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BTU #317 - Army to EVP @ Hornets Sports & Entertainment (James Jordan)

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BTU #317 - Army to EVP @ Hornets Sports & Entertainment (James Jordan)

Why Listen:

If you’re interested in sports and entertainment - either as an enthusiast or as a potential career option - you’ve got to hear James’ story. He went from 31 year Army Veteran to being an Executive Vice President for Hornets Sports & Entertainment. Not only does this entail the logistics for each and every Hornets basketball game… but that is literally less than 20% of the events that occur at the Spectrum Center each year, and James oversees all of them. We talk about how much of our military experience translates well to operations. We talk about why Veterans may love a career in sports and entertainment. And we talk about swimming in your own lane. James’ younger brother is a guy you may have heard of - Michael Jordan… the Michael Jordan. Towards the end of our conversation, James and I talk about this, and his response to my question about this made me respect James even more. James has a wonderful perspective on the military transition, and I hope you enjoy this unique conversation.

If you enjoy this episode, I’d recommend checking out four other similar episodes, each listed in our show notes, which are:

1. BTU #93 - Matt Ufford: Marines to Editor & Host at SB Nation

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

3. BTU #258 - Army Ranger to HBO and Writing & Directing Movies (Brian Hanson)

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

About James:

James Jordan is the Executive Vice President of Operations for Hornets Sports & Entertainment, where he has served for nearly six years. He started out in the Army, where he served for over 31 years, most recently as the 35th Signal Brigade Airborne Command Sergeant Major as a part of 18th Airborne Corps Task Force supporting Combat Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. After his military service, he worked for over seven years as the Director of Operations and Administration for the EPS Corporation, Field Service Company.

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BTU #316 - Navy to Nebraska State Government (Jason Jackson)

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BTU #316 - Navy to Nebraska State Government (Jason Jackson)

Why Listen:

I’m embarrassed to say this, but my interview with Jason was an eye opening reminder of how many positions there are in public service that are not elected office. When I think of public service, I think of previous guests I’ve had on the show, like Sean Barney from episode #66, who ran for a seat in the House of Representative. However, as Jason points out in this interview - for every one of those positions, there are thousands of others, working behind the scenes, making things run efficiently, all serving their country in their own way. Jason makes some great points about why Veterans might love a career in public service. He is also an exceptional example of someone who has done the heavy lifting to uncover and identify his personal values. As you’ll learn in this interview, this has helped him keep an open mind when new and unexpected opportunities arise, and decide whether this is the right change for himself and his family. Changes such as leaving Intuit after over 8 years in the private sector to make the switch to public service.

About Jason:

Jason Jackson is the Director of Administrative Services and Chief HR Officer to the Governor for the State of Nebraska. He started out at the Naval Academy as part of the illustrious class of 2002, served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy for over five years, worked in a variety of roles at Intuit for nearly nine years, and has been working for the State of Nebraska for nearly four years. He holds an MA in Political Science from San Diego State University and a Juris Doctorate from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

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BTU #315 - How To Be A Better Storyteller (Paul Smith)

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BTU #315 - How To Be A Better Storyteller (Paul Smith)

Why Listen:

Well, normally on the show I interview military veterans about their civilian career, what they do, how they got there, and advice for other veterans seeking to do the same. Today, however, is a skills episode, where I meet with a world-class expert on a topic relevant to our listeners, regardless of your career path. And the topic may surprise you, because today is all about storytelling. We talk about why storytelling may make or break your success as a leader, interviewer, and even parent. We talk about how storytelling is one of the most efficient and lasting ways to influence people and organizations.

About Paul:

Paul Smith is one of the world’s leading experts in business storytelling, one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers of 2018, a storytelling coach, and bestselling author of the books The 10 Stories Great Leaders Tell, Lead with a Story, Sell with a Story, Parenting with a Story, and Four Days with Kenny Tedford.

His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, The Washington Post, PR News, CIO Magazine, Investors Business Daily, Marketing Research Magazine, the American Banking Journal, and London’s Edge Magazine, among others.

In his 20 years with Procter & Gamble, Paul held leadership positions in both research and finance functions, and most recently served as director of consumer and communications research. Prior to P&G, Paul was a consultant for Arthur Andersen & Company.

His keynote speaking and training clients include international giants like Google, Hewlett Packard, Bayer Medical, Walmart, Kaiser Permanente, Ford Motor Company, Luxottica, and Procter & Gamble among dozens of others.

