Veteran Entrepreneur Talks

In this episode, we talk with Dean Wegner - Army Veteran and Founder of Authentically American, which is a premium apparel brand that proudly manufactures all of their products in the USA.

We talk about finding your niche and building a brand, how you can leverage free publicity to bring your vision to life without a large advertising budget, and the unexpected opportunities (like running a business that makes military uniforms) that can lead you in the direction you’re meant to go.

If you love the brand and mission, head over to www.authenticallyamerican.us and use code FOUNDER for 25% off of your purchase.

True Made makes delicious, low sugar condiments that you can find in places like Whole Foods & HEB. They are on a mission to cut the refined and artificial sweeteners out of your diet and replace them with real veggies!

We talk with Abe about the lessons he’s learned about fundraising, growth and marketing in the first 5 years of his business, how he turned a family pain point into a business opportunity, and the amazing journey that took him from the Navy to Qatar to a plastics factory in Bulgaria and (ultimately) to launching his own business.

In this episode, we talk with Stuart Grazier - active duty Navy pilot and the founder of Storehouse 310 Ventures, which is a turnkey real estate company based in Milwaukee, WI. We talk about how he went from investing $5,000 in a dirt lot in Alabama to building a company that flips 3-4 houses per month, the importance of having a strong “why” for your company, and the challenges of building a business while on his 18th year of active duty (spoiler: he wakes up at 4 am).

In this episode, we talk with Navy Veteran Rod Lewis, Co-Founder of Baby So Right. We talk about what it’s like to start a baby product company with no prior experience in baby products, the importance of hiring people with specialized skills (especially in marketing & PR), and the role that research and persistence play in the early stages of building your business.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of being able to operate with scarce resources, the role that passion and commitment play in entrepreneurship, and what it’s like to launch a healthcare technology business with zero experience in technology or in healthcare!

In this episode, talk about how a combat injury unexpectedly put Clayton on the path to entrepreneurship, how a competitive approach to business has led to fulfillment & success, and the fact that risk will always exist in business (and life) and isn’t a reason to not get started or jump in 100%. We also talk about starting a whiskey distillery with your entire family - on the side!

In this episode, we talk about how Nick & Drew turned a 3rd generation family business into a fresh, modern brand, what it’s like to move from idea to execution in less than 60 days, and their goal of building a respected company that incorporates fun, fulfilling work and time with friends.

In this episode, we talk with Army Veteran Stephanie Lincoln, Founder of Fire Team Whiskey. We talk about creating a digital product from scratch, the importance of not being so precious with what you’ve created that you don’t make critical changes, and the value that you can capture from others who have walked the path before you.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of taking small, incremental steps when starting a business, how a marketplace can allow you to grow faster with lower risk, and what its like to open your doors one week before the country shuts down in response to a public health crisis.