Veteran On the Move

About this Episode

Jake Miller, a veteran Amazon seller, joins us on The Veteran on the Move Podcast; to discuss his amazon business growth after serving as a marine corp. Jack dived into Amazon sales, while active in the Marine Corps serving at Okinawa Japan.

Today, Jake Miller executes Amazon sales on both online and retail arbitrage on a full-time basis after he quit his military duties to follow the entrepreneurial path.

He credits his father for introducing him into Amazon sales. This introduction to sales sparked his interest in entrepreneurship, realizing that he wasn't willing to follow the military career route for a lifetime.

Jake started with a fitness apparel shop that never did well. But he takes great pride in the lessons from his business failures. These failures have enabled him to grow his business to where it is today.

Key Points of Discussion

Why selling on Amazon is an easy and pleasant way for people to make money.

Private Label vs. Online and Retail Arbitrage on selling on Amazon.

The factors that affect business productivity and sales on Amazon.

Key Milestones of this Episode

[01:49] Miller's backstory on the military career to transitioning onto sales.

[06:01] How Jake Miller started on Amazon.

[08:56] The lessons Jake Miller learned from his business failures.

[12:37]Why selling on Amazon can be a good source of secondary income for militants in service.

[14:15] Why Jake believes that Okinawa in Japan, was a good location for him to start his Amazon business.

[15:20] Why Germany is an ideal location to make money quickly by selling on Amazon.

[17:35] The amount of money Jake made in his first year of selling on Amazon.

[23:59] How working from home, co-working spaces and libraries can affect your business growth.

[25:41] Different ways on how you can source for products to sell to your customers.

[27:27] Jake Miller's story on how he made a mistake in sourcing for products ad how it affected his business.

[30:20] Jake Miller's products selling actively on Amazon.

[30:51] Why retail arbitrage can be a great way to make money fast on Amazon.

[33:17] Factors that influence pricing and availing products on Amazon, that you may not know.

[35:06] Retail arbitrage vs. Private product label sales on Amazon.

[37:00] The different software Jake uses to manage his Amazon sales.

[38:40] Jake's advice to people interested in entrepreneurship.

Key Resources

Boots to Business course

Key Quotes by Jake Miller

A big step towards growth is having your own space that you could go to, sit down and just focus. You've got no choice.

Amazon is so great because you can do it from anywhere, you can take with you. It's global.

Use what is around you and what you like and that's a great way to start your brand.

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 help thousands of others.

About this Episode

In this episode, Bunker Labs City Leader and podcast host Joe Crane talks about Bunker Labs, a veteran entrepreneurship program that is focused on helping veteran entrepreneurs and military spouses find the quickest route to a successful business.

 Key Bullet Points

Quick notes on Bunker Labs

Entrepreneurship Training with Launch Lab Online

Getting sponsored workspace with WeWork Veterans in Residence

The CEO Circle

 Key Milestones of the Episode

[01:50]  Joe’s exposure to Bunker Labs

[03:30] Introduction to Bunker Labs

[04:46] How Bunker Labs helps veterans successfully start their own business

[09:15]  Entrepreneurship Training with Launch Lab Online

[10:36]  Mission I: Know Yourself

[11:45]  Mission II:  Know Your Customer

[13:57]  The Ideal Scenario for Going into Entrepreneurship

[15:23]  Entrepreneurship Training with Launch Lab Online Contd.

[15:26]  Mission III: Product-Market fit.       

[16:13]  Mission IV: Making Money

[17:01]  Free access in WeWork with the Veterans in Residence program

[20:15]  What’s next after the Veterans in Residence program?

[21:57]  Bunker Brews event

Key Resources

Bunker Labs website

Launch Lab Online

Other Resources

WeWork Veterans in Residence

Key Quotes

“One of many reasons why veterans are not becoming entrepreneurs is that they don’t know all of the options available to them.” - Joe Crane

 “Sometimes, having a successful business is the worst thing that can happen to you.” – Joe Crane 

“You need to figure out the life you want and build a business around it.” – Joe Crane

“If you’re still in the military and you really want to get into entrepreneurship, do as much work and research as you possibly can to try to somehow get started.” – Joe Crane 

“Failed businesses are the best educator of all.” – Joe Crane

“It might not be a good idea if they are not willing to pay for it.” – Joe Crane

“The money side of your business has to make sense, regardless of how many people love your product.” – Joe Crane

“The monthly meeting surrounds CEOs of validated, stable companies with the resources, networks, and mentors they need to position their company for future success.” - Joe Crane

“The first Bunker Brews event in Kansas City is now scheduled for Thursday, August 29.” – Joe Crane 

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 

In this episode, we talk with Gaye Lisby and Garry Ray about a unique business opportunity with Amazon (Amazon Retail Arbitrage and Private Label) that could change the lives and wallets of current service members and veterans. Garry and Gaye share how they got into the Amazon business, some tips on getting started, and strategies for turning a hefty profit just by shopping.

