In this episode of the Veteran Lifestyle Magazine Podcast, hosts Annette Whittenberger and Joe Palacios sit down with Dave Rossberg, a former U.S. Navy nuclear submarine officer who transitioned into a successful career as a general contractor and business advisor.

Dave shares his journey from structured military service to the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship, highlighting how leadership, mindset, and community form the foundation of success.

Through candid reflections, he explains how the lessons learned in high-pressure military environments—teamwork, accountability, and adaptability—translate seamlessly into building and running a business.

• Dave’s path shows the value of adaptability—shifting from Navy service to entrepreneurship by finding passion in helping others succeed.

• Military discipline provided the structure, but true fulfillment came from supporting tradespeople and business owners.

• Effective leadership isn’t about control—it’s about empowering people and holding them accountable.

• Just as operating a nuclear submarine requires every individual to contribute, running a business requires relationship-based leadership.

• Success depends on cultivating a growth mindset—viewing challenges as opportunities rather than barriers.

• Both Dave and Joe emphasized that striving for continuous improvement matters more than knowing everything.

• “Finding your tribe” is essential for both veterans and entrepreneurs.

• Events like Veterans Edge demonstrate the importance of collaboration, encouragement, and belonging in business and personal growth.

• Dave’s parting wisdom captures the essence of entrepreneurship: align your work with what truly energizes you.

• Passion, discipline, and community create the bridge from military service to entrepreneurial success

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. Transition with Purpose

2. Leadership as Empowerment

3. Mindset is Everything

4. Community is a Force Multiplier

5. Do What Sets Your Soul on Fire

Connect with Dave:

https://daverossberg.focalpointcoaching.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrossberg/

https://www.facebook.com/rossberg.dave

https://www.instagram.com/dave.rossberg/

In a world where unanswered questions often accompany stories of those who have vanished, Melissa Twardowski stands as a beacon of perseverance and hope. For 35 long years, Melissa has been fighting to keep the memory and story of her sister, Deanna Maryfield, alive—a battle as much about seeking justice as it is about honoring Deanna’s life.Watch our interview with Melissa as we dive into what happened to Deanna. Go to www.findingdeanna.com to stay updated on the search efforts.

Susan Haring is a woman of deep faith and unwavering dedication to serving others. While raising her children, Susan also loved volunteering to help those in need. She supported women at a local pregnancy center, advocated for vulnerable youth as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (C.A.S.A.), and mentored high school students. By God’s grace, she has devoted her life to encouraging and uplifting those in need.

Susan also served on a Women’s Ministry Board at her church, a further reflection of her passion for fostering community and faith.

Writing My Faithful Savior is another extension of that calling-a powerful testimony of God’s miraculous hand in her son’s life and His boundless love for all His children. Susan prays that this true story will inspire and strengthen the faith of those who read it.

When she's not writing or serving others, Susan appreciates the simple joys of life-sipping coffee with friends, offering a listening ear to those who are hurting, snuggling with her grandchildren, and baking their often requested chocolate cake.

One childhood joy Susan has never outgrown is searching for seashell treasures on every beach she visits! Soaking up sunny days, reading inspirational true stories and vacationing with family are also delightful to her soul.

Married over 40 years, she loves quiet evenings and dinners with her husband.

Follow her:

www.authorsusanharing.com

Purchase her book:

https://a.co/d/1LrjCOC

Cowgirl-turned-nomadic-Navy-spouse-turned-author, Julie Tully writes about life, culture, and the places they intersect. Her own life reads like a novel—from her roots in rural Northern California to her time as a globehopping expat. She is equally at home on the back of a horse rounding up cattle as she is at a formal diplomatic dinner. Julie’s memoir, Dispatches From The Cowgirl: Through The Looking Glass With A Navy Diplomat’s Wife, was published in 2022 and details the years she and her family lived and worked in Africa. Dispatches was the 2023 winner of the prestigious Independent Book Publishers Association Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Medal and the Military Writers Society of America Silver Medal. Beyond her memoir, Julie’s writing has been featured in Legacy Magazine, Your Teen for Parents, Military Spouse Magazine, and is used by the Department of Defense for training the next generation of the military’s diplomats. A sought-after speaker, Julie uses her unlikely and unique journey to highlight the importance of storytelling in our society. Originally from El Dorado, California, Julie holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University Chico. Over the years she has worn many different hats to include university researcher, marketing and public relations executive, communications specialist, and ghostwriter. Julie has been recognized by ambassadors and senior military officials for her work in the diplomatic world. In 2017, she was named a Kentucky Colonel by the governor of Kentucky on behalf of her work in Djibouti with our military and the Kentucky National Guard. After spending almost two decades overseas, Julie now resides in Monterey, California with her husband, John, son, Quinn, and two rambunctious cats.

