Service Academy Business Mastermind Scott Mackes, USNA '01

“Some people say, ‘I am cancer’ or ‘I am bipolar,’ but it’s important to note that it’s just a health problem. They have a disorder…‘I have bipolar’ or ‘I’ve had cancer.’ I think that’s an important thing to note….My hope is that I can help impact the lives of folks that are struggling with a mental health challenge.” - Charlie Eadie (USMA ‘07)
After serving in the U.S Army for ten years and overcoming significant challenges, Charlie Eadie pivoted to small business leadership and growth functions where he currently thrives. Charlie's latest ventures include serving as the Senior Vice President of Channel Growth for the Demex Group, a venture-backed post-Series A startup that provides climate insurtech solutions.  He is also the co-founder and General Partner of CMD Capital, a venture capital firm that invests where innovation commands capital. He and his partners are focused on investing in the following sectors: National Security, Infrastructure, Mental Health and Social Impact.  
In this episode, we discuss:
Charlie’s journey from juvenile hall to graduating #2 in his class at West Point What Command Capital does and the story behind Charlie’s investment thesis Why Charlie is most passionate about deploying capital to the mental health sector How challenges Charlie has overcome prepared him for the leadership role he’s in today The importance and impact of making a living while doing what you love Charlie also shares the people, organizations, and experiences in his life that have had the greatest impact on his success and reflects on how the military prepared him to excel in the startup world. We enjoyed hearing Charlie’s incredible story and listening to him talk about what he would invest in if he had unlimited capital. Charlie is an inspiration to us and we hope this episode inspires you too.
Connect with Charlie:
LinkedIn CMD Capital If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
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-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“Culture really drives a lot of where people go. When you can create a family or team environment, that seems to attract a lot of folks from our community…our ultimate goal is to be able to serve everybody under the Special Operations umbrella who wants to come through our program.” - Matthew Stevens (USNA ‘91)
Matt Stevens is CEO of The Honor Foundation (THF), a non-profit organization whose virtual and in-person professional development programs effectively translate elite military service to the private sector and are helping to create the next generation of corporate and community leaders. Prior to his role at The Honor Foundation, Matt gained significant experience as a senior Special Operations executive leading high-performing teams conducting our nation’s most sensitive missions, cultivating interagency relationships, and executing plans in dynamic environments.
In this episode, we discuss:
How The Honor Foundation helps U.S. Special Officers transition into civilian life Specific tools and strategies that support a successful transition Why networking is important to a positive career outcome What private sector roles military veterans are excelling within  Matt’s transition story and important lessons he learned along the way  Matt also shares why discovering your purpose is essential to a successful transition and why it’s crucial to leave ego at the door when embarking on a new career path. He also discusses THF’s biggest goals and challenges for the year ahead, including opening more physical campus locations, adding a third virtual program to their service offering, and eventually advising the DoD on how to overhaul and improve their Transition Assistance Program. We enjoyed hearing that military veterans are overcoming job role prerequisites based on interview performance and were moved to learn how The Honor Foundation is helping save lives. THF’s work is incredibly valuable and we’re honored to know Matt.
If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
Subscribe and help out the show:
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Matt for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“I feel like I’m at the leading edge while also taking care of my team…they have ambitions and goals and dreams and so the fact that we win together and solution together, that’s the most exciting part for me…it’s the build up and the big presentation for the deal.”
- Lance Kallman (USAFA ‘04)
Lance Kallman is the President and Co-Founder of DataPrime, a company focused on building machine learning engines for artificial intelligence solutions to solve business problems. DataPrime makes access to machine learning engines much easier and faster than traditional big-package software. DataPrime operates by using data to train and build artificial intelligence and is working toward building its own data marketplace, which allows everyone other than big tech to push in trade data and do it in a secure anonymous way. DataPrime even has an edge over technologies including Chat GPT and its solutions are already having a significant impact across all industries and sectors including everything from healthcare to travel and international freight. 
In this episode, we discuss:
How DataPrime uses machine learning to solve business problems What Lance enjoys most about his role at DataPrime  How Lance transitioned from the Air Force into the data industry What smart tokens are and how DataPrime is using them to build a data marketplace How DataPrime is helping to improve healthcare through data-driven interventions  Lance also shares some of his biggest challenges, why he loves working on cutting-edge technology development, and why he values the military veteran and Service Academy graduate network. We enjoyed learning who DataPrime’s ideal customer is and why a recruitment job set Lance up for success in the data science industry. It’s exciting to hear how DataPrime’s solutions have positive implications for the ways in which we live our lives and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Lance and his company.
