Veteran On the Move

About this Episode

Imagine leaving your good career to jump into the entrepreneurship boat, which is filled with uncertainties without knowing where to begin. It’s not a bed of roses, but it pays off in the end.

Today we are honored to host Bradley Harrison on the show. Brad tells us how he transitioned from the army to entrepreneurship. The ups and downs and when the sweat finally pays off.

Key Points of Discussion

Brad’s introduction

Leaving the army

Brad’s journey in MIT

Jumping into the entrepreneurship world

Tech ideas that fascinate Brad

 Key Milestones of this Episode

[01:07]  Brad’s stay in the army

[02:41]  Transitioning out of the military

[06:07]  Joining MIT

[09:12]  A taste of the entrepreneurship world

[16:05]  Tech ideas that fascinate Brad

[22:56]  The storage units

[26:41]  The big pay-outs

[29:13]  How does scout ventures work?

[35:26]  Words of wisdom from Brad

Key Quotes by Bradley Harrison

“Get out there, go to some events in your local community.”

“No investor has ever got upset that the head of sales is outperformed.”

“When a management team isn’t optimally functioning, they normally have a, a person in the flow that is part of the problem.”

“There’s a lot of value in getting an all cash.”

“There can be good ideas that are lifestyle businesses and then good ideas that are venture back-able businesses.”

“If you really want to, you know, start companies, you need to understand how they operate when they’re huge.”

 About Our Guest Bradley Harrison

Bradley C. Harrison is an entrepreneur and seasoned business development who founded Scout Ventures to focus on making the world a better, safer place by cultivating standout frontier technologies built by hard-to-access founders. As Managing Partner of Scout Ventures, Brad has invested in over 80 startups, including Unite US, Olapic, Signpost, ID.me, RedOwl Analytics, and Bespoke Post.

Connect with Brad

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradharrison/

Email: [email protected]

Blog: https://mayorbrad.com/

About Our Sponsor

Navy Federal Credit Union is a member-driven credit union with over 8 million members and incredible benefits to support the financial stability of military families.

Visit navyfederal.org/veteranmove for more information.

To hear more about Brads’s success, download this episode now.

Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star rating and review if you enjoyed the show. We would love to hear from you!

Download Joe Crane’s Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470.  

Join the Veteran on the Move on Facebook!

Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests! It’s a great place where you can stay in touch with other veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship.  Get updates and free gouge on the people, programs and resources to help you in your transition to entrepreneurship.

Veteran On the Move podcast has published over 250 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane . The podcast features people, programs and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 1,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today.

About this Episode

Amanda Mineer is an attorney who helps her clients through the VA Claim process.  Amanda is with the Veteran’s Law Group in the San Diego area. She started with business law work and helping people start businesses.  In the process of helping a friend who had came back from IRAQ through how to file the paperwork for VA claims, Amanda found her new career.  Found out how VLG can help you appeal decisions and increase your percentages if you have been denied.

Key Points of Discussion

Amanda’s background 

Amanda’s entrepreneurship journey as an attorney

How to make it easy for the VA to find items in your paperwork

Denied or underrated for appeals

PTSD rating

Why claims take so long

 Key Milestones of this Episode

 [00:58]  Amanda’s introduction

 [02:07]  Amanda’s journey as an attorney

 [05:07]  Issues with claims

 [08:01]  Getting percentage increased

 [10:10]  PTSD appeals

 [17:20]  VA under rates   

 [23:49]  How do veterans know if their ratings are correct

Key Quotes by Amanda Mineer

“If you spent 20 years in the military your STRs are probably pretty lengthy.”

“One of the biggest struggles they face is if they wait too long to file their claim.”

“The service connection is the hardest thing to get if you wait too long.”

“All of the percentages are determined by statute.”

“I don’t see it when the VA gets it right, I see the worst of the worst.”

“I always encourage veterans to read through the decisions of their ratings.”

 About Our Guest Amanda Mineer

Amanda Mineer is an expert on giving Veterans support they need through difficult claims processes. She has been with Veterans Law Group since 2013 and has helped Veterans get back pay of 40 million dollars in benefits.

Connect with Amanda

Website

Ph. 888-811-0523

 About Our Sponsor

Bench Bookkeeping is this episodes sponsor.  Being an entrepreneur, bookkeeping is a necessary evil.  To put your bookkeeping needs on autopilot check out Bench Bookkeeping and get one month free at veteranonthemove.com/bench.

To hear more about Amandas’s success, download this episode now.

Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star rating and review if you enjoyed the show. We would love to hear from you!

