Tactical Wealth: From Military to Money

Gebbia Media
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Tactical Wealth is the podcast built to empower the military and veteran community to take control of their financial future. From navigating the military to civilian life transition, to launching businesses, growing your income, and building long-term wealth, each episode brings you real stories and actionable insights from those who’ve gone from boots on the ground to building lasting wealth. Hosted by Kaj Larsen, former Navy SEAL, award-winning journalist, and mission-driven entrepreneur. Kaj successfully co-founded a financial technology company and sold the company in 2024. The podcast features hard truth conversations with successful veteran entrepreneurs, CEOs, and top financial experts. Whether you're still in uniform or already charting your next chapter, this podcast gives you the tactical tools to lead with impact in your finances and beyond. Let’s get tactical. Tactical Wealth is a Gebbia Media production, brought to you by Siebert.Valor, a military-focused initiative from Siebert Financial. The Tactical Wealth podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Siebert Financial. This podcast does not constitute investment advice, an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy any securities. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions. For more information and disclosures, please visit siebert.com/disclosures.

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  1. Must Listen: Tactical Takeaways on Becoming a Founder | Nuri Golan

    EPISODE 1

    Must Listen: Tactical Takeaways on Becoming a Founder | Nuri Golan

    In this powerful episode of Tactical Wealth, we sit down with Nuri Golan, a builder, operator, and advisor whose career spans special operations, deep tech, and venture building. After serving as an officer in Israel’s elite Navy SEAL unit, Shayetet 13, Nuri transitioned into entrepreneurship, founding and exiting multiple companies. Today, he helps the next generation of founders scale through Vetted. From mapping beaches with cutting-edge tech in high-stakes operations to building and selling companies, his journey is a masterclass in discipline, adaptability, and execution. In this episode, we dive into: ⚔️ Elite Foundations: His path to serving in an elite Israeli special operations unit.🧠 The Pivot: How a military R&D role translated into a product mindset in startups.🔬 Scientific Scaling: Why the best founders treat their companies like experiments.🚀 Hard-Won Lessons: Insights from building, exiting, and failing across multiple startups.🤝 The Failure Filter: The two biggest reasons early-stage companies fail and how to avoid them.🎯 Vetted: How they are training operators to become high-level entrepreneurs. Whether you're a founder, operator, investor, or someone looking to sharpen your decision-making, this episode is packed with real-world insights you can apply immediately. 👉 Ready to build with precision and purpose? Hit SUBSCRIBE and let’s get tactical. EPISODE CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Hard conversations and tactical advice 04:17 - Why I left the US to join the IDF 08:06 - The dynamic in the IDF 10:47 - The "Israeli Model" vs. “US Model”  13:58 - How Special Ops is actually Product Management 18:40 - Treating your startup like a scientific experiment 21:16 - Transitioning: The "Standards Gap" in the civilian world 25:59 - The "No Quit" Trap: When grit becomes a liability 30:13 - Why my third startup failed (and what I learned) 39:01 - Tactical Advice: The two biggest company killers 41:50 - Customer Discovery: Stop "leading the witness" 49:31 - How Venture Capital math actually works 54:37 - Best Investment: Betting on yourself vs. the corporation 55:01 - The "Opportunity Cost" of a bad career move 56:04 - Why the "Culture of Debriefing" is your best business asset 57:11 - Book Recommendation: Deep Work by Cal Newport 58:43 - Morning Routines & the reality of being a "Dad-Preneur" 01:00:40 - Where to find Nuri & Version Bravo EPISODE RESOURCES Connect with Nuri Golan & Vetted: 🌐 Website: https://www.thevetted.vc👤 LinkedIn: Nuri Golan📸 Instagram: @thevettedvcConnect with Kaj Larsen: 🌐 Website: https://www.kajlarsen.com📸 Instagram: @KajLarsen👤 LinkedIn: Kaj Larsen

