March 15, 2024 • 36 mins
Embark on an inspiring journey with Justin Spears, a valiant former Navy corpsman who transitioned into the CEO of MXI Consulting, as he reveals the secrets of his ascent to business leadership. From the disciplined decks of the military to the dynamic battleground of entrepreneurship, Justin's profound insights illuminate the pathway for veterans eager to translate their unique skills into civilian success. Together, we unpack the essence of adaptability and highlight how project management tactics honed in the armed forces serve as a blueprint for conquering the corporate landscape.
As our conversation sails to the sunny shores of Florida, we uncover the magnetism of Orlando as a beacon for veterans seeking new beginnings. Justin's post-service ventures testify to the limitless horizons available to those who have served, with his creation of a transformative charter school and educational programs that bridge the gap for veterans integrating into civilian life. The spirit of this dialogue celebrates the camaraderie and potential for growth that flourishes when we embrace the perspectives of younger, diverse generations.
Navigating the voyage from military life to civilian prosperity can be as challenging as it is rewarding. Our episode casts a light on the social and professional trials veterans may encounter, scrutinizing the support systems in place and emphasizing the value of strategic planning for anyone stepping into the entrepreneurial arena. The discussion sails through the unique experiences of high-ranking officers and the critical importance of mapping military expertise onto new career paths. For veterans charting a course beyond the military or listeners captivated by tales of transformation, this episode is a compass pointing toward triumph.
https://mxiconsulting.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinspears/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Good morning, welcome back to the Joe show Y'all, it
is your host, corey Kay.
Please don't forget about thatgiveaway we've been talking
about.
We got the fanny packs, thetrucker hats, the baseball tees,
(00:24):
the short sleeve tees, soplease don't forget to stream.
Like download rate the show.
I really do appreciate it Goingforward.
Before we start this episode, Iwant to make a quick disclaimer
that you can hear me.
Right now I sound fantastic.
Hopefully you can hear meclearly and there isn't a lot of
static noise or anything weird.
(00:45):
This upcoming episode Iconducted an interview with
Justin Spears.
Justin Spears is the CEO of MXIConsulting.
He is the vice chairman ofVeteran-Owned Business
Association in the state ofFlorida.
He has helped develop and builda school.
He was on the board for that inCalifornia.
He was a former Navy corpsmanand I just want to make a quick
(01:12):
disclaimer that the microphonehere and then, when they
translated and processed throughZoom, did not come out as clear
, but I do feel he brought a lotof intellectual information.
I think he has a lot of insightand a lot of really positive
things that active duty membersor veteran members who want to
become business owners, businessleaders or even various
(01:34):
successful professionals invarious amounts of fields to
please listen.
So quick disclaimer on that,because you know your first Zoom
call interview is never goingto be the greatest.
Your first video is going to bethe greatest.
Your first podcast isn't goingto be the greatest.
So I would like to be betterthan yesterday and I would like
to keep going forward.
So please enjoy the show.
I'm trying the mic.
(01:54):
Hello, welcome back to theJoe's show.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It is your host, Corey Coquitas.
I'm here with Justin Spears.
He's hanging out of Floridaright now.
Are you traveling?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
No.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I'm here in Orlando, florida.
Justin was in the Navy andwe're going to talk about today,
about what his experience hasbeen transitioning and
successful coach, mentor,business person, entrepreneur,
if you will, in the civilianworld.
So, justin, introduce yourself.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Hey, thanks, corey, appreciate you having me on
Excited to be on the Joe's showtoday.
I've been looking forward tothis for a while but watching
actually since we met at podcastearlier this year.
So excited, my friend.
Yeah, so thank you.
So, serving the Navy, I was ahospital corpsman, aerospace and
medicine technician.
I was attached to the Navy'smedical operational training
(03:00):
commands Aerospace MedicalInstitute in Pensacola, florida.
So I did a lot of training, dida lot of medical readiness, a
lot of training that I mentioned.
I did a lot of training, a lotof training.
Yeah, a lot of aviators comethrough our command there.
I got to work on some greatmedical studies, got to do some
fun stuff down there, so really,really enjoyed my time.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
All right.
What do you think your biggestachievement was in your time at
the service?
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Biggest achievement.
So part of me wants to saystaying married.
Hey, that's a real thing.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
If we're getting a real, real thing.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
The other part of it biggest achievement was, you
know, I made some really coolimpetus impacts at the Aerospace
Medical Institute.
There I had the honor ofworking with a great team, a lot
of process improvement.
I implemented two differentdepartments there, which was
great rolled out a greataviation medicine platform
(04:03):
globally.
So, you know, trying to makesome some ways to make things
better in the future foreverybody.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So I'd say those are my biggest ones.
Love that and do you think itkind of shaped you for
everything you're about to do inthe future?
Thank you, and what you'redoing, yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Absolutely yeah.
So you know, I went in kind ofright after the recession there
like okay, you know I was doingconstruction wondering like, all
right, what am I gonna do?
I got a wife and two kids andConstruction industry tanked and
went in.
It was like, all right, I'lltake medical.
I need to.
You know kind of need topaycheck and you know, quickly I
got into some businessmanagement opportunities with
you know, all this stuff thatthe Navy throws, that you know
(04:41):
lean and all these things andyou know so it's like all right.
Well, how does it?
How do we apply this, ratherthan just taking like an NKO or
a KO course Like how do weactually apply this?
So you know, I started seeingyou know through that lens of
Process improvement how torestructure Workflows, how to
create new SOPs, how to optimizeprocesses.
Things like that make thingsefficient, and that led to, you
(05:04):
know, the creation of twodifferent departments that I
guess we're kind of great teamrolling out a large-scale online
platform for aerospace medicalencounters, and so in doing that
, it really, you know, exposedme to.
You know from a from a builderand founders perspective, how to
plan for, you know, growthwithin a department or creating
(05:25):
a new department, whichtranslates to a lot of what I'm
doing now for, like regionalgrowth efforts, new technology,
division effort it seems likethat starting new companies for
people and so a lot of what Ilearned really translates.
You know there's so many thingsI learned about change
management, process improvement,project management.
You know everyone I know that'skind of a buzzword in this in.
(05:46):
You know.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I'm gonna get out as veterans of PM.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
I'll tell you what man.
We know how to run a task listlike nobody's seen.
So you know it's yeah in in beable to measure it.
So you know, and we'readaptable.
You know adapt and overcome.
You know which.
That's the cool meaning ofagile, which we see in the
civilian world.
So there's a lot of theprinciples that I learned early
(06:09):
on In my career and got to honein it through different schools.
You know I got to actually thearmy trained me in medical
logistics, surprisingly being inthe Navy.
So you know I created a medicallogistics department program,
brought that into the civilianworld, helped to build logistics
programs into multipledifferent companies now.
So you know there's a lot thattranslates over.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Right, you've been, you've been killing it.
Now what was the first thingyou did after the service?
You go, like you try a jobfirst, you go to college first.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
No, I went.
I went to school.
You know I went to the taps andyou know that's a whole
different episode.
But you know, I went to taps Iwas like, hey, you know, I'm
getting medically retired, I'mgetting medically retired and
separated here.
You know, I need a fewsurgeries.
I got some, some stuff going on.
I, you know, I'm just gonna goto school so I can get my
(06:57):
housing allowance.
You know, for my GI bill, Ihave no idea what I'm gonna do
for work.
Because you know, really, youknow At that point I was having
a lot of issues in my back froman injury.
You know, there's a number ofyears where I could barely walk
and I was like, you know, whatam I gonna do here?
So I'll go to school.
That way at least it's aguaranteed paycheck.
And so I did.
You know we actually moved fromFlorida to Northern California,
(07:19):
went to Simpson University upthere, did my first graduate
program at seminary up there anddid my master's in intellectual
leadership, which is great, Ilove that.
And then did my capstone inmilitary higher education as a
holistic ministry, did somepretty cool stuff with that,
(07:40):
really loved it.
