2020 MIM_DECEMBER

THE OFF-DUTY HUSTLE OF THIRD SHIFT ENTREPRENEURS

SETS OUT TO DISRUPT 3D PRINTING INDUSTRY

Founder Curtez Riggs just finished up a first-of-its-kind event in Georgia that included thousands of viewers tuning in to top leaders from various industries. In keeping with the promise to bring the content of his event series outside of the four walls, this issue aligns with one of the intended goals of MIC: to strengthen your commitment to whatever passion project drives you.

Stories include WWE star Lacey Evans who pursued an unlikely path after serving in the Marine Corps. Or, Bunker Labs CEO Todd Connor who introduces readers to the concept of third shift entrepreneurs. He is teaching veterans how to stop pressing pause on their dreams. And Maj. Stuart Scheller who exemplifies Connor’s messaging. Scheller is the co-owner of The Perfect Ribbon — a company driven out of a solution to a problem he faced when prepping his military uniforms. He is his own target market!

Reading about those in the military community who face, and often overcome unimaginable barriers to success, is nothing short of aweinspiring, but I would be naïve to think that there isn’t a whole other segment of people feeling defeated. We are still deploying, we are still experiencing loss to the coronavirus, and business owners are having to make tough decisions. There are no words adequate enough to match whatever storm you are facing, but I do hope it offers you some comfort that there is literally no network in this world as tight as the military family. Lean on your peers. You do not have to go at this alone.

Looking ahead to more hopeful times in 2021, friends.

ABOUT THE COVER

Samantha Snabes pictured with her retired military working dog Major Paddy in Austin, Texas. Cover shoot by Robert Gomez.

10 Female founder sets out to disrupt 3D printing industry

by Andrea Downing Peck

Military Influencer Magazine is published by AmeriForce Media LLC, 4 times per year for active duty service members, veterans, entrepreneurs, and military spouses. Copies are available through participating family service centers, relocation offices, transition offices, base lodges, libraries, daycare centers, MWR activities and other locations by request. Individuals can subscribe to receive digital editions at https://www.ameriforcemedia. com/militaryinfluencer. Editorial comments can be emailed to managing.editor@ ameriforcemedia.com.

Military Influencer Magazine is published by AmeriForce Media, LLC, Bloomington, Indiana, a private company. Information and advertisements in this publication do not constitute endorsement by any branch of the military or the Department of Defense. No part of this publication may be copied without the express written permission of the publishers. AmeriForce Media, LLC, the publishers, and publisher’s agents make no endorsement of any advertised services or products and none should be inferred.

EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION

President and Publisher Todd Taranto

Managing Editor Bianca M.Strzalkowski

Design Open-Look Business Solutions

by

by Blake Stilwell

Vice President, Sales

by Natalie Gross

Julie.Miller@AmeriForceMedia.com

SBA programs aid veterans with business pivots during pandemic

By Bianca M. Strzalkowski

Navy veteran Stewart Junge and his wife, Deanna, own Landmark Finish — a family-operated business that creates residential custom cabinetry, laminate countertops, retail fixtures and more. When the market crashed more than a decade ago, the Junges said they experienced a “period of struggle” that led them to pivot their business from high-end residential cabinetry to commercial work. So, when the pandemic struck earlier this year, Stewart says he knew early on that they

would need to adapt immediately.

“It was very quick for me because the shop was empty, we had a number of jobs in queue that I had to finish myself, the employees were gone and I had a lot of time for soul searching and reflecting back to 2008. I didn’t want to be in the 2008 situation again. I was looking around the shop to brainstorm, what can I do with what I have to get out of this situation,” Stewart said.

And the realization that things were changing again was not easy. The couple’s business was flourishing, which included plans to expand operations.

“We were in the process of really doing a lot of business development, we were about to graduate from the VETRN Streetwise MBA program, and we had this grand plan of making a showroom in our building — so we have about a 2,200 square foot area that we were renovating. The idea was to not only make it a showroom for our cabinetry, but we were going to make it a local design center where contractors and interior designers north of Boston could come and use it as a resource center for their own clients and use it as a meeting space,” Deanna said. “Fortunately, I would say, we were not strangers to seeing some of the telltale signs that work was going to dry up, or change, and that we had to switch gears in order to not only survive, but really thrive this time.”

Resources from six months of training through the Streetwise MBA program put the Junges at an advantage when the time came to figure out next steps. The free tuition program includes information on strategic business planning, business cash flow, financial management and understanding market segment.

The husband-and-wife duo both said leaning on a network of other entrepreneurs, and mentors, is among the most helpful tools that has helped them.

“Try and connect with other people. One of the more powerful things that we’ve had was the connections, the sharing experiences, and realizing we’re not the only fish in the swamp,” Stewart said.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps connect entrepreneurs,

The owners of a Massachusetts-based business used “telltale signs” from the 2008 market crash to adjust 2020 operations as the pandemic unfolded.

like the Junges, with a network of volunteer, expert business mentors through SCORE — a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship, according to its website. Click here to locate a local mentor: https://www.score.org/ find-mentor

Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator for the Office of Veterans Business Development at the SBA, strongly encourages veteran entrepreneurs to utilize the programs and resources of his office before trying anything else. Stubblefield and his team are responsible for formulating, implementing, administering, and promoting policies and programs that equip veterans,

service members, and military spouse-owned small businesses with counseling and education, access to capital, and contracting opportunities.

He also has firsthand military experience, retiring after 30 years as an enlisted soldier and active-duty officer in the Army.

“The message [of this year’s National Veterans Small Business Week] was come to the SBA before you go out and try whatever you’re going to try alone. A lot of times we’ll find veterans will establish a business or try to grow their business, and we have resources that can help them do that — to include helping them with contracting opportunities, access to capital, business training, mentorship, and so forth,” Stubblefield said.

Top SBA programs Larry Stubblefield recommends:

Boots to Business is a two-day, eightmodule workshop for transitioning service members and military spouses that is a basic overview of entrepreneurship.

Link: https://sbavets.force.com/s/

Veteran Outreach Business Centers are one-stop shops around the U.S. providing business training, mentorship, and resource referrals. It also focuses on getting the attendee “lender ready.”

Link: https://www.sba.gov/page/veteransbusiness-outreach-center-vboc-program

Business mentors exist across thousands of locations, “leaning forward in the foxhole” ready to help, Stubblefield says, and he advises veterans leverage the experience of those looking to help.

“The SCORE mentors are former business owners, executives … they are someone who can sit down with you because they’ve crossed all the hurdles,” he said.

Stubblefield added that the SBA exists to guide entrepreneurs through the business cycle, and the Stewarts are an example of how these resources can help entrepreneurs adapt what they have to current challenges.

“We’ve had quite a few success stories of business owners who found, regardless of what’s going on, there’s always an opportunity. [Landmark Finish] basically was into furniture and cabinet making and they pivoted to making protective shields for offices and universities and businesses. They’re sailing right along and their orders are off the charts,” he said.

The SBA conducted a series of listening sessions at the height of the pandemic where it came to light that broadband connectivity and access to capital are the current top challenges of business owners. SBA has a section of its website devoted to programs for the latter problem at https://www.sba. gov/funding-programs.

