Beyond the Uniform artwork

Beyond the Uniform

267 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 159 ratings

Beyond the Uniform is a show to help military veterans navigate their civilian career. Each week, I meet with different veterans to learn more about their civilian career, how they got there, and what advice they'd give to other military personnel.

Careers Business Education Self-Improvement military advice career interviews
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Episodes

Calling Transitioning E-6 and Below!

February 01, 2023 16:20 - 1 minute - 1.79 MB

Steve here from BTU. I live in Huntsville, AL and I’m trying to help the Chamber of Commerce connect with E-6 and below service members that are within 18-24 months of their transition window; that can be either be pre or post transition. The Huntsville Chamber of Commerce is looking to connect via Zoom with soon to transition or recently transitioned junior/mid enlisted service members to pick their brains about transition, what jobs transitioning service members are looking for, what's i...

BTU #466 - Stopping Active Shooters with AI (Rob Huberty @ ZeroEyes)

December 14, 2022 12:00 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MB

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    

BTU #465 - Four Thousand Weeks (Part 2)

December 07, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MB

This is part two of a book review of 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. 

BTU 464 - Four Thousand Weeks

November 30, 2022 11:00 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MB

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. 

BTU #463 - 5 characteristis of top performers

November 23, 2022 12:30 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MB

I've interviewed 510+ top performers. Here are five characteristics I've seen them share: 1. Readers 2. Mentors 3. BIG goals 4. Get out of doing 5. Active

BTU #462 - Ryan Green (Gridwise)

November 16, 2022 12:30 - 44 minutes - 40.5 MB

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.

BTU #461 - Herb Thompson

November 09, 2022 11:00 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MB

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 i...

BTU #460 - Michael Muir

November 02, 2022 11:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MB

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 ...

Coming soon to Beyond the Uniform

October 20, 2022 14:05 - 2 minutes - 2.38 MB

I've been MIA... I'm sorry! Here's a quick update on what's going on behind-the-scenes, and what's in store for Beyond the Uniform. 

BTU #459 - Four thoughts about career advice

September 28, 2022 11:00 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MB

Someone in our community sent me a message requesting a few thoughts on their military career transition. I wanted to take the opportunity to share four things that have been on my mind lately.

BTU 458 - Matt Miller Air Force Pilot to Vending Machine Empire

September 21, 2022 11:00 - 42 minutes - 98.1 MB

BTU 457 - Founding Sport Clips Haircuts and Building 1700 Franchises Gordon Logan

September 14, 2022 11:00 - 55 minutes - 127 MB

Gordon Logan is the Founder & CEO at Sport Clips Haircuts, a company that he started back in 1993 and now has over 1,700 locations in the US & Canada. Logan started out at MIT, after which he served as an Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force for seven years. After his military service, he worked as a financial planning and control consultant with Price Waterhouse & Co. in Houston, Texas. He holds an MBA with Honors from The Wharton School of Business. Why to Listen:  In the past I've...

BTU #455 - Active Duty to Chick-fil-A Franchise Owner (Marlon Terrell)

August 31, 2022 11:00 - 58 minutes - 134 MB

Why to Listen:  For those that listened to Episode #129 with John Francis, you know that I’ve been thinking about how veterans that are interested in entrepreneurship should really consider a franchise. It seems to be a business with training wheels. It helps bridge the gap between someone’s military strengths and what’s necessary to grow and run a successful company. My guest today is Marlon Terrell, who went straight from the Navy into owning a Chick-Fil-A franchise. I really enjoyed th...

BTU #454 - Veterans & Franchises (John W. Francis, aka "Johnny Franchise")

August 24, 2022 11:00 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MB

John W Francis runs Next Level Franchise, Inc in Minnesota, where he helps franchisors, franchisees and supplier companies with their business issues by offering perspective, experience, advice and connections to help move them forward. He started back in 1980's helping in his family business, The Barber’s Inc, which was the franchisor of Cost Cutters, City Looks, and We Care Hair Salon. Over the next 15+ years he helped to grow the business internationally, eventually selling to the Regis C...

Coming soon to Beyond the Uniform the Uniform

August 22, 2022 11:00 - 3 minutes - 3.59 MB

We've had over a month since our last episode, and we've got a string of five episodes coming your way. Here's what to expect.

BTU #453 - Navy Veteran to NASCAR Driver (Jesse Iwuji)

June 27, 2022 12:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MB

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 ho...

452 - Finding a Workplace Where You Can Thrive (Valerie Rivera)

June 20, 2022 13:05 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MB

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...

BTU #451 - From Air Force to US Ambassador (Gary Grappo)

June 13, 2022 12:00 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MB

BTU #449 - Mastering Sales (Tyler Johnston)

May 30, 2022 12:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MB

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 car...

