We had a full house this week, with a great mix of familiar faces and first-timers, and conversation ranged from social media algorithms to NASCAR pit crews to a homeless veteran's mail delivery — which pretty much sums up what makes this group great.

Bill Clement (energy broker, Wise Energy Solutions; bill@wisenergysolutions.com), who walked us through how he helps commercial businesses cut their gas and electric bills — "we discover, then we recover, and put money back in their pocket." Andres Inciarte (Founder, Design Desk — designdesk.tech), joining us from the Atlanta area, introduced himself next. He runs an agency helping nonprofits build monthly giving programs through email funnels, websites, and ad campaigns, and he brought some good energy about the heat — turns out being from Venezuela gives you a different perspective on what counts as "hot."

David Eastman (finance mentor, Startup 425 / Seattle University), a first-timer, shared his path from CPA to nearly two decades at Microsoft in corporate and consumer product finance, and now spends his retirement mentoring entrepreneurs through Seattle's Startup 425 program and Seattle University's business mentorship track — he's not a veteran himself, but has family and friends who are and wanted to see where he could help.

Keith McNally (Dr. Keith McNally, Marine Corps veteran, founder of Trail to Transformation Foundation; drkeithmcnally@gmail.com, it3mission.org) also joined us for the first time. He's a five-time suicide-attempt survivor who's channeled that experience into a nonprofit focused on veteran suicide prevention.

Dr. Gina Di Nola (Veterans OneSource, Military Spouse University; military spouse, El Paso TX) welcomed everyone back and gave an update on Veterans OneSource — her free event calendar is worth checking out, and VOB is already listed on it. She also spent some time helping JR Bilbes (transportation logistics, San Diego, Navy veteran) troubleshoot how his homeless veteran employees can set up general delivery mail through the post office — a simple, free fix most people don't know about. JR also shared details from Stand Down, the annual event Veterans Village of San Diego runs for homeless vets, connecting them with the VA, nonprofits, and local providers all in one place.

Lisa Bowers (Office Allies, admin support for entrepreneurs — Lisa@officealliesllc.com) talked about how her team takes administrative chaos off business owners' plates, and specifically prioritizes hiring military spouses whose resumes often look scattered because of frequent moves.

Shaun Penrod (fractional CMO, Boundless Connections Marketing, Navy veteran) introduced himself as someone who helps founder-led companies build marketing strategy — especially companies gearing up to exit. JR Bilbes then gave more detail on his transportation logistics business, where he intentionally employs homeless veterans and non-veterans alike.

Dorothy Smith (DMS Bookkeeping, Memphis TN, Air Force veteran, Enrolled Agent) is helping with a couple of my own client engagements right now and is also doing books for Deb's Honor Box project. Alicia Nordman (social media management and short-form video editing, St. Augustine FL) shared some sharp, current advice on the platforms — working with the algorithm instead of against it, why Meta suppresses new business accounts, and why YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Nextdoor tend to outperform for free reach right now.

Bill Haase (Money Mindset Media) gave an update on the USS Missouri event planning — still waiting to hear back from the venue — and shared a great line worth repeating: shoot for impact, and the income follows. Brian Cate (commercial finance, veteran-owned government contract financing) talked about his work financing veteran-owned businesses on government contracts, and also shared that he's been helping a new startup incubator, Launchpad Tech Ventures, restructure their deal rooms for investors — he's looking for mentors if anyone's interested.

We spent some time comparing notes on bookkeeping software — QuickBooks/Intuit continues to take a beating in both stock price and user sentiment, with several people in the group already moved or moving to alternatives like Digits.

Mark Spenelli (Army Veteran, commercial truck driver; also developing "Nature's Edge," a veteran-centered RV park and tiny-home concept) checked in, and we talked through logistics for potentially connecting with Ram in Iowa this coming weekend.

Deb Plennert (Precision With Honor Bookkeeping) closed us out with a big update on QRF Up — their suicide-prevention and crisis-intervention work with 988, a rebrand launching September 11th, a NASCAR ARCA series event in Salem, Virginia that same day, and their Warriors to Racers program, which walks veteran clients through a stress-management pipeline that can lead to ASE certification and even a shot at a NASCAR pit crew slot. She's also heading to Cedar Falls, Iowa this weekend for QRF Up's third annual Heroes Appreciation Weekend, and the group is continuing to build out cross-pollination between QRF Up and VOB on the training and wraparound-support side.

Everyone is encouraged to complete their free VOB member profile. I can see that several people have registered but have not yet finished setting up their profiles. If anyone runs into difficulty completing their profile, adding a business listing, posting Community News, or navigating the site, please reach out — I'm happy to help.

Thanks again to everyone who joined, shared, asked, offered, and connected. This is exactly what we want the VOB Roundtable to be: veterans and supporters helping each other find the people, tools, services, and opportunities that move missions forward.

Mahalo, 

Kevin 🍍🇺🇸

Honored to be part of the Veterans of Business community. 🇺🇸

I actually recorded a video introducing myself and sharing a little more about my story, but unfortunately it's too large to upload to the VOB newsfeed.

I'll be sharing it on LinkedIn if you'd like to watch the full version.

Here's the short version:

For those I haven't met yet, my name is Gilberto De León. I'm a retired Army officer and an independent health and life insurance broker. I help individuals, families, self-employed professionals, nonprofits, and small businesses build insurance strategies that fit their needs—not just sell a policy.

If you're a veteran-owned business, a veteran supporter, or know someone looking for an independent broker, I'd truly appreciate the introduction. Referrals are one of the best ways you can support a fellow veteran-owned business.

Every client I have the privilege of serving moves me one step closer to building my future holistic regenerative ranch for veterans—a place where veterans can reconnect with the land, learn regenerative agriculture, build community, and discover new opportunities after military service.

Helping people protect what they've worked hard to build is my mission today. And with your support, I'm working toward building something that I hope will serve veterans for generations to come.

Thank you for welcoming me into this incredible community. I look forward to learning from all of you every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

If we're not connected yet, I'd love to get to know you.

#VeteransOfBusiness #VeteranOwned #VeteranEntrepreneur #Networking #HealthInsurance #LifeInsurance #SmallBusiness #MissionDriven #Leadership

Lakas Solutions is now accepting applications for partner clients for our upcoming Lakas VA Internship Program.
 

Our interns complete two weeks of self-paced training in administrative support and social media management before beginning their supervised fieldwork on August 2. During this time, your business can receive support from a VA intern at no cost while they gain valuable hands-on experience.
 

If you're interested in participating as a partner client, please complete our Google Form:
Lakas Solutions Client Partnership Inquiry Form

We look forward to partnering with you and helping both your business and our interns succeed!

Aloha everyone,

We had a full house today, plenty of good energy, and one especially great new addition to the VOB family. Between weather chat (yes, it really is a weird summer everywhere), some ranching talk, and a genuinely inspiring introduction, this was one of the better Roundtables in a while.

We welcomed: James Di Nola (linkedin.com/in/jamesdinola; 20-year Army veteran, two tours in Iraq ? wounded in action on his first ? plus a deployment to Afghanistan) joined us for the first time alongside his wife Dr. Gina Di Nola (drginadinola@gmail.com; CEO of Di Nola Consulting, PMI Authorized Training Partner, and a leader on Military Spouse University and PMology). James is Founder, President & CEO of Veterans OneSource ? a project that started as his capstone while earning his master's in social work. The idea came from a hard lesson he and his family learned firsthand: once you leave active duty, a lot of the support systems built for service members simply close their doors to you. James described being told he could no longer use the USO after retiring, despite years of volunteering there, and realized the same gap exists across dozens of other veteran-specific resources. Veterans OneSource is his answer ? a Military OneSource equivalent, but for veterans ? and Gina, with her own 40-plus years in federal government service, has been the driving operations force turning it from an idea into a fast-growing platform. In about three months they've gone from local to global, and they're now working with a programmer on a geo-searchable, AI-assisted, vetted resource database. Here?s the Veterans OneSource link for everyone ? check it out, and if you know an entity or event worth listing, they're actively taking submissions. (Event Submission Page)
 

Brian Cate (brian@getacuitist.com; private lender specializing in government contract financing, and more recently building Acuitist, a security-first AI tool for accountants and bookkeepers that integrates with QuickBooks) gave Gina and James a warm welcome and shared that Launchpad ? the startup incubator/accelerator he's been working with in the Upstate of South Carolina ? is standing up a dedicated veteran division, with cohorts currently running across South Carolina, North Carolina, and New York City. He mentioned introducing me to Jennifer, who's leading that effort ? I'll be following back up with her directly. Brian also gave us an honest update on Acuitist: the demos land well with accountants and fractional CFOs, but almost nobody is willing to pay for security-first AI tooling yet ? only 3% of accounting firms surveyed consider security critical. He's putting it on the shelf for now to see if the market catches up. On the automation front, we talked through what we're building on the VOB site to auto-reformat Community News posts out to LinkedIn, Facebook, and X with an approval gate in between ? Gina pointed us to a tool called Blotato for multi-platform posting, which I'll be checking out.
 

Gilberto "GB" De Leon (retired Army Armor/Cavalry officer, Airborne Ranger, independent insurance broker with USA Benefits Group, regenerative farmer, and founder of De Le?n Valor & Virtue Legacy; gdeleon@usabg.net; usabg.com/gdeleon) kept it short and short as always ? full-market independent broker with access to 80 carriers, protecting families and business owners while building toward a ranch that trains up future veterans in re-gen agriculture. Good to hear he and Dustin connected this week too.
 

Mark Miracle (Marine Corps veteran, Gulf War and Somalia, 1987?93; Fractional Sales Leader with Miracle Sales Advisory; mmiracle@salesxceleration.com) gave us his now well-practiced introduction ? sales consulting and execution for B2B businesses in the $5?50 million range, about eight months into building his own practice.
 

Kelvin Ching (Kaneohe, Hawaii-based financial strategist with Kelvin Ching and Associates / Mod Financial, focused on tax-free retirement and financial efficiencies for families and businesses; kchingandassociates@gmail.com) was back from a trip to Hokkaido, still shaking off the jet lag, and introduced himself to our newer faces.?
 

Lisa Bowers (founder, Office Allies ? executive-level admin/ops support, with a focus on hiring military spouses for remote roles; Lisa@officealliesllc.com) joined us mid-cooking a diabetic-friendly casserole for a friend having surgery ? multitasking at its finest. Office Allies is growing and she's hiring again, so if you know a military spouse looking for remote work, send them her way. She also connected with Gina, and I saw that meeting is already on the calendar. ?
 

Mark Spenelli (U.S. Army veteran, CDL-A driver, building toward a rural hospitality concept through Natures Edge Group; natures.edge.glampground@gmail.com) had a great weekend helping out at Owosso Speedway in Michigan ? turns out the connection Lisa made for him introduced him to the owner of Must See Racing, a multi-state sprint car series running from Florida up through Canada, and the two of them talk shop nearly every week now. Small world, good outcome.
 

Jake "The Flagman" Droge (South Dakota Army National Guard veteran and Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional with LoanDepot, working to complete a half-marathon carrying the American flag in all 50 states; jdroge@loandepot.com) had to jump off early for a work call, but not before checking in ? state 21 is done (Brighton, Michigan on the 4th), Illinois is next month, and he's off to the National VFW Conference in Reno next week. I'll follow up with him on getting some VOB material into his hands to take along.
 

Bill Clement (Navy veteran and energy broker with Wise Energy Solutions; bill@wisenergysolutions.com; wisenergysolutions.com; linkedin.com/in/billclement99) shared some genuinely eye-popping numbers from his utility-audit work with National Utility Refund ? a Michigan manufacturer saved $120,000 a year after a rate reclassification, and a New York company recovered $160,000 in tax incentives. He's looking to build relationships with CPAs and tax preparers, since utility audits pair naturally with tax-savings conversations ? makes sense to me. ?
 

