From Navy SEAL to Virtual Training: Conor Donahue and the ACE VR Revolution

"When you are struggling to take action, break big goals into small, actionable steps.

Persistence isn’t about giant leaps, but about steady, continual progress—however small."

Episode Summary

In this episode, Big Keith and I welcomed Conor Donahue, a former Navy SEAL and CEO/co-founder of Ace Virtual Shooting, to The Gun Experiment. We dove into Conor’s transition from military service to the tech-entrepreneurial world, exploring how his experiences shaped both his character and the innovative product he's helping bring to the firearm training community. Conor shared personal insights into the importance of mentorship, faith, adaptability, teamwork, and the drive behind Ace XR’s industry-leading virtual reality shooting simulator.

We discussed the benefits and practicalities of virtual gun training, the challenges (and surprising fun) of dry fire practice, and how community and technology are reshaping the shooting sports landscape. Plus, Conor joined us for a live review and behind-the-scenes look at the ongoing innovation happening at Ace Virtual Shooting—and yes, we also put him through our Run and Gun lightning round.

Call to Action

1. Join our mailing list: Thegunexperiment.com

2. Subscribe and leave us a comment on Apple or Spotify

3. Follow us on all of our social media: Instagram Twitter Youtube Facebook

4. Be a part of our growing community, join our Discord page!

5. Grab some cool TGE merch

6. Ask us anything at [e-mail]

5. Be sure to support the sponsors of the show. They're a big part of making the show possible.

Show Sponsors

Special thanks to OnSite Firearms Training—our longest-standing sponsor. They bring world-class firearms instruction in a safe, challenging environment, with incredible guest instructors like Jared Reston. Whether you're new or seeking to perfect your skills, check them out!

Shout-out to Ace Virtual Shooting for providing us with cutting-edge gear and an immersive, fun, and skill-building training tool.

Key Takeaways

• Mentorship shapes our trajectory: Conor credits mentors from Scouting, the military, and his faith community for guiding his career and values.
• Faith and adversity build character: Hurdles in Conor’s youth and experience in the SEALs forged grit, humility, and perseverance.
• The transition from service to entrepreneurship isn’t always easy: Identity and purpose beyond the uniform are topics every veteran (and leader) faces.
• Adaptability and teamwork are as essential in business as in the Teams.
• Supplement, don’t substitute: Tools like Ace VR are powerful supplements but no replacement for live fire training.
• Community matters: The Ace XR platform isn’t just a training...