New Mission Career Transition

In this podcast episode, Chris and Alexandra interview Jake Brown and Daniel Pierce, former Marine Corps officers who transitioned into the consulting and recruitment space. They discuss their military backgrounds, the challenges of transitioning to civilian life, and the founding of their company, Brown and Pierce Consulting. The conversation delves into the logistics and supply chain management sector, the importance of understan...

🏰 Engineers Up!! 🏰

In this engaging conversation, Chris Kaprielian reconnects with Joseph Kenyon, a retired Master Sergeant in the Marine Corps, to discuss his journey from a small town in Massachusetts to a successful career in project management within the construction industry. They explore Kenyon's military background, the challenges of transitioning to civilian life, and the importance of mentorship and maintaining relati...

📢 Q: Is there a practical “personality test” for helping a service member transition?

📢 Q: How can we apply our military leadership in a private company?

Our guest, Mike Vincent, answers these questions and more. Mike is a retired Marine Corps logistics officer who now supports business operations at his family’s company, Liber Heating and Air Conditioning. He is also a CliftonStrengths Coach at his brother’s company, Kaleo Coac...

📢 Q: How do you start a fitness company and scale it?

💡 A: Create an app and service that unites all similar business owners and potential customers. 🤔

When Mike Cragholm told me about it, it sounded a bit crazy. After hearing his explanation, I realized he created a profitable win-win-win scenario for his company, fitness business owners (jiu jitsu instructors), and clients through vertical integration. Let me explain.

Aft...

📢 There are many available jobs in the federal government…look beyond the DoD.

😒 I know. That statement isn’t a surprise, but you may be surprised that the job you want and are qualified for is open in the USDA, DHS, FBI, OPM, Department of the Treasury, etc.

AND...they will consider work experience if you don't have a degree. 🧐

AND…it may be available at the location you want to live after your military career. 😳

AND…it m...

📢 Military transition is also about closure…in the clinical sense.

That’s one of many big takeaways our guest, Corie Weathers, provided us on this episode. Corie was the 2015 AFI Military Spouse of the Year and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Coach, and author of “Military Culture Shift: The Impact of War, Money, and Generational Perspective on Morale, Retention, and Leadership.” In this episode, Corie tells...

“A Marine and Soldier walk into a bar…”

 …and they devised a plan to start a non-profit veteran-scholar initiative focused on the holistic wellness of veterans (and first responders) battling the moral, psychological, and spiritual impacts of war through the thoughtful application of Regenerative Rhetoric.

 😳 What? You expected a joke?? 😅

Ramiro Metztli De Anda (USMC Ret.) and Michael Novotny (US Army Ret.) are PhD students who h...

Ever thought about learning to code?

Our guest, Jimmy Ferrara, is a prior-service Intel Marine, OIF veteran, software engineer, and technical program manager with experience in coding and project management at small and large tech companies.

In this episode, Jimmy told us about...

✅ True romance...or lack thereof in Fayetnam (🤣)

✅ Getting Started in Software Development

✅ Coding Boot Camp vs. BS Degree

✅ A Work Day at ...

“You don’t have to have it all figured out.”

Why? Because the path to the next career is rarely a straight line.

Our guest, Samantha (Sam) Gassman, told us how she went from being an AFSOC Navigator to becoming a Senior Manager of Communications for a Fortune 100 Company and a published author. Hint: She did not take a straight path to her current career.

Sam also told us about…

✅ Not Having a Clean Break

✅ Putting the Ego in Che...

📢 Want to know what you have that companies need?

📢 Answer: L.O.C.K.E.D. 😳 (OK...I'll explain below...)

Our esteemed guest, James D. Murphy (or as many know him, 'Murph'), brings a wealth of experience as a USAF and ANG F-15 instructor pilot, Founder and Chairman of Afterburner Inc., Managing Partner of Afterburner Capital, and author of several books, including the insightful 'Down Range: A Transitioning Ve...

Looking for the SkillBridge alternative or supplement? 😬

Check out FourBlock!

In our latest episode, Mike Abrams, Founder and President of FourBlock and Marine Corps Reserve officer, discusses his non-profit organization's programs for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses.

On this episode, Mike talks about…

✅ Creating Connections with Companies

✅ Online & In-Person Career Readiness Programs

✅ Acti...

🧐 Who in the military community transitions multiple times? 🤔

Answer: Military Spouses!

Our guest, Edith Lizalde, is a prior-enlisted Sailor and Marine Corps spouse who tells us about her experiences transitioning to new employment and environments after every PCS. Edith and her family are preparing for her husband’s Marine Corps retirement. During this episode, she tells us about…

✅ Family Considerations During Transition

✅ Chi...

💥 💥 “Don’t let fear get in the way.” 💥💥

Our guest, Patrick Holcomb, made a big pivot after he retired from the Marine Corps. Patrick, a Mustang and logistics officer, focused on writing a novel in his first year out of the military. After finishing his final draft (there were quite a few 😳…oh…yeah…that’s normal 😅) of his novel, “Where the Seams Meet,” he landed a job as a program manager at the startup tech company Freedom Fl...

💪 Leverage your military experience and knowledge for a tech development career. 📡 That's what our guest did after retiring from the Marine Corps. 👨🏻‍💻

Brady Petrillo, a combat engineer officer, retired from the Marine Corps in 2023 after his final tour with Special Operations Command Africa. He now works as a program manager for Corvid Technologies. This small business provides technology-based solutions to a diverse cust...

🤔 To work in corporate or a start-up…THAT is the question! 🤔

Our guest, Pat D'Amico, served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army. After his military career, he transitioned into pharmaceutical sales, recruiting, marketing, training program development, and product development before starting his own company, About-Face Development LLC. (About-Face! IYKYK)

In this episode, Pat tells us about…

✅ Working for a...

BAMCIS works in Business! 🤯 That’s “Troop Leading Procedures” for my Army sisters and brothers! 😉 (I’ve got you!)

Our guest is Zachary Leyden, a prior Army infantry and reconnaissance leader who used what he learned in the military, combined it with his passion for horsemanship, and grew his business into something special in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is now the founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Ocean View Stable...

Thinking about applying your leadership and knowledge as an educator after your military career? Are you a parent of a child still in primary or secondary school? If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode. 

Our guest is Matthew Dreier, a retired Marine Corps Engineer Officer who co-founded the Pace Academy in North Chesterfield, Virginia. Pace Academy uses the Socratic method and a self-direct learning model to teach pr...

Pine Stand Coffee Co: It's more than coffee... it's about providing refuge with a recognizable cup of goodness. 

Our guest is Nick Hagood, enlisted and officer Marine veteran, a former Marine spouse and "dependent," a most righteous dad, and the founder and co-owner of Pine Stand Coffee Company in Camp Lejeune, NC, and Cedar Point, NC. 

Nick is our hero. In this episode, we talk about...

There are over 4,000 franchises in the U.S., most of which don’t involve fast food. Some of them you can manage from your phone! If you are thinking about becoming a business owner but aren’t sure what kind of business, you should consider the significant upsides of becoming a franchisee.

Our guest, Stephen Rotay, is a prior-enlisted Marine, business owner, and franchise consultant who helps veterans find the right franchi...