Follow Julie at: @dispatchesfromthecowgirl

and at https://julietullywriter.com/

Chris Kruger grew up just outside Spokane, Washington, and joined the Army before turning 21, driven by a sense of purpose and a thirst for challenge. Over the next 22 years, he forged a diverse and demanding military career—starting as an infantryman and eventually becoming a Blackhawk maintenance test pilot. His journey took him from Basic Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he completed an impressive lineup of elite training programs, including Amphibious Reconnaissance School, Ranger School, HALO and HALO Jumpmaster, and Flight School, among others. Along the way, he earned the Expert and Combat Infantryman Badges, a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal, and several other honors. Chris deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Far East, spending more than five and a half years overseas—experiences that deeply shaped his outlook on leadership, resilience, and life. After retiring, he turned to writing as a way to unpack and give meaning to those intense years. What began as personal reflection quickly became a mission to reach others walking similar paths. Today, Chris lives in Huntsville, Alabama, with his wife Genevieve and their two daughters, Charlize and Isabelle—writing from a place of survival, strength, and connection. Together, Chris and Genevieve are active in their local church and committed to encouraging others to overcome life’s hardships, expanding their reach through writing and a forthcoming podcast aimed at inspiring healing, faith, and perseverance.

https://www.facebook.com/chris.kruger.927758

http://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-kruger-780406205

https://www.instagram.com/chris.kruger.927758/#

Read full article at:

https://veteranlifestylemagazine.com/2025/07/09/embracing-transformation-a-conversation-on-leadership-service-and-storytelling-with-christopher-krueger/

Trish Leto is a U.S. Navy veteran,

seasoned business coach, and

faith-driven firecracker who’s been

helping aspiring entrepreneurs

monetize their skill sets for over a

decade. She’s co-founded a national

business conference, coached thousands

into launching side hustles, and even

paused her business post-pandemic to

focus on her sobriety, life’s

challenges,and recalibrate with integrity.

Now, she’s back—more focused, bolder,

and more authentic than ever—having

grown her TikTok following to over 16,000

in under four months by showing up raw,

real, and ready to serve. Two years sober, a single mom, and a GenX content creator

who balances a full-time job with livestreaming, Trish teaches her audience how to

turn life experience into income—with scripture in one hand and strategy in the

other.

In her spare time, Trish volunteers as a Subject Matter Expert for The Rosie Network’s

Warrior CoHort, helping aspiring Veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs launch

their businesses online, from ideation to implementation.

Trish was also named one of Marquis Who’s Who of outstanding entrepreneurs in

2024.

If you’re tired of playing small and ready to build a business that honors your

story, Trish is the coach who’ll meet you where you’re at and show you how to

Press Live With PurposeTM.

https://www.facebook.com/trish.leto/

https://www.tiktok.com/@trishizzlefoshizzle

Brunella Costagliola is a ghostwriter, editor, award-winning author, journalist, and translator. Founder and owner of The Military Editor® Agency, LLC, a boutique ghostwriting and editing agency that caters to military authors and military-related manuscripts, Brunella has worked with some of the most prestigious literary agencies and publishing companies in the country, such as William Morris Endeavor and HarperCollins. Her clients have become award-winning, best-selling, and critically acclaimed authors. Her keen eye for details, her ability to recognize a story worth writing about, along with her constant quest for a perfectly polished manuscript, make her a highly reliable and competent writer and editor. Brunella has two master's degrees and a Certificate in Editing from Graham School at the University of Chicago, where she studied the Chicago Manual of Style from the same institution that created it. A proud military spouse, she lives in Florida with her husband, their two children, and three dogs.

https://themilitaryeditor.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/themilitaryeditoragency/posts/?feedView=all

https://www.facebook.com/themilitaryeditoragency/

Scott Neil is the President of American Freedom Distillery and a co-founder of Horse Soldier Bourbon, a premium American whiskey brand built on legendary service, resilience, and brotherhood. Founded in 2016 by a group of friends and retired Green Berets—including Scott—Horse Soldier Bourbon tells the powerful story of some of the first U.S. Special Forces teams deployed to Afghanistan following the attacks of 9/11. This elite unit, later nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers,” is immortalized in the America’s Response Monument at Ground Zero and continues to inspire the spirit behind every bottle.

Under Scott’s leadership, Horse Soldier Bourbon has become one of the most compelling brands in the spirits industry—celebrated not only for its award-winning whiskey, but for the authenticity and heroism behind its founding. Each bottle is forged in tradition—some even molded in glass made from steel recovered from the World Trade Center—and honors the values of service, sacrifice, and American craftsmanship. The brand’s future distillery, Horse Soldier Farms, currently under development in Somerset, Kentucky, will serve as a world-class destination for bourbon lovers, patriots, and adventurers alike.

A retired U.S. Army Special Forces combat veteran, Scott was among the first to lead direct action and counterterrorism operations during the early days of the Global War on Terror. After recovering from combat injuries, he became a leading advocate for veteran reintegration, entrepreneurship, and wellness. He has played a key role in raising millions for veteran causes, launching programs through the Green Beret Foundation, and advancing policies to support veteran-owned businesses.

Scott is a sought-after speaker and national media contributor, with appearances in outlets such as Fox News, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsmax. He also works closely with the George W. Bush Veterans Initiative and serves as an advisor to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Through Horse Soldier Bourbon, Scott continues to share a powerful story of courage, camaraderie, and the enduring American spirit—with every pour.

https://www.facebook.com/horsesoldierbourbon

https://www.instagram.com/horsesoldierbourbon/

https://www.youtube.com/@HorseSoldierBourbon

https://horsesoldierbourbon.com/