2022 MIM_OCTOBER

OFFER

Military spouse founders take remote work to the next level

What happens in Vegas shouldn’t stay in Vegas … if you’re maximizing the endless opportunities of the Military Influencer Conference.

When Curtez Riggs founded this event series, he had a goal of being a connector. Since then, connections made inside the rooms of Dallas, Texas; Orlando, Florida; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta, Georgia; have evolved to new startups, partnerships, careers, business growth, a support network and more.

Many examples of such success are on display in this issue — a magazine Riggs originally launched in partnership with the AmeriForce Media team to create a platform that brings the inspiration and knowledge of networking outside the walls of the

physical event. By highlighting the entrepreneurial ventures, expanded programming and social impact of others, your wheels may turn in a different direction.

Take the story on page 6, where We Are The Mighty CEO Mark Harper joins Riggs to talk about how a recent acquisition will allow their team to reach elevated heights. Or the cover feature on page 10, featuring the two military spouses behind Instant Teams: Erica McMannes and Liza Rodewald. This duo secured its place in history by building relationships outside the military space that benefit those inside the community. They essentially used their own experiences to form a global solution to the employment woes of spouses everywhere. Talk about leaving an imprint.

We also showcase current-day

programs that arm military-affiliated entrepreneurs with funding, training, and tools, like Warrior Rising’s genius idea to host business showers (on page 25). Problem solving and innovation are one of the common threads of the people we spoke to for this special conference issue.

Whether you’re reading on location in Las Vegas or from your home base, let these stories be a reminder that achievement does not have to be a solo venture, and you do not have to look far for instances of the impossible being done.

Wishing you wild success in your next move,

Managing Editor

Bianca Strzalkowski Managing Editor

by Jessica Manfre

by Nikki Davidson

by Chris Adams by Crystal Kupper

by Peyton Roberts

President and Publisher: Todd Taranto

Managing Editor: Bianca Strzalkowski

Associate Editor: Kari Williams

We Are The Mighty merger ‘to pay dividends’ with Recurrent Ventures expected

BY CHRIS ADAMS

Recurrent Ventures recently acquired We Are The Mighty, a veteran-led agency providing brands with digital media services that effectively engage the military community.

Recurrent’s publications in the military space are Task & Purpose, The War Zone and MilSpouseFest. Popular Science, Outdoor Life and Field & Stream are also on its publication roster.

WATM is led by veterans amplifying the voice of the military community through digital, film and events platforms. It was formed eight years ago by former MTV Films boss David Gale. Gale oversaw the production of films such as “Beavis and Butthead do America,” the “Jackass” franchise, “Election,” “Varsity Blues,” “Napoleon Dynamite,” “Hustle & Flow” and “The Perfect Score.”

He recognized there wasn’t an MTVlike brand for the military community, hence the genesis of We Are The Mighty.

“And it’s not that we were MTV, but we were a brand wrapper for the military community,” said Mark Harper, We Are The Mighty CEO and an Air Force veteran. “A place to share stories from within the military community itself … and the idea was always, ‘Can we curate and create content that resonates with the

audience that we can then channel up into TV and film?’”

When Gale left in 2019, Harper took over the CEO duties. He resized the company and brought it to where it is today.

By the end of 2020, WATM found itself in a better situation than anticipated, priming it for a successful 2021. The company ended 2021 in the black for the first time in its sevenyear history.

“And that was an amazing accomplishment,” Harper said.

When Recurrent expressed interest in the acquisition, it was a no-brainer.

“The next level of growth for us would have been back to the drawing board, back to another investment,” he said. “And what became really appetizing about this acquisition for Recurrent is that they had already built the scaffolding that the company needed.”

The merger includes We Are The Mighty’s popular Military Influencer Conference.

“I think the biggest parts of it are really centered around the Military Influencer Conference … building more scaffolding for MIC,” Harper said. “And having access to other brands to help promote MIC is something that will really provide a lot of benefit to what it is that we’re doing out here.”

MIC founder and Army veteran Curtez Riggs said it’s all about reach. When MIC became a part of WATM, its reach expanded. And now, living under the Recurrent umbrella along with WATM, it should increase again.

“So now, not only do we still have Military Influencer, our reach, but now we have the added value of being able to reach through We Are The Mighty, Task & Purpose and The War Zone to their 18 million unique visitors a month,” Riggs said.

And the merger could consistently produce years like 2021. Harper is hopeful.

“This is something that is going to pay dividends for the brand down the road as we continue to work alongside best-in-class people inside the publishing world, in the sales world, in the content creation world,” Harper said.

How Las Vegas is building a military-connected ecosystem

BY CRYSTAL KUPPER

Las Vegas might be known as Sin City, but a group of veterans is aiming to make Nevada’s largest town known for something else, too — its military connectedness.

“The vision is for veterans and their families to wake up in one of the most beautiful, powerful, creative cities on the planet and immediately plug into the community and find resources they truly need, not just what the big military decision makers think they need,” said Marine Corps veteran Dave Burlin. “That they have a place and a process that they trust here in Las Vegas.”

Burlin, event manager for the Military Influencer Conference (MIC), has been actively working to create what he and others have dubbed a “military-connected ecosystem” in Las Vegas. It’s a dream involving not only access to resources, they said, but an interconnectedness and awareness of those resources.

No silos

Air Force veteran Lester Lumbad is an integral part of that team. He PCSed to the Las Vegas area in 2017— Creech and Nellis Air Force bases are both nearby — and immediately fell in love with the climate, convenience and overall quality of life. But he also noticed a trend within the surrounding military community: many veterandirected organizations were isolated from one another or even hoarding networks while competing for funding.

“There were just so many ‘silos’ across the community,” Lumbad said. “But what we need to do is affect positive change through better collaboration with each other, directing veterans to organizations that can help rather than saying, ‘We’re the only kind of place you can get support in this area.’”

So Lumbad founded the Southern Nevada Veterans Chamber of Commerce (SNVCC) in 2021 with the aim of “unifying the veteran resources in our community, to eliminate a culture of silos,” according to the group’s website. SNVCC operates on four key pillars: entrepreneurship, employment, education and veteran advocacy.

SNVCC began hosting veterans resource symposiums in 2022. These served as a “one-stop shop” for military families looking for assistance in any area.

“We’re not trying to reinvent stuff; that’s actually our No. 1 priority,” Lumbad said. “The end objective is to be the singular brand for everyone to find the 40, 50, 60 different resources they didn’t know about before. We’re trying to make it easy to use, find and navigate the resources that are here in the local community.”

MIC drop

Lumbad and Burlin are both supporters of MIC — especially now that it has found its permanent home in Las Vegas. Since MIC began in 2017, it has grown from 160 conference attendees to an expected 1,000+ in just five years. Its stated goal of acting as “the hub for all things transition, entrepreneurship, social impact, entertainment and culture” within the military community fits in perfectly with both men’s Vegas visions.

