From Army Officer to AI Founder — Jason Cavness on Leadership, Grit, and Building CavnessHR
Release Date: 09/07/2025
curtmaier mixdown
The Jason Cavness Experience
In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Curt Maier. A U.S. Military Veteran, nuclear submarine reactor operator, engineer, and now M&A focused business leader who buys, builds, and transforms companies using a systems-driven mindset forged under extreme pressure. Curt shares what it was really like working on nuclear submarine reactors, how the Navy shaped his discipline and problem-solving, and why the engineering habits he learned underwater still guide every business decision he makes today. Jason and Curt dive into the lessons from nuclear operations that...
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Financial Healing, Credit, and Closing the Wealth Gap with Tierrá Bonds
The Jason Cavness Experience
In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Tierrá Bonds, Founder & CEO of Take Charge Credit Consulting. To dig into the financial realities so many people quietly struggle with credit, debt, generational trauma, and why the racial wealth gap continues to grow in the U.S. Tierrá breaks down her journey from her early struggles with credit to becoming one of the leading trauma-informed financial coaches working with individuals, nonprofits, and government agencies across Washington State. She shares how childhood experiences shape our relationship with...
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Andrea Jordan — Creativity, Courage, and Building Human-Centered AI
The Jason Cavness Experience
Andrea Jordan — Creativity, Courage, and Building Human-Centered AI Episode Summary: In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Andrea Jordan, Founder & CEO of Empathium, an AI-powered platform focused on helping people strengthen emotional intelligence, communication, and connection through role-play, self-awareness tools, and human-centered design. Andrea shares her journey as a parent, founder, and creative problem-solver and the unique path that led her from writing and imagination-filled childhood days to becoming a leader in Seattle’s fast-growing AI...
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Eleanor Knight: From Kayaking the World’s Toughest Rivers to UW Law at 19
The Jason Cavness Experience
Eleanor Knight: From Kayaking the World’s Toughest Rivers to UW Law at 19 In this episode, Jason Cavness talks with Eleanor Knight, a world-class whitewater kayaker, entrepreneur, and soon-to-be law student at the University of Washington. From running her first summer camp at 11, to building a swim school at 15, to earning a bronze medal on the world stage Eleanor’s story is one of grit, curiosity, and relentless focus. She shares what extreme kayaking taught her about fear, leadership, and discipline and how those same lessons drive her toward a future in business and law. About...
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Building a Legacy & Laughter with Blue — Comedy, Community, and Authentic Leadership
The Jason Cavness Experience
In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, host Jason Cavness sits down with Daniel Blue a comedian, community leader, and banker whose humor and heart have made an impact well beyond the stage. Blue shares his journey from comedy clubs to community boards, reflecting on how laughter, mentorship, and service have shaped his purpose. Listeners will walk away inspired to lead with authenticity, give back with intention, and never lose their sense of humor along the way. About the Guest: Daniel Blue is a Seattle-based comedian and community advocate whose work bridges entertainment,...
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The Path Forward: Transforming Lives and Communities with Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle
The Jason Cavness Experience
The Path Forward: Transforming Lives and Communities with Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle Episode Summary: In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, host Jason Cavness talks with Andrea Suarez, founder of We Heart Seattle, a volunteer-powered organization leading a grassroots effort to address homelessness through community engagement, cleanup operations, and direct outreach. Andrea shares her journey from a successful corporate career to founding a movement that mobilizes thousands of volunteers, fosters human connection, and takes action where bureaucracy often stalls. She opens up...
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Innovative Entrepreneurship and Marketing: Insights with Taylor Rae
The Jason Cavness Experience
Innovative Entrepreneurship and AI Trends: Insights with Taylor Rae In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, host Jason Cavness sits down with Taylor Rae. A dynamic entrepreneur, marketer, and founder of multiple ventures including Rae Enterprise and The Success Club App. Taylor shares her journey from college student to business leader, diving deep into geofencing, programmatic display advertising, and building an app that connects and empowers entrepreneurs. Jason and Taylor explore the intersection of AI, marketing, and entrepreneurship, discussing how data and creativity...
