201 - Mike Sherbakov - From the Marines to The Veteran Fund
Mission Oriented
In this episode of the Mission Oriented Podcast, host Bob Louthan sits down with Mike Sherbakov — Marine veteran, venture capitalist, and Managing Partner of The Veteran Fund — to explore how service, gratitude, and purpose can shape the next generation of veteran entrepreneurs. Born in Russia, Mike immigrated to the United States at the age of five, watching his parents rebuild their lives from the ground up. That journey instilled in him both humility and drive — lessons that would later guide his military service and entrepreneurial career. After 9/11, an 18-year-old Mike felt called...
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200 - Gen. Darren McDew - USAF Retired
Mission Oriented
In this milestone 200th episode of the Mission Oriented Podcast, host Bob Louthan sits down with General Darren McDew, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), to reflect on a lifetime of leadership, service, and perspective shaped by 36 years in uniform. General McDew’s story begins at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where the values of teamwork, integrity, and resilience first took root. From there, his career path took him to the skies as an “accidental pilot” — thanks to an ROTC scholarship that set him on course for an extraordinary journey. Over time, he commanded at every level,...
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199 - Tim Jensen - From the Marine Corps to Grunt Style
Mission Oriented
In this episode of the Mission Oriented Podcast, host Bob Louthan sits down with Tim Jensen — Marine veteran, Chief Brand Officer at Grunt Style, and President of the Grunt Style Foundation. Tim shares his remarkable journey from enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1997, serving in Iraq with 2/24 Marines, to helping grow Grunt Style into one of the most recognizable patriotic apparel brands in America. Along the way, he reflects on the culture of military service, the challenges of transition, and how a “t-shirt folding job” turned into a career shaping brand identity and community. We dive...
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198 - Chad Fulkerson - From B-1 Bombers to Firehouse Subs
Mission Oriented
In this episode of the Mission Oriented Podcast, host Bob Louthan sits down with Air Force veteran Chad Fulkerson, a former B-1 bomber weapons systems officer who successfully transitioned into entrepreneurship as a Firehouse Subs franchise owner in Texas. Chad shares his unique journey from growing up in a military family to joining the Air Force at age 28, earning his call sign “Henway,” and navigating combat missions with his B-1 crew. He talks candidly about the challenges of leaving military life after 10.5 years, the lessons learned in leadership and discipline, and how those skills...
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197 - Paul Habenicht - Marine Veteran Applying Military Principles to Entrepreneurial Success
Mission Oriented
Paul Habenicht - Marine Veteran Applying Military Principles to Entrepreneurial Success Paul Habenicht, a U.S. Naval Academy and Darden MBA graduate successfully built and exited a veterinary services business called VetEvolve. Paul shared his journey from the Marine Corps to entrepreneurship, highlighting how his military experience shaped the culture and operations of VetEvolve. As Paul and his co-founder Nick acquired and integrated veterinary clinics across the country, they intentionally applied principles from the Marine Corps playbook - things like mission-type orders, empowering...
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196 - Erik DeGiorgi -Marine Veteran Launches AI-Powered Network Management Tool
Mission Oriented
Erik DeGiorgi is a Marine veteran that is the founder and CEO of NetSpeek. Erik shared how his background as a Marine infantryman during the early days of the Afghanistan war helped prepare him for the rigors of entrepreneurship. "Endurance is probably the single most necessary trait for a founder," he said, noting that the ability to push through challenges is critical. After leaving the Marines, Erik co-founded a family business in the digital signage industry, gaining valuable experience in building and scaling a tech company. This led him to identify a major pain point in the pro-AV...
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195 - Doug Moran: Author & Executive Coach
Mission Oriented
Leadership Lessons from Doug Moran: A Journey of Resilience and Empowerment Doug Moran is a seasoned executive coach, author, and former Capital One CIO. Doug shared his inspiring leadership journey, which has been shaped by his experiences in business, politics, and personal reflection. His book, If You Will Lead, distills these experiences into valuable leadership insights, with a focus on empowering others to reach their potential. He covers sixteen historical figures as he highlights leader characteristics. Doug’s journey to leadership started early, shaped by his upbringing as a...
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194 - Dave Esra - Veteran Entrepreneur Tackles Maternal Health Crisis
Mission Oriented
Dave Esra - Veteran Entrepreneur Tackles Maternal Health Crisis Dave Esra is the founder and CEO of Bobi Health. Dave is a veteran who served in both the Navy and Army, and he is now using his entrepreneurial skills to tackle a critical issue - the high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. Dave shared his personal connection to this problem - his wife had a high-risk pregnancy that was ultimately successful, but he saw firsthand the challenges and risks that many women face. This experience inspired him to found BobiHealth, a startup that is using technology to improve maternal health...
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193 - Nick Smith - Navy Veteran & Partner, 37th & Moss
Mission Oriented
Nick Smith - Navy Veteran & Partner, 37th & Moss From a young age, Nick had a desire to take to the skies, inspired by his Great Uncle's job of flying F-86s during the Korean War and his Grandfather's service in the Air Force. Opting for the Navy, he fulfilled his passion for flying as an F-18 test pilot during his active duty service. Post-military life, Nick set his sights on entrepreneurship, gaining valuable experience in small businesses at a bank. This journey led him to join forces with a business school colleague, giving birth to 37th and Moss – a dynamic search fund...
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192 - Sherman Williams - Academy Investor Network, Helping Service Academy Graduates Invest
Mission Oriented
Sherman Williams & Emily McMahan - Academy Investor Network, Helping Service Academy Graduates Invest in Venture-backed Startups Sherman Williams is a Naval Academy graduate. After serving as a Naval Intelligence Officer, he headed to Chicago’s Booth School to study finance and landed himself in investment banking. While in banking he started investing and advising startups. This was a perfect segue to co-founding Academy Investor Network. Emily McMahan is a WestPoint Academy graduate. After her time in the Army as a Military Police Officer, she has always been focused around community...
info_outlineDerren Burrell - Air Force Veteran, Founder Veteran Ventures Capital
Derren is back on the Mission Oriented podcast sharing an update on Veteran Ventures Capital, his advice for entrepreneurs in the current economy and about his excitement connect with others at the upcoming MilVet Startup Conference next month.
Derren Burrell’s father was a Citadel graduate of 1964. It was an indoctrination that began young but led Derren to graduate from The Military College of South Carolina, class of 1994. He hadn’t planned on commissioning but upon graduation did in the Air Force. He served 21 years as a financial management officer. This laid the ground work for his work in the civilian sector. Immediately upon retirement from the Air Force he went to work for TAG Resources, a financial services company. He would attribute his success at TAG Resources to his military experience. He was able to help the company grow exponentially. This led to him being tasked to raise 2 million dollars. It was this specific experience that eventually led him to found Veteran Ventures Capital. He realized the struggle of raising capital but especially for veteran entrepreneurs.
Veteran Ventures Capital
Veteran Ventures Capital founded in 2015 is an investment and consulting firm focused on scaling veteran-owned businesses. Derren is the founder and president. He “oversees all aspects of the company operations and fund management of Veteran Fund I which invest in early stage / growth companies.” Find more information below.
Learn More
Darren’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrenburrell/
Veteran Ventures Capital Website: https://www.veteranventures.us/