Podcast

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BTU #10 - David Lee: Marines to Stanford Business School

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“In terms of the highest tangible ROI, an MBA is hard to beat as a veteran, especially for someone like me coming from a non-technical background." – David Lee

David Lee will be attending the Stanford Graduate School of Business next September after over six years of service in the US Marine Corps. He has served as the Director of MBA and Other Graduate Programs at Service 2 School, a free resource to help veterans get into their dream education program. As a result, he has's got a wealth of knowledge for veterans considering going to school once they get out of the military. A NROTC graduate of the University of Michigan, David was academically #1 of 600 at the Officer Candidate School.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • His decision to leave the Marine Corps
  • Analyzing grad school problems, their fit, and potential return
  • How Service 2 School provided free help in his application process
  • Surprises in the grad school admission process
  • Advice to those considering applying to schools once they leave the military
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [1:50] Background
  • [3:00] Making the decision to leave the military
  • [4:30] Researching potential options
  • [5:50] Choosing to remain in the Reserves
  • [6:30] Choosing graduate school as a means to shortcut impact
  • [8:30] Service 2 School and how they can help with college & grad school admission
  • [9:54] Surprising in the MBA application process
  • [11:10] Choosing schools for application...and which to accept
  • [11:50] Advice on the application process
  • [13:45] A timeline for applying to business schools
  • [15:00] Resources for GMAT preparation
  • [15:35] Life while applying to grad school
  • [16:30] Extracurricular activities while on active duty
  • [17:45] What he's learned from working at Service 2 School
  • [19:15] Common veteran questions and misconceptions about grad school
  • [22:45] Final words of advice

 

 

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BTU #9 - Will Grannis: Boeing, Google, Startups and More

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“Asking for help sometimes for some people implies weakness. If there's one thing I did that was semi-smart it was realizing that I wasn't going to be able to do it on my own and asking for help from those who were closest to me and had the most vested interest in my success." – Will Grannis

Will Grannis is the Managing Director of the Cloud CTO Office at Google. Since his time as an officer in the Army, he's had an incredible career prior to Google, including: Founding a company that was acquired after just two years; serving as the Chief Technology Officer for L-3 Communications, a company with over 38,000 employees worldwide; leading Boeing's Advanced Information Solutions team.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • His decision to leave the Army.
  • How he leveraged his closest relationships to land his first civilian job
  • How the Army most prepared him for his first job, and where he had to catch up to his peers
  • How overhearing a conversation in an adjacent cubicle changed his career
  • The advantages of working in a small office environment
  • How valuable industry experience is prior to pursuing an advanced degree
  • What it's like to work through the first part of a week, hop on a plane and attend grad school, fly back home and start the whole cycle over again
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [1:45] Background info
  • [3:04] Approaching the decision to leave the Army
  • [5:40] Active duty to IRR... and then to the Reserves
  • [7:51] The Telecom industry and a role as Program Manager
  • [10:19] How Will approached his job start when he first left the Army
  • [14:38] Day-to-day life in Will's first civilian job in the Telecom Industry, and why small companies are so valuable for veterans
  • [20:58] How the Army was a competitive advantage for Will... and where he had to catch up
  • [22:52] The biggest surprise Will faced when he transitioned to civilian life
  • [25:35] Making the transition to Boeing after one year as a civilian
  • [32:31] Pursuing an MBA at Wharton while working at Boeing
  • [36:15] How to consider grad school or straight to industry and what degree to pursue
  • [38:48] Final advice to anyone on Active Duty

 

 

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BTU #8 - Tim Hsia: Boost Your Acceptance Rate to College & Grad School

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BTU #8 - Tim Hsia: Boost Your Acceptance Rate to College & Grad School

Of every interview I've done so far, this it the one I would most recommend to every single military veteran - enlisted and officer.Tim Hsia received his JD and MBA from Stanford after serving as a Captain in the US Army. While at Stanford, Tim co-founded two companies; one sold to the Stanford Daily, and the second is still in operation. This organization - Service 2 School - is a free resource for all veterans to help them get into the best school (college or grad school) for them.

