Service Academy Business Mastermind

Lionel Hines (USNA '94) is a partner with Payment Lock, an all-in-one solution for both in-store retail transactions and online payments. Their platform is designed for speed and built on military-grade encryption. I am also joined by Ryan Smith, the founder of Payment Lock and a former professional football player.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Their payment processing platform that saves business owners on expensive credit card fees
• Their favorite client success story
• How their experience as athletes has helped them as entrepreneurs

Connect with Lionel and Ryan:

• Lionel Hines on LinkedIn
• Ryan Smith on LinkedIn
• Payment Lock

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 Play, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Tim Mobley (USMA '93) is the Founder of Connext Global Solutions, a staffing company that provides companies with talented offshore professionals, work tools, and operating facilities that support their profitable growth.

In this episode, Tim and I discuss:

• The most popular tasks that companies outsource to them
• Their capability to build out entire teams for their clients
• How they are different from other outsourcing companies

Connect with Tim Mobley:

• Tim on Linkedin
• Connext Global Solutions

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 Play, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Thomas Schwab (USNA '87) is the Founder of Interview Valet, a company that helps business owners turn listeners into leads and leads into customers by talking directly to ideal customers with Podcast Interview Marketing. In this age of Social Distancing, the most effective way to market your business is through Podcast Interview Marketing where you're interviewed as the expert guest on podcasts that your potential customers already listen to. You get a long-term return on investment (ROI) that beats blogging, advertising, and social media postings.

In this episode, Tom and I discuss:

• Tom's experience from being a guest on 1,000+ podcasts
• His white-glove service that helps business owners get booked on popular podcasts
• His best advice for someone wanting to start a podcast

Connect with Thomas Schwab:

• Tom on Linkedin
• Interview Valet

Subscribe and help out the show:

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

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Chris Hsu (USMA '92) is is the CEO and Co-Founder of Zibo, a digital financial services platform that provides individual landlords banking, insurance, and payment services solutions. Zibo helps landlords save time and hassle by automating monthly rent collection and accepting multiple forms of payment from tenants, including debit card, credit card, and ACH bank transfers. Prior to starting Zibo, Chris was the Chief Operating Officer of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and the CEO of a publicly-traded enterprise software company.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How his app optimizes efficiencies for small independent landlords
• His best lessons learned on raising capital and building his team from the ground up
• How his experience at West Point has helped him as an entrepreneur

Connect with Chris Hsu:

• Chris on LinkedIn
• Zibo

Subscribe and help out the show:

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

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Raymond Bednar (USMA '84) is the President and Founder of Hyperion Marketing Returns where he optimizes strategies for investments in marketing channels with an emphasis on return on investment (ROI) and return on business objectives (ROO or ROBO). His sub-specialty within marketing departments is sports sponsorships where he has extensive relationships at the top sponsorship entities in the world including NFL, MLB, NBA, and PGA.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to negotiate sponsorship opportunities based on business goals
• How to obtain the most essential sponsorship benefits without paying for unproductive frills
• Why "skybox tickets" might not yield the highest ROI for your business

Connect with Raymond Bednar:

• Raymond on LinkedIn

Subscribe and help out the show:

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

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Russell Long (USAFA '12) is the Founder of Long Capture, a team of Military Veterans and Spouses who support small businesses with exciting new technology ideas by helping them find and capture contracts through the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) Program and other funding opportunities.

In this episode, Russ and I discuss:

• How he has helped companies win 90M+ in SBIR awards
• The competitive advantage he offers companies in the SBIR application process
• His goal to help companies achieve multi-million dollar government contracts

Connect with Russell Long:

• Long Capture
• Russell on Linkedin

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 Play, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Trevor Benitone (USAFA '95) and Joe Ruzicka (USNA '96) are leaders at Adams Keegan, a national and privately held HR services firm based in Memphis, TN. Their services include payroll, HR management, benefits administration, compliance support, and recruiting. James Keegan (USMA graduate) was an early investor in Adams Keegan and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How their company has grown over the last 33 years and the new geographic markets they have their sites on
• How they help small and mid-size businesses avoid HR land mines
• The personalized support they offer to help entrepreneurs at every stage of their business

Connect with Trevor and Joe:

• Trevor on LinkedIn
• Joe on LinkedIn
• Adams Keegan

If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague.

Subscribe and help out the show:

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

Special thanks to Trevor and Joe for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Jason Schwab (USMA '05) is the co-founder of Glove Box, an e-commerce company that curates and distributes premium car care products to automotive enthusiasts across the United States and Canada. They launched in 2018 and have shipped over 20,000 products to date.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Their path from 0 to 20,000+ products sold
• How they source products and their value proposition to their members
• The most important skills he learned in the Army that have helped him as an entrepreneur

Connect with Jason Schwab:

• Glove Box
• Jason on LinkedIn

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 Play, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Dean Wegner (USMA '93) is the founder of Authentically American, an iconic American brand that sells products that are truly American Made. His expertise in the apparel industry, coupled with his passion for America, provided all the incentive he needed to create a brand that aims to set the universally accepted standard for premium American made merchandise while delivering a significant impact on US job creation.

In this episode, Dean and I discuss:

• His flagship Sweat Tee that celebrates the Army/Navy rivalry
• The Authentically American podcast that has featured world-class athletes and business leaders
• His goal to create a $1 Billion brand

Connect with Dean Wegner:

• Dean on LinkedIn
• Authentically American

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 Play, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Jason Van Camp (USMA '01) is the Founder of Mission 6 Zero, a leadership assessment and development company created by United States Special Forces Operators (Green Berets, Delta Force, Navy SEALs, CIA, FBI), refined through scientifically proven methods developed by their human performance and sports psychologist PhDs, and reinforced through their cadre of wounded warriors.

In this episode, Jason and I discuss:

• How he scored the New York Jets as his first client
• His new book Deliberate Discomfort and why he wrote it
• Best practices for overcoming fear and unlocking your potential

Connect with Jason Van Camp:

• Jason on LinkedIn
• Mission 6 Zero
• Warrior Rising Foundation
• Buy the Deliberate Discomfort book

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 Play, Spotify & Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01