    1h 2m
  2. Mastering the Mind to Find Your Purpose with Mark Divine

    EPISODE 2

    Mastering the Mind to Find Your Purpose with Mark Divine

    In this powerful episode of Tactical Wealth, we sit down with Commander Mark Divine, a retired Navy SEAL, New York Times bestselling author, and the visionary founder behind SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind. After a decade on active duty and another in the reserves, Mark transitioned from the "Cyborg" of SEAL Team 3 to a serial entrepreneur, building multiple million-dollar brands. From buying NavySeals.com for $35 in the early days of the internet to out-bidding global defense giants for $10M contracts, his journey is a masterclass in mental toughness, vertical development, and strategic pivot. In this episode, we dive into:  ⚔️ The Wall Street Warrior: Why he left a high-path CPA career at 25 to join the SEALs. 🧠 The "Cyborg" Blueprint: How Zen meditation and box breathing became his "mental body armor" in BUD/S.  🔬 The 5 Mountains: Why elite performance requires physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and intuitional development.  🚀 Founders’ Combat: The "Founders Split" at Coronado Brewing and how to choose the right partners.  🤝 Market Warfare: Surviving the 2008 crash and pivoting when 90% of your revenue evaporates.  🎯 Unbeatable Mind: How to "win in the mind" before you ever step onto the battlefield of business. Whether you're a veteran in transition, a high-stakes founder, or an operator looking to sharpen your internal game, this episode provides the tactical tools to master your mission. 👉 Ready to forge an unbeatable mind? Hit SUBSCRIBE and let’s get tactical. EPISODE CHAPTERS:  00:00 - The revolutionary idea of the "Entrepreneurial SEAL" 01:10 - Welcome to San Diego: Meeting "The Cyborg" 03:55 - The snowmobile accident: Shattering the Scapula 07:11 - Why I joined the SEALs at 25: Leaving the Big Eight 12:29 - Discovering Zen in 1980s Manhattan 16:18 - Learning to "drop off": The power of the Zen state 18:55 - Visualizing the Warrior: Finding the right "story" to live 23:53 - The Big Three: Breath control, Visualization, and Mental Management 28:33 - Leading a Boat Crew: The "Shield Wall" of positivity 31:48 - First Business: Coronado Brewing Company & "Founders Divorce" 34:11 - Buying NavySeals.com: Beating Amazon to the punch 36:52 - Taking on Blackwater: Winning the $10M mentoring contract 40:09 - The Flywheel Effect: Synergy between SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind 42:19 - Rapid Fire: Bitcoin in 2013 and financial mistakes 46:58 - The Morning Routine: Winning before 10:00 AM 51:04 - Where to find Mark & The Unbeatable Leader challenge EPISODE RESOURCES  Connect with Mark Divine: 🌐 Website: https://unbeatablemind.com 👤 LinkedIn: Mark Divine 📸 Instagram: @markdivineofficial 🎯 Challenge: https://unbeatableleader.com Connect with Kaj Larsen: 🌐 Website: https://www.kajlarsen.com 📸 Instagram: @KajLarsen 👤 LinkedIn: Kaj Larsen

    53 min
  3. How to Apply the Operator Mindset to Your Business Mission | Rob O'Neill

    EPISODE 3

    How to Apply the Operator Mindset to Your Business Mission | Rob O'Neill

    In this powerful episode of Tactical Wealth, we sit down with Rob O’Neill, a former Navy SEAL Team Six operator and the man who stood at the center of the most high-profile military operation since World War II. After 16.5 years of service, over 400 combat missions, and being a key figure in the mission to find bin Laden, the Captain Phillips rescue, and Lone Survivor, Rob transitioned from the battlefield to the boardroom. He has since become a prolific entrepreneur, best-selling author, and the founder of the Operators Collective and Special Operators Transition Foundation. In this episode, we peel back the layers of the public-facing persona to reveal the disciplined, often humorous, and highly strategic mindset that makes a successful founder. In this episode, we dive into:  ⚔️ The Operator’s Edge: How the communication, stress management, and problem-solving skills honed in the SEAL Teams serve as the ultimate business foundation.  🧠 The Mental Architecture: Why "wherever you are, be there" and "mastering the easy stuff" are the keys to surviving both combat and entrepreneurial chaos.  🚀 Building the Constellation: How Rob turned his combat experiences into a multi-vertical brand, from books and merch to speaking agencies and cannabis.  🤝 The Partner Trap: Navigating the difference between the "pack of sled dogs" culture of the Teams and the realities of private-sector leadership.  📈 Financial Discipline: Why the biggest mistake most veterans make is failing to utilize the Thrift Savings Plan and long-term investment strategies early.  🎯 Take The Shot: The mindset of a founder who treats business like a mission, learns from failure, and isn't afraid to "pivot" when the plan hits a snag. Whether you're a veteran in transition, a founder building a legacy, or an operator looking to sharpen your internal game, this episode is a masterclass in playing offense in life and business. 👉 Ready to stay tactical and stay driven? Hit SUBSCRIBE and let’s get into the fight.