And then I took my first jobBecause the university president
reached out and said hey, Ihave no idea what this is, but
you just defended it, you gotaccepted.
I want it at the universityToday.
That's a great way to get a job.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Oh, you don't apply for it.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Yeah.
So I spent a few years at thatuniversity building this program
and then, about a year after Istarted working there, I got the
edge to go back to school.
So I was good, you know, onceagain, like I did in the
military, and go to schoolfull-time while working
full-time and Did my MBA inentrepreneurship and innovation.
So now, you know, building onwhat I did in seminary is like,
(08:19):
how do we, how do we do businessdifferent, how do we think
about business different?
And you know from the intro,you know entrepreneurship and
innovation standpoint, it's youknow.
How do we grow, how do we build?
You know, and that's that's mypassion, is not just my own
businesses, that I that I'vestarted in and cone and
something that I own myself.
But how do I help other peopleget this knowledge?
(08:40):
How do I help other peoplebuild things?
Speaker 2 (08:42):
So now you kind of circle back for everybody.
Now you, you own your owncompany, right?
I mean, you're part of severalother companies and you Correct
me if I'm wrong you are the vicechairman for the veteran
business association of Florida,right?
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Yes, so, yeah.
So I own MXI Consulting.
I'm also managing partner andfractional chief growth officer
of M3D Technologies.
Then there's the FABOB, whichis the Florida Association of
Better Known Businesses.
I'm the vice chairman of theorganization, so working with
(09:19):
they're representing over a100,000 better known businesses
here in Florida, working on thelegislation side of it, working
on acquisition, working on waysto help them grow their
businesses, different programsto build their education,
training modules, things likethat.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
So do you ever deal with the application process of
when a veteran wants to start abusiness?
Are you a part of that, or areyou helping make the business
plan teach them on what to do sothey are successful when they
go to try to start?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
the business I do.
In short and long, I work witha variety of businesses and some
of them I've had a company thatI worked with where, hey, we
met one evening at an event.
They have an idea.
They drew it on a back of a barnapkin and it's like hey, next
week let's meet and let's getthings rolling.
We built a business off that.
(10:07):
So, from ideation tomedium-sized businesses, where
ideation to scale up is a reallynice sweet spot, so from where
you're talking before they evenfile down here in Florida, you
file your business license onSunBiz and things like that
and submit your articles incorporation if you're going to
corporate or things like that.
But I like to work with them asearly as possible so that they
(10:30):
build a foundation.
That's because one of theissues that I see, especially in
the startup world, is somebodyhas a great idea, but they don't
understand how to build abusiness off of it.
So lots of people have greatideas, whether it's products or
services, etc.
In a variety of differentindustries.
It's like, hey, I want to starta business and start throwing
(10:51):
things at the wall and hopesomething sticks.
One of the things I learnedfrom the military is strategy,
which definitely feeds intogrowth.
So from a strategy perspectiveis let's do our due diligence,
let's build strategic plans withinitiatives so we know what
we're doing, why we're doing it,what's our vision?
what's our exit strategy so wecan deconstruct our roadmap
(11:12):
along the way.
How are key performanceindicators?
How do we measure what we do?
Let's build out iterative loops, things like that, where we can
now be a very agile in ourbusiness of hey, something just
happened.
A good instance is this year.
We're in an election year thathit small businesses every month
, so how do we hit it?
(11:32):
So getting those things inplace early really helps small
businesses and startups becomesustainable early on.
Rather than most businessesthat come to me and I would say
almost every business that comesto me asking for advice and
consulting is, hey, we got anidea, we're going for it.
It's very disorganized, butwe're just trying to sell, sell,
(11:53):
sell.
I was like, yeah, but if yousell now, what are you offering?
You got to have yourinfrastructure, your operations,
in place.
That helps you to actually besustainable.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Definitely.
It's not about just starting up.
It's also about beingsustainable and growing.
Now, in your experience becauseeveryone talks about this do
you feel that veteran businesseshave the same timeline?
Hey, if you don't hit successin your first three years,
you're done or do you think it'sa?
Little different.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
I think it can be different.
There's one factor, and thereason I say that is I'm
actually talking with a coupleof veterans right now that are
going through some hardships.
A few years in Typically threeyears, that's the turn and burn
on most startups.
If we're not sustainable, wedon't have enough operating
capital by year three, it washes.
(12:41):
Whereas with veteran ownedbusinesses we're seeing it
differently.
One there's a lot of resourcesfor veterans out there.
There really is.
There's great grant programs,veteran loan programs through
like small business association.
There's a lot of resources.
Like I work with FABOB, so usas a resource.
I work with VeteransEntrepreneurship Initiative here
(13:02):
in Florida, so I work with them, teaching classes and things
like that.
So in speaking on differenttopics, but also down here in
Florida, we got veterans Florida, which is one of the state
agencies.
So there's a lot of resourcesfor veterans because the
civilian population, theyrecognize a lot of what we bring
.
I was speaking at a governmentdistrict down here a couple of
(13:26):
months ago that I'm on theadvisory council for doing
business with veterans.
I told them I was like hey, webring a different skill set, we
bring a different approach.
We're getting out of themilitary after we already had a
short or a long-term career instarting businesses and we're
successful at it because welearned organizational skills,
we learned project skills, welearned people skills, we
(13:49):
learned management skills.
We already have that.
So that really does impact, Ithink, the sustainability of
veteran businesses.
Then there's also sometimesadditional resources.
If you're getting GI bill whileyou're starting a business, if
you're getting disabilitycompensation or retirement
pensions while you're starting abusiness, then you got some
financial support that really ina civilian world they don't
(14:11):
have.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
When you talk about all these benefits, you said you
went to California forschooling.
Right, you were in Cali andFlorida.
Did you ever try to start abusiness in California or just
Florida?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
No, so I actually started consulting in California
.
Then I was also part of a teamout there that we came together
and started a K through 12Charter School up in Reading,
california as well, so it'scalled Phoenix Charter Academy
it was 2017, started that forabout 428 kids the first year.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
How did you choose Florida as the end game, for end
state, for the homestead?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Man.
Florida is my land of milk andhoney, especially Orlando.
Everything you need in lifeexcept for an 8,000 foot
mountain is in Orlando, so I'm atheme park junkie.
I love going downtown to thelakes.
I love the scenery here.
I love the culture.
I love the lifestyle.
I'm from Panama City Beach.
(15:11):
Florida was born there.
Even though my dad was in theNavy and he traveled us all
around the world, I was lovedcoming back to Florida.
Even while I was working at theUniversity there in Reading,
california.
I was coming here to Orlandofor conferences.
I was going to school in Miamiat FIU, so I was here a lot.
We were vacation here andthings like that.
Just over the years I'm reallylike I need to live here.
(15:32):
Then you start looking ateconomic research, sustainable
areas, areas for growth.
This is a ripe area.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Cool yeah, when I was there it was definitely a lot
of construction, a lot ofgrowing going on.
That's even on a macro scope ofinfrastructure for the city of
Orlando, state of Florida.
Plus, you always see, likeFlorida's in the news for doing
some sort of initiative ahead ofmost other states in a lot of
aspects compared to others.
Now, with what you do now, soas consulting and vice chairman,
(16:01):
what do you think has been yourmost successful moment or most?
What's your biggest achievementin the civilian world for
yourself?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
My biggest achievement man.
I've had some fun adventuressince I've gotten out, I think
one of the biggest things for me.
It's hard because so startingthat charter school, I lived in
a very impoverished area 70,000people.
(16:32):
It's like a 40% dropout rateend of eighth grade.
Lots of generationalimpoverished issues out there.
We knew kids that dropped outgoing to ninth grade just so
they could start working tobring the family money and
things like that.
Very poor area.
(16:53):
There's really noinfrastructure out there.
