Service Academy Business Mastermind

"We were able to take the technology associated with blockchain and cryptocurrency and use that as a fundraising mechanism, initially, to help support cannabis operators." -Greg Anderson, USMA '92

Both 1992 graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Greg Anderson and Charlie Uchill came together to create CeresCoin, a financial services company for the highly regulated legal cannabis industry. Ceres is a blockchain compliance and transparency solution that provides a peer-to-peer methodology for conducting secure, auditable, financial transactions. As CEO, Greg brings leadership experience from his time in the military and over 20 years in the real estate development industry. With a background in alternative structured finance, Charlie brings his industry expertise to the Ceres team as COO.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The development of a financial services platform that bridges the gap between two highly regulated spaces—cannabis and blockchain
• How Greg and Charlie worked with the SEC to become a regulated security
• The challenges Ceres faces due to the uncertainty in both the crypto and cannabis industries
• How Ceres is a unique solution for a significant problem in a growing $70 billion industry
• Greg and Charlie's goals for Ceres

Greg and Charlie explain how choosing to become a regulated security before it was the industry standard, although a long and difficult process, was the right path for Ceres. They also share how they are raising awareness about their business and how it is the perfect solution for both cannabis companies and crypto investors. We were inspired by the tenacity Greg and Charlie demonstrated while building their company in a space surrounded by a lot of uncertainty and admire their growth and success.

Connect with Greg and Charlie:

• Greg's LinkedIn
• Charlie's LinkedIn
• CeresCoin

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Greg and Charlie for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"I wanted to build my business from the ground up… having the power to choose the clients you work with, figure out how you want to build your business strategically and for the long-term. It's been exciting… doing it all from scratch." -Matthew Wang, USMA '06

After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point and serving as an active-duty military intelligence officer in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Matthew Wang transitioned into finance. Matthew completed the Bank of America Veterans Associate Program and then continued on to work with Bank of America's Global Markets institutional clients. He now works as a Private Wealth Manager with Merrill Private Wealth Management and is currently building out his team of financial advisors at The Wang Group.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Matt's path from getting out of the Army to becoming a private wealth advisor
• Oh Six Answers—the Podcast Matt is launching that is focused on reconnecting his USMA '06 classmates ahead of their 20-year reunion
• The different financial advisor opportunities at Merrill
• The approach Matt is taking to build out his team of advisors at The Wang Group
• Different strategies Matt uses when working with high-net-worth clients and their families

Matthew is looking to connect with individuals who can help him service his clients. His goal is to build a team of military veterans who now work in finance and come from a variety of investment specialties. We enjoyed learning from Matthew about what it is like to work with individuals and families with $10 million or more in net worth and how he helps them in managing their wealth. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us!

Connect with Matthew:

• LinkedIn
• The Wang Group: Private Wealth Advisor

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Matthew for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"It's not a question of whether you can or can't do it…it's about mindset." -Brett Hadley (USAFA '05)

Brett Hadley is an Air Force veteran and the Managing Partner of BAB Investments, which he founded in 2019 with his brother JJ. Using their combined knowledge and ambition, the two brothers founded BAB Investments with the hope of providing friends, veterans, and other investors the opportunity to reach their financial goals through the prospect of passive income. Mindset is the driving force behind Brett's success in life and in business. In today's episode, Brett shares what having an abundance mindset looks like for him on a day-to-day basis.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The value of resiliency and cultivating an abundance mindset
• Why authenticity can 10X your business and your life
• How Brett built his real estate business through the military veteran network
• Brett's experience of implementing EOS
• Why you don't need to be an expert in everything to be successful

Brett also shares why he recently paid $100 for a $10 book and reflects on the impacts an abundance mindset and the military veteran network has had on his life and business. We enjoyed hearing the story of how Brett became an HQ Process Manager in the Air Force Reserve, how he built a successful real estate business with his brother and what some of their biggest challenges are right now. If you want to know why mindset matters when it comes to growing a business, this episode is for you! We love talking with Brett and we're thankful for the value he adds to our community.

Connect with Brett:

• LinkedIn
• BAB Investments

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Brett for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"If you align incentives in purchasing a home… you create value for the resident of the home who wants to share on the upside and you create a tremendous amount of value for the investors who want a resident who cares about the home and wants to take care of it." -Kent Keirsey, USMA '03

USMA alumni Kent Keirsey and Peter Crawford are co-founders of Acre Homes, an innovative real estate company that provides consumers with a better way to purchase and live in a home they love. After serving as an Infantry Officer, Kent has spent his post-military career building businesses in both the real estate and healthcare spaces. Peter, a former Infantry and Special Forces Officer, has worked in management consulting and operations.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Kent and Peter's inspiration to improve the model for buying a home in the U.S.
• How Acre works from the homebuyer's perspective
• Acre's unique offerings that differ from a typical mortgage
• Kent and Peter's short-term and long-term goals for Acre
• The strength that lies in connecting with other veterans and giving back to the community

Kent and Peter share how Acre is a lower-risk home buying option for individuals who are unsure about their long-term plans. Acre fills the gap that exists between renting a property and taking on a traditional mortgage. Thank you to Kent and Peter for providing a unique solution that meets the needs of so many consumers who are looking for a home.