    47 min
  4. The Veteran's Blueprint: Skip the Startup, Buy the Business | Patrick Flood

    EPISODE 4

    The Veteran's Blueprint: Skip the Startup, Buy the Business | Patrick Flood

    In this episode of Tactical Wealth, we sit down with Patrick Flood, a former Green Beret with over 20 years of Army service, Georgetown ROTC graduate, Duke MBA, and the founder of Owners in Honor, a nonprofit helping veterans buy, grow, and exit small businesses. Patrick's path is anything but linear. From armor officer to working actor, from signal detachment commander to Special Forces, from finance executive to nonprofit founder, every chapter of his life has been a masterclass in adaptability, mentorship, and mission-driven leadership. In this episode, Patrick makes the case that the greatest wealth opportunity of our generation isn't a startup. It's the millions of profitable small businesses whose owners are ready to retire and have nobody to hand the keys to. In this episode, we dive into: ⚔️ The Unconventional Path: How Patrick went from ROTC to Hollywood to Special Forces and why that winding road made him a better leader and entrepreneur. 🏢 The Silver Tsunami: Why the mass retirement of baby boomer business owners represents the single greatest small business acquisition opportunity in American history. 🎯 Buy Don't Build: Why purchasing an existing profitable business is a smarter, lower-risk path to ownership than starting from scratch. 🤝 The Human Terrain Advantage: How veterans are uniquely skilled at reading rooms, building rapport, and winning deals that MBA grads in Patagonia vests can't close. 📈 SBA Lending and the Acquisition Playbook: How Owners in Honor connects veterans with the right lenders, advisors, and education to successfully acquire and scale businesses. 🏘️ Coming Home: Why veteran business ownership isn't just a personal financial win. It's a community revitalization strategy that strengthens the fabric of small-town America. 💼 Exit and Succession Planning: The painful personal story of how Patrick's father sold a $3.8 million business for $600,000 and why veterans must understand the exit before they ever sign the papers. Whether you're a veteran in transition, a current business owner thinking about your exit, or someone looking for a smarter path to entrepreneurship, this episode is a tactical blueprint for building wealth through ownership. 👉 Ready to stay tactical and stay driven? Hit SUBSCRIBE and let's get into the fight. EPISODE CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction: Patrick Flood and the mission of Owners in Honor 01:22 - From Army brat to Green Beret: Patrick's unconventional origin story 04:03 - Working in Hollywood and finding purpose after loss 06:26 - September 11th and the shift to Special Forces 09:18 - What makes SF different: Latitude, curiosity, and making do 10:53 - The transition: Learning from his brother's path out 11:48 - Going to Duke while commanding a battalion 13:45 - Entrepreneurship inside the military: Leading Army Recruiting Command 17:01 - The Honor Foundation and 50 cups of coffee 18:18 - Landing at Andersen as chief of staff 20:56 - Know your core: Don't be a Swiss Army knife, be a K-Bar 21:36 - Finding the nonprofit path: Mentorship and the Owners in Honor origin story 24:38 - Defining Owners in Honor: Risk mitigation and advisory services 27:18 - The silver tsunami: America's greatest small business opportunity 31:29 - The Virginia veteran: A real acquisition case study 33:36 - SBA lending, the right lenders, and following the rules 38:55 - Exit and succession planning: Patrick's father's painful lesson 40:32 - Partnering with the Exit Planning Institute 41:24 - Rapid Fire: Best investments, worst mistakes, and favorite books 44:10 - How to connect with Patrick and Owners in Honor EPISODE RESOURCES Connect with Patrick Flood: 🌐 Website: ownersinhr.com 👤 LinkedIn: Patrick Michael Flood Connect with Kaj Larsen:  🌐 Website: https://www.kajlarsen.com 📸 Instagram: @KajLarsen 👤 LinkedIn: Kaj Larsen

    46 min
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About

Tactical Wealth is the podcast built to empower the military and veteran community to take control of their financial future. From navigating the military to civilian life transition, to launching businesses, growing your income, and building long-term wealth, each episode brings you real stories and actionable insights from those who’ve gone from boots on the ground to building lasting wealth. Hosted by Kaj Larsen, former Navy SEAL, award-winning journalist, and mission-driven entrepreneur. Kaj successfully co-founded a financial technology company and sold the company in 2024. The podcast features hard truth conversations with successful veteran entrepreneurs, CEOs, and top financial experts. Whether you're still in uniform or already charting your next chapter, this podcast gives you the tactical tools to lead with impact in your finances and beyond. Let’s get tactical. Tactical Wealth is a Gebbia Media production, brought to you by Siebert.Valor, a military-focused initiative from Siebert Financial. The Tactical Wealth podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Siebert Financial. This podcast does not constitute investment advice, an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy any securities. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions. For more information and disclosures, please visit siebert.com/disclosures.

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