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BTU #7 - Shaunnah Sopko: Project & Program Management

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“You can do an internship - not just through grad school - as a way to dip your toe in the water to see how you like that type of role and company. It’s a great way to give yourself that reflection time period if you’r not going to go to a grad school program." – Shaunnah Sopko

Shaunnah Sopko is a Product Quality Program Manager at Nest. She holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, an MS in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a BS in Systems Engineering from the US Naval Academy. Shaunnah served six years as an officer in the Surface Warfare community, where she served on the USS Shoup (DDG 86), Destroyer Squadron 9, and as the Flag Aide to the Superintendent of the US Naval Academy.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • Her decision to leave the Navy
  • Joining the Reserves through grad school and at work
  • Advice for Business School appliations
  • How the military prepared her for graduate school…and where she had to catch up
  • Overview of Product & Program Management
  • Advice for Active Duty military personnel who want to pursue a career in Product & Program Management
  • Recommended resources to prepare for your transition
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

 

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [1:20] Background
  • [3:15] - Weighing options on leaving the Navy
  • [5:50] - Joining the Reserves through grad school and at work
  • [7:15] - How Shaunnah’s company accommodated her Reserves time[10:10] - Pursuing a second master’s degree
  • [11:24]  - Advice for Business School appliations
  • [14:35] - How the military prepared her for graduate school…and where she had to catch up
  • [18:07] - Overview of Product & Program Management
  • [21:15] - Advice for Active Duty military personnel who want to pursue a career in Product & Program Management
  • [24:52] - Interning at Apple
  • [28:08] - Choosing Nest
  • [29:38] - Advice for preparing for an interview
  • [32:07] - Day-to-Day life as a Program Manager
  • [40:33] - How the military prepared her for Program Management…and where she had to catch up
  • [42:35] - Recommended resources to prepare for your transition
  • [46:45] - Final advice for transition
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BTU #6 - Jimmy Sopko: Active Duty to Pinterest & High Tech

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“Be open to the fact that you don't know what you don't know. Be willing to reach out and ask people what they do, what they like and don't like...be open to just learning and figuring out what's important to you and try to find a company that's right for you." – Jimmy Sopko

Jimmy Sopko is a Manager of Growth Sales at Pinterest. Jimmy got his start at Pinterest by rolling up his sleeves and taking a job at Pinterest as part of their Community Operations team. While this was a step back in terms of pay and seniority, it got his foot in the door and he was able to quickly work his way up within Pinterest... a company that has already tripled in growth since he joined. Jimmy is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and former Surface Warfare Officer. He's also an avid rower, having earned a Silver Medal in the 2009 World Rowing Championships.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • The three approaches Jimmy took to get his first job (Recruiters, Networking, Mentors)
  • The importance of choosing a lifestyle NOT a specific role at a company
  • How he narrowed his job search down to the Technology industry and Pinterest
  • What it's like to join an internet rocket ship... at the very bottom
  • Why he thinks it may be better to skip grad school and going straight to industry
  • The difference between military leadership and Tech leadership
  • How customer-facing roles maximize your learning inside a company
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [1:30] Background
  • [2:40] Transition from the Navy to US Rowing Team and searching for a new career
  • [4:10] Three approaches to getting his first job (Recruiters, Networking, Mentors)
  • [6:38] Approaching the decision to leave the military
  • [8:40] Choosing to not join the Reserves
  • [10:55] The importance of choosing a lifestyle NOT a specific role
  • [11:55] Deciding to leave the US Rowing Team and enter industry
  • [12:53] Exploring career possibilities while rowing
  • [14:10] Narrowing a job search down to the Technology industry and Pinterest
  •  [16:30] Joining a rocket ship... at the very bottom
  • [17:57] Advice for skipping grad school and going straight to industry
  • [23:40] The difference between military leadership and Tech leadership
  • [26:50] How customer-facing roles maximize your learning inside a company
  • [27:52] Day-to-day life of a Community Operations / Customer Support roles
  • [30:00] Managing in an organization (vs. in the military)
  • [32:05] Day-to-day life in Growth Sales capacity
  • [36:50] Advice to those currently on Active Duty

 

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BTU #5 - Bobby Farina: Financial Services and Finding the Right Path for You

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“There is an insatiable appetite [at top tier business schools]... at these schools for people who have real leadership backgrounds, and they view the military as an incubator for that." – Bobby Farina

