Ventures & Victories: Stories of Entrepreneurial Breakthroughs

In this episode, we talk with Ryan Walsh , Army Ranger Veteran and founder of Valqari , about the lessons he’s learned building and leading multiple multimillion-dollar companies from the ground up. Ryan shares how his military background shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, how he’s navigated challenges with limited resources, and what it truly takes to turn bold ideas into successful venture...

In this episode, we sit down with Courtney Zaugg , serial entrepreneur, economic developer, and cofounder of VentureVets , an initiative helping Veterans and Military Spouses launch and scale their businesses. Based in Indianapolis, Courtney has built her career around increasing innovation at the intersection of capital, talent, and community. She shares her journey founding multiple companies, b...

In this episode, we sit down with Marla Sofer, founder and CEO of Knomee, a platform designed to help people build stronger, more authentic personal and professional relationships. Marla shares her journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, reflecting on the risks, rewards, and lessons learned while turning her vision into a purpose-driven company. She discusses how technology, empathy...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jack McGourty , bestselling author, entrepreneur, and professor at Columbia University . With decades of experience in entrepreneurship education and business innovation, Dr. McGourty shares insights on what it takes to build, sustain, and scale a successful venture in today’s fast-changing world. He discusses the importance of adaptability, strategic thinking,...

In this episode, we sit down with Nemanja Golubovic , founder and CEO of Kale My Name and host of the television show Kale Krew. Nemanja shares his journey of bringing a bold idea to life, growing a thriving restaurant brand, and expanding his vision through media. From the challenges of launching and scaling a business to the lessons learned in leadership and resilience, his story offers valuable...

In this episode, we welcome Kasey Kelly —ACP Ambassador, military spouse, and owner of Lily Rock Farms . Kasey shares her journey of building a business rooted in passion, resilience, and community, while balancing the unique challenges of military family life. She opens up about the lessons learned through trial and error, the importance of adaptability in entrepreneurship, and how embracing both...

In this episode, we sit down with Lloyd Knight, a 20-year Air Force Veteran, cofounder of VETLANTA, and President of Knight Work, a career consulting company dedicated to helping others find purpose and direction after military service. Lloyd shares how his military experience shaped his leadership style and entrepreneurial mindset, and how he built VETLANTA into a thriving Veteran-focused communi...

Ever wonder what it takes to transform a bold idea into a thriving enterprise, all while making a significant social impact? In Season 2, Episode 2, we sit down with Jason Van Camp, Chairman of Mission Six Zero and Executive Director of Warrior Rising , to explore how mission-driven leadership sparks entrepreneurial success. Jason takes us behind the scenes of Mission Six Zero’s evolution from a b...

We're kicking off Season 2 of Ventures & Victories with high energy and horsepower as we sit down with Navy veteran, NASCAR driver, and team owner Jesse Iwuji. From serving his country to competing on the track and building a racing team from the ground up, Jesse’s story is a powerful example of grit, resilience, and vision. In this premiere episode, Jesse opens up about the challenges he...

In our season one finale, ACP’s Kasie Valenti welcomes Christine Walsh; an ACP Mentor, the CEO/President of Alpha Graphics, and Redstart Creative. Alpha Graphics, is a boutique graphic design and printing company locally owned and certified woman-owned in Hampden, Maryland, and has been the go-to print shop in Baltimore for more than 48 years. In 2023, Christine purchased Redstart Creative, a woma...

This week, Kasie Valenti welcomes Julia Ruddock, an Army Veteran, West Point graduate, Entrepreneur, and Founder of Hayati Coaching. Julia discusses her career thus far, from financial services to higher education, and how her experiences drove her to pursue entrepreneurship. Hayati Coaching is a career coaching firm that helps clients navigate career transitions and live wholesome lives.  Support...

In this week’s episode, ACP’s Kasie Valenti welcomes Brandon Marquez, a Marine Corps Veteran, ACP Alumnus, and the Founder of Southern Cross Service Dogs. Southern Cross Service Dogs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching lives by providing exceptionally trained service dogs at no cost to qualified individuals with disabilities. After serving as a Multi-Purpose Canine Trainer...