Discover how GovX empowers military entrepreneurs with great ideas

By Brent Hannify — ADVERTORIAL

GovX ID is a free app that can be installed on any ecommerce site — for any businesses using Shopify as their ecommerce platform, you can install GovX ID for free right from the Shopify app store — and it functions similarly to Google’s single sign-on feature. In the same way you can create a new account as a first-time visitor using a Gmail address, visitors of a veteranowned brand’s website can sign in using GovX membership credentials, granting instant access to a store’s military discount. GovX ID eliminates the need for ecommerce sites to have to do the work of verifying military (or first responder) discount eligibility, freeing up more time to focus on the development of your business.

Plus, GovX ID-enabled brands can be listed on GovX.com’s list of Partner Deals, visible to the thousands of visitors GovX.com receives every day.

A common path for military veterans after concluding their active-duty commitments is to start a business. Coffee companies, T-shirt brands, tactical gear proprietors, athletic apparel lines, and the list goes on, powered by men and women of every branch, passionately pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors that are fueled by the skills and qualities they attained in the military.

GovX, the online retailer built exclusively for military and first responders, is a proud supporter of veteran businesses nationwide. Through innovative technology, merchandising relationships, and charitable outreach, GovX.com is committed to helping veteran entrepreneurs not only succeed at building their businesses, but also thrive and stand out in a crowded ecommerce world.

A main struggle for burgeoning veteran businesses is building a sizeable customer base, and GovX can help with this. What is one strategy for attracting new and loyal customers? Offer a military discount to incoming visitors. And that’s where GovX ID comes in.

For select brands that have achieved a higher tier of commercial viability, selling products directly through GovX.com is another option. GovX currently has 33 veteran-owned brands with products for sale online. High profile brands such as Black Rifle Coffee Company, Fox Tactical, Grunt Style, and VIKTØS attract considerable traffic and sales, and are featured in GovX’s regular retail emails, which are sent daily to subscribed customers.

Born Primitive, a Navy veteran-founded fitness apparel and recent addition to the GovX catalog, is a brand that believes in rediscovering your inner savage to achieve athletic dominance. With over 4 million GovX members (and growing), GovX.com provides a substantial marketing platform for its brand partners, specifically with an audience that wants to support veteran-owned companies.

While GovX’s collection of brands increases in size with each passing year as its customer base continues to grow, the retailer is not structured to be an

incubator for emergent veteran brands.

“If it was possible, we’d help to feature and grow every single veteranfounded brand on GovX’s digital store shelves,” said Alan Cole, GovX CEO. “While we can’t showcase every veteran entrepreneur’s business on GovX.com, our development and expansion of GovX ID is one more way we’re aiming to provide veteran-owned businesses with the opportunity to reach and attract new customers.”

In addition to making GovX ID free for veteran merchants, it regularly donates to professional development and brand-building organizations like Bunker Labs and The Rosie Network, two organizations dedicated to helping veteran entrepreneurs and military spouses find the quickest route to success. In November, the GovX Gives Back charitable donation program supported The Honor Foundation, an executive mentorship program that helps veterans of the US Special Forces find promising career pathways after their military service concludes.

To spread the word of veteran entrepreneurs across the country, GovX also features original stories of veteran brands and the personalities who run them on their blog. GovX recently featured a story about an 11-year Marine Corps veteran who left the military and started The Jewelry Republic, a no-nonsense broker of gems and precious metals and a workshop of original, warrior-inspired pieces for men and women.

The GovX.com blog has also featured the founding story of Original Gun Oil, the firearm lubrication company started by a sergeant in the US Army Reserve who still uses his own gun oil in the field himself. Additional articles include the story of the two Marines responsible for Toor Knives (the San Diego based outfit making custom knives for operators in the field), the

soldier-turned-police officer who crafted Stone Gryphon Tactical (maker of an ingenious breaching tool for use by cops on patrol), and War Games LLC (the infantry-inspired company crafting tabletop and card game experiences that speak to the unique sense of military humor).

With the ecommerce resources at veterans’ disposal, it’s never been more possible to turn your great idea

into a thriving business. Motivated by the unique blend of determination and work ethic that only years spent in the military can teach, veterans are starting businesses from nothing more than a sketch on a cocktail napkin. If you’re a veteran with a brand or an idea to start one, GovX has your back.

Visit https://www.govx.com/ to learn more about how GovX can elevate your business.

SETS OUT TO DISRUPT 3D PRINTING INDUSTRY

By Andrea Downing Peck

for third-world countries. Necessities such as composting toilets and medical equipment could be made locally rather than obtained through donations, which often missed the mark.

“In Africa, in particular, we saw a lot of equipment and solutions get abandoned because they’re a poor cultural fit, they can’t be maintained, they’re the wrong voltage,” Snabes points out. “The list goes on and on.”

In late 2012, re:3D shifted from brainstorming concept to reality when the founders won a $40,000 prize and mentorship package from Start-Up Chile, a Chilean-government-backed startup accelerator. Within weeks, Snabes quit her job at NASA — where she had risen to social-entrepreneurin-residence — and moved to Santiago, while Fiedler began dedicating his days to creating a Gigabot prototype.

A Kickstarter campaign — tied to the Gigabot’s debut at the 2013 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas — was funded in 27 hours and netted re:3D more than $250,000. Widespread tech-industry media coverage generated more good news. Orders rolled in from 23 countries.

A social media bio that lists “passionate about toilets” as a descriptor is the first hint Air National Guard Capt. Samantha Snabes’ journey from aspiring astronaut to cofounder of industrial 3D-printer-manufacturer re:3D has been a road less traveled.

While many innovators aim to “build a better mousetrap,” Snabes’ goal was to manufacture products faster and less expensively in developing countries using cutting-edge 3D technology — a process that makes physical objects from three-dimensional digital models.

Snabes’ Texas-based startup pioneered the world’s first affordable, human-scale industrial 3D printer. Its latest breakthrough is the Gigabot X, a 3D printer that turns recyclable plastic into products ranging from furniture

to COVID-19 face shields. Put another way, it turns trash into treasure.

But toilets were the inspiration for Snabes’ initial foray into humanscale 3D printing. Snabes and re:3D Co-Founder Matthew Fiedler met as co-workers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston and volunteered with the JSC chapter of nonprofit Engineers Without Borders. On a trip to Rwanda, Snabes became convinced an affordable “toilet-sized” 3D printer could be game changing

Despite re:3D’s profitability, bootstrapping has been a necessity. Snabes notes the company’s pledge to sell their American-made open-source hardware as “cheap as possible” while offering customers lifetime support and upgradeability is a hard sell with venture capitalists. The company also gives away one $11,000 Gigabot for every 100 sold.

“All those things in some ways made us unique and that’s probably why people fought and advocated for us over the years,” Snabes, who has led re:3D to a host of prizes, including WeWork’s $1Million Creator award, said. “But it also meant I couldn’t shake someone’s hand and take their money and tell them

they’re going to get a 10X [investment multiple] return in 18 months.”

Snabes honed her entrepreneurial skills early. In elementary school, she pulled wiggly teeth from elementary classmates’ mouths in exchange for their lunch money — a ploy to speed the Tooth Fairy’s arrival. But she labels herself an “accidental entrepreneur.” Since childhood, her dream has been to fly in space, not build businesses. Her quest to become an astronaut propelled her to study biosciences in college and has guided many of her career decisions, from serving as a research associate at a biotech company to joining the Air National Guard.

A decade ago, Snabes was on lunch break from her job as a JSC Space Life Sciences strategist when she decided to join the military.

“I realized I would love to scale my ability to serve and, secondly, I had applied to be an astronaut,” Snabes explained. “When I began working for the space agency, I learned a number of astronauts had military backgrounds. It helps you gain a security clearance and be more qualified to be an astronaut.”

