6 - 7 Years of Service

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BTU #304 - Army to Production Supervisor (Chris Lee)

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BTU #304 - Army to Production Supervisor (Chris Lee)

Why Listen

This is the first interview I’ve done with a Production Supervisor, and it is a fantastic way to start with this career field. Chris does perhaps the best job of any guest I’ve had on the show of breaking down what this role looks like - what it looks like across industries and different sized companies, including pay scales, as well as the specific traits from the military that will help you - and hinder you - in this career path. We also talk about differences in communication when you leave the military, and how to approach this in a way that will be easier for you; the unpredictability inherent in the civilian job market; how leadership differs from one industry to the next and more.

About Chris

Chris Lee is a Production Supervisor at PCC Structurals, and has spent over 5 years in the functional role of Production Supervisor in a variety of industries. He started out at West Point, and served as an Infantry Officer in the Army for 8 years, with two deployments to Afghanistan.

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BTU #302 - Navy SWO to ESPN Reporter and Host (Sal Paolantonio)

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BTU #302 - Navy SWO to ESPN Reporter and Host (Sal Paolantonio)

Why Listen

Sal has had an incredible career as a journalist, from newspapers, to authoring four books, to being a Veteran of ESPN for over 25 years. With ESPN he covers the National Football League for SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Live and Fantasy Football Now. He also hosts the long-running NFL Matchup show. While Sal’s career has been in journalism and sports, he talks about curiosity, about finding information that no one else knows, about approaching one’s job with a beginner’s mindset, and a whole host of topics applicable to any career.

About Sal

Sal Paolantonio is a national correspondent for ESPN. He primarily covers the National Football League for SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Live and Fantasy Football Now. He also hosts the long-running NFL Matchup show. He has been a mainstay of ESPN’s NFL coverage since he joined ESPN in August 1995, and is a veteran of 25 Super Bowls. Prior to joining ESPN, Paolantonio was a political reporter (1985-93), as well as a beat reporter for the Philadelphia Eagles (1993-95), for the Philadelphia Inquirer. In 1994, he won the Associated Press Sports Editors Award for Reporting, and in 1995, he was named Philadelphia’s Best Sportswriter by Philadelphia Magazine. He also served as a reporter for Philadelphia’s WPHL-TV nightly newscast, Inquirer News Tonight (1994-95), and hosted Saturday Morning Sports Page, a weekly call-in show on WIP-AM all-sports radio (1993-95). Paolantonio began his journalism career as a reporter for the Albany Times Union, where he received the Associated Press Managing Editor’s Award for Enterprise Reporting (1985). He received the 2017 Jack Newfield Courage in Journalism Award from the New York Daily News.

Paolantonio is the author of four books. His most recent, Philly Special: The Inside Story of How the Philadelphia Eagles Won Their First Super Bowl Championship, will be available in September 3, 2019. His previous book, How Football Explains America, was published in 2008 and was the No. 1 selling football book in America for six straight months, according to Amazon.com.

Paolantonio served in the United States Navy (1979-83) as a surface warfare officer in the Pacific Fleet and was awarded the United Nations Meritorious Service Medal in 1981 for supervising the rescue of Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea. He retired as a full lieutenant in 1983. Paolantonio is also a member of the board of the Cooper University Hospital Foundation in Camden, N.J.

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BTU #297 - MilSpouse Careers with Freedom Makers (Laura Renner)

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BTU #297 - MilSpouse Careers with Freedom Makers (Laura Renner)

Why Listen

After multiple jobs, Laura found a career that is aligned with her personal values and, as a result, feels more energy in what she does. And what she does as Founder & CEO of Freedom Makers is help military spouses gain freedom in their own life. Laura talks about how small businesses can benefit from working with military spouses, about how listeners can benefit by having their own virtual assistant, and a whole host of topics related to any military Veteran.

About Laura

Laura Renner is the President and Founder of Freedom Makers, which creates freedom for small business owners by providing virtual assistance. Freedom Makers’ assistants are military spouses who also gain freedom because they can keep working no matter when or where the military moves their family. She served in the Air Force for six years as a Public Affairs Officer, earned an International MBA at the Chicago Booth School of Business, has worked in recruiting in the airline industry, and has started a few businesses.