BTU #447 - Life after being declared Killed in Action (Justin Constantine)

May 16, 2022 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

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 ...

BTU #446 - Growing Black Rifle Coffee (with Evan Hafer)

May 09, 2022 12:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MB

Evan Hafer is the Founder & CEO of Black Rifle Coffee, a small batch coffee roasting company. He started out at the University of Idaho, after which he spent 14 years in the U.S. Army as an infantryman, a Special Forces soldier, and a CIA contractor. I came across Evan in a 2016 Forbes Article about the Top 25 Veteran Founded Startups in America.

btu 446

May 09, 2022 12:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MB

BTU #445 - Founding Alpha Architect (Wes Gray)

April 25, 2022 12:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MB

BTU #443 - An overview of Blockchain & Crypto Currency (Donnie Benjamin)

April 18, 2022 12:00 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MB

In my previous conversation with Donnie, he offered to come back on the show to provide a primer about blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Ethereum. In this episode, we dive into this, as well as why the space may appeal to the mission and purpose-driven Veterans.

BTU #442 - Navy to PGA Golfer (Billy Hurley III)

April 14, 2022 12:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MB

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 mindet of excellence - ev...

BTU 441 - Fill Your Life with Hold my Beer Moments (France Hoang)

April 11, 2022 11:33 - 48 minutes - 111 MB

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, incl...

BTU #440 - Coach K

April 07, 2022 12:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MB

BTU #439 - The future of virtual care (Dr. Laura Purdy)

April 04, 2022 12:00 - 38 minutes - 89.2 MB

Subscribe on: iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play            Enjoy the episode? Review us on iTunes! 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 month...

BTU #438 - The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

March 31, 2022 12:00 - 7 minutes - 6.66 MB

A book review of the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - A leadership fable, by Patrick Leoncioni

BTU #437 - Blockchain Ticketing (w/ Matt Zarracina at True Tickets)

March 28, 2022 12:25 - 42 minutes - 96.7 MB

Why Listen: Matt brings the perspective of what I'd call a midlife entrepreneur, someone who had decade in the military almost a decade of experience a couple degrees before he founded a company and I just always love hearing those stories. His company uses blockchain. So we talk about that how that impacts his business. What that industry looks like, like might be appealing to our listeners, he talks about COVID and how it actually helped him grow as a company in an unexpected way, a very a...

BTU #436 - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

March 21, 2022 12:00 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MB

Why Listen: Today’s conversation is the highlight of my time with Beyond the Uniform. More than anyone else I have witnessed, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are doing the most to elevate the civilian world’s understanding of military Veterans and what they bring to the table. In this conversation, we talk about what it is like for Jocko and Leif to work together now, out of uniform. We also talk about what it was like starting their company, Echelon Front… and it’s not as easy as I had thoug...

BTU #436 - How to Sell a Company (Jeff Arnold @ Rightsure)

March 14, 2022 11:00 - 32 minutes - 74 MB

Why Listen: Jeff works in the insurance industry, which is not an industry I knew a lot about before the interview, but I can see why he chose to spend 30 years in this career path after his time in the Army. In this interview, we talk about selling companies, understanding how companies are valued, how to drive value, how to increase the value of a company, how to defer benefits in selling a company versus finding a company that pays you a good salary from the start. We talk about approachin...

BTU #435 - How to Sell a Company (Jeff Arnold @ Rightsure)

March 14, 2022 11:00 - 32 minutes - 74 MB

Why Listen: Jeff works in the insurance industry, which is not an industry I knew a lot about before the interview, but I can see why he chose to spend 30 years in this career path after his time in the Army. In this interview, we talk about selling companies, understanding how companies are valued, how to drive value, how to increase the value of a company, how to defer benefits in selling a company versus finding a company that pays you a good salary from the start. We talk about approachi...

BTU #434 - The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership (Diana Chapman)

March 07, 2022 11:00 - 54 minutes - 126 MB

Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guest today is not a military veteran, but I believe her message and perspective are a great contribution to our community.  Diana has helped a lot of veterans and is one of the authors of a book called The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, and I am so honored to have her on the show. I love this book so much that I send a copy of it to every new client that I sign up for my company, Executi...

BTU #433 - Masters of Scale (Book Review)

March 03, 2022 14:23 - 4 minutes - 4.32 MB

Normally on the show I interview a military Veteran about their civilian career: what they do, how they got there, and advice for others seeking to do the same. Today's episode instead is a book review of a book I just finished that has helped me in my career, and I hope it helps you as well: Masters of Scale.

BTU #433 - Masters of Scale (Book review)

March 03, 2022 14:23 - 4 minutes - 4.32 MB

Normally on the show I interview a military Veteran about their civilian career: what they do, how they got there, and advice for others seeking to do the same. Today's episode instead is a book review of a book I just finished that has helped me in my career, and I hope it helps you as well: Masters of Scale.