David Kidd (Marine Corps veteran, IT leader, and Foundation Board President at The Lighthouse for the Blind; davidkidd@outlook.com) was with us again this week but had to drop early ? good to have him stop in regardless. He and Mark Spinelli have both connected with Ramese of QRFup planning more projects together.

A note on our site

One more housekeeping note: attendance was a bit lighter than usual today ? about 10 of us, versus the 15+ we've been getting most weeks. Kelvin flagged it during the call, and it's likely tied to a Zoom link change I had to make this week. The correct, current VOB Roundtable link is now posted on the VOB website homepage, about halfway down the page, just above the scrolling photos ? so if your calendar invite stopped working, that's the place to grab the fresh one and get it back on your calendar.

Everyone is encouraged to complete their free VOB member profile. I can see that several people have registered but have not yet finished setting up their profiles. If anyone runs into difficulty completing their profile, adding a business listing, posting Community News, or navigating the site, please reach out ? I'm happy to help.

Thanks again to everyone who joined, shared, asked, offered, and connected. This is exactly what we want the VOB Roundtable to be: veterans and supporters helping each other find the people, tools, services, and opportunities that move missions forward.

Mahalo,

Kevin 🍍🇺🇸

Hey everyone,

We kicked off this week's Roundtable comparing Fourth of July stories before diving into a room packed with new faces and some great cross-pollination between financial literacy, franchising, AI, and veteran resource navigation.

We started with a few new introductions. Virginia Cruse (combat veteran, LPC-S/NCC, and author of "The Soldier's Guide to PTSD" and "Acknowledge & Heal"; militarycounselingsa.com) is finishing a neuropsychology fellowship at the Dayton, Ohio VA and heading back to South Texas within two weeks. She's a 2025 Pat Tillman Scholar and will be speaking at the Pat Tillman Leadership Summit in Chicago this month, and she'll be the lead trauma clinician at the Uvalde Together Resiliency Center along with a postdoc at Strong Star, the PTSD Center of Excellence ? her focus has been military mental health and trauma work for the last 20 years, and the 2022 Uvalde shooting is what brought her home to do that work in her own community. Vince Lindenmeyer (retired Army Colonel; Principal, Beacon 4sight Group, a nonprofit advisory firm) clearly already knew of Virginia's Tillman Scholar status before she explained it to the group, and gave the group a quick overview of his emergency-planning work relevant to school and community safety.

Bill Haase (Founder, Money Mindset Media ? author of "Our Mindset on Money," 38+ years in finance, formerly 20 years in the Chicago trading pits) gave us an update on his financial-literacy program moving into the Indiana State Prison System, with a pilot starting in a few weeks and nine more states already reaching out. The same program is expanding into community colleges and ? his real goal ? the military, including a planned event in Oahu. That sparked a good back-and-forth on how to find a trustworthy financial advisor, with Jim Mills (Co-Owner, EnCompass Background Screening Solutions ? 21+ years Navy submariner) sharing a personal story about the cost of not knowing where to turn, and Todd Mitchell (Owner/Consultant, CyberSecurity4biz ? Navy veteran, author of "The Small Business Owner's Cybersecurity Guide") and Joseph Wexler (recently partnered with Gatherly, a virtual event/exhibitor platform he thinks could work well for VOB speaker series and virtual meetups) both weighing in on fiduciary standards and finding advisors who ask about goals before assets.

Marc Cole (Senior Franchise Consultant, The YOU Network ? not a vet himself, but his father, stepfather, and father-in-law all served) introduced himself to several people meeting him for the first time and offered to help anyone exploring franchise ownership evaluate fit and process. Dr. Di Nola (?attending in place of her husband?; Founder, Danila Consulting/Veterans One Source, a growing nationwide directory of veteran events and resources; also a PMI-authorized training partner and founder of Military Spouse University) walked us through both sides of her work ? helping transitioning families find community and helping military spouses translate their experience into project-management careers. She also flagged a San Diego Stand Down on July 17 for JR Bilbes(U.S. Navy veteran; owner, SUM DUM GUY LLC trucking ? San Diego-based) to pass along to the homeless veterans he's been working with.

Brandon Schmidt (AI engineer based in Germany supporting Palantir contracts, currently pursuing his dissertation) introduced himself as he starts building out his own AI consulting LLC to help small and mid-sized businesses that can't afford enterprise-scale AI vendors ? with a plan to train clients' own teams rather than create long-term dependency. Alexander Snyder (financial advisor, Kaplan Family Financial/New York Life; five years Army, 82nd Airborne) jumped in with some quick, practical advisor red flags before he had to head out. Steve Ferman (Founder & Chief AI Officer, 4 Pillar Coach; also CEO of eTegrity; U.S. Marine veteran) added his own perspective on spotting advisors who lead with "how much do you have" instead of "what are you trying to accomplish."

Ryan Ballou (U.S. Army intelligence/operations veteran, pivoting from drone photography toward website and small-business tech support) gave an update on that pivot. That led into a strong resource-sharing stretch: Rameses "Ram" Yebra (Founder & President, QRFup  a crisis-intervention app and support network for veterans and first responders, now with roughly 400 housing units including 220 in Florida) offered free, rent-free transitional housing for veterans ready to relocate, plus a connection to Onward Ops for SkillBridge transition support. JR Bilbes (San Diego-based, running a small trucking company and personally employing several homeless veterans out of his own pocket) asked about wage-subsidy programs to help him hire more. The two clearest paths worth him chasing: the VA's VR&E Special Employer Incentive, which can reimburse up to 50% of a veteran's wage for six months for employers like JR, and the Department of Labor's Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program, which funds nonprofits and workforce boards specifically to place homeless and at-risk veterans into jobs ? exactly the population JR's already hiring. On the housing side, the VA's Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program funds rapid rehousing and rental assistance directly for veterans experiencing homelessness. Deb Plennert (Founder, Precision With Honor Bookkeeping; Program Director, QRF Up; Gold Star widow) offered to help JR track down the right local contacts for these.

Rounding things out, Chris Hunt (Navy veteran; President/CEO, Blue Prairie Synergy Solutions ? program/project management and technical integration for government and commercial clients) has been quietly running between commitments but wanted to flag a possible connection: a woman who helps veterans find housing loans that he's followed but hasn't formally met, and offered to send her info along to Kevin and Deb. He also loved seeing how organically the group has grown and is looking forward to a deeper conversation about referring between VOB and the live-events network he's part of through the Fort Worth Chamber. (btw I reached out to Gretchen Smith, Founder of Code of Vets (COV) Inc. this afternoon. Thanks Chris.)

On the VOB side: we're building out the back-end platform with member profiles (LinkedIn-style), direct messaging, and a coaching course platform launching the third week of July. Community News is part of that same build, and where this recap lives now.

Everyone is encouraged to complete their free VOB Member Profile. I can see that several people have registered but have not yet finished setting up their profiles. If anyone runs into difficulty completing their profile, adding a business listing, posting Community News, or navigating the site, please reach out ? I'm happy to help.

Thanks again to everyone who joined, shared, asked, offered, and connected. This is exactly what we want the VOB Roundtable to be: veterans and supporters helping each other find the people, tools, services, and opportunities that move missions forward.

Mahalo,

Kevin 🍍🇺🇸

Hope you all have a fantastic 4th of July and weekend. ?Here's a song our friend Pete Tingstrom wrote for the occasion.

Our Flag Was Still There (Happy Birthday America)

https://youtu.be/9ZHcDr6Eb30?is=rp8y_wUz4cjAsD4v

Pete Tingstrom

250 years ago, a small group of people decided freedom was worth fighting for and built a nation on that bet.

This 4th of July marks America's 250th birthday. A quarter of a millennium of a country still figuring itself out, still being built by the people who show up for it.

At the Veteran-Owned Business Network, we see that spirit every day in the veterans we work with men and women who already gave everything once in uniform, and are now building something new: their own businesses, their own futures, their own way of continuing to serve.

Grit in the armor. Gold in the heart. That's not just our creed, it's the story of this country too.

Happy 250th, America. 🍍🇺🇸

And to every veteran turning their service into something new: we see you, and we're honored to walk beside you.

We expected a lighter turnout heading into the holiday week, but the energy was as good as ever ? a mix of longtime faces and a couple of great new additions. Deb Plennert (founder, Precision With Honor Bookkeeping; deb@pwhbk.com) joined us fresh off a stop at Mead's pub, camera issues and all. She gave us an update on Sam Spam's new site, stage.com, launching its veteran section ? he's hosting Michelle Cleveland's Project 24/7 for free for at least a year, and also hosting Sentinel Veteran AI Solutions, a prediction-model tool that helps flag when a vet may be degrading so support can be offered proactively. Deb still needs to introduce Sam to QRF Up, which she's planning to bring into a partnership with the project.

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Gb De Leon (independent health & life insurance broker with USA Benefits Group; gdeleon@usabg.net) opened us up, working with business owners and 1099 contractors to build custom benefit strategies instead of one-size-fits-all group plans. He's still building his pipeline but is teaming up with Alexander Snyder (financial advisor with New York Life / Kaplan Family Financial; amsnyder@ft.newyorklife.com) to help protect veteran households. Alex shared a big week ? a new partnership with a well-known Massachusetts estate planning attorney and two booked speaking gigs, including one at MGM Springfield covering end-of-life financial and legal planning for families. He also dropped a great marketing story: handing out branded water bottles at concerts and tailgates until he became "the water bottle guy" around town.

That led into Bill Haase (founder, Money Mindset Media, author of Our Mindset on Money; info@moneymindsetmedia.com), who updated us on his financial literacy program for prison systems ? four pilot programs starting in Indiana in August, with nine more states already reaching out. He's also still chasing the dream of a signature event on the USS Missouri to spotlight the program, with live and virtual lead-up events planned before that.

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We welcomed Meghan Schmidt (operationv22@gmail.com), founder of Operation Valhalla 22, a Central Texas nonprofit getting veterans mental health support through therapy, life coaching, and movement modalities like jiu jitsu and muay thai. Great mission, and I connected her with Sara Vandenburg given the overlap.

Nikki Gianni (The Small Business Architect / GovCon Architect, USAF veteran; nikki.gianni@gmail.com) shared her work helping small businesses win government contracts, plus two things close to her heart: Sierra Delta's $3,500 service-dog training grants, and a book project collecting stories from veterans and their dogs ? reach out to her if you'd like to contribute.

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Bill Clement (energy broker, Wise Energy Solutions; bill@wisenergysolutions.com) explained how he helps businesses cut gas and electric bills 15?30% through supplier audits, plus a no-upfront-fee utility refund audit where he only gets paid out of money recovered.

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Mark Spenelli (owner, Nature's Edge Group, natures.edge.glampground@gmail.com), an Army veteran, shared his vision for an RV park split between a nonprofit side ? cabins and RV spots for active military, veterans, and first responders ? and a for-profit side funding it. He's actively searching for property, mostly in Kentucky.

That tied nicely into a conversation about veterans with land: I mentioned a vet who just closed escrow on 22 acres and is looking at harvesting timber to fund cabin construction. Between Mark's search, funding contacts, and folks with property already in hand, it's clear we should get a group conversation going.

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Frank DiBartolomeo (public speaking consultant, DiBartolomeo Consulting International, retired USAF Lt Col; frank@speakleadandsucceed.com) offered his interview coaching background to any veteran prepping for job interviews ? he's also a 36-year Toastmaster if anyone wants to sharpen their own speaking skills.

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Brian Davis (CEO, Stealth Tech Services, SDVOSB managed service provider; briand@stealth-tech-services.com) walked us through IT support, cybersecurity, and smart lighting solutions, including a good rundown on why EV charging stations quietly draw power even when nothing's plugged in.

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Jim Mills (co-owner, EnCompass Background Screening Solutions, 21-year Navy submarine veteran; jmills@encompass411.com) told us about a background-screening referral for a new Minnesota animal rescue, and later raised a good question on nonprofit fundraising fee structures ? flat fee vs. percentage-based ? that sparked a useful back-and-forth with Mark Salmon, EA (Mark's Tax Service, Atlanta; mark@marksalmon.tax), Mike "Buzz" Mallon, and myself on the ethics of it.

