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“We help people act on their dream of starting a nonprofit. With our experience, we guide that dream to reality. For those who have already started a nonprofit, we’ve had success helping people become more compliant, which leads to better fundraising, which leads to growth.” - Vince Lindenmeyer (USMA ‘91) Dr. Vince Lindenmeyer (USMA ‘91) is a retired Army Colonel and currently a Principal of Beacon 4sight Group a registered trade name of CFOUR Foundation LLC, which creates economic growth for equality and justice. Vince served in the Army for 26 years with overseas tours to Korea, Egypt, Qatar, and Iraq earning the Bronze Star Medal. As an educator, Vince has taught face-to-face and distance learning over the past 20 years. He earned a BS in Systems Engineering from West Point, master’s degrees in Logistics Management, Education, and Strategic Studies, and a PhD in Education. Vince actively supports women, veterans, minorities, persons with disabilities, and the formerly incarcerated in starting businesses and nonprofits to close the economic income gap. In this episode, we discuss: How Vince transitioned from military strategist to nonprofit advisor Who Vince’s ideal clients are and how he supports them through the nonprofit journey Why sustainability, governance, and compliance matter to the success of every nonprofit How to optimize fundraising for a nonprofit  Why every business can have a social impact mission Vince also shares the story of how he met his business partner through the SABM network and reflects on his five-year anniversary as a nonprofit advisor. We enjoyed hearing how Vince is developing his business this year and learning about the positive social impact that military veteran-owned businesses Vince works with are creating. We wish Vince continued success and hope this episode inspires you to consider the social impact of your business.Connect with Vince: LinkedIn Beacon 4sight 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 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 Vince for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“EveryDoor is our B2B brand where we are coming alongside those large delivery providers and retailers so we can help them…grow their revenue and serve these customers in hard-to-reach markets. EveryDoor is an extension of our company where we take what we do best and we put it in the hands of delivery providers and retailers to make them successful.”  -Todd Waldemar, USNA ‘89 Todd Waldemar is the founder of ChowCall, a 3rd party food delivery business that delivers to military bases and other hard-to-reach markets. He is now scaling his business with the launch of EveryDoor, a B2B brand that partners with large delivery providers and retailers to help serve hard-to-reach customers. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy and serving as a Marine Corps Officer, Todd opened up a restaurant and delivered almost one million orders to military bases over the span of 15 years. This experience led to the creation of ChowCall and EveryDoor. Todd holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. In this episode, we discuss: Todd’s journey from the Naval Academy, to serving in Iraq, to becoming an entrepreneur The inspiration for ChowCall and how the company has grown since 2019 How EveryDoor will help Todd to scale his business and meet the needs of people in hard-to-reach markets The challenges Todd is facing and his goals for EveryDoor Todd is launching an EveryDoor pilot program on select military bases. From there, he has a much larger vision of how he can provide value to hard-to-reach markets. Thank you, Todd, for your commitment to helping the military community and for providing a service that meets the needs of service members and their families. Connect with Todd: LinkedIn ChowCall Listen to his SABM podcast from 3 years ago here 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 Todd for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“We are automating one of the more complex problems out there called prior authorization which, up until now, has not really been touched that much by technology… We’re in a good spot at a good time and having a measurable impact on providers that just want to get care to patients.”  -Ron Wince, USNA ‘88 Ron Wince is the founder and CEO of Myndshft, a prior authorization software company that reduces manual work, eliminates duplication of effort, and shortens preauthorization cycle times so healthcare providers and payers can focus on their patients. A United States Naval Academy graduate and an experienced strategic consultant, Ron’s leadership and industry expertise are helping to fuel the growth of his third startup.  In this episode, we discuss: How prior authorization works in healthcare and where Myndshft comes into play What it was like bringing the software to market and the initial feedback from customers The key drivers that have led to Myndshft’s growth The importance of being hyper-focused on the customer experience Learnings from Ron’s time in the military that he still carries with him Build a team of smart individuals, create an insanely good product, and lean into the customer experience: these three elements are what Ron believes has driven Myndshft’s growth. He also explains the importance of finding people that fit into your company culture and the challenges he is facing as his business starts to grow very quickly. Healthcare is something that every person has to deal with. Thank you to Ron for creating a product that makes the process better and more efficient. Connect with Ron: LinkedIn MyndShft 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 Ron for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“It creates a stickiness and a partnership between our clients and their customers. That’s really what complete offers are there to do: make it easy to sell, make it easy to adopt, and create stickiness with the two businesses that ends up being a longstanding partnership for both companies… that’s the value of a complete offer. It creates the stickiness that you actually need.”  -Shaun McAndrew, USNA ‘93 Shaun McAndrew is the Vice President of Business Development at The Service Design Group, a consultancy specializing in a service design approach to help product groups and service teams build complete offers and harden service packages. She also leads the Women’s Circle at 10X Vets. Before working in business development, Shaun graduated from the United States Naval Academy and had a successful military career that spanned 27 years. She served in numerous leadership capacities during her Navy tenure, including commanding a helicopter squadron, HSM-41, and serving as Commanding Officer of a Navy ROTC unit where she developed leadership skills in thousands of future officers. In this episode, we discuss: Shaun’s journey from a Navy helicopter pilot to Vice President of Business Development after a 27-year military career Tips on how to apply the skills gained in the military and how to market yourself when applying for jobs The unique B2B services Shaun and her team at The Service Design Group provide How The Service Design Group helps its clients build a complete offer to show their customers how they can achieve their desired outcome The Service Design Group’s goals for 2023 Shaun explains in detail how she equates the skills, lingo, and structure of the Navy to the business world. She also shares how The Service Design Group takes a holistic approach to analyzing the B2B business model. We learned a lot from Shaun about how to approach transitioning out of the military AND the impact a complete offer can have on a business. Thank you, Shaun! Connect with Shaun: LinkedIn The Service Design 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 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 Shaun for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“We were able to take the technology associated with blockchain and cryptocurrency and use that as a fundraising mechanism, initially, to help support cannabis operators.”  -Greg Anderson, USMA ‘92 Both 1992 graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Greg Anderson and Charlie Uchill came together to create CeresCoin, a financial services company for the highly regulated legal cannabis industry. Ceres is a blockchain compliance and transparency solution that provides a peer-to-peer methodology for conducting secure, auditable, financial transactions. As CEO, Greg brings leadership experience from his time in the military and over 20 years in the real estate development industry. With a background in alternative structured finance, Charlie brings his industry expertise to the Ceres team as COO. In this episode, we discuss: The development of a financial services platform that bridges the gap between two highly regulated spaces—cannabis and blockchain How Greg and Charlie worked with the SEC to become a regulated security The challenges Ceres faces due to the uncertainty in both the crypto and cannabis industries How Ceres is a unique solution for a significant problem in a growing $70 billion industry Greg and Charlie’s goals for Ceres Greg and Charlie explain how choosing to become a regulated security before it was the industry standard, although a long and difficult process, was the right path for Ceres. They also share how they are raising awareness about their business and how it is the perfect solution for both cannabis companies and crypto investors. We were inspired by the tenacity Greg and Charlie demonstrated while building their company in a space surrounded by a lot of uncertainty and admire their growth and success. Connect with Greg and Charlie: Greg’s LinkedIn Charlie’s LinkedIn CeresCoin 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 Greg and Charlie for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“I wanted to build my business from the ground up… having the power to choose the clients you work with, figure out how you want to build your business strategically and for the long-term. It’s been exciting… doing it all from scratch.”  -Matthew Wang, USMA ‘06 After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point and serving as an active-duty military intelligence officer in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Matthew Wang transitioned into finance. Matthew completed the Bank of America Veterans Associate Program and then continued on to work with Bank of America's Global Markets institutional clients. He now works as a Private Wealth Manager with Merrill Private Wealth Management and is currently building out his team of financial advisors at The Wang Group. In this episode, we discuss: Matt’s path from getting out of the Army to becoming a private wealth advisor Oh Six Answers—the Podcast Matt is launching that is focused on reconnecting his USMA ‘06 classmates ahead of their 20-year reunion The different financial advisor opportunities at Merrill The approach Matt is taking to build out his team of advisors at The Wang Group Different strategies Matt uses when working with high-net-worth clients and their families Matthew is looking to connect with individuals who can help him service his clients. His goal is to build a team of military veterans who now work in finance and come from a variety of investment specialties. We enjoyed learning from Matthew about what it is like to work with individuals and families with $10 million or more in net worth and how he helps them in managing their wealth. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us! Connect with Matthew: LinkedIn The Wang Group: Private Wealth Advisor 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 Matthew for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“It’s not a question of whether you can or can’t do it…it’s about mindset.”   -Brett Hadley (USAFA ‘05) Brett Hadley is an Air Force veteran and the Managing Partner of BAB Investments, which he founded in 2019 with his brother JJ. Using their combined knowledge and ambition, the two brothers founded BAB Investments with the hope of providing friends, veterans, and other investors the opportunity to reach their financial goals through the prospect of passive income. Mindset is the driving force behind Brett’s success in life and in business. In today’s episode, Brett shares what having an abundance mindset looks like for him on a day-to-day basis. In this episode, we discuss: The value of resiliency and cultivating an abundance mindset Why authenticity can 10X your business and your life  How Brett built his real estate business through the military veteran network Brett’s experience of implementing EOS  Why you don’t need to be an expert in everything to be successful Brett also shares why he recently paid $100 for a $10 book and reflects on the impacts an abundance mindset and the military veteran network has had on his life and business. We enjoyed hearing the story of how Brett became an HQ Process Manager in the Air Force Reserve, how he built a successful real estate business with his brother and what some of their biggest challenges are right now. If you want to know why mindset matters when it comes to growing a business, this episode is for you! We love talking with Brett and we’re thankful for the value he adds to our community. Connect with Brett: LinkedIn BAB 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 Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Brett for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“If you align incentives in purchasing a home… you create value for the resident of the home who wants to share on the upside and you create a tremendous amount of value for the investors who want a resident who cares about the home and wants to take care of it.” -Kent Keirsey, USMA ‘03 USMA alumni Kent Keirsey and Peter Crawford are co-founders of Acre Homes, an innovative real estate company that provides consumers with a better way to purchase and live in a home they love. After serving as an Infantry Officer, Kent has spent his post-military career building businesses in both the real estate and healthcare spaces. Peter, a former Infantry and Special Forces Officer, has worked in management consulting and operations.  In this episode, we discuss: Kent and Peter’s inspiration to improve the model for buying a home in the U.S. How Acre works from the homebuyer’s perspective Acre’s unique offerings that differ from a typical mortgage Kent and Peter’s short-term and long-term goals for Acre The strength that lies in connecting with other veterans and giving back to the community Kent and Peter share how Acre is a lower-risk home buying option for individuals who are unsure about their long-term plans. Acre fills the gap that exists between renting a property and taking on a traditional mortgage. Thank you to Kent and Peter for providing a unique solution that meets the needs of so many consumers who are looking for a home.  Connect with Kent and Peter: Kent's LinkedIn Peter's LinkedIn Acre Homes 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 Kent and Peter for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“Some people say, ‘I am cancer’ or ‘I am bipolar,’ but it’s important to note that it’s just a health problem. They have a disorder…‘I have bipolar’ or ‘I’ve had cancer.’ I think that’s an important thing to note….My hope is that I can help impact the lives of folks that are struggling with a mental health challenge.” - Charlie Eadie (USMA ‘07) After serving in the U.S Army for ten years and overcoming significant challenges, Charlie Eadie pivoted to small business leadership and growth functions where he currently thrives. Charlie's latest ventures include serving as the Senior Vice President of Channel Growth for the Demex Group, a venture-backed post-Series A startup that provides climate insurtech solutions.  He is also the co-founder and General Partner of CMD Capital, a venture capital firm that invests where innovation commands capital. He and his partners are focused on investing in the following sectors: National Security, Infrastructure, Mental Health and Social Impact.   