Beyond the Uniform

Why Listen:
Darryl is a kindred spirit, and has an exceptional depth of knowledge about the Military Veteran transition process based on his work with VIQTORY. In this interview we talk about entitlement, which is the most dangerous challenge facing Veterans as they approach their transition to a civilian career. We talk about branding - why it’s so important, how to do it effectively, and why this may be a challenge to Veterans. We talk about expanding your job search, taking time to aim before firing on your first job search, how to network effectively and more.

About Darryl:
Darryl Williams is the Manager of Strategic Partnerships at VIQTORY, which since 2001 has been connecting the military community to civilian opportunities. VIQTORY includes G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, and Military Friendly. Darryl served for over 20 years in the US Army, most recently as a Regional Director of Recruiting Operations in Fort Worth, TX. He holds an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and a BBA from the Columbia Southern University.

Our Sponsor: 

• StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

• Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books

In this episode I share more information about my own personal career journey and some exciting announcements about what's ahead for Beyond the Uniform.

Why Listen:
I LOVED my chat with Jeremy. He is a man who values authenticity in his personal and professional life, and he found a company - GoPro - that prizes that as well. In this interview we do a deep dive on both the Product Management and Product Marketing roles. We talk about Business School, and how to evaluate whether this is the right path for you. We talk about how what you did in undergrad and what you did in the military can inform what you do, but don’t have to dictate your path. And we talk about why Veterans may love working at a company with a physical product, just like GoPro.

About Jeremy:
Jeremy Hendricks is a Product Marketing Manager at GoPro. He started out at the University of Scranton, and served in the US Army for 9 years - as Army Signal Corps officer, and then with the US Army Special Forces as a Detachment Commander, where his team specialized in military free fall ops and Special Reconnaissance. After his military service he got his MBA at the Berkeley Haas School of Business, where he did an internship with GoPro. Since graduation, he has worked at GoPro for nearly four years, starting as a Product Manager.

Our Sponsor: 

• StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

• Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books

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.

Our Sponsor: 

• Amgen is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, where their mission is to to serve patients. Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Why Listen:
All the way back in BTU #92, I interviewed Justine Evirs about her incredible work helping military Veterans in their transition to a civilian career. Well, since that time, Justine started a new company, called The Paradigm Switch, which is committed to unleashing the potential of military spouses by leveraging the power of technology and in-demand skills that resonate in our technology-driven economy. I am a BIG fan of Justine, and after interviewing today’s guest - who is the Chief Operations Officer at The Paradigm Shift - I am even more excited about this new company. Laurent is a Veteran herself, and goes into the reason why The Paradigm Shift is SO crucial - because, of the 45k organizations that help Veterans, less than 35 of those help spouses! We delve into this problem, and also go through an overview of both Program and Project Management.

About Lauren:
Lauren Grimshaw is the COO of The Paradigm Switch: an organization committed to unleashing the potential of military spouses by leveraging the power of technology and in-demand skills that resonate in our technology-driven economy.  There are over 45,000 organizations serving veterans and transitioning service members - and fewer than 35 serving spouses - yet military spouse unemployment is 3 to 5 times higher than veteran unemployment.  Lauren started out at the University of Virginia, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer for over four years with time on the USS Anzio and the USS Momsen. She herself is a Navy Spouse, and also holds an MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology. 

Our Sponsor: 

• StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

• Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books

Why Listen:
Josh left Active Duty after 12 years of service, which can be a very difficult decision for people in the military. In this interview, Josh shares a great perspective about how to approach this decision. In this interview, we talk about starting a company. We talk about politics, and Josh’s own run for congress, including how he raised over $1.8 million for his campaign. We talk about viewing your life as different, distinct chapters and how to use that approach to explain your background. We talk about not having the outcome be the entirety of your focus and recognizing the things that are out of your control, while still giving your all to a cause you believe in. We talk about networking, we talk about eulogy virtues, and so much more. Needless to say - there is something for everyone in today’s interview.

