This episode is dedicated to Clayton Traywick. Fair Winds and Following Seas Brother.

About Our Guest:

A three-time National Collegiate Boxing Champion from the United States Naval Academy, Mike also served as a Marine Corps Infantry Officer, with deployments to Afghanistan and Japan/the Philippines. Mike’s dedication to the community and his corporate partners unwaveringly reflects his military background. A champion for community, entrepreneurship, social impact, and economic development, Mike has established himself as a high-profile, relentlessly vocal advocate for Veterans and opportunity youth.

About The Episode:

Enterpreneur, Author, Community Leader and Marine Officer, Mike Steadman joins Damo and Tisha. They start the episode with a few deep, introspective questions before Mike Steadman makes a unique confession about military service and how competitive life can be after it’s over. Mike talks about his humble beginnings in Tyler, Texas, and how he made it to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Mike, Tisha, and Damo discuss growing up as “working poor.” What got Mike into boxing? Mike reflects on life as a midshipman and the power of networking. How much does rank matter on the battlefield as a Marine infantry Officer? What does it feel like to be relieved in combat? Mike talks about how hard being a Marine was for him. Damo tries his best to get a step-by-step guide to transitioning from active duty military to legitimate entrepreneur. Why did he pick Newark as the city to begin his journey as a community leader and boxing coach? How were the early days in Newark, when all he had was a “hope and a wish”? Mike details his experience with Stanford Ignite. He covers the “Trojan Horse” business strategy and how it led to adding companies like Spotify and WeWork to his resume. “Iron” Mike discusses his motivation behind teaching youth boxing in an inner city neighborhood. What are the pros and cons of crowdfunding? Why did Mike start his podcast, “Confessions of a Native Son,” and what is the inspiration behind the name? The guys discuss the current state of podcasts and controlling your algorithm. Mike covers his various businesses/projects to include his THRIVE program. Mike discusses his book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” and the importance of representation in the things we consume. These and more topics are covered in this episode. Remember to follow the ‘Permission to Speak Freely’ podcast on TikTok, Facebook, Discord, Instagram, and Twitter, and subscribe on YouTube.

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Links and more from the episode:

Mike’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iron-mike-steadman-%F0%9F%A5%8A%F0%9F%8F%B4%E2%80%8D%E2%98%A0%EF%B8%8F-3387586a/

MIke’s Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/ironmikesteadman/

Books of the Week:

The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18144590-the-alchemist

The Spook Who Sat by the Door (Sam Greenlee) - https://wsupress.wayne.edu/9780814349571/

Black Veteran Entrepreneur (Mike Steadman and Alana M. Abernethy) - https://www.amazon.com/Black-Veteran-Entrepreneur-Validate-Greatness-ebook/dp/B0BHV5799B?dplnkId=bbefd549-b286-4a2e-b99e-587f9a2cfa7e&nodl=1

Additional Credits:

PTSF “Theme Music” - Produced by Lim0