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BTU #292 - Founding a Digital Health Software Startup (Chris Molaro)

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BTU #292 - Founding a Digital Health Software Startup (Chris Molaro)

Why Listen

Although Chris is an entrepreneur in the digital health software space, there is something in this episode for every Veteran. We talk about making sure that you are running towards something in your career, not running away from something. We talk about how to find a co-founder. We talk about Chris’ own Founding story… and it’s a good one, which draws deeply from his military experience. We talk about how failure is not really failure if you learn something new and become better - advice that sounds pretty, but is actually pretty messy, painful, and often embarrassing, while still being true. We talk about being flexible in your career and not just sticking to an idea or aspiration that no longer servers you. And we talk about the power of understanding your own mission and intent, and how to apply this to your career.

About Christopher

Christopher Molaro is the CEO & Co-Founder of the digital health software company, NeuroFlow, which uses advanced data analytics from wearables to objectively measure mental states and emotions for behavioral health, wellness and performance applications. He started out at West Point, after which he served for 5 years as a Field Artillery Army officer. After transitioning off active duty, Chris co-founded the Veteran literacy non-profit Things We Read, and has received his MBA as a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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BTU #288 - Army to CEO @ Mercedes Benz (Steve Cannon)

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BTU #288 - Army to CEO @ Mercedes Benz (Steve Cannon)

Why Listen

Steve served as President & CEO of Mercedes Benz USA, and now oversees the parent company for the Falcons and other iconic brands. We talk about the rejection that Steve faced on his way to these incredible accomplishments, and how persistence, taking advice from wherever you can get it, and creating purpose in the workplace made all the difference. Having served in such high-level leadership positions, Steve and I talk about the differences between leadership in and out of the military, as well as a common misconception about work-life balance. And we talk about the importance of getting out of one’s comfort zone, because this is precisely the area where all growth comes from.

About Steve

Steve Cannon is the CEO of AMB Group, which is comprised of Arthur Blank's for-profit businesses, including the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and PGA TOUR Superstore. He started out at West Point, after which he served as an Army Airborne Ranger and served as 1st Lieutenant in West Germany during the fall of the Iron Curtain. He worked as a Principal at The Richards Group, which is the largest independent branding agency in the nation, with a staff of over 700 and annual billings above $1 billion. He worked at Mercedes Benz USA, first as Vice President of Marketing, and then as President and CEO.

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BTU #256 - From Army to 22 Years @ Amgen (Ben Chu)

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BTU #256 - From Army to 22 Years @ Amgen (Ben Chu)

Why Listen:
Ben’s first job out of the Army was at Amgen, and he has worked there for nearly 23 years. In this interview we talk about the variety of roles he has held at Amgen. We also talk about Ben’s extensive experience mentoring many Veterans through American Corporate Partners. Ben shares advice for listeners based on his mentorship work and common challenges he’s seen Veterans face. He talks about the importance of understanding why you are leaving the military. He shares advice about networking and how a connection with another Veteran lead to his work in Research & Development. He talks about how to explain one’s background to someone who is not familiar with the military. He shares why it’s important to be as close as possible to selling a product or making a product. And we talk about much, much more.

About Ben:
Ben Chu is a Director, Global Program Management at Amgen, the world’s largest biotechnology company.  Amgen’s mission is to serve patients by developing innovative and transformative medicines. He started out at West Point, after which he served as a Combat Engineer in the Army for over 6 years. He has worked at Amgen for nearly 23 years, starting out in Amgen’s Engineering organization, and then, with the help of the veteran’s network, landed a PM role in R&D, where he has worked in a variety of leadership roles (Pre-Clinical, Clinical, Regulatory & Safety, and now Commercialization). Ben holds an M.S. Engineering from UCLA and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

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BTU #252 - Navy Veteran to Veteran Talent Acquisition at Amgen (Bre Cameron)

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BTU #252 - Navy Veteran to Veteran Talent Acquisition at Amgen (Bre Cameron)

Why Listen:
Bre had a rough transition from the military, which is one of the many reasons why she enjoys her current role at Amgen, where she helps military veterans. In this interview we talk about how important it is for Veterans to get face-to-face with a hiring manger, and how veterans excel in this environment. We talk about specific advice on how to improve your resume based on Bre’s seven years of experience in the talent acquisition space. We talk about a TON of resources - check out show notes - for services designed to help you. We talk about tips to improve your interviewing and much, much more.