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Lisa Bowers (founder, Office Allies; lisa@officealliesllc.com) shared how her team gives business owners breathing room by handling everything from executive assistant to fractional COO work ? and notably, they intentionally hire military spouses so they can keep working wherever the military sends them.

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Mike "Buzz" Mallon (founder, Storyteller Promotions; info@storytellerpromotions.com), a Marine Corps veteran, talked branded merchandise and events, and is also president of Tropic Thunder, a veteran-centric networking group that meets Thursday mornings.

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Kelvin Ching (Kelvin Ching and Associates / Mod Financial; kchingandassociates@gmail.com) closed us out with a great resource for nonprofits and businesses sitting on idle cash ? a high-yield deposit account earning close to 3% with $50 million in FDIC coverage, well above standard limits.

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VOB Update: I'm now posting these recaps on the Community News page instead of the email list, which had grown to almost 200 people. If you've registered but haven't finished your profile yet, please complete it ? that's how people find and connect with each other on the site.

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Everyone is encouraged to complete their free VOB member profile. I can see that several people have registered but have not yet finished setting up their profiles. If anyone runs into difficulty completing their profile, adding a business listing, posting Community News, or navigating the site, please reach out ? I'm happy to help.

?

Thanks again to everyone who joined, shared, asked, offered, and connected. This is exactly what we want the VOB Roundtable to be: veterans and supporters helping each other find the people, tools, services, and opportunities that move missions forward.

?

And with the holiday landing on America's 250th birthday this year, happy 4th of July to everyone ? enjoy the milestone.

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Mahalo,

?

?Kevin????

https://www.militaryfriendly.com/2024mfcthat ? ?- ? Companies who donate to Military and nonprofit Veteran organizations!!

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Top Ten Companies by Award Categories

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$5 Billion & Over
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• #1 USAA
• #2 Verizon
• #3 Lowe's Companies Inc.
• #4 Hilton
• #5 Windstream Holdings
• #6 COMCAST
• #7 Navient Solutions
• #8 Wells Fargo
• #9 AT&T
• #10 Bristol Myers Squibb

$1 Billion to $5 Billion

• #1 Combined Insurance
• #2 Silver Eagle Distributors Houston, LLC
• #3 Werner Enterprises Inc.
• #4 United Concordia Companies
• #5 TEK Systems
• #6 Serco Inc.
• #7 AAR Corp.
• #8 Aston Carter
• #9 CoreCivic
• #10 Flagstar Bank

$500 Million to $1 Billion

• #1 Roush
• #2 Power Home Remodeling
• #3 Newrez LLC
• #4 ASUS
• #5 Progress Residential
• #6 ECC
• #7 OTC Industrial Technologies

Less than $500 Million

• #1 The Citadel
• #2 Precise Systems
• #3 AMERICAN SYSTEMS
• #4 Zeiders Enterprises Inc.
• #5 PrimCorp,LLC
• #6 First Command Financial Services, Inc.
• #7 MyComputerCareer
• #8 TALENT Technical Services, Inc.
• #9 HireMilitary
• #10 Melton Truck Lines

Government & Non-Profilt

• #1 Sanford Health
• #2 Northwell Health
• #3 Riverside Healthcare
• #4 Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
• #5 Tennessee Valley Authority
• #6 Army and Air Force Exchange Service
• #7 UPMC
• #8 VyStar Credit Union
• #9 Trinity River Authority
• #10 UCHealth

AT EASE HQ STICKER PACKS ARE HERE!

We?ve got brand-new At Ease HQ sticker packs available for $6! They?re packed with military humor, dark humor, motivational designs, and At Ease HQ originals.

?Don?t want a sticker pack for yourself?
You can still make a difference by donating a sticker pack. For every $6 donation, I?ll personally give a sticker pack FREE to a Veteran or Active Duty Service Member as a small thank-you for their service.

Whether you?re buying one for yourself or sponsoring one for someone who has served, you?re helping support our veteran community.

Want a sticker pack? Send me a DM!

Want to donate a sticker pack to a Veteran or Service Member?
Donate here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-at-ease-hq-foundation

Thank you for supporting a veteran-led mission and helping us put a smile on the faces of those who have sacrificed for our country.

#AtEaseHQ #VeteranOwned #SupportVeterans #IGY6 #MilitaryHumor #VeteranCommunity #GiveBack

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This week?s VOB Roundtable brought together veteran entrepreneurs, veteran supporters, service providers, and business owners for a fast-moving conversation around resources, visibility, funding, operations, public speaking, government contracting, financial literacy, and community support.
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We opened with Pete ?Aloha? Tingstrom (30-year Army retiree, Special Forces/infantry/aviation veteran, and co-owner of Aloha Oahu Weddings and Events; www.alohaoahuweddings.com), who shared the National Veterans Golden Age Games, a VA recreational therapy program for veterans age 55 and older, and later shared his selection for the 2026 Celebrity Softball Classic fundraiser in Frisco, Texas.
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Frank DiBartolomeo (retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and founder of Speak Lead and Succeed; www.speakleadandsucceed.com) summed up Pete?s share as ?strength and family,? then shared that he is preparing to launch a four-week public speaking course for technical professionals that can lead into a recurring membership model.
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Kelvin Ching (Hawaii-based financial efficiency advisor with Kelvin Ching and Associates / Mod Financial) asked follow-up questions about the Golden Age Games and later shared how he helps businesses, families, individuals, and nonprofits create financial efficiencies and strengthen cash positioning.
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Clay Hicks (Founder and CEO of H7 Network; claytonrhicks@gmail.com) guided the Roundtable through wins, introductions, and asks, and invited everyone to the VOB Network powered by H7 Thursday meeting at 4:00 PM ET.
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Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow and founder of Precision With Honor Bookkeeping, deb@pwhbk.com) shared that she accepted the Program Director position with QRF Up, supporting veterans and first responders through crisis intervention, suicide prevention, housing stability, equine therapy, and motorsports-related programming.
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Bill Haase (founder of Money Mindset Media and author of Our Mindset on Money; bill@billhaase.com; https://moneymindsetmedia.com/) shared that Indiana expanded his prison-system financial literacy pilot from one program to four, with eight more states showing interest, and he is continuing to work toward a January event in Hawaii.
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Bill Clement (Navy veteran and energy broker with Wise Energy Solutions; www.wisenergysolutions.com) shared progress helping Kentucky nonprofits, including schools connected to the Diocese of Lexington, reduce energy costs so more money can stay focused on mission.
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Vince Lindenmeyer (retired U.S. Army Colonel, Ph.D., Conscious Impact Leader, and nonprofit advisor; vince@c4today.com) shared personal and professional updates, including his Conscious Impact Leader work, nonprofit advisory efforts, and a potential connection with Larry Douglas around certification-based opportunities in Florida.
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Larry Douglas (retired U.S. Navy Chief and founder of Anchor Guard and GrantFlow HQ; https://anchorguard.us/) joined his first VOB Roundtable, shared that he received certification as a disabled veteran-owned business, and invited the group to try the GrantFlow HQ Free Scan and provide feedback.
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Mike Verret (presentation and pitch coach with Verret & Associates / Pitch Perfect Presentations; linkedin.com/in/mike-verret; vapresentations@gmail.com) shared his upcoming pitch practice event and explained that his work helps people talk about their business with more confidence, clarity, and impact.
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Elizabeth Harding (Program Manager for the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans at Wright State University; elizabeth.harding@wright.edu) introduced EBV as one of eight university-based programs nationwide helping startup-stage veteran entrepreneurs build successful businesses.
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Mickey Anderson (co-founder of LoyaltyOps; mickey@loyaltyops.com) joined from Ottawa, Canada and shared that LoyaltyOps helps companies build the operations, standards, and capacity needed to turn effort into growth.
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Mario Montoya (Business Consultant with Solvo Global; mario.montoya@solvoglobal.com) introduced Solvo?s nearshore talent model, explaining that the company operates across 25 countries and helps companies scale with team members aligned to U.S. time zones and culture.
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Mike ?Buzz? Mallon Jr. (Marine Corps veteran and founder/managing partner of Storyteller Promotions; https://storytellerpromotions.com/) introduced his branding and promotional products work and invited the group to visit Tropic Thunder on Thursday mornings.
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Mark Spenelli (U.S. Army veteran, CDL-A truck driver, and founder behind the Nature?s Edge veteran-centered rural retreat concept; natures.edge.glampground@gmail.com) shared his vision for an RV/campground-style retreat community serving veterans, first responders, and emergency personnel.
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Mark Miracle (Marine Corps combat veteran, owner of Miracle Sales Advisory, and fractional sales leader with Sales Xceleration; mmiracle@salesxceleration.com) introduced his work helping companies build or fix their sales engines.
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Nikki Gianni (Air Force veteran, former federal contracting officer, and founder of The GovCon Architect; nikki.gianni@gmail.com) shared how she helps contractors think like government evaluators, clarified that there is no general three-year requirement to pursue federal contracts, and invited the group to her free Friday noon KO Confidential ? GovCon Architect
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I also shared that VOB is working on automating Community News posts so that articles posted on the VOB site can be pushed out across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and other platforms with a headline, hook, and link back to the full article.
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Everyone is encouraged to complete their free VOB member profile. I can see that several people have registered but have not yet finished setting up their profiles. If anyone runs into difficulty completing their profile, adding a business listing, posting Community News, or navigating the site, please reach out. I?m happy to help.
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Thanks again to everyone who joined, shared, asked, offered, and connected. This is exactly what we want the VOB Roundtable to be: veterans and supporters helping each other find the people, tools, services, and opportunities that move missions forward. And Thanks to Clay for taking the lead this week.
?

Mahalo,

?

Kevin

Don't forget the Thursday H7/VOB meetings!

?

Join VOB Network, powered by H7 Network,?
where U.S. Veterans build trusted business relationships, gain referrals, and grow through intentional collaboration with fellow Veterans who understand the mission.

Register Here

Hey everybody check out the Celebrity Softball Classic!
Musically Introduced by Pete Tingstrom?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_9Ir_Kl69M
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And Pete Tingstrom's Story

From out friend Michael Verret ?

?

This is it.?

The time has come.

Time for you?to decide...

Are you IN? Or are you OUT?
?

The "Pitch It To Me!" Business Pitch Spectacular is only 24 hours away!

Tomorrow, June 24th, at 11 am EST.

?

Let?s just say it?s?different than other events you've attended.

?

And it is FREE!

?

Come and see the action. It's worth the time, I promise.

?

Hope to see you there!

?

https://www.linkedin.com/events/pitchittome-businesspitchspecta7469772714795397122/

I just created a new project: AI Second Brain.

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The idea is simple: Most people do not need a massive knowledge management system on day one.

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I need a way to stop having to re-explain myself to AI tools every session.

?

AI Second Brain is a markdown-first personal knowledge system designed around five escalating retrieval levels:

Level 1 ? File routing
Use CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, and focused context files so your AI agent knows where to look first.

Level 2 ? Wiki
Create a lightweight index with backlinks so you can find what is spread across dozens of notes.

Level 3 ? Semantic search
Search by meaning, not just exact keywords.

Level 4 ? Knowledge graph
Map relationships between people, tools, projects, ideas, and decisions.

Level 5 ? Automation
Automate ingestion only when manual updating becomes the bottleneck.

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The core rule behind the system:

Climb only for the pain you actually felt this week.

That rule keeps the system practical. You do not start with a graph database, automations, and dashboards just because they sound impressive. You start with the lowest level that solves the problem.

?

I created a secure solution built under my portfolio and secured so you will not be able to see it. You can learn more about my work here:
www.malikwdixon.com

?

The project is available for review upon request.

?

Too many strong organizations have the mission, the people, and the impact, but not the grant-writing system needed to consistently secure funding.

That is where structure matters.