“I can’t tell you how many veterans reach out to me and want to start a nonprofit, and I say, ‘If you haven’t done it yet, don’t,’” Burlin said. “Find out what other nonprofits are out there and share your resources, because that’s how disconnected a military community can be.”

To that end, Burlin also works as a Las Vegas ambassador for Bunker Labs, a nonprofit that inspires and equips veterans and military spouses to start their own businesses. He frequently uses words and phrases like “innovate” and “think outside the box” and likes to emphasize post-traumatic growth over stress. It’s all part of an outlook, he said, that dreams about what could be, rather than what always has been.

“I think the most powerful thing that builds any community and pulls it together is having dates on the calendar, like with MIC,” said Burlin, a former TED Talk presenter. “Even through the pandemic, there have been so many people who have been hungry for change.”

Burlin, Lumbad and other military movers and shakers in Las Vegas stand ready to deliver that change.

“I hope people see the positive change we’ve made here and fight for that in their own city,” Burlin said. “Like, ‘This is what they’re doing in Vegas, and we can do that here.’”

DAVE BURLIN

UNTAPPED POTENTIAL

How two active-duty military spouses shattered venture capital barriers

WRITTEN BY NIKKI DAVIDSON

PHOTO BY JOSH LINE PHOTOGRAPHY

It started as comments between strangers on Facebook. Two military spouses virtually bumped into each other in a group for new moms juggling the challenges of an active-duty lifestyle.

But it didn’t take long for Erica McMannes and Liza Rodewald to realize they’d stumbled on something uncommon while chatting through their keyboards. Neither expected to meet another active-duty spouse with a thriving career in the thenultramodern startup tech space. The chance encounter turned into a partnership that eventually reinvented the military spouse workforce.

Together digitally but geographically separated, the two women created Instant Teams, a multi-million-dollar talent marketplace for military spouses that’s now one of the fastest-growing companies in the nation.

Instant Teams is ranked 208 on this

year’s Inc. 5000 list, holding its own alongside buzzy new ventures offering at-home health tests and organic meal kits. The company is a force to be reckoned with, recently securing $13 million in Series A funding from Tiger Global. Historically, investors only grant 2.3% of venture capital to companies founded by women.

The pair has done it all in six years as active-duty spouses while raising kids and PCSing multiple times across the country.

“My goal is to go around stomping my heels on glass ceilings and making some noise for women in business, especially military spouses,” said Rodewald, Instant Teams founder and

CEO. The company’s mission is to become the world’s largest employer and provider of military spouse talent.

The challenge of finding meaningful work

According to Blue Star Families, unemployment remains a top issue for 47% of military spouses due to unpredictable and lengthy work schedules of their service members, expensive child care and resume gaps.

McMannes, Instant Teams founder and chief people & community officer, knows all too well what it’s like to look for a job as a military spouse. She remembers the day she wandered into her local Army Community Service office, fresh out of college and in a new city with her Army husband. Someone advised her to stop in the center for employment

assistance, but only two opportunities appeared on the corkboard when she arrived.

“One was for local housekeeping at the hotels; the second was to drive kids to court-appointed therapy sessions,” said McMannes.

People suggested she get a job with the Department of Defense, as it would be “easy” to progress in a field that could align with her husband’s transfers. But, in reality, she was caught in the same cycle as many spouses in DOD roles — hard to get into new NAF positions, hard to find the same NAF position at each new location after a PCS. Her family has moved 12 times in 20 years.

While stationed in California, McMannes got a chance for a new beginning. A contact recruited her to consult for a veteran-owned startup in Silicon Valley. She started working in application user acquisition, community growth and brand development. When it came time for her family to make another PCS, she got to keep her job and continue progressing in her career. While working remotely, virtually unheard of at the time, she recruited other spouses to assist the companies.

“One of my clients at the time said, ‘Wow, military spouses are a force to be reckoned with, and more people should really know about you all.’ It was like a light bulb moment,” McMannes said, recalling that she couldn’t shake that comment from her thoughts.

At the same time, Rodewald was deep into a successful software engineering career. In the business for a decade, she got her first job well before becoming a military spouse and found it worked perfectly with the constraints of being a single mother in the professional workforce. When she met and married her Army husband, she was already “telecommuting” to work. Other spouses were instantly curious about her career, and she realized the community could potentially fill a need inside the tech industry. It would also give military spouses professional opportunities they never had before.

“I really had a passionate desire to see women be able to do both — have a family and maintain their career,” Rodewald said.

Turning an idea into a reality

Armed with the idea of introducing military spouses to the tech industry but needing help with software development, McMannes made the first move and asked Rodewald about starting a business partnership in April 2016.

“I said, ‘Hey, I have this crazy idea, can you just hear me out?’” said McMannes.

The two brainstormed a strategy to create a marketplace connecting spouses to businesses that could use their help. Instead of having candidates apply for jobs directly, their software technology could instantly match employers with people with the necessary skills.

“We don’t care about gaps in resumes. Education can be important, depending on the role, like in the medical space, but we are really focused on the skills,” said McMannes. “What skills do you have? What skills can you learn? What skills can you bring to the table to complete the work?”

The pair moved quickly, forming a company initially called MadSkills, and made it public just a few months later.

Rodewald created the technology Arti, which solved two significant problems in the customer support industry: sourcing high-quality talent and retaining workers after they are onboarded with built-in workforce development.

The pair marketed their new company on social media and through partnerships with military spouse employment nonprofits, creating a waiting list of interested employees.

When it came time to scale, the real work was just beginning. The founders had to convince investors and employers that the military spouse community offered a diverse workforce with strong yet underutilized skills. Meanwhile, they worked to preserve the company’s

credibility despite ever-changing physical addresses due to PCSing.

“A lot of investors were concerned that we weren’t building a physical presence in one location and that in the case of an acquisition or merger, that might be a challenge for us,” said Rodewald, Instant Teams founder and CEO. Working from their home offices, the two strove to build strong relationships and convince naysayers that the company had the potential to make millions.

The numbers came first. They often explained to investors that there’s an average of 7.5 million spouses and a 24% spousal unemployment rate. As the military spouse community is spread out globally in various time zones, it can be an ideal pre-vetted pipeline of skilled workers able to fill a broad spectrum of needs, including 24/7 support.

“We can really offer a unique product to these companies that they can’t get anywhere else,” said Rodewald. “This is more than just a social impact mission, but a real business.”

The future is untapped

Six years into its existence, Instant Teams has more than 400 employees performing work for over 30 customers, including several Fortune 500 and tech companies. Instant Teams has generated more than 1 million hours of work and $17.5 million in income for military families.

