The MILCOM Founders Podcast copertina

The MILCOM Founders Podcast

The MILCOM Founders Podcast

Di: Rod Loges
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 Championing and celebrating veteran founders through weekly conversations. Each episode features military entrepreneurs sharing their journey from service to success, uncovering real strategies for business growth, capital raising, and applying military leadership in the private sector.2024 One Degree Financial Economia Gestione e leadership Leadership
Episodi
  • Dr. Lori Smith | Acu-Elligent

    Dr. Lori Smith | Acu-Elligent
    Apr 28 2026
    MILCOM Founders Podcast, Episode 40: Dr. Lori A. Smith, Founder of Acu-Elligent LLC and Sowing Our Seeds EmpowermentJoin host Rod Loges as he sits down with Dr. Lori A. Smith, a retired federal contracting officer, US Air Force veteran, and one of the most authoritative voices in government contracting today. Over a career spanning decades across military and federal service, Dr. Smith exercised direct oversight of more than $143 billion in federal contracts, including the $128 billion Community Care Network at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the single largest healthcare contract portfolio in the federal government.In this episode:How a high school job at Robins Air Force Base planted the seed for a career in military service and contractingThe buddy program that took Dr. Smith from the Air Force Reserves to 22 years of active duty across six bases on four continentsA leadership lesson from Master Sergeant Karen Armstrong that shaped Dr. Smith's entire careerBuilding a dual-engine ecosystem with Acu-Elligent (government contracting strategy) and Sowing Our Seeds Empowerment (nonprofit focused on closing gaps for underresourced entrepreneurs)Why readiness, not hustle, is what separates sustainable businesses from struggling onesThe role of AI in government contracting and why the human element still matters more than the toolKey takeaways:The seat you sit in was never designed for you alone; your job as a leader is to prepare the person who comes after youHustle is not a business model; it may be a short-term emergency posture, but it should never be the standardWhen proposals lack a real human story, evaluators notice; your response needs authenticity and feeling, not a recycled promptCoachability is the only way to get value from any investment in coaching or consultingAI can make you more efficient, but you still need to teach it your story and hold it accountable for accuracySoft skills training belongs inside every business development program, not alongside itGuest: Dr. Lori A. Smith, Founder, Acu-Elligent LLC and Sowing Our Seeds EmpowermentLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/acuelligent/Website: https://acuelligent.com/Podcast: GovCon ClarityDr. Lori A. Smith is a retired federal Contracting Officer, U.S. Air Force veteran, and one of the most authoritative voices in government contracting today. Over a career spanning decades across military and federal service, she exercised direct oversight of more than $143 billion in federal contracts — including the $128 billion Community Care Network at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the single largest healthcare contract portfolio in the federal government, delivering care across 49 states.Dr. Smith's career began at age 16, working as a clerk at Robins Air Force Base near her hometown of Macon, Georgia. She went on to serve 22 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force across six bases on four continents — from Italy and Japan to Turkey and Honduras. She managed disaster recovery contracting for nine hurricanes at FEMA, directed contracting operations at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, and was hand-selected by name for the most critical acquisition assignments at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her contracting officer response to a vendor protest on a $27.5 billion contract was so thorough that the vendor withdrew entirely.Today, Dr. Smith leads a dual-engine ecosystem built to serve women-, veteran-, and minority-owned businesses. Acu-Elligent LLC is the economic engine — providing government contracting strategy, the VETR Framework for AI-powered proposal management, The Readiness Room membership community, and certification training including the Narrative Blueprint Workshop. Sowing Our Seeds Empowerment is the empowerment engine — a nonprofit that runs the SOS Convergence, a structured 4-day business intervention addressing funding access, network gaps, and the systemic barriers that keep capable entrepreneurs underresourced and overextended.Dr. Smith is a published author of Winning Business Proposal Strategies for Success and is currently writing a memoir tracing her journey from a single-parent home in Macon, Georgia to the table where $128 billion in decisions were made. She hosts GovCon Clarity, a podcast and video series focused on the readiness gap in federal contracting.Her recognitions include Black Impact Magazine's 100 Entrepreneurs to Know in 2025, the 2024 IMPACT Award, the FORUM Women in Leadership 2024 Award, Georgia Woman Veteran of the Year nominee, the Department of Veterans Affairs Outstanding Career Award, the Army Commander's Award for Civilian Service, and multiple Meritorious Service Medals. She holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from National University, serves as a Women in Leadership Program Advisor at the University of North Georgia, and is certified in NLP, Time Line Therapy, and Hypnotherapy."I've sat on every side of the table — and I've read every line of the contract."Looking ahead...
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    45 min
  • Jary Jackson | Thurion Capital

    Jary Jackson | Thurion Capital
    Apr 14 2026

    MilCom Founders Podcast — Episode 39: From Special Forces to Independent Sponsor with Jary Jackson

    Join host Rod Loges and guest Jary Jackson as he shares his journey from Army infantry to firefighter to 22-year Special Forces career to entrepreneur acquiring and scaling lower-middle-market businesses through entrepreneurship through acquisition.

