#YearOfTheVet

Donald Stockton joins the #YearOfTheVet family with a strong urgency to help the veterans trying to integrate back into the civilian world—by coaching them on the best ways to use their time in college.

A Seabee at heart, Don now serves as a Veteran Advocate primarily through a program implemented by the Department of Veteran Affairs named VITAL, as their Outreach Program Specialist; as well as the President of the University of Nevada Veterans Alumni Chapter.

Through our conversation, Don takes us through the hard times that forced a tough decision of whether or not to sign the papers to get back into the service—and move forward in his career as a reservist… and shares the hardships of trying to be a student, when he frankly wasn’t ready for that role yet.

But as most vets that come to share their stories on here will dive into… there was a SIGNIFICANT bounce back from the man he had once looked in the mirror and hadn’t recognized, to the hero he’s become today.

I first met Donald in Reno at the California Disabled American Veteran’s State conference, and was instantly drawn in by the phenomenal resources that he shared with me that the Nevada colleges have adopted for their student veterans, so if you’re skimming through show notes to find which episode to listen to—and you may want to know more about what other colleges in the nation are doing… this is the one to pay attention to… and then go over to Jose Roman’s conversation and fill in any gaps of missing information there!

I had a blast talking to Donald, so much so that we stayed on the line for another half hour afterward… and I highly encourage you to reach out to him using the contact information at the bottom of the page!

----------
Show Notes

 What veteran resources looked like when Donald had first went to college in Reno after the Navy, and what it looks like now (7:06)

 How veterans can become an asset to the community after college (10:32)

 Pre-Navy Don (11:26)

 Why not do what you’re good at? (12:10)

 How JROTC led Don to join (13:58)

 When America declared war… (17:05)

 How being colorblind carved his career (21:02)

“ If you’re not a part of people’s teams, they’re going to ask you to leave”

 … c’mon guys… grow up… (21:23)

 Struggling between enlistments (22:56)

 The challenge of being reserve (27:27)

 How life can make you re-enlist (30:55)

 Learning by experiencing looking for a job in the civilian sector (34:59)

“You gotta look at where you went wrong, and make adjustments, because if you’re always in the feedback loop, you’re never going to move out of it and move up…”

 The tightness in the chest (37:49)

 The second time around: Explaining the “Weekend Warrior” (40:26)

 A brief explanation of Seabee history (42:04)

 SuperDon! (43:34)

 Perfecto’s perfect timing (45:25)

 How the Student Veterans of America National Conference changed the game… (47:35)

 V.I.T.A.L (Veterans Intergration To Academic Leadership program) (51:19)

 If you earned it… USE IT! (55:08)

“If you think you’re country owes you an education, you have an attitude problem. They didn’t do this for any generation since WWII—until yours. If on the other hand, you feel you owe the American people who gave you wings, via your academic success… I think we’ll all become better veterans—and a country.”
- Gen. Eric Shinseki

 Life after VITAL…? (57:17)

 LEGACY (1:01:48)

 Alumni Chapter of University of Nevada (1:04:20)

 A call to action (1:08:01)

 What Don would tell other vets who are struggling to find themselves today! (1:10:25)

 The art of Fencing (1:12:48)

 Retrospective Don (1:17:24)

----------
Shout out to:

Cesar Melgarejo with the governor's office in Nevada. Thanks for all your help & Perfecto Manuta for opening your doors to this level of advocacy!

In the words of Denver Morris, "Hold on tight, it's going to be a rollercoaster!" Those are the words he'd share with himself as a recruit, and rightfully so. This conversation is FILLED with a everything BUT a literal rollercoaster of high’s and lows.

Enlisting in 2004, and giving his country one solid tour, with two trips to the sandbox, Denver left the Corps wanting to pick up where his teenage mentality left off... which led to cocaine, pushing a guy through a window, and a few attempts at taking his own life.

Getting way too familiar with people turning their backs on him, Denver longed for people's trust; and by 2016... he had the trust of Jay Glazer, and Nate Boyer—founders of Merging Vets and Players (MVP), a program created to bring the warriors from both worlds (both military and professional sport) together to create a space of normalcy and growth.

Throughout the conversation, Denver talks about seeking validation, which is something I believe a lot of us do one we get out. We want to feel like we are worth something, because for some of us, there's a moment after the confetti all settles to the floor and there's nobody left to party with... that we feel like we've just been spit out into a place where judgement come quick and harsh.