Now there's a university andthat's really it, and so we saw
a lot of issues in the area forchildren that didn't fit the
perfect mold in a school and sothey had a lot of hardships.
There wasn't resources for them.
And so starting that charterschool that had a focus on
(17:16):
serving socioeconomicallyimpacted kids, kids with IVPs,
things like that how do weprovide them bridge programs to
trade schools?
How do we provide themapprenticeship programs?
How do we help them become a?
Speaker 1 (17:32):
roadside flagger.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
You're making $35 an hour as a flagger.
Your parents and grandparentshave never made more than $15 an
hour.
Like that's a world changer.
That's not a game changer, thatis a world changer.
So I was very honored to bepart of that group.
I did a lot of lobbying at thestate level for charter school
rights and petitioning withdifferent politicians there for
(17:54):
that and appealing to the stateboard of education for it, and
so that was a huge honor.
Very hard to resign from thatboard when I left California.
But then also, I would say,runner up in second place is
what I did at Simpson Universitybuilding the veterans program
there.
I mean that was very rewarding.
It really was Got to do a lotof stuff work with the American
(18:16):
Legion, state level commanderfor VFW, did a lot of stuff,
really enjoyed it was working ona lot of military bases, kind
of speaking on different things.
Did some work with the assumedveterans of America up there and
so, yeah, building somethingthat pays away for veterans when
they get out and they're goingto school.
(18:36):
That was the important part ofthat program for me.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
And I think it's most rewarding because everyone seen
it on the news you always seeveterans struggling or mental
health problems or transitioning.
I'm not even Dan awarding.
He was a vet.
He did like 20 years.
He's like yeah, there's times Istruggle because I don't have
the attitude change Becausethere's certain things I just
accepted, but now that I'vetransitioned I have to accept
those things where he's like Itried some school programs and
(19:02):
they actually helped me reflecton myself and I think that was
huge.
And that's part of what you dois you build you help veterans,
you look at all these programsand they will help you be better
and coach you througheverything you do, which is
great.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yeah, I completely agree and you know that's
interesting.
You mentioned that because oneof the hardest things that I've
gone through since getting outbut I think that's one of the
things that's really helped meacclimate to being a veteran in
a civilian world is I got outand within three months of
(19:37):
getting out I'm at a liberalarts university in Northern
California and I was like I grewup working on farms and ranches
, cutting hayfields, drivingtractors.
You know like let's go get in abig truck and go do something
stupid type guy.
Yeah, this is all real right,yeah.
And I was like I am 30 yearsold, going to college with a
(20:00):
bunch of 18, 19, 20 year olds,with all this military
experience, this life experience, and I'm just like you know,
part of it is like you sit backin the middle of class and
you're just like these people,shut up, like your life's not
that bad, and then part of it'slike actually I have a lot to
learn from you.
I'm going into your world and so, being in the university, both
(20:24):
as a student but also I workedin student development I didn't
just work for veterans, I put onveteran events that I got lots
of sponsorship from everythingfrom freshmen to seniors on
campus and athletics and thingslike that.
We put on campus-wide eventsthat were amazing and so
(20:46):
learning from these students,these younger adults that
haven't been in the military,and getting that exposure right
after being in the military, itreally made me self-reflect
quite a bit and learn a lotabout the broader culture.
Now that I'm out of themilitary For good or bad it was
I now understand the realitythat I'm going into it and that
(21:08):
really helped me a lot Because Iwas speaking to he's right now
a senior, first class.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
He's like, hey, I retire next year.
I have no idea how to talk topeople in civilian work, and
he's like I applied to schoolfor sure, but he's like I'm
literally gonna have to go Likewhen I would yell at a PB2 at 18
years old or an E2 at 18 yearsold and yell at him all day.
I have to actually probablylearn from this person now.
It's a whole 180 for me.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
It's humbling.
Yeah it's humbling when you'restarting, when you're trying to
understand an 18, 19 year oldthat isn't in the military.
To try and understand, like,okay, what are they talking
about?
What are their values?
What's important to them?
How do I connect with them?
Things like that, like it'svery different.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Yeah, because it's not always just a mission or
anything.
Now it's like hey, how do youbuild your social personality,
your social roster, your sociallife?
What's like now, professionalattitude that like are like
there are things that areimportant in the army values and
Navy values, but there's thingsthat differentiate a little bit
in civilian world, like ethics.
It's not just hey, I have tocancel for work, Like work will
(22:16):
still be there.
Now you have to care about,like, your friends, your family,
because you have time, youdon't have to be, obligated in a
uniform at a specific time.
You know what I mean Like 5 amPT, you don't have to be there
anymore.
It's not like you can hang outat night.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
No, you run across campus at 5 30 in the morning
and run it, especially in someshort silks, Like people are
asking questions like what'swrong with this guy?
It's like this is normal.
What are you talking about,Like why aren't you doing it?
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yeah, there's not no one anymore Now do you think so,
how long you've been on theservice now?
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Nine years, nine years.
I got out December of 14.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
So from 14 to now, do you think that the armed
services at the collective isdoing things to help veterans
transition or encouragingveterans to do more than just
the mission?
So schooling, skill programs,skill bridge programs and kind
of like development after theirservice?
Speaker 3 (23:16):
When I got out, especially, you know, taps, I
was in a different situationbecause, you know, I got hurt
and was, you know, med boardedout.
I went through TAPS and I waslike well, I'm just gonna go to
school and they're like well areyou gonna do a resume?
I was like no, I'm just gonna goto school, like I need a few
surgeries here so I probablyshouldn't work and so they
didn't have a whole lot for me.
(23:37):
But now I see, like I workedfor a company after I got out,
that I actually built theirskill bridge program.
You know I did the applications.
I see those benefits andadvantages.
I work with different veteranorganizations and businesses
that you know provide projectmanagement jobs, provide project
management training using GIBill book, rehab, skill bridge
(24:00):
opportunities, things like that.
So I'm seeing that the militaryin general is very open to
retraining, which is good aslong as the service member takes
the initiative to find it.
You know I still don't see.
You know again, I think thatthe TAPS program needs a good
(24:22):
overall to incorporate a lot ofthis.
You know earlier on, becauseyou know you get you know so
many months of boot camp to goin, or you know see us to go in
and you know you get like a weekto get out.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Yeah, you know yeah, you're walking to your first
appointment.
What your stamp is done likethat's it they don't care.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, it's like hey, thanks man.
You go figure it out, you know,and in the meantime you're
trying to navigate the abyss ofthe VA and things like that.
So you prioritize, whereas nowit's like, okay, retraining, I
do feel as a big focus.
The fact that they shifted evenfunding allocation for
retraining, I think is amazing.
I think that is showing, Ithink that's showing a lot of
(25:06):
integrity to the defenseindustry or the DOD, that
they're taking it serious aboutretraining, you know, and voc
rehab is a great example of that.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So what I've noticed recently is like you know what
CSP is, the career skillsprogram, kind of the like.
It's essentially you.
There's like a list of programsyou can do, like one time you
did a Samsung and you learnedhow to do like logistics, apply
another shifting gears, learnhow to be a mechanic for GM with
a truck driver, one wind solarfarm, there's a couple of
(25:37):
computer application courses.
So you, sometimes you learn atrade scale of some sorts with
that company and if you do well,the higher you want.
Well, the issue is coming likehey, like you have to do that
six months out from when you getout for ETS and then TAPS, but
there's training that needs tobe done so you know if someone's
getting out.
(25:59):
do you think that DOD would evermake an initiative to say, hey,
it is more important for themto do the skills training out
because they are getting out, oris it more important for them
to complete the mission thatthey're not going to be a part
of in less than six months?
Speaker 3 (26:12):
You know I think that that's going to be an ongoing
battle because you know it'sit's a.
You know there's tension there.
You know we've got the missionto complete, but we also, you
know, I know, that the militarywill never agree with me, but
they also have a responsibilityfor, you know, reacclimation,
for training on things like that.
