Veteran On the Move

About this Episode What happens when you unleash a cross-commissioned military physicist with a knack for turning problems into marketplaces? You get Thom Hart, creator of StagePass, an experienced entertainment auction for podcasts that connects podcasters with their audiences. Tom shares how he switched from the Air Force to WestPoint, and built marketplaces while still in the military Key Points of Discussion Cross-commission: How Thom jumped from West Point to the  Air Force What does a military physicist actually do? The West Point side hustle that sparked Thom’s entrepreneurship Building a social network, health marketplace, and Stagepass Why veteran entrepreneurs need support on their journey Key Milestones of this Episode [1:11] Thom’s journey in the military [3:51] Switching between branches [8:00] The West Point side hustle [12:00] Building a social network [11:15] Common success principles of entrepreneurship [14: 19] How kidney stones led Thom to create an on-demand health marketplace [19:22] Stagepass Key Resources Stagepass Website Stagepass on Twitter Other Resources Moonshots : Creating a World of Abundance Key Quote by Thom Hart “Entrepreneurship can be applied to so many verticals and industries.” Get in Contact with Thom Hart Thom is the founder of Stagepass, a marketplace for creatives to auction experiences to allow their audience to support them. He also just launched a podcast called Traction Growth & Income, which is designed to help creatives and entrepreneurs learn from others that have achieved success on those areas. Thom spent the last 5 years in the Air Force as a physicist, and was stationed at Wright Patterson AFB and Austin, TX, as an instructor at the University of Texas. Thom Hart on LinkedIn            

In this episode, we talk with Ricoh Danielson, a veteran turned multi-business entrepreneur, author, and advocate for veteran’s rights. Ricoh shares the experience-tested wisdom he (and other veteran entrepreneurs) learned while trying to build a profitable and impactful business. In particular, he goes in depth about the lessons he learned from veterans who created successful businesses with nothing but a plan and hard work. If you are veteran who needs some entrepreneurial inspiration or mental preparation for what’s ahead, this episode is for you. Key Points of Discussion Business failure: How do you recover when your business falls flat on its face? Key insights from 4 powerful, mission-focused businesses that started from scratch Building a veteran-owned business from scratch: What mindset do you need to be a success? Self-care & entrepreneurship Is serving in the Army a boost or obstacle to entrepreneurship? What is the key to creating a sustainable business as an entrepreneur Key Milestones of this Episode [1:14] Ricoh’s time in the military  [2:20] The epic business failure of Ricoh’s first business & his successes in the IT industry [8:10] Big business lessons from other veteran entrepreneur [9:53] What are some resources and support entrepreneurs can use while building their business? [11:15] Common success principles of entrepreneurship  [14: 30] Routine and self-care for entrepreneurs  [16:35] “Be the expert”  [18:00] Understanding what your customer really needs  [23:35] What were some of the biggest surprises you learned while meeting other veteran entrepreneurs? [27:49] Succeeding at learning from failure Key Resources The Rise of the Vetrepreneur: FORTITUDE AND GRIT Battlefield Parenting: Workbook Rise of the Vetrepreneur on YouTube  Ricoh Danielson YouTube channel Other Resources Grunt Style  Trident Coffee American Grains Key Quotes by Ricoh Danielson  Ricoh on success as an entrepreneur: “...stick to the game plan...live well below your means and have a purposeful intention towards the business” “Your first business may not be ‘it’. Don’t be discouraged.” “Dream bigger and visualize bigger than you think.” Get in Contact with Ricoh Danielson Ricoh Danielson is a veteran who became a lawyer and politician/advocate for veteran’s rights. He is also a consultant for a digital forensics company and author. Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Junnell & Associates Law Firm.  Did you serve in the military between 2003 – 2015?  Did you wear 3M combat Version 2 (CAEv2) earplugs? Were you diagnosed by the military as having hearing loss and/or tinnitus?  If so, Junnell & Associates want to talk to you. Please call 800.375.0109. They want to help you like they have helped thousands of others.          

About this Episode Jake Miller, a veteran Amazon seller, joins us on The Veteran on the Move Podcast; to discuss his amazon business growth after serving as a marine corp. Jack dived into Amazon sales, while active in the Marine Corps serving at Okinawa Japan. Today, Jake Miller executes Amazon sales on both online and retail arbitrage on a full-time basis after he quit his military duties to follow the entrepreneurial path. He credits his father for introducing him into Amazon sales. This introduction to sales sparked his interest in entrepreneurship, realizing that he wasn't willing to follow the military career route for a lifetime. Jake started with a fitness apparel shop that never did well. But he takes great pride in the lessons from his business failures. These failures have enabled him to grow his business to where it is today. Key Points of Discussion Why selling on Amazon is an easy and pleasant way for people to make money. Private Label vs. Online and Retail Arbitrage on selling on Amazon. The factors that affect business productivity and sales on Amazon. Key Milestones of this Episode [01:49] Miller's backstory on the military career to transitioning onto sales. [06:01] How Jake Miller started on Amazon. [08:56] The lessons Jake Miller learned from his business failures. [12:37]Why selling on Amazon can be a good source of secondary income for militants in service. [14:15] Why Jake believes that Okinawa in Japan, was a good location for him to start his Amazon business. [15:20] Why Germany is an ideal location to make money quickly by selling on Amazon. [17:35] The amount of money Jake made in his first year of selling on Amazon. [23:59] How working from home, co-working spaces and libraries can affect your business growth. [25:41] Different ways on how you can source for products to sell to your customers. [27:27] Jake Miller's story on how he made a mistake in sourcing for products ad how it affected his business. [30:20] Jake Miller's products selling actively on Amazon. [30:51] Why retail arbitrage can be a great way to make money fast on Amazon. [33:17] Factors that influence pricing and availing products on Amazon, that you may not know. [35:06] Retail arbitrage vs. Private product label sales on Amazon. [37:00] The different software Jake uses to manage his Amazon sales. [38:40] Jake's advice to people interested in entrepreneurship. Key Resources Boots to Business course Key Quotes by Jake Miller A big step towards growth is having your own space that you could go to, sit down and just focus. You've got no choice. Amazon is so great because you can do it from anywhere, you can take with you. It's global. Use what is around you and what you like and that's a great way to start your brand. Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Junnell & Associates Law Firm.  Did you serve in the military between 2003 – 2015?  Did you wear 3M combat Version 2 (CAEv2) earplugs?  Were you diagnosed by the military as having hearing loss and/or tinnitus?  If so, Junnell & Associates want to talk to you. Please call 800.375.0109.  They want to help you like they have help thousands of others.