Service Academy Business Mastermind

"Most people will tell you, even myself at one time, 'I don't like sales.' But any business that you do is going to be rooted in sales. Understanding that process is so important… talking about investments or talking about how someone's looking to invest their money, and it's still sales at the end of the day." –Justin Loutfy, USAFA '16 Justin Loutfy is an investor, author, speaker, and self-procl...

"For me, it's been rewarding to be helping the businesses that we help, because these are businesses that instead of spending money on customer support, they're spending that on marketing, they're spending that on developing a new product, which from a macro economic perspective is much better for our economy." -Kris Sandor Kris Sandor is the Co-Founder and CEO of Readyly, a company that automates...

"The best advantage of being in this industry for 17 years is the relationships. You can make a very good living and make money in health care, which is great. However, I think most people who go into this field genuinely care about improving patient care." -Greg Parranto Greg Parranto is the Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor Orthopedics with over 16 years of experience in orthopedic trauma and...

"Almost four years later, two funds, multiple loan participation opportunities…we've lent north of $60 million and have never missed a monthly distribution to investors. From idea to $60 million in under four years. I'm proud of all the support we've provided to our fellow vets who are entrepreneurs out there swinging for it." -Bill Militello, USNA '92 On today's podcast, Bill and Scott express th...

Hey team! Before we dive in, I've got some exciting announcements: 1) Join us on August 8th NJ for an exclusive Advanced Real Estate Investing Workshop & Networking Event at the prestigious Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, NJ.  This premier event is crafted to elevate your real estate investing skills with institutional-level analysis. Whether you're a private investor, a commercial real estate o...

Hey team! Before we dive in, I've got some exciting announcements: 1) Join us on August 8th NJ for an exclusive Advanced Real Estate Investing Workshop & Networking Event at the prestigious Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, NJ.  This premier event is crafted to elevate your real estate investing skills with institutional-level analysis. Whether you're a private investor, a commercial real estate o...

  Hey team! Before we dive in, I've got some exciting announcements: 1) Join us on August 8th NJ for an exclusive Advanced Real Estate Investing Workshop & Networking Event at the prestigious Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, NJ.  This premier event is crafted to elevate your real estate investing skills with institutional-level analysis. Whether you're a private investor, a commercial real estate...

"That's the beauty of note investing. You don't have to do it locally. It's not like a development deal or a rental property where you have to be semi-local because there are no tenants or maintenance. It's vacant land that is the collateral on these notes. We do deals in 30-plus states and that's how we're able to really scale it." -Quinn McArthur, USMA '08 Quinn McArthur is the Co-Founder and Fu...

"Entrepreneurship, at its core, is all about leading. Leading customers, leading suppliers, leading bankers, leading lawyers, leading employees, and no one spends more money than the Department of Defense developing leaders. Have confidence that the raw leadership skill gets you halfway there." -John Panaccione, Army Veteran John Panaccione is an experienced Chief Executive Officer with a history...

"I want Zimba to be a key part of the digitization process that we're starting to see in Uganda and other parts of Africa, especially for financial institutions."  - Isaac Were, USMA '16 Isaac Were is the CEO of Zimba Technologies, a SaaS financial technology company that builds cloud-based software to digitize and automate financial institutions as well as provide them with access to capital. Zim...

"...if we can learn to lead ourselves, to manage our minds and our emotions and our actions in our private life, in our health, in our relationships and in the corporate world, then we are better positioned to use those critical thinking skills to make a difference in our businesses and in the greater world…" -Traci Fisher, USMA '91 Traci Fisher, a West Point graduate from the class of '91, embark...

"You can sometimes convince somebody to buy a bottle of your whiskey the first time because of the story that you have, and I think we have a good story, but if the whiskey is no good, then they're never going to buy another bottle. So the ideal combination is you've got a really good story and you've got a really great product." -Ted Dumbauld, USNA '81 Ted Dumbauld is the Founder and CEO of SoNo...

"We're really taking care of the houses and we're really taking care of the families that are living in these houses. We're providing a service just as much as we are being landlords because these families can take their government vouchers wherever they go. We have to be good stewards of the government funding or else it is going to naturally leave." -Briar Bearss, USMA '22 Briar Bearss is an ent...

