18 minute read
Enlisted to Entrepreneur
Active Duty Entrepreneur
Imagine you’re in a remote, obscure corner of the world with the mission of making sure military aircraft can fly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Plus, you’re tasked with making sure those under your command have everything they need to do their jobs. And now, imagine, if you can, that you’re running an active business in San Diego.
Easy huh? Not really. Kevin Post is one of those guys who knows anything is possible if you believe in yourself and find your purpose in life. And Kevin is leading a big, purposeful life.
Kevin Eats Challenges for Breakfast
He enlisted in the Marines in June of 2007 out of Toms River, NJ, and quickly found himself in San Diego training to become an Avionics Tech for the MV-22B Osprey. He knew nothing about airplanes. Now he holds almost all the qualifications possible on his aircraft.
When Kevin decided to enlist in the Marines, he thought all Marines just went to the front lines and had infantry type jobs, slept in the dirt, showered every few days, and only ate when food was available. He had heard all the horror stories about the Marines. Because few can do it was exactly what attracted him to the challenge. He quickly discovered that despite all those stories being true, it was not as bad as everyone made it out to be. The Marines do go to war and expect a lot from you. But this assignment took him to over 13 different countries and introduced him to hundreds of different cultures “It allowed me to encounter many unique people from many diverse places,” he says.
After 13 years and now on his fourth deployment, Kevin started thinking about life post-separation when he leaves in November 2020. While home in March 2019, Kevin returned to look for a place to live with a few Marine roommates. Sharon Rios, a long-time native of San Diego, happened by with some friends and offered them unused furniture. Kismet, fate, destiny…. long story short, Sharon and Kevin became fast friends. Together Sharon and Kevin built their company, Esteemed Movers, a residential and commercial moving company from the ground up, dedicated to customer satisfaction. Sharon literally “holds down the fort” while Kevin is deployed. Always interested in business, she obtained her degree in that field. She had been a contract specialist for a big company for 8 years where she bid on and won over 100 million dollars’ worth of contracts including a contract for over 20 million dollars for work on Camp Pendleton. Sharon comes from a family of entrepreneurs. A highly motivated person, she sets her goals extremely high (like a Marine) and Kevin trusts her with the operation while he is gone.
Applying Military Experience to the Business World
Being able to command Marines from different backgrounds and leading them in different situations all over the world has helped him in business. In 2014 the Corps decided that Kevin would make a great Marine Corps recruiter. Serving as a recruiter from August 2014 until August 2017 in Burlington County, NJ helped him network with like-minded individuals as well allowing him how to meet civilians unfamiliar with the military. All the military jargon spoken in the Marines had to give way to improving his communication skills. It also taught him how to network, build his brand, and interact with clients. Becoming a veteran, active military, or civilian entrepreneur has its challenges. Kevin says “getting into something I had never ever done before, taking the risk that many are scared to take, and starting a company from nothing” were in his way. He overcame those internal roadblocks through the perseverance learned in the Marines.
It’s not over. It’s not ever over when you own a business. You’ve got to learn to oversee the cash flow while investing in the company, paying bills, and managing payroll for your employees. Figuring out the complex world of marketing is a work in progress.
Relying on his Marine experience Kevin set out to build a team. It might look easy, but it requires finding the right employees whose values align with the company. Keen on hiring veterans, their “top guy” is a Marine. They instinctively continue to lead and train their team to be the best they can be. The goal is to grow their company big enough to have a staff full of veterans.
Kevin is passionate about the Marines and building his company. That’s what keeps him going with his balancing act. He depends on Sharon, but it’s not simple when he’s on the other side of the world. When he is up America is sleeping and when America is up, he’s sleeping. Like a Marine, he pushes through the challenges and looks for opportunities. Social media and building relationships with important influencers like realtors can be done from afar.
Somehow this marine has held on to his heart. Understanding that moving is stressful and no two moves are alike, they customize each move to each client’s specific needs. When one client went into labor early, they rescheduled the moving date at the last minute to accommodate her. The crew stayed after and helped up the bed and unpack a bit. Kevin and Sharon stopped by as the movers were getting ready to leave and brought a basket full of baby items. Kindness as well as muscle are what makes the company special.
Applying Military Experience to the Business World The City of San Diego grant has paid for Operation Vetrepreneur under National Veterans Transition Services, Inc to help launch and support veteran (Military & Spouse) startups and growing businesses. Working with highly experienced entrepreneurs, and using a unique brainstorming high-touch model, you get mentoring and info while in the company of other like-minded veterans.
Tell us about yourself and any needs you have at www.veteransinbiz.com, sign up for a workshop at www.meetup.com/Operation-Vetrepreneur-San-Diego/
Vicki Garcia is the Co-Founder of Operation Vetrepreneur & President of Marketing Impressions, a 30+ -year- old marketing consulting firm. Apply to join Operation Vetrepreneur’s FREE Think Tank Groups or one-on-one mentoring at www.veteransinbiz.com
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Veterans and active military make great entrepreneurs. Building a company is tough & requires lots of work. It can be lonely. The vets & active military we work with, from start-up to experienced owners, polish their business smarts the same way they learned skills in the military.
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IN THE TRENCHES . . . What You Can Expect Certification & Supplier Diversity Concept Review for Startups Perfecting Your Pitch Speaker Training Brainstorming with Experts Publishing Knowhow Personal Branding Mind Mapping Crowdfunding Writing a Business Plan Branding, Graphics & Visuals Internet Marketing Social Media & SEO Legal Issues Budgeting Where & How to Get Money High Velocity Growth Strategies Employees & Contractors
Veterans Chamber of Commerce By Joseph Molina www.vccsd.org
F E A R And How to Deal with it
Is it normal to feel Fear?