Bobby Farina is a Partner at Sixpoint Ventures, after having spent over 10 years in the Financial Services industry. Bobby attended the US Air Force Academy, where he studied Management, prior to entering the intelligence community as an Information Security Specialist. Although he obtained his MS in in Information Security at Johns Hopkins University while on Active Duty, he chose to attend Columbia Business School after he separated from the Air Force.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • His decision to leave the Air Force, and how he thought about the Reserves
  • Using grad school while in the military to offset a low GPA from undergrad and boost grad school admission chances
  • Considering the opportunity cost of pursuing a master's degree vs. entering industry right away
  • Recommendations for schools focusing on finance and advice on how to get in
  • A breakdown of the Financial Services industry and where veterans fit in
  • How to get your first job in Financial Services
  • What you may end up missing from the military
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [0:22] - Personal, USAFA and Air Force background
  • [6:54] - Decision to leave the Air Force
  • [9:54] - Considering Air Force Reserves
  • [12:12] - Air Force Reserves while in Financial Services
  • [13:04] - Doing grad school while on active duty
  • [16:50] - using post college work to boost your GPA if you have a lower college GPA
  • [19:42] - deciding on a second master's degree and an MBA
  • [21:00] - Choosing Columbia as business school and application process
  • [21:53] - Recommendations for Top Tier Business Schools focusing on Finance
  • [23:40] - Balancing Applications to business school & general advice
  • [26:25] - Finding the right school for you
  • [28:30] - Getting the most out of grad school but knowing your intended industry
  • [31:00] - Overview of the Financial Services Industry
  • [35:45] - Why Financial Services companies love veterans
  • [37:45] - What traits they most prize in veteran applicants
  • [41:10] - Advice for someone who wants to enter Financial Services industry
  • [44:05] - Biggest surprise in transitioning to civilian world
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BTU #4 - Brad Bonney - Business School, Confidence, and a Startup Rollercoaster

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“What I didn't know [when I was first getting out of the Navy] was how prepared and equipped veterans are as they're transitioning for an unbelievable number of roles within corporate america.”

– Brad Bonney

Brad Bonney grew up in Kansas City and in 8th Grade decided to attend the Naval Academy. He graduated from USNA in '05, went to Stanford University to get his MS in Electrical Engineering, and then joined the submarine pipeline. After five years of service on the USS Jefferson City, he left the Navy to attend the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

After graduating from Stanford (for the second time), Brad joined AirBnB as one of their first thousand employees. Since then, he has seen the company triple in size, as he serves as a manager on their Trust & Safety team (with over 200 employees).

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • His decision to leave the Navy, and how he thought about the Reserves
  • How he decided to go back to grad school again
  • Advice on applying to a top tier business school
  • Thoughts about Executive Education programs
  • How he decided to join AirBnB, and how he got his foot in the door
  • What is day-to-day life like at a high-growth internet startup
  • What has been the most surprising aspect of civilian life
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

 

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [3:03] - Personal, USNA and Navy background
  • [3:35] - Stanford MS experience
  • [4:23] - Decision to transition from the Navy
  • [5:08] - Decision process for not joining the Navy Reserves
  • [5:55] - Deciding to get another degree
  • [7:20] - Choosing Business School over other grad programs
  • [8:23] - Why Stanford & the application process, how to evaluate the value of business school
  • [9:45] - Advice for applying to Stanford (and Business School in general) and what not to do
  • [12:10] - Advice to active duty military thinking of applying to Business School in several years
  • [13:40] - considering Executive Education vs. Full Time grad school
  • [15:08] - Understanding what you're buying with an MBA experience
  • [15:48] - AirBnB description & joining a high-growth startup
  • [17:43] - What day-to-day job looks like
  • [19:13] - Team size and composition
  • [19:48] - Travel
  • [21:10] - Hours
  • [22:29] - Perks & Paternity Leave
  • [25:18] - Vacation
  • [26:29] - Choosing an Industry and deciding on AirBnB
  • [29:03] - Preparing for Interview, and the interview process
  • [31:18] - Deciding on the size of the company
  • [33:08] -  Difference in management in civilian life vs. the military
  • [36:58] - Advice to current college students planning a transition to civilian life
  • [38:23] - Advice to officers thinking of getting out of the military in the next 1-2 years
  • [40:16] - Most surprising aspects of transition from active duty
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BTU #3 - Robert Miller: Medical Devices, Operations, and Using a Recruiter

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BTU #3 - Robert Miller: Medical Devices, Operations, and Using a Recruiter

Robert Miller - Robert is an Operations Manager in the Medical Device industry at a company called Drummond Scientific. Growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Rob enlisted in the US Marine Corps where he served as a technician on the stinger missile systems. After three years, while serving in Iraq he was accepted to the US Naval Academy, and returned back to the Marine Corps after graduating from USNA:

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BTU #2 - Jay Border: How to use an Executive MBA to Gain Career Clarity

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"A lot of us come out of the military and we've been reassured that our experience in the military is  highly valuable... and I believe that that's true, but I also believe that the transition is not as easy as people want you to believe. It's a lot of work and a full-time job to set yourself up to a successful transition."