This week, ACP’s Kasie Valenti welcomes Bridget B. Sullivan, an ACP Mentor, Award-Winning Event Producer, and Founder of Creative Canvas Productions. Creative Canvas Productions is a woman-owned event management, video production, and motion graphics company based in Charlotte, North Carolina.   Bridget discusses her career thus far, the challenges she overcame, and some tips and tricks for creati...

This week, ACP’s Kasie Valenti welcomes Ken Davenport, a serial entrepreneur, Coach for The Honor Foundation, FourBlock and trainer at IVMF’s Boots to Business, and the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mission Edge. Ken takes us through his early days during the dot-com boom, what drove him to pursue entrepreneurship, and his numerous successes in the technology space. He’ll also discuss...

In this week’s episode of Ventures & Victories, ACP’s Kasie Valenti welcomes Christian Hanebeck, the Founder and CEO of Truckl and a professional with over 25 years of experience in consulting, startups, and private equity. From a teenager reselling fashion in Germany to founding a multinational logistics technology company, Christian takes us through his career thus far and provides valuable...

In this week’s episode of Ventures & Victories, Kasie Valenti welcomes Moni Jefferson, a Forbes #Next1000 honoree, founder of four companies, and builder of global impact communities. She is also the CEO and Founder of the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs (AMSE), whose mission is to provide a worldwide network of organizational support, resources, education, and mentorship for mili...

This week, ACP’s Kasie Valenti welcomes the Founder & CEO of WithMe, Jonathan Treble. WithMe aims to revolutionize apartment living through tech-powered amenities and has been ranked by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States for the past four years. Jonathan will dive into his journey as a business owner and how aspiring entrepreneurs can best support th...

This week’s guest is an ACP Mentor and the Founder and CEO of Quantious, Lisa Larson-Kelly. Lisa takes us through her career and how she pivoted into the tech sector in the early internet age. After successful freelance gigs for Adobe and Google, Lisa scaled her one-woman operation into a thriving small business. Eventually, Lisa founded Quantious, a marketing agency specializing in technology and...

This week, we were joined by James Nellis, the Chief Executive Officer at The Nellis Group. As a third-generation realtor, James started his career at eighteen and scaled his family business to become one of the leading real estate brokerage firms in the Washington DC metro area. He’ll take you through his story, the challenges he overcame, and his best practices for success in the real estate wor...

In this episode, we are joined by a leading management consultant and entrepreneur, Brittany Galli. Brittany is a C-Suite Advisor & Strategist at BFG Ventures, a management consulting team specializing in DE&I, cyber security, AI, physical security, and software for C-Suites in the security and technology industries. Brittany spent time in the finance and startup spaces before leveraging h...

In this episode, we are excited to welcome Andy Nelson; an Army Veteran, Intellectual Property Lawyer, Founding and Managing Attorney of Salient Counsel, a boutique intellectual property law firm based in Southern California. After transitioning from the Military, Andy graduated from law school and began practicing intellectual property law in Southern California. After 15 years in the industry, A...

In this episode, we are excited to welcome Matt Butler; an ACP Mentor, retired Air Force officer, and a successful entrepreneur with over 11 years of experience in the sporting goods industry. While serving in Italy, Matt conceived the idea for Rollors, an outdoor game that combines bocce ball and horseshoes. With the help of his spouse, Matt created a prototype, networked at trade shows, and succ...

In this episode, we are excited to welcome Shani Magosky; an ACP Mentor, Executive Leadership Consultant and Coach, and Founder of The Leadership Shift Project. Before owning her own business, Shani had a unique career that spanned everything from investment banking, marketing, and television production. Leveraging these skills, she founded The Leadership Shift Project, a culture transformation co...

In this episode, we are excited to welcome Cole Samaroo, Marine Corps Veteran, ACP Protege, and Co-Founder and CEO of Senior Tech Connect. Senior Tech Connect’s mission is to empower senior citizens through tech education through building digital health literacy, independence, and inter-generational relationships.  Cole discusses the challenges he overcame transitioning his organization from a vol...

In this episode, we are excited to welcome an ACP Protege, Marine Corps Veteran, Entrepreneur, and President of Custom Marketing Solutions, Rich Vaill. After transitioning out of the military, Rich spent 15 years as a retail banker before starting his journey as an entrepreneur. In 2023, Rich purchased Custom Marketing Solutions, a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and vertica...