Now that the company has broken through the barrier of securing venture capital, Instant Teams is setting its sights on the future and serving the military spouse community in new ways, including a new platform called Untapped. The latest addition is intended to become a go-to space for spouses to make connections, share employment tips and even secure jobs.

McMannes and Rodewald hope their success in the tech industry will inspire new generations of military spouses.

“It’s not easy, but it can be done,” said Rodewald. “We’re starting to blaze that path and that trail forward so that others can come behind us a little easier.”

NEW ORLEANS BASED MARINE LAUNCHES

‘ABOVE AVERAGE’ CLOTHING BRAND

BY ALLISON CHURCHILL

Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Morris Mayfield III wants to help people start conversations, particularly ones that inspire the participants to be great — even if the dialogue starts from just seeing a motivational message on a T-shirt on an otherwise bad day.

The icebreakers come from his clothing line, Mokaciá. It features items that say, “You are above average” and styles called “What are you made of?”

The online shop officially opened in 2015, but Mayfield has been selling style much longer. The Marine Corps

Systems Command program manager got his start in food service and used to sell shirts in the mess hall and barracks when he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, in 2000.

“I would go out to the stores and see which shoes were coming out, to

see which colors would be popular,” Mayfield said. “Then when everyone was getting ready to go out on payday, I’d show up when everyone wanted something new to wear.”

As Mayfield matured, his goals for his side hustle changed. By his second stint in Okinawa, his target audience was people going to the beach or relaxing. People like him, who work hard and want to be the best at what they do, whether it’s being a dog walker, homemaker or serving in the military.

“We are all cut from a particular fabric, and we are all interwoven into this world. So, we all have a purpose,” Mayfield said.

He’s also designing for people who, like him, have felt like outsiders. Mayfield grew up in New Orleans, and said it seemed like his peers saw sports, music or drugs as a path out of poverty, instead of hard work and faith. Once he was in the Marines, it was the flair for life imbued in him by his hometown.

“Growing up in New Orleans is all about fashion and food,” he said. “The way we carry ourselves, we’re just a little different. Kind of made me a little bit of an outsider in the military.”

Mokaciá is a way for people like Mayfield to find each other. The brand’s website invites visitors to “join the movement,” and he refers to those who buy his wares as family.

“My ultimate goal is to create a community of people who can lean on one another and believe in one another and elevate themselves,” he said.

Mayfield sees the products starting conversations. In one real-world instance, a woman misread a shirt that has the words “I am” atop upward-pointing arrows, below which is the word “average.” “She was like, ‘Oh, sweetheart, you’re not average. You’re more than that.’” Mayfield said he told her he appreciated the comment, but that the shirt’s meaning was “I am above average.” She got it then, he said.

The designs could make someone who seems stand-offish more approachable or offer kind words to a stranger, he added.

In time, Mayfield hopes his kids see the brand as his legacy – evidence that hard work, positivity and kindness pay off.

“I want to have something my kids will be proud of,” he said.

We are all cut from a particular fabric, and we are all interwoven into this world. So, we all have a purpose.

— Master Gunnery Sgt. Mayfield

BY RANDALL STEVENS

What’s good for women business owners and entrepreneurs of color is good for all women and people of color. It’s also good for the entire country’s economic health, according to the Brookings Institution.

That’s why Comcast launched Comcast RISE, a long-term, multi-year effort to provide capital and in-kind resources, like media production, to these entrepreneurs.

Access to capital remains the No. 1 concern of small business owners and entrepreneurs. For people of color and women, the problems of owning a small business can be compounded compared to the population at large.

Study after study shows these business owners face unique challenges, many related to finding the same access as their counterparts.

People of color are twice as likely to be turned down for business loans, and it keeps them from applying for loans at all. Women-owned businesses grow at only half the rate of those run by men.

Yet, those same studies found that the growth effect from businesses run by people of color is exponential. The more success these businesses find leads to more businesses owned by minority groups of all kinds, along with more jobs and more income for all employees.

Comcast RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment) is designed to help

small businesses owned by people of color and women in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected those businesses.

Comcast Business partners with Effectv, Comcast’s advertising sales wing, to provide that support in multiple areas, including meeting with RISE entrepreneurs to discover how best to grow their business. If media time is a part of that plan, the next step is to create a 30-second commercial, develop a media strategy and provide a schedule to air the commercial over a 90-day period.

Another opportunity area is a technology makeover, which begins with a professional consultation to determine the business’ needs. Possible upgrades include cybersecurity technology, video monitors and other computer equipment. Some businesses might also need desktop computers, laptops or tablets.

Comcast is also offering monetary grants for businesses and its owners to invest in themselves. In 2021, Comcast RISE offered $10,000 grants to 1,100 American small businesses owned by people of color, for a total of $11 million.

Since November 2020, Comcast RISE has awarded support to 9,500 entrepreneurs and provided $91 million in assistance. Small business owners in 704 cities across 37 states have received $16 million in grants

and $75 million in creative and technological support.

The goal is to provide this same consultation, services and monetary investment to 13,000 qualifying American small businesses by the end of 2022. It’s part of Comcast’s expanded commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, a multi-pronged plan that demands action and investment from every area of the company.

Businesses eligible for Comcast RISE must:

• Be independently owned and operated (franchises are not qualified);

• Be registered to conduct business in the United States;

• Have been in operation for at least one year, located inside the Comcast Business or Effectv service area footprint;

• And at least 51% owned and operated by someone who identifies as person of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners, or a woman.

To learn more about Comcast RISE or to apply to the program, visit www.comcastrise.com/riseapply/.

OFFER HEALING THROUGH

GOLD STAR GAMERS COMPETITIVE GAMING

WRITTEN BY ELENA FERRARIN PHOTOS COURTESY OF U.S. ARMY

If you’ve ever doubted video games can be about more than playing, just talk to children involved with Gold Star Gamers.

The goal of the new nonprofit is to help children who lost a military parent find hope and healing through competitive gaming. By all accounts, its first team tournament in August was a resounding success.

Reese Pascal, 15, of Laurel Springs, New Jersey, called the experience “absolutely amazing.”

“It was great to go there and honor my dad, and do something I love, that I am good at, and show up and bring competition,” he said. “It was one of the best nights ever.”

Keeghan Roberts, 16, of Carthage, Texas, agreed.

“There are no words I could use to tell you how extraordinary it was for me to get the opportunity to be able to honor my dad in such a way,” he said.

Gold Star Gamers, which officially launched in July, is the brainchild of Martha Laughman, of Colorado Springs, Colorado. She has two sons whose father, a veteran, died last year.

“Gaming is not just a game,” said

Laughman, who works in cybersecurity workforce development. “It’s really a culture and a language that these kids communicate in. It’s deep in youth culture, and it’s also deep in military culture. A lot of people who are deployed play with kids back home.”