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From the Army to AI: Building CavnessHR and Bridging Tech Between the U.S. and Vietnam
The Jason Cavness Experience
In this special solo episode, Jason Cavness shares the full story behind his journey — from dropping out of high school to serving 25 years in the U.S. Army, and ultimately becoming a founder building an AI-powered HR platform for small businesses. Jason walks through the lessons that shaped him as a leader, the transition from military life to entrepreneurship, and the creation of CavnessHR — a company built to save time and money for businesses with 49 or fewer employees through automation and a dedicated HR Business Partner. He also explores how his partnerships with TechBank and Earth...
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Pizza, Robots, and Kindness — How Lee Kindell Turned MOTO Pizza Into a Tech-Fueled Community Movement
The Jason Cavness Experience
About Lee Kindell Lee Kindell, founder of MOTO Pizza, has redefined what it means to build a restaurant brand with heart and innovation. What began as a small post-retirement passion project turned into one of Seattle’s most talked-about food success stories. Known for its Detroit-style pizzas, Filipino-inspired toppings, and a 120-year-old sourdough starter named Betty, MOTO Pizza blends craft, culture, and community in every slice. When the pandemic hit, Lee pivoted fast—scaling MOTO from a neighborhood idea into a growing chain with locations in Belltown, Edmonds, and even T-Mobile...
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Defending the Future — Scott Alldridge on AI, Quantum Threats, and Building a Cybersecurity Culture That Lasts
The Jason Cavness Experience
About Scott Alldridge Scott Alldridge is the CEO of IP Services and a Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) with over 30 years of global experience in IT management and cybersecurity. Starting his tech career at just 19, Scott has built a reputation as a leader who bridges technology, business, and human behavior to create resilient organizations. He is also the President of the IT Process Institute (ITPI) and co-author of the bestselling VisibleOps book series, which has sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide. As the creator of the TotalControl™ framework, Scott has helped...
info_outlineAbout Jason Cavness
Jason Cavness is a tattooed INFJ, retired U.S. Army officer (25 years of service), and relentless builder of businesses and communities. He’s the CEO and Founder of CavnessHR, where he helps U.S. small businesses (49 or fewer employees) save time and money by automating HR through a tech platform backed by a dedicated HR Business Partner.
Jason also hosts The Jason Cavness Experience, a top 2.5% global podcast and top 100 tech show, where he dives deep with entrepreneurs and innovators shaping the future. His motto: “Be Great Every Day.”
Whether leading soldiers, advising founders, or scaling HR tech, Jason’s focus is simple — add value and help people solve real-world problems.
He holds a Master’s in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
About This Episode
This special Wefunder livestream edition of The Jason Cavness Experience was hosted by Sierra Clouse of Barlco Ventures and created to introduce the community to the CavnessHR crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder.
In this conversation, Sierra flips the script and interviews Jason about his personal and professional journey — from college leadership and Army officer training to leading high-performing military units and transitioning into entrepreneurship.
They also explore:
• Why HR remains one of the hardest problems for small businesses
• How CavnessHR balances AI automation with the human touch
• Client success stories (including “Anna,” a founder saved from HR chaos)
• Building for scalability and long-term community impact
• The U.S.–Vietnam startup bridge and global growth strategy
• The challenges and mindset behind startup fundraising
• Lessons from CavnessHR’s Ho Chi Minh City launch event
• What’s next for CavnessHR and the Builders Club movement
Connect with Jason Cavness
🔗 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncavness
▶️ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@JasonCavnessExperience
🎵 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@jasoncavness
🐦 X (Twitter) – https://twitter.com/jasoncavness
📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jasoncavness
Free Resources & Ways to Support CavnessHR
📚 Get 7 Free eBooks from The Jason Cavness Experience → https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks
👥 Join the Builders Club and shape the future of small business HR → https://www.buildcavnesshr.com
💸 Support CavnessHR on Wefunder — help us raise $50K–$500K for our AI-powered HR system → https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr