What does it take to build a billion-dollar company? If you’re like most people, you probably assume it requires raising venture capital, building some sort of SAAS product, and scaling it to millions of users. The last thing you’d probably think of us is maxing out your credit cards to start a manufacturing company that produces supplements stocking the shelves of your favorite PX or GNC store. Well,l that’s exactly what Marine Corps Veteran Marc Krauthhamer and his Co-Founder of AMP Neutraceut...
Jan 11, 2024•54 min•Ep. 146
With another year in the books and another one head, have you thought long and hard about what you’re hoping to accomplish in the next twelve months? Either way, today’s episode is for you. Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Learn More about Bunker Labs by visiting: www.BunkerLabs.org
Jan 04, 2024•23 min•Ep. 145
In this episode of the Transition, I catch up with Navy Veteran Lee Mills, Founder & CEO of Pixly, a visual documentation & collaboration platform for Construction, Insurance, Facilities and Field Service Professionals. In 2022, Lee won the Veteran Funds 100k Pitch Competition at the Military Influencer Conference. Since then, Lee and I frequently chat back and forth online, talking about the struggles of entrepreneurship and what’s keeping us up at night. Between raising funding, managi...
Dec 22, 2023•48 min•Ep. 144
In this episode of the Transition, I sit down with Patrick Mate, Army Veteran and Founder of Patriot Jean Company, An Arizona-based American-made apparel company that produces 100% grown, sewn, and built Jeans. Manufacturing is a hard business, but that’s not stopping him. Although he’s still in the startup phase, Patricks invested over six-figures to bring his American-made brand to life, which officially launches in a few weeks with their two products, the Defender and the Innovator. I invited...
Dec 14, 2023•44 min•Ep. 143
In this episode of the Transition, I share a simple framework to set you and your team up for success heading into the new year. Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg
Dec 07, 2023•27 min•Ep. 142
Today on the Transition, I challenge conventional wisdom by challenging you to build a better mouse trap (i.e. build upon an existing product or service already in the marketplace) rather than trying to come up with market a new idea out the gate, especially if you’re a first-time founder or find yourself in a bit of a revenue lull. Apply for the next cohort of Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship here: https://bunkerlabs.org/breaking-barriers/ Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: ...
Nov 30, 2023•19 min•Ep. 141
One topic that consistently comes up in my conversations with aspiring entrepreneurs is pursuing entrepreneurship through acquisition, a fancy way of saying buying a business as opposed to building one from scratch. There’s an old saying that, “There are multiple ways to skin a cat,” and as great as it is to start a business, buying one can be just as impactful. To discuss the process, I invited on the Transition, Jeff Evenson, an Army Veteran, Business Coach, and Acquisition Entrepreneur, with ...
Nov 16, 2023•48 min•Ep. 140
In this episode of the Transition, I discuss how to survive and thrive during tough times using Jim Collin’s Framework of the Twenty Mile March. Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg
Nov 02, 2023•19 min•Ep. 139
In this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Marine Corps Veteran and Chicago Bunker Labs Ambassador, Patryk Stanczak, Founder & CEO of GeekHeros, a digital marketing agency providing a plethora of services from website and logo design, to SEO support and beyond. I met Patryk a few years ago online and we finally caught up in-person at the Bunker Labs Ambassador Fly-In down in San Antonio, TX. Specifically, I asked Pat to come on the show and talk about his transition from an Enlisted Ma...
Oct 26, 2023•49 min•Ep. 138
In the following episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Army Veteran, Published Author, and Serial Entrepreneur, Mike Erwin, Founder & Executive Director of Team Red, White, and Blue. Founded in 2010, Team RWB is a nonprofit organization with chapters all across the country, that delivers consistent, local opportunities for veterans and the community to connect through physical and social activity. Team RWB was one of the first veteran nonprofits I came across back in 2017, just after gett...
Oct 12, 2023•54 min•Ep. 137
Today on the Transition, I talk about the importance of getting back to “why.” When you get caught up in the day to day of running your business, and all the blocking and tackling that comes with chasing revenue, managing your team, and dealing with your personal life, it can start to wear on you. It’s all fun and dandy the first few months, when you’re fueled off dopamine, or what I like to call, the honeymoon phase of entrepreneurship. After a while, the reality of the grind sets in ? You go t...
Sep 28, 2023•22 min•Ep. 136
Today on the Transition, I discuss Blue Ocean Strategy, a method of thinking that allows you to identify uncontested market opportunities. Apply for the next cohort of Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship here: https://bunkerlabs.org/breaking-barriers/ Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg
Sep 07, 2023•12 min•Ep. 135
On today’s episode, we talk about mental health. Mike reflects on recent events in his life, how they impacted him, and what the reality of managing mental health looks like for many of us. Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg
Aug 31, 2023•28 min•Ep. 134
For first-time founders, it’s easy to fall in love with your idea and build a company that places you as the hero of the story. Jim Collins, renowned business author and famous for his books, Good To Great and Built To Last, believes that in order to build an enduring company, you have to be willing to do the hard work of building a company that doesn’t solely rely on you. Additionally, you can’t just fall in love with your idea, you need to fall in love with the process of coming up with multip...
Aug 17, 2023•19 min•Ep. 133
Do you ever feel there’s never enough time in the day to get things done? I know I do, but one thing that’s been helpful for me, is carving time to build an ideal workweek. So for this episode of the Transition, I walk through my ideal work week template and how I structure my time, and share guidance on how you can do the same in your own business. Apply for the next cohort of Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship here: https://bunkerlabs.org/breaking-barriers/ Order my book, “Black Veteran Ent...
Aug 10, 2023•20 min•Ep. 132
On this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Army Veteran, Leadership Coach, and Serial Entrepreneur, Sean Patton, Founder of Stronger Leader Stronger Profits, which helps companies increase their profitability by developing stronger leaders. I met Sean last year when the Bunker Labs Crew flew into Nashville, TN for a team fly-in. After hearing him speak about his journey from the Army, his passion for Brazilian Ju Jitsu, and the challenge of opening up his own gym, I had to get him on the s...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 131
I tell people that it takes at least three years or so to fully transition, but that's not based on any peer-reviewed data only my personal experience after spending 10 years in the military, five including my time at the Naval Academy Prep School and Annapolis, followed by five in the Marine Corp, for ten years total. Today’s guest, Jessica Van De Vop Jesus, left the Marine Corps as Lieutenant Colonel, in order to follow her passion for Food and Travel. Her first few years post-transition were ...
Jul 27, 2023•48 min•Ep. 130
In the following episode of the Transition, I break down how to achieve marketing momentum in your business that attracts high-quality leads, by walking you through the following frameworks: The 1-Page Marketing Plan and the Weekly Marketing Cadence. I use my company, IRONBOUND Media, as a case study on how to effectively implement them Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Download a Copy of the 1-Page Marketing Plan Framework here: https://www.thestrength.co...
Jul 20, 2023•33 min•Ep. 129
When I’m not hitting the heavy bag at the IRONBOUND Boxing Academy in Newark, you can find me under a barbell at my CrossFit gym, doing squats, bench presses, and other strength training exercises, something I’m picked up playing football in high school and carried with me into the Marines. While doing research on how to incorporate running into barbell training, I came across today’s guest, Grant Broggi, Founder of The Strength Co, which includes a Brick-and-Mortar Gym, Online Coaching, and a m...
Jul 13, 2023•57 min•Ep. 128
Today on the Transition, I revisit quarterly planning, and how to set yourself for success over the next 90 days, using objectives and key results. Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg
Jul 06, 2023•22 min•Ep. 127
This week on the Transition, I’m bringing to you another interview conducted in-person at the CEO Circle Fly-In Powered by JP Morgan & Chase. Joining me this time is Ben Lang, Founder & CEO of Native Chats, a multilingual messaging platform specializing in real-time text translation that enables people to communicate across 100+ languages. Ben’s a former Army Ranger with a background in technology and design, holding global leadership roles in military special operations, national intell...
Jun 29, 2023•46 min•Ep. 126
In the military we have a saying that the enemy has a choice. Doesn’t matter how great you think your product or service is or you think it’s for, until you go to market, it’s an educated guess at best. From there, it’s your responsibility to identify whether you’re going to stick to the plan, such as selling craft beer via a subscription service model to willing consumers, or shifting to a business to business model selling beer, snacks, and other CPG items to corporate offices. If that sounds ...
Jun 22, 2023•47 min•Ep. 125
In this episode of the Transition, I share my morning routine and why it’s important for you to have one, regardless of how challenging your circumstances may seem. Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg
Jun 15, 2023•20 min•Ep. 124
I’m breaking from script today in order to share a time-sensitive interview with Steve Harrison, Lead Associate of Corporate Development at USAA, where we discuss the upcoming USAA Pitch Competition, an opportunity for military-connected entrepreneurs to receive up to 50k in non-dilutive capital and the potential for future investment from USAA. The deadline to apply is June 30, which is only a few weeks away and I need your help in getting the word out! Apply here: https://bunkerlabs.org/usaa-p...
Jun 08, 2023•27 min•Ep. 123
In the following episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Marine Corps Veteran and former Veterans in Residence Alumni Captain, Omar Fuentes, CEO and Co-Founder of accel-EQ, Digital Healthcare Platform that automates medical documentation using machine learning and artificial intelligence, in order to increase efficiency and eliminate wasted time, allowing providers to spend more time on their patients. After transitioning out of the Marines, Omar spent a brief stint working in finance, before f...
Jun 01, 2023•54 min•Ep. 122
I recently met up with two female veteran entrepreneurs to discuss their sales and marketing efforts. One thing I immediately pressed them on was the importance of activating their existing network and key relationships. During the process, I realized that what was an obvious insight to me, wasn’t so obvious to them, which is why for today’s show, I decided to decided to discuss how to activate your network, so that it’s working for you and vice versa. Be sure to subscribe to the Transition News...
May 25, 2023•23 min•Ep. 121
Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and no one is better positioned to Ignite it than the veteran entrepreneurial community, which is why for Today’s show I sit down with fellow Marine and Bunker Labs CEO, Blake Hogan to discuss America’s Business Mission, a call to action for Ameican Business Owners, veteran or otherwise, to invest in the growing veteran entrepreneurial ecosystem, through capital, business support, ecosystem development. Be sure to subscribe to the Transit...
May 18, 2023•32 min•Ep. 120
This week on the Transition, I sat down with Army Veteran Haotian Bai, President and Founder of Patriot Conceptions, an LA based surrogacy agency dedicated to providing exceptional service to surrogates and intended families. I met Bai through NYU’s Veterans Future Labs, where I gave a talk on branding. We connected afterwards and since then, we've attended multiple events together including the VFL Summit in NYC and the MilVet Startup Conference. Bai has an interesting background as a Chinese I...
May 11, 2023•44 min•Ep. 119
This week on the Transition, I’m joined by Army Veteran and Veterans In Residence Alumni, Simon Karmarkar, Founder & CEO of Refund Wiz, a smartphone mobile e-filing tax return app. His company also offers MasRefund, an app designed specifically for the Spanish-speaking community. As a trained and certified Tax Specialist, Simon noticed a glaring gap in the number of tax specialists who could serve the non-English-speaking Latino community, many of whom wanted to pay taxes, but were nervous a...
May 04, 2023•37 min•Ep. 118
I’m stoked for the following episode of the Transition where I chat with U.S Veteran and Coffee Entrepreneur, Mike Mckim, Founder of Cuvee Coffee, a nationally recognized Austin-based, coffee brand known for roasting exceptional, ethically sourced, sustainable coffee. Cuvee is made up of a roastery and distribution arm, including online and wholesale, as well as a Vibrant, down-to-earth cafe & retail space serving up specialty coffees, teas & more, plus snacks. I love coffee and I enjoy ...
Apr 27, 2023•47 min•Ep. 117