A successful grant process is not just about writing well. It requires:
? Clear funding priorities
? Strong program design
? Measurable outcomes
? Compelling storytelling
? Organized documentation
? A repeatable process your team can use again and again

At SSD Consulting, we help nonprofit teams move from ?chasing grants? to building a practical funding strategy that supports long-term growth.
Because your mission deserves more than last-minute applications and missed opportunities.

Start with the basics. Build the system. Secure the funding.

Visit https://ssd-consulting.com for additional information

Hi everyone,

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We had another strong VOB Roundtable this week, and I want to start by thanking Clay Hicks (Founder and CEO of H7 Network, VOB Vice Chair for Community & Network Development, and B2B networking strategist; clayton@h7network.com) for stepping up and leading the pace and format of the meeting. I was there, but Clay really helped guide the room, keep things moving, and make sure people had space to introduce themselves, share updates, and look for ways to help each other.

That set the tone for a good mix of introductions, updates, practical asks, and the kind of ?who do you know?? connection-making that keeps this community moving.
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Early in the call, Alexander ?Alex? Snyder (Army veteran and Massachusetts-based financial professional with New York Life, focused on family financial planning, insurance, retirement, and veteran/first-responder communities; amsnyder@ft.newyorklife.com) connected with Clay. Alex had already heard that Clay was a ?connection-making king,? and Clay shared a quick update on H7?s continued expansion, including Fort Mill, South Carolina.
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Frank DiBartolomeo (retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, public speaking coach, author, and founder of DiBartolomeo Consulting International / Speak Lead and Succeed; frank@speakleadandsucceed.com) joined from the Charleston area and talked about the real challenge of networking: it?s not always the money, it?s the time. Later, Frank shared a great speaking lesson from a recent Tennessee Society of CPAs workshop where his slides failed visually, forcing him to rely on his presentation skills and carry the room anyway.
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Bill Haase (founder of Money Mindset Media, author of ?Our Mindset on Money,? and financial literacy educator; info@moneymindsetmedia.com) jumped in with a laugh about being told he needs to get on TikTok, while already feeling stretched thin.

Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow and founder of Precision with Honor Bookkeeping, serving military families, veterans, first responders, and mission-driven small businesses; deb@precisionwithhonorbookkeeping.com) said she wanted to feature Bill on her book talk and also gave a shout-out to Alicia Nordman (St. Augustine-based social media manager and short-form video specialist with Alicia?s Social Media; alicia.nordman@gmail.com) for the TikTok class Alicia had done previously.
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Alicia later introduced herself more fully, sharing that she is not a veteran, but her daughter is a disabled veteran and her family has deep military and law enforcement ties. She gave practical advice for anyone trying to build social media momentum: work with the algorithm, do not just post commercials, and document the real human story behind the mission.
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Kelvin Ching (Kaneohe, Hawaii-based financial advisor with Kelvin Ching and Associates / Mod Financial, focused on tax-free retirement strategies and financial efficiencies for families and businesses; kchingandassociates@gmail.com; kelvin@modfinancial.com) shared more about the employee wellness program he is working on with Wayne Murray. He is looking for introductions to employers, preferably CFOs, with U.S.-based W-2 employees. He described the program as creating value for employers, increasing employee pay by roughly 2.7% through reimbursement programs, and including identity theft protection and recovery across three generations.
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David Kidd Jr. (Marine Corps veteran, IT leader, problem solver, and Foundation Board President at The Lighthouse for the Blind) davidkidd@outlook.com was only able to stay briefly, but he shared a big milestone: Outside Activities has its first client. That?s the kind of simple progress update we always want to catch and celebrate. Congrats David!!!?
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Gilberto ?Gb? De Leon (retired Army Armor/Cavalry officer, Airborne Ranger, independent insurance broker with USA Benefits Group, regenerative farmer, and founder of De Le?n Valor & Virtue Legacy; gdeleon@usabg.net; usabg.com/gdeleon) shared that he and Alex are partnering, with Alex focused on financial strategy and GB focused on the health side. GB also talked about working with Ramese on the ?Hero Complex,? where different veteran-support resources can be connected together, and he made the point that these partnerships came directly through the VOB Network.
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Joel Elfman (founder of BodyMind Hypnotic, hypnotist, performance coach, NLP practitioner, and active super-connector through Dynamite Networking Group; althealth2jme@gmail.com) jumped back into the room after being away for a bit and offered to help people make connections. He also shared that he is working on messaging, branding with AI, a workshop, and scripts to support his own work and others.
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We also talked through the VOB website and directory. I reminded everyone that members can create a profile on VOBNetwork.org, The larger point is that the directory, profiles, business listings, and future marketplace are all being built to make it easier for veterans and supporters to find each other, support each other, and do business together.
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Jim Mills (Navy veteran, VOB board member, and co-owner of EnCompass Background Screening Solutions, providing background checks, drug screening, tenant screening, pre-hire assessments, and skills testing; jmills@encompass411.com) introduced his company and explained that a great referral for him is anyone saying, ?We?re hiring.? EnCompass helps clients make well-informed decisions when hiring employees, renting property, bringing in volunteers, or working with people who will be around children, seniors, homes, or vehicles. Jim also shared that the business is in its 13th year and is now focused on building the processes needed for its next stage.

Joel immediately offered to connect Jim with a friend in business development at Willory, which does HR and payroll placement. Jim welcomed that introduction. Joel also mentioned he wants to get on more podcasts, and I told him we have several people in the ecosystem who host shows.
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Mark Spenelli (U.S. Army veteran, CDL-A truck driver, and founder behind Nature?s Edge Management, building a veteran-centered rural property model combining tiny-home community, respite, and RV/glampground sustainability; natures.edge.glampground@gmail.com) shared that he and his wife are heading toward Tennessee/Kentucky Lake to make contacts and look for support. Mark is working on veteran housing communities, and the current need is not just marketing or workforce help ? it is connections to people with funding, lending, commercial real estate, lines of credit, or property-acquisition capacity.
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Alicia encouraged Mark to video the journey, the properties, and the mission, because ?people helping people? is exactly the kind of story that can build momentum online. Joel also offered a possible connection through Garrett Lang and Veritas OS.
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Mike ?Buzz? Mallon Jr. (Marine Corps veteran and founder/managing partner of Storyteller Promotions, helping businesses turn their stories into branded merchandise and memorable event experiences; info@storytellerpromotions.com) was also part of the broader room and remains a strong veteran-business connection in the VOB ecosystem. Look for Mike?s Tropic Thunder group meetings on Thursdays!
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Toward the end, I talked about why the VOB resource directories matter. Too many veterans search for help and run into disconnected phone numbers, dead websites, outdated programs, or organizations that no longer respond. VOB is building a trusted, vetted resource hub so veterans and supporters can find people and organizations that actually show up.

Action Items

• Send me veteran-serving organizations worth vetting for the VOB Veteran Organizations Directory.
• Kelvin is looking for introductions to employers/CFOs with U.S.-based W-2 employees..
• Keep Mark?s veteran housing community mission in mind for funding, lending, real estate, or property-acquisition connections.
• Mark should capture video of the Tennessee/Kentucky Lake outreach journey.

Big thanks to everyone who showed up, shared what they are building, and looked for ways to help somebody else move forward. That is exactly what makes this roundtable work.

Mahalo,

Kevin Jackson
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Veteran-Owned Business Network

Hey friends,

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There is a special deal going on with Plaud.ai where if we purchase 2 or more devices, we can get a 20% discount. ?

?

Anyone want to join me?

Bill Haase shared this with me. So Good!
?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Vaa4v465Y

This past Sunday, some members of the VOB Network community attended the National Social Media Awards in Los Angeles, where veteran voices, creators, and mission-driven leaders were recognized for their impact.

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VOB members Wayne Murray, Founder & CEO of A-1 VA Ratings West, Bill Haase of Money Mindset Media, Tom Long , and Robert ?Scotty? Scott, CEO/President of Honor Box Studios, were part of the event.
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A special highlight of the evening: Scotty presented one of his custom Honor Boxes as the award for Veteran Influencer of the Year ? a powerful tribute from one veteran-led mission to another.

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We?re proud to see VOB members showing up, supporting one another, and representing the veteran business community on a national stage.

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More photos from the event can be seen in the scrolling photo section on the VOB Network home page ? look for the image scroll in the middle of the page.

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Tough on the outside. Solid at the core. Grown to lead.

Hi everyone,
?

This week?s VOB Roundtable covered a lot of ground ? veteran recognition, franchising, AI, prison reentry, crisis intervention, precious metals, and a few strong collaboration opportunities.

We started light, with Mark Salmon EA (income tax expert, Enrolled Agent, and NTPI Fellow; mark@marksalmon.tax) talking about ultra-long-range flights, which led me into a quick story about flying home from Sydney to Honolulu on Halloween and landing back in Hawaii while it was still Halloween.
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As everyone settled in, Wayne Murray (veteran founder of A-1 VA Ratings West and veteran benefits coach; wayne@employwellnow.com) recapped the National Social Media Awards event. Wayne shared that he and Bill Haase were there, along with Scotty of Honor Box Studios, Tom, and Darwin ? all veterans we know through the network. Wayne said the veteran community showed up strong, with both veterans and active-duty attendees present, and that the event had a lot of recognition, connection, and veteran support.
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Lisa Linkowsky (Founder and Certified Franchise Consultant at Milestone Franchising; lisa@milestonefranchising.com; www.milestonefranchising.com) introduced herself and shared how broad the franchise world really is. Most people think fast food first, but Lisa reminded us there are franchise models across trades, services, campgrounds, and hundreds of other categories.
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Mike Verret (pitch and presentation strategist helping business owners explain what they do clearly) shared his core message: your first 10 seconds should make someone say, ?Tell me more.? He also invited the group to his free Business Pitch Spectacular, where people pitch for one minute and he rewrites the pitch in three.
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Kelvin Ching (Hawaii-based financial advisor and Executive Managing Director at Mod Financial, focused on tax-free retirement strategies) added that he had attended Mike?s first event and found it fun and effective.
?

Bill then shared more from the National Social Media Awards event, including connecting with Wayne there and meeting people in the veteran community. He also brought up Roll Call Chicago Land, a group supporting veterans and transitioning service members, which led into a bigger discussion about VOB?s need for a vetted directory of veteran services that actually answer, respond, and do what they say they do.
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Brian Cate (working capital and government contract financing resource with SouthStar Capital / Acuitist Capital Advisory; atlantictf@gmail.com; www.southstar.com) was also with us as the group settled in.
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Aslyn Bonds (22-year military veteran and founder of JA&E Veterans Staffing, JA&E Veterans Support Center, and Hearts for Veterans) joined from her phone early in the call. Her phone displayed as Galaxy S25+, so her name did not come through cleanly in the transcript, but she was present with us.
?

Heather Di Rocco (Founder of Insurebot Solutions and AI consultant helping small businesses implement practical AI systems; heather@insurebotsolutions.ai; https://insurebotsolutions.ai) introduced herself and explained that she helps people move from ?I wish AI could do this for me? into actual implementation. That opened a useful AI discussion around accuracy, guardrails, and using prompts like ?critique and do due diligence? to make AI outputs more reliable.
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Joseph Wexler (AOD Resource Group community builder with a background in technical sales and ecosystem development) shared that he is exhibiting at an AI Epidemic conference this Thursday and invited veteran-owned businesses to reach out if they want visibility at his virtual booth.?
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Sandy Dupleich (Career Ownership Coach with The Entrepreneur?s Source, helping professionals explore business and franchise ownership; sdupleich@esourcecoach.com; https://sdupleich.esourcecoach.com/) introduced herself and explained that her work starts with determining whether business ownership is actually right for someone. She and Lisa both emphasized responsible franchising, including making sure people have the financial cushion and support needed before taking the leap.?
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Bill then gave a bigger update on his prison reentry program. Indiana originally wanted one pilot, but that has expanded to four pilots on a much faster timeline, and nine more states have already expressed interest. His program is designed to help people prepare for reentry with a life plan, financial plan, and connection to meaningful work.
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Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow and founder of Precision With Honor Bookkeeping, supporting military families, veterans, first responders, and mission-driven small businesses; deb@pwhbk.com) suggested connecting Bill with Jim Mills for background screening as the program grows. She also raised the possibility of connecting the program to TAPS, SkillBridge, GI Bill-approved certification paths, and other veteran education funding routes.
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Tom Lundell (Honolulu-based gold and silver savings consultant with SoundMoney / 7k Metals; https://sound.money/pololei20) shared why he helps people understand physical gold and silver savings. His focus is helping people diversify and start where they are, even if that means saving $1 at a time.
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Deb also shared updates around Project 24/7, Sentinel Veteran AI, SSD Consulting, and the crisis-intervention work forming around VOB. The larger goal is to connect people, tools, clinicians, training, and technology that can help troops and veterans in crisis. Her ask was simple: when we see someone carrying an unaddressed wound, help point them toward the resources being built.

