Andrew Yacovone
Wharton MBA Candidate (WG '24) | Military Veteran
Last week I had the opportunity to attend The Military Veteran's NYC MBA Conference, and this week I am much more confident in my transition out of the Army and into the private sector - and for that, I'd like to give a huge thank you to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia.
The level of care and attention to detail that went into the event showed how much Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia care about helping out the veteran community and giving back to those that are coming after them on the military-to-MBA career path. I can't recommend the event enough. We were exposed to an incredibly successful and inspiring array of veterans making their way post-military. I am looking forward to their next event and am grateful to be a part of such a stimulating and motivating network of #veterans.
Also, thank you to KKR & Co. Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s NYC Office for hosting us during the conference.
#military #militarytransition #militaryveterans #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranownedsmallbusiness #veteranownedbusiness #transitioningmilitary #transitioningservicemembers #mba #themilitaryveteran #milvet
Jul 13, 2022
Tom Gorman
Transitioning Navy Officer
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran's Networking Conference in NYC, hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. As I've thought more about the wisdom shared in a myriad of industry panels, I cannot help but think of this event as a great "PROTRAMID (or CORTRAMID) of the business world." With insightful panelists coming from a number of fields - such as investment banking, consulting, entrepreneurship, big tech, private equity, and venture capital - it provided a great overview of what opportunities are available for veterans after the military. And one of the best things about this event was that it was focused on informing veterans to enable their transition - no one was trying to sell me anything and there was no pressure to speak to recruiters, etc. Best of all, I was able to connect with a diverse group of service members who will provide the foundation of a new network.
I cannot recommend this event enough to anyone who is actively separating or even people who are a year plus out from leaving the military. I truly wish I had attended an event like this sooner. Huge thanks to everyone at The Military Veteran who made this happen. I can't wait to attend future iterations!
Oct 5, 2022
Jennifer Alvarez
Chief of Staff & Deputy Director of Fordham University Army ROTC | MBA Candidate Chief of Staff & Deputy Director of Fordham University Army ROTC | MBA Candidate
Had a fantastic first day at the The Military Veteran NYC Conference. Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia put on a fantastic team of veteran panelists ranging from start ups, consulting, higher ed, and marketing and media. Along with a great day of networking with fellow vets. Thank you for a first great day! Looking forward to a great second day! Thank you to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for hosting us.
Sep 29, 2023
Loree Draude
Executive Coach 🔹 Keynote Speaker 🔹 Founder 🔹 Leader of Leaders 🔹 Navy Combat Jet Pilot Executive Coach 🔹 Keynote Speaker 🔹 Founder 🔹 Leader of Leaders 🔹 Navy Combat Jet Pilot
It was a pleasure to speak about leadership in the civilian world at The Military Veteran's NYC conference today. I was honored to be on a panel in the company of two inspiring leaders, Zach Gillen and Marcus Johnson and our moderator, Brendan Aronson.
Veterans today are fortunate to have organizations like TMV to help facilitate connections in the business world. When I left the navy 24 years ago, I remember feeling a great deal of anxiety about how I'd find work. Most of my fellow naval aviators went to the airlines, not into the business world.
Fortunately, we veterans get stuff done and I was able to find other vets to connect with in Silicon Valley. Eventually, veteran ERGs started forming in tech companies and connections were easier to create.
I'm honored to support The Military Veteran and the work they're doing. If you're a company looking to hire smart, resilient, resourceful and mission-driven team members, I hope you'll reach out to organizations like TMV.
Sep 29, 2023
Jonathan Cardona
Phoenix Raven Global Protection | United States Air Force | Strategic Thinking, Problem-Solving Phoenix Raven Global Protection | United States Air Force | Strategic Thinking, Problem-Solving
Yesterday was one of the most important days in my life, specifically to my career goals. I have been attending The Military Veteran conference and to my fellow transitioning members and veterans I highly encourage you to attend one of these events, you will not be disappointed.
I want to thank Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for hosting us. It has opened my eyes, as a military member soon to be a veteran that we have a strong footprint in the corporate, marketing, and start up industries. The networking part of this conference nothing less than amazing. Thank You again for helping us as veterans to connect with one another.
Sep 29, 2023
Brandon Teel
Transitioning Military Officer Transitioning Military Officer
Thank you to Brendan, Tim, and The Military Veteran team for putting on such a valuable conference the past two days here in New York! I'm (probably justifiably) skeptical about veteran career/transition events, but this one and the community Brendan is fostering is incredible. Highly recommend going to any future events regardless if you're a year from transitioning or left the military several years ago!
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Sep 30, 2023
Paul W Swaney III
Private Markets Investing | Restructuring & Transformation | Former McKinsey & Amazon Private Markets Investing | Restructuring & Transformation | Former McKinsey & Amazon
Had a great time with the team at The Military Veteran
Met wonderful transitioning vets who have such bright futures ahead of them.
Highly recommend Brendan Aronson to my colleagues looking to hire leadership talent.
Sep 30, 2023
Seth Toski
Transitioning Marine Corps Officer | Available Jan 2024 | USNA Grad Transitioning Marine Corps Officer | Available Jan 2024 | USNA Grad
Thanks so much to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, and the team at The Military Veteran for putting on such a phenomenal event the last two days! This was my second time attending the NYC careers conference and it was just as impactful and energizing as the first time, if not more so as I transition in ~60 days. It was also awesome reconnecting with great people like Laurent Njiki and Delali Ofori and meeting dozens of new veterans too.
I’m very appreciative of all the speakers and panelists who devoted their time to speak with all of us as well. I can’t recommend this or any other The Military Veteran-hosted event highly enough to any transitioning or recently transitioned veterans!
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Sep 30, 2023
Richard C. Ortmann
Transitioning 12+ Year Military Officer | Available April 2024 | Active High Level Security Clearance | Proven Strategic & Operational Leader | Aviator | Human Performance Professional Transitioning 12+ Year Military Officer | Available April 2024 | Active High Level Security Clearance | Proven Strategic & Operational Leader | Aviator | Human Performance Professional
It was an inspiring business conference last week in Manhattan hosted by The Military Veteran.
I'm thankful for the excellent venues, top-notch speakers and moderators, and for the opportunity to meet some incredible veterans- all in various stages of their military to business/veteran transitions.
I highly recommend connecting with The Mil Vet and attending one of their future in-person events.
Thanks to the outstanding companies that sponsored this event: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Amazon, Mizzen+Main, BlackRock, L.E.K. Consulting, NYU Stern School of Business, C3 AI, Deloitte, and CUMMINS.
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Oct 1, 2023
Cody Stroup
University Instructor/Chief of Staff @ US Army | M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology University Instructor/Chief of Staff @ US Army | M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology
I’m incredibly grateful I attended The Military Veteran’s Career Conference in New York City last week.
Throughout the two day conference, I heard from countless successful veterans in different career fields, met dozens of transitioning veterans, networked more than I ever could have imagined, and built confidence in my transitioning journey.
The Veteran community is stronger than ever thanks to the efforts of Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia!
Special thanks to the sponsors for the event that made this all possible JPMorgan Chase & Co., Deloitte, Amazon l, L.E.K. Consulting, NYU Stern School of Business, C3 AI, BlackRock, Mizzen+Main, Cummins Inc., Chevron, and William & Mary
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Oct 2, 2023
Alexa Modero
NYU Tandon Veterans Future Lab | Backpacks For Life NYU Tandon Veterans Future Lab | Backpacks For Life
Had the honor of representing the NYU Veterans Future Labat The Military Veteran Conference last week talking all things startups with some awesome people ⭐️
Hats off to Brendan Aronson Tim Hsia and their team for getting the military connected community together in NYC!
#milvet #veterans #startups #nyutandon
Morgan Hitzig Sonny Tai Brett Chereskin Bobby Tuohy
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Oct 2, 2023
James Jobczynski
Purchasing and Supply Manager @ Tampa Family Health Centers | Procurement and Supply Chain Management Purchasing and Supply Manager @ Tampa Family Health Centers | Procurement and Supply Chain Management
I'm overflowing with gratitude for the incredible opportunity to attend The Military Veteran (TMV4) conference once again! A heartfelt shoutout to the phenomenal organizers - Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, and the entire The Military Veteran team - for curating an exceptional event that brought together outstanding veterans and active-duty personnel. Your tireless dedication to empowering the military community is nothing short of commendable!
I also had the privilege of hearing from an array of remarkable speakers, including:
Larry Smith - Chairman of Tokyo Electron, US
Kyle E. - Engineering Program Manager at Google
Bronwen Sanders - Director, Admission NYU Stern
Paul W Swaney III - Founder of Swaney Group
Latoya Roberts - Vice President, Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lead/ Veteran Talent Development at JP Morgan
Anthony C. - Program Management and Talent Development at JP Morgan
James Arnold - Finance and Commercial at Chevron
Each one shared invaluable insights that left a lasting impact.
The camaraderie and support among attendees was nothing short of remarkable. As a fellow veteran in the professional world, I wholeheartedly encourage every student veteran and active-duty member to consider attending this event - you won't regret it!
TMV offers a priceless platform for networking, gaining invaluable insights, and uplifting one another in our professional journeys. TMV, your unwavering dedication to the military community is truly commendable, and I eagerly anticipate future TMV events.
As a veteran myself, I'm passionate about extending a helping hand to my fellow brothers and sisters in the veteran and active-duty community. If you ever find yourself in Tampa, don't hesitate to reach out for a meet-up. I'm always here, ready to share my time, stories, and knowledge to support you in any way I can.
Thank you, TMV, for creating an event that significantly impacts the lives of veterans. Here's to many more TMV gatherings in the future! 🇺🇸🤝 #TMV4 #VeteransSupportingVeterans #MilitaryCommunity #Empowerment
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Oct 2, 2023
Joe Brown
Team Leader I Operations Director I Transitioning Naval Aviator Team Leader I Operations Director I Transitioning Naval Aviator
Thank you Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and The Military Veteran team for hosting TMV4 NYC last week. This was an amazing opportunity for any veteran or active-duty member in the transition journey. The team brought together a rock-star lineup of speakers and provided a great venue to network and grow professionally. For anyone in the military community, check out their upcoming events around the country... lnkd.in/e6tAdVtq
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Oct 2, 2023
Zachary Schwinder
Marine Corps T-44C Advanced Flight Instructor/Captain at United States Marine Corps Marine Corps T-44C Advanced Flight Instructor/Captain at United States Marine Corps
Last week’s military veteran networking conference, #TMV4, was a truly fantastic experience. We had terrific panels and speakers, incredible networking opportunities, and a chance to meet fellow, like-minded active duty and veterans alike.
I definitely recommend anyone in my active duty/veteran community to reach out to The Military Veteran, Brendan Aronson, and Tim Hsia.
Also, if you have any opportunities to hire vets, I would reach out to them as well. Veterans are some of the most determined, hard-working, intelligent and service-driven people you’ll meet.
A special thank you to the event sponsors: Cummins Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., BlackRock, L.E.K. Consulting, Deloitte, NYU Stern School of Business, William & Mary – Raymond A. Mason School of Business, Swaney Group, Amazon and C3 AI.
I look forward to growing the connections that were made last week and attending next year’s conference as well!
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Oct 2, 2023
Swaney Group
841 followers 841 followers
We're pleased to share that our founder, Paul W Swaney III , recently spoke at The Military Veteran (TMV4) conference, shedding light on PE operations. His presentation was well-received, reflecting his depth of knowledge and passion for the topic.
Following the conference, we hosted an after-event in NYC, offering attendees a chance to connect and discuss the day's insights. It was a wonderful evening of networking and shared learning.
A huge thank you to the TMV4 organizers Brendan Aronson , Tim Hsia , Megan Turoci (2-Row-C) for curating such a pivotal event and to everyone who joined us afterward in NYC.
