Yasmin George | Trend Lab

Yasmin George | Trend Lab

MilCom Founders Podcast, Episode 47: Systems Over Hustle with Yasmin George Join host Rod Loges and guest Yasmin George as she shares how she went from military spouse and Fortune 500 marketer to founder of Trend Lab, where she helps six- and seven-figure businesses replace chaos with systems so they can scale without burning out. In this episode: * How Yasmin found the military-connected entrepreneur community through the Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence program and why that cohort became her tribe * What it was like being a military spouse living in a separate state from the service member and feeling disconnected from the community until she found Bunker Labs * Her board role at Act Now Education, a fast-growing nonprofit that connects transitioning service members and military spouses with more than 40,000 free upskilling and certification resources * Why Yasmin says most businesses that hit six and seven figures got there by hustling, and why that same approach will not get them to the next level * The internal block that almost ended her business, a fear of getting on camera that she traced back through neuroscience-based hypnosis before she could promote herself at all * How she builds AI agent advisory boards for clients, including a financial advisor agent, a researcher, and even a multimillionaire perspective agent to pressure-test decisions * Her take on AI as "an enhancer that needs a handler" and why founders who treat AI output as gospel end up going down the wrong path * The client story where one interview produced an entire brand positioning document that captured everything the founder had been trying to articulate for years * Her father's story of coming to America 50 years ago with $11 and a leg paralyzed by polio, and how that shaped her commitment to giving back Key takeaways: * You cannot scale without systems. What got you to six figures will not get you to seven without simplifying your strategy and building repeatable processes * A lot of what holds founders back at the next level is internal, not tactical. Identity shifts, fear, unresolved experiences from military life or transition can quietly stall growth * You are the sum of the five people you surround yourself with. Your environment shapes your business outcomes whether you recognize it or not * AI hallucinates with full confidence. You have to challenge it, ask where it got its information, and never accept an output at face value * Start with the end in mind and work backwards. Know what take-home profit and personal time you actually want before building your marketing strategy around a revenue number * A lot of times people say they don't know their purpose. The answer is you don't need to know yet. Keep moving and it reveals itself Guest: Yasmin George, Founder of Trend Lab, military spouse (active duty Army), board member at Act Now Education * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ygeorge/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ygeorge/] * Website: www.thetrendlab.co [http://www.thetrendlab.co/] Yasmin George is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and founder of Trend Lab. For more than 20 years, she's worked with Fortune 500 companies, tech startups, and growing businesses drive growth through strategic marketing. Today, she helps entrepreneurs simplify their marketing, sales, and operations through systems, automation, and AI. Known for turning complex business challenges into simpler, scalable systems, Yasmin helps founders increase revenue, reclaim their time, and focus on what matters most. The MilCom Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from veteran entrepreneurs. Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com [http://www.onedegreefinancial.com/] Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Donate to the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund: https://bold.org/funds/dick-loges-veteran-entrepreneur-fund/ [https://bold.org/funds/dick-loges-veteran-entrepreneur-fund/]