“I found what I was good at, because I relate to veterans!” Denver talks about how he got connected with Unbreakable Performance (Los Angeles), and the expansion to both Las Vegas (gym Xtreme Couture MMA), and San Diego—being the newest gym. [Active Duty members are encouraged to join the fun] All locations start stretching out AT 2 pm on Thursdays (but you should really check the Facebook sites for any changes)


One big ask from Denver to you... Please help fund this program by visiting vetandplayers.org and click on the Red Donate tag. Or send a check to:

MVP, c/o The Ozurovich Group, 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1050, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Please make checks payable to "Merging Vets and Players.

----------
Show Notes

Grandpa’s Wisdom about what it takes to raise a family - (8:30)

“I don’t need anyone” - (11:09)

Denver has been bringing people together since stationed in 29 Palms, integrating his newest family with his blood, by bringing them home with him on the weekend! So it makes sense that he would be so natural in being the hype man for the veteran voice when it comes to bringing vets into MVP! - (15:00)

**“I’m a quiet Leader”** - (16:00)

What happens when mentally when, “I mess up” (insecurities) - (17:00)

Outside noise — talk about living life like a high schooler again and living life fully after the service - (18:05)

Jay Glazer - “ own up to it, be proud of it, we are different” - (23:33)

“The Marine Corps raised us up to be men and not have your hand held, but realistically the Corps held my hand by taking care of all the adult stuff we don’t know how to do now on the outside…” - (24:00)

Talk about Finding your self worth, and finding your identity: Find all the resources you can to find what you’re good at… - (26:45)

Continue the conversation of Santa Barbra “Flipping the switch”
- (28:45)

The start of his cocaine addiction and suicide attempt #1 ….. “I Was once a hero… now I’m a nobody” - (30:00)

Denver’s dad once explained to him that, sure… he may never know what it’s like to be in his shoes… "but you [Denver] don’t know what it feels like to say goodbye to his son going overseas…“ "we can play the victim all we want, but at the same time, a lot of people don’t understand how WE feel and I don’t know how THEY feel…" - (35:00)

Volunteers of America (VOA) Hollywood Veteran Center - homeless shelter for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans - (39:30)

Getting service connected, getting backpay, and then blowing the money - being irresponsible with money… - (41:30)

Surrounding yourself with "yes men" that don’t really have your best interest at heart - (43:30)

Triggers that harbor unhealthy routines - (44:11)

The moment he realized he needed a new beginning - (45:30)

"This NEW beginning… was MY choice... I NEED TO BE HUMBLE in 2015" - (49:00)

The newest chapter of his life… MVP - (50:45)

Asking for help - (51:50)

Nate Boyer - (53:00)

Jay Glazer - (60:00)

What is MVP - (62:00)

What MVP has done for Denver and vice versa - (1:08:30)

What it means to Denver to be humble - (1:12:45)

The 2 Goals Denver must hit each day to be productive - (1:17:21)

Ryan Leaf's success story - (1:23:00) (Shout out to Ryan)

Denver’s guidance to the vet’s struggling today - (1:30:00)



Shout outs to Isaac (vegas), Noel (vegas), & AJ (Los Angeles)

The CEO-Adjutant of the Disabled American Veterans – Department of California, and Past State Commander, Mr. Daniel Contreras finally joins the family on this episode of #YearOfTheVet!

…and what an honor it is to have someone so involved with our community of veterans to have set aside the time to share his story with us!

An Army veteran turned health care guru, Dan found himself venturing away from a safe paycheck, into the trenches of veteran advocacy after having a highly respected mentor reach out and remind him that “sometimes it’s not about the paycheck.”

Those words set Dan down a long path of creating a legacy that the DAV has found itself flourishing in; as one of the nations’ most prolific Non-Profit Veteran Service Organizations.

When Dan and I first met, within the first five minutes, he influenced me to be a better veteran—asking me to come up with a way to bridge the gap between our generations of veterans. And although the #YearOfTheVet podcast isn’t directly a result of that conversation, the fire in my belly to continually find ways to bridge the gap is a result… and #YearOfTheVet is a result of that fire.

And I’m not the only person that Dan has worked his magical voodoo on. In fact Dan shares ways to positively influence individuals to do better, and get quality work done over quantity. He shares his mantra of how success is created, and talks about the importance of relationships.

Dan and I talk about opportunity and legacy... culture and family. Dan shares the benefit of having veterans involved in each other’s lives, as well as a call for the community to get involved.

