#110: Military Discipline Meets Business Acumen with Brett Whitsitt
Make Your Move with Gene Moran
Release Date: 01/06/2025
Make Your Move with Gene Moran
“I help them create what I call radical accountability. Quite simply, that's a business culture or culture…in anything, but I focus on business where the team willingly does what they need to do when they need to do it correctly." - Dave Rosenberg FEATURED GUEST Dave Rosenberg, a former U.S. Navy naval aviator, has built an impressive career in business leadership and consulting. With a mechanical engineering degree, he progressed from college sales roles to serving as president of multiple companies, including a large San Diego moving company, a telecom/IT services business he...
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"My network was probably not the strongest it could be. But the next thing was timing. Where my network was strong, there just weren't job opportunities at that time frame." - Scott Hatzung FEATURED GUEST Scott Hatzung is a seasoned professional with a distinguished 22-year career in the US Navy, transitioning from an enlisted aviation support equipment technician to an aviation maintenance officer. Originating from Detroit, Michigan, Scott honed his mechanical skills in his father's car shop before dedicating himself to military service, where he specialized in managing helicopters and...
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"Given my injuries, the kind of prognosis was you're never gonna walk normal again. You're gonna be basically confined to a pool for any type of physical activity because the impact is not gonna be something that that you're gonna be comfortable with." —Clint Musgrove FEATURED GUEST Clint Musgrove is a former Army medic who has successfully transitioned to civilian life, becoming an expert in incident response within the energy sector. He is recognized for having unique skills like combat lifesaver experience. After serving in the military, Clint ventured into executive protection...
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"Once I was able to narrow the focus down in a pointed way is really when doors started opening up because people had something they could grasp onto and help in a more meaningful way as opposed to me just saying, hey, I'd like to get into finance." — Brett Whitsitt FEATURED GUEST Brett Whitsitt is a former Navy SEAL who has successfully transitioned from military service to become a business leader. Brett graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a focus in economics and business, later furthering his education with an MBA from the Wharton School. After serving over eight...
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"It's the worst feeling, no matter how minor the incident is that you are witnessing, whether you come up on it or you're in the middle of it and just not be prepared to have, to be able to help." —Valerie Lavin FEATURED GUEST Valerie Lavin is a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant with over two decades of military service. Following her transition from active duty, Valerie embarked on a successful journey into entrepreneurship. She co-founded Luminary Global, a company that provides emergency and trauma kits to first responders, military personnel, and everyday households, catering to...
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“What we're mainly focusing on is digital transformation inside of the defense space, specifically with our training and education pipelines.” — Tyler Van Hook FEATURED GUEST Tyler Van Hook, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of Kognitiv Edge, is a dynamic leader and entrepreneur with a rich background in military and business strategy. A former United States Marine Corps officer, Tyler leverages his expertise in technology application and human capital development to drive innovative digital transformations in defense training and education. With a Master’s in Technology...
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"Find mentors that are actually using their own money to run a business. Don't listen to the professors who left business to go teach in school. Follow somebody who's actually using real cash and real coin to do it." — Matthew Griffin FEATURED GUEST Matthew "Griff" Griffin, a former Army Ranger and veteran turned entrepreneur, is the founder of Combat Flip Flops, a company that fosters economic growth in post-conflict areas by manufacturing products like flip flops in unconventional locations, such as a combat boot factory in Afghanistan. After serving as a fire support officer...
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“For anybody coming out of the military, reach out, build your network, and connect. Because wearing the uniform, hanging it up, and putting on the corporate America collared shirt…it's different.” — Heather Throne FEATURED GUEST Heather Throne is a seasoned business professional with over two decades of experience in the corporate sector. A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot and logistician, she transitioned from military service to the corporate world, bringing her leadership skills and analytical expertise to Siemens Healthineers. As a senior director focused on CRM excellence...
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“I think in today's culture, the military teaches you sacrifice, conscientiousness, duty, work ethic, being open to trying new things, being a part of something other than yourself." — Tracey Jones FEATURED GUEST Dr. Tracey C. Jones is a renowned leader, author, and advocate for veterans transitioning to civilian careers. A distinguished Air Force Academy graduate and former officer, she brings extensive expertise from roles with organizations like Northrop Grumman and the NSA to her work at Tremendous Leadership and T3 Solutions, Inc. Through her books and engaging speaking style,...
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“When you're an empath, you feel what they feel. So, I carried a lot of their stuff, which you shouldn't do. But when you don't know what else to do, and you love them so fiercely, you end up carrying their stuff anyway because you're like, “God, how can I help?” - Tammy Laird FEATURED GUEST Tammy Laird is a veteran who has served in both the Army Reserves and the Air Force, with a particular sentiment towards the Army. She comes from a military family, with her father having served in the Air Force. Tammy has a diverse background, including roles as a wife, mother, homeschool...
info_outline"Once I was able to narrow the focus down in a pointed way is really when doors started opening up because people had something they could grasp onto and help in a more meaningful way as opposed to me just saying, hey, I'd like to get into finance." — Brett Whitsitt
FEATURED GUEST
Brett Whitsitt is a former Navy SEAL who has successfully transitioned from military service to become a business leader. Brett graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a focus in economics and business, later furthering his education with an MBA from the Wharton School. After serving over eight years in the SEAL teams, during which he undertook deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and dealt with counter-ISIS initiatives, Brett aimed towards a career in finance. He initially joined JPMorgan in the leveraged finance group while concurrently studying for his MBA. Brett is now the CEO and founder of Squire Solutions, a company he established around eight years ago, which focuses on streamlining communication and information flow during tactical operations. Brett's company has primarily worked with the Department of Defense, specifically the Air Force, and offers solutions in various tactical areas like medical evacuation and active shooter scenarios. His journey underscores the importance of taking advantage of networking opportunities and being open to learning and adapting in new environments.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
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Brett shares his experience transitioning from an elite Navy SEAL to the business realm, emphasizing the importance of education and self-discovery.
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Discover how Brett founded Squire Solutions, a tech-forward company enhancing communication across tactical operations—revolutionizing sectors like public safety and emergency response.
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Learn about the pivotal role networking played in Brett's journey and how strategic connections shaped his career path., working as part of a team—even a small one—can amplify creativity, problem-solving, and overall success.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
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[04:36] Navy to finance, then entrepreneurship with Squire.
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[12:47] Served 8 years as Navy SEAL, inspired post-9/11.
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[13:49] Navy career stalled, explored other opportunities.
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[17:35] Deciding between locations for MBA and job.
YOUR MOVE
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Check Out These Resources:
The Military Effect by Scott Manthorne