Nick Bradfield | EOS

MILCOM Founders Podcast – Episode 46: Nick Bradfield, Marine Corps Sergeant Turned EOS Implementer Join host Rod Loges as he sits down with Nick Bradfield, a Marine Corps infantry veteran turned fintech founder who now helps growth-stage business owners find clarity and focus as an EOS Implementer. Nick shares the real story behind building and exiting a fintech company, scaling a veteran-focused nonprofit across the country, and coaching hundreds of entrepreneurs through the same patterns he lived himself. In this episode: * How Nick went from Iowa wrestler to Marine Corps infantry in two weeks, and broke the news to his mom at dinner * The speeding ticket in a 14-ton military vehicle that remains his only ticket to this day * Why being a terrible employee pushed Nick toward building his own fintech company * How EOS gave him the clarity to shut down what was not working and scale what was * Building the CEO Circle program at Bunker Labs with J.P. Morgan to support growth-stage veteran founders * The success formula: a coach, a peer group, and an operating system * Why the military community builds trust faster than any other peer group * A law firm that set a $1.3M EBITDA goal and came back at $3.6M in one year * How a wealth management firm went from 15 wrong-fit employees to being named one of the best places to work in their city and state * Why AI is on almost every EOS client's issues list right now Key takeaways: * The most successful entrepreneurs have a coach, a peer group, and an operating system * Leaders need to pull themselves out of the weeds and spend time in thought * Being coachable is not optional for growth; every great athlete and entrepreneur has a coach * The fastest way to get value from a peer group is to get vulnerable early * EOS is not a magic pill; it gets harder after the first year, and that's when the real work begins * Asking for help is the biggest thing the military community needs, on every level Guest: Nick Bradfield, EOS Implementer * Website: https://www.eosworldwide.com/nick-bradfield  [https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eosworldwide.com%2Fnick-bradfield&urlhash=tt5k&mt=NvReU4vLsx3NZF1OZ4Vr1VymSk5HWGRsuLPjMkxZYb7HRSOTQNzlaKiN_wHvebPS2I16iLhLEFBkzdZiA6D8AHI&isSdui=true&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base%3BfOpAql9KRG6eQE4CVflvaA%3D%3D] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickbradfield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickbradfield] Nick Bradfield is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served four years in the infantry, where he learned to adapt and overcome, stay calm under pressure, build high-performing teams, and simplify complicated situations. After the Marines, he spent a decade in the corporate world while always running some kind of side business, a mix of wins and losses that confirmed entrepreneurship was in his blood. Nick eventually went all in as an entrepreneur and started a fintech company. His first market did not work, and he came close to losing everything before a pivot took him to the highs of pitching at SXSW and working on deals with Fortune 100 companies. EOS gave him the clarity and focus to steady the business during a season when shiny objects were everywhere. After exiting that company, Nick became an early employee at a nonprofit that helps veterans start and grow businesses, using EOS to scale it across the country. Coaching and listening to hundreds of entrepreneurs, he kept noticing the same patterns he had lived himself, which led him to become an EOS Implementer. Today he works with growth-oriented business owners who are frustrated but ready to commit to what it takes to change. Looking ahead: Nick continues working with growth-stage business owners through EOS implementation, helping founders build businesses they can step away from without everything falling apart. The MilCom Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business founders. Each episode brings practical insights from successful veteran entrepreneurs. Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com [http://www.onedegreefinancial.com] Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at https://www.milcomfounders.com/ [https://www.milcomfounders.com/]

George Hyek | TRINSEC 7

MilCom Founders Podcast, Episode 45: From Police Officer to Fractional CISO with George Hyek Join host Rod Loges and guest George Hyek as he traces the path from his early days as a police officer to founding TRINSEC 7. George explains why he walked away from responding to crime to spend a career preventing it, first as an Army intelligence officer and now as a Fractional CISO+ giving small businesses in regulated industries the kind of integrated security that used to be reserved for Fortune 500s and the government. In this episode: * How a Marine recruiting pull-up event and a roommate's conversation with a recruiter pulled George off the police force and into the Army as an intelligence officer. * The 8 a.m. meetings at NATO Special Operations Headquarters where the commander, a Navy SEAL named Skip Vincenzo, banned all work talk so he could read where his people's heads and hearts were before the day started. * What George took away from General John Kelly addressing a packed gymnasium at U.S. Southern Command during the rise of ISIS, and never once mentioning the son he had lost. * Why George named his company TRINSEC 7, from Trinity to the biblical number seven for completeness, and how it captures his idea of holistic security. * The problem with siloed security, why juggling 7 to 10 vendors leaves small businesses paying markups and getting finger-pointing instead of accountability. * Why George turned down a security company as a client when they refused to let him run a vulnerability assessment. * The VC who told George he doesn't run a software as a service company, he runs a service as a software company, and why that reframe stuck. * George's work in rural healthcare and HIPAA, including a client visit in Oregon that reminded him the patient is the real person being protected. Key takeaways: * Strong teams are built on people, not just the mission. Knowing where someone's head and heart are tells you what kind of work they can do that day. * Real leadership makes it about the people you lead, not yourself, even when you are carrying the heaviest loss in the room. * Siloed security is one of the biggest vulnerabilities a small business has. One integrated program with one point of accountability beats a stack of disconnected vendors. * Security only works when it supports the business. The moment it becomes an obstacle, people route around it and create a bigger hole. * Coachability matters more than budget. A client who refuses to learn how exposed they are is not a client worth taking on. Guest: George Hyek, Founder and Managing Partner, TRINSEC 7. Former U.S. Army intelligence officer and federal Senior Special Agent. * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-hyek/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-hyek/] * Website: www.trinsec7.com [https://www.trinsec7.com] George Hyek is the founder and managing partner of TRINSEC 7, a security firm delivering enterprise-grade protection for small businesses without the enterprise budget. As a Fractional CISO+, George replaces the piecemeal, siloed approach to security with a single integrated program aligned to each client's business objectives, culture, and compliance requirements across frameworks like NIST, ISO, GLBA, and HIPAA. George's career began in law enforcement as a police officer, where he quickly realized that responding to crime wasn't where he wanted to be. He wanted to prevent it. That realization led him into the Army, where he commissioned as an intelligence officer through the Pennsylvania National Guard's Officer Candidacy School. Over 14 years of service across the National Guard, Reserves, and active duty, George served in joint assignments at U.S. Southern Command, NATO Special Operations Headquarters in Belgium, and other high-level commands, leading 60+ overseas counterintelligence operations. On the civilian side, George served as a Senior Special Agent investigating espionage, cyber intrusions, and national security threats, and managed security operations across seven airports and four nuclear plants, reducing critical incidents by 35%. He also teaches cyber threat intelligence and risk management at the graduate level, averaging a 4.9 out of 5 on student evaluations. George is the author of Holistic Security Secrets, a practical framework for family security programs, and is currently writing a second book focused on small business security. His ideal clients are small businesses under 100 people in regulated industries, with a growing focus on rural healthcare and HIPAA 2.0 compliance. Looking ahead: TRINSEC 7 is growing its client base and developing a proprietary software platform to complement its security services. George is also actively raising capital to bring that software to market. The MilCom Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from veteran entrepreneurs. Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com [https://www.onedegreefinancial.com] Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Donate to the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund: https://bold.org/funds/dick-loges-veteran-entrepreneur-fund/ [https://bold.org/funds/dick-loges-veteran-entrepreneur-fund/]

