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

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

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/ronald-steptoe/

Ronald Steptoe (USMA '87) started Warrior Centric Health to bring healthcare advocacy, curriculum development and training to the federal and commercial sector marketplaces. As CEO, Ron has established innovative partnerships with leading national medical organizations, to provide "medically-accredited military culture, cultural competency, and patient-provider communication" educational training programs for health and service support providers and systems.

In this episode, Ron and I discuss:

• His journey starting Warrior Centric Health and his discovery of a $300B industry
• A key partnership he just secured with Vizient
• The military history of his family dating back to the American Revolutionary War and his experience as a basketball player at West Point competing against David Robinson from Navy 😊

Connect with Ron Steptoe:

• Ron on LinkedIn
• Warrior Centric Health

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 Ron for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Episode link:  https://www.sabmgroup.com/ronald-steptoe/ 

Ronald Steptoe (USMA ’87) started Warrior Centric Health to bring healthcare advocacy, curriculum development and training to the federal and commercial sector marketplaces. As CEO, Ron has established innovative partnerships with leading national medical organizations, to provide “medically-accredited military culture, cultural competency, and patient-provider communication” educational training programs for health and service support providers and systems.

In this episode, Ron and I discuss:

• His journey starting Warrior Centric Health and his discovery of a $300B industry 
• A key partnership he just secured with Vizient
• The military history of his family dating back to the American Revolutionary War and his experience as a basketball player at West Point competing against David Robinson from Navy

Episode link: https://www.sabmgroup.com/gerardo-martinez/

Gerardo Martinez (USNA '11) is the Founder of Triple Direct Leadership LLC, a company that provides high end leadership development to organizations by customizing the experience to the participant's mission and vision. Whether its rock climbing with the board of directors, an expedition with a department head or kayaking with the whole team, their experiences are unforgettable and results driven.

In this episode, Gerardo and I discuss:

• His customized outdoor team building experiences that get results
• Why he doesn't deliver any training by PowerPoint or in conference rooms
• What it was like leaving his day job to start his own company

Connect with Gerardo Martinez:

• Gerardo on LinkedIn
• Triple Direct Leadership

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 Gerardo for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA '01

Episode link:  https://www.sabmgroup.com/gerardo-martinez/

Gerardo Martinez (USNA '11) is the Founder of Triple Direct Leadership LLC, a company that provides high end leadership development to organizations by customizing the experience to the participant's mission and vision.  Whether its rock climbing with the board of directors, an expedition with a department head or kayaking with the whole team, their experiences are unforgettable and results driven.

In this episode, Gerardo and I discuss:

• His customized outdoor team building experiences that get results
• Why he doesn’t deliver any training by PowerPoint or in conference rooms
• What it was like leaving his day job to start his own company

Connect with Gerardo Martinez:

• Gerardo on LinkedIn
• Triple Direct Leadership

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 Gerardo for joining me this week.  Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01