In this episode, we discuss: Charlie’s journey from juvenile hall to graduating #2 in his class at West Point What Command Capital does and the story behind Charlie’s investment thesis Why Charlie is most passionate about deploying capital to the mental health sector How challenges Charlie has overcome prepared him for the leadership role he’s in today The importance and impact of making a living while doing what you love Charlie also shares the people, organizations, and experiences in his life that have had the greatest impact on his success and reflects on how the military prepared him to excel in the startup world. We enjoyed hearing Charlie’s incredible story and listening to him talk about what he would invest in if he had unlimited capital. Charlie is an inspiration to us and we hope this episode inspires you too. Connect with Charlie: LinkedIn CMD Capital 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 Charlie for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“Culture really drives a lot of where people go. When you can create a family or team environment, that seems to attract a lot of folks from our community…our ultimate goal is to be able to serve everybody under the Special Operations umbrella who wants to come through our program.” - Matthew Stevens (USNA ‘91) Matt Stevens is CEO of The Honor Foundation (THF), a non-profit organization whose virtual and in-person professional development programs effectively translate elite military service to the private sector and are helping to create the next generation of corporate and community leaders. Prior to his role at The Honor Foundation, Matt gained significant experience as a senior Special Operations executive leading high-performing teams conducting our nation’s most sensitive missions, cultivating interagency relationships, and executing plans in dynamic environments. In this episode, we discuss: How The Honor Foundation helps U.S. Special Officers transition into civilian life Specific tools and strategies that support a successful transition Why networking is important to a positive career outcome What private sector roles military veterans are excelling within  Matt’s transition story and important lessons he learned along the way  Matt also shares why discovering your purpose is essential to a successful transition and why it’s crucial to leave ego at the door when embarking on a new career path. He also discusses THF’s biggest goals and challenges for the year ahead, including opening more physical campus locations, adding a third virtual program to their service offering, and eventually advising the DoD on how to overhaul and improve their Transition Assistance Program. We enjoyed hearing that military veterans are overcoming job role prerequisites based on interview performance and were moved to learn how The Honor Foundation is helping save lives. THF’s work is incredibly valuable and we’re honored to know Matt. 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 Matt for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“I feel like I’m at the leading edge while also taking care of my team…they have ambitions and goals and dreams and so the fact that we win together and solution together, that’s the most exciting part for me…it’s the build up and the big presentation for the deal.”- Lance Kallman (USAFA ‘04) Lance Kallman is the President and Co-Founder of DataPrime, a company focused on building machine learning engines for artificial intelligence solutions to solve business problems. DataPrime makes access to machine learning engines much easier and faster than traditional big-package software. DataPrime operates by using data to train and build artificial intelligence and is working toward building its own data marketplace, which allows everyone other than big tech to push in trade data and do it in a secure anonymous way. DataPrime even has an edge over technologies including Chat GPT and its solutions are already having a significant impact across all industries and sectors including everything from healthcare to travel and international freight.  In this episode, we discuss: How DataPrime uses machine learning to solve business problems What Lance enjoys most about his role at DataPrime  How Lance transitioned from the Air Force into the data industry What smart tokens are and how DataPrime is using them to build a data marketplace How DataPrime is helping to improve healthcare through data-driven interventions  Lance also shares some of his biggest challenges, why he loves working on cutting-edge technology development, and why he values the military veteran and Service Academy graduate network. We enjoyed learning who DataPrime’s ideal customer is and why a recruitment job set Lance up for success in the data science industry. It’s exciting to hear how DataPrime’s solutions have positive implications for the ways in which we live our lives and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Lance and his company. Connect with Lance: Lance on Linkedin DataPrime 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 Lance for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“In a partnership, you need to have trust and friendship…commitment to the people and systems that go is what I get really excited about.”- Josh Kristoff (USNA ‘07) In 2021, Navy veteran Josh Kristoff and his wife Kassandra (also a Navy veteran) joined longtime friends and Army veterans Jered and Carly DaCosta, to form Nomad Capital Ventures LLC, a vertically integrated group of real estate businesses that started with short-term rental properties in Jacksonville, Florida. Over the last two years, the company has grown to include in-house property management, a real estate brokerage, and a construction and design company that delivers a full-service experience for real estate investors. Today, Nomad Capital Ventures LLC has over $60M in assets under management…and they’re just getting started! In this episode, we discuss: How Josh transitioned from Surface Warfare Officer to real estate professional What Nomad Capital Ventures does and how the company is structured How to maintain healthy relationships when your business partners are your friends The benefits of building a business around your family’s needs and values How to scale with intention and manage profit both responsibly and creatively Josh also reflects on the power of the military veteran network, shares lessons learned from running a business with fellow military