Paul holds a bachelors degree in economics, and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives with his wife and two sons in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio.

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BTU #314 - Serial Entrepreneur in Southeast Asia (Danny Hwang)

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BTU #314 - Serial Entrepreneur in Southeast Asia (Danny Hwang)

Why Listen: 

Sign me up for the Danny Hwang fan club. We cover some fresh terrain for Beyond the Uniform, as we follow Danny’s story of leaving the Army - and just weeks later - traveling to Shanghai, and growing an education startup until - three years later - he and his brother successfully sold their first company. In doing so, they achieved a lifelong goal they committed to at age six, of being able to retire their parents and move them from their home in Atlanta back to Seoul, Korea. Now, Danny is at it again, this time in Vietnam, joined by co-founders who were his classmates at West Point, and friends in the Army. If you are interested in taking a risk in your career, in setting goals and achieving them, in maintaining a great family life in addition to a great work life, in starting companies, or just hearing a story from an inspirational veteran doing great things in the world. This episode is for you.

If you enjoy this episode, two similar episodes that I would recommend are:

  1. BTU #114 - Founding an Inc 500 Company While Traveling Southeast
    Asia (Justin Cooke)     - where Justin Cooke talks about founding Empire
    Flippers all while traveling through Southeast Asia.
    2 - BTU #11 -BTU #111: Two sibling Army Vets and Their Two Successful
    Startups     - the story of Jon and Chris Boggiano, both West Point grads
    and Army Veterans who co-founded two different successful startups
    together.

About Danny:

Danny Hwang is the Founder & CEO of Point Avenue. Based in Vietnam, Point Avenue is a private education technology company offering K-12 educational services and admissions consulting across Southeast Asia. He started out at West Point, after which he served as an Army Ranger for six years, including two tours in Iraq and over 25 months overseas. After his military service, he co-founded New Pathway Education & Technology Group with his older brother, Sam, in Shanghai, China, which was acquired in 2014 by CVC Capital Partners. He currently serves as the Chairman of Ignite, a professional services company that specializes in human capital development, and CEO of Odyssey, a joint venture company developing AI technology. Danny's hobbies include traveling the world with his wife, Honda, racing in ultra-marathons and Ironman competitions, reading, and spending time with his family.

Our Sponsor: 

This episode is sponsored by Point Avenue. Based in Vietnam, Point Avenue is a private education technology company offering K-12 educational services and admissions consulting across Southeast Asia. We are grateful for the financial support of Point Avenue on this episode, which helps us further our mission at Beyond the Uniform and have a bigger impact on the military Veteran community.

Website: http://www.pointavenue.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PointAvenue/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Point.Avenue/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5A3YP-6-Ir4UAIeCLA4SzQ    

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BTU #313 - Mastering Sales (Tyler Johnston)

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BTU #313 - Mastering Sales (Tyler Johnston)

Why Listen:

Well, you know you're enjoying a conversation when midway through, you're already planning the next interview. Tyler is awesome. I just really appreciated so much about this interview. The thing that stands out to me most is his mastery in sales. He talks about his career, which is a variety of different experiences in the functional role of sales while also having most of that in the industry of energy. What I appreciated about his story is hearing about how throughout his career he's picked up different tools, different tricks, different skills that over time have allowed him to really have a mastery of this field in sales. I also appreciated his ability to communicate extremely effectively why veterans are well suited to sales, why this may be an appealing career path, even if you think it's the least likely career path that you would want to pursue. We talk about executive MBA, why he chose to pursue it, which is pretty unique for most guests that I have on the show, and a whole lot more.

About Tyler:

Tyler Johnston is a Sales Director @ Black & Veatch. He is responsible for managing global relationships in the technology sector and helping his clients build critical infrastructure and distributed energy solutions. He started out at the Naval Academy, served as an Infantry Officer in the US Marine Corps for 5 years, and has held positions at NRG Energy, General Electric, and Shift.org. He earned his MBA at Columbia Business School.

You can reach out to him through www.greentechvet.com.