Connect with Kent and Peter:

• Kent's LinkedIn
• Peter's LinkedIn
• Acre Homes

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Kent and Peter for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"Some people say, 'I am cancer' or 'I am bipolar,' but it's important to note that it's just a health problem. They have a disorder…'I have bipolar' or 'I've had cancer.' I think that's an important thing to note….My hope is that I can help impact the lives of folks that are struggling with a mental health challenge." - Charlie Eadie (USMA '07)

After serving in the U.S Army for ten years and overcoming significant challenges, Charlie Eadie pivoted to small business leadership and growth functions where he currently thrives. Charlie's latest ventures include serving as the Senior Vice President of Channel Growth for the Demex Group, a venture-backed post-Series A startup that provides climate insurtech solutions. He is also the co-founder and General Partner of CMD Capital, a venture capital firm that invests where innovation commands capital. He and his partners are focused on investing in the following sectors: National Security, Infrastructure, Mental Health and Social Impact.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Charlie's journey from juvenile hall to graduating #2 in his class at West Point
• What Command Capital does and the story behind Charlie's investment thesis
• Why Charlie is most passionate about deploying capital to the mental health sector
• How challenges Charlie has overcome prepared him for the leadership role he's in today
• The importance and impact of making a living while doing what you love

Charlie also shares the people, organizations, and experiences in his life that have had the greatest impact on his success and reflects on how the military prepared him to excel in the startup world. We enjoyed hearing Charlie's incredible story and listening to him talk about what he would invest in if he had unlimited capital. Charlie is an inspiration to us and we hope this episode inspires you too.

Connect with Charlie:

• LinkedIn
• CMD Capital

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Charlie for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"Culture really drives a lot of where people go. When you can create a family or team environment, that seems to attract a lot of folks from our community…our ultimate goal is to be able to serve everybody under the Special Operations umbrella who wants to come through our program." - Matthew Stevens (USNA '91)

Matt Stevens is CEO of The Honor Foundation (THF), a non-profit organization whose virtual and in-person professional development programs effectively translate elite military service to the private sector and are helping to create the next generation of corporate and community leaders. Prior to his role at The Honor Foundation, Matt gained significant experience as a senior Special Operations executive leading high-performing teams conducting our nation's most sensitive missions, cultivating interagency relationships, and executing plans in dynamic environments.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How The Honor Foundation helps U.S. Special Officers transition into civilian life
• Specific tools and strategies that support a successful transition
• Why networking is important to a positive career outcome
• What private sector roles military veterans are excelling within
• Matt's transition story and important lessons he learned along the way

Matt also shares why discovering your purpose is essential to a successful transition and why it's crucial to leave ego at the door when embarking on a new career path. He also discusses THF's biggest goals and challenges for the year ahead, including opening more physical campus locations, adding a third virtual program to their service offering, and eventually advising the DoD on how to overhaul and improve their Transition Assistance Program. We enjoyed hearing that military veterans are overcoming job role prerequisites based on interview performance and were moved to learn how The Honor Foundation is helping save lives. THF's work is incredibly valuable and we're honored to know Matt.

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Matt for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"I feel like I'm at the leading edge while also taking care of my team…they have ambitions and goals and dreams and so the fact that we win together and solution together, that's the most exciting part for me…it's the build up and the big presentation for the deal."- Lance Kallman (USAFA '04)

Lance Kallman is the President and Co-Founder of DataPrime, a company focused on building machine learning engines for artificial intelligence solutions to solve business problems. DataPrime makes access to machine learning engines much easier and faster than traditional big-package software. DataPrime operates by using data to train and build artificial intelligence and is working toward building its own data marketplace, which allows everyone other than big tech to push in trade data and do it in a secure anonymous way. DataPrime even has an edge over technologies including Chat GPT and its solutions are already having a significant impact across all industries and sectors including everything from healthcare to travel and international freight.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How DataPrime uses machine learning to solve business problems
• What Lance enjoys most about his role at DataPrime
• How Lance transitioned from the Air Force into the data industry
• What smart tokens are and how DataPrime is using them to build a data marketplace
• How DataPrime is helping to improve healthcare through data-driven interventions

Lance also shares some of his biggest challenges, why he loves working on cutting-edge technology development, and why he values the military veteran and Service Academy graduate network. We enjoyed learning who DataPrime's ideal customer is and why a recruitment job set Lance up for success in the data science industry. It's exciting to hear how DataPrime's solutions have positive implications for the ways in which we live our lives and we can't wait to see what the future holds for Lance and his company.

