The Transition by Bunker Labs

I share some tips on Annual Planning, so you can head into the new year with the wind at your back. Whether you’re a solopreneur or have a team, Annual planning is a great time to reset and refocus, so you can make the most of the new year.  Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne Checkout “The Official 2022 Bunker Labs Holiday Gift Guide” here: h...

In the following episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Navy Veteran, Serial Entrepreneur, and Venture Capitalist, Josh Carter. Josh holds multiple roles in the venture space, including Director of Blue Ventures, a non-profit, strategic alliance formed to accelerate innovation and sustainability in support of an inclusive blue economy. Additionally, he’s also a principal at 1859 Ventures, an Ore...

On today's episode of The Transition, we tried something new. Mike chats with CJ Hughes, Audio Engineer and Producer for The Transition podcast, and Head of Production at IRONBOUND Media. We take a deep dive into the concept of learned effectiveness, and how crucial it is to implement when things get tough and the world feels like it’s battling against you.  Be sure to subscribe to the Transition...

In the following episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Ryan Micheletti, Co-Founder and General Partner at The Veteran Fund, an early stage venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley that invests in high growth startups, with an emphasis on dual use technology, that are led by exceptional founders from the military community. Ryan and his Co-Founder, Mike Sherbakov, who I also plan to get on t...

On this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Marine Veteran Carrie Roeger, Co-Founder of Rally Point Grille, a restaurant franchise that brings the camaraderie and tradition of the American military to you in a family-friendly environment, complete with a full menu, bar, and friendly staff. Carrier and her husband Ralph opened their first restaurant, Semper Fi Bar and Grille in 2015, in order...

Today on the Transition, I’m joined by Regina Rembert, Chief Executive Officer and Newly Published Author of Think Veterans First, an Ohio based nonprofit whose mission is to promote, support and advocate for veterans and veteran owned businesses! Regina spent twenty one years in the Army as a Paralegal, before becoming an entrepreneur. She’s on a mission to challenge government agencies and large...

In this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Navy Veteran, Bunker Labs Ambassador, and Fintech Guru, Todd Youngblood. Todd is an Bunker Labs Ambassador in Denver, CO, and as many of you know, Ambassadors represent the life blood of the Bunker, as there the ones in the streets, connecting with entrepreneurs, and developing their local ecosystems. Invited Todd on the show to talk about the work...

In this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Army Veteran Andrew Wolgemuth, Co-Founder of Wove, a 21st century jeweler, bringing the jewelry designer directly to couples for custom engagement ring creation. Wove is the only engagement ring company that builds you a custom replica ring for at home try-on. Find Wove at www.wovemade.com If you want to get plugged into the Bunker Labs ecosystem, v...

Today on the Transition, I conducted a Questions and Answer session with VIR Alumni and Marine Veteran Rob Ardnt, Founder of Buffer Springs, a training and consulting firm builds customized military recruitment, retention, and employee engagement programs for companies that are serious about their veteran talent initiatives. Rob’s still in the early days of launching his firm and we talk through h...

On this week’s episode of The Transition, I’m joined by Bunker Labs OG and Army Veteran, Daniel Gomez, CEO & Founder of First Person Xperience, which provides education and training for private and government organizations, using an experiential learning model along with interactive storytelling techniques that create unforgettable, teachable, and transformative moments.  If you want to get pl...

What does it take to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem? Being in the NYC Metro Area, I’m fortunate enough to have access to meetups, co-working spaces, and other perks. But for those in Not in major metropolitan areas, you may have to build your ecosystem from the ground up, which is why for Today’s show, I sat down with Jim Roberts, an ecosystem builder and Founder of the Network For Entrepreneu...

On this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Navy Veteran, Thereasa Black, Founder of Bonappe Sweet , which crafts delicious, decadent chocolate bars that aren’t filled with processed ingredients, that way you can enjoy something sweet, tasty, and satisfying without an ounce of guilt. After our interview, I wrote on Linkedin that I am so blown away by the caliber of founders of colors in our e...