That led into a broader reminder that VOB is more than a business incubator. We are a network. Whether someone needs business formation, funding, mental health support, service dog resources, equine therapy, publishing help, background screening, or something else, the goal is to recognize the need and connect them to the right people.
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Meade Kincke (veteran, executive advisor, and founder of The Recalibrator / Imperfektus, helping leaders operate with clarity and authenticity) added perspective throughout the conversation and brought some well-timed humor to the discussion.
?

Near the end, Joe introduced his guest, Micah (networking, entrepreneurship, and Bitcoin/crypto background). Micah shared a bit about his experience with Bitcoin going back to 2012 and talked about Bitcoin as on-chain value rather than simply something to convert back into dollars.

We closed with a fun idea: possibly holding a future event on the USS Missouri here on Oahu. I mentioned that the Missouri can be rented for events, and Bill immediately started thinking about sponsorship and launch possibilities.
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A few good follow-up threads came out of this week?s call: Mike?s Business Pitch Spectacular, Joe?s offer to highlight veteran-owned businesses at his virtual AI event booth, Bill?s need for strong local leaders as his prison and military-transition program expands, Deb?s crisis-intervention resource work, and our continued effort to build a trusted VOB resource directory of veteran services that actually respond and deliver.
?

Thanks again to everyone who showed up, shared resources, and kept building this network in real time.

AI Builders, Innovators, and Curious Thinkers ? Free Virtual Event

Bloomstack AI is hosting a free virtual event for anyone interested in seeing what is real, useful, and emerging in the world of AI. This event is designed for AI builders, business leaders, investors, enterprise executives, and anyone who is curious about how AI is being used today.

The free Explorer Pass gives attendees access to keynote sessions, exhibitor booths, networking opportunities, and select post-event speaker contact information and offers.

This is a great opportunity to explore the AI space without committing to a paid ticket. Attendees can browse the virtual expo floors, hear from featured speakers, connect with others, and get a better sense of where AI is heading.

Event Format: Virtual
Cost: Free Explorer Pass available
Hosted by: Gatherly Events and Bloomstack AI

Register here

Mission: Recalibration is now on Discord!

We are no longer on Zoom, so be sure to join the server and check out the voice channel :)

https://discord.gg/943JHhevvc

Chat soon!

- The Recalibrator

Explore Business Ownership Opportunities at the Portland Franchise Show

Are you considering entrepreneurship, looking for an additional income stream, or exploring alternatives to the traditional career path? The Portland Franchise Show is an opportunity to learn about a wide variety of business ownership options in a no-pressure environment.
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Attendees can meet representatives from established franchise brands across multiple industries, attend educational presentations, and gain insights into what it takes to become a business owner. Whether you're actively exploring franchising or simply curious about entrepreneurship, the event provides valuable information and resources to help you make informed decisions.
?

As a Career Ownership Coach with The Entrepreneur's Source, I will be attending the show and would be happy to connect with veterans, transitioning service members, and professionals who would like guidance in evaluating whether business ownership aligns with their personal, financial, and lifestyle goals.
?

Portland Franchise Show
? June 13?14, 2026
? Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
?

If you're interested in learning more about entrepreneurship, franchising, or career ownership opportunities, I'd be glad to answer questions before or during the event.

Feel free to reach out directly to schedule a conversation: ?https://sdupleich.youcanbook.me

June 13 & 14 | 2026 ? Portland Franchise Show

If you have always wanted to save physical gold & silver but didn't know who to trust, what to save, or feel you have the budget for it?Soundmoney is the solution you need. ?

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With Soundmoney you can start with a FREE account, save as little as $1, and have 24/7 access. You'll also get free, fully-insured private vault storage and ease of liquidity. Metals can also be shipped directly to you in whole ounce quanities.?

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As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, now is a great time to save the only real money recognized in our constitution. Gold and silver are the only money that has a store of value, protects against inflation, and is recognized as money in the entire world. There is a reason these precious metals are the only consistant thruline in all of history.

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To start your free account, go to https://sound.money/pololei20

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You can also reach Tom Lundell of Soundmoney directly at (808) 721-3041.

Want to support Project24Seven and have some fun? ?Attend/Volunteer/Sponsor the Shift for Life Car and Bike show this August!

?

Shift for Life- Car & Bike show

August 22nd

Woodstock outlet mall north of Atlanta

We need sponsors, title sponsor spot still available

We need volunteers on the day and possibly the day before to stuff swag bags

?

Contact Michelle Cleveland to volunteer:

Michelle@Project24Seven.org
770.241.4860

Project24Seven has a couple fundraisers happening this summer! ?Go get some great food for an incredible cause.

?

Galeto Brazilian steakhouse- Mesa?

June 20th

1700-2000 hrs

$10 donation for reservation

$50 sponsors a table (only a few spots left)

NFL players and other athlete superstars will be guests

?

?

Hi everyone,

?

Thanks for making time for the Roundtable yesterday?lots of good new faces, practical resources shared, and a strong example of how this community shows up for one another.

?

We started with some quick tech/shop talk, then Kelvin Ching (financial mentor in Hawai?i working tax-free retirement strategies and leveraged planning) brought in Mark Salmon (Enrolled Agent in Alpharetta, GA) who gave a clear, no-fluff explanation of what an EA is and how IRS representation works?plus answered a few questions in the flow of the conversation.

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Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow and founder of Precision with Honor Bookkeeping) helped keep the ?who?s who? straight as more people joined, and we had a nice run of introductions and ?what do you do? overlap:

?

Clayton Bretey (Founder, Bill Savings Advocate) shared how he helps businesses reduce expenses by auditing and negotiating across a wide range of recurring cost categories, and clarified how his approach differs from larger, more standardized firms.

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From there, Kevin connected the dots to Bill Clement (Navy veteran and energy broker with Wise Energy Solutions), who shared a concrete example of how audits uncover surprises?like a Michigan client where a rate classification change drove major savings (including going back three years).

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That naturally led into Wayne Murray (Founder, A-1 VA Ratings West and connected to the Employee Well Now program), who walked everyone through how the program uses IRS code-driven reimbursement plans to increase employee net pay and reduce employer payroll tax burden?while also highlighting the per-employee savings concept and added benefits. Wayne also pointed people to his website https://a1vawest.com/?(Employee Well section with a video + slides) for anyone who wants to dig in further.

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Vince Lindenmeyer (retired Army Colonel; nonprofit advisor; co-founder of the Maui Community Foundation; also active in South Florida leadership/community work) introduced himself next and shared a few threads he?s seeing in the nonprofit and small business space?including the broader ?systems? lens around sustainability and long-term positioning. A conversation around ?where do you put money / how do you protect value,? he raised the question of Bitcoin?prompting the broader ?what?s real diversification? discussion that followed.

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Deb then pulled Tom Lundell into the mix (Gold & Silver savings consultant with Sound Money / 7k Metals), and Tom expanded on diversification outside the ?money printing system,? including the idea of starting small and using insured private vaulting and liquidity options. Bill Haase (Money Mindset Media, author of ?Our Mindset on Money?) added perspective on the psychology of ?getting started,? and how people often assume these asset categories require big dollars upfront.

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The heart of the call centered on Michael Matteis (disabled Air Force veteran; founder of Sentinel Veteran AI Solutions), who shared the Sentinel Veteran AI platform concept?aimed at giving veterans a safe, supportive interface while also creating actionable, clinician-ready context during moments of elevated risk.

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That?s where the group really leaned in with practical, experience-based support:

?

? Vince?brought his experience as a longtime nonprofit advisor?(Principal at Beacon 4sight Group, where he?s helped organizations strengthen strategy, governance, compliance, and sustainability, and has supported grant funding wins totaling $2.5M+) urged Mike to keep the story less ?tech speak? and more mission/outcome: a practical safety net for veterans in the in-between moments of care. He emphasized making HIPAA/compliance a top priority, then moving into a real pilot so the concept gets vetted and validated with partner feedback. Vince also encouraged Mike to pursue strategic partnerships?especially with nonprofits and frontline provider ecosystems already serving veterans?so this becomes something organizations can confidently adopt and stand behind.

? Alex Snyder (NY Life financial professional with a deep prior background in law enforcement and crisis response) underscored how valuable Mike?s data collection could be in a real crisis scenario?especially when the responder doesn?t already know the person and needs context quickly to de-escalate safely.
? Brian Cate (Assistant VP at SouthStar Capital) asked smart ?build and deploy? questions and shared a practical hosting/security path worth exploring as Mike moves toward HIPAA-level readiness.

? Chris Hunt (Navy veteran; President/CEO of Blue Prairie Synergy Solutions?project/program management, technical integration, operational excellence) offered help where needed and asked about the right way to share VOB through the Fort Worth Chamber and bring in more people to strengthen the ecosystem.

?

We also had several strong community members in the room who didn?t take mic time (or only had very little), and I want to acknowledge you as well?your presence matters here: Mark Miracle (Marine Corps veteran and Certified Sales Leader; Fractional Sales Leader / outsourced VP of Sales with Sales Xceleration, helping SMBs?especially tech/SaaS and professional services?build a sales engine and drive sustainable revenue growth), Pete ?Aloha? Tingstrom (retired Army LTC / Special Forces; Aloha Oahu Weddings & Events in Hawai?i), Lisa Bowers (Office Allies / virtual operations support), Mark Spenelli (Army veteran building the Nature?s Edge Management vision around veteran-centered rural respite + sustainable property models), and Mike ?BUZZ? Mallon Jr (Marine veteran; Storyteller Promotions / brand experience and promotional strategy). Don?t forget to catch Mike?s group Tropic Thunder Thursdays.

Joseph Wexler (AOD Resource Group / Acres of Diamonds ecosystem) shared a quick funding-related update and encouraged the community to keep showing up strong in aligned rooms and events.

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Before wrapping, I reminded everyone that Clay?s Thursday H7/VOB meeting is available for those who want more connection and reps in the ecosystem (Thursdays at 10:00am HT / 4:00pm ET).

?

Appreciate you all?see you next Roundtable.

?

Kevin
?

Hello,

?

I hope you?re doing well.

?

I wanted to personally invite you to join a new initiative through At Ease HQ Foundation called Operation Runners.

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Operation Runners is more than a running group. It?s a community built around veterans supporting veterans through accountability, connection, mental health awareness, and peer support.

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Whether you?re an experienced runner, a walker, just starting your fitness journey, or simply looking for a community that understands what you?re going through, you?re welcome here.

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There are no membership fees, no judgment, and no expectations. This is simply a place where veterans can connect, encourage one another, and make sure nobody has to face life?s challenges alone.

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Many of us know that some of the toughest battles happen after the uniform comes off. Sometimes a conversation, a workout, or simply knowing someone is there can make all the difference.

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If you?d like to join our Strava community, use the link below:

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https://strava.app.link/keMIwQX6C3b

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Feel free to share this with any veterans, service members, or supporters who may benefit from being part of a positive and supportive community.

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Remember: No One Runs Alone.

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Veterans Supporting Veterans.