Connect with Lance:
Lance on Linkedin DataPrime If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
Subscribe and help out the show:
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Lance for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“In a partnership, you need to have trust and friendship…commitment to the people and systems that go is what I get really excited about.”
- Josh Kristoff (USNA ‘07)
In 2021, Navy veteran Josh Kristoff and his wife Kassandra (also a Navy veteran) joined longtime friends and Army veterans Jered and Carly DaCosta, to form Nomad Capital Ventures LLC, a vertically integrated group of real estate businesses that started with short-term rental properties in Jacksonville, Florida. Over the last two years, the company has grown to include in-house property management, a real estate brokerage, and a construction and design company that delivers a full-service experience for real estate investors. Today, Nomad Capital Ventures LLC has over $60M in assets under management…and they’re just getting started!
In this episode, we discuss:
How Josh transitioned from Surface Warfare Officer to real estate professional What Nomad Capital Ventures does and how the company is structured How to maintain healthy relationships when your business partners are your friends The benefits of building a business around your family’s needs and values How to scale with intention and manage profit both responsibly and creatively Josh also reflects on the power of the military veteran network, shares lessons learned from running a business with fellow military veterans and talks about some exciting projects in the works and goals for this year. We enjoyed hearing the story of how Nomad Capital Ventures’ real estate brokerage came to be and what Josh loves the most about his job. We’re inspired by Nomad Capital Ventures' company values, impressed by their skyrocketing success and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them!
Connect with Josh:
LinkedIn Nomad Capital Ventures Nomad Hospitality If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
Subscribe and help out the show:
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Josh for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“The continuous development of future leaders is something we’re big on. That’s a piece where we set ourselves apart from other companies. We spend a lot of time recruiting and finding the right resources, but when we bring you on our team we don’t care if you’ve been with us for a couple of days or a few months. If you have the right solution, we’re putting you in front of the customer…instilling that into the culture has been critical.” - Ryan Waguespack (USNA '03)
Ryan Waguespack is the President and Founder of Iberia Advisory, a company he launched during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a fascinating story! Iberia Advisory is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business committed to helping federal agencies address financial management challenges. Following his military career as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy, Ryan supported the Federal government as a financial management consultant. He has led numerous project teams and assisted organizations in attaining their goals in audit readiness, budget execution, and business process reengineering by developing and implementing solutions.
In this episode, we discuss:
The origin story of Ryan’s government contracting company Iberia Advisory Why Ryan took the leap into entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 pandemic Advice on how to succeed in the government contracting industry How to optimize your team and create a healthy workplace culture Why Ryan became a CPA after serving in the military  Ryan also shares some of his biggest goals for 2023 and beyond, including maintaining a strong team and the importance of pursuing the right vehicles for government contracts. We enjoyed listening to Ryan reflect on the value of patience and maintaining a growth mindset when running a business and hearing his top tips for building a successful team from scratch. We hope this episode inspires and motivates you as you lead your business this week!
Connect with Ryan:
LinkedIn Iberia Advisory Email If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
Subscribe and help out the show:
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Ryan for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“We are an outdoor furniture company that is on a mission to help people spend more time outdoors. My co-founder and I think there is something special about spending time outdoors with the ones you love. From personal experience, those are the most special memories whether it’s dining outdoors or sitting around a fire pit or even watching college football on a Saturday. If you’re doing it in an outdoor area, it just feels different.” - Alex Duncan (USMA ‘13)
Alex Duncan is an Army Veteran and the Co-Founder of Outmore Living, a company on a mission to encourage people to spend more time outdoors through innovative and timeless furniture design that utlizes experience-enhancing technology to make spending time outside more comfortable and enjoyable. Founded and based in Austin, Texas, the company is on a mission to foster deeper connections between family and friends, enrich experiences through innovation, and highlight the direct relationship between outdoor spaces and well-being.
In this episode, we discuss:
The mission behind Alex’s company, Outmore Living  How Outmore Living’s innovative products work Why direct-to-consumer marketing is Outmore Living’s primary sales strategy How a perceived failure can become your company’s biggest win Advice on everything from establishing a successful partnership to winning a pitch competition Alex also shares what the journey from product design to market launch looks like, discusses different use case examples for Outmore Living’s product range, and describes who his ideal customers are. We enjoyed listening to him list his biggest goals for 2023 and beyond and describe all the valuable lessons he learned both in and out of business school. We love Outmore Living’s innovative ideas, can’t wait to see how consumers respond to their products, and wish them every success in the future.
Connect with Alex:
LinkedIn Outmore Living Email If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
Subscribe and help out the show:
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher Leave us a 5-star review! Special thanks to Alex for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01