Rob is the Co-Founder and COO of ZeroEyes, an AI weapons detection platform that helps identify threats at first sight. In this interview we talk about:
>> WHY Rob has made it his mission to end mass shootings
>> How Rob has built a team that is ~60% military Veterans
>> How entrepreneurship is an alternating feeling of hiding under your desk, or jumping on top of your desk
>> What it's like to be COO of a quickly growing company
I recently read a book that I love: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.
I've read a lot of books on productivity, and this is by far one of the best I've read. Because it takes a completely different approach to our view of time and how to get things done.
In this episode, I go through a tactical list he includes in the book about 10 Tools for Embracing Your Finitude. I hope this helps you as much as it helped me.
Ryan is a case study in being proactive, intentional, and open to feedback. He shares some crazy stories about how his side hustles (6+) led to his eventual founding of Gridwise, which has raised over $20M in funding to date. Whether or not you're interested in entrepreneurship, you'll benefit from Ryan's story.
Why Listen:
2 years after our initial conversation, Herb Thompson is back on Beyond the Uniform. In this conversation, we talk about topics including:
What LinkedIn is and isn't
How Herb wrote his first book in a single weekend
How companies leveraging Veterans are improving their bottom line, not doing charity
How to own your journey
Building a bridge rather than a wall
How Veterans gaining employment and success helps us all
How important it is to believe you belong
Why Herb chose to stand in front of 60,000 people, even though it made him uncomfortable
Why it's important to not do anything alone
You can (and should) follow Herb Thompson on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herb-thompson-sf2biz/
Why Listen:
I found the modern incarnation of Alexander Hamilton. This must be what Dr. Dre felt like when he discovered Eminem. He’ll be interviewed by Tim Ferriss one day, but know that his warm-up was with @Beyond the Uniform.
Michael Muir and I connected via a LinkedIn post. We chatted for 20 minutes, and I knew I had to interview him.
Here’s what you should know about Michael:
- He spent much of his childhood homeless or in foster homes
- He left a full ride to the University of Wisconsin to follow his intuition
- He joined the Marines
- He went to Brown
- He joined Bain & Company
- He works at SVB
- He’s interned at places including HBO, Google, and Deloitte
If I had this story, you couldn’t get me to shut up about it. But despite his incredible accomplishments, Michael is humble, introspective, and honest.
Had I been dealt the same set of cards as Michael, I’m not sure where it would have ended up. But I have a strong suspicion it wouldn’t be Brown, Bain, or SVB.
I hope you enjoy this interview with Michael Muir.
Why Listen:
This is an inspirational episode. Jesse is a case study in pursuing one’s dream - figuring out what unique aspirations you have, finding others to hold you accountable, and not letting the opinions or doubts of others get in your way. Jesse talks about how he used a kickstarter campaign, credit cards, and his personal savings to inch his way closer - one race at a time - to becoming a NASCAR driver. We talk about advocating for yourself, how to run a crowdfunding campaign, and how to train day in and day out to make your dreams come true. The topics we cover in this episode are relevant to every single career path - whether you too want to become a NASCAR driver, or want to start your own business, or write a book, or whatever your personal goals may be. If you like this episode check out our show notes at BeyondTheUniform.io, where, in addition to the resources we discuss in this episode, I also list 3 other episodes very similar to this one.
About Jesse:
Jesse Iwuji is the first active duty US Naval Officer to compete in NASCAR. He is also the Founder of The Red List Group which is an auto racing event company bringing drag racers together from the West to compete for trophies and cash prizes at track events. He started out at the Naval Academy, after which he served as a Surface Warfare Officer for 7 years before transitioning to the Navy Reserves.
Why Listen:
Valerie left active duty after 15 years of service, and has gone on to found a company designed to help people thrive at work. In addition to discussing her own journey, we talk about how to find out if a culture is right for you, how to shift your mindset to be happier at work, how to make sure you are living a life of alignment, and more.
About Valerie:
Valerie Rivera is the Founder & CEO of Take Back WOrk, who’s mission is to partner with organizations of all stripes to create workplace cultures where people thrive. She served for over six years in the AIr Force, most recently as Team Leader for Tradecraft Deelopment and Capability Integration. She earned her MBA at Stanford Business School. "
Why Listen:
There is so much to appreciate about today’s interview. First of all: diplomacy. This is the first interview I’ve done around diplomacy, and I started off in the deep end of the pool, to say the least. Gary went from Air Force Officer to the US Ambassador to Oman. He had an incredible career in which he was involved in monumental work around the world. However, what I appreciate most about Gary is the humility and specificity he brings to this interview. It’s not just about why Veterans may enjoy a career in the foreign service (and, by the way, Gary makes a pretty solid argument for this). It’s the texture he brings to the conversation, of finding his own career path, starting over again in foreign service after earning his MBA and working in the corporate world, of being diligent in learning a new craft and working his way up… after having done just that in both the military and the corporate world. It was a privilege to be able to learn from Gary, and I hope you enjoy this candid and enlightening conversation.
