Service Academy Business Mastermind Scott Mackes, USNA '01

 
Hey team! Before we dive in, I've got some exciting announcements:
1) Join us on August 8th NJ for an exclusive Advanced Real Estate Investing Workshop & Networking Event at the prestigious Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, NJ.  This premier event is crafted to elevate your real estate investing skills with institutional-level analysis. Whether you're a private investor, a commercial real estate operator, or work in the commercial real estate industry, this is your chance to expand your network and learn from the best. Space is limited, so don’t miss out!  Register here: https://www.10xvets.com/advanced-real-estate-workshop
2) On October 1st we're heading to Charleston, SC for an incredible retreat. We'll kick off with a business mastermind session at the Harbour Club in downtown Charleston. Later, we'll set sail on a harbor cruise and enjoy a fantastic dinner together. On October 2nd, get ready for an exciting inshore fishing tournament with a fleet of fishing boats. It's going to be an unforgettable experience and an opportunity to surround yourself with like-minded successful veterans who are pushing each other to greatness.  Register here: https://www.10xvets.com/charleston-event
To learn more and register for these events, visit 10xvets.com/events. Hope to see you there!
Today's Podcast:
“We aspire to be way more than just a check… we want to be supportive capital and we want to help our veteran entrepreneurs scale their companies.” -Joshua Weed, USAFA ‘01
Joshua Weed is a Partner and Senior Director at Veteran Ventures Capital and a member of the Fund’s investment committee. Veteran Ventures Capital is a veteran-owned growth equity and venture capital firm specializing in making private investments into veteran-owned, post-revenue companies, primarily with a defense focus and superior dual-use technology. A 2001 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Joshua is a former Air Force Financial Management Officer and currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.
Connect with Joshua:
LinkedIn www.veteranventures.us josh@veteranventures.us  Special thanks to Josh for joining me this week. Until next time!
Are you a real estate investor in need of financing for your next investment property? The Academy Fund has you covered! Whether you're working on “fix-and-flip” projects, land development, or new construction, we are your reliable financial partner. Our mission is to bridge the gaps often left by conventional banking institutions, making sure your real estate dreams become reality.
And for accredited investors looking to earn passive income while supporting military veteran real estate investors, the Academy Fund is the perfect opportunity. Our loans are powered by capital from investors like you, who receive monthly distributions as the loans are repaid.
To learn more, visit AcademyFund.com.
Thank you for listening to today’s podcast.  Enjoy the rest of your day and remember to dream big and take bold action!

“That’s the beauty of note investing. You don’t have to do it locally. It’s not like a development deal or a rental property where you have to be semi-local because there are no tenants or maintenance. It’s vacant land that is the collateral on these notes. We do deals in 30-plus states and that’s how we’re able to really scale it.” -Quinn McArthur, USMA ‘08
Quinn McArthur is the Co-Founder and Fund Manager of Legacy Land Fund, a real estate fund that focuses exclusively on the distinctive and expanding land investments sector. By securing a 1st lien position, imposing stringent requirements for robust down payments and credit scores, and maintaining a carefully balanced 50-60% loan-to-value ratio, Legacy Land Fund ensures a secure and reliable approach to land investment and allows for passive income for its investors through mortgage note investing. Quinn is a West Point graduate and former Green Beret. A devoted husband and father, he balances faith-driven values and a commitment to stewardship with his real estate investments.
In this episode, we discuss:
Quinn’s journey into real estate investing and what attracted him to the industry What Quinn and his partner are accomplishing at Legacy Land Fund The keys to success in finding and maintaining deal flow How mortgage note investing works Although Quinn did not set out to establish a fund for his mortgage note investing efforts, his success in the business led him to create Legacy Land Fund to set him up to scale. He explains that because his strategy of buying discounted notes on the secondary market is niche, there is less competition and more opportunity. Plus, purchasing notes is a secure and predictable way to invest and the market is very healthy. We learned a lot from Quinn about how he has found success in mortgage note investing and look forward to seeing how he will scale with his first fund. Thanks for chatting, Quinn!
Connect with Quinn:
LinkedIn www.legacylandfund.com 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 Quinn for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“Entrepreneurship, at its core, is all about leading. Leading customers, leading suppliers, leading bankers, leading lawyers, leading employees, and no one spends more money than the Department of Defense developing leaders. Have confidence that the raw leadership skill gets you halfway there.” -John Panaccione, Army Veteran
John Panaccione is an experienced Chief Executive Officer with a history of working in the information technology and services industry. He is a strong business development professional who is well-versed in the world of equity and debt financing, and the emerging wonderful world of equity crowdfunding and other SEC-exempt offerings used to raise capital. John’s company, Folla Capital, provides a platform for average Americans and accredited investors to invest in private small businesses of their choice, supporting the ventures and management teams they believe in. John also works with fellow veterans who are exploring entrepreneurship as a career path once they leave the military through his nonprofit, VETtoCEO.
In this episode, we discuss:
The origin story of VETtoCEO John’s advice for those looking to transition from the military into entrepreneurship The three pathways to small business ownership What led John to start Folla Capital John’s ideal client that he serves at Folla Capital John shares that sometimes it takes veterans years after transitioning out of the military to discover the pathway to entrepreneurship. There are many different ways to become an entrepreneur and one that can be a great fit for veterans is buying an existing business, as they can apply their leadership and decision-making skills to make improvements and move the needle. John is helping veterans succeed through his offerings at VETtoCEO and investment services at Folla Capital. Thank you for all you do for our military community, John!
Connect with John:
LinkedIn vettoceo.org follacapital.com Folla Capital YouTube Video: Introduction to Alternative Investments - Opportunities for All of Us 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 John for joining me this week. Until next time!