I’m joined by Frank Pollock, a third generation entrepreneur and acting CMO of two veteran-led startups, including Home Lending Pal, a two-sided marketplace that matches borrowers with lenders, and Blue Recruit, a direct-hire marketplace for skilled-trade workers. When he’s not acting as a CMO, he’s a volunteer for Bunker Labs, where for the last year, he ran the Consumer Packaged Goods,CEO Circle...

In the following episode of the Transition, I talk about what it takes to achieve Flawless Acceleration in your business, rising above the day to day chaos and uncertainty that comes with being an entrepreneur, and focusing on the aspects of business building that actually drives results. Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne

On this Episode of the Transition, I continue doing some Ecosystem building, by sitting down with Alexa Modero, Director of the Veteran Future Lab at the NYU, a no-cost incubator that houses early-stage ventures led by veterans and military spouses. VFL has a world class digital makerspace at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering in Brooklyn, NY. Similar to Bunker Labs, they have programs for early...

On today’s episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Army Veteran and VIR Alumn, Donnell Johns, Founder of Veterans Growing America, a company that provides a platform for Veteran and Military Spouses to showcase and grow their businesses. By partnering with local, state, and federal organizations, VGA is able conduct local events and marketing programs, to increase engagement with Veteran Business...

On this episode of the Transition, I stress the importance of making sure you’re taking care of yourself by getting back in the gym. I know the hustle porn out there that tries to sell you all these different life hacks, that's not what I’m talking about.

Today on the Transition, I’m joined by my friend, colleague, and Navy Veteran, Keith Kappel, Our Head Content Writer at Bunker Labs. If you’re like, you have great ideas for books and blogs that you want to write, but can never seem to find enough time and energy in the day to write them. Keith’s no exception, but his vast experience over the years has taught him some tips and tricks, to stop over...

On this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Rachel Hobert, A Partner at Hivers and Strivers, an early stage investment fund that invests exclusively in Military Veterans. H&S has been around since 2011, originally starting as an Angel investment group, and has since established its own venture fund. Getting capital in the hands of the veteran entrepreneurial community is always at the for...

On today’s show, I talk about the importance of building your own business playbook. As entrepreneurs, so many of us look for external validation and feedback from others, in order to tell us what we should be doing, instead of looking internally and committing to figuring it out ourselves. Nobody knows the ins and outs of your venture, your target market, and how you will succeed. The future of y...

Today on the show, I talk about the dangers of focusing on scale, when what you really should be focusing on is acquiring ten customers. Understanding how to consistently get and keep ten customers is the foundation of building a successful venture, especially for those of you that are early-stage founders, still fighting to achieve lift off, or if you find yourself in a revenue lull. Be sure to s...

On this episode of The Transition, I conduct a Branding Q&A with Army Veteran Sheila Buswell, founder of Buswell Biomedical, a company that's using artificial intelligence and machine learning, to build a state of the upward mobility device, to prevent patients in rehabilitation and healthcare facilities from falling. Like so many entrepreneurs in the Bunker, Sheila doesn’t have a background i...

On this episode of the Transition, I’m joined by Fellow Podcasts Host and Army Veteran, Marty “The Moak” Martinez, Co-Founder of Joint Tasks Force 214, a consultancy that specializes in helping veterans market themselves and their businesses. On the show, we talk about sales and marketing, the importance of effective communication, and how veterans can translate their skills from the battlefield i...

Be sure to subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne Learn more about IVMF here: https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/entrepreneurship/

Today on the Transition, I’m joined by Seda Goff, The Director of Veteran Entrepreneurship at the PenFed Foundation, a nonprofit that provides American military and veterans with resources for a secure financial future. On the show, Seda and I talk about what it takes to position yourself as a venture backable startup, the educational programs offered by the PenFed Foundation, and what emerging in...