Service Academy Business Mastermind

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Evan Parnell is the COO of GivMoo, a technology platform that integrates charitable giving into everyday purchasing and business transactions. With experience scaling startups through early growth phases, Evan leads execution and commercial strategy, translating big ideas into structured systems that support sustainable growth and measurable impact. That mission is carried forward alongside Martiel Beatty, Founder and visionary leader behind GivMoo's ecosystem design. Martiel focuses on building strategic partnerships and shaping the platform's long-term impact model, ensuring that merchants, nonprofits, and consumers are connected in ways that create shared value.

Together, they're building a scalable platform that embeds giving into everyday business.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Evan & Martiel about:

• Commerce as a Giving Engine: How GivMoo embeds charitable contributions directly into everyday purchasing behavior.

• Rethinking Nonprofit Funding: Why traditional donation models struggle with retention and scale, and where opportunity exists.

• A Shared-Value Marketplace: Aligning merchants, nonprofits, and consumers so that every transaction creates measurable impact.

• A Simpler Giving Strategy: Encouraging consumers to shift just one purchasing category to drive consistent support for causes they care about.

• Scaling with Infrastructure: Their roadmap for raising outside investment and building the systems required to grow sustainably.

Timestamps:

00:42 Evan's Career Shift and New Venture

01:40 Martiel's Entrepreneurial Background

03:50 WorldPride Merchandise Lessons

06:59 The Nonprofit Funding Problem

11:12 The Math Behind GivMoo

16:30 Solving the Marketplace Gap

22:19 Turnkey Product Model Explained

25:49 Marketing and Consumer Strategy

37:55 Martiel's Personal Mission

Connect with Evan & Martiel:

• LinkedIn | Evan Parnell

• LinkedIn | Martiel Beatty

• www.GivMoo.com

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode. Subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Evan and Martiel for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Bret Petkus and Russell Toll are Army veterans and co-founders of Compassion Neurohealth, a neuroscience-driven brain health practice focused on changing how mental health is measured and treated. As an accomplished healthcare executive, Bret brings significant P&L leadership across medical and life science companies, while Russ, a Stanford-trained neuroscientist and combat veteran, leads the scientific development behind their technology.

Their paths into this work were shaped by distinct but deeply personal experiences. Bret's own traumatic brain injury exposed gaps in how neurological damage is identified and addressed, while Russ witnessed the long-term impact of blast exposure during his service in Iraq. Their shared commitment to improving brain health led to a partnership grounded in both mission and medicine.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Bret & Russell about:

• Battlefield to Brain Science: Russell's experience with blast exposure and Army medicine, and how it shaped his commitment to advancing neurological care.

• The Injury You Can't See: Bret's unexpected discovery of his own TBI decades later and the mission it sparked.

• Precision Starts with Data: How EEG data and the Halo platform map dysregulated brain networks before prescribing precision TMS.

• Engineering Long-Term Recovery: Tracking outcomes through ongoing assessments and follow-up scans to maintain remission and intervene early.

• Mission Beyond Medicine: Their nonprofit initiative supports Gold Star families and expands access to care for those who cannot afford treatment.

Timestamps:

00:38 Brett's Background and TBI Discovery

02:01 Russ's Combat Experience and Shift into Brain Health

04:26 Connecting on LinkedIn and Building the Clinic Partnership

05:59 Personalized TMS and the Halo Mapping Platform

08:03 Suicide Loss and the Cockpit Metaphor

13:26 How Halo Identifies the Right Brain Networks

17:51 Patient Stories and the "Veterans Aren't Broken" Perspective

19:35 Durability, Follow-Ups, and Long-Term Monitoring

32:56 Scaling Clinics, SaaS Expansion, and Heroes in Mind

Connect with Bret & Russell:

• LinkedIn | Bret Petkus

• LinkedIn | Russell Toll

• Compassion Neuroscience

• [email protected]

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode. Subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Bret and Russell for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Jesse Prince is an Army veteran who served nearly six years on active duty, including two combat tours to Iraq. After transitioning from the military, he built a career in commercial real estate brokerage while earning his Master's in Real Estate Finance from NYU, graduating near the top of his class and deepening his expertise in institutional-level real estate. Today, Jesse is the founder of IncrediVer, an AI-powered accredited investor verification and qualification platform for private fund managers and capital raisers. An engineer by training with years of experience in securities offerings and real estate technology, he helps issuers streamline compliance, reduce onboarding friction, and move serious investors from interest to investment more efficiently.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Jesse about:

• From Platoon Leader to Principal: How Jesse bridged a decade of military service with institutional real estate knowledge to compete with seasoned professionals.

