Off the Front Podcast Pursuing Insight, Understanding, and Balance

I’m joined today by the co-founder and COO of ZeroEyes, Rob Huberty. ZeroEyes is a veteran-owned company that is successfully using AI technology along with the already-existing security camera infrastructure of any school, business, or other organization to detect firearms in the crucial moments before a shooting. This isn’t still only a concept, or science-fiction even; ZeroEyes has already put this AI technology to work behind the scenes across the country to keep you and your loved ones safe.
After a successful career is the SEAL Teams and earning an MBA from the prestigious Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Rob — along with several of his teammates from SEAL Team 4 — decided in 2018 to put the knowledge and experiences gained in the military and in business school to work to combat the growing problem of gun violence in schools. Having lived close to Sandy Hook Elementary during one period of his life, and then later attending college with several students who had survive the Columbine shooting, to Rob, the issue was too close to ignore.
Through his work at ZeroEyes, Rob Huberty is in the business of protecting people, and I was really excited to sit down for a few minutes with him to talk about how clients of ZeroEyes are using AI add another layer of protection in organizations across the country.
To learn more about ZeroEyes, or to schedule a demo of their product, check them out on the web at zeroes.com


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offthefront.substack.com

I’m joined on this episode by the founder and CEO of CommSafe AI, retired Navy SEAL, and long-time friend, Ty Smith to talk about school safety. As a high school teacher, I spend almost more time in the classroom than I do at home, and with an increasing number of school shootings over the last few years, I wanted to talk with Ty to find out what school systems and teachers can do to make our schools, students, and ourselves safer.
Some background to the discussion: In January of 2023, Tennessee’s state legislature introduced SB1325 and HB1202 that, if passed, would allow teachers to “possess and carry a firearm while on school grounds” provided that the teacher possesses an enhanced handgun carry permit, have written permission from the school system director and principal of the school, have undergone a psychological examination, and have successfully completed 40 hours of basic training in school policing each year.
Recalling Ty’s video he released a few year ago on LinkedIn addressing the topic of arming teachers, I wanted to have him join the show to find out if his opinion had changed since then, get his advice for teachers who might choose to arm themselves if their states allow them to, and to get any other thoughts on increasing the safety in our schools.
On the topic of safety, few are better qualified to weigh in on the topic. Ty retired from the U.S. Navy after a 20 year career which included several years as a military police officer prior to 9/11, and over 15 years as a Navy SEAL following 9/11. While in the Teams, Ty had six combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was awarded a Bronze Star and a Navy Joint Commendation Medal, both with honors for heroism and valor.
After a successful career is the SEAL Teams and earning a graduate degree from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, Ty founded Vigilance Risk Solutions with the aim of helping businesses and organizations provide enhanced security for their employees. In January of 2022, Vigilance Risk Solutions was renamed CommSafe AI after the company expanded into the AI market and began creating communications analysis software for organizations to use as a tool to provide insights into employee well-being and branding risk.
Ty Smith is in the business of protecting people, and I was really excited to sit down with him for a few minutes to talk about school safety, and I hope that you will find this conversation as intelligent and rational as I did.
To learn more about CommSafe AI, check them out on the web at commsafe.ai
Click here to find Ty on LinkedIn.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offthefront.substack.com

On this episode, I’m joined by Allison Atkinson, also known to many as Wattage Cottage. Allison has had a successful cycling career already, but hung up her bike several years ago and walked through the doors of CrossFit Central in Austin, TX to begin her journey into CrossFit. Since then, Allison has become a coach at CrossFit Central, and the a World Champion in the HYROX racing competition.

On today’s show we talk about what led Allison to leave the sport of cycling, what got her into CrossFit and HYROX racing, and what it was that got her to get back on the bike recently – as some of you who follow her on Instagram might have noticed!

It’s good to see Allison back on the bike, and it was great to sit down for a few minutes to talk to her about her journey fitness journey.

Follow Allison's training and her HYROX journey at @hyroxaustin on IG, and all she's up to on her main IG page, @wattage_cottage

If you haven't done so yet, please subscribe to Off the Front Podcast and keep an eye out for new episodes to come out. Please leave a review or a rating if you like the show -- your feedback is always appreciated and helps others to find the show. 

 


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offthefront.substack.com

On today’s show I’m joined by someone who has had a profound impact on my life through his role as a mentor, Nik Hawks.



During Nik's service in the Navy, he spent time as a SEAL and also as a member of the Navy Pentathlon team. After leaving the Navy he co-founded with his wife, Lee, the number one dessert company in the Paleo sphere, Paleo Treats, which was named by Fed-Ex as one of the Top 10 Small Businesses in the United States. Nik has also worked with Red Bull as a performance consultant and with Fed-Ex as a member of their Entrepreneur Advisory Board. Later, Nik completed the Leadville 100 ultramarathon, become a skilled paraglider, a podcaster, and much more.



In this episode, I talk with Nick about his time in the Teams, how he and Lee discovered the Paleo diet and made the decision to start a paleo dessert company, trail running, the value of hard work, and the importance of having a mentor group.



If you’d like to follow up with Nik and see what they’re doing at Paleo Treats you can visit their site at www.paleotreats.com. 

If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to Off the Front Podcast, and to keep an eye out for new episodes coming soon. In the meantime, leave a rating and/or review for the podcast. Your feedback helps others find the show. 


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offthefront.substack.com

I’m joined on this episode by one of America’s favorite cyclists who has a bigger-than-life personality, a contagious positive outlook, and a sharp eye for art and design. TJ Eisenhart has been racing his bike since he was a kid, making his way through the ranks of the Utah cycling scene. As a promising young talent, he became a professional road racer with the BMC Racing Team, then the Holowesko-Citadel and the Arapahoe/Hincapie pro cycling team.

 TJ has been successful in some of America’s biggest races such as the Tour of California, the Colorado Classic, Tour of the Gila, and the Redlands classic. But then after the 2019 season, TJ went off the front leaving the road cycling scene in the review mirror to pursue building his dream – the Imaginary Collective.

Thanks again to LMNT for their support of Off the Front Podcast. Click here if you'd like to try a free sample pack of LMNT, just for the cost of shipping.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offthefront.substack.com

On today’s show I’m joined by Whitney Stanbrough. Whitney has been in the cycling game for a long time, starting out as a junior mountain bike racer in southern Louisiana and eventually finding his way to Tennessee by earning a scholarship to race with the Cumberland University cycling team in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Whitney is well known to most middle-Tennessee cyclists, having worked at MOAB for the past eight years. During 2018, he set out to ride one hundred 100-mile rides (centuries) and finished the year completing 132. In 2021, he's completing his fourth year in a row to complete one hundred centuries. To date, he's ridden over 600 centuries, and 100,000+ miles on Strava, and is a 2x Everesting finisher -- when a cyclist climbs 8,848 meters (29,029 ft) in one ride. Whitney's first Everesting was in 2015 where he rode 222 hill repeats to gain 32,300’ elevation for a total of 290 miles in 25 hours. The second was in 2019 where he completed 92 hill repeats to gain 30,000' of elevation for a total of 170 miles in 17 hours. You don’t do those sorts of things if you don’t love riding the bike -- and that’s exactly why Whitney is on this week’s show.

Thanks to LMNT for their continued support of Off the Front Podcast. If you haven’t already, click here receive a free sample pack of LMNT just for the cost of shipping. 


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offthefront.substack.com