About Ambassador Gary Grappo:
Gary Grappo is a Distinguishe Fellow at the University of Denver and the CEO & Founder of Equilibrium International Consulting. He served as the United States Ambassador to Oman from 2006 to 2009, and previously Grappo was Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Counselor of the United States Mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He served in the US Air Force for over 8 years, and holds a BS in Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy, an MS in Geodesy and Survey Engineering from Purdue University, and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Why Listen:
Well, you know you're enjoying a conversation when midway through, you're already planning the next interview. Tyler is awesome. I just really appreciated so much about this interview. The thing that stands out to me most is his mastery in sales. He talks about his career, which is a variety of different experiences in the functional role of sales while also having most of that in the industry of energy. What I appreciated about his story is hearing about how throughout his career he's picked up different tools, different tricks, different skills that over time have allowed him to really have a mastery of this field in sales. I also appreciated his ability to communicate extremely effectively why veterans are well suited to sales, why this may be an appealing career path, even if you think it's the least likely career path that you would want to pursue. We talk about executive MBA, why he chose to pursue it, which is pretty unique for most guests that I have on the show, and a whole lot more.
About Tyler:
Tyler Johnston is a Sales Director @ Black & Veatch. He is responsible for managing global relationships in the technology sector and helping his clients build critical infrastructure and distributed energy solutions. He started out at the Naval Academy, served as an Infantry Officer in the US Marine Corps for 5 years, and has held positions at NRG Energy, General Electric, and Shift.org. He earned his MBA at Columbia Business School.
You can reach out to him through www.greentechvet.com.
Why Listen:
Today’s episode originally aired in June of 2019. This last week, I learned that Justin passed away following a battle with cancer. I wanted to rebroadcast today’s episode as a tribute to Justin’s life and legacy.
What to say about Justin? Well, he was shot in the head by a sniper and pronounced killed in action… but that didn’t stick. Justin was a Purple Heart recipient, an author, a lawyer, an motivational speaker, an entrepreneur, and worked with a company that helps over 24k military members and their families EVERY MONTH - that’s right, every month - find their ideal job and make their career transitions easier. It’s a little disappointing to be on a show with two Justin’s, and realize that the other Justin is kicking a— and you need to try your best to keep up. This is a great interview for any career path, and I think you’ll really enjoy Justin’s story.
Why Listen:
Brian works at HBO… enough said. As if that weren’t enough to listen to this episode, he wrote and directed the movie, The Black String, starring Frankie Muniz (from Malcom in the Middle, amongst other productions). In this interview, we talk about how Hollywood is more similar to the military than you would think. We talk about how everything is a process: it is just one step after another, and how military Veterans can accomplish anything with this approach. We talk about patience, about how Hollywood is structure surprisingly in the same way that the military is. We talk about pursuing executive education while working and much much more.
About Brian:
Brian Hanson is a writer/director who co-wrote and directed the indie thriller, THE BLACK STRING, starring Frankie Muniz. Brian was a member of the US Army's 75th Ranger Regiment where he jumped out of airplanes and deployed to Afghanistan several times. After serving, Brian earned an MFA in Film Production from Mount St. Mary's University and also gained invaluable filmmaking experience by working as a PA on HBO shows BARRY, ROOM 104 and SILICON VALLEY. Brian holds a BA in Film Production from California State Northridge and completed the Writers Guild Foundation year long Veterans Writing Project. Brian volunteers with the non-profit organization Veterans in Media & Entertainment (VME), where he helps connect studios, agencies, and production companies with veterans entering the entertainment industry.
Donnie works at ConsenSys in the Office of the Founder. ConsenSys is a blockchain venture production studio. Our global team is building an ecosystem of consumer-centric products and enterprise solutions using blockchain technologies, primarily based on Ethereum. [Software Industry, Founded in 2014, Almost 1000 EE on LinkedIn]. Donnie started out at West Point, served as an Army Intelligence Officer for 5 years, attended Harvard Business School, and has worked at Google, Qualtrics, and Future Finance.
Why Listen:
This is the first time I've had a guest on for two episodes. In my previous conversation with Donnie, he offered to come back on the show to provide a primer about blockchain, crypto currency, and etherium. In this episode we dive into this, as well as why the space may appeal to mission and purpose-driven Veterans.
Why Listen:
Billy is a professional golfer, the first Naval Academy graduate to earn a PGA TOUR card, which he has done for the last seven years. The more I learn about Billy’s journey, the more I’m blown away by what he achieved. In a field that is crowded and incredibly competitive, Billy has succeeded despite having five years where - instead of focusing 100% on golf like his peer set - he was serving in the military.In this interview we talk about cultivating a mindset of excellence - even though serving as a Surface Warfare Officer didn’t directly relate to his aspirations as a golfer - he focused on it 100% and did the best job he could. We talk about making sacrifices and how to balance that with being present with one’s family. We talk about what life is like on the PGA Tour and more.