Laughman co-founded Gold Star Gamers with Tom McAndrew, CEO of Coalfire and a U.S. Naval Academy graduate. He’s a lifelong gamer who rediscovered gaming as a way to connect with his children while overseas.

Laughman said her youngest son, an avid gamer, had been struggling to process his father’s death. When she found out about a soldier who’d won a gaming competition, she reached out to set up a game between him and her son.

The result was incredible, she said.

“For the first time in the eight months since his dad died, I saw a moment of joy on his face,” Laughman said.

She realized that might be a way to help other children who lost a military parent. She made a post on LinkedIn that got 100,000 views, she said, which led to building a network of support ranging from gamers to firefighter associations and business executives, and eventually connecting with McAndrew.

Twelve children participated in the first Gold Star Gamers team tournament featuring the video game Rocket League at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado. The event took place alongside a Warrior GMR Foundation adult esports tournament, both hosted during an international rugby tournament at the sports stadium. Gold Star Gamers paid for flights,

hotels and food for its young gamers and their accompanying relatives.

Video games allow children to bond organically, through their shared background and love for gaming, the participants and their families said.

Reese’s mother, Sue Pascal, called the experience “unbelievably wonderful.”

“In this day and age, the kids really connect with video gaming. It seems to be the ‘it’ thing,” she said. “The kids connected on an even deeper level than at a normal Gold Star kids’ event.”

Keeghan agreed.

“Whenever I play video games, it’s a way of coping and grieving a little bit, and all these kids basically did the same exact thing,” he said. “We had a better connection.”

The tournament also led the parents, mostly mothers, to get into their children’s gaming and bond with each other, Laughman said.

Tournaments are Gold Star Gamers’ flagship program. The nonprofit also offers mentorship, by pairing children with military gamers for one-on-one game time, and virtual training camps that focus on gaming strategy and IQ. Twenty young gamers attended the first camp. The nonprofit received about $150,000 in sponsorships through August, including from headset maker Turtle Beach and the Gary Sinise Foundation, and personal funding from McAndrew and Laughman.

Gold Star Gamers participants and their families said they would love to see the nonprofit grow.

Caehlen Austin, 23, who accompanied her brother Keeghan to the tournament, said she saw firsthand how much video games can help kids cope and blossom. She lives in Louisiana, where her husband is stationed at Fort Polk.

“I appreciate this organization so much,” she said.

To contribute to Gold Star Gamers, visit https:// goldstargamers.networkforgood. com/projects/164651-gold-stargamers.

Twelve children participate in Gold Star Gamers’ first tournament in August in Colorado. Courtesy Gold Star Gamers

MILITARY SPOUSE DELIVERS

LUXURY PICNIC

EXPERIENCE TO EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

BY BRUNELLA COSTAGLIOLA

“I can do that!” Mackenzie Murphy, a Marine spouse of 12 years, said to herself when she decided to launch her own business, Carolina Picnic Company in 2021. “I had seen videos on TikTok of small businesses in Southern California offering luxury picnics on the beach, and it looked like a fun idea.”

Stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Murphy, a stay-at-home mom of two boys aged 12 and 7, wanted to begin her teaching career in 2020.

“After following my husband around the country and even overseas, and

with our children being older and a bit more independent, I thought the time had come for me to finally venture outside of the household and put my bachelor’s degree in humanities to good use,” Murphy said.

But the COVID-19 pandemic derailed her plans, forcing her to pivot her dream and help her sons with virtual schooling instead. Then she came across videos of luxury picnics, which sparked her artistic spirit.

“I’ve always been a creative person,” Murphy said, “so the thought of putting together fun and luxury picnics

for customers who were looking for a unique way to celebrate their special occasion really intrigued me. I did some research and saw there was nobody else in my area offering this type of service, so I just went for it.”

Without questioning her decision, she started building the business from the ground up with the support of her Marine husband.

When it came to the nitty gritty work of starting a business, Murphy moved through the first steps of networking, promoting and all the necessary paperwork with the know-how of a seasoned entrepreneur thanks to her father’s guidance.

“My father started multiple businesses, from farming to building houses, and he always involved me in every way he could since I was a child,” Murphy said. “Even though he worked in predominantly male fields, he always reminded me that, as long as I was willing to work hard, I could do anything. It was my entrepreneurial baptism.”

Her creativity and entrepreneurial mindset, combined with her ability to adapt and persevere no matter the challenge ahead — qualities she credits the military life for instilling in her — led to her current pandemic-proof business. She’s already planning to expand her company and hire helpers.

“I love what I do, not only because I get to play a role in making someone’s occasion even more special, but also because it affords me the freedom to set my own hours and prioritize my family when I need to,” Murphy said. “As a military spouse, having such a flexible schedule that ensures my family is taken care of while my business runs smoothly is crucial, and I can’t think of a traditional career that can guarantee me the same liberty.”

Settled in North Carolina for the foreseeable future, Murphy added that she is proud to serve her military and civilian communities with Carolina Picnic Company.

BRIDGES GAP BETWEEN SERVICE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

BY RANDALL STEVENS

When Kevin Parker took coownership of a local health foods store in 2015, he was still in the Navy Reserve; working in technology sales; and had a side gig as an outdoor fitness instructor.

Entrepreneurship was on his mind, but he didn’t quite know how to get there. But Bunker Labs – an organization focused on helping veteran and military spouse entrepreneuers –would soon be one of his biggest assets.

“You’re gonna be learning a lot as an entrepreneur,” Parker said. “The only person you’re accountable to is yourself. No one is gonna give you the answers, you just have to figure it out.”

But Parker had a lot going for him as a future entrepreneur. He served in the Navy on active duty and later as a reserve officer, where he worked in supply and logistics. It was a great foundation, but he still didn’t know how to get started. So he turned to his boss at the outdoor fitness boot camp.

She was already a small business owner and entrepreneur and was looking for her next venture. The two teamed up and in 2015 founded Nuts ‘n Berries Healthy Market, a health food store that was struggling to compete against big box store chains.

“For the first year, I was not too comfortable being in the store myself because I didn’t know where anything was [and] I barely knew what anything was,” Parker said. “Then there were things like the importance of

marketing, merchandising, how you set your price, what profit margins you’re trying to achieve. It was bigger than anything I’d ever managed.”

In 2017, Parker went all-in on hempderived CBD products, which was an emerging market at the time and one with a lot of gray areas. It was a calculated risk, but still a risk, to become a trusted expert in a line of products that might be made illegal at any time.

Around the same time, he began attending Bunker Connects, a networking event for area veteran entrepreneurs set up by Bunker Labs. He found these informal sessions useful for a number of reasons.

“There were some good ideas I got from some other veterans,” Parker said. “If you talk about this challenge or that challenge you face, good ideas kind of percolate as you have the discussions.”

