Service Academy Business Mastermind

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/mark-mooney

Mark Mooney (USNA ’74) is the owner and operator of multiple wellness and home health care businesses under the Massage Envy and BrightStar Care franchise brands.  His vast experience in franchising includes building a market from scratch along with buying and selling existing franchise businesses.

In this episode, Mark and I discuss:

• His strict criteria for investing in a franchise concept
• Important due diligence questions you should ask the franchisor before making an investment
• The franchise concepts he believes have the greatest potential

Connect with Mark Mooney:

• Mark 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 Mark for joining me this week.  Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

Real Estate Accelerator: https://www.sabmgroup.com/realestate/

Erin Helle (USMA '09) is a former Engineer who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. After serving in the U.S. Army for 12 years, she embarked on a career as a Real Estate Investor and fell in love with everything about it! As a top performer in our Real Estate Investing Accelerator, she recently purchased a 10-Plex in Fort Campbell that will set her on the path to financial freedom.

I am also joined on this episode by Buddy Rushing (USNA '04), Founder of White Feather Investments and the fearless leader of our Real Estate Investing Accelerator.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Erin's recent acquisition of a 10-plex investment property
• Her key takeaways from the Accelerator and how the course has sharpened her focus
• Her best tips for building a business with a growing family
• How she is conquering the fear and anxiety of entrepreneurship

We also discuss the details of our next Accelerator which kicks off on June 29th.

Connect with Erin Helle:

• Erin on LinkedIn

Apply for our next Accelerator class: https://www.sabmgroup.com/realestate/

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 Erin for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Real Estate Accelerator: https://www.sabmgroup.com/realestate/

Erin Helle (USMA '09) is a former Engineer who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  After serving in the U.S. Army for 12 years, she embarked on a career as a Real Estate Investor and fell in love with everything about it!  As a top performer in our Real Estate Investing Accelerator, she recently purchased a 10-Plex in Fort Campbell that will set her on the path to financial freedom.

I am also joined on this episode by Buddy Rushing (USNA '04), Founder of White Feather Investments and the fearless leader of our Real Estate Investing Accelerator.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Erin’s recent acquisition of a 10-plex investment property
• Her key takeaways from the Accelerator and how the course has sharpened her focus
• Her best tips for building a business with a growing family
• How she is conquering the fear and anxiety of entrepreneurship

We also discuss the details of our next Accelerator which kicks off on June 29th.

Connect with Erin Helle:

• Erin on LinkedIn

Apply for our next Accelerator class: https://www.sabmgroup.com/realestate/

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 Erin for joining me this week.  Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/tom-kent/

Tom Kent (USMA '95) is the Founder of Career Nerds, a career coaching company for successful professionals who want great jobs. After graduating from West Point in 1995, he served as an Army Intelligence Officer for several years. After the Army, he was hired to work in over 10 cities on 3 continents for large companies like IBM and Expedia as well as for several startups. While mastering the "Art of Career Transition", he has helped many people get new jobs and careers. Today, he coaches people who are transitioning to a new job or career on how to find their ideal job and get hired.

In this episode, Tom and I discuss:

• His 3-step process for connecting with decision makers on LinkedIn
• His best tips for focusing your job search and his "flood the zone" framework for networking
• His biggest lessons learned from starting his career coaching business

Connect with Tom Kent:

• Tom on LinkedIn
• Career Nerds

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 iTunes
• Subscribe on Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/tom-kent/

Tom Kent (USMA '95) is the Founder of Career Nerds, a career coaching company for successful professionals who want great jobs.  After graduating from West Point in 1995, he served as an Army Intelligence Officer for several years. After the Army, he was hired to work in over 10 cities on 3 continents for large companies like IBM and Expedia as well as for several startups. While mastering the "Art of Career Transition", he has helped many people get new jobs and careers.  Today, he coaches people who are transitioning to a new job or career on how to find their ideal job and get hired.