veterans and talks about some exciting projects in the works and goals for this year. We enjoyed hearing the story of how Nomad Capital Ventures’ real estate brokerage came to be and what Josh loves the most about his job. We’re inspired by Nomad Capital Ventures' company values, impressed by their skyrocketing success and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them! Connect with Josh: LinkedIn Nomad Capital Ventures Nomad Hospitality 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 Josh for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“The continuous development of future leaders is something we’re big on. That’s a piece where we set ourselves apart from other companies. We spend a lot of time recruiting and finding the right resources, but when we bring you on our team we don’t care if you’ve been with us for a couple of days or a few months. If you have the right solution, we’re putting you in front of the customer…instilling that into the culture has been critical.” - Ryan Waguespack (USNA '03) Ryan Waguespack is the President and Founder of Iberia Advisory, a company he launched during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a fascinating story! Iberia Advisory is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business committed to helping federal agencies address financial management challenges. Following his military career as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy, Ryan supported the Federal government as a financial management consultant. He has led numerous project teams and assisted organizations in attaining their goals in audit readiness, budget execution, and business process reengineering by developing and implementing solutions. In this episode, we discuss: The origin story of Ryan’s government contracting company Iberia Advisory Why Ryan took the leap into entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 pandemic Advice on how to succeed in the government contracting industry How to optimize your team and create a healthy workplace culture Why Ryan became a CPA after serving in the military  Ryan also shares some of his biggest goals for 2023 and beyond, including maintaining a strong team and the importance of pursuing the right vehicles for government contracts. We enjoyed listening to Ryan reflect on the value of patience and maintaining a growth mindset when running a business and hearing his top tips for building a successful team from scratch. We hope this episode inspires and motivates you as you lead your business this week! Connect with Ryan: LinkedIn Iberia Advisory Email 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 Ryan for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“There’s so much more that goes into financial planning, especially when you’re talking business planning, than pie charts and spreadsheets. More often than not, it’s just clearing the way for the business owner to be able to work on the business instead of being sucked in to work in the business on a day-to-day basis.” - Donald Pearson (USNA ‘16) Donald Pearson (USNA ‘16) is a Wealth Management Advisor at WestPac Wealth Partners and a Registered Representative (RR) & Investment Advisor Representative (IAR) of Park Avenue Securities. Upon graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2016, Donald commissioned into the United States Marine Corps. He served as a Financial Manager responsible for all resources allocated in support of Marine Corps activities in Central and South America before joining WestPac. In his work, Donald most enjoys working with energetic, passionate, loving families and business owners that are growing and dedicated to making sound financial decisions to set their families and businesses up for long-term success. In this episode, we discuss: Why the Marine Corps accelerated Donald’s career as a financial advisor How the military veteran network helped power Donald’s successful transition  Tips on how to become a successful financial advisor and build a good reputation Why WestPac Wealth Partners focuses on working with clients who are business owners How WestPac Wealth Partners helps business owners organize and coordinate their financial team Donald also shares why exit and contingency plans should be the top priority for every business owner and how a financial advisor can help business owners significantly increase the value of their companies. We also discuss why building authentic relationships is the key to being successful in life and in business and enjoyed listening to Donald’s most important goals, which include hiring 10 Service Academy grad financial advisors, building out the largest Service Academy grad wealth management team in the US, and building a Service Academy curriculum to teach people about money before active duty. We’re inspired by Donald’s early success and can’t wait to see how his future unfolds. Connect with Donald: LinkedIn Westpac Wealth Partners 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 Donald for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“For me, it’s about creating as much value as you can and sharing it amongst as many people as you can. The bigger the community, the bigger the opportunity…I get a lot of joy from being around other people and working with other people. ”– Joshua Awad (USNA ‘02) Navy Veteran, Joshua Awad is the Co-Founder of OnePet, a portfolio of digitally native companies in the veterinary and pet care space. He is also a Partner at eGateway Capital, a late-stage venture capital firm that invests in high-growth technology companies and operates as an M&A advisory practice that enables the future of eCommerce. Josh