Here's to more enlightening discussions and collaborations in the future! #TMV4 #VeteransInBusiness
Oct 2, 2023
Luke Heier
MBA Candidate at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School | Active Duty Military MBA Candidate at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School | Active Duty Military
I had a great experience at the The Military Veteran NYC conference last week. Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and the rest of the MilVet team brought together a number of successful veterans in business who had invaluable experience and advice to share. I highly recommend MilVet events to any transitioning veterans or even those who have been out for awhile.
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Oct 2, 2023
Anselmo Reyes
University of Central Florida Finance Student University of Central Florida Finance Student
Last week I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran’s (TMV4) Conference in NYC where I had nothing short of an incredible experience. At the this two-day event I was able to hear inspiring stories from exceptional speakers and forge meaningful connections with veterans at different stages in their career.
Huge thanks to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and The Military Veteran team for putting together this incredible event that has a positive impact on transitioning veterans.
A special shout out to the event sponsors that made this all possible: BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase & Co., NYU Stern School of Business, Deloitte, L.E.K. Consulting, C3 AI, Amazon, Mizzen+Main, Cummins Inc., and William & Mary
Grateful for the experience and excited for the future. Here’s to the continued growth and support within our veteran community! #TheMilitaryVeteran 🇺🇸
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Oct 2, 2023
John Jasionowicz IV
Founder | Wearer of Many Hats | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus Founder | Wearer of Many Hats | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus
These two pictures were taken a year apart, but it feels like a lifetime between them. The amount of growth in a short amount of time is staggering.
First, The Military Veteran has seen exponential growth as a company. The first picture is their first conference, the second one is only their fourth. Pictures also cannot fully display the amount of careers they connect veterans with, the sheer variety of events they have hosted, and the professional social network they are currently building.
For myself, I told Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia at the first conference, "I am not the entrepreneurial type." I now have my own startup, Promptis Strategy. Hearing the perspectives of countless veterans who have walked a similar path as me helped to show that I was going the right way.
They have a ton more events coming up in the future and I would highly recommend attending one in the future. Keep up to date with what they are doing via their LinkedIn or Instagram pages.
HUGE shoutout to all the originals that are somewhere in both of these pictures: Iscleidys Mendez, JP Basham, Joe Collias, K. Holden Lindblom
Oct 2, 2023
Michael Schneider
Green Beret Veteran | Rice MBA
Last week I had the fortune of attending The Military Veteran conference in NYC. The speakers and venues were top notch but what impressed me the most was the incredible group of veterans gathered at the event! I cannot recommend TMV events enough - whether you are in the midst of your transition or a working professional, The MilVet has fostered a community of support for veterans!
Brendan Aronson Tim Hsia Megan Turoci (2-Row-C) Blake Rodenberger Haeun Baek K. Holden Lindblom
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Oct 3, 2023
Jake Darsey
Director of Operations (Brigade S3) | Leadership Development | Transitioning Field Grade Officer Director of Operations (Brigade S3) | Leadership Development | Transitioning Field Grade Officer
Special thanks to The Military Veteran for hosting a world class event with an all star team. September 28 & 29 I attended one of the most professional events I have been to focused on Veterans. I truly believe Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia are building a network that prepares Veterans for a successful career in any profession.
Special thanks to the sponsors that made this event possible and provided an exceptional experience as I navigate my journey and transition from military service. JPMorgan Chase & Co., Deloitte, Amazon, L.E.K. Consulting, NYU Stern School of Business, C3 AI, BlackRock, Mizzen+Main, Chevron, William & Mary, Cummins Inc.
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Oct 3, 2023
Alex Sherrod
Father I Sales Professional I MBA Student I Veteran Father I Sales Professional I MBA Student I Veteran
This past week I had the privilege to attend The Military Veteran conference in New York. Over the course of the two-day workshop, Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia brought together an incredible group of Veteran's, transistioning Service Members, and Private Sector Leaders.
Their dedication to raising the bar for Veteran support is unmatched, and I highly recommend following their mission at The Military Veteran and Context VC.
Thank you to the team for a first-class week, and to all the corporate sponsors who came together to support the positive impact Veteran's make in the business world!
#milvet #tmv4 #bravozulu #nyc
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Oct 3, 2023
Renée LaMarche
Senior Research Analyst | Competitive Intelligence | Operations Senior Research Analyst | Competitive Intelligence | Operations
Last week I had the great privilege of attending The Military Veteran's second conference in New York, #TMV4. It felt like a personal and professional triumph to be surrounded by such a gracious group of successful former and current Service members. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for #TMV founders Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for creating such a purposeful community of veterans.
To the whole The Military Veteran team, thank you for inviting me into your network of powerhouse veterans. To our sponsors, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase & Co., C3 AI, Swaney Group, and our speakers, Larry Smith, Gerry Byrne, Rob Levin, Brett Chereskin, Morgan Hitzig, Paul W Swaney III, Bronwen Sanders, Marcus Johnson, Loree Draude, Stephanie Noyes and so many others, thank you for your continued efforts to reach back and help transitioning vets up the hill behind you.
Cheers to my new network of brothers and sisters in arms, and to the whole TMV family and attendees, if you find yourselves in New York (in better weather), please reach out!
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Oct 2, 2023
Teddy Perez
Business Resiliency Planner | M.A. Social-Organizational Psychology Candidate | USAF Veteran | Athlete Business Resiliency Planner | M.A. Social-Organizational Psychology Candidate | USAF Veteran | Athlete
Last week I attended a two-day military veterans career networking event hosted by The Military Veteran. It was a rich experience meeting several veterans who are on various points along the career transition spectrum. From preparing for their initial transition post-active duty to being the tip-of-the-spear in their respective industries. Additionally, the panelist discussions were insightful and motivating. It was great to hear from veterans who have gone through many career transitions, learning about their struggles and how they made it out on top In successful careers in business.
Here is a sample of the list of takeaways from the event:
- Find a need, fill a need. How does your background and experiences provide value for the opportunities you're seeking?
- Use your values as a filter when searching for your next step.
- Find out what you're good at, what you like doing, and what you don't like.
- Recognize the unique value you bring to the civilian workforce. Leadership, organization, team oriented, mission focused, relationship/family oriented, hungry and humble.
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia and the rest of the TMV team for putting on a great event! Looking forward to the next one.
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Oct 2, 2023
JW
Joshua Winter
I had scheduled an 30 mintue conversation with Brendan that went on for over an hour. He and I discussed the whole interview process and ran through a mock interview that was very insightful. The best part was that he gave me homework that was directed towards me personally , not a blanket "do this and you will be better ". Also, he checked in to make sure I was understanding the why of it all. Since our conversation, I had made it further in many interview processes (most are still moving forward) and I have been given several offers within my range.
Feb 20, 2023
Derek Herrera
Medical Device Entrepreneur
This is an epic crew. I'm expecting this conference to become the biggest, most well attended, and fun time for any Veteran entrepreneurs in the future. Can't wait to hang out with the crew tomorrow and I look forward to seeing you all soon!!!
Thank you Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for creating the opportunity for the Veteran network!
Feb 1, 2023
Bradford Davis
CEO / Entrepreneur / Veteran
I'm delighted to be one of the panelists at The Military Veteran's Startup Conference in San Francisco on February 2nd and 3rd. This is a great opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and share experiences as a military veteran entrepreneur.
I'll be speaking on the M&A panel alongside Bob Eisiminger and Lamine Zarrad - I look forward to the conversation.
If you're a military veteran founder, VC, operator, student, or military spouse looking to build your network, register to attend here - lnkd.in/gmJxTehs
Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, Brendan Aronson and the Context VC team
#Startup #Entrepreneur #Veteran #TheMilitaryVeteran #mvs2023
Feb 1, 2023
Mike Sherbakov
Startup advisor. Impact investor. Community builder.
I'm honored to be speaking at the Military Veteran Startup Conference this week in San Francisco.
If you're a founder or investor in the veteran startup ecosystem - I highly recommend you find a way to join us this week.
I look forward to a great panel discussion alongside Sherman Williams II, Craig Cummings, Kevin Eckert.
A big thank you to Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, Brendan Aronson and the Context VC Team for putting together one of the best events of the year.
CC: The Veteran Fund Ryan Micheletti Justin Nahama Lisa Song Sutton
#veteran #startup #venturecapital
Feb 1, 2023
K. Holden Lindblom
Ambitious Problem Solver
Waking up at 4:00am isn't fun.
But you know what is?
The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 - hosted by Context VC Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, and Brendan Aronson.
These three people are absolutely incredible. Their last event in NYC was fantastic, and I'm so glad to have the opportunity to attend this year in SF.
Put simply, if you're a veteran even remotely interested in the startup space, you need to attend this event.
This event will likely sell out in the coming days - grab a ticket soon if you're on the fence - lnkd.in/e6Vgv5Wk
Let me know if you'll be there by posting a comment below, and reach out to connect with me before the event!
#mvs23 #startups #vc #veterans
Feb 2, 2023
Daniel Newland
Consultant
Kicking off The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 today, hosted by Context VC!
Context has assembled a terrific gathering of folks from across the military veteran startup ecosystem: founders, VCs, and operators at early-stage companies. Looking forward to hearing from fantastic panel speakers like Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho Hayden Meredith Timothy Herman and others.
Thanks to Lee Carter and the team at SEI for supporting this growing community.
Learn more at lnkd.in/eWrw6xtD
#mvs23 #startups #vc #veterans
Feb 2, 2023
Daniel Newland
Consultant
Kicking off The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 today, hosted by Context VC!
Context has assembled a terrific gathering of folks from across the military veteran startup ecosystem: founders, VCs, and operators at early-stage companies. Looking forward to hearing from fantastic panel speakers like Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho Hayden Meredith Timothy Herman and others.
Thanks to Lee Carter and the team at SEI for supporting this growing community.
Learn more at lnkd.in/eWrw6xtD
#mvs23 #startups #vc #veterans
Feb 2, 2023
Charlie Eadie
Strategic Advisor | Connector | Team Builder
Thanks Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for hosting an incredible event. I'm having a ton of fun seeing friends and making new ones. It is great to meet with inspiring #veteran #founders, VCs and VSOs. This is how you build #community. Great work!
Feb 2, 2023
Keenan Beasley
Culture & Commerce
Looking forward to joining some old friends at the conference and talking all things Infinite Looks Inc. and Supply Factory Brands Special thanks to Tim Hsia and his company for organizing a great panel with Charlynda Scales 💪🏾❤️🇺🇸 , "IRON" Mike Steadman and Kenneth (Ken) Sutton
Feb 2, 2023
Ken Rowe
Associate Partner at SwingSearch
Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson thank you so much for hosting an amazing event! It was a great first day, and I can't wait to continue to meet more people and reconnect with so many fellow veterans tomorrow!
Feb 3, 2023
Brandon Childers, M.S.
Founder of Freelance Corporal™
It takes a tribe.
Gearing up for day two of The Military Veteran Startup Conference with some of my favorite people. 3 notes:
1. Despite moments of confidence, entrepreneurship is a daunting arena. It's much less intimidating when you get to approach this ecosystem as part of a team, and I feel lucky to have found mine through Bunker Labs.
2. Working alongside Stephen, Colleen, and Michael makes the process enjoyable. A big thanks to Blake Hogan for doing a hard job really well.
3. I'd like to bellow my appreciation for Tim, Carina, and Brendan of Context VC from the roof tops.
Thank you for holding the door open and sharing this opportunity for diverse founders. Thank you for giving military friendly institutions a chance to support us.
Thank you for starting conversations, and welcoming feedback. Thank you.
It takes a tribe!