About Josh:
Josh Welle is a Defense Council Member with the Truman National Security Project. Earlier this year, he ran as a Candidate for Congress in his home state of New Jersey. He started out at the Naval Academy -  as part of the illustrious class of 2002 - after which he served in the US Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer for over 12 years, to include missions in OIF and OEF. After leaving the military he founded a software company with two other veterans, raised seed capital, and delivered software to the government. He holds an MA/MBA from the University of Maryland and a Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Our Sponsor: 

• StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

• Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books

Why Listen:
My guest today invested in properties in undergrad and, nearly ten years later, started two different companies that built on that experience. In this interview we talk about how Chris used trusted advisors as a sounding board, and how that led him to abandon his plans of pursuing a PHD to instead pursue a completely different career path. We talk about what it’s like to pursue an MBA and Masters of Engineering Management simultaneously at a top tier grad school. We talk about what caused him to leave a very comfortable career at Goldman Sachs and, instead, jump into the wild and unpredictable world of entrepreneurship. We also have a fantastic discussion about how to evaluate whether to start a company directly from Active Duty vs gaining more experience first.

About Chris:
Chris Brusznicki is Managing Director at Bronson Lee Partners, which factors delinquent tax receivables for municipalities. The company uses proprietary software to underwrite, lend, and service thousands of receivables and their underlying assets annually. Chris started Bronson Lee nearly 10 years ago. He started out at the University of Notre Dame, served in the US Army as a Captain with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, prior to earning his MBA & Masters of Engineering Management at Northwestern University. Since Kellogg he has worked at Goldman Sachs, Manhattan Prep, as well as the Founder & Chairman of Vacation Rental Partners.

Our Sponsor: 

• StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

• Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books

Why Listen:
Babette has spent over 18 years supporting military spouses and military families. This includes MilSpouseFest - the premiere military spouse networking and support conference - as well as her work founding Military  Spouse Magazine back in 2001. In this interview, we talk about planning for downtime after one’s transition from the military. We talk about the biggest challenges facing the military spouse community, and more.

About Babette:
Babette is the Vice President of Partnerships at MilSpouseFest, a property of Grid North. MilSpouseFest is a highly interactive, engaging and resource-driven event that includes meals, drinks, raffle items, giveaways and tons of community bonding opportunities. They are held all over the US every year, with curriculum changes every year. Babette previously founded Military Spouse magazine in 2001 shortly after 9/11, and she has spent over 18 years in the military spouse and family affinity space. She is also a fifth generation military dependent, and as you’ll see in this interview, is deeply passionate about military spouse and family issues.

Our Sponsor: 

• StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

• Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books

A look behind the scenes at Beyond the Uniform about the lineup of episodes we have coming up in March 2019.

Why Listen:
This is the first interview I’ve done with the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces, and this is a fantastic interview for anyone interested in entrepreneurship. Stephanie and Kory (Navy O-3 currently on Active Duty) started Perspective Fitwear. In this interview we talk about the nuts and bolts of starting a company, including how to incorporate, how much it costs, how to get a logo, and more. We talk about the rule of 12 - how it takes 12 interactions until they make a purchase; we talk about how everything in a startup takes twice as long and costs twice as much as you’d think. We talk about how incredibly difficult it is to get attention when you’re starting a company, what it’s like to work with a spouse, the importance of structure and more. I’ve been an entrepreneur for over ten years now, and Stephanie’s advice and experience felt spot on from my perspective.

About Stephanie & Kory:
Kory Perez is an Navy O-3 and FRS Instructor Pilot for the MH-60S in Coronado, CA. He started out at the Naval Academy, and has been on Active Duty for over 7 years, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Systems Analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School. 

Stephanie Perez is the Founder & CEO of Perspective Fitwear, a company she co-founded with her husband, Kory, with the goal of developing a line of fitwear designed with the woman’s body in mind, and to help their customers feel both confident and comfortable. Stephanie is a collegiate athlete and Ironman triathlete. Prior to founding Perspective Fitwear, she worked in Merchandise Buying/Planning for Macy’s in New York City.

Our Sponsor: 

• StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.

• Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books