In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we sit down with Joe O’Connor, founder of The Transformer—a consultancy blending military resilience with entrepreneurial strategy. Joe shares his extraordinary journey from surviving two near-fatal accidents (a childhood car crash and a 400-foot fall during SAS selection) to building a coaching practice that helps entrepreneurs and veterans overcome adversity. His signature "Pathfinder" methodology—structured around reconnaissance, strategic advance, and tail-end review—combines battlefield logic with business growth, delivered through masterminds, one-on-one coaching, and a veteran-focused podcast.

Joe reveals how he’s scaling The Transformer while staying true to his ethos: "Failure isn’t fatal—it’s feedback." He discusses leveraging LinkedIn (despite recent neck surgery recovery), ethical AI integration, and why his mastermind groups thrive on collective problem-solving. For founders, his hard-won advice cuts deep: "Your biggest obstacle is often you. Build a team that covers your weaknesses, and remember—apathy is the enemy of growth."