Some of those ways that we can get more involved is by volunteering… and there are many ways that you can give time to the DAV. Ways like becoming a volunteer driver for those service members who don’t have transportation to their medical appointments, or finding a local veteran assistance program available in your community (which you can find here). You can even help to battle issues at Capital Hill with the team of members who fight legislative battles concerning the veteran community, such as their most recent victory of making sure that the Caretaker benefits covered any and all veterans that served outside of the 9/11 era... he even welcomes those that can smoke a good brisket!

Because… It Takes a Village.

But it’s not all business with the DAV. The DAV also likes to host events and send veterans to go enjoy life with each other, as well as their families. Events like the Salmon Derby, hosted by the Monterey Bay Veterans Inc., Military Appreciation Monday at the Golden Corral, sending vets to learn winter sports via “Miracle on a Mountainside,” diving, driving, eating, camping, hunting, sending your kids away to summer camp at Camp Corral… the sky is the limit!

There is a ton of great information packed into this conversation, and not to mention, Dan shares a lot of his story that you don’t normally hear from a leader at his level. I’m very honored to introduce to you, CEO-Adjutant of the Disabled American Veterans – Department of California, Mr. Dan Contreras.

----------
Show Notes

 (5:52) It’s all about Dan… but he turns it on me…

 (8:02) What makes Dan… Dan?

 (9:00) The culture that created Dan

 (12:18) In his brother(s) footsteps…

 (13:27) What’s love got to do with it?

 (14:23) Finding his footing in the Army

 (15:00) The recipe to success.

 (16:24) Noticing opportunity

 (19:20) Generational learning

 (20:39) When opportunity knocks…

 (22:04) The mantra of a successful man…

 (24:16) Why relationships are important: An ode to being good at what you do.

 (27:01) When having enough pushes you to having more.

 (30:07) Why consistency is key.

 (32:56) That moment when: Dan is speaking directly to my soul and doesn’t even know it…

 (37:14) Quality vs. Quantity

 (41:39) Motivating individuals to keep the wheels of the DAV rollin’!

 (44:56) TAKE THAT WEST VIRGINIA DAV!

 (48:38) The Next Generation

 (50:40) Breaking down what the DAV has to offer us…

 (55:19) Are you a Californian Veteran??? Listen up!!!

 (55:51) Who is going to continue the legacy? Is it you?

 (59:42) Expressing the vision of legacy.

 (1:14:05) My eyes are sweating.

----------
Shout Outs:

Jesse Brown Scholarship Program - Youth Volunteers

Volunteer

Volunteer Drivers

Local Veteran Assistance Programs

Veteran Exploration Garden

Miracle on a Mountainside

Commander Access Network

Military Appreciation Monday

Mobile Service Operations

Auxiliary Element - For The Family Members

Camp Corral

Fresno, Ca.

Auberry, Ca.

Bullard High School

Sierra Joint Union High School

Operation Gratitude

RecruitMilitary.com

DAVcal.org

Monterey Bay Veterans Inc

Golden Corral

The Contreras Clan!

Army veteran Cornelius "The Preacher" Maxwell joins the #YearOfTheVet family to share the journey about his transition back to civilian life, what he see's as a huge contributor to PTSD, and shares with us an idea about a Transition Unit that should be adopted into the military as a means of a much smoother (and safer) transition.

Cornelius dives into how military life affects not only affects the service members coming home, but also family, friends, and the community that welcomes them back home!

As well as fitting back into the society you once left, Cornelius is able to give insight on both sides of the college life, having been a young 19 year old before enlisting, and now being the “old head” as a transitioning 30-year old jumping back into the college life after 3 tours in Iraq.

But the main reason "The Preacher" joins the conversation, is to provide the opportunity for us to reach 100,000 veterans in order to memorialize their legacies through the Honor Our Heroes II: Art Exhibition and Award Ceremony, with artwork depicting the affect of war on the veterans, as well as the affect of war on the family and the communities they belong to. The second Honor Our Heroes Art exhibition and Awards Ceremony will be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the State Capital Building, after a successful first run in New Orleans.