#MVC
Feb 3, 2023
Dean Wegner
Founder & CEO at Authentically American
Veteran Friends, 2 quick notes. First, make plans to attend the MILVET Startup Conference in 2024. The energy, buzz, and excitement from hundreds of Veteran Entrepreneurs pursuing their passion is just an incredible environment! Second, I was invited to be a speaker and sell product at our Authentically American booth to support two amazing organizations serving our American heroes, Bunker Labs and Service to School. I was also invited to do a 5min showcase of our product. 2012 Naval Academy grad Brendan Aronson introduced me. The setup could not have been more perfect. I asked Brendan to hold the Go Army shirt as I demonstrated our 'sweat' activated print innovation where a hidden message magically appears when you work out. Fortunately, Brendan is a good sport. Beat Navy! 👊💪😂🇺🇸
Tim Hsia
Carina Cho
Ark Lu
Blake Hogan
Alexander Emmert
Context VC
#Startup #Entrepreneur #Veteran #TheMilitaryVeteran #mvs2023
Feb 3, 2023
Will Revels, CFA, CEPA, CFP®
Wealth Advisor to Entrepreneurs | Veteran
So enjoyed attending The Military Veteran Startups Conference put on by Tim Hsia and Context VC in San Francisco this week!
A few things I heard:
"Investing in [under-represented] founders: It's not philanthropy, it's not impact investing, it's just smart."
"If you asked me three years ago what makes a good salesperson, I would have told you charisma. It is not. It is about being process-oriented, organized, and having disciplined follow up."
"Not enough founders add VC's to their distribution list and send out monthly investment updates on how things are going."
"CooleyGo.com"
and my personal favorite: "Get a wealth advisor involved early on to help you get organized so your family is taken care of." 😊
#mvs #vc #veterans #founders
Dean Bundschu Lars Herman "IRON" Mike Steadman Nick Bradfield Lindsay Kough Karen Deschaine Ron Mouw Bunker Labs Derren Burrell, CDFM, AIF®David Jones
Feb 3, 2023
Joe Guzman
Founder and CEO of Space Cowboy ADR, Regional VP of the US Space Force Association, Central Region
It's gonna be a great day in San Fran w Military Veteran Startups…
#mvs
#spacecowboy
#adr
Feb 2, 2023
Luke Schneider
Fire Department Coffee, CEO
The Military Veteran Startup Conference has been an incredible experience.
Tim Hsia and the Context VC Team are doing incredible things in the veteran community.
If you are a veteran entrepreneur, investor, or organization that wants to support veteran businesses' grow, I strongly suggest you attend their next event.
Thank you for inviting me to sit on the consumer panel moderated by Carina Cho.
I look forward to the next event!
Feb 3, 2023
Taylor Justice
Co-Founder & President at Unite Us
I'm excited to be one of the panelists at The Military Veteran's Startup Conference in San Francisco on February 2nd and 3rd! This is an amazing opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and share my experiences as a military veteran entrepreneur.
I'll be speaking on Military Veteran Led Unicorn Companies panel alongside Alex McKindra, A.J. Altman, Mark Frank and Socrates Rosenfeld - I look forward to the conversation.
Jan 26, 2023
I really appreciated the opportunity to speak at the The Military Veteran Startup Conference about building a dual-use company.
Thank you to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for the gracious invite and for putting on a hell of a conference.
It's humbling to be in the presence of so many highly accomplished veteran entrepreneurs - it helps to keep me grounded and reminds me that there's much work to do for us to reach their level.
Also shoutout to my fellow Marines:
"IRON" Mike Steadman - really good to see you man and inspired by the impact you're making in the inner cities. Can't believe it's been 13 years!
Ian Cameron - Excited to follow what you're building in PropTech!
Maks Khurgin - Absolutely crushing it - I'd do what you're doing if I were smart enough
Daniel Gwak - Great catching up - with luck maybe I'll be sliding in your DMs about our Series B towards the end of the year!
Semper Gents, looking forward to seeing you at the next event!
Edit: Shoutout to Carina Cho as well for putting together such an awesome event!
Feb 4, 2023
Michael C. Malone
Using technology to tackle cognitive impairments and daily living. Army Veteran
Day one of the MILVET conference was epic. I am looking forward to day two. What made day one so great?
It was a combination of the information sessions and the meeting other founders and talking to Venture Capital partners to that back veterans.
I also spent the day with several bunker labs people (Brandon Childers, M.S., Colleen Marchi,Mikey Piro,Stephen C. ). I also got the chance to chat with the founder of Bunker Labs Blake Hogan.
If you could not make it this year then I recommend doing it next year.
Feb 3, 2023
Jimmy Byrn
Yale J.D./M.B.A. Candidate | Legislative Affairs | Investment Operations | Startups | Veteran
Had an amazing time at this year's MilVet Startup Conference at the Marine Memorial Club in San Francisco.
Thanks to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, and the rest of the MVS and Context VC teams for a terrific event. I learned a ton from the top notch speakers and got to meet up with old friends as well as amazing veteran founders and VCs throughout both days.
Looking forward to more MilVet events. I highly recommend these to anyone interested in expanding your knowledge and network within the veteran business community.
#startup #founders #veteran #venturecapital
Feb 4, 2023
Jacqueline Blackburn
Principal at Decisive Point
Attended Milvets Startup Conference in SF this week. If you haven't been, check out this year's lineup here, lnkd.in/eYK4W6eM, but also pencil in for 2024!
It takes a ton of work to put these events together and it couldn't have happened without Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson. Beyond grateful to participate as a panelist this year sitting next to the legends, Paul Madera Beau Laskey Daniel Gwak.
Building community is magical. Loved seeing it in action this week.
Feb 4, 2023
Andrew Napier, MD, FAAEM
Physician | Inventor | Tillman Scholar
Just experienced the incredible MilVet Startup Conference with IntuBlade co-founder Dave Warden III in San Francisco and I'm feeling inspired! The panels were top-notch, showcasing the grit and passion of veteran entrepreneurs.
A big standout was fellow Tillman Scholar Socrates Rosenfeld on the Veteran Led Unicorn Companies panel who perfectly captures the spirit of the veteran entrepreneurial community with this quote: "Passion drives us to tackle the hardest challenges."
Another highlight was hearing Bruce Cleveland discuss his book "Traversing the Traction Gap". His information was incredibly valuable, providing insights on bridging the gap between startup ideas and scaling successful businesses.
Hats off to Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, Carina Cho, and others for putting together a dynamic event that brought together a network of like-minded veterans and supporters. Thank you also to Fire Department Coffee for providing excellent coffee at the conference to keep us going. Can't wait for the next event!
#MilVetConf #veteran #VeteranEntrepreneur #entrepreneurs #startup
Feb 4, 2023
Jacqueline Blackburn
Principal at Decisive Point
Huge shout out to Juan Gutierrez Vince Unanyan Matthew Paul team for putting together such an incredible dinner around the Milvets Conference in SF this week. Ashley Hawkes Matthew Jeppson, thank you for being such an amazing advocate for military vets + families at JPM. JPM does an incredible job of supporting founders, investors, and the VC ecosystem. Proud to have worked with the JPM fam.
Feb 4, 2023
It was an honor yesterday to share the #stage with these amazing #veteranentrepreneurs in San Francisco. The two day event was excellent and provided fantastic #connections, #learnings, and #opportunities from partnering to investing and more. Thank you Context Ventures for putting this event on and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for your sponsorship. When in doubt #hire or #invest in a Vet!!
Feb 4, 2023
Kaush K.
Builder
A couple days ago I attended my first Military Startup Conference put on by Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson and the team at Context VC in San Francisco. Loved the energy and the presence of a diverse set of founders and VCs on various panels.
Everyone there truly wanted to help and support all the founders. The advice I got and the connections I made will be super useful as I continue my journey as a founder.
If you're a founder or want to stay connected in the startup ecosystem, follow Context VC and don't miss their next event!
Feb 5, 2023
Matt Cox
Partnering with pilots and operators to make flight safer and more efficient at Beacon AI
Excellent event by Tim, Carina, and Brendan of Context Ventures!
Some of the amazing attendees in photos below! Also, fun discussing dual-use startups with Tyler, Sonny, and Grant. Plus catching up with Stanford Ignite classmates "IRON" Mike and Jay, and defense tech friends including Matthew, Ian, and Chris.
Feb 4, 2023
Ben Faw
Creating Value In Tech / E-Commerce / Retail / Media
Read on about a great conference. Thanks to: Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, Carina Cho, Context VC, and the many sponsors and others who had a hand in the 2023 Military Veteran Startup Conference in SF this past week. While some will attend fewer conferences this year the value from the right conferences likely increases in my view. If you have key ties to Tech / Start-ups / Military / Veterans / Defense then I recommend you plan on attending this one next year. #startup #veterans #veteran #tech #military
Feb 5, 2023
Two weeks ago, Dean Bundschu told me he was going to the MilVet conference and that he should go. I also found out that Marlene Andersch from rockITdata was going. Now I had to go. Not only was this the first conference of the year, but one of the best conferences I've been to in a very long time.
There is too much praise for a single social media approach so TLDR: If you are a VET or a VC specializing in vets sign up at the link below.
For those wanting to hear more;
The conference was 2 action-packed days in SF and had speakers ranging from new startups to a few Unicorns and VCs with Billions in AUM (Assets Under Management A term I just learned.)
I learned a few other key things.
- Dual Use is a big deal. Companies that provide products for both Fed and Commercial
- This economy sucks for most people
- Hyperfocus is cool
- The book Crossing the Chasm is worth another look for B2B SaaS companies.
- Sell your product before you try to fundraise.
And one of the best pieces of advice came from Charlynda Scales 💪🏾❤️🇺🇸 "Don't look for Like-Minded People, Look for Like Hearted People".
I'd like to thank Tim Hsia, @amber-rae-sims, Brendan Aronson and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for a great event. See you next year.
#startups #people #conferences #vets
lnkd.in/gtJi3ZWu
Feb 5, 2023
What an incredible opportunity to share Sofia Health on a health tech panel with the veteran entrepreneur community alongside Katherine (O'Donnell) Lynch Lenore Karafa and Tracy Baldwin.
Thank you Context VC Brendan Aronson Tim Hsia Carina Cho Ark Lu Brett Chereskin for an incredible event.
#veterans #veteranshelpingveterans #womenentrepreneurs #womeninbusiness #womenhelpingwomen #airforceveteran #airforce #veteran #milspouse #mitsloan #navyveteran #armyveteran #marines #entrepeneurs #femalefounders #health #wellness #healthtechstartup #tech #entrepreneur
Sofia Health Ness RokketMed
Feb 6, 2023
Scott Harrington
I help Founders move beyond building a product to building a company | Former US Army, McKinsey, & Bridgewater
Surging into the week ahead fueled by the afterglow of The Military Veteran Startup Conference. Two days with an incredibly diverse, driven set of leaders focused on making the world around them better. Prior service was the common background -- future impact was the common focus -- helping each other was the common commitment.
A sample of the range in the room -- former Army Ranger building cutting-edge AI+security ✅ - former Air Force pilot and mom building in HealthTech ✅ - former Navy Officer building a woman-led venture fund ✅ - former Enlisted Marine building in FinTech ✅
Much thanks to Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho and Context Ventures for hosting and the sponsors like JP Morgan for supporting this event. Sign up for next year if you are a Veteran building a business, investor looking for emergent founders, or just interested in building the future. lnkd.in/gDzqJyCN
#mvs23 #startup #veteran #mvs24
Feb 6, 2023
Isaac Riddle
Entrepreneur | Marine | Teammate
It's hard to express just how valuable The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 - hosted by Context VC, Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, and Brendan Aronson was for me.
The panels were filled luminaries and the air of excitement and comradery was electric.
A couple standout lessons for me:
1) The best sales people are process oriented
2) Follow-up is critical
3) Don't optimize for vanity metrics
4) Sales is everything and everything is sales
5) Distraction sinks even good teams, don't get distracted
And there were many more. If you're a veteran in the startup world (or as Tim said multiple times) a civilian ally, I cannot recommend this event enough.
Thank you all for your hard work, this is now 100% on my can't miss events list!
Feb 6, 2023
Hayden Meredith
Banker I Veteran I Start Up Advocate
I had a tremendous time at the MilVet StartUp Conference in SF last week. Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and the whole team at Context VC put on a tremendous event.
My main takeaways, in no particular, that resonated most with me:
-Tim Hsia : coordination and cooperation between veterans in VC and civilians in VC is crucial- we must strengthen these relationships to facilitate a better understanding of ADG opportunities/TAM and leverage traditional VC dry powder.