(26:35):
You know, if we had to learn oneskill, set to go in they should
be able to help us at leastlearn once the skills set to get
out, you know, and I think thatwould solve a lot of the
Veterinary culture issues wherewe, you see reemployment issues
and things like that andtransition issues, if we could
just teach them, you know, onehealthy skill.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Like the service member does need to take some of
this.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Like.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
I'm not guys like try to put in packets and like it's
like hey, where's my packet?
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Yeah, I don't know like where is?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
your packet and he's like well, I have a second copy.
Okay, good like good on you.
Yeah, that kind of stuffhappens a lot, I feel.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I got me.
I'm not there yet.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
And I'm I get frustrated for them.
It's like I'm watching ithappen in third person.
It's like you know what, whatis a good solution and you know,
in my opinion, it's like againthe tension.
I don't think there really is aperfect and all be all solution
.
Yeah, like what is apossibility long term and hope
for the best right.
Yeah but at least yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
I don't think that there's, I don't think there's
ever gonna be like the perfectsolution, because you know,
while we're, you know governmentproperty mentioned first always
, but you know your prep and didnot be government property.
So and now I gotta think aboutthe future.
So I think that's a tough onealways.
However, I think that theservice member should always be
(27:57):
their greatest advocate and ifyou know, you're getting out
Like I mean, be headstrong andpush for exactly what you need.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Definitely.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Absolutely.
I mean, you're getting outanyways.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
But it is her senior enlisted guys.
Oh no, sorry, senior seniorcommission guys.
So obviously her about this bit.
Did you know that when, likelet's say, you reach the rank of
Colonel, they make you gothrough a class that know that
there's no longer something toget you a copy?
No one's gonna greet you whenyou walk in, no one's going to
do your computer assignment foryou.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
They actually have a class for that.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Yep, if you are.
If you are no, six or higher,you have to attend.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
You know what my hope and prayer is.
As soon as they get out, theygo work at liberal arts
university.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
But my, my thing is like you have such a big
retirement page at that point,like, like who cares?
But like the fact that I haveto break you, that you walk into
somewhere, not everyone's gonnasay, oh hello, whatever your
name is, like you're the personnow and I think I think it's
crazy, because then the oppositefor soldiers, like no, you are
a person that they encourage youBring attention and step
(29:06):
presence.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
No, that was like yeah, interesting see that kind
of stuff, though it's like youknow the, the, your military
career is fine.
Yeah, a lot of people don'tunderstand that you know whereas
you're.
You know your civilian career,like.
I mean, I'm working with peoplethat are in there, you know
late 70s that are killing it andthey're like real estate game
(29:26):
type stuff and it's like andthat's it, that's a skill hack
you can learn.
No, yeah, oh, absolutely, I know.
I know a lot of us that get out.
Man, I am surrounded byveterans in the real estate
industry brokers and Commercialindustrial residential like
that's a great skill, but it's,you know, if your military
career, you know, is gonna befine, I like maybe you should
(29:48):
like Focus on some of the skillsyou're gonna need when you get
out throughout that career.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, you know, you know worrying about you know so
someone's not gonna bring mycoffee or greet me.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
It's like when you get out Relates to me worries
like the only time you'll eversee someone greet you or bring
your coffee is if you're anexecutive in a company.
You have a personal assistantand even that, a lot of that's
going away.
I mean, I've had the systemthat's worked for me when I was
a regional executive forcompanies since getting out and
I never once was okay with herbring it, I can get my own
(30:19):
coffee.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yeah, like I take pride in getting my coffee.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Definitely.
I definitely feel that.
Now, what is one thing that youwish Most veterans would take
away if they wanted to start abusiness, or what's one thing
they should learn first?
Speaker 3 (30:35):
I think, to learn first and I work with a lot of
veterans on this is one, there'sa we have to be tactical in
starting a business.
But two, we can't createanalysis by you know, process by
analysis.
So you, while I tell people andadvocate people and show people
how to Strategically plan tobuild a business, whether it's a
(30:58):
business model, of growthstrategy, implementation plans,
things like that, learning how,that that philosophy of adapt
and overcome, of being agile,don't forget that.
Okay, and the military goeswith you.
Yeah, bring skills with you, bethe solution.
You know, don't ever bring aproblem about a solution.
I know we've all heard thatthat's got me somehow.
(31:21):
That landed me into, you know,learning medical logistics when
I was not a logistician.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
They were doing the battalion training.
You need like hey, what's theproblem?
Okay, what's the solution?
Also For solution.
Oh well, maybe we'll do that.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
It's like yeah that's the solution.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Do it, you know.
Yeah, I feel that a lot oftimes People get hesitant
because they are in the militarywith a worried about.
You know, if I mess up, I knowthat it's gonna be a long day
for me.
We're like no, you need to takerisks and accept some sort of
failure that you can learnbecause no one's there to teach
you.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Absolutely for the most part like yeah, absolutely
yeah, and we see that a lot, youknow.
I see a lot of veterans startingbusinesses where you know
they're trying to go after awhole bunch of things because
they're afraid.
If they pause for a moment andPlan, if they pause for a moment
and develop that vision ofwhere they're going, you know
that they're gonna fail.
(32:14):
Well, that failure is importantsometimes because it allows you
to pivot.
You know an overcome, but beingable to do it properly allows
you and allows the veteran to bethe solution.
Find out how you're thesolution to a gap in an industry
.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Definitely.
I feel it now.
If someone let's say, let's say, 22 doing the first contract
and they didn't necessarily Geta skill set, they were kind of
just a combat like I'm aninfantryman, we don't learn a
whole lot and civilian sort ofskill set besides lead, shoot,
move and communicate and knowhow to blow your hand up in a
(32:52):
Barrage usually what we learnright now.
To someone like that, what isyour biggest advice to do before
they get out?
Speaker 3 (33:02):
If you can't go to call, if you can go to college,
get your certifications, makeyourself competitive.
So I do.
You know, in the world ofconsulting I teach companies to
be competitive because by naturebusiness is competitive.
So I do that with veterans aswell and that's why I've worked
with a number of veterannonprofits since getting out is,
(33:22):
you've got to learn to becompetitive.
You got to learn how to giveyour pitch, which I'm not the
fan of.
The biggest elevator pitchmodel it's give your pitch, show
how your solution to a gap,show your value proposition,
your value add to the otherperson, and learn to be tactical
.
That creates competition.
Veterans, like we, have thatmentality.
(33:44):
We have that approach reallyindoctrinated into us, because
that, I mean, that's how yousupport a mission, so it's
already in us.
Now it's getting over thishurdle of, oh well, I can't
promote myself, I can't.
You know, it's kind of goesback to you know I used to help
people write their own bragsheets and things like that for
their emails that we had at theNavy.
(34:04):
We were like, oh, I don't liketalking about myself.
I was like, well, when you getout, you got to learn to
self-grow, you got a brand, yougot a market.
Like you got to tell people howyou're good stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
you know things like that, like that's normal.
I try to tell people like youyourself, you are a brand Like
you may not be a business, maynot be anything, but you
yourself have a brand of howsomeone knows you, how someone
talks about you, whether they'rewatching you or not.
You have to present yourself atall times Because you are
always representing a brand,which is you.
(34:35):
I call it quikitas, and this andI just misuse it, and this,
this is what I do.
That is always you.
You always have to sellyourself and whatever that is,
that's the huge thing I wishpeople like took and understood
more, at least in my experienceworking with a bunch of
20-year-olds.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
You know if a 19-year-old influencer can get
it.
I know every service member canget it.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Right.
Like if he can go on to QE now,are you cool if I put all the
links like on the podcast pagewhen I upload the episode and
everything.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Love that and then so like the finalist out here.
What's like a closing commentthat you wanna like share?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
So I'd say closing comment is you know, being in
the veteran community sincegetting out, we're really good
at implementing, we're good atdriving, and so a lot of what we
talked about today, a lot ofthe strategies I help businesses
with, actually surrounds thatmantra of I keep implementers
(35:38):
implementing.