Key Bullet Points

    Why Amazon is a good opportunity for service members, veterans, military spouses, and stay-at-home Moms

    Different ways of selling on Amazon - Private Label vs Retail Arbitrage

    Tools and strategies for finding the most profitable profits

    Advice for people new to the Amazon selling world

 Key Milestones of the Episodes

[1:40] Garry & Gaye’s introduction to Amazon

[7:38] Amazon Private Label vs Arbitrage

 [10:12] Garry’s story of selling fly strips to make big bucks

[11:44] Why are prices different for the same Amazon item in different places?

[13:53] Why Gaye started the Amazon Sellers Tribe group

[21:00] What are lists?

[23:06] What are replenishables 

[25:20] What advice would you give to someone who is new to Amazon?

Key Resources

Amazon Selling Tribe & List (Plus 7-day free trial)

Key Quotes

“Amazon was the furthest thing from my mind.” - Gaye Lisby

“...if I ever can find a job where you get paid for shopping. We would get a fortune.” - Garry Ray

“Our first 100 days, we sold $117,000.” - Garry Ray

“Amazon now is larger than Walmart, Target, and Costco combined.”- Garry Ray

“One of the best ways to grow and do something in the business field is to find a need and fill it.” - Gaye Lisby 

About Our Sponsor

War Dragons is a powerfully awesome 3-D, real-time mobile game and over 150 that will take your world-building strategy to a level that you never imagined 

Learn more at http://www.veteranonthemove.com/wardragons

How to start a podcast business is what Army Veteran Pete Turner shares with us after after a rough transition out of the Army.  We talk with Pete Turner about counterintelligence, the struggles to building a career after transitioning out of the military, and the realities of launching your own profitable podcast business from scratch.  Pete not only started his own podcast business where he provides full production services for other podcasters but also is the host for his own podcast.

Key Bullet Points

    Life in counterintelligence: What it’s like to be a spy?

    Finding a good job after your military service

    Building your own business from scratch

    Scaling your business from side hustle to main business muscle

    Monetizing your business

Key Milestones of the Episode

[1:14] Pete’s time in the military

 [3:00] The problem of getting hired...especially as a veteran

 [11:15] Pete’s dive and career pivot into podcasting

 [13:25] The mental struggles of transition

 [18:50] Growing a profitable business with your audience

 [21:30] The struggle of being a solopreneur

 [32:11} What advice would you give other athletes about transitioning out of the military

Key Resources

“Break it Down” Show 

Other Resources

Echo in Ramadi: The Firsthand Story of US Marines in Iraq's Deadliest City

Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America and The New Face of American War 

Rudy Reyes

Small Business Administration

Key Quotes

“My transition story, like a lot of them, is really rough.”

“I went from having the commander’s ear...to carrying couches.”

“My network was all warlords.”

“What made me a great handyman was that I was great with the customers.”

 “I became the #1 Taskrabbit in ...all of the San Francisco Bay area.”

 “I went from being extremely relevant...to being completely useless.”

 “Everyday, I felt impending doom was over my head.”

 “There’s a lot of ways to monetize. It’s just how do you pay the bills?“

Get in Contact with Pete Turner

Pete Turner is a former military counterintelligence spy who now works as a podcast consultant, co-host, security analyst, and executive producer of the Break it Down Show and several other podcasts. He is the co-founder and executive producer of Lion Rock Productions. 

Website

LinkedIn

Twitter

Instagram

About Our Sponsor

War Dragons is a powerfully awesome 3-D, real-time mobile game and over 150 that will take your world-building strategy to a level that you never imagined

Learn more at http://www.veteranonthemove.com/wardragons

Looking for another way to help veterans while playing War Dragons?  Check out this link: https://wardragons.com/blog/228/veteran-support-partnership-with-stack-up

About this Episode  

In this episode, we talk with Dave Gerber about the growing pains of starting your business from scratch, dealing with conflict in a practical way, and expanding our perspective about what it means to heal. Dave shares why conflict and healing isn’t as complicated as it seems and how we can leverage both conflict and healing to be stronger.