Bunker Labs also brought in guest speakers, some of which provided unique insights that Parker could apply to some of the issues he was facing in his own businesses. It was especially crucial at that moment in his career, still in the learning curve of running his store while embracing CBD.

“I’ll also be honest: at that stage, I went to these things and was a sponge, just soaking it all up,” he said. “I didn’t feel I was successful enough to be giving other people advice. Like, I’d love to give you some pointers on how to crush it in sales or something but we were not there yet.”

When the CBD market skyrocketed, Parker was already well-positioned and it became a cornerstone of his business. Sales more than doubled and the resulting income gave Parker and his business partner more time to focus on the day-to-day of their operations.

He kept going to the Bunker Labs events, intent on getting more involved. He and his business partner expanded, taking over a Decatur, Georgia, health foods store with the intent of rebranding it as their second location. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Parker refocused on his core business while opening the second store.

As he navigated the challenges facing businesses in the wake of a nationwide lockdown, he was also figuring out

a new market and clientele that was loyal to their old store.

Amid the pandemic, Parker said, he has learned many new ways to ask for help, find assistance and learn more. He’s also returned to Bunker Labs, with more knowledge about running his business and became a Bunker Labs Ambassador, as well as a facilitator for Atlanta’s Bunker Labs cohorts.

“You have to be ready to be flexible because things will happen that you did not anticipate,” he said. “But there’s another piece, and this is where Bunker Labs comes in. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re trying to tackle a problem and there’s someone who might know how to do it, or maybe has already done it, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Don’t be afraid to ask people for help.

Army’s World Class Athlete Program offers Kenyan native ‘balanced career’

WRITTEN BY CRYSTAL KUPPER PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARMY WCAP

“Saluting at Nationals was to show who we are, and my great sense of pride for serving,” Koech said. “It let people know that athletes can represent all of the soldiers in the U.S. Army anywhere, in any sport, and shows that we’re at the top in everything we compete at.”

The “we” Koech speaks of are his soldier-teammates in the Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). The program allows elite American athletes to pursue both top-tier titles like global championships and medals while also serving in the military.

From Africa to America

Koech has been running with an Army uniform since 2019, qualifying for the World Athletics Championships in July after that second-place finish during Nationals. It’s been a relatively quick rise for the Eldoret, Kenya, native. He fell in love with running at age 4 and continued to train as he grew.

The training paid off. In 2015, Koech earned a scholarship to run first for the University of Texas-El Paso track team before finishing at Texas Tech. He did well as an undergrad, snagging a Big 12 championship and first-team All-America honors his senior year. While at college, a teammate from his hometown told him about WCAP. Spc. Anthony Rotich joined WCAP in 2016, serving as a chemical engineer repairer for the Army while simultaneously training in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

“Anthony was a great teammate and a big motivator for me,” Koech said. “We always competed together and running with him was always fun.”

2019 was a big year for Koech, as he became both an American citizen and soldier. He wanted to make the most of the opportunity.

“Being in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program allows me to compete while also serving,” he said.

“I’m able to have a balanced career, because the Army allows me to compete full time while still keeping current with Army requirements and staying competitive with my military peers.”

Olympic-sized aim

It’s a lifestyle that takes some creativity. Koech, 25, trains four hours a day, five days a week with a coach, then finishes his duties as a mechanic afterward. A day’s training might include running nine miles first thing in the morning in approximately 45 minutes. That’s 5 minutes per mile — yet quite a bit slower than the pace he ran to accomplish his 1:44.74 800-meter personal record in Eugene, Oregon.

Race officials disqualified Koech at Worlds in July, ruling that he had inappropriately jostled or obstructed his competitors. Even so, Koech said the experience “boosted his mental toughness.”

Capt. Robert Cheseret, WCAP commander, has seen that mental toughness firsthand.

“Since arriving to WCAP, Spc. Koech has shown a high level of focus on the goal of running the World and Olympic time standards, with a bigger goal of qualifying and competing at the 2024 Olympic Games,” he said. “Spc. Koech and soldier-athletes like him live the Army values every day, in everything they do, in and out of uniform.”

Koech hopes for more chances to salute the camera in the future — maybe even in Paris for the 2024 Olympics. It’s all part of being able to live his dream, he said, to both run at the highest levels and serve his adopted country.

“Being a soldier is something that is very, very important to me,” he said. “It motivates me and reminds me that I’m doing something that I’ve wanted to do in life.”

When cameras swung to Army Spc. Jonah Koech after his silver-finished 800-meter race at the U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships in June, he knew exactly what to do: salute.

VETSINTECH

expands executive team with new COO Ikram Mansori

BY PEYTON ROBERTS

For the past 10 years, the nonprofit VetsInTech has provided education, employment and entrepreneurship training and resources to help thousands of veterans and military spouses enter and excel in the tech industry. Recent growth has paved the way to add a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to the leadership team, a role Army veteran and entrepreneur Ikram Mansori felt uniquely suited to fill.

Having gone from an enlisted Army soldier to tech startup founder, Mansori said, “I care so much about these two groups. This is my niche.”

Mansori, a Judo champion who emigrated from Morocco to California at 16, said her desire to serve in the military began at an early age.

Shortly after beginning her undergraduate studies, Mansori enlisted in the Army and spent eight years serving in airborne units and with multiple command groups, supporting operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn. She completed a bachelor of arts in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic in 2011 remotely, while serving in the Army.

“I really enjoyed my work as a noncommissioned officer,” she said. “I’ve had amazing, good and bad experiences. But mostly, I’ve had nothing but amazing leaders.”

Mansori says her transition from active duty to the civilian workforce was uncharacteristically seamless since she left the Army while working at the National Security Agency.

“One day I showed up in uniform. The next day I showed up as a civilian,” she said.

Her path to the tech industry required more maneuvering. To be closer to family, Mansori returned to her hometown and tech innovation hub, San Francisco.

After considering various opportunities, she was excited to get a call back for a new role as a counterterrorism lead, which sounded like a great fit.

“I was able to use my SIGINT and language background to fill a need and improve the platform,” she said.

While pursuing a Master of Science in entrepreneurship and innovation, Mansori founded a tech startup that ultimately failed.

“The tech company was in the service industry. So when COVID hit, it got hit pretty badly,” she said. “I’ve learned so much from it.”

Mansori ultimately steered away from the hustle of a start-up after her mother was diagnosed with cancer in late 2019.

“It only made sense to kind of, you know, slow down. Family is everything to me,” she said.

Slowing down included launching a global consulting firm, beginning

a Ph.D. program in business administration and accepting a mayoral appointment as the Veterans Affairs Commissioner in the City and County of San Francisco. In this role, Mansori has overseen the passing of three bills, including the addition of veterans preference for affordable housing.

