DogTags to Ownership

Send us Fan Mail Recapping Three Powerful Stories & Matt’s Raw Transition Journey In this special recap episode, Matt and Julie reflect on the last three impactful interviews with John & Mitchell of High Country Living, Wendy Brinson of The Goddard School in Stafford, and Zac Staples of Fathom5. Each conversation brought powerful insights on building purpose-driven businesses after militar...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of DogTags to Ownership, Matt and Julie sit down with Zac Staples, founder and CEO of Fathom5 , a company at the cutting edge of cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing for critical infrastructure. Zac shares his journey from a career in the Navy to launching and scaling a tech-driven business, the lessons learned in leadership, and how military skills translate i...

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode, Matt and Julie sit down with Wendy Brinson, retired Army veteran and powerhouse entrepreneur, who now owns and operates one of the top-performing Goddard Schools in the country, located in Stafford, VA. Wendy shares her incredible journey from military service to building a thriving early childhood education center, the lessons she’s carried over from th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with John and Michele Swart — a powerhouse duo redefining what life after service looks like. From John’s distinguished career as the NC National Guard’s Command Sergeant Major to the couple’s thriving ventures in real estate, short-term rentals, a tree farm, and their High Country Living YouTube channel — they’ve built a life rooted in purpose, family...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 14, Matt and Julie sit down to reflect on the powerful insights and inspiring journeys shared in our last three episodes. We revisit key takeaways from Helen Perry of Dust Off Global, Kristen Kavanaugh of the Agency Initiative, and Freddy “Showbiz” McDuffy of K-FY Productions—each a force in their own space, bringing passion, purpose, and drive to their ventures after m...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of  DogTags to Ownership , Matt and Julie sit down with Freddy "Showbiz" McDuffy, whose story is a testament to reseilience, leadership, and passion. Freddy shares his journey from serving in the Army Entertainment Detachment to achieving his goal of becoming a company First Sergenat. He opens up about his mental health struggles along the way and how he...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 12 of DogTags to Ownership, Matt and Julie sit down with Kristen Kavanaugh , a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Marine Corps Officer who served five years before transitioning to the corporate world. Kristen quickly rose through the ranks at Tesla, where she honed her leadership skills and made a lasting impact. Today, she is a sought-after advisor, speaker, and a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of DogTags to Ownership, we sit down with Helen Perry, a former Army nurse turned entrepreneur and leader. As the founder of Dust Off Global, Helen has dedicated her post-military career to providing critical healthcare consulting in austere and war-torn environments. But her impact doesn’t stop there. She also served on the board of a nonprofit, leading it from fi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of  DogTags to Ownership , Julie and Matt sit down with Michael and Dolly, retired Army Veterans who served in the Judge Advocate Corps before diving into the world of entrepreneurship. After years of service, they turned their passion for spirits into  The Bar Book App , an innovative app that builds users' flavor profiles and connects them with spirits and d...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of DogTags to Ownership, Matt and Julie take a look back at the past three episodes featuring inspriring veteran entrepreneurs: Brielle and Cody from UnCaged Fitness, DJ Mike from Mike Solutions Entertainment, and Jenn and Calvin from Always Faithful Coffee. They revisit the key insights shared by each guest, from building a brand with purpose to overcoming the cha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of DogTags to Ownership, Matt and Julie sit down with Jenn and Calvin Taylor, the founders of Always Faithful Coffee . Calvin, a newly retired Marine after 20 years of service, and Jenn, an Army child with deep ties to the military community through her work with the USO, child development centers, and mental health support, share their journey of entrepreneurship....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of DogTags to Ownership, we sit down with retired Army Sergeant Major DJ Mike , the founder of Mike Solutions . With an incredible 25-year track record of entrepreneurship while serving on active duty , DJ Mike shares how he successfully balanced military life and business ownership—eventually transitioning into full-time entrepreneurship after retirement. Join us...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of DogTags to Ownership , Matt and Julie sit down with Cody & Brielle Savoy , founders of Uncaged Fitness , to talk about how they built a gym that's more than just a place to work out - it's a community . From their entrepreneurial journey to the challenges of starting a business, they share insights on leadership, resilience, and creating a space wh...

Send us Fan Mail In episode 5 of DogTags to Ownership, Matt and Julie take a deep dive into the key insights from our first three guests - David Harrison, Joe Byerly, and Ashley Sankar. From leadership lessons and entrepreneurial strategies to personal growth and transition advice. This recap highlights the most impactful takeaways from their stories. Whether you're a leader, aspiring busines...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Dogtags to Ownership, we sit down with Ashley Sankar, the visionary founder of 1920 Fashion, Shark Tank guest, and former Army logistics officer who served for 9 years. Ashely shares how her military experience shaped her approach to leadership, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship. We dive into her journey of launching 1920 Fashion, her bold pitch on Shark Tan...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of DogTags to Ownership, we sit down with Joe Byerly, retired Army officer and founder of From the Green Notebook. Joe shares the inspiring story of how he turned a simple idea in 2013 into a powerful platform for leader development and personal growth. Joe also opens up about his decision to retire from the Army at the right time, ensuring he could pursue his next...

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode of DogTags to Ownership, we’re joined by David Harrison, host of the Locked On Commanders podcast and beat writer for the Washington Commanders. David shares his journey from his early days to becoming a respected voice in sports media, offering valuable insights into what it takes to pursue your dreams. David dives deep into the importance of having the...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 1: Welcome to DogTags to Ownership In our premiere episode, we lay the foundation for DogTags to Ownership, the podcast dedicated to empowering military members and veterans on their journey into entrepreneurship. Join us as we discuss the purpose behind the podcast and how it aims to inspire, educate, and connect those who are ready to turn their military discipline and e...