FTU...Life after the military Podcast

Episode 123 - Chas Sampson and Seven Principles

In this episode I am joined by Chas Sampson, founder of Seven Principles, an organization who helps veterans with the VA claims. Chas has a background in help veterans and has now ventured into help athletes in the NFL. His journey is one to be celebrated due to his perseverance and and his willingness to embrace new ideas in order to achieve his goals. Chas was like many veterans who wanted to do 20 years in the military, but then decided that he wanted to pursue other interests. Chas explains how he diversified his portfolio and sets his hours while pursuing his dreams. Chas is an example for all veterans to follow! We end the show with the farewell "ZOT!" "ZOT!" "ZOT!" and "ROLL TODE!!!"

Episode 122 - Tony Demaio

In this episode I am joined by Tony Demaio, the Founder and CEO of Helping Heroes USA. We talk about how his organization helps veterans, first responders, and others who deal with suicidal thoughts. We discuss how and why he started his organization and how it had evolved over the years. Tony explains how listening to someone in need makes a difference in their lives. Tony mentions how the program has progressed to virtual seminars due to the overwhelming need for a program such as this. I also had to apologize because I have become a bit overwhelmed with my projects that I missed our first recording date and Tony was gracious enough to reschedule. We end the show the farewell "ZOT!" "ZOT!" "ZOT!" and "ROLL TIDE!!!"

Episode 121 - Giuseppe Grammatico

In this episode I am joined by Giuseppe Grammatico and we discuss the opportunities of pursuing a franchise. I found this episode to be very informative and I am extremely grateful to Giuseppe for coming on the podcast and discussing how to start a franchise. Giuseppe explains how to choose a franchise and how to go about financing the franchise. He also provides assistance to people who are interested in starting their own franchise. You can reach him through his website to set up a meeting and take advantage of his assistance. We end the show a bit early because I realized I scheduled an episode on my wife's birthday.

Episode 120 - Shaun's Journey

In this episode I speak with Shaun Murphy, veteran, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and author. Shaun shares how he came to write his newest book, Unbreakable Valor: Triumph Through the Soul of Resilience. We discuss how failure should be embraced because it helps to develop perseverance and build character. Shaun's helped me by just reminding me that we all go through rough parts in our life and it is alright to take a break. Shaun also explain how he pursued a career in music when others thought it wouldn't work. We talk about the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. We end the show withe the farewell "ZOT!" "ZOT!" "ZOT!" and "ROLL TIDE!!!" 

Episode 119 - Marilyn & Daniel

In this episode I asked Marilyn to come back and share some information about being a woman in the military and the difficulties of being a mother (things that I will never understand). Daniel comes on to share some knowledge about his transition and the lessons he learned. We discuss how the military has changed over the years and we share some resources that helped with navigating the VA. Marilyn and Daniel both share their current projects and we end the show with the farewell "ZOT!" ZOT!" "ZOT!" and "ROLL TIDE!!!"

Episode 118 - Marvin the super Doc

In this episode I catch up with Marvin, an old medic pal and University of Alabama fan. We discuss his transition from the military and the assistance he received from his unit while transitioning. We discuss the difficulties of letting go of the military mindset and leaning into our new lives. We talk a bit about the long hours "regular" people work and how it was not for me. We chat about my hair transplant and our golf games. We end the show with shout outs and the farewell "ZOT!" "ZOT!" "ZOT!" and "ROLL TIDE!!!"

Episode 117 - James Jackson, VIP

In this episode I catch up with James who demonstrated a high level of perseverance due to the technical difficulties I had with this episode (thank you, James). James explains the steps that he took to develop a plan to transition out of the military. He explains how his plan to be a consultant turned to a career in project management. We discuss his new service animal. We talk a bit about how his skills in the military helped him with his transition and he provides an update on his MBA at Northwestern. James talks about how networking helped him with finding a career that suits him. We end the show withe the farewell "ZOT!" "ZOT!" "ZOT!" and "ROLL TIDE!!!"

Episode 116 - Jason & Melanie

In this episode I catch up with Jason and Melanie. Jason started his own YouTube channel to help active duty military prepare for the transition from the military. His provides valid insights to the reality of transitioning from the military and speaks in a language that every veteran and active duty military member will easily understand. They describe the challenges they faced in the first several years of transitioning. We talk about following up with another episode on mental health. I apologize for "stalking" them on Linkedin, not really. I end the show with the farewell "ZOT!" "ZOT!" "ZOT!" and "ROLL TIDE!!!"