• Ep. 221: Using Surfing To Heal Veterans with Stephanie Dasher from Warrior Surf
    May 30 2024

    Send us a Text Message.

    Today's guest is Stephanie Dasher, executive director of Warrior Surf Foundation (WSF), a Charleston nonprofit founded in May 2015. WSF works to provide free surf therapy, yoga, wellness classes and community to Veterans struggling with PTSD and other mental health challenges. Stephanie is a Veteran herself, having served in the U.S. Navy for five years, and would love to speak to you about the unique challenges that Veterans face and why they need our support now more than ever.


    WSF’s 12-week Surf Therapy program strives to enhance the psychological and physical well-being of Veterans, active duty service members and their families, and teaches resiliency, positive psychology and goal setting. Stephanie has also been instrumental in organizing countless community-building and fundraising events, including a Golf Classic that raised over $310k this past spring.


    Last year, WSF provided over 2,545 hours of direct support. To date, WSF has served more than 700 Veterans.

    Show more Show less
    31 mins
  • Ep. 220: Running a Financial Services Business to Connect with Your Community and Contribute to Veterans with Brian McCarver
    Mar 29 2024

    Send us a Text Message.

    Brian left the army and moved back home, eventually buying a small financial services firm and growing it. We talk about how that helps tie him into his local community and how he uses his network and business to give back to other veterans.

    Brian McCarver, CFP®, CIMA® | Stonebridge Financial Group (stonebridgefg.com)

    DOD SkillBridge Program (osd.mil)

    Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania | Harrisburg PA (veteransoutreachofpa.org)

    Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org)



    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • Ep. 219: Using Military Experience to Consult with F500 Companies and Build in Private Equity with Afterburner, Inc. Founder and Chairman Jim Murphy
    Mar 15 2024

    Send us a Text Message.



    Afterburner Fighter Pilots - Motivational Keynote SpeakersDown Range: A Transitioning Veteran's Career Guide to Life's Next Phase: Murphy, James D., Duke, William M.: 9781118790151: Amazon.com: BooksGet Expert Advice Instantly - Minnect


    Jim "Murph" Murphy, the Founder and Chariman of Afterburner, Inc., has a unique and powerful mix of leadership skills in both the military and business worlds. After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Murph joined the U.S. Air Force where he learned to fly the F-15. He has logged over 1,200 hours as an instructor pilot in the F-15 and has accumulated over 3,200 hours of flight time in other high-performance jet aircraft. As the 116th Fighter Wing's Chief of Training for the Georgia Air National Guard, Murph's job was to keep 42 combat-trained Fighter Pilots ready to deploy worldwide within 72 hours. As a flight leader, he has flown missions to Central America, Asia, Central Europe and the Middle East.

    After years in the military, Murph returned to his love of business. Prior to his service in the U.S. Air Force, Murph had a successful career in imaging equipment sales, where he helped increase his company's sales by 500%. Years later, Murph became Director of Sales for a small paint company. Realizing that the concepts of the Flawless Execution model could be applied to business, he engaged the proven model — "Plan. Brief. Execute. Debrief." — and increased his company's sales from $5 million to $52 million. Realizing that many companies could benefit from these same concepts, Murph started Afterburner in early 1996.

    Through his leadership, Afterburner has landed on Inc. Magazine's "Inc. 500 List" twice. Murph has been regularly featured in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Inc. Magazine, Newsweek, Meetings & Conventions Magazine and has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and Bloomberg news to name a few. He has also been named as one of Atlanta's top 50 entrepreneurs by Catalyst Magazine. To date, the Afterburner team of elite military professionals has led over 1 million executives, sales professionals, and business people from every industry through Afterburner's Flawless Execution Model, and its unique, high-energy programs. Afterburner notable clients include the Who's Who of the Global 1000 list of companies. Murph's groundbreaking book Business Is Combat, is now in its third printing, and his latest book Flawless Execution was released May 1st, 2005 by Harper Collins publishing. Murph has spoken at the world’s notable business schools to include Harvard, Wharton, Cornell, Emory, and Duke.

    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • Ep. 218: Former Marine to 22% Lifetime Returns Investing In Stocks with Erik Smolinski
    Feb 8 2024

    Send us a Text Message.

    Erik is the first stock trader I've had on the podcast and he talks about how he got started in investing and why he loves this path for building wealth.

    CORE Leadership Program | Deloitte US

    The Intelligent Investor Rev Ed.: The Definitive Book on Value Investing: Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig, Warren E. Buffett: Amazon.com: Books

    esInvests | Investing without the BS

    esInvests - YouTube

    Erik @esInvests (@esInvests) / X (twitter.com)



    Show more Show less
    53 mins
  • Ep. 217: Air Force Veteran Jon Stoddard on Buying Businesses
    Jan 19 2024

    Send us a Text Message.

    Jon is a prominent voice in the business acquisition community and got his start in buying businesses after leaving the Air Force.

    Resources Mentioned:

    Ep. 150: Enlisted Marine to Working at the VA, Supporting Veteran Entrepreneurs, and Founding a Veteran-Focused Marketing Firm with Barrett Bogue (buzzsprout.com)

    Ep. 154: Working in Finance, Taking the Leap, and Connecting Veterans with Capital: Bill Militello from Localvest (buzzsprout.com)

    Ep. 120: Army NCO to Business Owner by Acquiring a Small Business with John Hubbard (buzzsprout.com)

    Buy and Sell Online Businesses & Websites - Empire Flippers

    Jon Stoddard | LinkedIn



    Show more Show less
    44 mins
  • Ep. 216: The Art of the Career Pivot with Kathy Borkoski (Ex- Stunt Performer, Big Tech, Gov, Con, and Navy EOD)
    Jan 12 2024

    Send us a Text Message.

    Kathy has QUITE a story. She's bounced around from industry and industry and mastered the art of changing careers. Listen how this Navy EOD veteran went from the military to being a stunt performer to names like Facebook and Crossfit.


    Show more Show less
    46 mins
  • Ep. 215: Navy SEAL to Private Equity and Launching a Search Fund with Jack Ogden of Island Search
    Dec 21 2023

    Send us a Text Message.

    I've had a lot of people on the show talk about buying businesses and have tangentially mentioned the traditional search fund model before, but Jack Ogden is the first guest on the show who is currently running a search fund.


    Resources mentioned:
    The COMMIT Foundation | Veteran Transition Assistance

    With Your Shield: A McMorrow Veterans Initiative | USC Military & Veterans Initiative

    Home - The Honor Foundation

    FourBlock – Veteran Career Readiness



    Show more Show less
    49 mins
  • Ep. 214: Finding Common Ground through a Willingness to Learn and Investing in America with Jordan Blashek
    Dec 11 2023

    Send us a Text Message.

    Jordan is using his love for our country to work with high-profile investors to invest in the American economy and defense.

    Union: A Democrat, a Republican, and a Search for Common Ground: Blashek, Jordan, Haugh,

    Christopher: 9780316423793: Amazon.com: Books

    Jordan Blashek — America’s Frontier Fund (americasfrontier.org)

    Jordan Blashek (@JordanBlashek) / X (twitter.com)



    Show more Show less
    48 mins