Every veteran provided will be solidified in history by being placed in a memorial in the Oklahoma State Capital Building. If you'd like to be a part of the memorial please shoot on over to https://www.lornarenefineart.com and simply provide the veteran's:


1) Name
2) Rank
3) Date of service
4) Branch of Service

----------
Show Notes

Pre-Army Cornelius (05:44)

Education and the Reading Rainbow (06:43)

The 21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership by John Maxwell “One is too small of a number to achieve greatness” (07:37)

The road into the military (08:25)

I find out why Cornelius always dresses to impress… at 2 in the morning (09:40)

Cornelius is basically Lieutenant Dan… “The Army is a family industry” (11:00)

The secret of being needed (12:40)

The end of an era. Deciding that it’s time to leave the Army… (15:00)

The story of why I’ve nicknamed Cornelius “The Preacher” (16:19)

It’s time to become Caesar (19:11)

How to set yourself up for failure… (19:43)

Utilizing other people’s experience of transition to learn from for your own (20:15)

The cultural shift, transitioning into the student vet life (21:30)

Other transition woes: The mindset of “Too Easy!” (25:00)

The importance of ethos and values (27:00)

Cornelius talks about his “Transition Units Theory” (29:15)

I tried to grow a Kimbo Slice beard… (32:40)

What happens when we slow down… (35:03)

How negative transitions affect our communities (39:40)

Cornelius’s own battle with PTSD (41:41)

Honor Our Heroes II: Art exhibition and Awards Ceremony (48:10)

Cornelius’s advice to those leaving the service today! (53:46)

I'm honored to introduce to you my guest for the 241st Marine Corps Birthday episode—Miss Christina R. Silva!

The Executive Producer and Host of The Christina Silva show on LA Talk Radio, and the founder of CRS productions and 'Camies 2 Civies,' a non-profit committed to 'Educating Our Veterans,' and Saving Homes and Saving Lives of military personnel, law enforcement and their families—Christina R. Silva,”CRS” is a US Marine Corps veteran, as well as a Veteran Advocate, who dually serves as a GSA Federal Broker.

This USMC vet brings life to everything she touches. But before she was able to embrace the media mogul and veteran advocate that she is today, she had to fight through her own trials and tribulations—that I'm humbled to have her share with us on this platform.

Bringing a new storyline of transition—the story of the female veteran, we talk creation of success through empowerment, transparency, gratitude, humility, and most importantly... Faith!

You will often find Christina on her Harley on veteran fundraising rides, events and live radio broadcasts helping to provide Creative Resiliency Solutions. Clean Riding Style celebrates smooth military to civilian transitions by imparting life skills while breeding the power of voluntarism and a call to action in local communities world wide.

Recruit Moya was two days shy of graduating Marine Corps Recruit Training when the unthinkable happened. The United States suffered an attack of proportions that shadowed tragedies of the past and thrusted her people into a conflict that would prove to be Bruno's ultimate test. Bruno realized in those moments that he wasn't just about to serve his country, he was about to serve FOR his country .

This #YearOfTheVet conversation introduces Bruno Moya. A Student Veterans of America hype-man, but more importantly a Marine Corps Veteran who now serves as Regional Representative for U.S. Senator Dean Heller.

Named after Giordano Bruno, Moya was challenged by his father at an early age to fuel his curiosity and to challenge the norm. Destined to become a philosopher by fate, Bruno found himself revisiting these values as he served in the Middle East, ultimately leading him down a path towards Capitol Hill.

This path was no Yellow Brick Road.

Coming from a family that were no strangers to putting on a uniform , Bruno’s Marine Corps career started at the school of infantry days after 9/11, fought with 1st MARDIV Fox 223 Marines, and then that life came full circle as he was asked to be a platoon Sgt. at MCT teaching new Marines the skills that they would need to know to survive in the sandbox. And literally from one week to the next, Bruno found himself educating Marines on modern warfare, to valeting cars at Treasure Island in Las Vegas.

Have you ever heard the phrase, life changes in one single moment?

Bruno had that moment.

Bruno is such a stand up guy, that even talking about a man he loathes, he shows respect by calling him a gentleman. In the toughest moment in his life as a veteran, he found wisdom… and that wisdom led to a road of changing policy on Capital Hill.

There’s SO many gems in this conversation between Bruno and I, and I often let him know it as I was editing this episode and scrubbing it for the show notes. Wisdom from both he AND his father such as, “Quien se Enoja Pierde - Whoever gets mad loses,” which is a saying that drives his daily interactions with difficult people... and “Once you learn how to fail, you learn how to live,” which is a saying that drives his daily curiosity.