While her dream of becoming an astronaut has not yet been realized, Snabes credits the military for making

her a better entrepreneur by teaching her pragmatism and prioritizing.

“You’re put in situations where you have to prioritize a lot of things,” Snabes said. “You can’t do them all. Something has to go away. That’s very similar to how things are in the start-up world or running a small business.”

But that doesn’t mean combining military service and entrepreneurship has been easy.

Inevitably, Snabes says, she ends up deployed or activated when “it is not the best timing for the company.” She was deployed to South Korea when Hurricane Harvey hit the company’s Houston factory and was activated to support the military’s COVID-19

response just as the pandemic played havoc with re:3D’s shipping routes and cashflow.

“The most extreme is when you have to wear two hats, but that is what it is,” Snabes said. “That’s what you signed up for.”

In entrepreneurship, Snabes maintains the secret sauce is no secret.

“We’re seven years in and I still work as many hours or more than I did in the beginning,” she said. “It’s endless. There’s always more you can be doing, especially right now. There’s no playbook for how to run a U.S. manufacturing company during a pandemic.”

Her advice to would-be military entrepreneurs is simple as well: Don’t let the pursuit of perfection become a roadblock to launching your business.

“Veterans or reservists want to get it right the first time, which is great because they believe in excellence,” Snabes said. “What’s harder for military members is to get their product out there. The first Gigabot on Kickstarter is ugly..., but the message we had for the community is you could make this beautiful.”

Soldier hits top spot on the Billboard charts

By Tiffany Eve Lawrence

On any given weekday, you can find Army Sgt. Keyon Dunston at Fort Drum as a motor transport operator. But when he goes home and peels off his uniform, his life is much different from the average active-duty soldier. Dunston is a verified artist on Spotify with a Billboard platinum single and over 100,000 monthly listeners who know him as Iamkeynotes, or just Key Notes.

Since he was a young kid, Notes had a thing for rhythm and words. He started dancing, and then he began rapping. After Chris Brown released his song “Take You Down,” Notes says he was inspired to try his hand at singing too.

“If he [Chris Brown] can do this off of singing, then what can I do if I try and sing,” he said.

So, he did. A desire to be the best pushed him to keep working at it, and now he is a triple threat — dancer,

rapper, and singer — and his music videos house all of those talents.

After grinding in the industry, making mistakes and learning along the way, Notes has grown a fan base while earning a reputation with some of the big names he looks up to. Although he’s worked with artists like T-Pain, Ty Dolla $ign, and Dababy, his humble mindset is to “just keep working,” he says. “I feel like I’m just like everybody else. I’ve just been putting in a certain amount of work.”

Notes’ military service has also impacted his approach to off-duty work.

“I’m just one of those people that anything I touch I want to be the best that I can be” — an Army slogan that he takes seriously. “I put 110% in everything that I do. Just seeing

where I’ve gotten with the Army as well. I’m more blown away about that sometimes than the music.”

To date, what he considers his most significant achievement is being in a position to help others.

“I came up on a lot of bad leadership. So I told myself, I’ll always be the leader I always wanted,” he said.

Notes mentors other soldiers who are trying to get to the next level and progress. And this motivation to give back doesn’t start and stop with his military endeavors. This year, he became the president of Megatron Music Group — a management label for independent artists where he handles artist recruitment, artist development, consultations and budgeting. The different roles, including his own music career and being a husband and father, can sometimes get cumbersome.

“I’m still trying to find balance, and every day, something new happens,” he said.

For now, he’s taking advantage of every opportunity presented. One of the reasons Notes began doing the recording himself was because he says he was missing opportunities.

“It’s difficult to coordinate with producers and engineers and things of that nature.”

Studio time can add up to thousands of dollars, but by creating his own resources, Notes has been able to be at home with his family and also quickly work on a project in the confines of his limited time. This is a delicate balancing act, and he admits wearing so many hats come with a cost.

“My family has to sacrifice a lot right now. I do a lot of interviews and phone conferences and a lot of recording. So,

somebody has to take the hit,” he said.

And it was incredibly challenging when he wasn’t seeing any profits from the time invested into making music, a reality that has now changed as his career progresses. He shares the recipe that helped his family through the hard years.

“Make sure your life is straight first. If you’re married, you got kids, make sure that you’ve got a plan. And communicate with your significant other on what your plan is and come to some type of mutual understanding because communication is key when it comes to really anything, but especially

something like this,” Notes said.

Earlier this year, Notes’ single “Buss It Down” reached the top of Billboard charts. He hopes his story will teach others that anything is possible, even while serving in the military.

“I like to show people that it’s real. You can obtain whatever it is that you want to do in life,” he said. “Make sure that you’re stable in life first. That’s what’s most important.”

Find Notes’ music on Spotify and follow his journey on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ iamkeynotes.

MARINE PUTS DOD TRAVELERS AT EASE WITH RENTAL OPTIONS

By Stephen Ruiz

The accommodations included five bedrooms, a pool and a hammock.

The Gantts stayed for 10 days. When Gantt submitted the $980 travel voucher for reimbursement, he was denied because the property did not meet federal government regulations.

“It’s like, ‘We can get you reimbursed, but you’re going to have to come up with a different receipt,’’’ Gantt said. “All types of innovative and adaptive stuff that would have compromised my integrity. I didn’t want to go down that path. I was like, ‘Is there another way that we can fix this?’’’

That experience led Gantt, 41, to become the co-founder and CEO of At Ease Rentals , which lists properties for active-duty military and veterans, federal employees and military contractors that meet travel guidelines.

The rejection of his expenses bothered Gantt, a Marine officer instructor at the University of Texas in Austin, so much that he pored over hundreds of pages of regulations in search of an answer. He sent emails and kept getting redirected until he was put in touch with the General Services Administration’s travel department.

The GSA informed Gantt of a one-day meeting about travel reimbursement in Washington, D.C., in October 2019. Gantt was granted leave, boarded a flight and learned more about how a property is certified for government approval.

Is the neighborhood safe? Does the property meet fire safety standards and have a working sprinkler system? How many floors is the rental? When was it last inspected? And, most of all, is the property a real listing?

In 2018, Marine Maj. Anthony Gantt relocated with his wife and six children to Texas and rented a house through Airbnb for $98 a day.

“I started looking at the data, and I was like, ‘Man, a lot of people rent their units out for way less than what the government is willing to pay hotels. This could be a lucrative opportunity,’’’ Gantt said.

Planning the business took 14-16 months, Gantt said, and At Ease Rentals’ website, pcsatease.com, launched in January. He and Greg Rollins, the co-founder and COO of At Ease Rentals, raised $209,000 toward the $500,000 goal for their startup through early October.

“It’s been one massive lesson, going from flying in the military, where it’s extremely structured …,’’ said Rollins, a Marine veteran. “You come up with a plan. Obviously, you’re going to flex on the plan and all that stuff, but it’s all laid out for you. Going into the entrepreneurial world, there’s no handbook, no playbook. You’re winging it.’’

Known for its high-tech startups, Austin sometimes is referred to as Silicon Hills, a play off Silicon Valley. As he built At Ease Rentals, Gantt usually left his office by midafternoon, then headed to Silicon Hills to network, listen to speakers and learn the ins and outs of being an entrepreneur.

At Ease Rentals has properties in Texas, Florida, Virginia, Arkansas, Georgia, California and Washington, Gantt said. Listings may be added in Oregon and Colorado soon, he added.