About Billy:
Billy Hurley III was a member of the victorious American team in the 2005 Walker Cup and served as captain of the 2004 Palmer Cup Team. He won seven collegiate golf titles at the Naval Academy, was named 2004 Patriot League Player of the Year and was ranked the #6 best amateur in the world. Billy was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, serving as a Surface Warfare Officer for five years. After his Naval service, Billy turned his focus to golf. He earned his place on the Web.com Tour in 2011, finishing the season in 25th place and becoming the first Naval Academy graduate to earn a PGA TOUR Card. He has continued to be a strong competitor on the TOUR, winning the 2016 Quicken Loans National – a Tiger Woods-hosted tribute to military personnel. With the win, Billy qualified for his first PGA and Masters Championships.
Why Listen:
I've known France a little bit for a while now. The glimpses that I've had into his professional background and his personal nature have made me excited to have this interview. It's been a long time coming.
We go through a lot in this interview. And you'll see from France's background in this interview, he had military service with the Army. He worked as a lawyer, most notably as Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush. And then he's had an unbelievable entrepreneurial journey, including founding companies that have generated over $600 million in combined sales with over 1200 employees. He's succeeded in so many different facets. And it's easy to see why in this conversation, because he's very thoughtful and deliberate about how he approaches his life, most notably through a commitment to service.
There's a lot we talk about. But here's a couple that stand out to me. I loved his idea of what he calls T-shaped careers. And he's borrowed that from someone else I forget the person originally coined that, but it's the thought of using the intersection of both breadth and depth as you approach your career. He talks about ignoring sunk costs. And I think that's such great advice personally and professionally. He talks about what he calls these hold my beer moments where he sees that there's a great opportunity that he has to pursue, and that's led to some of the best advances in his own life and career. We talk about the difference between following a set path and openness to serendipity. And we also talk about what he learned by commissioning twice in the US Army army and being honorably discharged twice in the US Army, once at 21, once at 35, and the differences in that. And then lastly, we talked about execution and innovation organizations, and how these are two different skill sets, and how you can be alternating as a leader throughout your career of judging whether it's better to be executing, or innovating in any given moment. As always at beyond the uniform.org you'll find show notes with links to everything we discussed, as well as over 443 other episodes just like this one. So with that, let's dive in to my conversation with France.
Why Listen
Seriously? This is Coach K. I know nothing about sports, and even I know about Coach K. Hailing back to my days trying to escape from the Naval Academy, my friend Scott and I would go down to Duke to hang out with a friend of mine from High School. Hearing her and her friends talk about Coach K with reverence, started my esteem for this man. Despite his insanely busy schedule, Coach K took time to speak with me and the Beyond the Uniform audience about how his military experience shaped his coaching philosophy, how he crosses the generational gap to motivate his players, how to overcome failure, how to achieve work life balance and more.
About Coach K
A graduate of West Point, Mike Krzyzewski is a living legend. In 39 seasons at Duke, Coach K is a Naismith Hall of Fame coach, a five-time national champion and 12-time Final Four participant; a 6 time Gold Medalist as head coach of US Men's National Team, and is the winningest Basketball Coach in Division 1 Men's Basketball history.
Why Listen:
Well, my guest today, Dr. Laura Purdy not only served in the US Army for 14 years as a family physician. But she's also has been a military spouse for a very long time. We talked about a lot of topics on the show that we've never talked about before.
The first obviously is her work at MD integrations and the work that she's done since she left the military about nine months ago, we talk about virtual care, which is a huge and exploding industry. We talk about why that's important, and why listeners may want to consider a career in virtual care. But we talk about a couple other things that I'm really happy we did. First of all, Laura has a very unique career right now where she works with a lot of clients. And she also is involved in many organizations. And so very often her day is meeting with people seeing what they need, and then figuring out the best way to help them with that need. And I think it's a really exciting way to think of structuring one's time and career to have a bigger impact. But we also off-road a little bit to talk about things that I'm curious to know what our audience thinks of because, you know, I view it from the vantage point of myself 1015 years ago, when I was on active duty and how I might dismiss what Laura is sharing. And then I view it through my lens now of being a civilian for 10 years, and a lot of things that are very commonplace in the civilian workforce, are still not really common in the military. And so for those of you on active duty, who might want to dismiss what Laura is talking about when it comes to maternity leave, and things like that, I'd really encourage you to be curious about her perspective. After the recording, Laura and I talked about this a bit. And I'm reminded of how there is just so much that I've become accustomed to now having been a civilian for a decade. And I'm realizing that when people transition out of the military, a lot of those things are going to seem new. And so if you know some of the things she talks about, you feel the need to dismiss, I'd encourage you to be curious and open because I find these things are things you're going to have to transition to eventually when you do leave the military if you're still in, as always at beyond the uniform.org you'll find show notes with links to everything we discussed, as well as 437 other episodes just like this. So with that, let's dive into my conversation with Laura.