Download Joe Crane’s Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470.  

Join the Veteran on the Move on Facebook!

Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests! It’s a great place where you can stay in touch with other veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship.  Get updates and free gouge on the people, programs and resources to help you in your transition to entrepreneurship.

Veteran On the Move podcast has published over 250 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane . The podcast features people, programs and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 1,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today.

About this Episode

Army guard veteran Blake Maske talks about how he transitioned to entrepreneurship. Building a business from scratch has not been a walk in the park for him. It has taken a lot of sacrifice and hard work.

From a very tender age, Blake had an entrepreneurial spirit that many people always view as rebellious. He likes to do what people think he can’t do.

One special thing about how Blake and his partner run their business is the handwritten letters. When did you last receive a handwritten letter? It’s something super special for the customers.

Key Points of Discussion

Blake’s journey into the army

Blake’s entrepreneurship journey

Building a business from scratch

How to market a new business

 Key Milestones of this Episode:

 (00:00): Blake’s introduction

 (01:12): Blake’s journey into the army guard

 (03:57): Blake’s entrepreneurship journey

 (08:31): Riverside Designs

 (25:10): Customers versus the quality of your product

 Key Quotes by Blake Maske

“Money can buy you happiness. Money can help other people be happy. Money makes a lot of impacts if you use it right.”

“You do right by people and at the end of the day, people do right by you.”

“Going above and beyond than what the normal people do. That's what's going to get you to that next level.”

“Your drive and work ethic to beat the guy next to you.”

“Leave something better than when you came into it.”

 

About Our Guest Blake Maske:

Blake joined the army at the age of 25. He is the founder of Riverside Designs. Having been in the military for some years, he borrowed a lot of things that he implemented in his business.

His way of conducting business is a little different from many entrepreneurs. One, he believes is word of mouth marketing. Two, he sends handwritten letters to his customers.

Connect with Blake

Website

Facebook

About Our Sponsor

Navy Federal Credit Union is a member-driven credit union with over 8 million members and incredible benefits to support the financial stability of military families.

Visit navyfederal.org/veteranmove for more information.

To hear more about Blakes’s success, download this episode now.

Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star rating and review if you enjoyed the show. We would love to hear from you!

Download Joe Crane’s Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470.  

Join the Veteran on the Move on Facebook!

Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests! It’s a great place where you can stay in touch with other veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship.  Get updates and free gouge on the people, programs and resources to help you in your transition to entrepreneurship.

Veteran On the Move podcast has published over 250 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane . The podcast features people, programs and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 1,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today.

About this Episode

Army veteran Anthony Detoto from 1836 Veterans talks about networking and creating collisions with veterans and veteran business owners.  Texas veterans chase their entrepreneurial dreams. The group casts a wide net and will soon hear pitches in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, but it is careful about whom they back. When they invest, though, the commitment is total.

Key Points of Discussion with Anthony DeToto

Anthony’s transition from the Army to a civilian job

Significance of jobs in the Army and as a civilian

Lessons Learned

Networking

Family Offices

How do veterans self assess?

Key Milestones of this Episode

[01:11] Anthony’s introduction

[03:12] Going to school at West Point

[06:24] How Anthony transitioned from the military to civilian sector

[07:43] Those who helped along the way

[10:37] Naive Networking

[15:50] Self Assess

[24:59] What is your value proposition?

Key Resources

1836 Veterans

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2020: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard N. Bolles 

Key Quotes by Anthony Detoto

“We always feel like we’re not good enough for that threshold.”

“So many of the civilian jobs are not going to make you feel as significant as the jobs in the Army.”

“I wanted to touch a wider swab of people sooner.”

“All I could do is promise them that I would help others that were in a similar position.”

“1836 is a beachhead to help veterans find capital in all four of those different forms.”

“If you want to get paid ask for money, if you want to get paid twice ask for advice.”

“A veteran is a person who has written a check at least once in their life payable to the United States of America.”

About our Guest Anthony Detoto

Anthony Detoto is Servant Leader, helping military veterans decide on entrepreneurship or intraprenuership.  As with all things military-related, DeToto built 1836’s operations plan around an acronym: FISH, for the four types of capital every entrepreneur needs.

F is for financial. Funding can come in two primary forms, debt or equity. Should the business take on debt, and from where? Should the entrepreneur sell a share in the company, and to whom?

I is for intellectual. Every company is built around a product or service. But in a competitive market, new ideas are what make a company prosper or fail.