When the COO role at VetsInTech got on her radar, Mansori realized it was a perfect fit.

“These two worlds overlapped for me. So I thought, ‘This is where I need to focus,’” she said.

Mansori says veterans and military spouses often do not consider themselves qualified to enter the tech industry, but that simply isn’t true.

“Post-9/11 veterans are mostly millennials and now Gen Zers, a techsavvy generation. We all use tech,” she said. “Veterans and military spouses make for great people managers, program managers, project managers and product managers. You don’t necessarily have to be an engineer who codes to be in these roles, and you can make great money doing it.”

By scaling programs and driving operations at VetsInTech, Mansori hopes she can help more veterans and military spouses find their own niche in the tech arena.

For more information about VetsInTech visit www.vetsintech.co.

ORGANIZATION HOSTS FOR VETREPRENEURS BUSINESS SHOWERS

BY NIKKI DAVIDSON

When parents prepare to bring a child into the world, friends and family often shower them with gifts to support their new chapter. One veteran nonprofit has joined a trend of putting a new spin on the event and throwing showers for an entirely different milestone: starting a business.

“Starting your own business is a lot like raising a child,” said Benjamin Bunn, marketing and business development director for Warrior Rising, a nonprofit that helps veterans in an entrepreneurial pursuit. “You’re starting from nothing, and you have no experience, and there’s no instruction manual.”

Warrior Rising formed in 2015 to “transform veterans into vetrepreneurs.” Green Beret Jason Van Camp founded the group, which has since helped more than 6,000 veterans become business owners. The mission to go from boots to business comes when the veteran startup rate has rapidly declined.

While 49% of veterans returning from service in World War II started businesses, only 5.6% of Post-9/11 veterans have done the same.

According to the National Survey of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs, a top barrier is a lack of initial capital. Warrior Rising created the exclusive business shower program to give tools, mentorship and even grants to veterans who might not otherwise have the means to make their dreams a reality.

The invite-only events shower participants with everything from haircuts and business suits to website building, branding kits and even grant money. They’re exclusive to the veterans who have shown the most promise in the Warrior Rising program.

Warrior Rising selected Army veteran Justin Clapsaddle to be part of the first business shower group a few years ago. He admits before working intensively with Warrior Rising on his business, he lacked focus. He works full time in education, and his knifemaking business started as a hobby.

In the first year, his company, War Metal Forge, only sold six knives. Ten years later, it’s a “side hustle” that generates $80,000 in revenue annually.

Clapsaddle attributes the success to his mentor Van Camp, who inspired him to make knives from reclaimed metal from vehicles, shrapnel and rifle barrels that saw actual combat from the Battle of the Bulge to Afghanistan.

“(I thought) if they’re willing to invest in me, I need to invest in myself,” Clapsaddle said.

Warrior Rising’s business showers have adapted through the years, showering about 50 veterans. The nonprofit hosted its fifth installment in Texas this fall. It culminated in a pitch competition similar to ABC’s “Shark Tank,” where veterans presented their business plans to sponsors with the ability to earn grants anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000.

“They are building everybody up, but they’re also giving them honest feedback, and that’s what a lot of veterans appreciate,” Clapsaddle said. “Yeah, everybody wants to hear that they’re doing a good job, but more importantly, if you’re trying to make this your livelihood and your business, then you have to hear some things that aren’t easy to hear.”

Warrior Rising provided $900,000 in resources and support to veteranowned companies in 2021. The

nonprofit has helped more than 100 veteran businesses get started, including 20 valued individually for more than $1 million. The company will launch a self-paced learning app for “vetrepreneurs” this fall.

5 THINGS ANY ENTREPRENEUR CAN USE AS A GIFT

Starting a new business is a significant accomplishment that deserves a celebration. Support the people you love with simple gifts to help get them started on their journey. Consider practical donations that will help them establish a foundation for long-term success.

Software subscriptions: Apps and website subscription services have made once-complicated processes like bookkeeping much more manageable in 2022. Purchasing a subscription service to streamline accounting and workflow can be the gift that keeps giving all year.

Mobile payments reader: Businesses that require in-person transactions will have a leg up over the competition if they’re equipped to process credit card transactions.

Computer equipment: Extra computer monitors, printers and versatile desk accessories might not be in the budget for new business owners, so they’ll appreciate gifts they’ll use that allow them to be as efficient as possible. Just as with a baby or bridal shower, be sure to keep the receipts just in case it’s something they already have or won’t use.

Gift cards: Where to buy the gift card will depend mainly on what type of business the individual is starting. If the new entrepreneur travels often, gas or airline gift cards would be highly appreciated. A gift card for a printing service could be helpful for an entrepreneur who needs to print business cards. Social media apps now make it possible to purchase a gift card that will allow new business owners to boost the reach of their social media posts and videos to expand brand awareness.

Word of mouth: Sometimes, the most valuable gift is simply recommending a new business to your network. The connections made might land them their first client or customer. It’s the perfect gift for any budget and can have a lasting impact on a new business for years to come.

WHY MILITARY AND VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS INSURANCE NEED SMALL BUSINESS

BY KRISTEN DE DEYN KIRK

A few years ago, the staff at USAA (a financial services company formally known as United Services Automobile Association) kept hearing the same question:

“DO YOU OFFER SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE?”

So, in January 2021, USAA gave its members what they wanted and created coverage available in 30 states underwritten by USAA.

Traditionally focused on providing military members and their families with personal lines of insurance, such as auto, life and home policies, USAA began helping people in 1922. It knows how to listen with a goal of pinpointing each person’s insurance needs — then tailors a policy to meet those needs.

Effective and efficient insurance coverage means protection from financial setbacks, so it makes sense that USAA members should have it for their small business. In fact, entrepreneurship has become a growing career choice among those with a military affiliation. According to the Small Business Administration, veterans are 45% more likely to be self-employed than non-veterans. Plus, military spouses are choosing to launch businesses, in part, to overcome ongoing employment challenges that can be presented with frequent PCS moves.

Larry Williams, VP of USAA Small Business Insurance, says it is a trend that is likely to continue as the pandemic nears its third year.

“We’re seeing a growth of small businesses coming out of the global pandemic. Plus, the percentage of veteran-owned businesses seems to be increasing at faster rates than the general population,” Williams said. “We’re really excited as we go toward our next 100 years to have launched these new small business policies. We’re leaning into our mission of offering a full suite of competitive products for the military.”

Does every military or veteran entrepreneur need small business insurance?

Yes, says Sean Scaturro, director of insurance advice at USAA. He’s seen some owners thinking they’re too small to worry about it. For example, a photographer might think, ‘It’s just me. What could go wrong?’ Scaturro believes it’s probably the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs make. Protect your financial well-being, no matter your size, Scaturro advises.