“He’s walked properties himself,’’ property manager Mickey Kropf said of Gantt. “He cares that much, and he even got a little worked up on one of the properties that wasn’t compliant. We had to explain that, ‘Hey, we don’t actually control the real estate. We control the management operations within it, so chill.’’’

Gantt said it has become more difficult to inspect properties during

the COVID-19 pandemic, although there has been one benefit. While the movement of service members’ families has decreased because of the coronavirus, federal workers at large still needed places to stay while relocating.

“I didn’t even think about them,’’’ Gantt said. “I was only focused on the military.’’

Gantt, who has been in the Marines for 21 years, advised military members looking to start their own businesses to begin by researching whether the idea solves a need. Gantt did a quick Facebook survey of about 200 people, and after receiving favorable responses, he forged ahead.

He said it is important to manage risk by starting small so costs can be managed appropriately. Just don’t begin too small where the business isn’t making anything, Gantt said.

“You have to make sure that whatever you are putting out in that space is actually going to solve someone’s

problem, and that the problem is significant enough that they’ll give you some money for it,’’ Gantt said.

As for that $980, Gantt never was reimbursed. “I still complain about it,’’ he said.

THE OFF-DUTY HUSTLE OF THIRD SHIFT ENTREPRENEURS

By Jessica Evans

Former naval officer Todd Connor knows what it means to hustle. He’s the CEO of Bunker Labs, co-founder of The Collective Academy, and runs a B&B with his husband.

Connor recently wrote a book called “Third Shift Entrepreneur: Keep Your Day Job, Build Your Dream Job,” because he says many people have a

false narrative about what it takes to start a business, specifically those in the military-connected community.

He said that as much a 25% of separating service members want to start a business. Part of Bunker Labs’ mission is to ensure that veterans have a community to connect with the people, resources, and support

they need. To help with that mission, Connor’s book looks at the path, philosophy, and real strategies that can help launch a business without risking anything. He explores what it takes to deploy the right strategies, but also what a person needs to do to internalize a belief system that helps them start and grow a business.

“Third Shift Entrepreneur” follows the story of a person named Matt, who faces a midlife crisis and is ready for a career change. After a chance

A Navy veteran is teaching others how to stop waiting for permission to pursue their dreams.

encounter, and with the support of his network of fellow entrepreneurs, Matt’s world opens up as he realizes there’s a way to take control of his destiny.

“Unless people can see a path that doesn’t require them to be independently wealthy, they’re not going to fulfill their dreams of owning a business,” Connor said.

One of the many challenges members in the military community face when they try to open a business is not having the right mentors and resources available. Veterans, activeduty personnel, and military spouses don’t always know about the options available.

“After WWII, 50% of veterans came home and started a business. So, if you lived in that generation, that’s what you saw. You returned home to your local community and knew a lot of people that had already started a business, so you had a powerful social network and a lot of mentorship,” Connor said.

Today’s generation of military veterans just doesn’t have that, and Connor considers it his personal mission to demystify the pathway that exists to starting a business. “Third Shift Entrepreneur” presents relatable characters with clear role models — characters designed and written to be relatable to the military community. Connor notes that if veterans aren’t aware of those in their network who have successfully started their own businesses, it’s harder to succeed.

“People coming out of the military have high ambition and dreams of starting their own business, but they don’t know how to do it. The rates of entry into business ownership have been declining. So now we have a big challenge and no one in the military community has been presented with strategies and pathways to doing that,” he said.

Connor adds the most pressing lesson he’s learned, and one that he teaches others at Bunker Labs, is that it’s possible to start slow, keep your day job, and carefully grow a business before going all in. By going slow to start, entrepreneurs have less risk, which ultimately might set them up for better successes. This is very important since most entrepreneurs, especially in the military community, need to

keep their first shift day job for a while before their businesses are financially viable.

“I think about it like this: Your first shift is your day job. Your second shift is supporting your family and your life. That third shift is nights and weekends where you take time to do the things you need to build a business,” Connor said.

Organization creates rally point for veterans after service

By Elizabeth Aslakson

Marine veteran John Boerstler said the work of Combined Arms is similar to air traffic control, serving as a conduit between service agencies and transitioning veterans.

The Houston-native’s path to leading the impact organization came after his own experience of integrating back into the civilian world. After serving as an infantry platoon sergeant in multiple overseas assignments, he returned to his hometown in Texas. While attending Texas A&M University and participating in ROTC and the reserves, injuries sustained during a combat tour prevented him from continuing in the military.

This obstacle did not stop Boerstler from forging a career in service though. He took advantage of an

opportunity to work with a U.S. congressman, where he learned firsthand how policies impacted people and “saw the gaps from the strategic level,” he says.

Then, while attaining a master’s in public administration from University of Houston, he started the practical application of his education. The mayor of Houston asked Boerstler to work with the city on the Returning Veterans Initiative.

“This was after the Walter Reed scandals in 2007 and 2008. We quickly

realized that as a municipal entity and government agency we weren’t agile enough to deliver services. So, I developed a thesis on transition — that it should be community-based, not installation-based. Otherwise, you’re not getting the necessary resources,” Boerstler said.

With this insight, Boerstler described the organization’s evolution.

“So, we founded another nonprofit called the Lone Star Veterans Association that became a social net to catch returning veterans and their families.”

Then they developed a third version, known as Combined Arms. Its mission

is to accelerate the time it takes military families to transition back into civilian life by helping identify passions, skills, and needs, but also connecting them to resources, such as healthcare or job training.

“Combined Arms is now a backbone organization comprised of a coalition of veteran services holding one another accountable,” Boerstler said. The nonprofit serving thousands has continued progressing with technological advancements and he described results of launching a new system 3 ½ years ago.

“The average response time across 90 government agencies and nonprofits had been about 160 hours, but now it’s 24,” he said.

The reason for delays was because the separate organizations were doing too many things, Boerstler says.

“The marketplace was fragmented and agencies were trying to be everything to everyone … once they come together, realizing what their counterparts on their left and right did, and how to properly refer veterans and share best practices, they were able to provide better service and improve response time.

BY THE NUMBERS COMBINED ARMS

200,000 military members transition each year

15,000 sq feet is size of the Combined Arms Transition Center 36 hours equals the average connection time between VSOs and veterans

90+ partners organizations working together

“Everyone’s response time is on a publicly visible scoreboard which is a great way to achieve public accountability,” he said.

New challenges have arisen with COVID-19. And knowing they serve a potentially vulnerable population, they’ve reached out to clients, asking how the pandemic has impacted them and if they need resources.

“We got a significant response and were able to wrap our arms around individuals,” Boerstler said. “We immediately diverted priorities, so our platform was ready for the spike in requests for financial, utility, and food assistance, as well as mental health care.”

Boerstler added additional specifics on how Combined Arms has remained agile so similar organizations can glean insight on how to be as resourceful as possible while managing the impact of COVID-19.

In response to financial challenges affecting their clients and 25 employees, they overhauled their budget, cutting costs where possible. They pivoted their model to fit the mission by reducing activities, including outreach and training programs for employees. They also directed members who ran events

to concentrating on the mission. In addition, they are focusing more on earned revenue channels while increasing their reliance on technology.

Furthermore, Boerstler emphasized the importance of also taking care of members of Combined Arms.

“To keep them from overworking and to mitigate the impact of social isolation,” he encourages recovery days — taking an extra day off every other week.

In terms of planning for 2021, Boerstler said Combined Arms will keep a zero-based budget and ensure their platform is prepared for highrisk clients by prioritizing service for those losing jobs and the resulting secondary issues.