----------
Show Notes

 (6:45) A man only has his name…

 (8:00) Shout out to the parents who enforce knowledge as “punishment”…

 (10:39) Bruno shares why he’s exceptional in a group setting…

 (11:19) Fighting the Dragon!

 (15:31) Experiencing 9/11 in bootcamp

 (19:02) Know when to walk away…

 (21:14) Experiencing life without the Corps.

 (23:19) “The turning point” aka 1 minute and 24 seconds before my jaw literally drops…

 (30:22) “Quien se Enoja Pierde”

 (32:35) How disappointment continues to set Bruno on track to change the world!

 (35:56) VA counselors are like donuts…

 (39:02) Taking it back to JJDIDTIEBUCKLE

 (41:20) Gathering the proverbial wood for the FIYA!!!!

 (45:29) The Game Changer.

 (50:43) Breaking the mold…

 (56:48) Figuring out how to create legacy

 (1:00:22) I failed a lot before I got there…

 (1:04:12) All that hard work… paid off…

 (1:08:50) Bruno’s connections with our beloved MVP

 (1:14:14) The Legacy

 (1:20:22) Bruno’s Words of Wisdom…. well… more of them….

----------
Shout Outs:

PAVE -Peer Advising for Veteran Education

University of Michigan

VFW

SVA VFW Legislative Fellowship

Jared Lyon

Luis Valera

Randy Dexter - K9s for warriors

Merging Vets and Players - MVP

Steven Padilla

Gerome Sapp

Randy Couture

Noel Huerta

Issac Saldivar

Nate Boyer

UNLV

Rebel Vets (Running Rebels)

Jeff Detrick

Ross Bryant

Leatherneck Club

Congresswoman Dina Titus

United States Senator Dean Heller

Senator Harry Reid

Congressman Cresent Hardy

Student Veterans of America - SVA

Michael Dakduk

Tony Montenegro

Xtreme Couture

Donald Stockton

Denver Morris

In episode 13, #YearOfTheVet welcomes Bob Wheeler, THE Human Resources and Recruiting guy, who now works in sales at ClearedJobs.net — with a passion for helping other vets better position themselves in the job market.

Unfortunately I only got to pick Bob's brain for an hour, but fortunately—I got to pick Bob's brain for an hour!

Bob brings to the table an immeasurable amount of absolutely useful information for anyone in the midst of transition, whether it'd be transitioning from the military, or from one career to another.

----------
Show Notes

Some of the main key points Bob addresses:

-Placing yourself in positions to meet people, and "striking" when the iron’s hot...

-The best place to EAS...

-The best time to start planning your transition...

-Go to places that are doing the things you’d like to do, in order to learn what you need to know...

-Twilight tours...

-Security Clearances; How they aid you on the outside, and how to keep them from expiring...

-The art of the resume; what to have and have not on it and how to make it relatable...

-Learning your worth in the civilian sector...

-College...

-Service record blemishes...

...but most importantly — the process of how ClearedJobs.net works for the veteran.

Bob has given the green light for listeners to reach out to him if any questions or comments come up from the conversation, so feel free to contact him at:


Don't forget to follow ClearedJobs.net on Facebook, twitter, and LinkedIn to be in the know for job firs in your area.

Adam Maneen joins the #YearOfTheVet family on this episode to introduce to the veteran population, the idea that we have the ability to be a presence larger than Amazon, EBAY, and Etsy... and I believe him.
Here's why you should too!

Adam, an Army Infantry Officer turned Online Marketplace owner, has noticed a gap in how veteran owned businesses are being represented in the marketplace. With a little over 2.5 million veteran owned businesses out there providing goods and services to the everyday citizens of the US of A, the average consumer wouldn't be able to determine whether or not they are supporting a veteran made product... if that's something they chose to do.

Being a supportive husband accidentally sent Adam down this road of creating a dedicated marketplace for Military-Owned and First Responder-Owned Businesses after trying to help his wife sell baby headbands on Etsy. They noticed that their great idea of a safe baby-band would've been lost in the thousands of other listings, and on top of that, Etsy would've charged a listing fee as well as taken a pretty penny of what they made. Selling there wasn't justifiable.

Therefore Patriotic Online Marketplace, LLC (aka POMP USA) was created. POMP has been established to battle the current oversaturated marketplace that nickels & dimes their vendors. An active duty, veteran, and immediate family friendly platform—POMP prides themselves on not having any listing fees or membership fees, and giving those who've served, the ability to have their own marketplace to sell their products and make the most money doing it.