• Building IncrediVer from Scratch: How Jesse identified a broken accreditation process and built an AI-powered tool that reduces 5–7 day verifications to under two minutes.

• Turning Your Website into a Conversion Engine: How IncrediVer transforms a static marketing page into an active lead scoring and qualification system for issuers.

• 506(b) vs. 506(c), Breaking It Down: The key differences between private and publicly solicited offerings and how IncrediVer removes the biggest barrier to going 506(c).

• The Billion-Dollar One-Man Company: Jesse's long-term vision of building a technology-driven, AI-powered capital markets company through warm introductions and strategic growth.

Timestamps:

00:52 Jesse's Military Background

02:04 Real Estate Pivot and NYU

03:52 Low Minimum Investing Idea

05:43 Problem with Accreditation Verification

07:52 Building IncrediVer Fast

14:08 How the Funnel Works

21:47 Beyond Compliance Differentiation

23:11 Goals and Moonshot Vision

25:58 506B vs 506C Deep Dive

Connect with Jesse:

• LinkedIn | Jesse Prince

• www.incrediver.com

• [email protected]

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Jesse for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Tom O'Hare is a U.S. Navy veteran and the founder of Keel Capital and Keel Home Development, where he leads multifamily and infill residential projects across the Midwest and Northern Virginia. Before starting his own companies, Tom spent 17 years in real estate investment banking and later served as CIO and COO of a national single-family rental platform. During that time, he worked on large institutional portfolios and gained firsthand experience in how deals are evaluated, financed, and executed at scale. He now brings that perspective into his own development work.

Today, Tom focuses on workforce housing and ground-up projects that help close supply gaps in growing markets. He partners with investors, local governments, and community stakeholders to move projects from concept to completion and deliver housing that meets real community needs.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Tom about:

• Stepping Into Entrepreneurship: What it took for Tom to leave a corporate executive role and "turn pro" as a full-time developer

• Midwest Multifamily Strategy: Why markets like Michigan and Ohio offer strong demand, supply gaps, and favorable development incentives

• Urban Infill Development: How shorter-cycle projects in Northern Virginia complement long-term multifamily developments

• The Brixton Project: A 148-unit workforce housing development backed by tax increment financing and strong rent fundamentals

• Deal Sourcing Through Relationships: Why Tom finds the best opportunities through networks, direct outreach, and boots-on-the-ground insights.

Timestamps:

00:28 Tom's Real Estate Journey

01:20 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

04:46 Types of Real Estate Projects

07:57 Current Projects and Market Focus

10:12 Future Goals and Plans

14:31 Sourcing Deals and Partnerships

Connect with Tom:

• LinkedIn | Thomas O'Hare

• www.keelcap.com

• [email protected]

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Tom for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Tim Siemer is an Air Force veteran, aviator, and partner at SMB Equity, a real estate private equity firm investing in stabilized and development projects nationwide. At SMB, Tim focuses on evaluating new opportunities and managing investor relationships, applying a disciplined risk management approach shaped by years in military and commercial aviation.

He works alongside his father, Mike Siemer, who transitioned into real estate investing after a career as a CPA and corporate CFO for both public and private companies. Over the past 24 years, Mike has helped lead SMB Equity through more than $3 billion in transactions, scaling the firm through long-term partnerships, disciplined underwriting, and a focus on tangible, value-driven assets. Together, they combine generational experience, financial expertise, and risk discipline to offer individual investors access to institutional real estate opportunities.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Mike and Tim about:

• Scaling a Multi-Billion-Dollar Real Estate Platform: Mike's transition from CPA and corporate CFO to leading more than $3 billion in real estate transactions over the past two decades.

• Choosing Ownership Early: Tim investing his Academy loan into real estate instead of spending it, reinforcing a long-term asset-based wealth strategy.

• Risk Management in Real Estate: Applying aviation discipline to deal evaluation, downside protection, and structured decision making.

• The Power of Relationships: SMB's emphasis on trusted operators, repeat partnerships, and character as the first filter in any investment.

• Alternative Investments with Discipline: Positioning private real estate as a complementary asset class within a diversified portfolio.