-Dean Wegner (Authentically American): we don't have a marketing budget. We are a small company, so we've been on national television 21 times to tell our story. It's free and gets us broad exposure.
-Bilal Zuberi (Lux Capital): the most insulated verticals, where deals are getting done, that will lead to legitimate returns: ESG, AI and Defense.
-Veterans are not damaged goods. Vets are loyal, hardworking, dedicated and creative. Often times Vets need a push in the right direction while coming out to the military to define what their new normal looks like in "the real world."
-Steve Bowsher (In-Q-Tel): a tiny portion of start ups taking SIBR money, actually become functioning companies (paraphrased).
-Founding a company is lonely. Founders, especially first time founders, struggle with detaching their personal worth from the success or failure of their company.
-Trae Stephens (Anduril Industries / Founders Fund): "The leaders at Andruril stand on the stage and tell the employees what they are doing and why they are doing it. Not everyone is going to like it, but we communicate our position." This is great leadership- communicate your stance clearly and concisely and have a conversation around it.
-Henry Ward (Carta)- "often times the media goes after companies and founders that are trying to make a difference but fall short."
J.P. Morgan #tdc Alton McDowell Ashley Hawkes Josh Pacheco Juan Gutierrez
Feb 6, 2023
We often forget how refreshing it is to be the dumbest person in the room. (Me)
Very grateful to The Military Veteran Startup Conference at the the Marines Memorial Club in San Francisco last week. Shout out to Context VC, Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, team and the incredible sponsors for this event.
Biggest takeaway for me was the importance to stop moving long enough in order to #Learn, #Connect and grow meaningful #Relationships.
#military #veteran #startup #venturecapital
Feb 6, 2023
Charlynda Scales 💪🏾❤️🇺🇸
The LIKE-HEARTED™️ Mentor. Air Force Veteran. Entrepreneur. Program Manager. Servant Leader. Friend.
THE MILITARY VETERAN CONFERENCE was a wonderfully executed event by Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson and Carina Cho from Context Ventures. It was a quick trip for me but I greatly enjoyed meeting new faces and catching up with old comrades.
Access to capital is always needed for an entrepreneur to thrive. I'm proud to have joined the Underrepresented Founder panel with Keenan Beasley Kenneth (Ken) Sutton "IRON" Mike Steadman. These men were incredible and I am glad we were able to be transparent about our journeys.
Takeaways: Provide funding without strings attached. More can be done to educate black & brown founders about the basics of VC funding. More minorities & women should attend these conferences to offer greater perspective.
I shared that my journey with Mutt's Sauce LLC was night and day from OHTaste Foundation, specifically being a solopreneur vs scaling with a team. Thank you to the people who reached out to me to offer support with both!
#military #vc #milvet #funding Bunker Labs
Feb 6, 2023
Ryan Hetrick
MIT - West Point, Class of 2021. Chasing Greatness Mentorship Inc.
Check out the Chasing Greatness Mentorship Inc. launch in San Francisco! The link is attached to this video.
Also, check out my blog (link is below) on my experience and some behind the scenes events!
lnkd.in/ew5MvkjB
You can also check out our launch at the link below!
lnkd.in/eBwAvnVE
Thank you again to the Military Veteran Startup Conference - Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson are great people and we appreciate them giving us this opportunity!
Feb 6, 2023
Michael Eckhardt -- Chasm Director ⋆ Workshop Leader ⋆ Keynote Speaker
We help tech companies dramatically RAISE the PROBABILITY of: product/market fit • launch success • profitable growth
It was a pleasure presenting my session at Day 1 of the MVS Conference -- what a great group of 400 founders, venture leaders, VC's, and LP's.
Here's wishing you and your early-stage teams real traction and market success in 2023++.
--- Michael Eckhardt
Feb 6, 2023
Lenore Karafa
Leader | Board Director | Veteran
Walking into the MilVets start-up conference Thursday morning in San Francisco felt like a long overdue family reunion…A few highlights for me: Having the opportunity to moderate a health tech focused panel with a trio of deeply inspirational female founders, meeting other women in VC, hearing from Bunker Labs teammates on the underrepresented founders panel, and some late night sushi with old and new friends.
Thank you to Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho and the Context VC team. Thank you as well to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for sponsoring.
If we met for the first time - I'm still playing catch-up from the weekend, and would love to be in touch in the coming weeks. If you'd like to hear more from my First In team, please do like our page.
#veterans #entrepreneurs #venturecapital
Feb 6, 2023
Nick Bradfield
EOS Implementer | Helping entrepreneurs get a grip on their business.
My $0.02 about the MilVet conference last week. BLUF - next year, attend!
Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson and Carina Cho did an amazing job with the content and venue to draw great people in. Lindsay Kough and I chatted over lunch about what we hoped to get from the event. He put it simply… if you get a bunch of amazing people in a room then amazing things will happen. Well said. It happened.
The days were full and productive. The evenings allowed small groups to break off and break bread (although somehow we walked up hill both ways).
Semper fi, friends! It was great to see you all.
Blake Hogan Dean Bundschu Tony Pease Chris Anthony Eric Styles Lars Herman Marlene Andersch Brendan Huff Will Revels, CFA, CEPA, CFP® Sherman Williams II Craig Cummings Derren Burrell, CDFM, AIF® and many more…
Feb 6, 2023
Shield Capital
2,818 followers
"Dual-use is not a strategy."--Raj S..
On a panel last week with Connie Loizos, StrictlyVC & TechCrunch; Steve Bowsher, In-Q-Tel; Bilal Zuberi, Lux Capital; and Trae Stephens, Anduril Industries & Founders Fund, Raj shared the investment thesis of Shield Capital-- that companies at the intersection of commercial and government use cases will outperform and scale faster than those that don't.
Getting commercial technology integrated into the U.S. Government seamlessly is the strategy.
Congratulations to Tim Hsia and Context VC for a very successful #Military #Veteran Startup Summit.
#technology #startup #founders
Feb 6, 2023
Thank you to Tim Hsia and the entire Context VC team for hosting The Military Veteran Startup 2023 Conference at Marines' Memorial Club in SF.
I had the honor to join a wonderful panel with Paul Madera, Daniel Gwak, Jacqueline Blackburn and Tim Hsia to discuss Veterans in Venture Capital.
SVB and SVB Capital have been leading the way in venture and tech for 40 years and are proud to support our Veterans! Tilli Kalisky-Bannett Sulu Mamdani Dave Mullen Nancy Nguyen Michael Liu, CFA Kiran Srinivasan David Altman Julia Feldman Efrat Turgeman-Khayat
Thank you to all the veterans and non-veterans that support military veterans in their career transition to the exciting world of technology.
lnkd.in/ga4dmKvw
#startup #entrepreneurs #venturecapital #event #military #veterans #veteranownedbusiness #venturecapital #militaryveterans #community #founders #veteran #fundraising #svb #svbcapital
Feb 7, 2023
M
Manny
I was able to connect with some great vets at MBA programs I applied to. Because we had met in person, it was much easier to keep in contact. They went to bat for me and spent hours editing my resume, essays, and helping me prep for interviews!
Jan 24, 2023
Tom Gorman
Transitioning Navy Officer
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran's Networking Conference in NYC, hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. As I've thought more about the wisdom shared in a myriad of industry panels, I cannot help but think of this event as a great "PROTRAMID (or CORTRAMID) of the business world." With insightful panelists coming from a number of fields - such as investment banking, consulting, entrepreneurship, big tech, private equity, and venture capital - it provided a great overview of what opportunities are available for veterans after the military. And one of the best things about this event was that it was focused on informing veterans to enable their transition - no one was trying to sell me anything and there was no pressure to speak to recruiters, etc. Best of all, I was able to connect with a diverse group of service members who will provide the foundation of a new network.
I cannot recommend this event enough to anyone who is actively separating or even people who are a year plus out from leaving the military. I truly wish I had attended an event like this sooner. Huge thanks to everyone at The Military Veteran who made this happen. I can't wait to attend future iterations!
Oct 5, 2022
Catharine Parnell
General Counsel and Legal Advisor, Strategist, Communicator | Forté Fellow | | #Veteran and Military Spouse | TS/SCI | Known for Radical Candor | #Volunteer #Mentor
A common theme in my #EMBA program is #networking - how to do it, why you do it, how to make yourself more comfortable with the idea of connecting with people who might be able to help you (or those you care about) in the future. For those who aren't sold on the concept of networking, I'll point you to a bit of wisdom I jotted down last week at The Military Veteran conference —"You're only as good as your hard drive."
I liked this aphorism not just because I know the feeling of showing up to a new assignment and scouring the common drive for resources, but also because it holds true — you pull what you need from what (and who) you can put your hands on. When you #network effectively — with kindness, with energy, with compassion, with attention — you build your base of resources on which you can rely to do your job and to find the next one. Your mileage may vary, but here's what works for me:
▪️Engaging on this platform. Leave a thoughtful comment, start a conversation with someone, join one of the amazing Campfire coffee chats.
▪️Be generous with your time and with your gratitude. You make connections with people by giving them the benefit of your full attention and by giving your genuine thanks.
▪️Schedule time to connect one-on-one with people who interest you. Brendan Aronson is a master of this — he scheduled one call with me and changed the way I think about connecting to others. I followed his lead and set up time with Adrian Bonenberger this week — I'm so glad that I did.
▪️Keep notes (mental, or in an old-fashioned Rolodex, a Moleskine, a folder) about what people have done, what they care about, and what interests them. Try to remember to follow up with them about their favorite sport, their hobbies, their families, their industry. You can add value to people's lives by engaging with them on what matters to them (but you have to make an effort to remember those things).
▪️Ask the people you meet what problems they're trying to solve and what kind of people they're looking to meet. Start connecting those people and the benefits of those connections will compound over time.
What's your favorite piece of networking advice? What works for you?
Oct 7, 2022
Morgan Moore
Real Estate Broker | Goizueta MBA | Navy Veteran
I attended The Military Veteran transition conference in New York this weekend, hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
It wasn't a typical military transition workshop. Over twenty veterans and industry leaders shared lessons from their transitions into the civilian world. There were over 300 people in attendance, but they spoke like they were telling stories around a campfire, talking with friends. They shared the gritty details of what they wished someone had told them years before.
Transitioning from the military into civilian life is not to be taken lightly. For many of us, the uniform becomes our identity while serving. Shifting to the civilian world often feels like a fish out of water. There might even be an internal struggle as you balance pride in your military experience and imposter syndrome. Maybe you were presented with leadership opportunities early on and had confidence in your previous roles. Yet, your skills do not translate as easily as a civilian peer who was able to have a career with a more centralized focus.
In an environment filled with my brothers and sisters, I realized that I am not alone in rediscovering my identity after leaving active duty. This weekend, I learned that these feelings are not uncommon and it is okay to have them.
I know I will find my footing because that is what veterans do! We persevere. We also have one of the best networks in the world. Each one of us that has made the transition is here to help build up the next person, and I felt that support this weekend.
Thank you to all the panelists. I enjoyed learning about careers we did not have exposure to in the military. I appreciate the one-on-one mentorship and am grateful you took time out of your busy schedules to share words of wisdom.
Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center, Mizzen+Main, & Fire Department Coffee, and The Ridge. I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
#military #veterans #veteranssupportingveterans #militarytransition #leadership
Oct 6, 2022
Davis Hodge
U.S. Coast Guard Veteran, Undergraduate Student at Columbia University
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending The Mil Vet's New York Careers Conference hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. I received an Instagram invite for the event from a friend, who wasn't attending, and basically went with zero expectations. In short, the event surpassed any expectations I could have had for it. I was able to witness incredible speakers, meet and network with other like-minded Veterans, and connect with mentors and potential employers in the field. Representatives from JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Google, Amazon, and KKR were in attendance, to name a few. I was able to hear General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Alex Gorsky, CEO of J&J, deliver powerful speeches on leadership.