In this episode, Tom and I discuss:

• His 3-step process for connecting with decision makers on LinkedIn
• His best tips for focusing your job search and his “flood the zone” framework for networking
• His biggest lessons learned from starting his career coaching business

Connect with Tom Kent:

• Tom on LinkedIn
• Career Nerds

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 iTunes
• Subscribe on Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/john-oliver/

John Oliver (USMA '89) is the Investment and Operations Manager at Battle Monument Partners, a private commercial real-estate fund that recently was named by RVA BizSense as the 2018 Fastest Growing Company in Richmond, Virginia. He is a 1989 graduate of West Point, and a 1995 graduate of Yale School of Management.

In this episode, John and I discuss:

• How their real estate portfolio has doubled in size to 30 commercial properties in the last 18 months
• Why he invests in commercial properties leased by discount retailers in the Southeast
• The surprising skill that he learned in the Army that has helped him as an entrepreneur

Connect with John Oliver:

• John on LinkedIn
• Battle Monument Partners

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
• Subscribe on Google Play
• Subscribe on Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/john-oliver/

John Oliver (USMA '89) is the Investment and Operations Manager at Battle Monument Partners, a private commercial real-estate fund that recently was named by RVA BizSense as the 2018 Fastest Growing Company in Richmond, Virginia.  He is a 1989 graduate of West Point, and a 1995 graduate of Yale School of Management.

In this episode, John and I discuss:

• How their real estate portfolio has doubled in size to 30 commercial properties in the last 18 months
• Why he invests in commercial properties leased by discount retailers in the Southeast
• The surprising skill that he learned in the Army that has helped him as an entrepreneur

Connect with John Oliver:

• John on LinkedIn
• Battle Monument Partners

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
• Subscribe on Google Play
• Subscribe on Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/bruce-cleveland/

Bruce Cleveland attended the United States Military Academy and is a Founding Partner at Wildcat Venture Partners, a venture firm that invests in market disruptors and category leaders. Their differentiation as an early stage B2B and B2B2C venture firm is based upon the fact that each Wildcat general partner has been an entrepreneur, a member of a founding team, and/or an investor in a startup that has gone from ideation to a $B+ outcome. Based upon their significant and sustained performance, they have been independently ranked as one of the top early stage B2B investment teams in the venture industry.

In this episode, Bruce and I discuss:

• His experience as a founding member of companies that have achieved $B+ successes
• What he looks for from an entrepreneur when making an investment
• Why he invests primarily in B2B enterprise companies involved in making digital transformations

Connect with Bruce Cleveland:

• Bruce on LinkedIn
• Wildcat Venture Partners
• Buy Bruce's New 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 iTunes
• Subscribe on Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/bruce-cleveland/

Bruce Cleveland attended the United States Military Academy and is a Founding Partner at Wildcat Venture Partners, a venture firm that invests in market disruptors and category leaders. Their differentiation as an early stage B2B and B2B2C venture firm is based upon the fact that each Wildcat general partner has been an entrepreneur, a member of a founding team, and/or an investor in a startup that has gone from ideation to a $B+ outcome.  Based upon their significant and sustained performance, they have been independently ranked as one of the top early stage B2B investment teams in the venture industry.

In this episode, Bruce and I discuss:

• His experience as a founding member of companies that have achieved $B+ successes
• What he looks for from an entrepreneur when making an investment
• Why he invests primarily in B2B enterprise companies involved in making digital transformations

Connect with Bruce Cleveland:

• Bruce on LinkedIn
• Wildcat Venture Partners
• Buy Bruce's New 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 iTunes
• Subscribe on Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/eric-johnson

Eric Johnson (USNA '08) is the Founder of Trident Coffee, home of America's finest cold brew. Using their signature blend, they handcraft their cold brew coffee for 18 hours then infuse it with nitrogen in a ready-to-go can. The result is the smoothest, creamiest cold brew coffee on the market with a sweet chocolate and caramel flavor. At Trident Coffee, their mission is to continually create a community experience and connect people over a cup (or can!) of coffee.

In this episode, Eric and I discuss:

• The story behind why he crafted his best-selling cold brew
• How he landed his first customer and grew his business through distribution
• The funny story about why he decided to start a business after attending a career conference

Connect with Eric Johnson:

• Eric on LinkedIn
• Trident Coffee

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 iTunes
• Subscribe on Stitcher
• Leave us a 5-star review!

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

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01