S is for social. Does the founder have the connections to get the business off the ground? Where are the customers, who are the advisers, and from where will the money come?

H is for human. Most businesses need more than one employee. Who is going to help run the business? 

About Our Sponsor

Bench Bookkeeping is this episodes sponsor.  Being an entrepreneur, bookkeeping is a necessary evil.  To put your bookkeeping needs on autopilot check out Bench Bookkeeping and get one month free at veteranonthemove.com/bench.

To hear more about Anthony’s success, download this episode now.

Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star rating and review if you enjoyed the show. We would love to hear from you!

Download Joe Crane’s Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470.  

Join the Veteran on the Move on Facebook!

Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests! It’s a great place where you can stay in touch with other veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship.  Get updates and free gouge on the people, programs and resources to help you in your transition to entrepreneurship.

Veteran On the Move podcast has published over 250 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane . The podcast features people, programs and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 1,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of th...

About this Episode

Jay Thomason is flipping vacant land and most of the time he never even steps foot on the property. Unbelievable? Jay tells us all about his business.

Jay graduated with a degree in criminal justice. He always wanted to be a cop, but along the way he decided to join the private security world. Jay has worked for Montgomery wards and at Home Depot. Most recently he worked for a security department at a fairly big hospital in Kansas City. All along he had a drive to do something entrepreneurial. In 2009, he started flipping houses with a partner and that was by far the greatest job he ever had.

Then, a couple of years ago, his brother in law introduced him the land flipping business. Listen in for more.

Key Points of Discussion

Jay’s journey to land flipping

Land flipping as business

How masterminds can help you become a better entrepreneur

Key Milestones of this Episode

[01:11] Jay’s introduction

[02:40] Introduction to land flipping

[05:31] All about owner financing

[31:03] Are masterminds really necessary?

Key Resources

Think and grow rich- Napoleon Hill

Key Quotes by Jay Thomason

“If somebody is delinquent on their payments, it's really easy to repossess vacant land.”

“If a buyer trusts you, they will definitely buy from you.”

“Partner up with some people that you know are working with you in this thing.”

“Don't invest in vacant land because it's always going to be negative income while you own it.”

Contact Info for Jay Thomason

LinkedIn

For more information about Jay’s company, visit http://royallandco.com

About Our Sponsor

Navy Federal Credit Union is a member-driven credit union with over 8 million members and incredible benefits to support the financial stability of military families.

Visit navyfederal.org/veteranmove for more information.

About this Episode

We talk with Shawn Olds, CEO of boodle.AI, a technology company built to improve fundraising efficiency. Shawn talks about his experience working with startups and nonprofits after leaving the military and how he leveraged at boodleAI. Shawn also gives “bootcamp” advice for veterans thinking about jumping into entrepreneurship or starting a nonprofit.

Key Points of Discussion

    Why you should avoid the “entrepreneurial version of “keeping up with the Joneses”

    The importance of strategically prepping your jump into entrepreneurship

    How boodleAI improves nonprofits with technology

    “Boot camp” advice for veterans wanting to be entrepreneurs or nonprofit owners

Key Milestones of this Episode

[1:00] Shawn’s military experience

[8:13] Shawn’s early experiences & why your startup shouldn’t focus on unicorns

[14:40] The one business that got Shawn back into entrepreneurship

[17:48] What is boodle.Ai?

 [19:13] How boodleAi technology improves the matching process of fundraising

[27:58] What about veterans who want to start a nonprofit

[30:23] How is boodleAI evolving?

Key Resources

boodleAI

Key Quotes by Shawn Olds

“Before its activation, we were volunteered to be the first group of human group of wind dummies on the C17.” 

“The word ‘civilian’ was not in my vocabulary.”

“I was skewed in my mindset ...[I believed] you either failed or became a billion-dollar startup.”

About our Guest Shawn Olds

Shawn is a West Point Graduate, an Army Ranger who served in the 82nd Airborne Division. His career since leaving the Army has been focused on startups with continued service as a Board Member to various youth education and veteran service nonprofits. The only exceptions being a return to grad school and a return to government service after September 11th with the Counter-Terrorism Office at the Department of State. Three years ago he returned to the US after 8 years in the Middle East and Africa to build boodleAI which is a blend of tech start-up background and serving nonprofits.

About Our Sponsor

Navy Federal Credit Union is a member-driven credit union with over 8 million members and incredible benefits to support the financial stability of military families.

Visit navyfederal.org/veteranmove for more information.

About this Episode

Many of us want to start an online business, but few of us know all that it takes to keep a business going. If you look at the latest Facebook or YouTube commercial, all you need is one course and you’ll get millions. 