About Bre:
Bre Cameron is the Veteran Employment Program Manager at Amgen, one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, where their mission is to to serve patients. She started out in the U.S. Navy as a Photographer’s Mate, and has been in talent acquisition for over 7 years. She holds a Master’s degree in Engaged Humanities and The Creative Life from Pacific Graduate Institute, and a Bachelors in Liberal Studies from Bowling Green State University.

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BTU #195 - Active Duty Army to the NFL (Alejandro Villanueva)

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BTU #195 - Active Duty Army to the NFL (Alejandro Villanueva)

Alejandro Villanueva is a Left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started out at West Point, where he played left tackle, defensive lineman, and wide receiver. He was voted to be team captain his final year at West Point, and a feature story in the Army football program read, "Already touted as the tallest football player in the country, Villanueva completed the transformation from being an offensive lineman for the past two years, to running routes on the field with the starting offense last Saturday night.” He served as a Captain in the Army, as an Army Ranger and was decorated with a Bronze Star for valor, having served three tours of duty in Afghanistan. After his military service he was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, and later after by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Why Listen: 
Alejandro went directly from Active Duty to the NFL, a feat that few have accomplished. His story is one of determination, perspective, and family-first values.

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BTU #169 - Marine Corps to Residential Real Estate (Drew Morris)

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BTU #169 - Marine Corps to Residential Real Estate (Drew Morris)

Drew went directly from the Marine Corps into Residential Real Estate. However, beyond this just being an episode pertinent to other Veterans interested in Real Estate, there are two reasons to listen to this episode. The first is our conversation about commission-based jobs. Drew does the best job I've ever heard about why Veterans should consider a commission-based job. I know most members of the military have a negative association with this sort of job, but Drew has some compelling points. Second, Drew has great advice about sales. Sales is the most cited challenge in my interview with Veterans - selling oneself, networking, and sales in general. Drew's advice will hit home for many listeners.

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BTU #155 - Elite Meet (John Allen)

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BTU #155 - Elite Meet (John Allen)

There are so many reasons to listen to this episode. First of all, John faced an unexpected transition from Navy SEALs to his own civilian career. While had been planning on going to business school and then doing consulting work, things changed and he found himself with just eight weeks to find a job. Through that process, he started Elite Meet, which is a fantastic resource for transitioning veterans. We talk about Elite Meet, we talk about starting a non-profit, we talk about how to present oneself in the hiring process, and much, much more.

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BTU 147 - Founding Sport Clips Haircuts & Building 1700 Franchises (Gordon Logan)

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BTU 147 - Founding Sport Clips Haircuts & Building 1700 Franchises (Gordon Logan)

In the past I've interviewed veterans involved in Franchises. Gordon started a company that has become a franchise with over 1,700 locations, and many of their franchise owners are veterans. He gives an incredibly vivid look at what it is like to start and grow a company, how to remain fresh and grow with your business, and how failures are never final.

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BTU #145 - Active Duty to Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Advisor (Andrew Neuwirth)

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BTU #145 - Active Duty to Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Advisor (Andrew Neuwirth)

Andrew never considered a career in the Financial Services industry until a friend contacted him and told him he should apply for a position... where the application was due in just 18 hours. This led Andrew to learn everything he could about Goldman Sachs and a career as a Private Wealth Advisor. Andrew does a great job of explaining more about the Financial Services industry, and why this may be the ideal career for a military veteran.

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BTU #128 - Deloitte, Apple, Startups & Facebook (Francis Ebong)

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BTU #128 - Deloitte, Apple, Startups & Facebook (Francis Ebong)

Francis went directly from the Navy to consulting at Deloitte, and has worked at Apple, in startups, and now at Facebook. He talks about each of these career paths, why veterans may love operations, and advice to help in interviews and finding your ideal career.

