Todd Connor is a widely sought-after speaker, thought leader, and consultant who leads individuals and organizations to unlock their full entrepreneurial potential. Todd is the founder of Bunker Labs, a national entrepreneurship organization with chapters in 30 states across the U.S., which works with military veterans and military spouses who want to start their own business. He is also the founder of The Collective Academy, Emerson House, as well as other for-profit and philanthropic organizations. For speaking requests, access to additional thought leadership, or to attend Third Shift Entrepreneur workshops visit www.ThirdShiftEntrepeneur.org.
#WeAllServe – Episode #44 with Court Harris
Court began his career as a US Army officer with multiple combat deployments and worked on the NATO staff during Operation Enduring freedom in Afghanistan. He then spent five years in the consulting and tech start-up space in his hometown of Chicago. Court graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and serves as Chairman of the Board at Chicago Executive Airport and on the board at Objective: Veterans’ Smile.
#WeAllServe – Episode #43 with Saul Newton
#WeAllServe – Episode #42 with Monica McNeal
Monica McNeal is a nationally renowned veteran and military family advocate. In addition to being a Gold Star mother, she has held key executive leadership roles at corporations such as Nordstrom, Lafayette and Magaschoni. Her passions include developing talent and coaching those she supports to be “career ready” at all times. She has focused her talents and utilizes her leadership skills as an advocate and navigator for Microsoft. As a contractor on the Microsoft Military Affair Team, she is the program manager and supports the Military Spouse Technology Academy (MSTA). Additionally, she is the National Operations and West Coast Program Director at FourBlock a military veteran career readiness non-profit. There, she works to empower veterans and eliminate transition anxiety by filling the skill gaps needed for Four Block students to secure new and meaningful careers. Monica sits on Congresswomen DelBene’s Veteran Task Force, volunteers with the King County Veterans Consortium, Snohomish Veteran Housing Committee, VetsInTech, Heroes to Hometown, Washington State Military Transition Committee and other local military family causes. She is serving her 7th term as the President of Washington State American Gold Star Mothers and 2nd terms as the District President of the American Gold Star Mothers of Washington, Alaska and Oregon. The organization is currently fundraising for a Gold Star Family Memorial Monument to be placed in Lynnwood, WA. She is the recipient of the 2018 Senator Cantwell’s Women of Valor Award and 2016 Volunteer of the Year by the Washington State Dept of Veterans Affairs for her commitment to military veterans and their families. She believes and personifies that, despite the circumstances, you can make a difference every day.
#WeAllServe – Episode #41 with Christian Anschuetz
#WeAllServe – Episode #40 with Jim Vaselopulos
Jim Vaselopulos is a C-level executive with a proven record as a rainmaker and new business development expert. With a reputation for principled leadership, strategic vision, and effective execution, Jim has built successful new enterprises and turned around underperforming organizations. Jim has been a consultant to many companies across nearly every industry. An entrepreneur at heart, Jim has started many companies, managed partnerships and participated in several well-orchestrated exits.
As the founder of Rafti Advisors, Jim helps early stage companies get off on the right foot, growth stage companies push through plateaus and mature companies with strategic shifts and complex challenges.
Jim teaches sales and professional development, is a frequent speaker on leadership and innovation and volunteers regularly with veterans groups and business incubators.
A graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Jim also earned his MBA at Marquette University. Jim is currently the co-host of The Leadership Podcast.
Join Angel L. Torres and I for episode #40 of #WeAllServe!
#WeAllServe – Episode #39 with Eric Lazar
Eric Lazar is a United States Marine Corps veteran as well as a highly accomplished professional with 30 years of combined experience in entrepreneurship, sales, leadership, custom marketing, client strategy and project execution in both traditional media and mobile realms. Mr. Lazar has lived in Chicago since 1999, hailing from Port Jefferson, New York, the son of a Jr High School Principal and secondary school teacher. In 1986, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, where he was accepted into the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterrey, California and trained as an Arabic translator. He went on to further schooling in Dam Neck, Virginia where he became an Intelligence Analyst. He spent the majority of his enlistment serving in an Intelligence Specialist capacity with both a Combat Engineer Battalion and Electronic Warfare Squadron gaining an expertise in South East Asian affairs; he was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant in 1994. Eric’s professional career is broad and varied, while mainly operating in a sales leadership capacity within the advertising and marketing fields, he has had ‘bouts’ with entrepreneurship and is now into his third owned start-up venture as a franchisee within the SpeedPro Imaging organization.
#WeAllServe – Episode #38
A weekly podcast hosted by Angel Torres and Shalom Klein featuring leaders in the veteran community.
#WeAllServe – Episode #37 with Megan Everett