served as a Surface Warfare Officer from 2002-2008 after graduating from the Naval Academy and also holds master’s degrees from Oklahoma University and Harvard Business School. In this episode, we discuss: How Josh got started in eCommerce after serving in the Navy The stories behind Josh’s different eCommerce business ventures  How eGateway Capital functions as an eCommerce ecosystem and who it’s for The thriving community eGateway Capital is building through its investment fund Why Veterans make great business partners Josh also shares some of eGateway Capital’s short-term and long-term goals, including plans to build the company into a $1 billion platform over the next 10 years. We enjoyed hearing the story of how Josh transitioned from the military into eCommerce, learning about the first products he sold online and hearing some of his eCommerce war stories. We love that Josh is building a supportive community through his businesses and can’t wait to see how it continues to grow and thrive. Connect with Josh: LinkedIn Email eGateway Capital OnePet 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 Josh for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“The whole idea is to create something that provides lifelong memories that Veterans can share with their friends and family.”- Toby Prudhomme (USMA ‘96) Toby Prudhomme (USMA ‘96) is President of Extreme Adventures, a 501(c)(19) non-profit organization that provides outdoor experiences for Veterans and their families. His goal is to enhance the lives of America’s Veterans through recreational and social opportunities that reengage them with the activities they love and unite them with people who share similar backgrounds and experiences. Toby grew up hunting and fishing in Louisiana. He’s a retired  U.S. Army officer and completed over five combat deployments. In this episode, we discuss: Why Toby founded a non-profit outdoor adventure company for Veterans  How outdoor adventures build camaraderie and help military Veterans process difficult experiences What a typical adventure with Toby and the team looks like How Extreme Adventures fund their outdoor experiences, making them free for Veterans to join Toby also shares his goal to plan 6-10 fully funded trips for 2023 and how the company is working to minimize expenses and establish long-term relationships with donors and other funding sources. We also discuss why the outdoors in particular facilitates healing by eliminating unhelpful distractions. The work Tony is doing at Extreme Adventures is so important. We can’t wait to see how his company continues to grow and look forward to hearing more stories from his outdoor adventures. 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 Toby for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“The big vision is how can we bring order to the mess that is the ocean transportation industry on the bulk side? $1.3 trillion is being spent to transport commodities annually…this is an international business and every ship is filled to the brim. The smallest shipment we’ve done is 50,000 metric tons. What that looks like is two and a half football fields long and seven stories high….you’re talking about a very big business for the building blocks of the world and we’re trying to bring order to that.” - John Hahn (USMMA '04) John Hahn is a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy grad and the CEO and Co-Founder of Ocean Freight Exchange, a company he started in 2015 to optimize the global supply chain and make shipping simple by connecting ship owners and charters via their data-centric AI platform, like Uber for the freight industry. The company’s platform enables brokers to become super-brokers, save over 3 hours of time every day, and generate over 4X revenue plus a 5X bonus. They ship everything from grain, fertilizer, and metallic ore to sugar, construction materials, coal, road salt and more across the world in dry bulk, oil tanker and gas freight vessels. They currently work with 28 people in 7 countries.  In this episode, we discuss: Why the technology developed by Ocean Freight Exchange is so groundbreaking How Ocean Freight Exchange is solving the biggest problems in the global ocean transportation industry When and how  John’s business idea for Ocean Freight Exchange came to fruition Tips on raising capital and best practices for establishing relationships with investors Why execution is an essential part of every successful business John also shares the story of his first sale and why his team members are as important to him as his clients. John also discusses recent wins, what he’s looking forward to in 2023 and how his experiences at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy are helping him in his business today. We loved learning how John’s company is making the ocean freight industry more efficient and can’t wait to see how he continues to transform the industry on an international scale. Connect with John: LinkedIn Ocean Freight Exchange Venture Deals by Brad Field and Jason Mendelson 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 John for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“Ingram Capital builds community through real estate…we buy dilapidated, abandoned homes, fix them up, and turn them into safe, single-family homes as long-term rentals.” - Wil Ingram (USNA ‘11) Wil Ingram is a U.S. Navy veteran on a mission to build community through real estate. His interest in real estate began while serving as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. After spending three out of his six years in uniform at sea, he decided it was time for a career change so he could spend more