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BTU #114 - Founding an Inc 500 Company While Traveling Southeast Asia (Justin Cooke)

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BTU #114 - Founding an Inc 500 Company While Traveling Southeast Asia (Justin Cooke)

Justin Cooke is the Founder at Empire Flippers, a company that helps others buy, sell, and invest in profitable websites and online businesses. He started out in the Navy, where he spent 6 years as a Sonar Technician 2/C (STG2). Empire Flippers is an INC 500 company - Justin runs a 22 person team and has $27M+ In Online Businesses Sold.

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BTU #105 - Nathan Smith: Marines to COO at Hire Heroes USA

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BTU #105 - Nathan Smith: Marines to COO at Hire Heroes USA

Nathan Smith is the Chief Operating Officer at Hire Heroes USA - which provides free, expert career coaching and job sourcing to hundreds of transitioning U.S. military members, veterans and military spouses each week, and over 16k veterans and spouses since 2007. He started out at the Virginia Military Institute, after which he served in the Marine Corps for seven years as an Infantry Officer. After his transition from the Marine Corps, he started at Hire Heroes USA as a Deputy Director, and was subsequently promoted to Executive Director and then most recently, Chief Operating Officer

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BTU #94 - Phil McConkey: Navy to NFL Super Bowl Winner & Investment Bank President

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BTU #94 - Phil McConkey: Navy to NFL Super Bowl Winner & Investment Bank President

Phil McConkey is the President of Academy Securities, our nation’s first and only post 9/11 military veteran and disabled veteran owned and operated investment bank and broker dealer. Phil has served in this capacity for the last 6 years. He started out at the Naval Academy, after which he served for five years as a Naval Aviator. After his military service, spent 6 years in the NFL, with the Packers, Cardinals, Chargers and the Giants - where he won the Super Bowl.

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BTU #85 - Nicholas Karnaze: Marines to Founder of Stubble & Stache

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BTU #85 - Nicholas Karnaze: Marines to Founder of Stubble & Stache

Nick Karnaze is the Founder & CEO of Stubble & Stache, a new breed of skincare for men, and a company that also donates a large of profits to high impact charities helping veterans travel the road to recovery. Nicholas started out at the Naval Academy, after which he served in the Marine Corps for over 7 years as an Intelligence Officer and the Special Operations community. After the Marine Corps he served as the Co-Founder and CEO of The Stabilization Group, and then as Program Lead at Praescient Analytics.

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BTU #80 - Zach & Drew - two Navy vets team up to raise $13M for Rhumbix

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BTU #80 - Zach & Drew - two Navy vets team up to raise $13M for Rhumbix

Rhumbix is based in San Francisco and is a mobile platform designed for the construction craft workforce. They were founded in 2014 and have raised over $13M in funding from investors including Greylock Partners, Brick & Mortar Ventures, Spectrum 28, and Glynn Capital.

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BTU #74 - Nate Boyer: Army Green Beret to the NFL

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BTU #74 - Nate Boyer: Army Green Beret to the NFL

Most recently, Nate Boyer was the long snapper for the Seattle Seahawks, but his is also an actor, public speaker and thought leader. Nate started out as a relief worker in Sudan, building camps for refugees of the War in Darfur. He then joined the Army, where he served for six years with the Green Beret as a Sergeant and earning a Bronze Star. After he transitioned from the Army, although he had never played a down of organized football in his life, he went to the University of Texas and was a walk-on to their football team. He became the team's starting long snapper, and played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns. He was an Academic All-American in 2013-14, Academic All Big 12 from 2011-2014. After Texas, Nate played with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent.

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BTU #75 - Ben Deda: Marines to COO of Galvanize and raising $63M in funding

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BTU #75 - Ben Deda: Marines to COO of Galvanize and raising $63M in funding

Ben Deda is the Chief Operations Officer at Galvanize, a network of modern, urban campuses where anyone can access the skills, knowledge, and network you need to make an impact. Since their founding in 2012, Galvanize has raised over $63M in funding. Ben started out at Notre Dame, after which he served in the Marines for seven years. After his transition from the Marines he worked at TruStile Doors in Operations, Marketing, and Sales, and eventually as Vice President of Commercial Sales. He then joined the computer software company, FullContact as their VP of Sales & Business Development. Ben also runs Denver Startup Week, the largest startup event in the US, and holds an MBA from the University of Denver