Veteran Led

What does it mean to lead, reflect, and document your experience after a lifetime of service? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with CSM TJ Baird, U.S. Army (Ret.) , about leadership, accountability, and the transition from service member to author. After decades of leadership at the highest enlisted level, TJ shares how writing became a way to process experiences, capture lesso...

What does it take to lead beyond service and create lasting impact in your community? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry is joined by co-host Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent to speak with Ron Moore about leadership, service, and building meaningful community impact after military service. Ron shares his journey and the mission behind his work, focusing on how Veterans can continue to serv...

What does it take to build high-performing teams — and how do leaders create environments where people can grow and execute at a high level? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry is joined by co-host Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent to speak with USMC/Navy Veteran and CEO of Nashville Analytics, James Suh about leadership, growth, and building high-performance teams. James shares insights on...

How can Veterans continue to serve — not just through careers, but through ownership and leadership in business? In this episode of Veteran Led, Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent sits down with Patrick Flood, Army Special Forces Veteran and founder of Owners in Honor, to discuss Veteran leadership, entrepreneurship, and building purpose after service. Patrick shares his journey and the mission behind...

How do Veterans transition into meaningful careers — and what does it take to build the right team around you? In this episode of Veteran Led, guest host Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent sits down with Jary Jackson, CEO of TCS & Thurion and former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret), to discuss Veteran career transitions, leadership, and how to build high-performing teams after service. Jary s...

What does it take for Veterans to build successful companies — and what separates those who scale from those who stall? In this episode of Veteran Led, guest host Marlie Andersch, Air Force Veteran and CEO & Founder of RockIT Data , sits down with Omar Dennis, USMC Veteran and CEO & Founder of Sedulous , and Neil Willis, Air Force Veteran and CEO & Founder of Hypersign to discuss Veter...

What does it take for Veterans to transition from service into building a successful business? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry is joined by co-host Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent to speak with Nick Ripplinger about Veteran entrepreneurship, leadership, and building a business after service. Nick shares his journey from military service into the business world and breaks down the minds...

How do organizations unlock the full potential of Veteran talent — and why do so many still get it wrong? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry is joined by co-host Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent to speak with Ryan Kuo about Veteran talent, workforce development, and building high-performing teams. Ryan shares his perspective on the gap between military leadership experience and corporate h...

What does it take to build a business while raising a family, navigating military life, and refusing to lose yourself in the process? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Andrea Singsaas , founder and CEO of The Tyne Group , about leadership, boundaries, and building a business that can move with military life. A longtime military spouse and mother of three, Andrea shares how...

What does it take to go from a family idea to Shark Tank — and keep growing after the cameras stop rolling? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry is joined by co-host Freddie Kim of Milspec to speak with Barbara Kent and Joanna Serra , the sister founders of Fundraiser Blankets . Barbara, a West Point graduate, Army Veteran, and military spouse, and Joanna, a former teacher, share how thei...

How can technology help families care for aging parents, disabled Veterans, or loved ones living far away? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Chad Lacek , Marine Corps Veteran and CEO of Aging In Place Monitoring. Chad shares how his company uses modern monitoring technology to help families ensure the safety and well-being of loved ones who want to remain in their homes as...

What does 30 years of service in uniform teach you about leadership — and how does that shape the decision to run for Congress? In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Kishla Askins , a Navy Veteran who served 30 years as a Physician Associate, including extensive service with the Marine Corps. A Mustang who began her career enlisted and rose to senior leadership roles at the Pen...

What happens when the uniform comes off — and the team disappears? In this episode, John S. Berry speaks with Michael “Sully” Sullivan , Army Special Forces Veteran and Executive Director of Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB), about building community and purpose after military service. Sully shares the origin story of Team RWB, how it grew from a small grassroots effort into a nationwide healt...

What happens when a young Veteran is diagnosed with cancer after being misdiagnosed by the system meant to protect him? In this episode, John S. Berry speaks with Ashton and Casey Kroner , Marine Corps Veterans and founders of the Veteran Cancer Network, about the urgent need for earlier cancer detection in the Veteran community. After Casey was misdiagnosed at the VA and later diagnosed with test...

Some of the most critical leadership decisions in modern warfare happen far from the spotlight. In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Mark Hasara , an Air Force Veteran, tanker pilot, author, and podcast host, to explore leadership lessons learned from the cockpit. Mark shares stories from his career flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, including missions during Desert Storm and later air campa...

Why do so many high-performing Veterans struggle in corporate America — and what needs to change? In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Jason Smith , an Air Force Veteran, business consultant, and nonprofit leader who has worked extensively with Veteran service organizations including FourBlock and Bunker Labs. Jason shares what he has seen over years of helping Veterans transition into co...

What happens when leadership is guided by values instead of convenience? In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Colonel (Ret.) Kevin Miller , founder of Know Power Know Responsibility , to discuss leadership, critical thinking, and the responsibility that comes with personal and professional power. Drawing on more than three decades of military service and a civilian career in education and...

Leadership after military service is not about rank or title. It is about purpose, resilience, and continuing to serve in meaningful ways. In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Jason Dickinson, founder of Veterans on the River and Director of People and Leadership Development at DLB Associates, to discuss how Veterans can build purpose-driven lives after the uniform comes off. Jason shares...

Military leadership does not disappear after service, but it does require translation. In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Christopher McKinney, an Army Veteran, founder of OpSynergy, and program manager at Stratevia , to discuss how Veterans can successfully bridge the gap between military experience and civilian careers. Chris shares how earning professional certifications, particularl...

Transitioning from military service to a civilian career is not about losing capability. It is about learning how to translate it. In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Josh Atkinson, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of PM ProLearn, to explore how Veterans can build professional credibility while still in uniform. Josh explains why the challenge Veterans face is not a capability gap, but...

What does leadership look like after military service, and how do Veterans continue serving at the national level? In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Don Bacon , a retired Air Force Brigadier General and U.S. Representative, to discuss leadership, accountability, and public service after the uniform comes off. Congressman Bacon shares how military values shape his approach to decision-m...

What does it mean to serve after the uniform comes off, and how do Veterans build purpose, identity, and leadership in civilian life? In this episode, John S. Berry sits down with Blake Stilwell, Editor-in-Chief of We Are the Mighty , to talk about storytelling, media, and the responsibility of representing the Veteran community with accuracy and respect. Blake shares his journey from military ser...

Project management is one of the most in-demand career fields in the world — and Veterans are uniquely prepared to succeed in it. In this episode of Veteran Led , John S. Berry sits down with Matt Quick , Head of Military Affairs at the Project Management Institute (PMI), to break down why project management is a natural transition for Veterans and how certifications like the PMP can open doors ac...

Zack Knight has spent his entire adult life serving — first as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer, then as a police officer, bodyguard, entrepreneur, and community leader. Today, he leads organizations dedicated to Veteran transition, storytelling, and personal development, including ATL Vets , Be a Tactical Leader , and Knightly Productions . In this Veteran Led conversation, Zack shares how discipline...

Chris Carlson has built a rare career spanning acting, law, public speaking, and Veteran entrepreneurship — and at the center of all of it is one skill: storytelling . A lawyer, public speaker, and actor with more than 40 film credits, Chris now serves as a program coordinator for Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans & Military Families (IVMF) , where he helps Veteran busines...