Tim Kennedy is a former UFC middleweight contender who competed in the Octagon while also serving in the US Army as a Green Beret sniper. He started his military career in the Army in 2004 and has served tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq, earning a Bronze Star Medal with V device, which was awarded for valor under fire. He works with Ranger Up, a military-themed clothing line, and also leads Sheepdog Response, an organization that trains civilians in self-defense and counter-terrorism skills. He has been featured on television shows including the Spike TV series Deadliest Warrior, Hunting Hitler on the History Channel, and in the 2016 indie film Range 15. He is currently involved in an upcoming Discovery Channel show called Hard to Kill. In April of 2017 Tim re-enlisted and is currently a member of the Special Forces wing of the Texas National Guard. He is a three-time winner of the Modern Army Combatives tournament, a grueling three-day event that tests mixed martial arts skills among other things.
Why Listen:
Tim not only competed in the UFC while on Active Duty, but he is the host of Discovery Channel's Hard to Kill. In this motivational interview, he shares tips about fear, balance, and pushing yourself to reach your full potential.
Jimmy Sopko is a Manager of Growth Sales at Pinterest. Jimmy got his start at Pinterest by rolling up his sleeves and taking a job at Pinterest as part of their Community Operations team. While this was a step back in terms of pay and seniority, it got his foot in the door and he was able to quickly work his way up within Pinterest... a company that has already tripled in growth since he joined. Jimmy is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and former Surface Warfare Officer. He's also an avid rower, having earned a Silver Medal in the 2009 World Rowing Championships.
In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:
Brian is the Senior Vice President of Operations at Orion Talent, where he has worked in various capacities for 20 years. He started out at Penn State University, after which he served in the Marine Corps as a Infantry Officer for over 11 years.
Why Listen:
There are two reasons to listen to this episode. First of all, Orion Talent (and recruiters in general) are an excellent resource that members of the military should consider as they approach their career transition. Second, Brian has over 20 years of experience in the recruiting space. He talks about a range of topics like changes in the hiring landscape, how to prepare for interviews, and other topics that would benefit any Veteran.
Meredith is a Senior Management Associate at Bridgewater Associates, where she works as part of the Core Management team working to enable excellent, principled management throughout Bridgewater. She is the author of the upcoming book Indispensable: How to Succeed at Your First Job and Beyond. She is also an Executive Coach and Facilitator with the International Coach Federation. Previously, she worked for Bain & Company for fifteen years. She holds a BA from Yale University and an MBA from the Stanford GSB. While Meredith herself is not a Veteran, her wife is a West Point graduate and former Army Officer and MedEvac Blackhawk Pilot.
Why Listen:
Meredith, while not a Veteran, went through a similar career transition in her own life. This caused her - over the course of 10 years - to write her first book, Indispensable. This book covers many topics relevant to career transition: preparing for interviews, evaluating your options, identifying your professional and personal values, and more.
Dr. Glover is the author of the book, No More Mr. Nice Guy: A Proven Plan For Getting What You Want in Love, Sex and Life. The New York Times has called him a “psychology guru”. In his 30+ year career he has worked with me in one-on-one therapy, group environments, online course, podcasts, and more. Dr. Glover has helped change the lives of countless men and women around the world. As a result of his work, Dr. Glover has helped thousands of Nice Guys transform from being passive, resentful victims to empowered, integrated males. Along with these personal changes have come similar transformations in these men's professional careers and intimate relationships.
Why Listen:
Many of the Veterans I have interviewed on the show talk about the transition they face in their civilian career of having to put their needs first and shift their priorities. This often comes at odds to their previous training of putting their team, unit, and country far ahead of their personal needs. While this is an adjustment, it is crucial for Veterans to be able to identify their personal values and look out for their own needs. Dr. Glover is a leading expert in what he calls "the Nice Guy syndrome" and people who have similar problems to this.
Donnieworks at ConsenSysin the Office of the Founder. ConsenSysis a blockchain venture production studio. Our global team is building an ecosystem of consumer-centric products and enterprise solutions using blockchain technologies, primarily based on Ethereum. Donnie started out at West Point, served as an Army Intelligence Officer for 5 years, attended Harvard Business School, and has worked at Google, Qualtrics, and Future Finance.
Why Listen:
Donnie works at the largest, pure blockchain company in the world. Not only is this an exceptional overview of the blockchain and cyrpto currency space, but Donnie covers a lot of ground related to pay post-military, work-life-harmony, the importance of sales, explaining your role to a civilian hiring manager and more.