– Jay Border

This is a great interview for anyone on Active Duty who is considering going to grad school - Jay does a great job of walking through his decision process amongst grad school programs, and whether to do full-time or part-time, during active duty or after active duty.

Jay Border grew up in South Florida. He had always wanted to be involved in government service, and saw that institutions like the FBI always viewed military service as a plus. That, combined with his love of the water and desire for an academic challenge drew him to the US Naval Academy, where he studied International Relations and National Security. He was selected for Aviation, however was medically disqualified during his pilot training. This lead to a lateral transfer to the Intelligence Community, where he supported Special Operations. While on Active Duty, he completed his Executive MBA (EMBA) at UCLA's Anderson School of Business, and is currently pursuing opportunities in the Private Equity space.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

  • His decision to leave the Navy
  • How an Executive MBA program allowed him to maintain an income and evaluate a career inside and outside of the military
  • Evaluating the financial difference between a private and public university with respect to the GI Bill
  • Advantages that veterans have that they don't often realize as advantages
  • Considering the cost of grad school
  • How to use the GI Bill to make grad school more affordable
  • How to use advisors, mentors, and your network to help narrow your job search and get an edge
  • The value of "closing doors" on career possibilities early
  • How to manage the early stages of a career search as if it were a full time job
  • And much, much more…

iTurnes Beyond the UniformStitcher Beyond the Uniform

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Show Notes

  • [1:28] - Personal background and decision to go to the Naval Academy
  • [2:30] - The Naval Academy, Aviation and the Naval Intelligence Community
  • [4:07] - Deciding to leave the Navy
  • [7:27] - Reasons for choosing to join the Reserves
  • [9:51] - Choosing business school over other graduate school programs
  • [15:25] - Choosing an Executive MBA program over a traditional full-time program
  • [22:45] - How the military got him ahead, and where he needed to catch up to his non-military peers
  • [28:02] - Deciding on UCLA over other MBA programs
  • [33:06] - Advice for how to manage a job search
  • [39:58] - Building an "Advisory Board" to help with your transition
  • [45:30] - Resources active duty military personnel should check out
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BTU #1 - Blake Lindsay: Active Duty to Consulting @ McKinsey & Co.

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BTU #1 - Blake Lindsay: Active Duty to Consulting @ McKinsey & Co.

Blake Lindsay grew up all over the United States, and knew from an early age that he wanted to go to a service academy. At the Naval Academy, he was the Captain of the Men's Rugby Team while majoring in Ocean Engineering. After graduating from USNA in 2005, Blake joined the Surface Warfare Community and then went through the Nuclear Power pipeline. After Nuclear Power School and Prototype, Blake was stationed in Seattle with the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). While on Active Duty, Blake went through Old Dominion University's graduate school, receiving his Master's in Engineering Management shortly after separating from the Navy. Blake's first job out of the military was with McKinsey & Co. in the industry of Management Consulting.

Introducing the Beyond the Uniform Podcast

I wanted to announce a new aspect to my project to help active duty military personnel navigate their transition to a civilian career - audio interviews with veterans sharing information about their industry, how they got started, and advice to other veterans. When I first started this project, my intention was to provide data and insights to help active duty military personnel better understand their civilian career possibilities. My goal was to help them make the decision that was best for them and their family - whether that was to remain in the military, get out, or have more confidence in their transition timing.

As I've connected with more and more veterans, a common thread has emerged - one of the biggest resources during their transition was speaking with veterans who had gone before them. During these conversations, they could have someone explain to them - in terms familiar to those on active duty - the ins and outs of their industry, function, and company. There was also an appeal to having someone with a similar background explain what they liked and disliked about their job, as well as advice on how to navigate their transition.

In order to add a qualitative complement to the data I've started to put together, I wanted to compile a series of 20 different interviews with a range of veterans. I've found each of these interviews enlightening and inspiring, and I hope that you do as well.

My first interview is with Blake Lindsay who, after graduating from the Naval Academy in 2007 and serving as a Surface Warfare Officer, transitioned directly from the Navy to the world of Management Consulting with McKinsey & Co.

In addition to providing a great overview on the Management Consulting industry, Blake also does a great job explaining the pros and cons of pursuing a graduate degree after separation the military. His interview is full of great advice and tactical tips for those considering transitioning from the military to a civilian career.

I've put together Show Notes, which provides an overview of the interview, links to the references Blake mentions, as well as a guide to the different points of time in the interview and what topics we discuss (in case you'd prefer to jump around rather than listen straight through).

You can listen to the interview and view the show notes here.

As always, if you have any feedback, advice, or questions, feel free to leave a comment or contact me any time.