Real online business isn’t like that.

That’s why we spoke to Shey Harms, owner of Second Act Business Academy about navigating all of the twists and turns of running an online business. Shey shares her own journey through entrepreneurship from podcasting to coaching and provide real-world advice about what you need to become an online business success.

Key Points of Discussion

    Entrepreneurship on Your Time-Shey’s self-built route to entrepreneurship

    Starting an online business when you’re not tech-savvy (or don’t want to be)

    Course vs coaching: How to get the education you need to learn

    The challenges of working with tech as an entrepreneur

    The ongoing challenge of

Key Milestones of this Episode

  [1:00] Shey’s start in college...and how she ended up an entrepreneur

  [2:11] Shey’s journey into podcasting

  [6:19] What did you learn from podcasting?

  [8:10] The origin story and mission of Second act Business Academy

 [13:00] Getting too bogged down in the details of your business

 [16:35] Learning as an entrepreneur

 [23:25] Once you build a website, what else do they need?

Key Resources

Second Act Business Academy

Second Act Business Academy podcast

Other Resources

New Media Expo

John Lee Dumas Free Podcast Course

Slender Safari podcast

Couch to 5K podcast

Pat Flynn

Beaver Builder

Elementor

ConvertKit

GetResponse

Shopify

LibSyn

BuzzSprout

iTunes

Canva

MailChimp

Key Quotes by Shey Harms

“It just seemed like computers were my thing.” 

“Somewhere along the line my true roots of being an entrepreneur kept calling me.”

“I have clients tell me that they are literally afraid that they are going to break the Internet, if they publish a post…”

“You shouldn’t have ten fonts on a page.”

“Tech is tech, Things just  break.”

“Tech happens.”

“That’s the challenge of tech: It’s always changing.”

About our Guest Shey Harms

Shey has been a computer programmer in the corporate world for the past 30 years. She has had 5 different podcasts and created a few dozen websites for herself and clients. Now she is focused on helping people who want to change the second half of their lives by teaching tech skills they need to start or grow an online business, through her podcast and business academy.

About Our Sponsor

Navy Federal Credit Union is a member-driven credit union with over 8 million members and incredible benefits to support the financial stability of military families.

Visit navyfederal.org/veteranmove for more information.

About this Episode

You’ve probably seen all of those Facebook and YouTube ads for  “Amazon success secrets”.

 Now, listen to a real one.

Jonathan Fassnacht was a Coast Guard officer preparing for his next step in life and decided he would try this “Amazon thing” while he was in the service. With patience, determination, and mentoring, he was able to build a full-time business out of his side hustle, hire 2 VAs and live a life many of us dream about.

 In this episode, we hear about how he got he started, resources he used to build his business, and the growing pains at this point in his journey.

Key Points of Discussion

    Getting started on Amazon: Jonathan shares his newbie success origin story

    Bootstrapping Gold: Why being broke could be a good thing for an entrepreneur

    Where should a newbie Amazon seller learn?

    Why it’s important to network with other entrepreneurs

    Preventing Amazon disaster stories

    Using virtual assistants to scale your business

    Advice for veterans who want to start on Amazon

Key Milestones of this Episode

[1:08] Jonathan’s time with the Coast Guard [3:06] Jonathan’s transition from full-time Coast Guard to full-time Amazon

[9:00] Getting started on Amazon 

[15:01] Why having too much money could hurt an entrepreneur 

[18:00] Where do you start learning how to sell on Amazon? 

[23:00] Amazon disaster stories

[26:35] Using online assistants

[31:38} Advice for veterans

Key Resources

Jake Miller episode on Veteran on the Move

 Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a  Money-Making Machine

 The Amazing Seller Podcast

 The Amazing Freedom Podcast

 The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to a Career You   Love

 Military Veteran Entrepreneurial Mastermind

 Online jobs.ph

 Freeeup

Key Quotes by Jonathan Fassnacht

“It was kind of miraculous to me...for somebody who was in the military ...to be out and working for myself.”

“Working online is...one of those things where you’re sold on the concept, “ Hey you can do this anywhere ...”. The problems is, anywhere you are, you have your laptop.”

“I think sometimes when you start walking the way you think you want to go, things will pop up in your path and make opportunities of themselves.”

“Somebody once told me ‘If you do more work than you’re paid for..eventually you’re going to be paid more for the work that you’re doing.”

“People that aren’t willing to pivot ...fail to understand what the market is doing around them.”