But POMP isn't going to be successful because it's one of it's kind... no. POMP USA is going to be successful because Adam is the epitome of a winner. Pursuing the American Dream, the Adam Created this business with just a wish to help his wife make some extra cash on Etsy, and has gone from not being able to spell "IT" to becoming the internet guru, watching the analytics and trends of the internet—as well as facilitate the structural integrity of the website. But those lessons didn't come cheap. Two houses, his Thrift Savings Plan, many packs of ramen (and I'm sure—a VERY stressed out wife), Adam has had to learn to manage a company from the ground up—while learning to trust himself as a CEO of what has the potential to be a contender with the already established household named like Amazon, and Etsy... with the right partners—that I'm sure that will be in his corner soon...

...because Adam is a winner.

Currently, POMP USA has 170+ vendors and over 4300 products on their online market. Items from fashion apparel, bath and beauty, jewelry, home decor, coffee, pet supplies handcrafted items, sporting goods, everyday carry items… pretty much anything you can think of that you can get on another market place—you can find on Patriotic Online Market Place.


-----------
Show Notes

 Introducing Adam (4:25)

 Bartending to Boot Stomping (5:58)

 The background of a patriot (7:35)

 The birth of an entrepreneur! (8:51)

 All she wanted was a supportive husband… She got POMP… (10:25)

 This grunt hits a Technical wall (13:51)

 Being taken advantage of cost BIG bucks… (14:15)

 Reflecting on a $100k lesson (15:24)

 Development is a never ending mission (16:21)

 Stocking the proverbial shelves! (17:31)

 It really is THAT easy… (21:03)

 Providing value (23:03)

 Selling on Amazon already? No problem… We’re an Amazon affiliate (24:16)

 Keeping the military Identity… secure (25:37)

 Perusing POMP (27:52)

 Do you sell blow-up dolls? (29:20)

 The future of POMP: Teamwork makes the dream work (30:19)

 The moment that Adam stands out and sells POMP (32:27)

 I really show how little I understand business (34:09)

 The type of partners Adam is looking for, to make POMP USA the total package (36:15)

 The numbers don’t lie… (37:11)

 Running a small business vs. Running PT (38:53)

 Risk vs. Reward (40:50)

 Hunger. Thirst. Grit. (43:34)

 Adam brings the wisdom on a weathered warrior can bring! (46:22)

Help spread the word about POMP USA. And here's how you can also help. Visit https://pompusa.org and create an account. Next, Save it as a favorite on your bookmark bar right in the middle of all the other saved items, and when you open Amazon, Etsy, or Ebay by habit... also click on POMP USA, and see if they have what you're looking for as well!

----------

Shout Outs:

Of Course if These Companies are Looking Sponsor Adam... That Would be Awesome...

USAA

Navy Federal

Regular Shout Outs to...

VMI (Virginia Military Institute)

Green to Gold program

Amazon Affiliate

ID.me

“Listen to your elders!” I know we’ve all heard that before, and the older we get—we realize we were told that for good reason! Not to date the latest guest to join the #YearOfTheVet family, Michael Anthony Carr, but this Kosovo era veteran brings some wisdom to the conversation from his childhood in the Bronx right before the beginning of Hip-Hop, to the longest and most tiresome (and rewarding) job we’ll ever have… Marriage.
Having a nomad's heart, “Mike-C” (which I never once call him, but it seems like a very fitting Bronx name) talks about culture, traveling, and how all that facilitated this journey for him to find his brand, which as of today we can address as the Dreadlock Connoisseur!

Michael is the epitome of an entrepreneur, being that he’s found himself working “on” radios in the service, to petroleum, computer repair, phone cards, investing, sales, wine, blogging, and some jobs that shall remain nameless in writing, and you’ll have to catch it in the conversation. However, even with all that background of being a Jack-of-all-Trades, Michael soon recognized from “being an entrepreneur, and continuously falling over,” he learned that his mindset of “make money, and run your own stuff [isn’t] a true vision…” and that is where he really learned about his brand: Leadership.

---

Show Notes

We literally talk about so much that I couldn’t fit into the intro, and if I wrote it out, it’d be a publishable short story… so here are some bullet points of our time together! We talk about:

 Growing up in an artistic house,

 The secret to a loooong marriage,

 Life before Hip-Hop,

 Traveling,

 Mortality ← Make sure you hear this right here…

 Building your own legacy,

 Using Space-A (space available flights) to fly to cities before you get out to recon the area you may move to!