Service members are greatimplementers.
We can now head down, go for itand just keep going and going
and going.
See, success is along the way.
Help those that are looking toimplement.
Be there for those that arelooking to implement, cause
you're gonna deal with what Icall the suck along the way.
But guess, what You're gonnakeep implementing.
(36:01):
Yeah, you're gonna go throughthe suck, but I'm here to tell
you I keep implementers,implementing and I expect other
people to do the same.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
That's a great piece of advice.
So, everyone, this is before wecontinue to do the Joe show.
This is Justin Spears MXIConsulting.
Thanks, man.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Thanks, brother, appreciate it.
All right, so some.
Good morning, welcome back to the Joe show Y'all, it
is your host, corey Kay.
Please don't forget about thatgiveaway we've been talking
about.
We got the fanny packs, thetrucker hats, the baseball tees,
(00:24):
the short sleeve tees, soplease don't forget to stream.
Like download rate the show.
I really do appreciate it Goingforward.
Before we start this episode, Iwant to make a quick disclaimer
that you can hear me.
Right now I sound fantastic.
Hopefully you can hear meclearly and there isn't a lot of
static noise or anything weird.
(00:45):
This upcoming episode Iconducted an interview with
Justin Spears.
Justin Spears is the CEO of MXIConsulting.
He is the vice chairman ofVeteran-Owned Business
Association in the state ofFlorida.
He has helped develop and builda school.
He was on the board for that inCalifornia.
He was a former Navy corpsmanand I just want to make a quick
(01:12):
disclaimer that the microphonehere and then, when they
translated and processed throughZoom, did not come out as clear
, but I do feel he brought a lotof intellectual information.
I think he has a lot of insightand a lot of really positive
things that active duty membersor veteran members who want to
become business owners, businessleaders or even various
(01:34):
successful professionals invarious amounts of fields to
please listen.
So quick disclaimer on that,because you know your first Zoom
call interview is never goingto be the greatest.
Your first video is going to bethe greatest.
Your first podcast isn't goingto be the greatest.
So I would like to be betterthan yesterday and I would like
to keep going forward.
So please enjoy the show.
I'm trying the mic.
(01:54):
Hello, welcome back to theJoe's show.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It is your host, Corey Coquitas.
I'm here with Justin Spears.
He's hanging out of Floridaright now.
Are you traveling?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
No.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I'm here in Orlando, florida.
Justin was in the Navy andwe're going to talk about today,
about what his experience hasbeen transitioning and
successful coach, mentor,business person, entrepreneur,
if you will, in the civilianworld.
So, justin, introduce yourself.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Hey, thanks, corey, appreciate you having me on
Excited to be on the Joe's showtoday.
I've been looking forward tothis for a while but watching
actually since we met at podcastearlier this year.
So excited, my friend.
Yeah, so thank you.
So, serving the Navy, I was ahospital corpsman, aerospace and
medicine technician.
I was attached to the Navy'smedical operational training
(03:00):
commands Aerospace MedicalInstitute in Pensacola, florida.
So I did a lot of training, dida lot of medical readiness, a
lot of training that I mentioned.
I did a lot of training, a lotof training.
Yeah, a lot of aviators comethrough our command there.
I got to work on some greatmedical studies, got to do some
fun stuff down there, so really,really enjoyed my time.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
All right.
What do you think your biggestachievement was in your time at
the service?
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Biggest achievement.
So part of me wants to saystaying married.
Hey, that's a real thing.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
If we're getting a real, real thing.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
The other part of it biggest achievement was, you
know, I made some really coolimpetus impacts at the Aerospace
Medical Institute.
There I had the honor ofworking with a great team, a lot
of process improvement.
I implemented two differentdepartments there, which was
great rolled out a greataviation medicine platform
(04:03):
globally.
So, you know, trying to makesome some ways to make things
better in the future foreverybody.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So I'd say those are my biggest ones.
Love that and do you think itkind of shaped you for
everything you're about to do inthe future?
Thank you, and what you'redoing, yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Absolutely yeah.
So you know, I went in kind ofright after the recession there
like okay, you know I was doingconstruction wondering like, all
right, what am I gonna do?
I got a wife and two kids andConstruction industry tanked and
went in.
It was like, all right, I'lltake medical.
I need to.
You know kind of need topaycheck and you know, quickly I
got into some businessmanagement opportunities with
you know, all this stuff thatthe Navy throws, that you know
(04:41):
lean and all these things andyou know so it's like all right.
Well, how does it?
How do we apply this, ratherthan just taking like an NKO or
a KO course Like how do weactually apply this?
So you know, I started seeingyou know through that lens of
Process improvement how torestructure Workflows, how to
create new SOPs, how to optimizeprocesses.
Things like that make thingsefficient, and that led to, you
(05:04):
know, the creation of twodifferent departments that I
guess we're kind of great teamrolling out a large-scale online
platform for aerospace medicalencounters, and so in doing that
, it really, you know, exposedme to.
You know from a from a builderand founders perspective, how to
plan for, you know, growthwithin a department or creating
(05:25):
a new department, whichtranslates to a lot of what I'm
doing now for, like regionalgrowth efforts, new technology,
division effort it seems likethat starting new companies for
people and so a lot of what Ilearned really translates.
You know there's so many thingsI learned about change
management, process improvement,project management.
You know everyone I know that'skind of a buzzword in this in.
(05:46):
You know.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I'm gonna get out as veterans of PM.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
I'll tell you what man.
We know how to run a task listlike nobody's seen.
So you know it's yeah in in beable to measure it.
So you know, and we'readaptable.
You know adapt and overcome.
You know which.
That's the cool meaning ofagile, which we see in the
civilian world.
So there's a lot of theprinciples that I learned early
(06:09):
on In my career and got to honein it through different schools.
You know I got to actually thearmy trained me in medical
logistics, surprisingly being inthe Navy.
So you know I created a medicallogistics department program,
brought that into the civilianworld, helped to build logistics
programs into multipledifferent companies now.
So you know there's a lot thattranslates over.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Right, you've been, you've been killing it.
Now what was the first thingyou did after the service?
You go, like you try a jobfirst, you go to college first.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
No, I went.
I went to school.
You know I went to the taps andyou know that's a whole
different episode.
But you know, I went to taps Iwas like, hey, you know, I'm
getting medically retired, I'mgetting medically retired and
separated here.
You know, I need a fewsurgeries.
I got some, some stuff going on.
I, you know, I'm just gonna goto school so I can get my
(06:57):
housing allowance.
You know, for my GI bill, Ihave no idea what I'm gonna do
for work.
Because you know, really, youknow At that point I was having
a lot of issues in my back froman injury.
You know, there's a number ofyears where I could barely walk
and I was like, you know, whatam I gonna do here?
So I'll go to school.
That way at least it's aguaranteed paycheck.
And so I did.
You know we actually moved fromFlorida to Northern California,
(07:19):
went to Simpson University upthere, did my first graduate
program at seminary up there anddid my master's in intellectual
leadership, which is great, Ilove that.
And then did my capstone inmilitary higher education as a
holistic ministry, did somepretty cool stuff with that,
(07:40):
really loved it.
And then I took my first jobBecause the university president
reached out and said hey, Ihave no idea what this is, but
you just defended it, you gotaccepted.
I want it at the universityToday.
That's a great way to get a job.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Oh, you don't apply for it.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Yeah.
So I spent a few years at thatuniversity building this program
and then, about a year after Istarted working there, I got the
edge to go back to school.
So I was good, you know, onceagain, like I did in the
military, and go to schoolfull-time while working
full-time and Did my MBA inentrepreneurship and innovation.
So now, you know, building onwhat I did in seminary is like,
(08:19):
how do we, how do we do businessdifferent, how do we think
about business different?
And you know from the intro,you know entrepreneurship and
innovation standpoint, it's youknow.