Hence, despite his own military-careerending injuries, Boerstler has found a way to continue public service through Combined Arms and is determined to continue the mission for the duration of the pandemic and beyond.

Active-duty military, reservists, National Guard, veterans from all service eras, and their families can connect to Combined Arms online at http://www.combinedarms.us.

Each person was asked to reveal something surprising about themself. After a staff sergeant mentioned he was a professional wrestler, EstrellaKadlec approached him and listened intently as he described hitting the ropes and dropping elbows on opponents. Estrella-Kadlec and her family watched him wrestle that weekend.

“I remember looking at the kids and the parents that came and spent their last $5 to watch this show at some backyard wrestling event in Georgia, and I was like, ‘Wow,’’’ Estrella-Kadlec said. “It just intrigued me. It looked like fun, and I was like, ‘What do I have to do to get in the ring?’”

Trading chevrons for glam in the WWE ring

By Stephen Ruiz

Estrella-Kadlec didn’t have to wait long. WWE brought her to Orlando, Florida, later that year and assigned her to its NXT brand in March of 2016. She was given a contract and a new name: Lacey Evans.

Evans, 30, has been on WWE’s main roster for two years. It has been a rapid rise in the decade since she enlisted at 19 years old, a young woman desperately seeking the structure that the military provided. As Evans moved around the South as a child, she could not escape the torment caused by her family’s addiction and mental-health issues.

“I was sitting there, just completely

engulfed in this life of hell and negativity and drugs and anger and mental health,’’ Evans said. “I needed a way out.’’

Evans spent five years in the Marines as a military police officer. She was stationed at Parris Island in South Carolina and spent time at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, where she did Special Reaction Team training. Evans ultimately intended to become a drill instructor but shifted her focus after the WWE called.

The deciding factor? The world’s largest pro wrestling promotion gave Evans a platform to spread an important message.

“It’s why I do what I do, knowing I could potentially make a difference in these babies’ lives who are going

When she was in the Marines, Macey Estrella-Kadlec and her husband participated in a counseling session.

through hell, these parents who are trying their best to be the best parents they can be and make better decisions,’’ Evans said. “And here I am, Macey, freaking, Sgt. Estrella and being that voice, being that body and telling them that they can do it.’’

Before she stepped into the ring, Evans knew very little about pro wrestling.

More concerned with whether her family could pay the electric bill, Evans never watched it while growing up. Her knowledge of wrestling was limited to the sport’s high school version, not the weekly televised version that makes wrestlers appear larger than life.

“I’ve always had grit,’’ said Evans, who started a construction business while in the Marines. “I love high impact. I love challenges and getting out of my comfort zone, and it just hit every one of those boxes. That was what intrigued me, but it was the kids.’’

Evans has taken on the wrestling persona of a Southern belle, but first and foremost, she is a survivor on a quest to inspire others battling personal demons.

“Human beings suffer every single day, and it doesn’t matter where you come from,’’ Evans said. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve been through. There are so many options out there in life to find help and better yourself and keep pushing, and you have the ability to create the life that you want, the happiness that you want, but it all starts with your brain.

“Whatever you need in order to be OK, you shouldn’t be ashamed of it. You shouldn’t shy away from it. You should embrace it,’’ Evans said.

Connect with Lacey Evans online at https://www.instagram.com/ laceyevanswwe/.

WHY MILITARY INFLUENCERS SHOULD SUPPORT VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS

By Seda Goff — ADVERTORIAL

America’s veterans will be a key part of rebuilding our economy in the coming years. And veteran entrepreneurs will play an important role in that recovery.

Entrepreneurship is built on risk and uncertainty. As the director of veteran entrepreneurship for PenFed Foundation, I’ve seen why veterans are a smart business investment. It’s why we have accelerated over 120 veteranowned start-ups in just two years. And it’s why veteran-owned businesses earn $1.14 trillion in annual revenue and have a payroll of $195 billion.

Our service members get some of the best entrepreneurial training in the world, preparing for combat environments that require quick

decision making and innovative problem solving. They have grit and an understanding of service, and they know how to push through during a time of uncertainty and volatility.

They’re also influencers in the best way, because veteran entrepreneurship produces a lot of second and third order effects. Veteran entrepreneurs are 30% more likely to hire other veterans and military spouses. They are more likely to give back to their communities — either

military or geographic — and that will have a ripple effect in this economy. Financially, they also tend to out-earn non-veteran entrepreneurs, which means they’re circulating more money in the new economy.

In my work, I’ve seen that veteran entrepreneurs need three things to ensure their success:

1. EDUCATION. Veterans often experience a gap in business knowledge, as accounting, finance, legal, investment types, and pitching all can be a foreign language to many coming out of the military. The PenFed Foundation’s Veteran Entrepreneur Investment Program (VEIP) helps veteran entrepreneurs learn everything from basic start-up financial tips to how to navigate the current economic environment, such as the PPP loan application and forgiveness process.

2. PREPARATION. Veteran entrepreneurs need fundraising preparation, because accessing capital is one of the biggest hurdles they will face. This is one of the reasons why we started

the VEIP Master’s Program, an intensive program to prepare growth-stage, veteran-owned start-ups to raise investor funds and scale their companies. Two cohorts of 10 companies are chosen each year to learn about traction, finances and accounting, and pitching to investors.

3. INVESTMENT. Veteran entrepreneurs can have the best training in the world, but they still need capital to start a successful business. Over 50% of businesses today require up to $25,000 to start, but veterans often have a harder time getting financing and making industry contacts when they are ready to scale and grow their businesses.

The PenFed Foundation also invests in emerging, post-traction growth companies with scalable businesses. The companies are typically beyond start-up, will already have founder and/ or “friends and family” money invested in the company and have shown initial product-market fit. Typical investment ranges from $50-250k. The best part of our program is that we do not have investors, we have donors. So, any earnings go right back into the program to invest in another veteran.

My advice to entrepreneurs is to focus your company around a problem and a pain point. Build toward that. When we discuss market strategy with our cohorts, we talk about pain scale: how much will your product help solve a problem for your customer?

The companies in our current Master’s Program cohort are solving problems ranging from detecting and treating COVID-19 to healthy eating. COVID-19 long haulers are individuals who have

not fully recovered from COVID and still struggle to breathe, months after diagnosis. Stasis, founded by two Navy SEALs, is a breathwork app to help COVID-19 long-haulers regain the musculature and the strength back into their breathing. Because of testing backlogs, it can take patients days or weeks to be diagnosed with COVID-19.

BlueDocAI, founded by Army officer Srikanth Kodeboyina, leverages the power of AI to help diagnosticians rapidly identify the presence of the COVID-19 virus in a standard chest x-ray by applying a tested algorithm to the x-ray imagery. To show her daughter that healthy foods can also taste good, deployed mother and naval officer Thereasa Black created an oat-milk gelato sweetened with dates, coconut sugar, and agave nectar, instead of with cane sugar. The success of her desserts led her to found Bon AppeSweet.

Entrepreneurs also need to understand their early adopters and social media followers. They will be your best employees if you use them right. Paintru, founded by four veterans and a military spouse, has created a network of professional artists that turn customers’ photos into hand-painted works of art. The Master’s Program coaching they received provided insight into leveraging their 438,000 Instagram followers. Marketing campaigns, such as those executed through social media, have led to opportunities for both growth and increased sales.