Of the wealth of valuable advice I received, here are a couple of ideas that stuck with me:
-Stay humble, hungry, and intellectually curious
-Ask yourself where you want to be in five years
-Ask yourself what is important to you
And from Alex Gorsky on leadership:
-Be a "life-long" leader
-Serve the people who use your products
-Take care of employees
-Give back to your community
-Shareholders deserve a fair return
-Allow everyone to be comfortable speaking up within your company, even if you disagree
-Take care of yourself: eating, exercise, and mental health
Brendan and Tim are doing big things for the Veteran community, and they deserve the recognition for doing so.
Oct 7, 2022
Roxanne Bras Petraeus
Ethena | McKinsey & Co. | U.S. Army
There are never enough hours in the day and I'm working really hard at saying "no" so that I can say "yes" to being a CEO and mom.
This reality always hits me hard when I get the chance to talk with a bunch of incredible veterans, like I did last week. I shared the stage with my father-in-law (and Ethena evangelist!), General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and as you can see by my smile, I had a blast!
I shared my experience leaving active duty Army service for "business," broadly speaking. I made my way into tech by way of consulting.
Since the talk, I've gotten so many nice messages from folks making their own transition. Unfortunately, there aren't enough hours in the day to talk in depth, so I wanted to share a deeper cut of my transition lessons and experiences with an article.
(Also, writing is how I do my best thinking.)
Let me know if you have other questions about transitioning from the military (or making big career changes in general!) and I'll tackle them in an upcoming post.
Thanks for the opportunity to chat, and to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing!
#veterans #veteransupport #careerchange
Oct 5, 2022
Ian Folau
I help companies become great. I also help them sell their business when the time is right.
I continue to be impressed by the determination that I see in veterans that want to make an impact and provide service. This weekend I snuck out to NYC to speak at The Military Veteran conference on a panel with fellow successful veteran entrepreneurs on the nuances of starting up a business. I had some great conversations with some active duty military folks looking at what they want to do next as well as some that have been out of the military for quite some time and are looking to network into new opportunities.
If you are a veteran looking for what is next for you, conferences like these are what you should be doing in order to understand what you don't know and what could potentially fill you with passion. I am open to speaking further with anyone I met at the event if I can provide any help.
Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and The Military Veteran team was awesome. Great work!
Oct 3, 2022
Catharine Parnell
General Counsel and Legal Advisor, Strategist, Communicator | Forté Fellow | | #Veteran and Military Spouse | TS/SCI | Known for Radical Candor | #Volunteer #Mentor
On Friday, I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran's #networking conference in New York City. While the MilVet's stated mission is to help veterans find meaningful post-service careers, the value of their community goes far beyond that purpose -- the MilVet supports transitioning #veterans with passion, care, empathy, and generosity. Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia have built something wonderful and I cannot wait to see how it grows.
Friday's program gave me a lot to think about, including an excellent leadership model taught by none other than GEN (Ret.) David Petraeus. My primary takeaway, however, was an aphorism told by Bering Tsang - "If you see a turtle on a fence post, chances are it didn't get there by itself." Pithiness aside, the point is simple -- none of us got where we are in the #military, in our #militarytransition, in our careers, in our development, without the grace and guidance of others. If you've made it over an obstacle, reach back a hand.
If you're transitioning -- or just somewhere in your journey where you need a friend -- I'm here to pull you up behind me. If I can help build your network or talk through career options, it would be my sincere pleasure to do so.
Thank you, Brendan and Tim and the MilVet team, for a wonderful conference.
#army #navy #marinecorps #airforce #coastguard #spaceforce #career #jobsearch
Oct 3, 2022
Ben Kent
Space and Defense Tech | Writer | Marine Veteran
Last weekend, I attended the second The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. Once again, TMV2 knocked it out of the park.
I'll share my one key takeaway to those about to exit the military:
The transition period is inherently a time of uncertainty. Whether finding a job, going to school, or starting a business post-military, it's critical to stay humble, hungry, intellectually curious and open to surprising possibilities. Approach the transition as an exciting time for intense learning and growth beyond the military structure.
TMV2 shows the community is alive and well to help fellow veterans. It was gratifying to reconnect with K. Holden Lindblom and John Jasionowicz IV and to meet driven fellow service members starting their transition like Peter Christensen and Saamon Legoski, MPH.
Thanks to the fantastic speakers who joined us. I was especially eager to hear insights from experts in defense and space tech like Dan R. and Sherman Williams II. Thanks as well to sponsors like Scale Facilitation® and Fire Department Coffee. If you're a transitioning veteran or employer looking for an amazing talent pool, highly recommend you follow The Military Veteran!
Oct 4, 2022
James Myron
Sr Consultant | Cornell MBA (c) | Marine Corps Veteran
I had an incredible weekend @ The Military Veteran conference TMV2 talking military transition and the language of business.
I was amazed at the amount of people I met with shared backgrounds, diverse backgrounds, and the stories I heard of successes, failures, overcoming setbacks, taking big risks, and good old leveraging opportunities. It was good to make new friends, connect with old ones, all while learning and growing.
So many impressive people took the stage, and shared knowledge on leading industries with the next generation.
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing a great event with an even better culture!
#TMV2 #militarytransition #business #turtleonafencepost
Oct 4, 2022
Shawn Gregoire
Business Strategy | Data Analytics | Innovation | Defense Ventures Alum
The Military Veteran conference this past weekend was every bit as great as advertised!
I wanted to take the time to thank Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing and hosting such a valuable, talent dense event for the veteran community. I would also like to thank everyone behind the scenes who ensured a smooth, inviting conference.
I am normally not a fan of networking events, especially ones where I'm walking into a huge room full of strangers. But Brendan and Tim made the genius decision of separating everyone into small groups so we can get to know each other before the event. It immediately made the room warmer, and I felt more comfortable getting to know people less familiar to me.
Thanks so much to the legendary "Table 15" crew (Amis Matulionis, Trevon Andrews, Richard Gerrity, Valentin Noël, Justin Hyeon, Delali Ofori) being so engaged and friendly throughout the weekend. It made all the difference in the world for my confidence and comfort level.
I was also blown away at the candor and helpfulness of the all-star list of industry leaders at the event, and the talent of the people I met was astounding.
The Military Veteran conference was one of the most valuable events I've ever attended, and I genuinely value the relationships made from the event. If you're a military member even thinking about transitioning into the civilian sector, you *need* to be in this group.
Also, I'm providing FREE Linkedin reviews for anyone who attended the event. Just send me a message to set up a time, and we'll go over your profile from top to bottom so the right people are looking at you.
I'm really excited to support The Military Veteran and its members any way I can going forward!
#linkedinhardmode #themilitaryveteran #networking #veteran
Oct 3, 2022
Nathan Vrablic
NYU | Investment Banking
This past weekend, I had the pleasure to attend The Military Veteran conference where I was surrounded by the brightest veteran leaders and innovators in the world. I want to thank Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, Amber Sims, and Diana T. for all of their hard work in hosting this event. The team knocked it out of the park and offered incredible insights for veterans transitioning out of the military via panels and networking opportunities. I also want to thank Fire Department Coffee and Ridge Wallet for sponsoring the event!
Lastly, I urge all veterans interested in pursuing a career outside of the military to connect with The Military Veteran team. I look forward to partaking in future events and spreading the word to student veterans at New York University!!
Oct 3, 2022
Jacob Ashton
Junior at Columbia University | Army Veteran
I had the pleasure of meeting General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Roxanne Bras Petraeus yesterday. Thank you to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, Diana T., Carina Cho, Amber Sims, as well as everyone who who set up and ran the MBA networking event yesterday through The Military Veteran! You're all changing the lives of veterans for the better! You've reinforced my goal of applying to Harvard Business School, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, The Wharton School, and others! If you want to get amazing content relating to top MBA programs or network with other veterans who are going to change the world, follow the people tagged in this post! #veterans #MBA # #networking #network #veteranshelpingveterans
Oct 1, 2022
Attended The Military Veteran networking event in NYC over the weekend. It was a fantastic networking event that I can not highly recommend enough. A huge kudos to Amber Sims, Tim Hsia, and Brendan Aronson for organizing this event.
Where else do you get to listen, learn and interact with General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), and Alex Gorsky in a fireside chat?
We got the unvarnished and non-flowery BLUF from veterans, who are some of the best in their respective fields, on careers in
: Investment Banking,
: Consulting,
: Big Tech,
: Start-ups,
: National Security,
: Venture Capital, and
: Private Equity.
In addition to gaining a wealth of insight, I also got a chance to connect with veterans who have readily offered their help. Shout out to Jack James, Eric Nelson, Jacqueline Blackburn, Renée LaMarche, Charles Masters, Michael Bruno, Jason Rodriguez, Joseph Collias, and others.
A huge thanks to my fellow Darden classmate Catharine Parnell for recommending this event.
Looking forward to the next event to gain more insight and hopefully give back to this great community of veterans.
#kudos #event #networking #veterans #tech #careers #privateequity #nationalsecurity #consulting #venturecapital #investmentbanking #military
Oct 3, 2022
Charles Masters
Entrepreneur | E-commerce | FIU MBA Candidate | Veteran Military Diver
Last weekend, I attended one of the best events I've ever been to!
The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson was truly exceptional in every way.
We had an incredible panel of speakers from: Start-ups, Big Tech, Investment Banking, Consulting, National Security, Venture Capital, and Private Equity.
I want to thank General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), Roxanne Bras Petraeus, Ashley H. and Alex Gorsky for taking the time out of their busy schedules to share their valuable knowledge with us.
I would also like to thank Clyde M. Woltman, Billy Knapp and Sam Ellis for their one-on-one mentorship.
I look forward to continuing to grow with talented veterans such as Pablo Rivera, Dustin Castillo, Juan Bermudez Torres, Naveen Vinta and Joe Mawad.
My biggest takeaway from this amazing event -
The transition period is a challenging time for many veterans because of how much uncertainty we face. When you leave the military, a piece of your identity can feel hazy at times. It's okay to feel lost at this moment while you rebuild yourself, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are thousands of veterans who have gone through these same feelings. We are all here to help one another. So make sure you reach out to this extraordinary community.
Again, thank you to all the fantastic speakers who joined us. Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , Chick-fil-A Restaurants, Fire Department Coffee, Mizzen+Main, and The Ridge. I personally want to thank Florida International University, FIU Chapman Graduate School of Business and StartUP FIU for their constant support in helping me grow my business skills.
Finally, I would like to thank Tim Hsia, and Brendan Aronson once again for putting this all together. I look forward to seeing you both at The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
#veterans #business #tech #startup
Oct 4, 2022
Jimmy Byrn
Yale J.D./M.B.A. Candidate | Legislative Affairs | Investment Operations | Startups | Veteran
Last weekend, I attended The Military Veteran Transition Career Conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson in NYC. I wasn't sure what to expect, but this conference absolutely blew away my expectations. The speaker slate was truly top notch including General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), Roxanne Bras Petraeus, as well as my USMA classmate: the spectacular Sam Ellis. The stories from vet entrepreneurs and business leaders were particularly inspiring.
The #1 thing I left the conference with is a sense of how hard it is to start and grow a business from scratch, but also how fulfilling it can be to put everything into it and build something of your own. Several people I met gave me a lot to think about regarding areas of entrepreneurship and business leadership and dispelled some of the myths that often accompany them. This in and of itself made it worth it to attend, but there was a lot more.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition. It's a terrific organization and this will likely not be my last visit to one of their conferences. #business #career #leadership #people #military #entrepreneurship #help #veteran
Oct 4, 2022
Jason Rodriguez
Automation Specialist | NYU | Veteran
Last week, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson
Here's what I learned from this amazing event-
It's critical for me to maintain a humble, hungry, and intellectually curious mindset while I continue my career. Hearing a chairman of IBM speak, Alex Gorsky, made me embrace those qualities even more.
Thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us. Rob Huberty was insightful with how his company is using AI to reach their goals. Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center, Fire Department Coffee, Mizzen+Main, and The Ridge #.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition or for career advice in general.
Oct 4, 2022
Matt Grothaus
Officer Recruiting | Marine Corps Pilot | MBA Candidate, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, '24
Last week, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
Transitioning out of the military is a daunting task. Hearing all of these veterans speak about their civilian careers gave me incredible insight. Some of the anxiety I had about leaving the Marine Corps has been replaced with confidence and drive. I can't wait!
Before this event, I was asking myself "What will I do when I get out?" This question came from a place of genuinely not knowing what options exist, 😂.
Now I'm asking myself, "what will I do when I get out?" because I learned about so many exciting career paths by listening to the speakers at the event.
Thank you to the speakers and attendees, I enjoyed meeting all of you and I look forward to a day when I can attend as a veteran, so I can provide the same insight to the next generation.
Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center , Fire Department Coffee Mizzen+Main.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
#militarytransition #military #veteranshelpingveterans #veteran #thankyou #careers #event
Oct 4, 2022
Peter Christensen
Student Veteran; Founder; Proud Dad
I spent the last few days in New York learning from people who are changing the world.
Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia started The Military Veteran to connect transitioning service-members and military veterans with people and opportunities I would never have dreamed I would be able to access.
I met Tommy Jones, who trailblazed a wildly successful hiring initiative that increases diversity and helps veterans and military spouses land jobs with Verizon.
I met Rob Huberty, who started a company called ZeroEyes. They integrate AI and school security video feeds to detect firearms and prevent school shootings.
I met men and women who learned English as a second language, whose parents are immigrants, and many who immigrated to the United States themselves.
They all shared something in common: they all retained and exemplified the best principles one learns through service to one's country.
Selflessness. Humility. Grit.
Oct 4, 2022
This past weekend, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference in New York City hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
After over 11 years of Active Duty service as an officer, Army Aviator, and now as a West Point instructor, I have decided to transition to a civilian career. This conference was tremendously helpful to me as I begin to navigate this transition and I am grateful for the experience.
I am looking at a wide range of exciting opportunities in the business world, the airlines, DoD-SkillBridge opportunities, or even something new and unexpected where I can make an impact. This conference showed me that you just have to jump in and get after it. Civilian careers are not linear - there is no perfect path. And that can be exciting and reassuring for a transitioning officer like me.
I couldn't believe the outpouring of support from veterans who have achieved great things in their civilian careers - they showed me that it's alright to figure out how to build a career by trying new things.
Thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us:
General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), Alex Gorsky, Ashley Roxanne Bras Petraeus, Bradley Genser, J. Cooper Lycan, Rob Huberty, Neal Zuckerman, Ian Folau, Rodney Manzo, Clyde M. Woltman, Dan R., Nick McGrath, Thomas Hendrix, Jacqueline Blackburn, George Dutile, Sam Ellis, Bering Tsang, Zachary Zimmerman, Devon Van Buren (Turner), Timothy Balthazar, Rafael Albornoz, Tommy Jones, Billy Knapp, Ari Schiff, Joe Kistler, Augusto Giacoman, Sherman Williams II.
Thank you to the conference sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , CHICK FIL A, Fire Department Coffee, Mizzen+Main, Ridge Wallet.
I highly recommend you follow The Military Veteran and ask them for help during your transition.
Oct 3, 2022
Nicholas Kilcourse
US Army Veteran | Freelance Sports Writer
Last week, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson
Here's what I learned from this amazing event -
1) If you're not doing something that absolutely lights you up, then it's time to move on and try something new. There are way too many opportunities in the world to not be enjoying what you are doing. The autonomy of the Civilian world can be overwhelming now that we can put our hands in our pockets and choose to do whatever we can, but it should also be empowering.
2) "Who you are as a person is who you are as a Leader" - Alex Gorsky This quote really resonated with me. As Veterans, we may not start out with the hard skills that our peers may have, but what we do possess are a very unique set of leadership capabilities instilled at us at a MUCH younger age than our civilian counterparts. Moral of the story: Be a good person and people will want to follow you. We can provide as much value to our peers as they can provide to us.
3) Just go for it. Whether you're a 27 year old Veteran or you just retired after 20 years, GO GET AFTER IT! There is nothing we can't do as Veterans especially if we continue to EMPOWER each other. Connect and network with everyone you can. You never know what you can provide each other.
I can not express my gratitude enough for this organization (@TheMilitaryVeteran) for this incredible event. I can't wait for the next one and I look forward to eventually being one of the panelists at one of their Conferences.
Oct 3, 2022
Alec Eiber
Software Engineer at Oracle (OCI) | US Navy Veteran
Had a great time this weekend at The Military Veteran networking event in NYC. Hearing from people like General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Alex Gorsky was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I learned a TON from everyone who spoke on the numerous panels.
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for putting on the conference.
The amount of high-functioning and super-achieving people I met was incredibly motivating, but I also realized how many of them were just normal people facing adversity in life. It was humbling, yet encouraging to see the incredible opportunities out there for veterans.
For any transitioning vets looking to get into tech (on the engineering side), please don't hesitate to ask for help. As I learned from Bering Tsang, "If you see a turtle on top of a fence post, it probably didn't get there on its own."
Oct 3, 2022
Brian Kevin Lagrange
Sell Your Business and Real Estate For Top Dollar! Need Financing or Have Any Questions? Let's Connect!
Shout out to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for hosting The Military Veteran Conference in Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel this past week.
It was an incredible gathering that opened my eyes to what I want to do as I begin my transition and opened many doors to new opportunities and relationships. This is the type of event that re-ignites that flame inside your soul that you had when you first joined the military.
#veteran #military #opportunities
Thanks to General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Roxanne Bras Petraeus for speaking to us. We know you are busy individuals changing the world but you definitely changed mine with your wisdom on private equity firms KKR & Co. Inc. #privateequity
Thanks to the following people for sharing their stories and journey. Your talks and our conversations made an impact on me-Joe Mawad Matthew Jones Bering Tsang Ian Folau J. Cooper Lycan Billy Knapp James Myron Karanjit Paul Asa L Miller IV Timothy Balthazar Tommy Jones Bradley Genser Rob Huberty Ark Lu
I look forward to the next one. I am the one standing behind the sign in the photo below. Great group of business leaders who have served this great county of ours. #business #leaders
Oct 3, 2022
Charles (Taegun) Kim
Kellogg MBA + MS Design Innovation (MMM) Candidate '24 | Blockchain Business Development @ MVL
I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
I couldn't believe the outpouring of support from veterans who have achieved great things in their civilian careers. They were very generous enough to provide me with candid and valuable advice from the industries that each of them represents.
It also reminded me once again to help other vets as much as possible and to be open to receiving help from others.
Thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us. Thank you to the sponsors: @scale facilitation, @Chick f-Lil, @Fire Department Coffee, @Mizzen and Main, and @Ridge Wallet. I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
Oct 3, 2022
Bond Robinson
Naval Officer, Helicopter Pilot
Last week, I had the privilege to attend The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
The event was in incredible place for military members to gather in community, network, have candid conversations, and get real advice from business leaders who are in all stages of life post service.
It was great to be in the company of people who could share the anxiety of leaving an incredible, stable career where we get to lead talented individuals and make an impact on a global scale. It was even more beneficial to get insight from vets who have gone through the transition process and are dominating in their new careers.
Normally, networking events stir a certain level of stress for a high functioning introvert like myself, but this event was extremely different from all others that I've been to. I met peers from all branches, some in the same position that I am, some a year or two behind me, and some that are where I want to be in ten years.
If anyone is transitioning from active duty, or has already transitioned, and is looking to gain invaluable insight for their future career, I'm giving my highest recommendation to The Military Veteran.
A big thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us!
#military #veteran #community
Oct 3, 2022
John Jasionowicz IV
MBA Candidate at Vanderbilt Owen '24 | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus
I feel that LinkedIn gets over saturated with information at times, so I try to limit my posts. However, that should display that I only post when I feel strongly about something. One of these things is the The Military Veteran. I have been to TMV1 and TMV2, their first and second conferences, so I definitely wouldn't do something two times if I didn't believe in Brendan Aronson's and Tim Hsia's mission.
Growth is an important business concept that George Dutile and Sherman Williams II spoke about on each of their panels. Between TMV1 in July and TMV2 in September I saw the conference grow from 50 in attendance to about 300.
Numerical growth is one thing, but the breadth of my network expanded as well. I was able to reconnect with JP Basham, Ben Kent, and K. Holden Lindblom while also meeting new veterans and transitioning service memebers from diverse backgrounds like Saamon Legoski, MPH, Shawn Gregoire, and J. Cooper Lycan. It was also a once in lifetime opportunity to meet General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Alex Gorsky.
#veterans #business #opportunity #growth
Oct 3, 2022
I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran conference on Friday of last week in NYC and got to connect with ambitious veterans, business owners, and listen to some great speakers, like Alex Gorsky (CEO Johnson and Johnson), General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Roxanne Bras Petraeus , and some of my West Point classmates Rafael Albornoz, Augusto Giacoman, Tim Hsia.
Key takeaways (did my best paraphrasing)
Alex Gorsky: "A lot of people like to admire problems. You can differentiate yourself by figuring out how to get things done."
General Petraeus: "The key steps of a strategic leader are to 1. Get the big ideas right 2. Communicate those ideas effectively 3. Oversee the implementation of the ideas 4. Refine big ideas and repeat.
Roxanne Petraeus: "if you don't know exactly what you want to do when you get out of the military, think about it for a little bit, then just pick something and give it your best shot. Your first job doesn't define your career and you can refine later."
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim for organizing.
Photo of Raf and I catching up before my flight home. Wish we got a pic with all of us '04 guys.
Oct 3, 2022
Alexandra Hundley
MBA Candidate, Tuck School of Business
Transitioning out of the Navy back into the civilian world via business school is incredibly daunting and often overwhelming. Last week I was fortunate enough to attend The Military Veteran's first ever conference in NYC.
I was so impressed with co-founders and fellow veterans Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for their passion to create invaluable connections to service members navigating similar post-military journeys.
Support is always crucial for veterans and that was definitely felt through KKR & Co. Inc. and J.P. Morgan for providing the venues/catering and each panelist for their insight.
If you are also a transitioning or soon to be transitioning veteran, I highly recommend you attend one of these events. Contact the co-founders listed above, the MilVet page, or myself if you have any interest in their next NYC conference 30SEP-OCT1.
#business #connections #veterans
Jul 16, 2022
Nick Connelly
Investment Analyst | Partners Group
This week, I had one of the best experiences of my military transition at The Military Veteran NYC pre-MBA conference. This event was far more powerful than any other job fair or pre-MBA programming I have attended. Thank you to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for the opportunity!
Personally, I recently made the decision to start working full time in lieu of an MBA, but any vets pursing an MBA or transitioning into a startup should definitely lookout for future events from this team.
Jul 9, 2022
Ken Culbertson
MBA Candidate at Columbia Business School | US Marine Corps Veteran
Big thanks to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for hosting the NYC MBA Conference over the last two days. Vets considering careers in business and MBA programs had the chance to hear from and network with other veterans in a variety of industries including investment banking, consulting, tech, startups, alternative asset management, and non-profit. We got to see how strong the veteran community is built on the vulnerability, transparency, and powerful desire to help each other out.
If you are already a successful businessperson who happens to be a veteran, a vet looking to transition into a business career, or anywhere in between, you have to reach out to Brendan and Tim to join the community they're building at The Military Veteran.
For the West Coast vets - They will be hosting other conferences in San Fransisco, July 14-15th and San Diego on August 27th.
Jul 9, 2022
K. Holden Lindblom
Ambitious Problem Solver
Transitioning out of the military can be tough. Real tough. You don't need to go through it alone. There are A LOT of resources out there, but sometimes navigating to the right resources, the right mentors, and the right paths can be difficult. The Military Veteran conference was a two-day in-depth deep dive into all things MBA and post-military careers.