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Respectfully,

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Henry Alvarado
Founder & CEO
At Ease HQ Foundation
Operation Runners

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I would love to see you every week on Tuesdays for a conversation full of fun and stories!
Grab a coffee, whiskey, beer, or whatever fits, and join your fellow veterans, and those who support them :)

No selling. No pitches. Just a space to unwind among people who understand.

Come when you can (late is okay). Stay as long as you would like.

Support Our Heroes ? Mighty Hero Homes Fundraiser

Why We?re Here?

No veteran should ever have to endure homelessness. But right now, too many of our brave service members lack permanent, affordable housing. Mighty Hero Homes is on a mission to change that?by eradicating veteran homelessness through building safe, personal, affordable homes nationwide.

?Who We Are?

We?re proud organizers:

Metro?Atlanta Veterans? Chamber of Commerce, supporting veterans through economic development, networking, and resources across metro Atlanta

Mighty Hero Homes, a nonprofit delivering complete housing bases that include health services, training, career centers, gardens, service dog programs and more?all gated, supportive communities designed for our veterans.

This campaign is your invitation to be a hero?s hero. Whether you're hitting drives on the golf course or networking with VA business programs, your voice and gift matter.?

Sharing this on behalf of our friend Pete Tingstrom, who was selected to play in the 2026 Celebrity Softball Classic in Texas this September ? proudly representing disabled veterans.

Message from Pete:
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"I?m honored and humbled to share that I was selected for the very first time to play in the Celebrity Softball Classic in Texas this September ? proudly representing disabled veterans.

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This incredible event brings together professional athletes, Olympians, actors, musicians, veterans, and supporters from across the country for one unforgettable weekend. But this event is about much more than softball. It?s about giving back, raising awareness, supporting nonprofits, honoring veterans, and helping strengthen our communities.

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There?s also a little friendly competition involved? each participant is trying to raise the most money possible for this amazing cause ? and I would truly appreciate your support.

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Every donation, no matter the size, makes a real difference. Your generosity helps create opportunities for veterans, charities, and organizations that continue serving others long after the game ends.

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If you?re able to contribute, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And if you can?t donate right now, simply sharing this post would mean the world to me.

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The Celebrity Softball Classic takes place September 12, 2026 at Frisco RoughRiders Stadium in Texas.

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?The Most Patriotic Celebrity Softball Game in America?
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At Ease HQ Foundation is proud to announce the launch of two new wellness-focused community programs designed to support veterans, caregivers, and military families through healing, connection, and purpose.

Founded by combat veterans, our mission is to create safe spaces where veterans and their families can reconnect, build community, and support one another through shared experiences and positive activities.

We are launching:

1. A Veteran Dive Program focused on providing empowering scuba diving experiences for veterans.
2. A Caregiver & Family Dive Program designed to support military families and caregivers through wellness, community, and outdoor recreation.

As a combat veteran who personally struggled with PTSD and survived multiple suicide attempts, I understand firsthand how important community and purpose can be. Scuba diving became part of my healing journey, and now we are working to provide those same opportunities to others.

Everything we do for veterans through this program is completely free to the veteran. Every donation received goes directly toward supporting veterans, caregivers, and military families by helping cover:

• Dive equipment and safety gear
• Pool training and certifications
• Boat and travel expenses
• Veteran and caregiver sponsorships
• Program logistics and outreach efforts

Our long-term goal is to host monthly veteran dive events and quarterly caregiver/family wellness dives while building a nationwide community where veterans support veterans.

100% of donations raised through this campaign are being used to help support and expand these programs for veterans and their families.

Support the mission or donate here:
https://gofund.me/61373a054

Website:
At Ease HQ Foundation

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Hi everyone,

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Mahalo for showing up today ? the energy was strong, the stories were real, and there were a lot of ?mission + execution? threads running through the whole conversation.

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We kicked off with introductions and got to know a few new faces right away. Frank DiBartolomeo (retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel; public speaking coach for technical professionals) shared how he helps engineers, scientists, and IT pros present themselves with clarity and confidence ? a great reminder that ?how we say it? often matters as much as ?what we do.?

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Tanny Waters (Sr. Mortgage Advisor; VA specialist) shared a personal update about her son joining the Air Force and getting stationed in Alaska, plus a professional update that she?s planning a move to San Diego and will be closer to Camp Pendleton and be able to serve more military and veteran families there.

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Mike Verret (messaging and pitch coach) put language to a pain point most founders feel: 100% of what we do matters to us, but only a small slice is what truly matters to the audience ? and his work is finding that slice and turning it into clear, compelling communication.

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Alexander ?Alex? Snyder (financial professional with New York Life / Kaplan Family Financial) shared that he connected with Gb De Leon and they set a recurring meeting rhythm to explore collaboration and mutual client support ? exactly the kind of relationship building we want coming out of these rooms.

Gb De Leon (full-market health and life insurance broker) shared that he helps business owners, self-employed individuals, and families with health insurance needs, with a big emphasis right now on educating people on options they may not realize exist outside the marketplace. He also shared his longer-term ?why?: building his business to fuel a bigger mission of getting veterans back into regenerative farming and ranching ? serving clients now while building toward that five-year vision.

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Then we got one of the most meaningful moments of the day from Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow; Precision with Honor Bookkeeping), who introduced the group to the Murph Challenge and her plan to build a team for next year. She framed it as something bigger than fitness ? a way to honor service, create community, and turn Memorial Day into action and impact.

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Luke Thomas (FINSYNC; 10+ year commercial and SMB banking background) introduced what FINSYNC does for business owners and for financial pros ? Joining us from Salt Lake City as a guest of, and works with Joe Wexler

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Jon Saluk (Priority Payment Systems; merchant services) added perspective on the payments ecosystem and why business owners should be careful about getting boxed into proprietary systems that limit flexibility over time.

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Kelvin Ching (financial efficiencies; promoting Wayne?s Employ Well program) shared the basics of the program and asked for introductions ? particularly to companies with 50+ employees ? and noted that those introductions can also create a benefit stream back to VOB.

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Brian Cate (SouthStar Capital / government contract financing + finance AI tool builder) shared his background spanning engineering and commercial finance and gave the group a clear picture of the kind of business owners he can help ? especially government contractors and companies navigating capital needs.?
Brian shared that he?s been building his own AI tool that connects directly to QuickBooks and helps users review the general ledger, spot what?s wrong (and why), and get guidance on how to fix it ? plus month-end reporting and capital structure analysis with lender matchmaking. He also mentioned it?s now listed in the Intuit/QuickBooks App Store and asked for support in the form of reviews there.

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Clay Hicks (Founder/CEO, H7 Network; VOB board member) walked everyone through the ?VOB powered by H7 Network? meeting on Thursdays at 4:00pm ET and the broader H7 ecosystem,?

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Register here: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/t6y1q2snn10c

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Jim Mills (EnCompass Background Screening Solutions; Navy submariner; VOB board member) added helpful context on what membership opens up across the broader H7 network building Champions.

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We then heard from Dorothy Smith (Enrolled Agent; DMS Bookkeeping Inc.) who shared her bookkeeping, tax prep, and tax resolution focus ? including her ?love of taxes? (which we all got a laugh from) and helping people navigate IRS letters and issues.

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Jennifer Zalzal (website design, SEO, and Google support) introduced her work helping businesses improve their visibility online and mentioned resources available for nonprofits through Google Ad Word Grants.

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Next, Chris Hunt (Navy veteran; Blue Prairie Synergy Solutions) shared his background delivering complex program/project work ? including technical integration, information systems design/security, and operational efficiency ? across government and commercial environments.

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I then gave a quick update on what VOB is building on the website: the Member Directory and Community News pages, plus Member Profiles that function like a simple LinkedIn-style profile (photo, ?about,? services, links, and contact info ? shared at your discretion). He also shared the bigger vision of making the site genuinely useful as a directory and community hub as it grows.

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We also heard from Brian Davis (Army veteran; Stealth Tech Services) who shared his work in IT infrastructure and community-facing tech like IoT smart lighting and EV charging, and he noted he would forward along details for a veterans-related charity golf event.
(which I actually already posted just before this.)

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As we wrapped up, Joseph Wexler (AOD Resource Group / Acres of Diamonds ecosystem builder) shared what he?s building in the AI/education space and his focus on connecting people into bigger partnership outcomes.

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Bill Haase (Money Mindset Media; financial literacy educator) shared a few key updates ? including reconnecting with Tom Long and plans for an upcoming meeting in LA to honor a Veteran Influencer, plus momentum on a pilot program (targeting July) being built with a Hawaii-based group that combines job-fit guidance, planning/persistence, and financial literacy.

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In the flow toward the close, there was also a fun thread around Pete Tingstrom (U.S. Army LTC (Ret.); Aloha Oahu Weddings & Events / ?Aloha No Ka Oi?) and his music ? and he stayed connected via the chat even while he had to step out for part of the call. Which btw I listened to right afterwards and Wow!?

Here?s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVAX4dd_w50

What a great way to end this recap right after Memorial Day.?
Mahalo Pete.

See ya?ll next week and on the directory!?

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Reminder: VOB Roundtable is still every Tuesday at 9:00am HT (3:00pm ET). Casual weekly Zoom ? introductions, support, and updates on what VOB is building (not a pitch session).

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Respectfully,

Kevin Jackson
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Veteran-Owned Business Network

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Brian Davis brought this to our attention ? please consider supporting this Charity Golf Tournament benefiting Mighty Hero Homes and their mission to help end veteran homelessness. It?s Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at BridgeMill Athletic Club in Canton, GA, with spots limited, so register soon if you want to play or sponsor.

As we approach Memorial Day, we take a moment to remember and honor the fallen.

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I?m thinking of those that have passed on, but also the many people I?ve had the immense privilege of getting to know through VOB Network?veterans and allies whose hearts are full of service and honor. The kind of people who don?t just speak gratitude?they live it, quietly, consistently, and with conviction.

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That?s also why VOB Network exists. I?ve watched veterans and allies come together with a shared purpose: to help veteran entrepreneurs move from idea to action. We connect veterans with the resources, and support they?ve earned ? and we walk beside them every step of the way.?

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The Pineapple Creed is the heartbeat of how we show up:
Tough on the outside. Solid at the core. Grown to lead.
Grit in the armor. Gold in the heart.?

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To those we remember this weekend: thank you. We won?t forget.
And to the people still serving?through business, through community, through showing up for others?thank you for carrying the mission forward.

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#MemorialDay #Veterans #Service #VeteranOwned #VOBNetwork

Hi everyone,

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Thanks for showing up for this week?s VOB Roundtable. I love how these calls keep bouncing between ?real life? and ?real resources? ? and somehow we end up with practical next steps every time.

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We started out getting to know Frank DiBartolomeo (retired U.S. Air Force Lt Col; public speaking coach for technical professionals at Speak Lead and Succeed / DiBartolomeo Consulting International). Frank shared he?s based in the Charleston, SC area, spent decades as an engineer + Toastmaster, and now helps technical people advance their careers through better public speaking ? including 1:1 coaching, group courses, and conference talks. He also mentioned his book, ?Speak Well and Prosper,? which he pulled together from years of presentation-focused blogs.

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That opened the door for a quick author-to-author moment with Bill Haase (founder of Money Mindset Media; financial literacy educator, author, and podcast host), who noted he?s building a publishing footprint and offered encouragement around spreading your message. Alex Snyder (Army veteran; financial professional with New York Life in the Greater Boston area) was also in the mix early and gave a quick ?yes? as the conversation flowed.

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From there we shifted into a really meaningful thread Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow; founder of Precision with Honor Bookkeeping ? supporting military families, veterans, first responders, and their family-owned businesses) brought to the group: VA education benefits updates and how we can help transitioning vets not fall through the cracks. Deb shared that her 27-year-old son was approved ?yesterday? for Fry-related education benefits (something they didn?t think was possible), and that she?s been following changes closely while connecting dots between groups like Honor Box / Patriot Fund / Company Dogs Inc / Sierra Delta (all referenced in the call).