 Being resourceful,

 Learning from past mistakes,

 Mindsets,

 Being capable of ANYTHING,

 Racial divides,

 Standing up for your peers, and selflessness,

 Taking sabbaticals to reset,

 Dealing with survivor's guilt and PTSD today…

… and seriously so much more. I was honored to have a seasoned veteran such as Michael on #YearOfTheVet, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

*I want to apologize to Mike for taking over his conversation at times… I was just THAT engaged with what he had to say!”*

From the cardboard to chemo, Tim Lawson's journey of resilience started as a young teenager battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and now he joins us as the newest member of the #YearOfTheVet family!

November 2002… a 17 year-old aspiring B-Boy gets diagnosed with cancer… May 2003: remission… 2006: a Hard-Charging Marine. Not too long after separation... a suicide survivor...

This conversation takes Tim from behind his mic, and gives him the platform to talk about himself for once—and thank God for that!

The conversation we have is so rich with knowledge and personality, and we cover topics as deep as depression, to the reason we should wear pants during an interview.

Tim created his foundation in Digital Media in the days before podcasting and social media were popular forms of entertainment… and what that means is that he’s been honing his craft for the better half of decade, having created and ended more projects than Thanksgiving dinners you’ve eaten since Y2K. What drove him was the love he had for talking to people, as well as being able to freely create creative content—and throughout that time he got to experience the highs, and he also really experienced the lows. And because of his journey, he’s able to come onto #YearOfTheVet and share the lessons learned during his road to the top!

Tim and I talk transition (of course), entrepreneurship, podcasts… but we also talk about the importance of seeking out someone to be able to talk to, as well as the expense of “finding yourself.” A lesson learned from this conversation is to not keep your mouth closed when you want or need something, and that it’s ok to rely on your network for not only times of abundance, but also in times of need.

As it pertains to dealing with depression, which Tim is well versed in, he mentions that awareness is key, and suggests that an individual should seek out therapy when feeling good and happy, and not as a last resort—or when depressed. And that’s mainly because therapy should be seen as a tool, and not as a weakness or a burden.

And speaking of tools… Tim shares a few of his favorites, that he feels will help individuals be better versions of themselves!

I had a phenomenal time talking to the man with the Golden Voice, and I hope that you enjoy this conversation with Marine Corps Veteran… Mr. Timothy Lawson!

---------------------------
Show Notes

 (5:14) The Voice of an Angel

 (6:01) The Grand Ol' Man of Podcasts

 (6:48) Pre-Marine Corps Tim

 (7:25) Who Needs School When You Have a Cardboard Box?

 (7:56) Passionate About Passions...

 (8:51) When Life Strikes...

 (10:33) Being Invincible.

 (14:38) From B-Boy to Barracks...

 (19:04) Is Serving Your Country Unethical? Survey Says...

 (20:12) Becoming the Best of the Best... of the Best.

 (21:44) Geography for Marines...

 (22:48) Marine to Media Mogul!

 (23:32) The Regrets of a Content Creator…

 (25:28) That Moment When Tim Shows His Age...

 (26:59) The Perks of Podcasting

 (28:39) Tim's Transition into the Unknown

 (31:13) Pride and Homelessness

 (32:34) The Knowledge Nobody can Prepare you for...

 (33:49) You are Worthy!

 (36:06) How Tim Learned to Wear Pants...

 (37:28) The Resources (un)Available

 (38:09) Tim Talks Transition

 (39:46) Shining Light on the Dark

 (43:30) Tim has a Revelation...

 (45:13) Growth from Death

 (48:13) Acknowledging Triggers

 (50:51) Controlling the Controllables

 (52:02) A Different Type of Therapist

 (53:36) Tim's Thoughts About Therapy

 (55:12) How Hard Work Pays Off...

 (55:56) First, No entrepreneur really knows what they're doing

 (56:29) Nobody wants to ACCOUNT!

 (57:41) The Legend of the Mysterious Work/Life Balance

 (59:09) Same Say Luck, I Say Prepared...

 (1:02:23) Tim's Words of Wisdom


-----

Shout Outs:

Veteran Empire

The friends that opened their doors.

TalkSpace

The Wifey

Fred Wellman – ScoutComms

USAA

SVA

GoRuck

Mark Rockefeller – Founder of Street Shares

www.One2ManyProject.com