Connect with Lance:

• Lance on Linkedin
• DataPrime

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Lance for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"In a partnership, you need to have trust and friendship…commitment to the people and systems that go is what I get really excited about."- Josh Kristoff (USNA '07)

In 2021, Navy veteran Josh Kristoff and his wife Kassandra (also a Navy veteran) joined longtime friends and Army veterans Jered and Carly DaCosta, to form Nomad Capital Ventures LLC, a vertically integrated group of real estate businesses that started with short-term rental properties in Jacksonville, Florida. Over the last two years, the company has grown to include in-house property management, a real estate brokerage, and a construction and design company that delivers a full-service experience for real estate investors. Today, Nomad Capital Ventures LLC has over $60M in assets under management…and they're just getting started!

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Josh transitioned from Surface Warfare Officer to real estate professional
• What Nomad Capital Ventures does and how the company is structured
• How to maintain healthy relationships when your business partners are your friends
• The benefits of building a business around your family's needs and values
• How to scale with intention and manage profit both responsibly and creatively

Josh also reflects on the power of the military veteran network, shares lessons learned from running a business with fellow military veterans and talks about some exciting projects in the works and goals for this year. We enjoyed hearing the story of how Nomad Capital Ventures' real estate brokerage came to be and what Josh loves the most about his job. We're inspired by Nomad Capital Ventures' company values, impressed by their skyrocketing success and can't wait to see what the future holds for them!

Connect with Josh:

• LinkedIn
• Nomad Capital Ventures
• Nomad Hospitality

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Josh for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"The continuous development of future leaders is something we're big on. That's a piece where we set ourselves apart from other companies. We spend a lot of time recruiting and finding the right resources, but when we bring you on our team we don't care if you've been with us for a couple of days or a few months. If you have the right solution, we're putting you in front of the customer…instilling that into the culture has been critical." - Ryan Waguespack (USNA '03)

Ryan Waguespack is the President and Founder of Iberia Advisory, a company he launched during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. It's a fascinating story! Iberia Advisory is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business committed to helping federal agencies address financial management challenges. Following his military career as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy, Ryan supported the Federal government as a financial management consultant. He has led numerous project teams and assisted organizations in attaining their goals in audit readiness, budget execution, and business process reengineering by developing and implementing solutions.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The origin story of Ryan's government contracting company Iberia Advisory
• Why Ryan took the leap into entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Advice on how to succeed in the government contracting industry
• How to optimize your team and create a healthy workplace culture
• Why Ryan became a CPA after serving in the military

Ryan also shares some of his biggest goals for 2023 and beyond, including maintaining a strong team and the importance of pursuing the right vehicles for government contracts. We enjoyed listening to Ryan reflect on the value of patience and maintaining a growth mindset when running a business and hearing his top tips for building a successful team from scratch. We hope this episode inspires and motivates you as you lead your business this week!

Connect with Ryan:

• LinkedIn
• Iberia Advisory
• Email

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Ryan for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

"We are an outdoor furniture company that is on a mission to help people spend more time outdoors. My co-founder and I think there is something special about spending time outdoors with the ones you love. From personal experience, those are the most special memories whether it's dining outdoors or sitting around a fire pit or even watching college football on a Saturday. If you're doing it in an outdoor area, it just feels different." - Alex Duncan (USMA '13)

Alex Duncan is an Army Veteran and the Co-Founder of Outmore Living, a company on a mission to encourage people to spend more time outdoors through innovative and timeless furniture design that utlizes experience-enhancing technology to make spending time outside more comfortable and enjoyable. Founded and based in Austin, Texas, the company is on a mission to foster deeper connections between family and friends, enrich experiences through innovation, and highlight the direct relationship between outdoor spaces and well-being.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The mission behind Alex's company, Outmore Living
• How Outmore Living's innovative products work
• Why direct-to-consumer marketing is Outmore Living's primary sales strategy
• How a perceived failure can become your company's biggest win
• Advice on everything from establishing a successful partnership to winning a pitch competition

Alex also shares what the journey from product design to market launch looks like, discusses different use case examples for Outmore Living's product range, and describes who his ideal customers are. We enjoyed listening to him list his biggest goals for 2023 and beyond and describe all the valuable lessons he learned both in and out of business school. We love Outmore Living's innovative ideas, can't wait to see how consumers respond to their products, and wish them every success in the future.

Connect with Alex:

• LinkedIn
• Outmore Living
• Email

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.

Subscribe and help out the show:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

Special thanks to Alex for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01