Timestamps:

01:02 SMB Equity Overview

01:45 Origins And Early Deals

05:35 Selling Before The 2008 Crash

06:54 Post Recession Pivot

09:24 Investor Base And Tax Edge

11:36 Tim Joins The Business

17:53 Deal Sniff Test Framework

24:27 Deal Types And Structure

30:45 2026 Goals And Investor Mindset Connect with Mike and Tim:

• LinkedIn | Tim Siemer

• LinkedIn | Mike Siemer

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Tim for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Ryan Dau is a former Air Force officer, and founder of ReframeRIA, a consultancy that helps financial advisors streamline their operations, refine their client experience, and optimize their technology stack. Through ReframeRIA, Ryan partners with advisory firms to improve their workflows, refine their client experience, and implement technology that truly supports their businesses. His mission is simple: remove the operational chaos that slows advisors down so they can spend more time serving clients and growing their firms with confidence.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Ryan about:

• The Nonlinear Career Path: Ryan's Military, software, and advisory experience shaped his transition into consulting.

• Serving the Advisor, Not the Tech: Work begins with clarifying an advisor's ideal client and core processes before any tech is added.

• Fixing Operational Chaos: Streamlined onboarding, workflows, and service calendars help advisors reclaim time.

• The Rise of AI Note-Taking Tools: AI tools like Jump AI simplify communication and sync data across essential systems.

• Building Partnerships & Scaling Smart: Ryan's 2026 goals center on advisor partnerships and exploring a future fractional C-Suite Model.

• Mindset Shifts After Military Service: Adjusting from mission-first service to revenue driven entrepreneurship remains an ongoing mission.

Timestamps:

00:41 Ryan's Path to Reframe

03:41 Advisor Pain Points

05:51 Workflow Before Tools

09:01 2026 Goals and Growth

11:42 Fractional C Suite Vision

17:12 Partnerships to Build

19:02 Challenges and Mindset Shift

24:44 Moonshot Be Better Brand

28:37 Connect and Wrap Up

Connect with Ryan:

• LinkedIn | Ryan Dau

• www.reframeia.com

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Ryan for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Andrew Garcia is a U.S. Navy veteran and founder of The Arena and Pursuit, two businesses focused on helping veterans and transitioning professionals break into the tech industry. After a successful career in tech sales at Salesforce, Andrew launched The Arena to provide veteran-friendly recruiting services for defense tech startups. He later expanded his mission through Pursuit, a career training platform designed to help aspiring tech sales professionals land their first role. Today, The Arena partners with growing companies to place high-performing sales talent, while Pursuit offers coaching, community, and an online platform that helps job seekers prepare for interviews, build professional habits, and stay accountable. With a long-term vision to build a full career pipeline, Andrew combines mentorship, training, and recruiting to help veterans succeed in high-growth industries.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Andrew about:

• Building a Dual Business Model: How The Arena and Pursuit work together to serve job seekers and hiring managers across the full tech sales career journey.

• From Salesforce to Startup Founder: Why Andrew left a stable career to test his skills and pursue entrepreneurship full time.

• The Pursuit Platform: What makes Pursuit training cohorts different, and how the platform helps veterans land roles faster with more confidence.

• Lifetime Value: Why Andrew created a lifetime membership program that helps graduates land jobs not just once, but throughout their careers.

• Data-Driven Recruiting: How The Arena is building a defense-tech talent insights platform to help startups hire smarter and faster.

Timestamps:

00:08 Joining the Chess Team and Soccer at the Academy

02:04 Founding The Arena and Pursuit

05:01 Challenges and Successes in Entrepreneurship

11:40 Goals and Future Plans

22:17 Marketing and Business DevelopmentTimestamps: Connect with Andrew:

• LinkedIn | Andrew Garcia

• www.arena.vet | www.pursuit.vet

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Andrew for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Steve Buchanan is a U.S Army Veteran and the CEO of TDY Rentals, a company on a mission to transform the way government travelers experience temporary duty assignments. What started as a frustrating personal experience with TDY housing, turned into a purpose-driven venture to make extended stays feel less like deployments, and more like home. At TDY Rentals, Steve and his team provide fully furnished tech-enabled housing solutions tailored for government agencies, defense contractors, and active-duty personnel. With a focus on comfort, reliability and logistics, the company helps clients reduce cost, streamline coordination, and vastly improve the TDY experience. As a veteran entrepreneur, Steve is not just building a business, he's reshaping the standard for federal travel.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Steve about:

• From One Unit to Nationwide Reach: How a single TDY rental turned into a multi-million dollar business built by veterans, for veterans.

• Logistics at Scale: The behind-the-scenes systems that allow TDY Rentals to furnish, service, and manage properties across the country.

• Government Travel, Reimagined: What federal travelers really need, and why traditional lodging options fall short.

