The Military Veteran

🎙️ 🎙️🎙️Is this thing on?! 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Join us for a dynamic Live Podcast & Dinner featuring Don Faul, the CEO of CrossFit! 🏋️ When: Thursday, May 9th from 6-8pm PT Where: Marine’s Memorial Club & Hotel in San Francisco Learn about Don’s journey from the Naval Academy to the Marine Corps to grad school to Google to Facebook to Pinterest to Startups to CrossFit. Learn about CrossFit's health, fitness, and exercise mission along with industry trends, and leadership lessons straight from the CEO of this global fitness phenomenon. Discover: - Don’s journey from the military to the civilian sector 🪖 - His successful transition and his journey from grad school to big tech to startups 💫 - Strategies that propelled CrossFit from niche to global powerhouse 🚀 - Key industry trends and innovations shaping the future of fitness 💪 - Leadership and management insights from a seasoned entrepreneur 📈 - The community impact that drives CrossFit's success and engagement 🌐 - How CrossFit navigates controversies and challenges, emerging stronger 💡 - Faul's personal journey, motivations, and philosophy behind CrossFit's evolution 🌟 Don't miss this opportunity to learn, be inspired, and network with fellow enthusiasts at the Marine Memorial in San Francisco! Plus, get the chance to ask Don Faul your burning questions and engage directly with one of the fitness industry's most influential leaders. Register now and join us next week in San Francisco at the Marines Memorial: https://lnkd.in/gZsXpqhm Mark your calendars and join us LIVE on May 9th! #TheMilitaryVeteran #ContextVC #CrossFit #Entrepreneurship #FitnessIndustry #Leadership #LivePodcastEvent

It was a pleasure to join The Military Veteran last week in Austin, Texas where they hosted a happy hour and career conference for vets transitioning into business careers. We met 70+ outstanding vets and allies over the course of two days, a few from the Texas McCombs School of Business, and heard from some great panelists who have been successful in finance, investing, PE Ops, and startups. I'm now even more excited to begin my Full Time MBA at the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business in just a few months! Thanks to Brendan Aronson, Theda (Thee-duh) Johnson, Alex Blain, and Kevin Wang for putting the event together.

We look forward to this event at the Marines’ Memorial club & hotel! You won't want to miss this event!

I was looking forward to a longer drive the other day so I could catch up on a good podcast. I was already a big fan of The Military Veteran pod with Brendan Aronson, and was excited to catch this interview with Larsen Jensen, former U.S. Olympic swimmer, Navy SEAL, and Founder of Harpoon Ventures, a VC firm focused on San Diego's growing Defense Startup industry. Larsen shares his inspirational story preparing for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic games, where he achieved a Silver and Bronze Medal respectively and set an American record in the 1,500 freestyle. Several key highlights: 1. Visualize your goals. He shaved off an impressive 20 seconds off his 1,500 time to battle head-to-head with the world record holder. Key to this accomplishment was the visualization of his goal down to the 1/10th of a second. Visualization can help tackle any personal or professional goal you have. 2. For transitioning veterans, get uncomfortable and challenge yourself. Consider graduate school, Skillbridge fellowships, and surround yourself with talented people to widen your view of your current skills, values, and options. Leverage the courage you've developed in uniform in your career transition. And give yourself some grace during the process. 3. The future of the defense industry is in startups that can provide faster and more agile innovation to accelerate solutions to the warfighters. The San Diego defense startup scene will continue to grow and attract investors. Check out the Military Veteran podcast and this episode here: https://lnkd.in/g5583kY4 #themilitaryveteran #harpoonventures

In our latest podcast, Dave Gerhardt shared how it took a while for him to become an expert but that experiences and content compound. Dave started as an intern at a PR agency and now runs a thriving business. He advises military veterans, marketers, and frankly anyone: “Get in somewhere and learn on the job!”

This is just one of the many events we have cooked up in tandem with Context VC this year. We have other events forthcoming including events in Austin, San Francisco, and Manhattan/NYC!

⚡ We have a lot of traction on our podcast. Below is an end of year update on our podcast! Our audience has grown significantly over the past year and we have some really fantastic guests we've interviewed and will be interviewing. Join and listen to Brendan Aronson, Blake Rodenberger, & Tim Hsia interview some of the smartest leaders across business, government, and the nonprofit space on our podcasts!

Please join us in welcoming Vishnu Reddy to the team as a Transformation & Restructuring Director Vishnu, a former US Navy Nuclear Submarine officer, brings 7 years of experience, including four deployments across the Atlantic and INDOPACIFIC. As the SEVENTH Fleet Protocol Officer and Flag LT to a 3-star Admiral, he expertly managed high-profile, multi-national events. Known for his ability to analyze complex scenarios, make decisive choices, and adapt swiftly, Vishnu's strong technical background, analytical acumen, and military leadership make him well-suited for roles in driving change, business restructuring, and investment analysis. He holds a Chemical Engineering degree from Texas A&M and an MBA from the University of Florida. We want to thank our recruiting partner The Military Veteran which continues to bring us top-tier veteran talent. I can't say enough good things about the private equity operations and investing team they are helping us build. Brendan Aronson Tim Hsia https://lnkd.in/e8vNqv3C

Our latest article delves into an important question facing many veterans transitioning into the business world: Should veterans pursue an MBA? This is a crucial decision, one that goes beyond mere academic qualifications and touches upon the alignment of education with personal and professional goals. "In the debate over the value of an MBA for veterans, it's essential to approach the decision with a holistic view. My experiences have shown me that veterans can and do succeed with or without an MBA. The key lies in aligning the MBA with your personal and professional aspirations. While the MBA journey can offer profound insights and broaden your perspective, it's not the only path to success. It's about understanding how this academic pursuit fits into your larger career narrative, and whether it complements the unique skills and experiences you've already acquired. This decision requires thoughtful consideration of both the potential benefits and the alternatives." Join us as we explore this topic, providing insights and perspectives that can help guide veterans in making an informed decision about their educational and professional paths. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eqVD_Fup #veterans #career #mba #personaldevelopment #privateequity

Reflecting on a Year at Swaney Group As we mark a year since the inception of Swaney Group formally last Thanksgiving, we look back at a journey that began with a significant client engagement immediately following our launch. This first year has been marked by notable growth, with our team tripling in size. As we expect to triple again in 2024, a key focus for us in the upcoming year is the integration of 10-15 additional transitioning special operations and submarine officer veterans into our team. This initiative is more than just an expansion; it's a commitment to bringing in unique skills and perspectives that these officers possess. Our collaboration with Brendan Aronson and The Military Veteran program is instrumental in this endeavor, helping us connect with these extraordinary individuals. As Swaney Group moves forward, our focus is threefold: to bring in and develop transitioning military officers, drive outsized impact for our clients, and invest in transformational assets that catalyze our team and operational growth. #veterans #privateequity #startups #entrepreneurship