    In this episode:

    • How Jary left the Army after four years, became a firefighter, and then re-enlisted post-9/11 and made it through Special Forces selection
    • The rejection he faced after retirement, including being told he was "too old at 42" and "unproven" by a veteran recruiter
    • How he discovered the search fund and ETA model, and acquired an $8M company with $35K out of pocket
    • Why he founded Intrepid Prosperity the day after realizing his own company was bad at recruiting
    • How he's building Thurion Capital as an independent sponsor focused on dual-use services and defense technology

    Key takeaways:

    • Talent is what drives outcomes, and resumes are mostly noise. Hire for the attributes that make someone successful and train the rest
    • The military runs the most developed leadership development program in the world, and that translates directly into running a business
    • News doesn't get better with time. The first time you think someone needs to go is usually the right time
    • You have to remove the self-limiting factors. The only person telling you to wait five years is usually you
    • After the military, you have to find a new tribe. Other veteran business owners get it in a way nobody else can

    Guest: Jary Jackson, Founder of Thurion Capital, CEO of TCS, Founder of Intrepid Prosperity, retired US Army Special Forces veteran (22 years)

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarytjackson78/
    • Thurion Capital: https://www.thurioncapital.com/
    • Intrepid Prosperity: https://www.intrepidprosperity.com/
    • TCS: https://www.tcsgovcon.com/

    Jary Jackson is a retired Special Forces veteran, entrepreneur, and independent sponsor focused on building mission-critical businesses that create lasting value. He leads Thurion Capital (founded Aug 2025), where he acquires and scales lower-middle-market companies across logistics, sustainment, technical services, and other dual-use sectors serving both commercial and government markets.

    Through TCS (CEO since Mar 2024), his defense platform, he delivers integrated logistics and sustainment solutions for public sector clients requiring world-class engineering, logistics, and management solutions. He also founded Intrepid Prosperity (Apr 2015), a talent management and human capital platform dedicated to placing high-performing veterans and elite operators into roles where they can make a meaningful impact. The firm provides affordable, scalable talent solutions for small businesses, M&A, and defense contractors.

    The MilCom Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from successful veteran entrepreneurs.

    Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com

    Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at https://www.milcomfounders.com/
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    38 min
  • Ryan Patrick Hunt | Tenth Mountain Recruiting & the Veteran Social Summit

    Ryan Patrick Hunt | Tenth Mountain Recruiting & the Veteran Social Summit
    Mar 31 2026

    MilCom Founders Podcast – Episode 38: Ryan Patrick Hunt, Founder of Tenth Mountain Recruiting and the Veteran Social Summit

    Join host Rod Loges as he sits down with Ryan Patrick Hunt, founder of Tenth Mountain Recruiting and the Veteran Social Summit. Ryan is a retired U.S. Army officer who went from accidental e-commerce entrepreneur to boutique recruiting firm founder, and he's spent the last decade building platforms and community infrastructure for veteran entrepreneurs.

    In this episode:

    • How growing up as a son of an entrepreneur and visiting 30+ countries before age 11 shaped who Ryan became
    • Why Ryan left the Army as Sergeant Hunt in 2001, only to return to ROTC after 9/11 with a calling to lead soldiers into combat
    • The Army pilot program that made Ryan one of the only active duty recruiters coordinating across 274 ROTC battalions nationwide
    • How a $5 joke about stickers turned into 5,000 orders and launched his first business
    • The difference between top line and bottom line, and why his first million-dollar year still taught him hard lessons
    • Why his ideal client starts with value alignment, and what happens when it's missing
    • The IVMF story: why Ryan turned down the program for years, and what finally changed his mind
    • What "planning is everything, the plan is nothing" really means for entrepreneurs

    Key takeaways:

    • Soft skills like leadership and communication are not secondary, they are the foundation that carries everything else
    • Mission command works in business: give your team the vision and intent, then trust them to execute
    • You have to be receptive before you can receive the network, mentorship, and collaboration that will change your trajectory
    • Veterans who treat their business like Gollum treats the ring will limit what they can build
    • 98% of everything is mindset, and consistent action beats a perfect plan every time
    • Niching down does not mean turning away opportunity; it means knowing where to aim first

    Guest: Ryan Patrick Hunt, Founder, Tenth Mountain Recruiting and the Veteran Social Summit

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanpatrickhunt/
    Tenth Mountain Recruiting: www.tenthmountainrecruiting.com
    Veteran Social Summit: www.veteransocialsummit.com

    Ryan Patrick Hunt is a retired U.S. Army officer and seasoned talent acquisition leader with over two decades of experience building high-performing teams across multiple industries. As the founder of Tenth Mountain Recruiting and Rally Point HR, he specializes in sourcing top talent and creating scalable recruiting solutions for growing organizations. Ryan is deeply embedded in the veteran entrepreneurship ecosystem, serving as an IVMF Ambassador and the driving force behind the Veteran Social Summit and the evolving "Forged by Service" platform.

    In 2025, he was named Military Friendly's Illinois Vetrepreneur of the Year, awarded the IVMF Ambassador Ecosystem Synergy Award, and recognized as one of Military Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 25 Military Changemakers. Known for his leadership, execution, and ability to connect people, Ryan continues to build platforms that drive opportunity, collaboration, and long-term success.

    Looking ahead: Ryan's Veteran Social Summit returns September 9-10 with a free virtual conference bringing together voices from across the military entrepreneurship community. The Forged by Service platform continues to evolve as a resource for veteran founders.

    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

    Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at milcomfounders.com
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    44 min
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