Yes, fear is as normal as any other emotion, feeling or sensation. Sometimes we may feel sad or happy, other times we may feel hesitant, and other times we may feel fear. But it is how we respond to the feeling, and how much we allow the emotion to influence our responses. Our reactions are the “markers” that tell us How Much impact or influence fear has on us. We also must gauge the “Degree of influence/Impact” of the fear we are feeling at the moment. This will help us determine the impact the feeling of fear will have on our behavior.
What happens when we feel fear?
So, let’s think about this. What happens the precise moment when we start to feel that emotion that we know of as fear? We know this is difficult since, in most instances, we don’t know fear is coming. However, if we were to slow down the process or to think back as to what happened in that Initial Moment and what can we learn from that experience - There is a great benefit from learning what takes place at that precise moment of “Fear Zero” (Fear Zero, the moment just before fear is felt).
What are some of the most common types of fear? Have you ever thought of why we feel fear of some things but not others? This could mean that we may have created a preconceived notion, expectation or mindset about what something is or the effect it will have on us. Mind-projection, happens when we encounter a moment and the mind projects emotions, feelings or thoughts from a previous experience that defines the current moment. Mind-projection has a tremendous influence on when or at which types of moments we may feel fear. Below is a partial list of the most common types of fears: Fear of heights, fear of change, fear of public speaking, fear of success, fear of meeting new people, fear of flying, fear of insects, fear of dogs, needles, etc.
Can Fear be avoided?
As we mentioned earlier, fear is as common as any other emotion, we should place our focus on: 1) identifying our type of fear, and 2) the degree of our fear. Not every fear has to be overcome, dealt with or eliminated, some fear may work to our advantage. The important factor here is to recognize we feel it, then we can move to step 2 and beyond.
Can we use fear to our advantage?
Of course, a low-level fear may be an asset for us. For example, feeling a little fear of an upcoming presentation, may help us prepare better. Feeling a little fear of being late to an appointment, may help us leave earlier. Of course these are just some examples, but when the feeling of fear obstructs our activities, it is then that fear has moved from low-level (positive) into an obstacle level (negative)
To conquer fear, we must first understand what it is, how it works, and where it comes from and then learn how to use it, avoid it or overcome it.
According to Merriam Webster fear could be defined as: “An unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger (1) : an instance of this emotion (2) : a state marked by this emotion”.
Is there anything we can do to control fear?
Here are some steps that could help reduce it:
1. Think back to a time in the past when you have felt fear. 2. Capture the exact moment by picturing it in your mind. 3. What was your first thought (at the moment of Fear Zero)? 4. Was the emotion of fear appearing after the thought or before? 5. Recreate the scenario in your mind and see what it was that triggered the emotion of fear.
6. As you are recreating the scenario, imagine what it would be like if you had not felt fear at all and then imagine what you would have done. This may take some time to master. * We are talking about situations that give us the feeling of fear, phobias are different and not covered in this article.
Steps that could help overcome situational fears:
1. Be aware of it 2. Know the trigger 3. Be intentional and tend to make choices that would not be based on fear
In Summary:
Fear is a normal, everyday emotion/feeling that can be overcome and or deal with. Fear can be positive or negative, constructive or destructive, depending on its degree or impact on our behavior. Excessive amounts of fear and/or continuous fear emotions may be best approached with the help of a professional.
The content of this article is written from my personal experience. Share information for the purpose of helping some dealing with this emotion of fear. By all means please contact a professional to make sure your are dealing with the fear itself and will be able to receive professional assistance. No need to go alone.
WOUNDS WE CANNOT SEE
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not always allow the affected to seek help. Lend a hand and provide them with methods of help, listen and be a friend.
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At San Diego Veterans Magazine you can visit our website for all current and past articles relating to PTSD, symptoms, resources and real stories of inspiration.
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legal Eagle By Kelly Bagla, Esq. Straight-forward legal tips for Military and Veteran Business Owners
CHESS – A GAME OR REALITY?
If you want to learn about running a successful business then you’ll find no better teacher than a chess board. Chess is a game of tactic and strategy and these tactics and strategies can be useful in the business world.
Chess is a complicated mental game modelled after war, the struggle to achieve victory, but it can also be a tool to improve business skills. Business is all about position and strategy and you’ll be moving your business in the same ways you would chess pieces – with precision and accuracy.
Below are some lessons you can learn from chess that will help you postion your business on the path to success:
• Learn to look ahead
Only those who can foresee several moves ahead can play a good game of chess. Taking the effort to plan for a good forecast is critical to the success of any business.
• Learn to develop memory
To be able to look ahead, you must learn how to memorize a large number of potential moves. Since memory is an essential element of thinking, it should be of help to ensure business decision making.
In chess, you need time to place your pieces in the proper position before you can attack effectively as a premature attack may backfire. This is very similar in business where you must patiently restrain yourself from making rash moves until everything is set. You conduct market research and feasibility studies first before risking your capital.
• Learn to anticipate your competitors moves
When making a move in chess, you must also anticipate the probable responses from your opponent because they are planning to defeat you. This idea of a thinking foe must be incorporated into the making of business plans. In the real world, competitors would react to your moves so you must be prepared for the counter attack.
• Learn to think outside the box
Although chess has strict rules, the expert player knows how to use this creativity to come up with surprise moves to defeat his opponent. An entrepreneur must come up with an innovative marketing campaign if he or she is to prevail against giant competitors.
As business owners we all try to run a successful business but the ones that actually become successful businesses are the ones who plan, prepare and think outside the box.
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Disclaimer: This information is made available by Bagla Law Firm, APC for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, and not to provide specific legal advice. This information should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.
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