Pete Canalichio | ThriveAlive.ai

MilCom Founders Podcast — Episode 44: From Navy Aviator to AI-Powered Purpose with Pete Canalichio Join host Rod Loges and guest Pete Canalichio as he shares his journey from Naval Academy graduate and P3 Orion aircraft commander to co-founder of ThriveAlive.AI, a platform using artificial intelligence to help people find clarity on their purpose, vision, mission, and values. In this episode: * How Pete's father's simple advice kept him from leaving the Naval Academy during a brutal plebe year * Flying the P3 Orion with a 12-member crew during the Cold War and what leading that team taught him about showing up for every role * The oil-fed engine fire over the Pacific that forced Pete to dive his aircraft toward the ocean to blow out the flames * A seven-year finance career at Coca-Cola that Pete chose because he was good at math, not because it was his calling * How a chance meeting after a law firm talk led to a partnership with co-founder Ernesto Escobar * Building ThriveAlive.AI to help people in transition find their purpose so they don't repeat his seven-year detour * Why military veterans and their families are the community Pete is most passionate about serving * His daughter Ellie's "Dad, what are you thinking?" moment that changed a major decision Key takeaways: * Don't make hasty decisions when things aren't going well. Give it time before you walk away * A leader is someone people want to follow, regardless of title * The military prepares you to be an excellent officer but rarely helps you figure out what comes next * If somebody had helped Pete define his purpose before business school, he wouldn't have spent seven years in the wrong career * You don't have to do everything. Do what you do well and surround yourself with people who fill in the rest Guest: Pete Canalichio, Co-Founder of ThriveAlive.AI, US Naval Academy graduate, Navy aviator and instructor pilot * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petecanalichio-thrivealive/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petecanalichio-thrivealive/]   * Website: www.thrivealive.ai [http://www.thrivealive.ai] "Unlock the essence of your purpose, vision, and mission effortlessly with ThriveAlive.AI. Powered by cutting-edge artificial intelligence, it guides you through tailored questions to extract core values and aspirations." Pete Canalichio is an award-winning author of the Amazon #1 New Release Expand, Grow, Thrive (2018) and Strategic Brand Licensing (2024), a TEDx speaker, and a recognized expert in brand strategy, expansion, and licensing. Over a 25-year career, he has helped scale global brands through leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company, Newell Brands, and as founder of BrandAlive. In 2025, Pete co-founded ThriveAlive.Ai, a platform designed to help military members, veterans, and spouses gain clarity on their purpose, vision, and mission—extending his commitment to leadership and impact beyond the corporate world. Pete's leadership foundation was forged at the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a degree in physics before serving as a Navy aviator and instructor pilot. As aircraft commander of a multi-engine platform and 12-member crew during the Cold War, he developed the decisive, calm-under-pressure leadership style that defines his career. That leadership was tested in extreme conditions—most notably while piloting an aircraft over the Pacific Ocean when an engine caught fire. In that moment, Pete relied on disciplined thinking and decisive action to navigate the crisis safely, a mindset he has since applied to complex business challenges and global brand growth initiatives. Following his military service, Pete earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, where he was a Richard H. Jenrette Fellow and salutatorian. He began his business career at Coca-Cola in global finance, managing $32 billion in annual transactions as Treasury Operations Manager in London, before transitioning into brand expansion and licensing leadership. Over the course of his career, Pete has worked in more than 40 countries, leading large-scale initiatives across global markets. Today, he is known for helping organizations unlock growth through disciplined brand expansion strategies and long-term, value-driven partnerships. The MilCom Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from veteran entrepreneurs. Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com [http://www.onedegreefinancial.com] Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Donate to the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund: https://bold.org/funds/dick-loges-veteran-entrepreneur-fund/ [https://bold.org/funds/dick-loges-veteran-entrepreneur-fund/]