“I want Zimba to be a key part of the digitization process that we’re starting to see in Uganda and other parts of Africa, especially for financial institutions.”  -Isaac Were, USMA ‘16
Isaac Were is the CEO of Zimba Technologies, a SaaS financial technology company that builds cloud-based software to digitize and automate financial institutions as well as provide them with access to capital. Zimba’s mission is to bridge financial gaps in developing markets through innovation and technology. Originally from Uganda, Isaac is addressing the problem of access to capital for individuals and business owners in the more rural parts of his home country. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a Biomedical Concentration.
In this episode, we discuss:
What led Isaac to start Zimba The types of clients Zimba serves and the services the company provides The typical journey for a customer using our Zimba’s core banking platform Isaac’s most important short-term and long-term goals The biggest challenges Isaac is facing as he works to scale Zimba Isaac explains that in Uganda, a majority of the population lives in villages that are on the outskirts of the major cities. By working with the Savings and Credit Cooperatives to help improve their operations and infrastructure, Zimba can improve access to finance for all people, regardless of location. We enjoyed our conversation with Isaac and admire the work he is doing to cultivate economic growth and inclusion in Uganda. Great work, Isaac!
Connect with Isaac:
LinkedIn zimba.io isaac@zimba.io 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 Isaac for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“...if we can learn to lead ourselves, to manage our minds and our emotions and our actions in our private life, in our health, in our relationships and in the corporate world, then we are better positioned to use those critical thinking skills to make a difference in our businesses and in the greater world…” -Traci Fisher, USMA ‘91
Traci Fisher, a West Point graduate from the class of '91, embarked on a transformative journey after her career as a helicopter pilot in the Army. Delving into the realm of fitness and health, she developed an innovative approach known as Wellbeingness®. This methodology integrates cognitive and physical sciences to optimize executive performance, enabling leaders to attain and sustain peak wellness. Through the application of self-leadership principles, Traci empowers individuals and teams to unlock their personal and professional potential amid complex and uncertain environments. Traci boasts certifications as a Health and Wellness Coach, ICF Professional Certified Coach, Gallup Strengths Coach, and Red Team Critical Thinker. She is also the host of The Healthy Leader Podcast and holds the position of managing director at two health and wellness companies. Passionate about holistic wellness, Traci, a proud mother of three adult children, resides in Cleveland with her family and their two beloved Beabulls, Emmie & Oscar.
In this episode, we discuss:
Traci’s journey to becoming a Wellness Coach and her ideal client  The Wellness Coach process and the Wellbeingness® Model Her top strengths and how she leverages them as a Wellness Coach Challenges Traci currently faces and goals for 2024 Creating a vision statement that brings the future into the present When Traci first began her health and fitness journey, she knew what to do to help her clients’ physical wellbeing but did not know how to make the changes last.  Realizing she was missing the key components of emotional and mental health, Traci created the Wellbeingness® Model  to marry wellness and wellbeing and give her clients a foundation to self-lead in often overscheduled and unpredictable environments.   As a wellness coach, she relies on her top strength of Learner to consume large amounts of wellness data and to listen to the needs of her clients to provide the best tools for them.  Sharing her vast health and wellness expertise gained over the past 25 years in the industry, Traci reminds us that caring for our mental and emotional wellbeing as well as our physical selves is essential to attaining peak performance in our professional and personal lives and offers her best wellness tips.
Connect with Traci:
LinkedIn The Wellness Coach 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 Traci for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01

“You can sometimes convince somebody to buy a bottle of your whiskey the first time because of the story that you have, and I think we have a good story, but if the whiskey is no good, then they’re never going to buy another bottle. So the ideal combination is you’ve got a really good story and you’ve got a really great product.” -Ted Dumbauld, USNA ‘81
Ted Dumbauld is the Founder and CEO of SoNo 1420, an innovative, Double Gold award-winning distillery in South Norwalk, CT known for its ultra-premium brand whiskeys, vodkas, ready-to-drink vodka-based cocktails, innovative Threesome Ready-to-Mix Cocktails, and botanical gins. Before starting SoNo 1420, Ted was a successful investment manager of public and private securities and an aggressive and creative deal-maker. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and his Master of Science in Finance from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
In this episode, we discuss:
Ted’s inspiration for starting SoNo 1420 and what makes his product unique How the special “1420 Finished At Sea” product offering is made The key elements to building a successful spirits brand from scratch The most important relationships Ted has related to sales and marketing Ted’s most important goals for 2024 and the biggest challenges he is currently facing Ted shares the challenges that are unique to the spirits industry as it is a three-tiered system made up of producers, distributors, and sellers. Because SoNo 1420 works with many different distributors to get its product out there, there is a lot of work involved when entering into a new market. As an emerging brand, Ted works hard to come up with creative ways to market his products so customers are familiar with them once distributors get them on the shelves in retail locations. We enjoyed speaking with Ted about what it takes to build a successful whiskey brand in the competitive spirits industry. Cheers to the growth of SoNo 1420!
Connect with Ted:
LinkedIn SoNo 1420 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 Ted for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01