Social media can be a great way to test your message with just a few thousand dollars. Staff Sgt. Trillitye “Trill” Paullin, who was named to the 2020 list of Idaho Women of the Year, started a company called Free to Feed after both of her daughters were born with food allergies. She created patented “Freedom Strips”

that allow breastfeeding mothers to test their breast milk for allergens, rather than blindly eliminating food groups from their diet or switching to hypoallergenic baby formula. Experimenting on social media has enabled her to hone in on the exact message that appeals to her audience: she found that pregnant women responded to inspirational quotes, while women who are already mothers identified with a graphic of superwoman breastfeeding while she was flying. Information like this can help reach your target customer.

The military entrepreneurship community is a special and supportive one. Veteran entrepreneurs want to pay it forward – that’s one of the foundations of the VEIP program. Several of our previous investments have even held fundraising campaigns, through which they have donated a portion of their sales back to VEIP. As we work through a time of economic uncertainty, I encourage successful veteran entrepreneurs to give back to new entrepreneurs by mentoring them on fundraising strategies or training them in how to navigate venture capital rounds. Military influencers of all types can advocate for veteran entrepreneurs and help them get their products and services out into the world.

Seda Atam Goff is director of veteran entrepreneurship for PenFed Credit Union and the PenFed Foundation.

Transitioning into government contracting

By Lauren Weiner and Donna Huneycutt, WWC Global

As the founders of the largest woman-owned federal contracting firm in Tampa, we often talk to retiring military as well as military spouses about career options. Many are intrigued by the idea of entrepreneurship, specifically related to government contracting. It makes sense. The government buys almost every product and service you can think of, they always pay their bills, and just like in the traditional sales world, relationships are the key to success. Military-affiliated entrepreneurs already have those relationships built over years of service.

Make no mistake, however, government contracting is complicated, and the barriers to entry are extremely high and continue to get higher. There are some great success stories out there, but for every story you hear about, there are likely 10 more stories that you are not hearing.

Regulations around government contracting are complex and highstakes; getting it wrong can be catastrophic to a small business. Most small firms start by sub-contracting to more established firms. This means the larger company acts as the guiding team on the contract.

Obtaining a facility security clearance, which is required for performance on classified contracts, can be difficult and extremely time consuming. It can seem like a chicken-and-egg problem. You can’t land contracts without a facility security clearance but you can’t get a facility security clearance without a contract.

None of this means that you shouldn’t take a shot at starting your own government contracting firm, but you need to go in with a plan and with your eyes wide open.

If you want to jump into the world of government contracting, here are some great first steps:

Work at a government contracting firm. Most successful business owners work for another firm before starting their own, either as a “direct hire” on a contract or in the back-office doing operations or business development. Finding a mentor is key and most in the industry are open to sharing their advice. Even those who didn’t have mentors in the market are often generous with their support and advice.

Tap

into the Small Business Administration (SBA).

This organization provides the policy for the industry. It has local Procurement Technical Advisory Centers (PTACs) around the country that are great for new businesses or established businesses trying to break into the industry. They can help get you set up with the basics — including a DUNS number and registration on BetaSAM.gov, both prerequisites for competing for government contracts. They also host courses, lectures, or other training sessions for businesses. We have noticed that useful service providers — accounting firms, banks, proposal writers — are often sponsors of PTAC events, and getting to know the best service providers in your area will also be critical as you grow. And it is a great place to meet other small businesses, who may be good partners (or you’ll at least get to check out your potential competition).

Utilize free (and almost free) resources. There are other free and paid resources on the internet — small business blogs, courses, and podcasts. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our own podcast, Winning with Connections (The WWC Global Podcast), that focuses on small businesses in the government contracting industry. There are also in-depth courses on specific topics. We have had great luck in years past with FedPub Seminars through Thomson Reuters. Learning about government contracting will be a life-long process. After 16 years in the industry, we still learn something new every single day.

About Lauren Weiner and Donna Huneycutt

Lauren Weiner and Donna Huneycutt founded WWC Global, Tampa’s largest womanowned federal contracting firm in 2004 in Naples, Italy. They continue to manage the firm today as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

The company employs 270 people across 24 contract locations, all committed to putting good government into practice. 70% of these employees are military spouses or veterans.

Identify a need. Early on in the founding of our firm, we realized we could support the U.S. government overseas in a fiscally responsible manner. The larger contracting firms were able to supply contractors but they required OCONUS sponsorship, base access, housing, etc. It was very expensive for the U.S. government. We tapped into an underutilized audience – military spouses already living in the installation location — to save the government time and money. Be creative and look for new ways to fulfill a process.

Network. Network. Network. Last, but certainly not least, networking will be critical to your success. Networking will help you find prime contractors, teaming partners, and customers. Network everywhere you can. Groups like the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and Women in Defense (WID) are great places to start if you are interested in defense contracting. More niche organizations, targeted to your specific core capabilities, will also be useful. Service or command conferences (AUSA, Navy Gold Coast, SOFIC) can be useful when you are up and running. Even in this COVID world of virtual events, there is a ton going on. Find the best ways to network and get to it!

Implementing a proven series of program management techniques, carrying out statistical and qualitative analysis, identifying effective metrics and utilizing performance measurement tools with outcome-based qualitative data, WWC Global provides exemplary client service to surpass mission completion objectives.

WWC Global is committed to the military and their families. Because of this, the company’s founders established In Gear Career, now a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting military spouses with career development and networking opportunities.

Military Fresh Network showcases the individual behind the uniform

By Blake Stilwell

When Jimmy Cox set out to create a network of military-connected professionals, he was laser focused on what he knew, the Army. He didn’t even know a sailor, airman or Marine. What he knew was, he wanted to show a more personal side of military service. Army Fresh was created.

Very soon after, he was forced to create Air Force Fresh, Navy Fresh, and Semper Fresh because of the overwhelming demand from

members of other branches. What started out with Jimmy Cox’s afterwork passion project — the overall Military Fresh Network (MFN) — now has 194,000 members with a 5.5 million influencer reach.

“No one was associating the word ‘fresh’ with the military,” Cox said. “The ‘fresh’ concept is about a state of mind and I wanted to tell the stories of those who serve, get behind the uniform and get to know the person wearing it.”

The MFN is still very much the network its founder describes but it’s also a way for military-connected businesses, creatives and influencers to connect directly with their customers and fans.

It’s also a consulting group, as well as a marketing and creative agency. It’s a veteran-owned business, available to anyone who wants its services, military or civilian. From the outset, he wanted to create something that was unorthodox but organic.

“It was all about building the community and purpose first,” Cox said. “I was able to build it and not be thirsty for revenue because it was bigger than revenues.”

Cox says developing the MFN purpose was about vision and discipline. He started the project while he was still in the active Army, serving as a recruiter. Having a job meant he could have the patience and income he needed to roll out his vision as he saw fit.

“We were aligned off this book in the Bible,” he recalled. “Habakkuk two, verse two: write down the vision and keep it simple so that he or she who reads it can run with it. So it started very simple, Army Fresh. No logo, just fresh.”

That was 2015. Five years later, Cox is celebrating not just the MFN’s individual success stories, but also the rollout of an “athleisure” line, the signature “Fresh Flask” and, after long last, revenues.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” Cox said. “No matter what you’re into or where in the country you’re doing it, our network can connect you with likeminded individuals who can help guide you through what you’re doing.”

Cox spent 23 years in the Army, much of that as a recruiter, and then 10 more years as an Army civilian. While working as a civilian, he would sign checks worth millions to outside advertising agencies and other companies to assist Army recruiting efforts. That’s when he realized he could be doing more.