"In today's world, a lot of things are moved out into the cloud…it's up to the business themselves to protect that data." -Dennis Moore, USAFA '87 Dennis Moore is the Founder of Coefficient Technologies, a trusted cybersecurity partner that provides the most up-to-date cybersecurity solutions, strategies, and IT services to help companies defend themselves from known and unknown APTs and attackers...

"I think it's easy to make your first million. What's hard is staying there and doing it consistently, because now, all of the pressure is on you." -Max Sivohins, USCGA '13 Max Sivohins is a serial entrepreneur primarily focused on multi-family real estate development and government contracting. He is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Archie Supply, a distribution company that supplies...

"Esports can turn something that could be very negative…180 degrees into a very positive experience for a child's life." -Patrick Cronin, USMA '13 Patrick Cronin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vanta, an esports company that provides a curriculum, a platform, and leagues to help kids from 8-18 grow into the best version of themselves. The company integrates the lessons and life skills gained from tra...

"Any storied franchise that would love to get on board and continue to add more value to the brand they have already created would be a huge milestone." -Antoine Hood II, USAFA '06 Antoine Hood II is a professional basketball player, cancer survivor, published writer, U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, and military officer. As an NBA free agent guard, Antoine has played in preseason/training camp fo...

"I'm an acquirer and curator of ideas and strategies, and I have a Rolodex of people to execute those strategies." - Steve Wingard, USMA '87 Steve Wingard is the Founder and Managing Partner of Wayfinder Wealth, a financial advising firm that helps families and business owners uncomplicate complex planning with a specialization in high net-worth strategies. Steve is a graduate of the United States...

"Our vision for DAG is to become that trusted go-to for clear-eyed UAS insight within the industry." -Bill Daggett, USAFA '01 Bill Daggett is the Founder and Managing Director of Delta Advisory Group (DAG), a commercially focused consulting company with a concentration on emerging Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) platforms and capabilities. DAG uses its vast operational experience, market knowledge,...

"Something that has been very beneficial to me was the value of a mentor, in both real estate and the private equity space." - Neil Hoy, USAFA '03 Neil Hoy is an Investor Relations Specialist with VaultCap Partners, a private real estate investment firm that specializes in the acquisition, renovation, and asset management of underperforming multifamily assets in the Dallas, Texas area. VaultCap ut...

"I thought, 'What if there's a way to insure the wealth?' That's all you want, is to protect future sources of income." -Scott Tucker, USMA '02 Scott Tucker is a former Army Officer, a West Point graduate, and author of four books with unconventional ideas about military retirement, life, and wealth. He is the Founder of US VetWealth, a wealth management firm that offers access to safe investment...

"This is National Estate Planning Awareness Week. If you don't have any planning in place, I'd encourage you…to meet with an estate planning attorney, understand what your options are, and put something in place sooner rather than later." -Rodney Hatley, Navy Veteran Rodney Hatley is a former U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) and the Founder of Hatley Law Group. As an estate planning attorney...

"If you can work at the foundation of the problem and understand the nature of the problem… then creating the resolution for the problem is actually really simple." - Mandy Barbee Lanier, USAFA '05 Mandy Barbee Lanier is the Founder and CEO of Palladium Mind, a business through which she facilitates measurable, high-value, personal transformations for her clients. An expert in transformation work,...

"How do you conceptualize your future and make sure that you're putting your assets to work for you to get to where you want to be? There's the psychological and emotional component to building wealth." -Thomas Perez, Navy Veteran Thomas Perez is a Financial Advisor with a practice through Northwestern Mutual. A Navy veteran, Tom has 28 years of combined active and reserve service. He began his mi...

"I really feel like I've built my dream job where I get to meet people, learn, grow, and make money while doing it." - Justin Nassiri, USNA '02 Justin Nassiri is the CEO and Founder of Executive Presence, a fully managed social media service for CEOs and top executives. The company helps top-tier executives boost their visibility, activate their network, and position themselves as thought leaders....