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That led perfectly into Mike Hallopy (Director of the Service Dog Division + student coordinator/instructor at Highland Canine Training / School for Dog Trainers). Mike walked us through Highland Canine?s work across police/military canines, service dogs, and pet behavior/obedience ? and then zoomed in on their 24-week Master Dog Trainer Program and the practical, hands-on nature of the training (including service-dog outings and bite-work practicals). Most importantly for this group: Mike confirmed Highland Canine is approved to accept VA education benefits for the program and outlined which chapters they?re currently working with. Lisa Bowers (Founder of Office Allies; executive-level admin support + remote bookkeeping) jumped in right there to reinforce what Chapter 35 is commonly used for, and Deb added detail on recent Chapter 35 changes for surviving spouses and children that may matter for vets and families exploring these paths.

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Mike also made it clear he?s open to quick ?what?s this all about?? phone calls with anyone considering the program, and he?s happy to be a resource for the veteran community. Deb and I also discussed syncing up with Highland Canine?s owner, Jason Ferguson to talk through partnership possibilities and how we can help get the right people into the right lanes.

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Later in the call, Meade Kincke (veteran executive advisor; founder/CEO of Imperfektus and ?The Recalibrator? speaker/coach) helped us think through podcast distribution and embedding. Meade suggested a simple solution: using a single YouTube playlist link so the site can display all episodes cleanly instead of embedding one at a time. That led into a bigger point: we?re building the member directory + community news + podcasts/resources area to create a sustainable engine that brings eyeballs (and opportunity) back to the VOB ecosystem.

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From there, we welcomed back Nakisha Jolanda Gregory (U.S. Navy veteran; PR/relationship marketing + workforce development trainer; host/executive producer of Confidence On Command LIVE; also building community-driven brands like Baldie Brigade Apparel). Nakisha introduced herself as newly in Hawai?i (moved in December), with a heart for helping veterans build confidence and navigate the overwhelm of transition ? ?buffet style,? one plate at a time.

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We also had a strong ?Hawai?i thread? running through the call with Kelvin Ching (financial advisor in Hawai?i; Executive Managing Director at Mod Financial and lead at Kelvin Ching and Associates focusing on tax-free retirement strategies), Pete Tingstrom (retired U.S. Army LTC / Green Beret; co-owner of Aloha Oahu Weddings & Events on Kaneohe Bay), and Kevin M. Desler (U.S. Army veteran; cybersecurity specialist building the Cyber Wingman brand).

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On the bookkeeping / tax side, Lisa reconnected with Dorothy Smith (Enrolled Agent; founder of DMS Bookkeeping Inc in Memphis; former Air Force financial management professional specializing in tax resolution and helping people respond to IRS letters). Dorothy is actively leaning toward taxes, Lisa is actively leaning away from taxes ? which makes this a pretty natural partnership fit.

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We then heard from Anitha L. Srinivasan (principal AI engineer; founder/leader behind UpThriveHQ ? career trajectory intelligence for veteran transitions). Anitha shared how UpThriveHQ maps skills into viable ?role clusters? and uses an AI + probability component to identify the top 20% skills that can drive 80% of the results needed for a target role. Nakisha immediately raised her hand to connect, especially with her capstone project coming up ? and I reinforced that making introductions is part of what I do.?

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Deb also gave a shout-out to Mike ?Buzz? Mallon Jr. (U.S. Marine Corps veteran; founder/managing partner at Storyteller Promotions ? branded merchandise + culture-driven recognition and event experiences), noting his veteran-heavy chapter community (?Tropic Thunder?) and the strong environment he?s built.

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That opened the door to a very practical benefits + business conversation with Gb De Leon (independent insurance broker with USA Benefits Group; also building a regenerative ranching mission alongside his insurance work). Gb shared how he thinks about helping veterans and families leverage options like ChampVA and individualized plans ? and then expanded the lens to small businesses, emphasizing that individualized insurance planning can create real cost savings and more flexibility for both employer and employee.

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Before we wrapped, we got a quick slice of ?where in the world are you? from Mark Spenelli (U.S. Army veteran; CDL-A driver and founder behind a veteran-centered rural property / tiny-home + RV campground model through Nature?s Edge Management). Mark shared he was out near Kentucky Lake / Tennessee River area at the moment.

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JR Allan Rey Bilbes (U.S. Navy veteran; entrepreneur with trucking + real estate interests, including SUM DUM GUY LLC) then offered a time-sensitive heads-up: he?d seen news about funding for veterans pursuing a CDL, and he urged schools to apply for the grant before June 17, noting it?s connected to FMCSA and may help veterans avoid using GI Bill benefits for that training (details to be confirmed).

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And finally, Chris Hunt (U.S. Navy veteran; President/CEO of Blue Prairie Synergy Solutions ? program/project management, technical integration, risk management, and operational excellence) shared how BPSS supports both government and commercial clients ? including ?save-the-day? project management, auditing, data analysis and trend reporting, and strengthening security posture (identity access, continuity, disaster recovery, etc.). Chris also asked about the best way to share VOB through the Fort Worth Chamber network (where he?s plugged in), and he offered to help bring in people who can enrich the program.

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Reminder: if you haven?t yet, go grab your free directory profile and post anything you want shared here under Community News ? events, asks, offers, wins, partnerships, all of it.

See you on the next one,

Mahalo,

Kevin Jackson
Co-Founder & Executive Director

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Big congratulations to Bill Haase ? Founder of Money Mindset Media ? on receiving the National Business Innovator Prime Award (2026)!

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Bill has been part of the VOB family for some time now, and it?s been awesome to watch him keep pushing the conversation forward around financial education, mindset, and practical tools that help people take control of their money decisions.

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The award recognizes Bill?s innovation-driven leadership and the impact of his work through Money Mindset Media, including his book, Our Mindset on Money:?
It?s Easy to Control, So Why Don?t We?
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Proud of you, Bill ? and grateful to have you in our community. Link to the full release in the comments. ???

Hey everyone,

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We started with Wayne Murray (Founder/CEO, A-1 VA Ratings West ? helps veterans improve/maximize VA disability benefits with free evaluations and coaching) and Kevin Jackson (Founder, Offsite CFO Services + Co-Founder/Executive Director, VOB Network ? fractional CFO and systems ?engineer? for small businesses) catching up and getting the room settled.

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Deb Plennert (Founder, Precision with Honor Bookkeeping ? Gold Star widow supporting military families, veterans, first responders, and family-owned businesses) brought a new person into the circle right away: Sophia (introduced as a young patriot looking for work and wanting to serve veterans/military; research context). Deb said she has Sophia?s resume, and Kevin asked Deb to send it over.

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Deb then asked the group for referrals to CPAs, tax preparers, or Enrolled Agents (veteran preferred, but anyone in our community is welcome). Kelvin Ching (Executive Managing Director, Mod Financial ? Hawaii-based financial advisor focused on tax-free retirement strategies and ?financial efficiency? for families and business owners) asked if Hawaii-based talent would work, and Deb clarified she prefers U.S.-based (not offshore), but location is flexible. Kevin also clarified that CPA licenses aren?t limited by state in the way people often assume.

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Bill Clement (U.S. Navy Chaplain vet; Wise Energy Solutions ? energy broker helping commercial businesses lower electricity and gas costs in deregulated markets) gave a quick overview of how he helps business owners reduce utility spend through rate shopping/negotiation and bill review. He also mentioned a new add-on opportunity he?s stepping into with National Utility Refund (expanding beyond just negotiating rates into helping businesses identify and recover utility billing errors/refunds), and said he?s moving that forward right away.

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Ryan Ballou (U.S. Army intelligence/operations leader ? TS/SCI background; also listed as an independent social media contractor) shared an update on his work with drones and mentioned he?s reaching out to Sara Raley in San Diego.

That staffing thread turned into a strong ?helpful resource? moment when Bill Haase (Founder, Money Mindset Media ? author/podcaster focused on financial literacy and money behavior) shared county ?workforce development? programs that can subsidize hiring by covering wages for an initial period in some cases. Kelvin chimed in that Hawaii has a workforce development option too.

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From there, Deb naturally connected the dots back to Bill Clement?s lane?how lowering a big expense like utilities can be a game-changer, especially for high energy-use businesses. Todd Mitchell (Owner/Consultant, CyberSecurity4biz ? Navy veteran helping solopreneurs/micro-businesses with practical cybersecurity compliance; author of ?The Small Business Owner?s Cybersecurity Guide?) offered to introduce Bill Clement to a venture capitalist in the ?data center in a box? space

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We also had Brian Cate (SouthStar Capital ? helps businesses fund the upfront money for materials/supplies so they can buy first and get paid later) was introduced by Deb as a resource for bridging that cash gap when timing is tight between expenses and customer payments.

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On the veteran housing thread, Mike ?Buzz? Mallon Jr. (Founder/Managing Partner, Storyteller Promotions ? USMC veteran; branding and promotional products partner for events/tradeshows and culture-driven gifting) was part of the conversation and added helpful perspective. Tyler Rue (USMC veteran; Financial Representative, Western & Southern Life ? helps individuals and business owners with protection and financial solutions) asked Buzz to connect him to Pam Brown (introduced as working on a veteran housing 501(c)(3); research context: so he could learn how she runs it. Kevin and Deb also talked about intentionally building a working group around veteran housing projects and who needs to be in the room.

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Christopher R. Hunt (U.S. Navy veteran; President/CEO, Blue Prairie Synergy Solutions ? program/project management, technical integration, risk management, operational excellence) was part of the conversation and added helpful perspective, including wanting to share VOB through the Fort Worth Chamber where he?s active and looking for people who could strengthen the program.

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Nikki Gianni (USAF (Ret.); former Federal Contracting Officer ? ?The Small Business Architect / GovCon Architect,? helping small businesses win government contracts) steered the group into a really practical thread on funding and access around dog training?specifically pointing to Sierra Delta?s programs and describing a pathway where you complete an initial cohort and then apply for grant support to help cover training costs. She said she?d repost the Sierra Delta link in chat, and she also offered to ask BJ (Sierra Delta) ?about eligibility details when Deb shared she?s trying to help her daughter get a service dog for Complex PTSD and also wants to train a therapy dog to bring to her local VA.

Brian Davis (CEO/Founder, Stealth Tech Services ? SDVOSB IT/cyber/cloud provider with infrastructure + IoT and smart-systems focus) shared what he?s been working on in solar/IoT infrastructure and grant-related momentum, and Kevin flagged that Brian could be a strong fit in the broader veteran housing ecosystem. Brian also shared an AI tool he?s been testing (Marblism) to help with outreach/content workflows, and Nikki echoed that it?s been a real time-saver.

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Then I walked everyone through the VOB site and member directory?how profiles work, how to message each other directly, and the deeper ?why? behind VOB: making it easier for veterans to reach real, vetted resources instead of dead ends and outdated listings.

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As we were wrapping, Mark Spenelli (U.S. Army veteran; founder behind Nature?s Edge Management ? building a veteran-centered model combining an ADA-minded tiny-home community with a sustainable RV/campground concept) shared his connection to Must See Racing and pointed people to the series site and schedule.

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Asks / Offers / Action Items

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• Deb Plennert: Seeking referrals to CPAs, tax preparers, or Enrolled Agents (veteran preferred; U.S.-based preferred). Also offered to forward Sophia?s resume for anyone needing a virtual assistant-type role.
• Kevin Jackson: Asked Deb to send Sophia?s resume; plans to look into workforce development hiring-subsidy programs.
• Todd Mitchell: Offered an intro for Bill Clement into the ?data center in a box? investor lane; shared the Google Calendar setting path to show declined events.
• Bill Clement: Looking for introductions to commercial business owners who want to reduce electricity/gas costs; shared deregulated-state coverage and contact info in chat.
• Tyler Rue + Buzz Mallon: Buzz to connect Tyler to Pam Brown re: veteran housing nonprofit learnings.
• Chris Hunt: Wants the best path to share VOB through the Fort Worth Chamber and is looking for people who can enrich the program.
• Brian Davis: Shared Marblism link and promo codes in chat for anyone who wants to test it.
• Mark Spenelli: Shared Must See Racing links and noted the schedule.