How do we grow, how do we build?
You know, and that's that's mypassion, is not just my own
businesses, that I that I'vestarted in and cone and
something that I own myself.
But how do I help other peopleget this knowledge?
(08:40):
How do I help other peoplebuild things?
Speaker 2 (08:42):
So now you kind of circle back for everybody.
Now you, you own your owncompany, right?
I mean, you're part of severalother companies and you Correct
me if I'm wrong you are the vicechairman for the veteran
business association of Florida,right?
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Yes, so, yeah.
So I own MXI Consulting.
I'm also managing partner andfractional chief growth officer
of M3D Technologies.
Then there's the FABOB, whichis the Florida Association of
Better Known Businesses.
I'm the vice chairman of theorganization, so working with
(09:19):
they're representing over a100,000 better known businesses
here in Florida, working on thelegislation side of it, working
on acquisition, working on waysto help them grow their
businesses, different programsto build their education,
training modules, things likethat.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
So do you ever deal with the application process of
when a veteran wants to start abusiness?
Are you a part of that, or areyou helping make the business
plan teach them on what to do sothey are successful when they
go to try to start?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
the business I do.
In short and long, I work witha variety of businesses and some
of them I've had a company thatI worked with where, hey, we
met one evening at an event.
They have an idea.
They drew it on a back of a barnapkin and it's like hey, next
week let's meet and let's getthings rolling.
We built a business off that.
(10:07):
So, from ideation tomedium-sized businesses, where
ideation to scale up is a reallynice sweet spot, so from where
you're talking before they evenfile down here in Florida, you
file your business license onSunBiz and things like that
and submit your articles incorporation if you're going to
corporate or things like that.
But I like to work with them asearly as possible so that they
(10:30):
build a foundation.
That's because one of theissues that I see, especially in
the startup world, is somebodyhas a great idea, but they don't
understand how to build abusiness off of it.
So lots of people have greatideas, whether it's products or
services, etc.
In a variety of differentindustries.
It's like, hey, I want to starta business and start throwing
(10:51):
things at the wall and hopesomething sticks.
One of the things I learnedfrom the military is strategy,
which definitely feeds intogrowth.
So from a strategy perspectiveis let's do our due diligence,
let's build strategic plans withinitiatives so we know what
we're doing, why we're doing it,what's our vision?
what's our exit strategy so wecan deconstruct our roadmap
(11:12):
along the way.
How are key performanceindicators?
How do we measure what we do?
Let's build out iterative loops, things like that, where we can
now be a very agile in ourbusiness of hey, something just
happened.
A good instance is this year.
We're in an election year thathit small businesses every month
, so how do we hit it?
(11:32):
So getting those things inplace early really helps small
businesses and startups becomesustainable early on.
Rather than most businessesthat come to me and I would say
almost every business that comesto me asking for advice and
consulting is, hey, we got anidea, we're going for it.
It's very disorganized, butwe're just trying to sell, sell,
(11:53):
sell.
I was like, yeah, but if yousell now, what are you offering?
You got to have yourinfrastructure, your operations,
in place.
That helps you to actually besustainable.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Definitely.
It's not about just starting up.
It's also about beingsustainable and growing.
Now, in your experience becauseeveryone talks about this do
you feel that veteran businesseshave the same timeline?
Hey, if you don't hit successin your first three years,
you're done or do you think it'sa?
Little different.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
I think it can be different.
There's one factor, and thereason I say that is I'm
actually talking with a coupleof veterans right now that are
going through some hardships.
A few years in Typically threeyears, that's the turn and burn
on most startups.
If we're not sustainable, wedon't have enough operating
capital by year three, it washes.
(12:41):
Whereas with veteran ownedbusinesses we're seeing it
differently.
One there's a lot of resourcesfor veterans out there.
There really is.
There's great grant programs,veteran loan programs through
like small business association.
There's a lot of resources.
Like I work with FABOB, so usas a resource.
I work with VeteransEntrepreneurship Initiative here
(13:02):
in Florida, so I work with them, teaching classes and things
like that.
So in speaking on differenttopics, but also down here in
Florida, we got veterans Florida, which is one of the state
agencies.
So there's a lot of resourcesfor veterans because the
civilian population, theyrecognize a lot of what we bring
.
I was speaking at a governmentdistrict down here a couple of
(13:26):
months ago that I'm on theadvisory council for doing
business with veterans.
I told them I was like hey, webring a different skill set, we
bring a different approach.
We're getting out of themilitary after we already had a
short or a long-term career instarting businesses and we're
successful at it because welearned organizational skills,
we learned project skills, welearned people skills, we
(13:49):
learned management skills.
We already have that.
So that really does impact, Ithink, the sustainability of
veteran businesses.
Then there's also sometimesadditional resources.
If you're getting GI bill whileyou're starting a business, if
you're getting disabilitycompensation or retirement
pensions while you're starting abusiness, then you got some
financial support that really ina civilian world they don't
(14:11):
have.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
When you talk about all these benefits, you said you
went to California forschooling.
Right, you were in Cali andFlorida.
Did you ever try to start abusiness in California or just
Florida?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
No, so I actually started consulting in California
.
Then I was also part of a teamout there that we came together
and started a K through 12Charter School up in Reading,
california as well, so it'scalled Phoenix Charter Academy
it was 2017, started that forabout 428 kids the first year.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
How did you choose Florida as the end game, for end
state, for the homestead?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Man.
Florida is my land of milk andhoney, especially Orlando.
Everything you need in lifeexcept for an 8,000 foot
mountain is in Orlando, so I'm atheme park junkie.
I love going downtown to thelakes.
I love the scenery here.
I love the culture.
I love the lifestyle.
I'm from Panama City Beach.
(15:11):
Florida was born there.
Even though my dad was in theNavy and he traveled us all
around the world, I was lovedcoming back to Florida.
Even while I was working at theUniversity there in Reading,
california.
I was coming here to Orlandofor conferences.
I was going to school in Miamiat FIU, so I was here a lot.
We were vacation here andthings like that.
Just over the years I'm reallylike I need to live here.
(15:32):
Then you start looking ateconomic research, sustainable
areas, areas for growth.
This is a ripe area.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Cool yeah, when I was there it was definitely a lot
of construction, a lot ofgrowing going on.
That's even on a macro scope ofinfrastructure for the city of
Orlando, state of Florida.
Plus, you always see, likeFlorida's in the news for doing
some sort of initiative ahead ofmost other states in a lot of
aspects compared to others.
Now, with what you do now, soas consulting and vice chairman,
(16:01):
what do you think has been yourmost successful moment or most?
What's your biggest achievementin the civilian world for
yourself?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
My biggest achievement man.
I've had some fun adventuressince I've gotten out, I think
one of the biggest things for me.
It's hard because so startingthat charter school, I lived in
a very impoverished area 70,000people.
(16:32):
It's like a 40% dropout rateend of eighth grade.
Lots of generationalimpoverished issues out there.
We knew kids that dropped outgoing to ninth grade just so
they could start working tobring the family money and
things like that.
Very poor area.
(16:53):
There's really noinfrastructure out there.
Now there's a university andthat's really it, and so we saw
a lot of issues in the area forchildren that didn't fit the
perfect mold in a school and sothey had a lot of hardships.
There wasn't resources for them.
And so starting that charterschool that had a focus on
(17:16):
serving socioeconomicallyimpacted kids, kids with IVPs,
things like that how do weprovide them bridge programs to
trade schools?
How do we provide themapprenticeship programs?
How do we help them become a?
Speaker 1 (17:32):
roadside flagger.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
You're making $35 an hour as a flagger.
Your parents and grandparentshave never made more than $15 an
hour.
Like that's a world changer.
That's not a game changer, thatis a world changer.
So I was very honored to bepart of that group.
I did a lot of lobbying at thestate level for charter school
rights and petitioning withdifferent politicians there for
(17:54):
that and appealing to the stateboard of education for it, and
so that was a huge honor.