 Key Bullet Points  

    Tips and growing pains to expect while growing your own business while escaping your “9 to 5”

    Why we need to transform our view of conflict and why avoiding conflict is bad

    Dave’s transition from leadership coach to martial artist to healer

    Dave’s Healing for Tough Guy program

    Keeping an open mind about our options for healing

 Key Milestones of the Episode

[1:06] Dave’s career background and entrepreneurial journey

[4:00] Getting clients for your business when you’re just starting out

[5:22] Mistakes and growing pains while growing a business

[9:50] What are the basic things an organization or group should do to avoid conflict?

[15:00] Why we shouldn’t run away from conflict in the workplace

[18:54] Opening up to other ways of self- healing

 [35:30] Final word of advice

Key Quotes

(Regarding some of Dave’s first clients) “They showed up with education but no funding.”

“Being good in your content doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to create a successful business.”

 “People like to buy but they don’t like to feel sold.”

“People have to be realistic about what they’re selling, especially as we’re moving so fast into the digital age…”

“If an organization doesn’t have a reproducible model [for dealing with conflict][ that every employee knows how to use and how to prepare for difficult conversations...I would argue that whatever else they are doing is never going to work to the level they want it to.”

 “Other people’s behavior can’t be an excuse for us not doing what we know to be the best version of ourselves.”

 “The ability to self-heal was the piece that wasn’t talked about in leadership.”

 “If it’s lonely at the top, we have to figure out what to do about it.”

 “Healing and healing [the] self is actually the strongest thing to do.”

 “Sometimes it’s just a simple shift for people.”

 “Meditation doesn’t have to be this scary thing and that what I’m trying to help people understand.”

Key Resources

Synergy Training & Development, LLC

Other Resources 

Conflict Calculator

Get in Contact with Dave Gerber

Dave Gerber is a former teacher who launched his own business in conflict management and resolution (Synergy Training & Development, LLC). He is a keynote speaker, author, and instructor who has worked with a variety of clients ranging from government leaders to NASA.

Website

LinkedIn

Twitter

About Our Sponsor

War Dragons is a powerfully awesome 3-D, real-time mobile game and over 150 that will take your world-building strategy to a level that you never imagined

 Learn more at http://www.veteranonthemove.com/wardragons

About this Episode  

In this episode, we talk with Walter Disney, a Navy SEAL who spent 13 years and 3 deployments in the Navy, who came back to serve his community as a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist.

 Key Bullet Points

Walter Disney shares his military background

 The question you’re bound to ask: So..you’re not related to Walt Disney?

  The transition out of Navy SEALS and the important lesson the Teams teaches that can help with transitioning

 The huge mental shift that happens when veterans get out of the service

 Why responsibility is the key to owning your destiny-even if it’s not your fault

  The one message every single veteran needs to hear.

 Key Milestones of the Episodes

[1:08] Matt’s military experience

[5:00] A “Mickey Mouse” story courtesy of the Navy SEALS training

[7:17] Why Walter Disney decided to go into psychology

[8:22] How he made the transition into a therapist

[14:20] Why getting support is vital to people with veterans & PTSD

[29:00] How do you deal with burnout

[35:30] Final word of advice

Key Resources

Disney Family Therapy

Other Resources 

The Healthy Mind Platter

Doc Parsley “America’s Biggest Problem” (TEDx Talk)

Key Quotes

“It’s like ‘What’s a fly-over state guy doing in the Indy Ocean?”

 “The Sharpie is one of the best things. You should never go to combat without it.”

“People who did psychology ...were all PHD’s, and that almost made me nauseous."

“There is something important about hope.”

“‘I’ve heard it said that when the desires of your heart meet the greatest needs of humanity, you’ve found your calling and purpose in life”

"Don’t be surprised if it takes a couple of years to really get your ‘sea legs’ back  under you.”

“People need to take responsibility for their journey. The crap that they had to go through is not their fault, but it is their responsibility.”

“We always have the choice...the choice…”

"I think we have the opportunity to create a “current” ‘ Greatest Generation.”

"When all else fails,Joe,  society will turn to warriors. They always have, to make things good again.”

“Everything has something to contribute.”

“Nobody can poop for you.”

“The most important part about therapy is the bond....”

“We don’t get to pick our gifts when we’re made. We get to choose whether or not to use them for the greater good of humanity. There is nobody out there who does not have gifts or value.”