John Collins | Your Pay

MilCom Founders Podcast, Episode 43: John Collins, Retired Army Sergeant Major and Author of Your Pay Join host Rod Loges as he sits down with John Collins, a retired Army Sergeant Major who spent 28 years in special operations and turned his passion for financial education into a book for service members. John shares how a 15-minute hallway conversation changed his approach to money and why he went from teaching financial classes during deployments to writing Your Pay: Navigate Your Military Benefits and Take What's Yours. In this episode: * How a winding path from Boston University to Ranger Battalion to Special Forces shaped John's career * The hallway conversation with a finance specialist that changed how John thought about investing * Teaching financial literacy classes during deployments and watching it make an immediate difference * Why John chose to write a book instead of continuing to teach 25 people at a time * The four-year process from first draft during a deployment to publication * How working with an editor through a chaplain's recommendation kept the book on track Key takeaways: * Genuine care for your people is the foundation of leadership; without it, no one follows for long * Micromanagement usually signals a failure to invest in and trust the people you lead * Financial stress pulls focus from the mission; removing it frees service members to do their jobs * Starting imperfectly with investing is far better than waiting for the perfect plan * Knowing where you stand financially and where you want to go creates a usable map for decision-making * Always confirm that a financial advisor is a fiduciary before working with them Guest: John Collins, Retired Army Sergeant Major, Author of Your Pay * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-h-collins [https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-h-collins] * Book: Your Pay: Navigate Your Military Benefits and Take What's Yours * Amazon:  https://a.co/d/02aCpQ5R [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fa.co%2Fd%2F02aCpQ5R&data=05%7C02%7Cnanderson%40onedegreecapital.com%7C23bca4a9213340cfa2ed08deb5215684%7C14b0901235c7485d9590323faa88e1f2%7C0%7C0%7C639147352305865960%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fG175Y6pJSn5Kgon%2BgN5CTh1HJXG3BDbZJp4l8IpOwY%3D&reserved=0] * B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-pay-john-collins/1150160718?ean=9798295838255 [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%2Fw%2Fyour-pay-john-collins%2F1150160718%3Fean%3D9798295838255&data=05%7C02%7Cnanderson%40onedegreecapital.com%7C23bca4a9213340cfa2ed08deb5215684%7C14b0901235c7485d9590323faa88e1f2%7C0%7C0%7C639147352305909609%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=6Jmb69TrrRW6O7E2LSPrS3VI1c%2FLnYPVxS8fnBEK4%2BE%3D&reserved=0]  John Collins is a retired Army Sergeant Major and longtime advocate for improving the financial readiness of America's service members. Across a twenty-eight-year career spent mostly in special operations, he saw firsthand how preparation and long-term discipline determine success, both on the battlefield and at home. Born and raised in a small town in upstate New York, John enlisted in the Army after graduating from Boston University. He began his career in 3rd Ranger Battalion, initially serving in the demanding, albeit non-glamorous, role of Ammo Bearer. He went on to attend the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and complete the Special Forces Qualification Course ("Q" Course). Later in his career, he attended Stanford Graduate School of Business, further expanding his understanding of strategy, leadership, and decision-making. Throughout his service, John recognized a troubling pattern: many highly capable military professionals lacked the financial education necessary to fully use the benefits they had earned. Poor financial outcomes were rarely the result of irresponsibility; more often, they stemmed from incomplete information and a broader education system that overlooks practical financial literacy. In some cases, that confusion created avoidable stress, strained relationships, and diminished focus during critical moments. Motivated by a deep sense of duty, John dedicated himself to simplifying complex financial concepts into practical, actionable guidance for his fellow service members. His approach avoids jargon and theory in favor of clear explanations and real-world examples paired with disciplined frameworks that readers can immediately apply. His book, Your Pay: Navigate Your Military Benefits and Take What's Yours, represents decades of service and mentorship distilled into one resource. John wrote it to be the guide he wished had existed earlier in his own career, one that equips military families with the clarity and confidence to build lasting financial strength. John retired from the Army in 2025 and lives in Idaho with his wife and two sons. Looking ahead: John is building a website to provide additional resources for military families and is exploring partnerships with organizations that support financial readiness for service members. The MilCom Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business founders. Each episode brings practical insights from successful veteran entrepreneurs. Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com [http://www.onedegreefinancial.com] Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at milcomfounders.com