“You almost have to be a little cynical, to be able to evaluate risks you could face,” he said of small business owners. “And if we can’t be cynical enough ourselves, we’ve got to pick up the phone and speak to an expert who can evaluate all of the threats. USAA answers questions from business owners and also asks questions that a business owner doesn’t always know to ask.”

They need to consider the size of their business; how it’s structured legally; how many, if any, employees; current earnings; assets; liabilities; potential hazards; and potential expansions.

Williams knows it can be hard to find the time to analyze all the details: Business owners work all day because they’re building what they created. Then many take care of families for a bit in the evening and return to managing their business afterward. Investigating USAA coverage is one of the tasks they can complete then — or anytime.

“We see quite a bit of our members interacting with us after hours. We’ve sold policies all throughout the night, which is probably when they finally have time,” Williams said.

Visiting usaa.com/smallbusiness makes it easy. Answer a handful of questions, and the business owner learns what insurance options are available.

Doing so isn’t a one-and-done deal, though.

“It is very important that small business owners reevaluate their business with some regularity,” Williams stressed. “Make sure that they don’t have any changes that are complicating their policies. Maybe they added a new location or they’re selling a new product or they’re offering a new service.”

Owners should think about how their business has changed — or will soon change — at least once a year. Next, they should check in with their insurance agent and adjust their policy to match their business plan.

Williams grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, learning at a young age that small businesses are “the driver of the economy,” he emphasized. When a small business owner is also connected to the military, he feels an even greater pull to assist them.

“I want us to provide protection of their American dream as they put their lives on the line to protect ours,” he said. “It’s very personal to me that we’re there for those members when they need us most.”

SOLDIER

GOES FROM HOMELESSNESS

TO A LEADING VOICE IN

FITNESS

WORLD

WRITTEN BY JESSICA MANFRE PHOTOS COURTESY OF ERIK BARTELL

Erik Bartell is widely recognized for his killer workouts in Men’s Health and Muscle & Fitness and for leading the community initiative around military brands BRAVO SIERRA and ECHELON. But before all of that – the veteran Army officer got his start on the streets of Chicago.

Growing up was rough – from constantly moving and being on the brink of experiencing homelessness to spending years in a shelter for the houseless, Bartell saw it all. Fitness became his escape.

“It was a way for me to get off the streets and in a different respect, not to have to go home,” he said. “I also looked at it as an opportunity to be mentored and coached. My teachers and coaches were some of my biggest role models growing up.

“I think a really big issue with kids in the inner city is if your role models are people who have done nothing with their life or are only ‘successful’

because they sold drugs – it’s what you’ll deem success. I’m not here to pitch the military but it is a great way out.”

But joining the military wasn’t always his plan. He was offered the opportunity to attend a selective enrollment high school, Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago. This was his ticket to changing the narrative, he said. It earned him a full ride to DePaul University, a private college in Chicago.

After attending classes for a few weeks, Bartell said he began to reconsider his decision to attend. It wasn’t for lack of learning or opportunity but rather watching those around him squander it. Looking for purpose – he decided to enlist. His recruiter introduced him to the DePaul ROTC program, and Bartell said he knew he’d immediately found his tribe.

“They were not only down to Earth but hungry and motivated to become better versions of themselves,” he

said. “It was the easiest decision I ever made.”

He completed basic training the following summer and was switched to an ROTC contract with a direct commission upon graduation from DePaul.

“I was very different from most of my peers in general, just based on my upbringing and where I came from. And I think it did earn me a little bit more respect from my soldiers. Even my appearance because I showed up to my unit with a full sleeve, which at the time wasn’t as common for officers. But I mean, I got my first tattoo at 16 years old,” he said. “But I really wanted to earn their respect based on my leadership, nothing else.”

Bartell served five years on active duty with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell and had one combat deployment to Afghanistan. It was during this time he started getting into teaching the fundamentals of exercise, even in the middle of a combat outpost.

He and his soldiers would use whatever they could, ammo belts, MREs and attach them to the bar off a cot to continue to lift weights on deployment. On the advice of some of those soldiers, he started his Instagram page, @realerikbartell, to share the workouts to a broader audience.

“I started sharing it with the guys in my unit and then eventually other soldiers

were following along. And then I just kind of grew this really micro following that was pretty strictly military,” Bartell said.

He’d sustained a number of nagging injuries during his time of service which weren’t healing, leading him to transition out of the Army in 2018.

“I knew I wanted to do something in fitness but began studying for the GRE because I assumed a career in psychology would be more lucrative than one in fitness,” he said. “I still pursued my personal training certificate because it was a passion of mine that had grown even stronger after going through physical therapy and really learning healthier training styles outside of bodybuilding.”

While exploring his options, Bartell discovered a new nonprofit, The FitOps Foundation, aimed at helping veterans to begin careers in fitness. He began consulting for the organization as he was separating from the Army.

Just a few months later, Bartell assumed the role of executive director for FitOps Foundation. He took this role and built the small organization into a powerful initiative that caught the attention of WWE’s John Cena.

He was simultaneously recruited to New York City to run Performix House, a luxury training facility that would eventually tout celebrity members like Naomi Campbell, Mark Consuelos and Nina Agdal.

“I’m by no means the best trainer in the world or even close to it,” Bartell said. “My success really goes back to one of my prime tenets in life, which is to just keep showing up.”

Soon, he was all over Muscle & Fitness as well as Men’s Health. Bartell’s story and workouts were becoming well known. He caught the attention of the founders of the personal care line BRAVO SIERRA, too. The owners asked him to join their team, leading the military-influenced brand’s community initiative.

“At first, I was working hard at building their social following and creating a ton of events. It also became a passion of mine to mentor people in the military who wanted to use fitness as a path forward like I did,” he said. “Maybe I always had potential, but without people to help nudge me left or right, I don’t know where I’d be.”

These days, Bartell has amassed a strong following as a fitness influencer (and that coveted blue checkmark), BRAVO SIERRA is now on Walmart and Target shelves and he’s the proud father of two sons.

He’s also leading the ECHELON brand; bringing it from a cult drink sold only in military exchanges to the popular military brand now sold in every GNC across the nation.

As for what he’d advise other veterans or military members looking to pursue a purposeful life outside of the uniform, it was simple.

“I’m really big on showing up and working hard. You’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish by just doing those two things,” Bartell said.

FOR

PROGRAM VETERAN PROVIDES KEY RESOURCES

ENTREPRENEURS

BY RANDALL STEVENS

In August 2020, as small businesses were struggling to stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest, Fiserv — a global leader in payments and financial services technology — demonstrated its support for entrepreneurs and commitment to elevating diversity and inclusion by launching its Back2Business program.