• Lessons in Leadership: How military experience shaped Steve's entrepreneurial journey and management style.

• A Mission to Serve: How TDY Rentals is creating long-term opportunities for veterans through hiring, partnerships, and purpose.

Timestamps:

00:07 First Impressions of 10X Vets & Value of In-Person Connections

02:21 Introduction to TDY Rentals & Steve's Background

08:08 How TDY Rentals Started and Gained Traction

13:37 How the Business Works + Customer Experience

22:32 Lodging, Furnishing, and Creative Budgeting for TDY

24:07 2026 Goals, Revenue Growth, and Property Expansion Connect with Steve:

• LinkedIn | Steve Buchanan

• www.tdyrentals.com

• [email protected]

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Steve for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/

Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd?

Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events

____

Jeff Evenson is an experienced business leader and scaling strategist at scaling.com, where he works with founders who are ready to move from early traction to sustained growth. Alongside Blake Erickson and Dr. Benjamin Hardy, he helps entrepreneurs shift from being day-to-day operators to becoming strategic leaders who design companies that scale.

Over the last two decades, Jeff built and exited multiple businesses, including a $3.5M hair salon operation, a manufacturing firm, and a machine shop. He formally entered the coaching space in 2021 and recently joined scaling.com after an introduction from fellow West Point graduate Freddie Kim. Today, his work centers on helping business owners grow with clarity and discipline through three guiding principles: raising frame, raising floor, and sharpening focus.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Jeff about:

• From West Point to Multiple Exits: Jeff's journey through the Army, corporate finance, business ownership, and the lessons learned from exiting companies through divorce and partnership dissolution.

• The Three Pillars of 10X Growth: How a simple, proven framework turns seemingly impossible goals into achievable ones in three years or less.

• The Print Shop Case Study: How one business owner went from $850K to a path toward $10M by eliminating sub-$5k clients and acquiring a $3M company with a built-in sales team.

• Operator to Architect: Why the biggest transformation isn't in your business model, it's in who you need to become to lead a 10x company.

• The Big Vision: Scaling.com's goal to help 5,000 businesses scale simultaneously in the next two years.

Timestamps:

01:02 Jeff's Journey from West Point to Scaling.com

05:02 Why 10X is Easier Than 2X

09:07 The Three Pillars: Frame, Floor, and Focus

12:34 Case Study: Scaling a Print Shop from $850K to $10M

26:57 Transformation Required, Operator to Architect

34:19 Scaling.com's Vision and How to Get Involved Connect with Jeff:

• LinkedIn | Jeff Evenson

• www.scaling.com

• [email protected]

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Jeff for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Kurt Greene is a certified EOS Implementer at EOS Worldwide, where he helps leadership teams build stronger, more scalable companies. A graduate of West Point and an Army veteran, Kurt brings a unique mix of Fortune 500 leadership, HR expertise, and peer-group facilitation experience through Vistage Worldwide, Inc.

He works with founders and executive teams to implement practical tools that cut through complexity so they can regain control, align their teams, and get back to their visionary role. Whether partnering with veteran-owned businesses or mission-driven entrepreneurs, Kurt's work is grounded in service: helping leaders lead better, build healthier teams, and create workplaces people actually want to be part of.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Kurt about:

• The EOS Framework: Kurt explains how EOS equips overwhelmed business owners with tools to get out of the weeds and back to thinking big.

• Right People, Right Seat: The "right people, right seats" approach brings clarity to hiring and retention, helping teams align on values, roles, and performance.

• Visionaries vs. Integrators: Founders can't keep straddling roles forever. Defining the integrator role frees up leaders to lead, and keeps the trains running on time.

• EOS Life: A business should work for you, not the other way around. EOS makes space for leaders to do what they love, with people they enjoy, and get paid fairly for it,

• Veteran-Led Goals: With a service-driven mission, more veteran-led businesses are using EOS to create healthy, well-led teams and long-term growth.

Timestamps:

00:31 Kurt's Journey to Becoming an EOS Implementer

03:28 Common Challenges Faced by Business Owners

06:40 The EOS Life and Its Benefits

07:22 The EOS Implementation Process

10:58 Key EOS Tools and Frameworks

16:47 Structuring the Leadership Team

27:05 Kurt's Business Goals and Vision

32:37 Conclusion and Contact Information Connect with Kurt:

• LinkedIn | Kurt Greene

• eosworldwide.com

• [email protected]

• (865) 407-0703

If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.

Make sure you never miss an episode subscribe now and help support the show:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Leave us a 5-star review!

A special thank you to Kurt for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01