BTU #432 - Taking Action (Aaron Hale)

February 28, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 75.7 MB

Why Listen: There are no words to introduce this interview. Aaron was left blind after an injury in Afghanistan. He overcame that and went on to do incredible things. Instead of allowing himself to become a victim, Aaron sees his injury as an example of divine direction. Shortly after that, he contracted bacterial meningitis and became fully deaf in both ears. He has since then gotten implants so he can hear. But Aaron overcame that as well. Living the "Challenge Accepted!" mindset and not...

BTU #431 - Rocket Fuel (Book Review)

February 24, 2022 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.86 MB

In this episode I provide a high-level summary of the book, Rocket Fuel. This is a book for anyone interested in leading a 50+ person company, or for any entrepreneur looking to scale their company. You can find a copy of the book at https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Fuel-Essential-Combination-Business/dp/1942952317

BTU #430 - The Unexpected Entrepreneur (Chris Anthony @ TeamWorx Security)

February 21, 2022 11:00 - 42 minutes - 96.4 MB

Why Listen: Despite your career intentions, today is a great episode with a lot to learn from Chris. This is one of the first stories where the entrepreneur I interviewed didn't set out to be an entrepreneur; they were pulled into it. We start talking about his unexpected departure from the Army he'd planned on 20 years and due to an injury left at the 11-year point, and how he started his own company. We speak about the mentoring work he does with veterans every Wednesday. He has got a lo...

BTU #429 - Atomic Habits (Book Review)

February 17, 2022 11:00 - 11 minutes - 11 MB

In this episode I provide a book review of Atomic Habits by James Clear. This is a FANTASTIC habit relevant to any career path (as well as your personal life). It efficiently explains incredible tactics to employ to build habits that will get you where you want to go, and destroy the habits that keep you from getting there.

BTU #428 - Your Moments, Hand-Painted (Brendan Aronson @ Paintru)

February 14, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 77.4 MB

Why Listen: My guest today, Brendan, started a company called Paintru, which he co-founded with two other Naval Academy graduates. What I think is so fascinating about Brendan's story is that he is a Naval Academy grad, served in the Marine Corps, earned his MBA from hardcore finance school Wharton, worked at a hardcore finance company, Goldman Sachs, and then started, of all things, a startup that focuses on art. It's such an unexpected twist in someone's story.  About Brendan: Brenda...

BTU #427 - Mastering the Rockefeller Habits (Book Review)

February 10, 2022 11:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MB

In this episode I provide my top 17 takeaways from an incredible book about leadership and growing a company: Mastering the Rockefeller Habits.

BTU #426 - Building a Community on LinkedIn (Justin & Jennifer Welsh)

February 07, 2022 11:00 - 55 minutes - 127 MB

Why Listen: Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. My guests today are not military veterans, but I believe their message and perspective are a great contribution to our community.  This is a great episode for anyone. Whether you're a job seeker, an entrepreneur, or an executive, LinkedIn is such a powerful platform. We talk about it all the time on the show. Today, we're going deep on tactics for how to use LinkedIn to grow an audience...

BTU#425 - WHO not HOW (Book Review)

February 03, 2022 11:00 - 8 minutes - 7.99 MB

In this episode, I provide my key takeaways from a book a recent guest recommended to me; WHO not HOW. It is a book all about the fact that, when presented with a problem, we often think: how can I solve this? Instead, the book talks about shifting to a "who can help me solve this" mindset. By finding a WHO who has a network and area of expertise to solve your problem, you free yourself up instead to operate in your own particular zone of genius.

BTU #424 - Growing a Business through Acquisitions (Mike Maynard @ Napier)

January 31, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 49.7 MB

Why Listen: Normally on the show, I interview military veterans about what they're doing post-service. Today's guest, Mike, has a unique career transition story that I haven't heard before and thought would benefit our audience. We talked about Mike's career transition of going from someone on the tech side to someone on the marketing side as an owner and operator, but also the process of acquiring other businesses.  About Mike: Mike Maynard is the Managing Director of the Napier Group...

BTU #423 - You Are a Badass at Making Money (Book Review)

January 27, 2022 11:00 - 13 minutes - 12 MB

 In this episode I give a quick recap of a book that helped me and I know will help many Veterans who may think there's not enough time or money to go around. You Are A Badass at Making Money is a fantastic book about changing our beliefs about money and success, and I hope you'll check it out.

Guests

Jocko Willink
2 Episodes
Leif Babin
2 Episodes
Chris Hogan
1 Episode
Jean Greaves
1 Episode
Ken Coleman
1 Episode