“If you pretend to be an expert in something and you’re not, you’re just going to crash and burn.”

About our Guest Jonathan Fassnacht

After graduating from the US Merchant Marine Academy Jonathan spend 9 years as an Active Duty Coast Guard Officer. While on Active Duty, he started a part time Amazon Wholesale Business that scaled into a full time job. Today, as a reservist, he runs GearNationGroup.com helping small business owners launch and grow their products on Amazon.

Jonatthan’s LinkedIn

About this Episode

What happens when you unleash a cross-commissioned military physicist with a knack for turning problems into marketplaces? You get Thom Hart, creator of StagePass, an experienced entertainment auction for podcasts that connects podcasters with their audiences. Tom shares how he switched from the Air Force to WestPoint, and built marketplaces while still in the military

Key Points of Discussion

Cross-commission: How Thom jumped from West Point to the  Air Force

What does a military physicist actually do?

The West Point side hustle that sparked Thom’s entrepreneurship

Building a social network, health marketplace, and Stagepass

Why veteran entrepreneurs need support on their journey

Key Milestones of this Episode

[1:11] Thom’s journey in the military

[3:51] Switching between branches

[8:00] The West Point side hustle

[12:00] Building a social network

[11:15] Common success principles of entrepreneurship

[14: 19] How kidney stones led Thom to create an on-demand health marketplace

[19:22] Stagepass

Key Resources

Stagepass Website

Stagepass on Twitter

Other Resources

Moonshots : Creating a World of Abundance

Key Quote by Thom Hart

“Entrepreneurship can be applied to so many verticals and industries.”

Get in Contact with Thom Hart

Thom is the founder of Stagepass, a marketplace for creatives to auction experiences to allow their audience to support them. He also just launched a podcast called Traction Growth & Income, which is designed to help creatives and entrepreneurs learn from others that have achieved success on those areas. Thom spent the last 5 years in the Air Force as a physicist, and was stationed at Wright Patterson AFB and Austin, TX, as an instructor at the University of Texas.

Thom Hart on LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Ricoh Danielson, a veteran turned multi-business entrepreneur, author, and advocate for veteran’s rights. Ricoh shares the experience-tested wisdom he (and other veteran entrepreneurs) learned while trying to build a profitable and impactful business. In particular, he goes in depth about the lessons he learned from veterans who created successful businesses with nothing but a plan and hard work.

If you are veteran who needs some entrepreneurial inspiration or mental preparation for what’s ahead, this episode is for you.

Key Points of Discussion

Business failure: How do you recover when your business falls flat on its face?

Key insights from 4 powerful, mission-focused businesses that started from scratch

Building a veteran-owned business from scratch: What mindset do you need to be a success?

Self-care & entrepreneurship

Is serving in the Army a boost or obstacle to entrepreneurship?

What is the key to creating a sustainable business as an entrepreneur

Key Milestones of this Episode

[1:14] Ricoh’s time in the military 

[2:20] The epic business failure of Ricoh’s first business & his successes in the IT industry

[8:10] Big business lessons from other veteran entrepreneur

[9:53] What are some resources and support entrepreneurs can use while building their business?

[11:15] Common success principles of entrepreneurship 

[14: 30] Routine and self-care for entrepreneurs 

[16:35] “Be the expert” 

[18:00] Understanding what your customer really needs 

[23:35] What were some of the biggest surprises you learned while meeting other veteran entrepreneurs?

[27:49] Succeeding at learning from failure

Key Resources

The Rise of the Vetrepreneur: FORTITUDE AND GRIT

Battlefield Parenting: Workbook

Rise of the Vetrepreneur on YouTube 

Ricoh Danielson YouTube channel

Other Resources

Grunt Style 

Trident Coffee

American Grains

Key Quotes by Ricoh Danielson 

Ricoh on success as an entrepreneur: “...stick to the game plan...live well below your means and have a purposeful intention towards the business”

“Your first business may not be ‘it’. Don’t be discouraged.”

“Dream bigger and visualize bigger than you think.”

Get in Contact with Ricoh Danielson

Ricoh Danielson is a veteran who became a lawyer and politician/advocate for veteran’s rights. He is also a consultant for a digital forensics company and author.

Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the Junnell & Associates Law Firm.  Did you serve in the military between 2003 – 2015?  Did you wear 3M combat Version 2 (CAEv2) earplugs? Were you diagnosed by the military as having hearing loss and/or tinnitus?  If so, Junnell & Associates want to talk to you. Please call 800.375.0109. They want to help you like they have helped thousands of others.