With the help of a $50 million investment, Back2Business provides crucial resources to Black- and minority-owned small businesses and other designated groups including veteran entrepreneurs. Back2Business is creating a positive impact and strengthening small businesses through community engagement; leading technology, including the Clover point of sale and business management system; and capital in the form of a $10,000 grant per business in the program.

Two years later, and with more than 1,500 grants awarded, Back2Business is going strong and continuing to build powerful partnerships. Recently, Fiserv and Bunker Labs, an organization dedicated to providing support and resources to military veterans and spouses to help advance their small businesses, partnered to sponsor a pitch competition. Three veteran-owned businesses will be recognized with $10,000 Back2Business grants during the Military Influencer Conference in Las Vegas in October.

Triple Nikel San Antonio, Texas triplenikel.com

In response to the lack of diversity in the veteran apparel industry, Ruben Ayala, Kuther Graham, Christopher McPhee and Curtez Riggs created an American brand that salutes cultural differences. The founders of Triple Nikel began their military careers in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The company name is a nod to their military affiliation, specifically paying homage to the historic 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion — a Black paratrooper unit, known colloquially as the Triple Nickles.

Take a moment to learn about four past Back2Business grant recipients

There are veterans that come from all over the diaspora of the United States. When people look at us, they see themselves. That’s the culture we are trying to create. As veterans, we are part of America too.

— Ruben Ayala, Triple Nikel

Mrs. Jo’s Petite Eats Mclean, Virginia @eatatmrsjo

After 24 years of service in the Army and earning the rank of lieutenant colonel, Erinn Roth retired to pursue her passion for dessert catering by opening Ms. Jo’s Petite Sweets in 2016. Roth’s business continues to evolve with the opening of a brick-and-mortar location in Mclean, Virginia, as well as a name change to reflect her expanded menu offerings. Now Mrs. Jo’s Petite Eats, the café and patisserie continues to serve Roth’s delectable desserts, as well as savory baked goods, sandwiches and salads.

Dog Tag Bakery  Washington, D.C. dogtaginc.org

Dog Tag Bakery is a bakery, catering service and a military transition service. Founded by Constance Milstein and Father Rick Curry — both avid bakers and advocates for military families — Dog Tag is about much more than indulging customers with coffee and treats. The bakery’s military fellowship program is designed to support its mission to empower veterans and military families to build resilience, find renewed purpose and foster community.

Nordstrom Contracting and Consulting Nyack, New York nordstromcontracting.com

Started by Oscar Nordstrom Sr. in 2004, Nordstrom Contracting and Consulting is a veteran- and family-owned company run by Oscar and his sons, Oscar Jr. and Michael. Nordstrom provides design, construction and renovation services for federal agencies and private entities with projects ranging from a complete five-star restaurant renovation to HVAC replacements at a VA hospital. Having proudly weathered the pandemic, Michael Nordstrom attributes the company’s success to its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.

I realized that I wanted to work hard for myself. And so, initially, I started the business just to keep busy. But my mother would always say, ‘If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plan.’ And so, now I call Ms. Jo’s Petite Eats my food empire.

— Erinn Roth, Ms. Jo’s Petite Eats

INJURY-SPECIFIC FORMER NFL PLAYER CONSTRUCTS HOMES FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS

BY CHRIS ADAMS

For former NFL edge-rusher supreme Jared Allen, his future began before the end.

The five-time pro bowler and four-time all-pro opened a successful restaurant (The Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen) in Tempe, Arizona, before his playing days concluded. And then he decided to help wounded veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan while still wrecking offenses on Sunday and

Once an NFL career ends, options are endless. Or are they limited? Depends on your mindset and personality.

compiling 136 career sacks on the controlled chaos of the gridiron.

The Jared Allen Homes for Wounded Warriors, or JAH4WW, facilitates the construction of injury-specific, accessible and mortgage-free homes for veterans injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

“Well, I come from a long line of military veterans,” Allen told Military Influencer Magazine. “So military has just always been a huge part of our life, as far as you know, understanding why I got to do what we get to do and understanding the freedoms that we enjoy do come at a cost.”

However, Allen only became aware of the true plight of veterans wounded overseas after returning from a USO tour when an Army friend explained the gap in adaptive housing.

“[To] be honest, I just didn’t know him that well at the time, I didn’t really pay that close attention to what he was talking about … And then when I came back in 2009 from the USO tour and getting to kind of meet and see firsthand some of the small daily sacrifices … I was so humbled by that experience, and hope took on a new meaning for me to see what goes into protecting it.”

A wise-with-age grounding and sense of purpose are apparent in Allen, a Christian man who played 13 seasons in the NFL. After the 2009 USO tour in the Middle East, he got together with another friend and reached out to his Army buddy. They all sat down, asking each other, “What is our American dream? What does hope mean to us?” JAH4WW was the answer.

“And so yeah, [the] program [has] evolved a little bit over the years, as we’ve gotten better at it,” Allen said. “And it’s been a fun journey. But that’s kind of the crux of why we started.”

The criteria for the program are narrow. The IRS mandates it for 501(c)(3) nonprofits. The applicant questionnaire acts as a kind of criteria filter. It ensures that Allen doesn’t have to tell people “no.”

“I want to be able to, you know, filter out versus you open up the email box, and you have to tell people they don’t qualify, and that’s nothing I want to do to somebody,” he said. “I want them to be able to know firsthand, upfront, what our qualifications are.”

Allen said they don’t approve a home based on tentative funding. The project must be fully funded before it commences, which is a challenging undertaking.

“Most of our builds now are groundup builds,” he said. “They’re just easier that way … Building houses is never easy. I have a great team with Alex Karalexis (JAH4WW executive director) and Amanda Baily (JAH4WW operations director) and our national partners, to where my day to day is very, very minimal, if anything … We

just like to stay under the radar and get the job done. And we’ve been doing well so far.”

Some of Allen’s nonprofit partners include the Home Depot Foundation, KB Homes and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, nationally and locally. The relationships have allowed JAH4WW to develop a nationwide network of contractors and support to make these homes a reality for veterans requiring adapted dwellings due to traumatic circumstances. JAH4WW has provided nearly 25 homes in its 13year history.

“And it’s been great,” he said. “We’re about to give a home away in Florida that’s in a KB home community. We’re probably going to give four homes away by the end of this year. We just approved another veteran the other day … So yeah, that’s how we do it.”

Allen finds inspiration in the tragic but triumphant stories of the dutiful and selfless veterans.

“So it’s a phenomenal feeling,” he said. “It’s a humbling feeling … to constantly hear a different story but the same story. They always feel someone else deserves it more than them. The gratitude and the humility of our veterans is so inspiring.”

And these feelings tend to galvanize Allen into action after completing a project.

“Each time I find myself right back at the beginning, fired up, energized, you know, wanting to go out there raise more money and get on to the next project and help another veteran.”

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