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BTU #312 - Wounded Warrior Project (Tom Kastner)

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BTU #312 - Wounded Warrior Project (Tom Kastner)

Why Listen:

What I appreciate most about my conversation with Tom is his authenticity. After 30 years in the Army, it took Tom a while to find his new home in the civilian workforce. While he was able to land incredible opportunities - General Manager at Mercedes Benz USA, Senior Manager at Amazon, Academic Dean at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy - each of these proved to be a poor fit for him. I respect Tom’s willingness to talk about what this process was like - the frustrations, the disappointments, the uncertainty - these are all challenges I’ve faced in my own career, and challenges other guests have experienced as well. Yet, Tom brings an openness to this conversation that I found refreshing. More importantly, the new home that he has found is incredible. Tom’s career journey has led him to work as the Financial Wellness Vice President at Wounded Warrior Project. I have to say, I was extremely fired up about learning more about the work that Wounded Warrior Project is doing. Not only are they providing an incredible support to the military community, but they’re also supporting other organizations in a way that is broadening their impact. Every Veteran would benefit from learning about Wounded Warrior Project and their mission, and I hope you check them out.

About Tom:

Tom Kastner is the Financial Wellness Vice President at Wounded Warrior Project. He started out at West Point and served for 30 years in the Army, including serving as the Director of the Dean’s Staff at West Point. His career since the Army has included time at Mercedes Benz USA, where he worked as the General Manager for Learning and Performance, Amazon, and St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy among others. He holds a Master of Arts in National Security Studies at the Naval War College, a PhD in Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech, an MS in statistics from Georgia Tech and an MS in applied mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

October 2019 Sneak Peak

October 2019 Sneak Peak

Why Listen:
Coming to Beyond the Uniform this October, 2019, we have three, free, live webinars - the first we’ve done in a long while, as well as brand new episodes every Monday and Thursday, including:

BTU #312 - The Wounded Warrior Project (Tom Kastner)

BTU #313 - Mastering Sales (Tyler Johnston)

BTU #315 - How to be a better storyteller (Paul Smith)

BTU #316 - Navy to Nebraska State Government (Jason Jackson)

BTU #317 - Army to EVP @ Hornets Sports & Entertainment (James Jordan)

BTU #318 - Navy to Clean Tech & the DOE (Dan Misch)

Plus -stories from a serial entrepreneur in Southeast Asia, an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School, and an expert who’s going to teach us the ins and outs of emotional intelligence.

If you’re not on our newsletter - get on it - today - there are about 3 new programs we’re launching in the next 30 days and you do not want to miss out. Also, stay tuned for our informal, Saturday episodes - Behind BTU - where I answer your questions, provide takeaways from upcoming episodes, and share personal thoughts about life, love, leadership, and more. We’ve got a killer line up for October - don’t miss out.

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BTU #311 - SemperK9 (with Chris Baity)

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BTU #311 - SemperK9 (with Chris Baity)

Why Listen:

SemperK9.org is an incredible organization helping the Veteran community. We talk about how they are helping Veterans with both physical and emotional needs, and how you can support them. We also talk about the path to starting a non-profit.

About Chris:

Chris is the Co-Founder & Executive Director of Semper K9 Assistance Dogs. He served in the USMC as a 5812- Military Working Dog Handler, and Specialized Search Dog Team Leader for over 7 years, including 3 combat tours in Iraq with explosive detection dogs. After his military service, he spent 1 year doing government contract work in Afghanistan and 3 years doing contract work with a detection dog in and around Washington DC. He also complete a 9 month internship with a national nonprofit to create a program training 'rescue' dogs to be service dogs.

Baity was awarded Washingtonian of the Year for 2017 by Washingtonian Magazine and selected as Evan Williams American-Made Hero

Behind BTU - September 28, 2019

Behind BTU - September 28, 2019

Why Listen:
In this episode, I answer two listener questions that I believe are relevant to our audience: one about following one’s passion and one about podcasts. I also share about an area in my life where I’ve felt out of integrity with Beyond the Uniform. In this episode, I reference two different podcasts I believe listeners would enjoy:

The first is my interview with author, Cal Newport, who talks about how the advice “follow your passion” is B.S. You can listen to that interview here: https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-86-author-cal-newport-so-good-they-cant-ignore-you?rq=cal%20newport

The second is an episode I did about podcasting - why you should consider doing it, and everything you need to know to make that happen. You can listen to that interview here: https://beyondtheuniform.org/blog/btu-244-podcasting?rq=podcasting

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BTU #310 - Keto Butta (with Arron Barnes)

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BTU #310 - Keto Butta (with Arron Barnes)

Why Listen:

I love how Arron has formed a company that is directly aligned with his values and his personal interests. While this is a story of a Veteran who founded a company, there is something for everyone in this story. First of all, I appreciate Arron’s example of someone who is always learning - from audio books, from YouTube videos, from peer groups - and using that to get better. I also admire how Arron is constantly walking the fine line between listening to customer feedback while also trusting his own vision and intuition.