I transitioned out of the #military almost 7-years ago (wow time flies), and I still learned a plethora of things. If you're a #milvet and you're thinking about careers/MBA after service, I highly recommend checking them out.
Many thanks to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for putting on such a wonderful event.
Jul 9, 2022
JP Basham
MBA Candidate, Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business 2024 | Army Veteran
This week, I had the awesome opportunity to attend The Military Veteran's NYC MBA Conference after transitioning out of the military last week on July 4th.
Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson along with sponsors Deloitte , JPMorgan Chase & Co. , and KKR & Co. Inc. showcased panels highlighting careers in Investment Banking, Consulting, Venture Capital, and Private Equity as well as non-traditional paths in Entrepreneurship and Non-Profits to over 50 matriculating MBA Students. They facilitated conversations with industry leaders who in turn helped us confirm our target industries and identify actionable steps to pursue them as we start our MBA Programs.
Transitioning out of the military is difficult for anyone, but I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend my first week on the other side of the DD-214. I'm thankful for each person who's helped me along the journey, and am looking forward to the next The Military Veteran event.
Jul 9, 2022
Peter Sunderland
Wharton MBA Candidate '24 | Former Army Infantry Officer
Spent the last two days in NYC at The Military Veteran pre-MBA conference. Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson pulled together and incredible group of veteran panelists and transitioning veterans. I'm looking forward to their next event and grateful to be plugged into such a strong network of veterans.
Jul 9, 2022
Levi Braley
MBA Candidate at Columbia Business School
If you're looking to leave the military, earn an MBA, and accelerate your post-service career I can't recommend The Military Veteran Conference enough. Veteran conferences can be a dime a dozen. The MVC is worth anyone's time to get a vector check on your personal goals and benchmarks of success, and widen your aperture of what is doable.
Over the past two days we met veterans excelling in but not limited to investment banking, consulting, tech, startups, entrepreneurship endeavors, asset management, general management, non-profits, and venture capital. They spoke about challenges, successes, and opportunities for us to follow in their footsteps.
I was one of 2 Air Force folks in attendance out of over 60 attendees, so here's hoping this post provides a bit of visibility to the transitioning United States Air Force and United States Space Force community that assessible opportunities exist to network meaningfully.
A big thank you to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for shouldering this tremendous effort, thank you to KKR & Co. Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for generously donating venues, and thank you to the ~30 speakers who gave us time this week. For those interested in future events follow The Military Veteran for updates and opportunities to attend, and reach out to me if you want to hear more about my experience. #military #militarytransition #mba #mbaconference #veteranshelpingveterans #veteran #airforce #spaceforce
Jul 9, 2022
Sonephet Victor Vichith
Securing humanity's framework with innovation and technology | MBA Candidate at Cornell SC Johnson
Spent the past two days in #nyc with a group (The Military Veteran) of driven and highly motivated #veterans who are prospecting, incoming, and current #mba students at B-schools worldwide. The conference provided insights for any Veteran looking to pursue an MBA and, at the same time, develop meaningful relationships within our network. BIG THANK YOU to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for hosting us and creating this awesome #community!
For those looking to transition out of the military and/or pursue #businessschool, check out The Military Veteran!
#military #transitioningmilitary #veteranshelpingveterans
Jul 9, 2022
John Jasionowicz IV
MBA Candidate at Vanderbilt Owen '24 | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus
I do not post on here often, so that should display how valuable The Military Veteran Conference was to me. The value of a robust professional network should not be discounted. The fact that I met multiple high achievers from my old duty station shows the value of the military network.
I would also like to thank KKR & Co. Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for being great hosts and providing venues to make this venture possible. Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia are in the early stages of building a great organization and I would keep your eyes on its future growth. I would make the trip to NYC from Nashville anytime.
Jul 9, 2022
Amber Sims
Executive Officer at U.S. Army
I recently attended The Military Veteran's NYC MBA Conference. I could not be happier and more grateful to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing this event.
Brendan and Tim didn't just host this conference, they really care about each and every veterans post-military success. The conference was more than what I was expecting of the typical finance/consulting track that veterans are often pushed towards. There were also start-up and non-profit founders/representatives as well. The speakers were honest with their experiences and encourage you to be honest with yourself while transitioning out. As George Dutile said, "Own yourself as soon as possible, you are never too old, and stop comparing your path to someone else's".
Also, big thank you to KKR & Co. Inc. for hosting Day 1. Shout out to JPMorgan Chase & Co. NYC Office and Mark Elliott's team for donating their venue on Day 2 and educating us on their veterans initiatives.
Feel free to reach out to Brandon, Tim or I if you have any questions as their will be a similar conference this fall focused on job recruiting.
#militarytransition #militaryveterans #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranownedbusiness #transitioningservicemembers #mba
Jul 11, 2022
Tom Allison
Head of New Ventures at Live Nation Entertainment
Enjoyed meeting so many #veterans transitioning from warfighters to business builders at the The Military Veteran summit in NYC! Thanks for having me, Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson J.P. Morgan
Jul 12, 2022
Andrew Yacovone
Wharton MBA Candidate (WG '24) | Military Veteran
Last week I had the opportunity to attend The Military Veteran's NYC MBA Conference, and this week I am much more confident in my transition out of the Army and into the private sector - and for that, I'd like to give a huge thank you to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia.
The level of care and attention to detail that went into the event showed how much Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia care about helping out the veteran community and giving back to those that are coming after them on the military-to-MBA career path. I can't recommend the event enough. We were exposed to an incredibly successful and inspiring array of veterans making their way post-military. I am looking forward to their next event and am grateful to be a part of such a stimulating and motivating network of #veterans.
Also, thank you to KKR & Co. Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s NYC Office for hosting us during the conference.
#military #militarytransition #militaryveterans #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranownedsmallbusiness #veteranownedbusiness #transitioningmilitary #transitioningservicemembers #mba #themilitaryveteran #milvet
Jul 13, 2022
Tom Gorman
Transitioning Navy Officer
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran's Networking Conference in NYC, hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. As I've thought more about the wisdom shared in a myriad of industry panels, I cannot help but think of this event as a great "PROTRAMID (or CORTRAMID) of the business world." With insightful panelists coming from a number of fields - such as investment banking, consulting, entrepreneurship, big tech, private equity, and venture capital - it provided a great overview of what opportunities are available for veterans after the military. And one of the best things about this event was that it was focused on informing veterans to enable their transition - no one was trying to sell me anything and there was no pressure to speak to recruiters, etc. Best of all, I was able to connect with a diverse group of service members who will provide the foundation of a new network.
I cannot recommend this event enough to anyone who is actively separating or even people who are a year plus out from leaving the military. I truly wish I had attended an event like this sooner. Huge thanks to everyone at The Military Veteran who made this happen. I can't wait to attend future iterations!
Oct 5, 2022
Jennifer Alvarez
Chief of Staff & Deputy Director of Fordham University Army ROTC | MBA Candidate Chief of Staff & Deputy Director of Fordham University Army ROTC | MBA Candidate
Had a fantastic first day at the The Military Veteran NYC Conference. Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia put on a fantastic team of veteran panelists ranging from start ups, consulting, higher ed, and marketing and media. Along with a great day of networking with fellow vets. Thank you for a first great day! Looking forward to a great second day! Thank you to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for hosting us.
Sep 29, 2023
Loree Draude
Executive Coach 🔹 Keynote Speaker 🔹 Founder 🔹 Leader of Leaders 🔹 Navy Combat Jet Pilot Executive Coach 🔹 Keynote Speaker 🔹 Founder 🔹 Leader of Leaders 🔹 Navy Combat Jet Pilot
It was a pleasure to speak about leadership in the civilian world at The Military Veteran's NYC conference today. I was honored to be on a panel in the company of two inspiring leaders, Zach Gillen and Marcus Johnson and our moderator, Brendan Aronson.
Veterans today are fortunate to have organizations like TMV to help facilitate connections in the business world. When I left the navy 24 years ago, I remember feeling a great deal of anxiety about how I'd find work. Most of my fellow naval aviators went to the airlines, not into the business world.
Fortunately, we veterans get stuff done and I was able to find other vets to connect with in Silicon Valley. Eventually, veteran ERGs started forming in tech companies and connections were easier to create.
I'm honored to support The Military Veteran and the work they're doing. If you're a company looking to hire smart, resilient, resourceful and mission-driven team members, I hope you'll reach out to organizations like TMV.
Sep 29, 2023
Jonathan Cardona
Phoenix Raven Global Protection | United States Air Force | Strategic Thinking, Problem-Solving Phoenix Raven Global Protection | United States Air Force | Strategic Thinking, Problem-Solving
Yesterday was one of the most important days in my life, specifically to my career goals. I have been attending The Military Veteran conference and to my fellow transitioning members and veterans I highly encourage you to attend one of these events, you will not be disappointed.
I want to thank Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for hosting us. It has opened my eyes, as a military member soon to be a veteran that we have a strong footprint in the corporate, marketing, and start up industries. The networking part of this conference nothing less than amazing. Thank You again for helping us as veterans to connect with one another.
Sep 29, 2023
Brandon Teel
Transitioning Military Officer Transitioning Military Officer
Thank you to Brendan, Tim, and The Military Veteran team for putting on such a valuable conference the past two days here in New York! I'm (probably justifiably) skeptical about veteran career/transition events, but this one and the community Brendan is fostering is incredible. Highly recommend going to any future events regardless if you're a year from transitioning or left the military several years ago!
…see more
Sep 30, 2023
Paul W Swaney III
Private Markets Investing | Restructuring & Transformation | Former McKinsey & Amazon Private Markets Investing | Restructuring & Transformation | Former McKinsey & Amazon
Had a great time with the team at The Military Veteran
Met wonderful transitioning vets who have such bright futures ahead of them.
Highly recommend Brendan Aronson to my colleagues looking to hire leadership talent.
Sep 30, 2023
Seth Toski
Transitioning Marine Corps Officer | Available Jan 2024 | USNA Grad Transitioning Marine Corps Officer | Available Jan 2024 | USNA Grad
Thanks so much to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, and the team at The Military Veteran for putting on such a phenomenal event the last two days! This was my second time attending the NYC careers conference and it was just as impactful and energizing as the first time, if not more so as I transition in ~60 days. It was also awesome reconnecting with great people like Laurent Njiki and Delali Ofori and meeting dozens of new veterans too.
I’m very appreciative of all the speakers and panelists who devoted their time to speak with all of us as well. I can’t recommend this or any other The Military Veteran-hosted event highly enough to any transitioning or recently transitioned veterans!
…see more
Sep 30, 2023
Richard C. Ortmann
Transitioning 12+ Year Military Officer | Available April 2024 | Active High Level Security Clearance | Proven Strategic & Operational Leader | Aviator | Human Performance Professional Transitioning 12+ Year Military Officer | Available April 2024 | Active High Level Security Clearance | Proven Strategic & Operational Leader | Aviator | Human Performance Professional
It was an inspiring business conference last week in Manhattan hosted by The Military Veteran.
I'm thankful for the excellent venues, top-notch speakers and moderators, and for the opportunity to meet some incredible veterans- all in various stages of their military to business/veteran transitions.
I highly recommend connecting with The Mil Vet and attending one of their future in-person events.
Thanks to the outstanding companies that sponsored this event: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Amazon, Mizzen+Main, BlackRock, L.E.K. Consulting, NYU Stern School of Business, C3 AI, Deloitte, and CUMMINS.
…see more
Oct 1, 2023
Cody Stroup
University Instructor/Chief of Staff @ US Army | M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology University Instructor/Chief of Staff @ US Army | M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology
I’m incredibly grateful I attended The Military Veteran’s Career Conference in New York City last week.
Throughout the two day conference, I heard from countless successful veterans in different career fields, met dozens of transitioning veterans, networked more than I ever could have imagined, and built confidence in my transitioning journey.
The Veteran community is stronger than ever thanks to the efforts of Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia!