“They didn’t know anything about the military, but they were telling me, a recruiter, how to get people in the Army,” Cox recalled. “I realized I was on the wrong side of the fence. This isn’t your grandad’s military. We could be doing this.”

His first five-year plan led to the establishment of MFN — a disabled veteran and minority-owned and operated agency, the number one

search result for military networks. His next five year plan involves gunning for those agencies, knowing he can show the next generation why they should join the military.

“I’m going to be 51,” he said. “But what we’ve created is something new for the millennials and Gen-Z’ers: purpose over product. Tomorrow is a fresh new day and as long as you’re living, you keep living that mindset.”

Cox didn’t have a guide when he started what became MFN but he’s created a guidance system for those who come after him. More importantly, he knows he couldn’t have done it by himself.

“I give all the praise to the team who are right here with me pushing this forward,” Cox said. “From the start, I couldn’t do this alone so I have to give all credit and a big shout out to the people who support me and this vision.”

Connect with Military Fresh Network at https://militaryfreshnetwork.com.

The missing ingredient in your business recipe for success

by Heather Dopson — ADVERTORIAL

When I dropped out of ROTC and enlisted in the Air Force, I really had no idea I’d eventually become an entrepreneur. It’s undeniable that the lessons I learned and character I built while serving provided me with a strong foundation to launch something on my own, even if it took me some time — and the Montgomery GI Bill — to get there.

Roughly 12 years ago, I started a digital-marketing consulting company to help small businesses use the power of technology and the internet. All along, my commitment to serve my community remained a priority and my passion evolved into a lifelong mission: Helping people lose their J-O-B and find their J-O-Y.

For years I’ve helped military members and veterans understand the options out there for starting their own business. There is nothing better than

being your own boss and growing a company from scratch. From domain names to branding, email marketing, social advertising and beyond — I love dedicating time to helping people achieve business success, regardless of what stage they’re in.

But still, there was an entire component of business ownership I didn’t understand and lacked the awareness of its importance. After working to build online communities for several large tech companies, I accepted a new role earlier this year at Astrella® that was a bit out of my comfort zone. Since then, I’ve learned so much about a topic business founders don’t talk enough about: Cap tables, company ownership management and stakeholder management. Maybe it doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s important, gratifying work that has afforded me an entirely new library of knowledge. I’d like to share some of that with you.

When most people think about starting a business, they think about incorporating, selecting a name, creating a logo and getting a website up. Of course, all of that is critical, but I’m on a mission to help people understand the importance of making

sure their ownership information is tracked from the birth of the business until a successful exit. More than anything, this is the single most important asset you may own and it can lead to life-changing wealth and a different lifestyle.

The ownership ledger, or cap (capitalization) table, is vital because it tells you who owns how much of the company. Sounds simple, but this information impacts everything from how fundraising rounds are priced to what signatures you need on major company decisions, and who gets paid what when the company is sold. Startup cap tables usually live in spreadsheets — an antiquated and completely unsecure way to manage the data and easily prone to mistakes. If I told you to put a $100 bill on the dash of your car with the windows rolled down, you would tell me that wasn’t secure. Same here. Protect your most valuable asset.

If you plan to hire employees or raise money, the best way to manage your cap table is to use an ownership management platform that updates in real time and keeps all your data safe and secure. Using a platform instead of a spreadsheet ensures you stay compliant with all those pesky SEC and IRS codes, and it allows everyone involved in your business to understand exactly how much of the pie they own.

Whether you are a one-person shop or you’ve already got investors and employee shareholders, right now is the time to get your business in the best place to manage all that data.

Here are six things you should look for:

1. Security and compliance: Does the platform have adequate security measures in place? How do they ensure accuracy of data and compliance with regulations?

Heather Dopson is the Director of Brand and Community Growth at Astrella and an Air Force Veteran.

2. Transparency and control: Can they provide a comprehensive, immutable ledger of every transaction, providing full transparency and control of your equity ownership? Remember, you own the data and you should control how that data is shared.

3. Scalable and committed: Does the solution work globally? Can it scale regardless of the size of your business? Is the company behind the platform committed to the continual development of tools and resources for you? Who owns the platform — is it a startup that could be out of business overnight or is it a reputable company? Be wary of brands who diversify too much or aren’t well capitalized.

4. Advanced technology/ease of use: Does the solution use the latest cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to streamline process? Is it confusing and clunky to use? Was it built by people who have years of experience in the industry? Is it intuitive to use? You shouldn’t need to be a CPA to use the system.

5. Community and support: Does the solution offer an open network of partners to provide additional tools and services for your business needs? Does the company provide you with resources and a community of founders and service providers you can tap into?

6. Fair equity reporting: Are you able to manage and track stock plan awards based on gender, ethnicity and salary grade in order to ensure equity across awards?

There are many systems out there, but few offer all of the above. Of course,

you know I’m going to tell you Astrella offers all of this and more. And I can assure you, I wouldn’t tie my name to a brand unless I truly believed in it.

If you own a business of any size, I encourage you to do your research and get on an equity management platform as soon as you can. Tracking it from the beginning is critical. At Astrella, we believe in this so much that our system is free for the first

10 shareholders, ensuring you don’t need to make a financial investment until you start growing.

Even if you own 100% of your own company, start today so when you get a partner, take on investors, or want to share equity with your employees, you are ready. Contact heather@astrella.com for more information and visit https://astrella.com/veterans .

Leveraging LinkedIn

By Natalie Gross

Just ask the experts.

“LinkedIn allows us to utilize and leverage a platform on a global scale, which is actually phenomenal,” said Chaunté Hall, an Air Force veteran, government contractor, entrepreneur and nonprofit executive who has built a large network of nearly 26,000 followers on the social media site.

Unlike Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, “the individuals who are on LinkedIn are there for business purposes for the most part,” she said. Plus, it’s free, adds Rey Domingo, a retired airman-turned-Lockheed Martin recruiter, who uses LinkedIn to communicate with potential job candidates and train other veterans and military spouses.

So, how do you get started? And how can you build a network?

Be professional

Step one: Get a good profile picture. It doesn’t haven’t to be a professional headshot; any old iPhone camera and a nice background will do, said Domingo, co-founder of LinkedIn MilCity, who has more than 32,000 LinkedIn followers.

Remember, too, that LinkedIn is different from other social media sites. Think fewer family vacation photos and more article-type posts that have something to do with your brand or mission. It’s not a place to air grievances — or ask someone out on a date.

“Be cautious about what you post,” said Domingo. As a recruiter, he knows people who have lost out on job opportunities for things they’ve posted — even complaints about previous companies.

“The key is definitely just stay positive and any negativity that folks do have

just don’t put it on LinkedIn,” he said.

Be outgoing

LinkedIn is all about building your network, so now’s your chance to connect with people you may never have the chance to meet in person.

Domingo said if you’re interested in working at a particular company, click on their profile and see if you’re already connected with any employees. If not, you may have second or third-degree connections, meaning you might know some of the same people.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to them with a tailored message, establishing good rapport and then asking them if they would be open to passing along your resume.

For business owners, maybe hold off on your sales pitch the first time you reach out to someone, but instead take the time to build a relationship.

“I think that’s definitely a key, is gaining people’s trust, and LinkedIn is an amazing tool to be able to do that,” Domingo said.

Hall, CEO of Centurion Military Alliance, said she was able to grow the nonprofit largely because of LinkedIn.

After every speaking engagement, attendees would connect with her on the site. Then, every time she was scheduled to travel, she would search LinkedIn for contacts in that area and let them know she was returning.