“Challenge only makes us stronger.”

Get in Contact with Walt Disney

Walt Disney is a former NAVY SEAL who worked as a NAVY SEAL, medic, sniper, and paramedic, and instructor  licensed family and marriage therapist.

Walter Disney’s profile Psychology Today

About Our Sponsor

War Dragons is a powerfully awesome 3-D, real-time mobile game and over 150 that will take your world-building strategy to a level that you never imagined

Learn more at http://www.veteranonthemove.com/wardragons

About this Episode

In this episode, we talk with Matt Louis a former military officer turned author and entrepreneur, on his transition from military life into the corporate world. Matt shares the speed bumps that challenged his career and he leveraged those obstacles to grow a side hustle and a published book.

Key Bullet Points

Matt’s plan for transitioning out of the military

     What made Matt decide to start a side hustle

     Lessons learned from his first side hustle failure

     Networking vs Resume: What is more important?

     Finding time for your side hustle

     Publishing: Do you need an agent for a book? What is the process like?

     The most important feature to market your book

Key Milestones of the Episodes

[1:13] Matt’s military experience

[2:25] How Matt prepared to transition out of the military….and what ultimately happened

[5:44] Matt’s decision to never be caught without a plan B

[8:13] What is the key: Networking vs resume?

[8:44] What are the roadblocks to dialing in to your “deep work”?

[14:02] How to get picked up by an agent

Key Resources

Mission Transition: Navigating the Opportunities and Obstacles to Your Post-Military Career

Get in Contact with Matt

Matt Louis is a West Point graduate who served in the First Gulf War and in the Reserves.  He retired as a Colonel.

Matthew J. Louis’s Website

Matthew J. Louis on LinkedIn

Matthew J. Louis on 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.

David Richardson is from Waterford, Michigan. From an early age, he was taught to draw and paint by his mother, an artist and an art teacher. Richardson served as a combat arms officer and martial arts instructor for twenty-two years in the USMC, later retiring to paint and write. He was awarded for valor (Bronze Star with V device) during combat operations in Anbar Province, Iraq and served three tours in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. War Story is his first novel.

David Richardson- Military Experience

David was an artillery officer in the Marine Corps.  He taught artillery school for a while and was at George Washington University as MOI prior to going into combat as a military combat team OIC.  David did a tour in Afghanistan and East Africa but the highlight was being an advisor to the Iraqi Army in Iraq during 2006.

“And that’s kind of what the book actually focused on, that’s why I mention it..” -David Richardson

Transitioning

When David left the Marine Corps, he requested from the monitor when he left Korea to be given a job where he learned something as a civilian and the leadership they teach you in the Marine Corps.  They assigned David to NAVSEA which was an acquisition command and something that he had never done. Upon retiring he got a job at a contracting company.

“Really what I was wanting to do was write a book and sell my paintings because I had painted the whole time I was in the Marine Corps.” -David Richardson

Entrepreneurial Venture

David was painting and started showing his work in galleries around 1998-2000.  He developed a style that was appealing to contemporary art galleries and had difficulty collecting money from the galleries.  David ended up in New York showing his paintings and it did not move as fast as he wanted. Now David represents himself and sells more paintings now than he did through galleries.

“I actually rent venues in downtown DC and an artist friend of mine, who’s never been in the military and he writes for one of the local papers, we do shows together.” -David Richardson

Writing A Book

David’s first novel is War Story.  He talks about determination being the biggest take away from the Marine Corps that helped him write a book.  David simply would not give up and saw it through to the end. Giving up was not an option in the Marine Corps.  He wrote three or four pages at a time and took a lot of advice.

“You develop thick skin in the Marine Corps, and for somebody to look at your writing and go you need to change this or that, I never fell in love with my own book.” -David Richardson

To hear more about David’s entrepreneur 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.

JF Murphy is the founder and CEO of American Hero Missions, an educational technology company. A former Marine Corps infantry officer and an Iraq veteran, his company's mission is to develop content that gets kids reading, developing leadership skills, and gaining pride in American heroes and history.

Jim Murphy- Military Experience

Jim was an infantry officer in the Marine Corps.  He did one stint of active duty with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines in Hawaii where he had a great time.  Jim worked in Washington D.C. on the hill and then left active duty for a year. Once 9/11 happened, he returned to active duty for 2 years.  He was deployed to Iraq in 2003 during the invasion then decided he would get out.

