusses the shift in the environment in Ukraine since 2022, with an increase in Russian activity and strikes. Ryan talks about his experience in Ukraine and his mission to train advise and assist other humanitarians in his landmine removal efforts. He highlights the importance demining and removing explosive hazards to h...
Apr 03, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 10
Summary In this episode we welcome former Navy Corpsman , CEO of Holden, and Founder of The Vangaurd, Mark Holden. Join us for one of the most interesting discussions you'll find on drone warfare and the future of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). We'll explore the use of drones in military operations, the ethical implications of using robots in warfare, the potential for AI-driven swarm attacks, and efforts to reduce tissue damage on the battlefield. We'll also breakdown Mark's venture into Entrep...
Mar 27, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 9
Summary Sandra Gonzalez, a retired Marine officer turned executive coach, shares her journey from the Marine Corps to entrepreneurship and the importance of cultivating sexy confidence as a leader. She discusses the power of live streaming and in-person events for podcasting, as well as the value of building strategic alliances in business. Sandra also highlights the impact of her father and General Mattis on her leadership development. She offers insights into her coaching program and the upcom...
Mar 18, 2024•57 min•Ep. 8
Summary Welcome to the first episode of our ongoing series on Psychedelic Assisted Therapy (PAT). Today we welcome Christi Myers, CEO of Flow Integrative--a team of healthcare professionals spearheading the effort to make PAT more available to veterans and first responders. Kristy brings over 25 years of experience working as a First Responder and understands the demands inherent to these professions. She is on a mission to “help the help” and is doing that by pioneering the use of psychedelics....
Mar 11, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 7
Summary In this episode, we're honored to welcome Herb Thompson, a former Army Drill Sergeant and Green Beret, Author, Father, Husband, and Veteran Advocate. Join us as we discuss Herb's transition from military to civilian life and his book, 'The Transition Mission.' Herb highlights many of the challenges veterans face, and provides a ton of insights on how to successfully navigate the transition process. He also shares wisdom on finding alignment between personal values and career choices, lev...
Mar 04, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 6
Summary Scott Mackes, a business savant and founder of Strength Mugs, shares his journey from starting a coffee mug business to creating the Service Academy Business Mastermind Group and the Investor Group within it. He discusses the importance of focusing on strengths and finding a niche market. Scott also highlights the success stories of the Academy Fund, a real estate lending fund that supports military veteran investors. The conversation explores the power of the military veteran community ...
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 5
Welcome to today's episode of Harder Not Smarter! Joining us is the COLORFUL voice of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs, Surinder Goode. With a wealth of experience spanning the U.K., the Middle East, and the United States, Surinder is not just a Senior Enlisted Military Spouse but also a thriving entrepreneur, a skilled employee, and a versatile independent contractor. During her tenure with United World Sports (UWS), Surinder played a pivotal role on the corporate sponsorship team, connecting the ...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 4
Today, we're excited to welcome Tyler Schmoker (Founder of Winsly) to the Harder Not Smarter Podcast. Prior to founding Winsly, Tyler spent over 2 decades working as a Fortune 500 Consultant, Security Industry Executive, Professional Soldier, and Paramilitary Advisor, developing and refining operations, intelligence, and business-based best practices that would become the foundation for Winsly. Tyler has directly supported client operations in over 50 countries, in some of the most challenging a...
Feb 12, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 3
Free Resources https://leaders-kit.com/harder Atlas' TedTalk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuJQAPUTf4g Atlas' Top 4 recommended TV shows for Entrepreneurs: (1) Undercover Billionaire (2) My money and me (3) Money Explained (4) Rich Brother Poor Brother. Chapters 00:00 Building a Foundation for Entrepreneurs 02:26 The Rob Kiyosaki Model of Money 03:26 The Journey of Entrepreneurs 05:21 Employment and Business Ownership 06:43 The Challenges of Business Ownership 08:07 Franchising and Entrepreneu...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 2
Join Kevin Seiff and Greg VanDyne as they kick off their inaugural episode of the Harder Not Smarter Podcast with Protector Brewery Founder and former Navy SEAL, Sean Haggerty. In this episode we will breakdown the following topics: (1) How Sean pays himself vs his employees (2) Navigating tough decisions and moving partners to silent members (3) Turning makeshift home-brew in Iraq to a multi-million dollar organic brewing company (4).Sean's take on getting experience vs. pursuing an MBA (5) His...
Jan 30, 2024•1 hr 12 min