Very hard to resign from thatboard when I left California.
But then also, I would say,runner up in second place is
what I did at Simpson Universitybuilding the veterans program
there.
I mean that was very rewarding.
It really was Got to do a lotof stuff work with the American
(18:16):
Legion, state level commanderfor VFW, did a lot of stuff,
really enjoyed it was working ona lot of military bases, kind
of speaking on different things.
Did some work with the assumedveterans of America up there and
so, yeah, building somethingthat pays away for veterans when
they get out and they're goingto school.
(18:36):
That was the important part ofthat program for me.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
And I think it's most rewarding because everyone seen
it on the news you always seeveterans struggling or mental
health problems or transitioning.
I'm not even Dan awarding.
He was a vet.
He did like 20 years.
He's like yeah, there's times Istruggle because I don't have
the attitude change Becausethere's certain things I just
accepted, but now that I'vetransitioned I have to accept
those things where he's like Itried some school programs and
(19:02):
they actually helped me reflecton myself and I think that was
huge.
And that's part of what you dois you build you help veterans,
you look at all these programsand they will help you be better
and coach you througheverything you do, which is
great.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yeah, I completely agree and you know that's
interesting.
You mentioned that because oneof the hardest things that I've
gone through since getting outbut I think that's one of the
things that's really helped meacclimate to being a veteran in
a civilian world is I got outand within three months of
(19:37):
getting out I'm at a liberalarts university in Northern
California and I was like I grewup working on farms and ranches
, cutting hayfields, drivingtractors.
You know like let's go get in abig truck and go do something
stupid type guy.
Yeah, this is all real right,yeah.
And I was like I am 30 yearsold, going to college with a
(20:00):
bunch of 18, 19, 20 year olds,with all this military
experience, this life experience, and I'm just like you know,
part of it is like you sit backin the middle of class and
you're just like these people,shut up, like your life's not
that bad, and then part of it'slike actually I have a lot to
learn from you.
I'm going into your world and so, being in the university, both
(20:24):
as a student but also I workedin student development I didn't
just work for veterans, I put onveteran events that I got lots
of sponsorship from everythingfrom freshmen to seniors on
campus and athletics and thingslike that.
We put on campus-wide eventsthat were amazing and so
(20:46):
learning from these students,these younger adults that
haven't been in the military,and getting that exposure right
after being in the military, itreally made me self-reflect
quite a bit and learn a lotabout the broader culture.
Now that I'm out of themilitary For good or bad it was
I now understand the realitythat I'm going into it and that
(21:08):
really helped me a lot Because Iwas speaking to he's right now
a senior, first class.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
He's like, hey, I retire next year.
I have no idea how to talk topeople in civilian work, and
he's like I applied to schoolfor sure, but he's like I'm
literally gonna have to go Likewhen I would yell at a PB2 at 18
years old or an E2 at 18 yearsold and yell at him all day.
I have to actually probablylearn from this person now.
It's a whole 180 for me.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
It's humbling.
Yeah it's humbling when you'restarting, when you're trying to
understand an 18, 19 year oldthat isn't in the military.
To try and understand, like,okay, what are they talking
about?
What are their values?
What's important to them?
How do I connect with them?
Things like that, like it'svery different.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Yeah, because it's not always just a mission or
anything.
Now it's like hey, how do youbuild your social personality,
your social roster, your sociallife?
What's like now, professionalattitude that like are like
there are things that areimportant in the army values and
Navy values, but there's thingsthat differentiate a little bit
in civilian world, like ethics.
It's not just hey, I have tocancel for work, Like work will
(22:16):
still be there.
Now you have to care about,like, your friends, your family,
because you have time, youdon't have to be, obligated in a
uniform at a specific time.
You know what I mean Like 5 amPT, you don't have to be there
anymore.
It's not like you can hang outat night.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
No, you run across campus at 5 30 in the morning
and run it, especially in someshort silks, Like people are
asking questions like what'swrong with this guy?
It's like this is normal.
What are you talking about,Like why aren't you doing it?
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yeah, there's not no one anymore Now do you think so,
how long you've been on theservice now?
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Nine years, nine years.
I got out December of 14.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
So from 14 to now, do you think that the armed
services at the collective isdoing things to help veterans
transition or encouragingveterans to do more than just
the mission?
So schooling, skill programs,skill bridge programs and kind
of like development after theirservice?
Speaker 3 (23:16):
When I got out, especially, you know, taps, I
was in a different situationbecause, you know, I got hurt
and was, you know, med boardedout.
I went through TAPS and I waslike well, I'm just gonna go to
school and they're like well areyou gonna do a resume?
I was like no, I'm just gonna goto school, like I need a few
surgeries here so I probablyshouldn't work and so they
didn't have a whole lot for me.
(23:37):
But now I see, like I workedfor a company after I got out,
that I actually built theirskill bridge program.
You know I did the applications.
I see those benefits andadvantages.
I work with different veteranorganizations and businesses
that you know provide projectmanagement jobs, provide project
management training using GIBill book, rehab, skill bridge
(24:00):
opportunities, things like that.
So I'm seeing that the militaryin general is very open to
retraining, which is good aslong as the service member takes
the initiative to find it.
You know I still don't see.
You know again, I think thatthe TAPS program needs a good
(24:22):
overall to incorporate a lot ofthis.
You know earlier on, becauseyou know you get you know so
many months of boot camp to goin, or you know see us to go in
and you know you get like a weekto get out.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Yeah, you know yeah, you're walking to your first
appointment.
What your stamp is done likethat's it they don't care.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, it's like hey, thanks man.
You go figure it out, you know,and in the meantime you're
trying to navigate the abyss ofthe VA and things like that.
So you prioritize, whereas nowit's like, okay, retraining, I
do feel as a big focus.
The fact that they shifted evenfunding allocation for
retraining, I think is amazing.
I think that is showing, Ithink that's showing a lot of
(25:06):
integrity to the defenseindustry or the DOD, that
they're taking it serious aboutretraining, you know, and voc
rehab is a great example of that.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So what I've noticed recently is like you know what
CSP is, the career skillsprogram, kind of the like.
It's essentially you.
There's like a list of programsyou can do, like one time you
did a Samsung and you learnedhow to do like logistics, apply
another shifting gears, learnhow to be a mechanic for GM with
a truck driver, one wind solarfarm, there's a couple of
(25:37):
computer application courses.
So you, sometimes you learn atrade scale of some sorts with
that company and if you do well,the higher you want.
Well, the issue is coming likehey, like you have to do that
six months out from when you getout for ETS and then TAPS, but
there's training that needs tobe done so you know if someone's
getting out.
(25:59):
do you think that DOD would evermake an initiative to say, hey,
it is more important for themto do the skills training out
because they are getting out, oris it more important for them
to complete the mission thatthey're not going to be a part
of in less than six months?
Speaker 3 (26:12):
You know I think that that's going to be an ongoing
battle because you know it'sit's a.
You know there's tension there.
You know we've got the missionto complete, but we also, you
know, I know, that the militarywill never agree with me, but
they also have a responsibilityfor, you know, reacclimation,
for training on things like that.
(26:35):
You know, if we had to learn oneskill, set to go in they should
be able to help us at leastlearn once the skills set to get
out, you know, and I think thatwould solve a lot of the
Veterinary culture issues wherewe, you see reemployment issues
and things like that andtransition issues, if we could
just teach them, you know, onehealthy skill.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Like the service member does need to take some of
this.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Like.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
I'm not guys like try to put in packets and like it's
like hey, where's my packet?
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Yeah, I don't know like where is?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
your packet and he's like well, I have a second copy.
Okay, good like good on you.
Yeah, that kind of stuffhappens a lot, I feel.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I got me.
I'm not there yet.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
And I'm I get frustrated for them.
It's like I'm watching ithappen in third person.
