#314: Scaling an Office Snack Business Nationwide with Claude Burns, USNA ‘06
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Release Date: 03/14/2025
#344: Helping High School Students Navigate the Service Academy Admissions Journey with Travis Wittick, USAFA ‘07
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: Want to join us in Tampa, FL on January 26th & 27th? Visit: ____ Travis Wittick is the founder of Academy Endeavors, a coaching company that helps high school students navigate the competitive and complex admissions process for U.S. Service Academies and ROTC scholarships. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and former Air Force hospital administrator, Travis first discovered his passion for mentorship as an Academy Liaison Officer helping students prepare their applications while still on active duty. After...
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#343: Leveraging AI to Close Real Estate Loans Faster with Zach Farkas, Army Veteran
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: Want to join us in Tampa, FL on January 26th & 27th? Visit: ____ Speaker Bio: Zach Farkas is the founder of Relos, a proptech company automating real estate workflows to streamline transaction coordination and reduce hours of manual work. Before launching Relos, Zach was the #4 ranked VA lender in the nation, a career he built by focusing not on volume, but on educating veterans about how to leverage their VA home loan benefits. A former Army officer, Zach built his lending business by combining his personal mission...
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#342: Strengthening the Backbone of Business (and Self) with Omar Ritter, USMA ‘00
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: Want to join us in Tampa, FL on January 26th & 27th? Visit: ____ Omar Ritter is a West Point graduate, fractional CFO, and the author of West Point to Wall Street: My Journey to Mental Wellness. Currently serving as an Area President at FocusCFO, he helps small and mid-sized businesses improve their financial visibility and achieve sustainable growth. With a career spanning financial leadership, entrepreneurship, and military service, Omar works to strengthen the backbone of small business communities through expert...
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#341: Helping Defense Contractors Work Smarter with AI, Anthony Pinto USNA ‘14
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: ____ Anthony Pinto is the founder of Veteran Vectors, an AI consulting and automation company serving defense and government contractors. A former submarine officer with nine years of service, Anthony previously appeared on the SABM podcast in April 2020 while still on active duty, managing real estate deals from overseas. After leaving the Navy and navigating the challenges of military spouse life, Anthony pivoted from real estate to launch Veteran Vectors in 2025. His company helps small and medium-sized defense tech companies...
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#340: Building a National Real Estate Brand for Veterans with Travis Winfield, USN Ret.‘16
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: ____ Travis Winfield is the founder of Military Operated Real Estate, and author of the upcoming book Military Money and More. A retired Navy Command Senior Chief with 24 years of service, Travis founded the Winfield Group in Southern California, successfully helping 100-150 military families per year before passing the business to his son in 2024. Recognizing that less than 12% of the nearly 20 million active duty and veteran population has used their VA home loan benefit, Travis launched MORE to create the first national real...
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#339: Growing America’s Padel Community with Dan Fitzgerald, Army Veteran
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Dan Fitzgerald is the Founder of the 40Forty Padel Club, a company bringing one of the world’s fastest growing sports to South Carolina and beyond. A Citadel graduate and former Army Infantry Officer, Dan went on to serve as a TAC officer at West Point, teach leadership, and build executive teams as a recruiter before discovering padel during his travels to South America. Hooked from the very first game, Dan saw an opportunity to introduce the sport to the U.S. market in a way that was both affordable and community-driven. Today, he leads 40Forty Padel Club with the mission to make padel...
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#338: Building Affordable Survival Communities at Fortitude Ranch with Drew Miller, USAFA ‘80
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: ____ Drew Miller is the CEO of Fortitude Ranch, a survival and recreational community for disaster preparedness and everyday use. A former Air Force intelligence officer and longtime prepper, Drew founded Fortitude Ranch over a decade ago, creating a network of secure rural compounds supported by professionally organized teams and sustainable resources. With eight locations nationwide, Drew’s mission is to offer members affordable access to well...
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#337: Bringing Institutional Discipline to Multifamily Investing with Curtis Cullen, USMA ‘09
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: ____ Curtis Cullen is the Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Convolo Capital, a real estate investment firm focused on small to mid-size multifamily syndications across the Southeast and Sunbelt markets. A West Point graduate, Curtis served as an Infantry and Aviation officer, including time as a Battalion Operations Officer, before exiting the Army in 2018 to pursue a career in commercial real estate. After the Army, Curtis built his business and finance...
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#336: Finding Opportunity at a Crossroads: Raj Kankaria and Lone Star Attorney Service, USMA ‘13
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: ____ Raj Kankaria is the President of Lone Star Attorney Service, a full-service litigation support firm and the largest process service company in Harris County, Texas. A West Point graduate and former Army engineer officer, Raj went on to hold leadership roles in investment banking and commercial strategy at Citi, Mexico Pacific, and WSI Enterprises. After discovering an overlooked corner of the legal services industry, he rolled up his sleeves, learned...
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#335: Transforming Restaurant Efficiency Through Real Time Data with Daniel Bednar, USNA ‘08
Service Academy Business Mastermind
Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: ____ Daniel Bednar is an investor and advisor at Curbit, a technology company transforming the restaurant industry with real-time data and operational transparency. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Officer, Daniel led technical operations and intelligence programs on the USS Makin Island, in Afghanistan, and at the Office of Naval Intelligence. After transitioning into finance and strategy, he’s applied that same mission-driven focus to...
info_outlineNeed financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/
Want to join us in San Antonio, TX on June 11th & 12th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events
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Claude Burns is a visionary entrepreneur, veteran, and startup founder transforming the workplace food and beverage industry. A former Navy Officer, he brings a mission-driven approach to leadership, strategy, and innovation.
As the Founder and CEO of Office Libations, he is redefining B2B food service with a tech-driven model that optimizes inventory, reduces costs, and enhances service. Competing with industry giants, Office Libations has rapidly expanded operations across multiple markets, serving Fortune 500 firms and high-growth startups with a seamless, scalable solution. By combining technology with hospitality, Claude has built a company that delivers both efficiency and exceptional service, reshaping how businesses approach workplace amenities.
With a strong foundation in operations and business growth, he is leading Office Libations toward national expansion, setting a new standard in workplace hospitality and industry innovation.
In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Claude about:
- Revolutionizing Office Hospitality: Blending technology, efficiency, and premium service to transform workplace perks.
- Thriving Through Uncertainty: Overcoming the loss of 95% of revenue and staff, making tough decisions, and rebuilding through resilience and innovation.
- Taking on Industry Giants: Competing with legacy providers by delivering smarter, tech-driven solutions.
- Fueling Fortune 500 Workplaces: Providing top-tier coffee, snacks, and drinks to leading companies.
- Scaling for Impact: Expanding into new markets and redefining the future of workplace amenities.
Timestamps:
- 00:17 Reflecting on the Past: January 24th, 2020
- 01:13 Introduction to Office Libations
- 02:30 Impact of the Pandemic on Business
- 03:35 Surviving the Gauntlet: Strategies and Adaptations
- 08:16 Rebuilding and Innovating Post-Pandemic
- 14:11 Future Goals and Expansion Plans
- 23:51 Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
Connect with Claude Burns:
- Email: claude@officelibations.com
- Website: https://officelibations.com/about-us/
If you found value in today’s episode, don’t keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you’re a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we’d love for you to join our community and get started today.
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- Leave us a 5-star review!
A special thank you to Claude Burns for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01