time with his growing family and founded Ingram Capital, LLC with his brother. Ingram Capital, LLC operates out of Dayton, Ohio and specializes in single-family long-term rental properties. Wil and his brother are passionate about buying semi-distressed or abandoned homes, fixing them up and making them useful for the community again. In this episode, we discuss: What Ingram Capital does and why Wil recently acquired a cabinet and flooring company What made it possible for Wil to transition into real estate full time Wil’s best practices for managing and scaling a real estate investing business  How Wil is meeting his goal to double the number of properties he owns this year  Why it’s important to find a mentor and identify what motivates your goals  Wil also shares what it’s like to work with his brother every day, how they maintain a strong personal and professional relationship and some of the biggest lessons they learned from mistakes made early on in the business. We enjoyed learning what makes Dayton, Ohio a unique real estate market and listening to how Wil is managing rising interest rates. Wil also discusses how Ingram Capital finances investment properties and elaborates on the benefits of real estate investing. We’ve loved getting to know Wil and have no doubt he’ll not only meet but exceed his goal of 3500 properties under management by 2030. Connect with Wil: 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 Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Wil for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“You have to be very selective about what you do and how you maintain your property as well as how you're going to get income…this is a whole new arena.” - Gary Klaben (USMA ‘79) Gary Klaben is the President of Coyle Financial Counsel, an innovative wealth management firm dedicated to helping families preserve and grow their wealth so they can have complete confidence in their financial legacy. This is Gary’s second guest appearance on the SABM Podcast and we’re delighted to welcome him back. In this episode, Gary dives into some great topics related to the benefits of multigenerational living and building a family estate. Gary is the author of Changing the Conversation, The Wealth Sanctuary and co-author of The Business Battlefield. He’s also a coach at Strategic Coach, the #1 business coaching program in the world for entrepreneurs. In this episode, we discuss: The benefits of creating a family estate and how it can help everyone realize a vision and pursue a purpose Why vision boards are a great starting point for making big family decisions The basics and benefits of running a family estate and why regular communication is key Why creating a family estate is more complex than running a company What a functioning family estate looks like and how to make it run smoothly Gary also shares why he decided to create an estate for his family and when he realized it was the right decision. He also discusses why you don’t need to be wealthy in order to have a family estate and opens up about the complexities and rewards of owning and running his family property. We enjoyed hearing what some of Gary’s favorite memories are since he started living on his family estate and hope this episode inspires you to create an exciting vision for your family’s future. Connect with Gary: LinkedIn Email Coyle Financial Counsel Strategic Coach 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 Gary for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“We really believe that we’re going to change the global workforce by taking the best of military chaplaincy and pivoting that toward the corporate world…our commitment is to impact the company bottom line by increasing employee resiliency, engagement, performance and retention through chaplaincy.” - Alan “Blues” Baker (USNA ‘78) Alan “Blues” Baker is the Founder & CEO of ChaplainCare, which serves people and strengthens organizations by providing the benefits of military chaplaincy to civilian workplaces. Alan has over 34 years of experience in college, corporate, and military chaplaincy and now trains supervises, and endorses prospective and current chaplains in a variety of settings. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Baker rose to the rank of rear admiral. He currently teaches at Fuller, Gordon-Conwell, and Wesley seminaries. Alan is passionate about workforce chaplaincy and sees it as the most exciting and fastest-growing segment of soul care. In this episode, we discuss: What ChaplainCare is and why Alan started it  Why faith, leadership and learning are central to ChaplainCare’s operations What chaplaincy care for corporations looks like  How companies can roll out and build awareness around chaplaincy care Why developing friendships and demonstrating care for people can transform a workplace Alan also shares why chaplains make excellent personal advisors and how ChaplainCare operates within companies, including helping businesses implement diversity, equity and inclusion practices. We enjoyed listening to Alan tell stories from his experience as a chaplain at the Naval Academy and discussing how Alan uses Gallup’s CliftonStrengths Assessment and Q12 Employee Engagement Survey to inform his chaplaincy work. It’s not only the support Alan provides but also his dynamic approach to chaplaincy that helps companies excel.  Connect with Alan: Chaplain Care Email Gallup’s Q12 Employee Engagement Survey Gallup’s CliftonStrengths Assessment First Break All the Rules by Curt Coffman and Marcus Buckingham 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 Alan for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA ’01