It's like you know what, whatis a good solution and you know,
in my opinion, it's like againthe tension.
I don't think there really is aperfect and all be all solution
.
Yeah, like what is apossibility long term and hope
for the best right.
Yeah but at least yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
I don't think that there's, I don't think there's
ever gonna be like the perfectsolution, because you know,
while we're, you know governmentproperty mentioned first always
, but you know your prep and didnot be government property.
So and now I gotta think aboutthe future.
So I think that's a tough onealways.
However, I think that theservice member should always be
(27:57):
their greatest advocate and ifyou know, you're getting out
Like I mean, be headstrong andpush for exactly what you need.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Definitely.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Absolutely.
I mean, you're getting outanyways.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
But it is her senior enlisted guys.
Oh no, sorry, senior seniorcommission guys.
So obviously her about this bit.
Did you know that when, likelet's say, you reach the rank of
Colonel, they make you gothrough a class that know that
there's no longer something toget you a copy?
No one's gonna greet you whenyou walk in, no one's going to
do your computer assignment foryou.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
They actually have a class for that.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Yep, if you are.
If you are no, six or higher,you have to attend.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
You know what my hope and prayer is.
As soon as they get out, theygo work at liberal arts
university.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
But my, my thing is like you have such a big
retirement page at that point,like, like who cares?
But like the fact that I haveto break you, that you walk into
somewhere, not everyone's gonnasay, oh hello, whatever your
name is, like you're the personnow and I think I think it's
crazy, because then the oppositefor soldiers, like no, you are
a person that they encourage youBring attention and step
(29:06):
presence.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
No, that was like yeah, interesting see that kind
of stuff, though it's like youknow the, the, your military
career is fine.
Yeah, a lot of people don'tunderstand that you know whereas
you're.
You know your civilian career,like.
I mean, I'm working with peoplethat are in there, you know
late 70s that are killing it andthey're like real estate game
(29:26):
type stuff and it's like andthat's it, that's a skill hack
you can learn.
No, yeah, oh, absolutely, I know.
I know a lot of us that get out.
Man, I am surrounded byveterans in the real estate
industry brokers and Commercialindustrial residential like
that's a great skill, but it's,you know, if your military
career, you know, is gonna befine, I like maybe you should
(29:48):
like Focus on some of the skillsyou're gonna need when you get
out throughout that career.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, you know, you know worrying about you know so
someone's not gonna bring mycoffee or greet me.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
It's like when you get out Relates to me worries
like the only time you'll eversee someone greet you or bring
your coffee is if you're anexecutive in a company.
You have a personal assistantand even that, a lot of that's
going away.
I mean, I've had the systemthat's worked for me when I was
a regional executive forcompanies since getting out and
I never once was okay with herbring it, I can get my own
(30:19):
coffee.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yeah, like I take pride in getting my coffee.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Definitely.
I definitely feel that.
Now, what is one thing that youwish Most veterans would take
away if they wanted to start abusiness, or what's one thing
they should learn first?
Speaker 3 (30:35):
I think, to learn first and I work with a lot of
veterans on this is one, there'sa we have to be tactical in
starting a business.
But two, we can't createanalysis by you know, process by
analysis.
So you, while I tell people andadvocate people and show people
how to Strategically plan tobuild a business, whether it's a
(30:58):
business model, of growthstrategy, implementation plans,
things like that, learning how,that that philosophy of adapt
and overcome, of being agile,don't forget that.
Okay, and the military goeswith you.
Yeah, bring skills with you, bethe solution.
You know, don't ever bring aproblem about a solution.
I know we've all heard thatthat's got me somehow.
(31:21):
That landed me into, you know,learning medical logistics when
I was not a logistician.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
They were doing the battalion training.
You need like hey, what's theproblem?
Okay, what's the solution?
Also For solution.
Oh well, maybe we'll do that.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
It's like yeah that's the solution.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Do it, you know.
Yeah, I feel that a lot oftimes People get hesitant
because they are in the militarywith a worried about.
You know, if I mess up, I knowthat it's gonna be a long day
for me.
We're like no, you need to takerisks and accept some sort of
failure that you can learnbecause no one's there to teach
you.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Absolutely for the most part like yeah, absolutely
yeah, and we see that a lot, youknow.
I see a lot of veterans startingbusinesses where you know
they're trying to go after awhole bunch of things because
they're afraid.
If they pause for a moment andPlan, if they pause for a moment
and develop that vision ofwhere they're going, you know
that they're gonna fail.
(32:14):
Well, that failure is importantsometimes because it allows you
to pivot.
You know an overcome, but beingable to do it properly allows
you and allows the veteran to bethe solution.
Find out how you're thesolution to a gap in an industry
.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Definitely.
I feel it now.
If someone let's say, let's say, 22 doing the first contract
and they didn't necessarily Geta skill set, they were kind of
just a combat like I'm aninfantryman, we don't learn a
whole lot and civilian sort ofskill set besides lead, shoot,
move and communicate and knowhow to blow your hand up in a
(32:52):
Barrage usually what we learnright now.
To someone like that, what isyour biggest advice to do before
they get out?
Speaker 3 (33:02):
If you can't go to call, if you can go to college,
get your certifications, makeyourself competitive.
So I do.
You know, in the world ofconsulting I teach companies to
be competitive because by naturebusiness is competitive.
So I do that with veterans aswell and that's why I've worked
with a number of veterannonprofits since getting out is,
(33:22):
you've got to learn to becompetitive.
You got to learn how to giveyour pitch, which I'm not the
fan of.
The biggest elevator pitchmodel it's give your pitch, show
how your solution to a gap,show your value proposition,
your value add to the otherperson, and learn to be tactical
.
That creates competition.
Veterans, like we, have thatmentality.
(33:44):
We have that approach reallyindoctrinated into us, because
that, I mean, that's how yousupport a mission, so it's
already in us.
Now it's getting over thishurdle of, oh well, I can't
promote myself, I can't.
You know, it's kind of goesback to you know I used to help
people write their own bragsheets and things like that for
their emails that we had at theNavy.
(34:04):
We were like, oh, I don't liketalking about myself.
I was like, well, when you getout, you got to learn to
self-grow, you got a brand, yougot a market.
Like you got to tell people howyou're good stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
you know things like that, like that's normal.
I try to tell people like youyourself, you are a brand Like
you may not be a business, maynot be anything, but you
yourself have a brand of howsomeone knows you, how someone
talks about you, whether they'rewatching you or not.
You have to present yourself atall times Because you are
always representing a brand,which is you.
(34:35):
I call it quikitas, and this andI just misuse it, and this,
this is what I do.
That is always you.
You always have to sellyourself and whatever that is,
that's the huge thing I wishpeople like took and understood
more, at least in my experienceworking with a bunch of
20-year-olds.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
You know if a 19-year-old influencer can get
it.
I know every service member canget it.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Right.
Like if he can go on to QE now,are you cool if I put all the
links like on the podcast pagewhen I upload the episode and
everything.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Love that and then so like the finalist out here.
What's like a closing commentthat you wanna like share?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
So I'd say closing comment is you know, being in
the veteran community sincegetting out, we're really good
at implementing, we're good atdriving, and so a lot of what we
talked about today, a lot ofthe strategies I help businesses
with, actually surrounds thatmantra of I keep implementers
(35:38):
implementing.
Service members are greatimplementers.
We can now head down, go for itand just keep going and going
and going.
See, success is along the way.
Help those that are looking toimplement.
Be there for those that arelooking to implement, cause
you're gonna deal with what Icall the suck along the way.
But guess, what You're gonnakeep implementing.
(36:01):
Yeah, you're gonna go throughthe suck, but I'm here to tell
you I keep implementers,implementing and I expect other
people to do the same.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
That's a great piece of advice.
So, everyone, this is before wecontinue to do the Joe show.
This is Justin Spears MXIConsulting.
Thanks, man.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Thanks, brother, appreciate it.
All right, so some.
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