She also consistently uses LinkedIn to thank people after events, tagging them so they and everybody in their network will be able to see it.

Domingo also highlighted the importance of tagging others in posts: “It’s like a tap on somebody’s shoulder, like, ‘Hey, check out this post.’”

Be authentic

Some users are really passionate about what they do and others are just trying to promote themselves, and it’s really easy to tell which category you fall into, Domingo said.

It’s OK to post about your business, but do it in a way that lets people know why they would value doing business with you rather than making the focus all about you personally, Hall said.

“I would say that to truly build relationships, to be authentic and real,” she said. “People know that and understand that we are walking billboards of our brand.”

PERFECTING THE PROCESS OF GETTING IN FRONT OF CUSTOMERS

By Jessica Evans

Marine Maj. Stuart Scheller came up with the idea after reassembling his dress uniform because of a promotion. The concept included creating a mold that would allow a service member to put attachments on ribbons easily and in regulation. After sharing his plan with a fellow military officer, Zach Rohlfing, a new venture called The Perfect Ribbon was born.

After that conversation, Rohlfing, a pilot in the Air National Guard, sketched out how the mold might work. Scheller said he remembers thinking that Rohlfing had already done more work than he had, so he decided the two men should go in on a partnership.

“Finding a partner who wants to make money and work hard in the beginning is the easy part. But the business will do one of two things: Fail or succeed. And these two directions both add a lot of stress on a partnership,” Scheller said.

He adds three tips to consider when contemplating a partnership:

1. Ensure you can trust them.

2. Ensure the divorce is planned out from the beginning so the exit path is always an option.

3. Clearly define the different responsibilities of the partners from the beginning, otherwise one always ends up resenting the other.

Scheller and Rohlfing worked through the research and development process, enlisting help from CAD experts and relying on information from those familiar with using 3D printers. Parallel to that, the pair began the arduous process of applying for a patent — a process that Scheller likens to “the DMV on steroids.”

The patent has been working through the US Patent and Trademark Office for the last two years, so Scheller

anticipates receiving it soon.

Once they filed the paperwork, they decided to launch the business with the one 3D printer they had and a “terrible Wix website.”

“We weren’t really sure what we had,” Scheller says, but “It just caught fire and it was crazy.”

Two military officers are patenting a product that takes the hassle out of uniform preparation.

In the first 96 hours, 300 units of The Perfect Ribbon were purchased by service members worldwide. Scheller recalled feeling like they couldn’t keep up with the packaging and shipping demands.

The initial hype of The Perfect Ribbon earned the company attention on social media. It didn’t take long for fellow entrepreneur Sam Meek, a Marine veteran and current CEO of Sandboxx, to take notice of The Perfect Ribbon. Meek reached out to Scheller and Rohlfing to tell them the product could have real traction, including a possibility of being sold in military exchanges. The entrepreneurs also bought another 3D printer to double efforts for online sales.

Meek later called to tell Scheller that he’d set a meeting for him with the Marine Corps Exchange Innovation Team.

The team focuses on providing products to customers inside base exchanges that help strengthen the relationship between the consumer and the Marine Corps — products just like The Perfect Ribbon. Scheller said that for “a lot of the right reasons, they expedited us into the MCX.”

That was in April 2019. By then, there were 20 3D printers and injection molds working round the clock to keep up with demand. But Scheller didn’t want to just stop there; he wanted to get The Perfect Ribbon in the hands of all service members. He reached out to the Navy Exchange, who gave him a verbal contract, provided The Perfect Ribbon would be willing to switch distributors from Tactical Gear to Vanguard. Both companies supply exchanges with tactical gear and uniform insignia, among other products.

Just as The Perfect Ribbon was set to debut in the NEX and move forward

with placement inside AAFES, the coronavirus pandemic put a stop to everything. Scheller rolled with the changes and moved to a Shopify platform to reach new customers. Most of the revenue stream for The Perfect Ribbon still comes from MCX purchases, where Marines can find it hanging in the uniform accessory portion of the MCX. The product is currently in most large MCXs, and Scheller hopes to get it into joint bases soon.

Of his chance meeting that changed the trajectory of The Perfect Ribbon, Scheller said that the company would have eventually gotten to where they are now, but it would have just taken a lot more work.

Vendors interested in exploring a similar path should visit http://mymcx. com/index.cfm/about/partner/

“It’s not easy getting into exchanges, so you have to be patient, diligent, and aggressive. Of course, it helps to have someone who can advocate for you too,” he said.

Another component of his extensive reach is his peers. Scheller embraces the concept of being a third shift

entrepreneur, and he said the experience helped him shape ideas for post-military life.

“There are opportunities all over the place disguised as hard work,” he said. “For third shift entrepreneurs, it just means we’re willing to work a little harder. But the military breeds hard work and persistence,” he added.

Scheller says if senior leaders were to more openly embrace the idea of facilitating the skill development of entrepreneurs, the challenges many veterans face after retirement might not feel so pressing.

“I feel like the suicide rate has a lot to do with service members having a lack of purpose when they get out. So being an entrepreneur automatically provides you with a lot of skill sets that might not otherwise be available,” he said.

To active-duty service members who are sitting on their own big ideas, Scheller offered this advice: “You have the time. The question is, are you willing to outwork the next guy?”

Navy spouse creates a location-proof career built on personality and wit

By Tiffany Eve Lawrence — SPONSORED

ACouplePuns sparks joy with witty content and paper goods for special occasions and moments in between.

The founder, Angelica Hanley, is on a mission to help people connect in unique and meaningful ways and tickle funny bones, one punny card at a time.

Her professional marketing experience and creative “entrePUNeurship” guided ACouplePuns from a living room Etsy shop to an internationally distributed wholesale brand found everywhere, from popular boutiques to your local grocery store.

But her story may not be that different from yours. She’s a military spouse whose business was born out of a desire to create a career she could

take with her wherever she puts down roots.

“I was new to the area, far from home, and losing interest in my day job. Plus, my husband was deployed. I just needed an outlet. Along came the punny doodles that sparked my vision for ACouplePuns. But I was reluctant to get started, to say the least. All my ideas would be on display; I was terrified to be that vulnerable. The

hardest part was starting but once I broke through that wall, I just followed my instincts. I turned my ideas into something tangible, connected with my community, and grew partnerships with my favorite brands. In a short time, it became the most rewarding professional experience I’ve ever had,” Hanley said.

The business is uniquely fit to help people connect while cultivating fun and personal partnerships between young and seasoned businesses alike. Hanley is often hired to create custom cards and use her punny style to write content for brands.

“I just keep pushing my comfort zone and sharing my story. Every shot I take brings me new opportunities, lessons, and connections that I’d otherwise never have thought possible,” she explained.

Hanley’s resolve and resourcefulness have even caught the eye of various industry titans. She’s been featured in many press outlets, showcased her cards at Kleinfeld Bridal, and was invited to pitch her business to the executive team at Snap Inc. in Los Angeles, California, last year.

“Along the way, I’ve had so much support from my family, friends, and partners. I feel like the best thing I can do for my communities is to pay that forward. Locals, corporate, or military — it’s so refreshing to work with them all. I just love helping them connect with their people while we build a relationship of our own in the process,” she said.

Hanley hopes to inspire others to take a chance on themselves and is interested in connecting with military members and spouses who would like to collaborate and work together.

Connect with ACouplePuns online at www.acouplepuns.com and follow on Instagram @acouplepuns.