If you want a warm intro to someone from today, hit reply with who you?d like to meet and a one-liner on what you?re hoping to do together.

Mahalo,

Kevin Jackson
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Veteran-Owned Business Network

Aloha everyone,

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We kicked off with me (Kevin Jackson ? Founder, Offsite CFO Services; Co-Founder & Executive Director, VOB Network) looking out at pouring rain on the Big Island, while Kelvin Ching (Kaneohe, HI; financial advisor specializing in tax-free retirement strategies through Kelvin Ching and Associates / Mod Financial) checked in?and GB De Leon (independent insurance broker with USA Benefits Group + regenerative farmer/rancher in KY) was literally on a tractor trying to get cover crops down before the weather hit. GB stayed in the flow listening in while he worked.
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From there, we welcomed a few new faces and got right into what people are building.

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Nakisha Jolanda Gregory (U.S. Navy Veteran; Gift Opener LLC + ?The Crown Confidence Alchemist?? behind Baldie Brigade; workforce/leadership development + PR/relationship marketing) introduced herself and shared her mission: helping veterans translate their military skills into civilian language, walk confidently through the ?open doors? of available resources, and build real pipelines between veterans, employers, and support programs?especially with an eye on Hawai?i and Guam. She also shared she?s currently in Virginia (Hampton Roads) for trainings and plans to be back in Hawai?i on May 12. Kelvin immediately invited her to connect and dropped his calendar link.

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Mike Verret (Verret & Associates; pitch/presentation and messaging coach ? ?Stop Rambling and Start Pitching?) framed a theme that kept showing up all meeting: we all know 100% of what we do, but the audience only cares about a small slice?his work is helping people identify that slice and communicate it with confidence, clarity, and impact.

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Marc Cole (Senior Franchise Consultant, The YOU Network; helps clients evaluate 400+ franchise brands) gave a quick overview for anyone exploring franchise ownership?how the process mirrors what veterans already know (follow the process, don?t stop at ?4? when the system calls for ?5?), and how he can help people evaluate fit and options (with many brands offering veteran discounts). That naturally connected to the ?gold and silver? conversation that?s been circulating lately.

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In the chat (and in the room with us), Tom Lundell (Honolulu, HI; gold & silver savings consultant with soundMoney / 7k Metals) shared his contact info and links for anyone who wanted to follow up on the precious metals lane, that he made a presentation on last week.

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Bill Clement (U.S. Navy; Wise Energy Solutions ? energy broker) then brought a very practical cost-reduction lane: he helps commercial businesses shop alternative electricity and natural gas plans in deregulated markets. He emphasized there?s no cost to at least confirm whether you?re paying a good rate?and he posted his contact info plus the deregulated-state list into the chat so it can travel with the recap.

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Jennifer ?Jen? Oliva (Founder & CEO, Jen Oliva Media; former network news producer ? TODAY/NBC/Fox/Fox Business/Bloomberg) shared how she helps experts, authors, and people with strong stories earn media exposure (earned media?not ads), and she dropped her site/email into chat before hopping to a client call.

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Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow; founder, Precision with Honor Bookkeeping) stayed active in the flow with connector energy?helping bridge who should meet whom and keeping the conversation grounded in real-world execution.

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Nikki Gianni (former federal contracting officer; GovCon strategist ? The GovCon Architect / The Small Business Architect) shared a resource for veterans with dogs: the Sierra Delta https://www.sierradelta.com/programs program and a path to up to $3,500 for dog training (not limited to service dogs). She also floated a veterans-and-dogs book concept (Chicken Soup-style stories) and invited anyone with a great story to contribute.

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We also had several people in the chat who were part of the room even if they didn?t take mic time:

Frank Yeager (VOB President, and ADA & hazard pattern identification ? ?protect assets and people?) was active in chat, especially checking in on Ryan?s interview process.
Christopher Hunt (CEO/Founder, Blue Prairie Synergy Solutions) shared his LinkedIn/company link.

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Midway through, I shared a VOB update: the member directory and Community News are live. The big idea is simple ? instead of a random Google search that can send you down rabbit holes of dead links, disconnected numbers, and unmonitored inboxes, we?re building a vetted, veteran-aligned database of programs, services, and real humans you can actually reach. Also when you post an update in Community News, it gives us something concrete we can amplify across the network.? Kelvin also dropped a direct directory link into the chat to make it easy to find.

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Then we hit a very ?roundtable? moment: a clear ask and quick routing.

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Brian Cate (Assistant VP, SouthStar Capital; small business funding/AR financing including government contract financing) asked the room for a commercial insurance broker who can write general liability policies in Washington state. Deb pointed Brian to GB, and Brian confirmed he reached out to GB by email to start the thread.

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Jake??The Flagman? Droge (Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional; reverse mortgage specialist ? gave a quick update on being in motion and working through the compliance/transition side of his lending world, and he dropped contact info for anyone who wants to connect around senior homeowner solutions. He?s grouped up with other Vet mortgage professionals all at Loan Depot.

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Ryan Ballou (TS/SCI-cleared U.S. Army intelligence and operations leader with 10+ years in high-stakes HUMINT/S2X/S3 environments; also listed as an independent social media contractor) shared a strong update on his nonprofit job opportunity with Monterey Bay Economic Partnership: the process expanded into second-round interviews, and he had what he expected to be a final ?casual? discussion with the CEO and directors later that afternoon. He also shared that the organization spans affordable housing, technology, literacy, and internet expansion?and even advanced air mobility (UAS drone logistics / VTOL hybrids / electric aircraft)?and he dropped their link into chat. That sparked a useful side conversation on drones, FAA rules, and the difference between legitimate commercial operators and ?anyone with a drone.?

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We closed on cybersecurity (with the perfect blend of humor and seriousness).

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Todd Mitchell (Owner/Consultant, CyberSecurity4biz; Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business; author of ?The Small Business Owner?s Cybersecurity Guide?) got pulled into a follow-up from Brian about a prior intro to a government contractor dealing with CMMC challenges. The thread ended with a very real takeaway: most cybersecurity risk shows up in simple habits, and Todd?s work is designed to make it clear enough that you either tighten the basics immediately?or decide you want an expert in your corner.

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Later in the wrap-up, Mark Spenelli (U.S. Army veteran; CDL-A truck driver building the Nature?s Edge Management concept for a veteran-centered rural property/nonprofit) was on the move to his daughter?s tennis match, and when I welcomed Dorothy Smith (Enrolled Agent; founder of DMS tax prep, and IRS/tax-resolution support) back after the post?tax season stretch, Mark jumped in to say she hasn?t taken much time off?she?s been busy helping him work through a tax issue.

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If you want a warm intro to anyone from this week, just let me know who you want to meet and why?happy to bridge it.

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See you next Roundtable.

?

Mahalo,

?

Kevin Jackson
Co-Founder & Executive Director

Tomorrow we?ve got a great opportunity to plug into calm, clarity, and real-life mindset tools with ?Mondays with Morry? from MindTrainer-PRO.
?

Two chances to join live:

? ? ? ? ? ? ? 1:00 PM ET
? ? ? ? ? ? ? 4:00 PM ET

?

If you?ve been carrying stress, decision fatigue, or just feel like your focus has been scattered lately?this is a simple way to reset and get grounded with a supportive community.
?

Here?s the link Jason shared for access:
https://mindtrainer-pro.com/home?am_id=Thenomore9to5club
?

Let?s show up, support, and keep building strong minds alongside strong businesses.

Aloha

Great Summit!!!
?

The H7 CSA 26 Summit in Nashville delivered on what it promised: not ?more networking?? but real relationships, real conversations, and a room full of champions committed to building something bigger than themselves.
?

A heartfelt thank you to Clay Hicks and the entire H7 team for organizing, hosting, and setting the standard. Clay also welcomed VOB in a very real way, including making space for our veteran community inside H7 ? and we?re grateful.
?

Big appreciation to the VOB crew who represented in person and made us look first-class: Gb De Leon and Mark Spinelli. From the lodging arrangements, to the VOB logo?d shirts, to the table setup (flag tablecloth, flyer stands, and yes? the flowers were a classy touch) ? you guys stepped up and carried the mission with excellence.
?

And to everyone behind the scenes on both the H7 and VOB side: thank you. Events like this don?t happen without people who plan, support, and execute with heart.
?

Most importantly ? what echoed throughout the summit was lived, not just said:
?

The lone wolf doesn?t thrive here ? champions do.
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If you missed this one, stay close. We?ll be sharing photos, highlights, and what?s next ? and we?re already looking forward to the next summit.
?

Let?s go. FREEDOM.?

We?re Just 2 days out.

And if you?re still on the fence about attending the CSA 26 Summit in Nashville, here?s the real question:

?

What would it mean for your business if the next 60 days looked completely different than the last 60?

Because that?s what this room is designed to do.

This isn?t about more information.
It?s about what you?ll leave with.

?

If you?re serious about growing your business this year, don?t read any further. Register at: https://www.h7network.com/csa-summit

?

For those still not sure, here?s what attendees are walking away with:

A Clear Strategy to Generate More Business Through Relationships
Not more random networking. A system to build champions?people who actually open doors, send referrals, and help you grow.

A Better Way to Attract Clients (Without Chasing)
Learn how to position yourself so opportunities come to you?instead of sitting in endless calls that go nowhere.

Immediate Clarity on What?s Holding You Back
Whether it?s messaging, sales, hiring, or leadership?this room is built to help you identify and fix the gaps fast.

Practical Frameworks You Can Implement Right Away
Not theory. Real strategies from real operators that you can apply the moment you get back.

Stronger Connections That Turn Into Real Revenue
The biggest deals don?t happen on Zoom. They happen in rooms like this?through conversations you can?t replicate anywhere else.

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Here?s the truth most people miss:

The value isn?t just on stage.
It?s in the room.

The conversations.
The proximity.
The relationships that turn into opportunities.

And in 9 days? that room is happening.

Seats are limited. And once it?s over, it?s over.

?

If you?re serious about growing your business this year, don?t wait.

Register at: https://www.h7network.com/csa-summit

Secure your ticket now and join us in Nashville.

On the surface, both can look similar.

Work gets done.
People stay busy.
Progress appears steady.

But underneath, the difference is clear.

Strong systems make it easier to move forward.
Roles are defined.
Ownership is clear.
Decisions happen at the right level.

Effort compounds.

Fragile systems depend on people to hold everything together.

Gaps are filled manually.
Clarity is created on the fly.
Momentum depends on who is willing to absorb the strain.

Effort gets spent just maintaining motion.

From the outside, both systems can produce results.

But one is sustainable.

The other is expensive.

Veterans tend to recognize this difference quickly.

Not because they expect perfection.

Because they have operated in environments where friction has consequences.

They know the cost of unclear ownership.
They know what happens when responsibility is assumed instead of assigned.
They know how fast momentum disappears when structure is missing.

So the question becomes simple.

Is the system doing the work?

Or are the people compensating for it?

That distinction determines whether effort builds something lasting or just keeps something afloat.

Which BNI? Chapter Will Take the Lead? ??

BNI Central Maryland?s 1st Annual Fairways to Fortune Charity Golf Classic is more than a day on the course ? it?s a chapter challenge.

? April 20, 2026
? Whiskey Creek Golf Course | Ijamsville, MD

Chapters will compete for bragging rights and region-wide recognition based on:
? Golfers & foursomes registered
? ?Sponsorships secured
? Silent auction items donated

All while supporting Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland.

?? 4-person scramble
?? Breakfast & lunch included
?? Contests, raffles, auction & awards
?? Powerful networking across the region

? Register or get involved:
https://zurl.co/d3vhE

? Questions? Contact Michael Garrity
Michael@MichaelGarrity.com?

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