“I had a plan in place and when I got out and was applying to business schools while I was still in the Marine Corps.  I was lucky enough to get into the University of Southern California.” -Jim Murphy

Business Plan Journey

Jim earned his MBA from USC and started developing toy concepts, brand and entertainment properties.  This is where American Hero Missions began and developed over time. During his program he was a finalist in a business plan competition and won several awards.  After completing his MBA, Jim got a job at Mattel, the largest toy company in the world.

“I worked at a bunch of different companies and said, I’ve got to do my own thing.” -Jim Murphy

Entrepreneurial Venture

When Jim started his company he instilled lessons learned from his previous jobs and still made a few mistakes.  He cited an example of creating physical cats and tell stories about American Hero and leaders to get kids reading, develop leadership skills and getting pride for American Heroes and history.  They tell real historic stories and now make physical products.

“I was an overnight success, but my overnight took 15 years..” -Jim Murphy

To hear more about Jim’s entrepreneur 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.  

Show Sponsor

“I have slept on the dirt, the green yoga mat and military cot many a night during my days in the military and now I sleep in lots of hotel rooms when I’m on the road.  So I know a good mattress when I see one. A few weeks ago we got our new GhostBed and let me tell you…..it’s the best mattress I’ve ever slept on. We don’t ever see ourselves going back to a traditional mattress.” -  Joe Crane

What separates GhostBed Mattresses from the others?  They are found on the principle of delivering a bigger, better and more comfortable mattress at a lower cost.  GhostBed has three mattresses all designed to help you sleep better, they offer a 101 night hassle free return and amazing customer service.  GhostBed has over 20,000 customer reviews so you need to check them out at http://www.veteranonthemove.com/ghostbed

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.

France Hoang is a veteran entrepreneur who has been on the founding teams of companies that have generated over $600 million of combined sales and employed over 1,200 professionals across the fields of law, aerospace, defense, government services, and technology.

France Hoang- Military Experience

France was born in Vietnam in 1973. In 1975 he was with his family in Saigon when Communist forces were closing in on the area. Luckily, him and his family were evacuated by US forces and brought to America. France said this experience motivated him to join the US Military. He has been commissioned twice terms and was honorably discharged both times. France previously deployed to the Former Yugoslavia during Operations Joint Endeavor and Joint Guard and later served as the Deputy Chief of Police and SWAT Commander for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He also previously worked as a lawyer at the law firm of Williams & Connolly and briefly served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.

“And based on that experience I felt motivated and obligated to join the military, which I did.” -France Hoang

Education and Experience

France graduated in the academic top 1% of his West Point class, received a Masters in Criminal Justice from Washburn University, and graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. He somehow also managed to pass both Ranger School and the CPA Exam. France also has over 20 years of national security experience, with service in every branch of the U.S. Government. He clerked for Judge Thomas Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and was appointed by President George W. Bush as an Associate White House Counsel and Special Assistant to the President. Shortly after leaving the White House, France mobilized in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM where he served as the Executive Officer of a U.S. Army Special Forces Company on a combat deployment in Southeast Afghanistan. France said he never really had any plans to start up a business during his time in the military.

Entrepreneurial Company

France was in contact with a guy by the name of Joe Fluitt during his time in the military. Joe had been in France’s ear about joining one of the companies he had started up when he got back from Afghanistan. France was never planning on getting involved with entrepreneurship, as he planned on going back to being a lawyer. France rejected the offer, but gave it a few days and thought about it. After careful consideration, France accepted Joe’s offer. France's current and previous Board service includes MAG Aerospace, the Stimson Center, Marymount University, Bunker Labs, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade. France also serves as an advisor to the ABA Standing Committee on Law & National Security. France has been quoted by Law360, American Lawyer, National Defense Magazine, and the Federal Times, and his commentary has been published by the Wall Street Journal.

“I applied what I called the rocking chair test, which is the things that you would regret not having done when you’re 98 years old sitting in your rocking chair.” -France Hoang

To hear more about France’s entrepreneur 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.  

Show Sponsor

“I have slept on the dirt, the green yoga mat and military cot many a night during my days in the military and now I sleep in lots of hotel rooms when I’m on the road.  So I know a good mattress when I see one. A few weeks ago we got our new GhostBed and let me tell you…..it’s the best mattress I’ve ever slept on. We don’t ever see ourselves going back to a traditional mattress.” -  Joe Crane

What separates GhostBed Mattresses from the others?  They are found on the principle of delivering a bigger...