About Aaron:

Aaron is the Chief Grinder at Keto Butta, which isn’t about being part of a diet craze of just seeing a regular almond butter - it’s a fun, delicious and healthy way of living. He served in the US Army as a Telecommunications System Operator for over 9 years, and currently serves as the City Leader for Bunker Labs in Portland Oregon.

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BTU #309 - The Intersection of Passion & Talent (with Ken Coleman)

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BTU #309 - The Intersection of Passion & Talent (with Ken Coleman)

Why Listen:

Ken frequently hosts The Dave Ramsey Show, the third-largest nationally syndicated talk radio show. He has done thousands of hours of live career coaching on national radio, helping people find their next ideal job. In this capacity, he has also helped many Veterans, and came on the show today to share what he’s learned in this process.

About Ken:

Ken Coleman is a #1 national best-selling author, career expert and nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show. Pulling from his own personal struggles, missed opportunities and career successes, Coleman helps people discover what they were born to do and provides practical steps to make their dream job a reality. The Ken Coleman Show is the a caller-driven career show that helps listeners who are stuck in a job they hate or searching for something more out of their career. His second book, The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead To The Career You Love, released May 2019. Connect with Ken on Twitter and Instagram at @KenColeman and online at kencoleman.com or facebook.com/kenColemanShow.

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BTU #308 - How To Build Executive Presence (with Mike Figliuolo)

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BTU #308 - How To Build Executive Presence (with Mike Figliuolo)

Why Listen

This is a skills episode, where we dig into a specific skill set that is likely to be highly relevant to all listeners. Mike is an expert corporate instructor on many topics, and in this episode we delve into Executive Presence - what it is, why it is so important to the Veteran community, and specific actions they can take - today - to start to further build this. Mike also talks about his own career path, starting his own company, and how Executive Presence has played a role in his success.

About Mike

Mike Figliuolo is the Managing Director of thoughtLEADERS, a professional services firm that offers instruction, coaching and consulting on the subjects of leadership, communications, strategy and operations. He started out at West Point, after which he served in the US Army for five years as an armor officer. His work since then has included work at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He has published three books, all of which will be linked to in the show notes for this episode, and is an author at LinkedIn Learning where you can - along with hundreds of thousands of people before you - watch his videos on a variety of professional topics.

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BTU #307 - How to prepare for retirement (Chris Hogan)

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BTU #307 - How to prepare for retirement (Chris Hogan)

Why Listen:

In the 300+ interviews I’ve completed with military Veterans about their civilian career, one of the most often cited pieces of advice is to understand your finances. Many guests have talked about how one’s financial situation can provide you with more time to find your ideal career, and avoid the stress that comes with a career transition. Chris Hogan is one of the world’s foremost experts on personal finances, retirement planning and more. It’s an honor to have him on the show, and I guarantee you’ll walk away from this episode inspired and with tactics you can put to use today.

About Chris:

Chris Hogan is a best-selling author, a personal finance expert, and America’s leading voice on retirement, investing, and building wealth. His goal is to help as many people as possible avoid financial traps and set their families up for the future.

His book Retire Inspired: It’s Not an Age; It’s a Financial Number is a number one national best seller, and The Chris Hogan Show has millions of downloads. Chris is also a regular contributor to the EntreLeadership Podcast, a top podcast on business and leadership.

Along with speaking at events across the country, Chris works with business leaders, professional athletes, and entertainers to help them set goals and navigate their financial futures.

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BTU #305 - Lt. General to Arizona State University leadership (Benjamin Freakley)

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BTU #305 - Lt. General to Arizona State University leadership (Benjamin Freakley)

Why Listen:

Lt. General Freakley had an incredible career of over 36 years in the Army prior to his retirement. Yet, similar to nearly every guest I’ve had on the show, when he approached his own transition to a civilian career he experienced fear. In this interview, we talk about how to approach that transition, how to cultivate curiosity and learn something new, and we talk about leadership - we talk about leadership in the uniform and beyond. We talk about Ben’s work at Arizona State University and the McCain Institute for International Leadership, and more.

About Ben:

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley is the Special Advisor to the President for Leadership Initiatives at Arizona State University. Additionally, he serves at the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University. He recently retired from the U.S. Army after more than 36 years of active military service, and was serving as Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command, at the time of his retirement. He started out at West Point.

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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.