Special thanks to the sponsors for the event that made this all possible JPMorgan Chase & Co., Deloitte, Amazon l, L.E.K. Consulting, NYU Stern School of Business, C3 AI, BlackRock, Mizzen+Main, Cummins Inc., Chevron, and William & Mary
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Oct 2, 2023
Alexa Modero
NYU Tandon Veterans Future Lab | Backpacks For Life NYU Tandon Veterans Future Lab | Backpacks For Life
Had the honor of representing the NYU Veterans Future Labat The Military Veteran Conference last week talking all things startups with some awesome people ⭐️
Hats off to Brendan Aronson Tim Hsia and their team for getting the military connected community together in NYC!
#milvet #veterans #startups #nyutandon
Morgan Hitzig Sonny Tai Brett Chereskin Bobby Tuohy
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Oct 2, 2023
James Jobczynski
Purchasing and Supply Manager @ Tampa Family Health Centers | Procurement and Supply Chain Management Purchasing and Supply Manager @ Tampa Family Health Centers | Procurement and Supply Chain Management
I'm overflowing with gratitude for the incredible opportunity to attend The Military Veteran (TMV4) conference once again! A heartfelt shoutout to the phenomenal organizers - Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, and the entire The Military Veteran team - for curating an exceptional event that brought together outstanding veterans and active-duty personnel. Your tireless dedication to empowering the military community is nothing short of commendable!
I also had the privilege of hearing from an array of remarkable speakers, including:
Larry Smith - Chairman of Tokyo Electron, US
Kyle E. - Engineering Program Manager at Google
Bronwen Sanders - Director, Admission NYU Stern
Paul W Swaney III - Founder of Swaney Group
Latoya Roberts - Vice President, Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lead/ Veteran Talent Development at JP Morgan
Anthony C. - Program Management and Talent Development at JP Morgan
James Arnold - Finance and Commercial at Chevron
Each one shared invaluable insights that left a lasting impact.
The camaraderie and support among attendees was nothing short of remarkable. As a fellow veteran in the professional world, I wholeheartedly encourage every student veteran and active-duty member to consider attending this event - you won't regret it!
TMV offers a priceless platform for networking, gaining invaluable insights, and uplifting one another in our professional journeys. TMV, your unwavering dedication to the military community is truly commendable, and I eagerly anticipate future TMV events.
As a veteran myself, I'm passionate about extending a helping hand to my fellow brothers and sisters in the veteran and active-duty community. If you ever find yourself in Tampa, don't hesitate to reach out for a meet-up. I'm always here, ready to share my time, stories, and knowledge to support you in any way I can.
Thank you, TMV, for creating an event that significantly impacts the lives of veterans. Here's to many more TMV gatherings in the future! 🇺🇸🤝 #TMV4 #VeteransSupportingVeterans #MilitaryCommunity #Empowerment
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Oct 2, 2023
Joe Brown
Team Leader I Operations Director I Transitioning Naval Aviator Team Leader I Operations Director I Transitioning Naval Aviator
Thank you Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and The Military Veteran team for hosting TMV4 NYC last week. This was an amazing opportunity for any veteran or active-duty member in the transition journey. The team brought together a rock-star lineup of speakers and provided a great venue to network and grow professionally. For anyone in the military community, check out their upcoming events around the country... lnkd.in/e6tAdVtq
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Oct 2, 2023
Zachary Schwinder
Marine Corps T-44C Advanced Flight Instructor/Captain at United States Marine Corps Marine Corps T-44C Advanced Flight Instructor/Captain at United States Marine Corps
Last week’s military veteran networking conference, #TMV4, was a truly fantastic experience. We had terrific panels and speakers, incredible networking opportunities, and a chance to meet fellow, like-minded active duty and veterans alike.
I definitely recommend anyone in my active duty/veteran community to reach out to The Military Veteran, Brendan Aronson, and Tim Hsia.
Also, if you have any opportunities to hire vets, I would reach out to them as well. Veterans are some of the most determined, hard-working, intelligent and service-driven people you’ll meet.
A special thank you to the event sponsors: Cummins Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., BlackRock, L.E.K. Consulting, Deloitte, NYU Stern School of Business, William & Mary – Raymond A. Mason School of Business, Swaney Group, Amazon and C3 AI.
I look forward to growing the connections that were made last week and attending next year’s conference as well!
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Oct 2, 2023
Swaney Group
841 followers 841 followers
We're pleased to share that our founder, Paul W Swaney III , recently spoke at The Military Veteran (TMV4) conference, shedding light on PE operations. His presentation was well-received, reflecting his depth of knowledge and passion for the topic.
Following the conference, we hosted an after-event in NYC, offering attendees a chance to connect and discuss the day's insights. It was a wonderful evening of networking and shared learning.
A huge thank you to the TMV4 organizers Brendan Aronson , Tim Hsia , Megan Turoci (2-Row-C) for curating such a pivotal event and to everyone who joined us afterward in NYC.
Here's to more enlightening discussions and collaborations in the future! #TMV4 #VeteransInBusiness
Oct 2, 2023
Luke Heier
MBA Candidate at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School | Active Duty Military MBA Candidate at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School | Active Duty Military
I had a great experience at the The Military Veteran NYC conference last week. Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and the rest of the MilVet team brought together a number of successful veterans in business who had invaluable experience and advice to share. I highly recommend MilVet events to any transitioning veterans or even those who have been out for awhile.
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Oct 2, 2023
Anselmo Reyes
University of Central Florida Finance Student University of Central Florida Finance Student
Last week I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran’s (TMV4) Conference in NYC where I had nothing short of an incredible experience. At the this two-day event I was able to hear inspiring stories from exceptional speakers and forge meaningful connections with veterans at different stages in their career.
Huge thanks to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and The Military Veteran team for putting together this incredible event that has a positive impact on transitioning veterans.
A special shout out to the event sponsors that made this all possible: BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase & Co., NYU Stern School of Business, Deloitte, L.E.K. Consulting, C3 AI, Amazon, Mizzen+Main, Cummins Inc., and William & Mary
Grateful for the experience and excited for the future. Here’s to the continued growth and support within our veteran community! #TheMilitaryVeteran 🇺🇸
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Oct 2, 2023
John Jasionowicz IV
Founder | Wearer of Many Hats | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus Founder | Wearer of Many Hats | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus
These two pictures were taken a year apart, but it feels like a lifetime between them. The amount of growth in a short amount of time is staggering.
First, The Military Veteran has seen exponential growth as a company. The first picture is their first conference, the second one is only their fourth. Pictures also cannot fully display the amount of careers they connect veterans with, the sheer variety of events they have hosted, and the professional social network they are currently building.
For myself, I told Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia at the first conference, "I am not the entrepreneurial type." I now have my own startup, Promptis Strategy. Hearing the perspectives of countless veterans who have walked a similar path as me helped to show that I was going the right way.
They have a ton more events coming up in the future and I would highly recommend attending one in the future. Keep up to date with what they are doing via their LinkedIn or Instagram pages.
HUGE shoutout to all the originals that are somewhere in both of these pictures: Iscleidys Mendez, JP Basham, Joe Collias, K. Holden Lindblom
Oct 2, 2023
Michael Schneider
Green Beret Veteran | Rice MBA
Last week I had the fortune of attending The Military Veteran conference in NYC. The speakers and venues were top notch but what impressed me the most was the incredible group of veterans gathered at the event! I cannot recommend TMV events enough - whether you are in the midst of your transition or a working professional, The MilVet has fostered a community of support for veterans!
Brendan Aronson Tim Hsia Megan Turoci (2-Row-C) Blake Rodenberger Haeun Baek K. Holden Lindblom
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Oct 3, 2023
Jake Darsey
Director of Operations (Brigade S3) | Leadership Development | Transitioning Field Grade Officer Director of Operations (Brigade S3) | Leadership Development | Transitioning Field Grade Officer
Special thanks to The Military Veteran for hosting a world class event with an all star team. September 28 & 29 I attended one of the most professional events I have been to focused on Veterans. I truly believe Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia are building a network that prepares Veterans for a successful career in any profession.
Special thanks to the sponsors that made this event possible and provided an exceptional experience as I navigate my journey and transition from military service. JPMorgan Chase & Co., Deloitte, Amazon, L.E.K. Consulting, NYU Stern School of Business, C3 AI, BlackRock, Mizzen+Main, Chevron, William & Mary, Cummins Inc.
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Oct 3, 2023
Alex Sherrod
Father I Sales Professional I MBA Student I Veteran Father I Sales Professional I MBA Student I Veteran
This past week I had the privilege to attend The Military Veteran conference in New York. Over the course of the two-day workshop, Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia brought together an incredible group of Veteran's, transistioning Service Members, and Private Sector Leaders.
Their dedication to raising the bar for Veteran support is unmatched, and I highly recommend following their mission at The Military Veteran and Context VC.
Thank you to the team for a first-class week, and to all the corporate sponsors who came together to support the positive impact Veteran's make in the business world!
#milvet #tmv4 #bravozulu #nyc
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Oct 3, 2023
Renée LaMarche
Senior Research Analyst | Competitive Intelligence | Operations Senior Research Analyst | Competitive Intelligence | Operations
Last week I had the great privilege of attending The Military Veteran's second conference in New York, #TMV4. It felt like a personal and professional triumph to be surrounded by such a gracious group of successful former and current Service members. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for #TMV founders Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for creating such a purposeful community of veterans.
To the whole The Military Veteran team, thank you for inviting me into your network of powerhouse veterans. To our sponsors, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase & Co., C3 AI, Swaney Group, and our speakers, Larry Smith, Gerry Byrne, Rob Levin, Brett Chereskin, Morgan Hitzig, Paul W Swaney III, Bronwen Sanders, Marcus Johnson, Loree Draude, Stephanie Noyes and so many others, thank you for your continued efforts to reach back and help transitioning vets up the hill behind you.
Cheers to my new network of brothers and sisters in arms, and to the whole TMV family and attendees, if you find yourselves in New York (in better weather), please reach out!
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Oct 2, 2023
Teddy Perez
Business Resiliency Planner | M.A. Social-Organizational Psychology Candidate | USAF Veteran | Athlete Business Resiliency Planner | M.A. Social-Organizational Psychology Candidate | USAF Veteran | Athlete
Last week I attended a two-day military veterans career networking event hosted by The Military Veteran. It was a rich experience meeting several veterans who are on various points along the career transition spectrum. From preparing for their initial transition post-active duty to being the tip-of-the-spear in their respective industries. Additionally, the panelist discussions were insightful and motivating. It was great to hear from veterans who have gone through many career transitions, learning about their struggles and how they made it out on top In successful careers in business.
Here is a sample of the list of takeaways from the event:
- Find a need, fill a need. How does your background and experiences provide value for the opportunities you're seeking?
- Use your values as a filter when searching for your next step.
- Find out what you're good at, what you like doing, and what you don't like.
- Recognize the unique value you bring to the civilian workforce. Leadership, organization, team oriented, mission focused, relationship/family oriented, hungry and humble.
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia and the rest of the TMV team for putting on a great event! Looking forward to the next one.
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Oct 2, 2023
JW
Joshua Winter
I had scheduled an 30 mintue conversation with Brendan that went on for over an hour. He and I discussed the whole interview process and ran through a mock interview that was very insightful. The best part was that he gave me homework that was directed towards me personally , not a blanket "do this and you will be better ". Also, he checked in to make sure I was understanding the why of it all. Since our conversation, I had made it further in many interview processes (most are still moving forward) and I have been given several offers within my range.
Feb 20, 2023
Derek Herrera
Medical Device Entrepreneur
This is an epic crew. I'm expecting this conference to become the biggest, most well attended, and fun time for any Veteran entrepreneurs in the future. Can't wait to hang out with the crew tomorrow and I look forward to seeing you all soon!!!
Thank you Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for creating the opportunity for the Veteran network!
Feb 1, 2023
Bradford Davis
CEO / Entrepreneur / Veteran
I'm delighted to be one of the panelists at The Military Veteran's Startup Conference in San Francisco on February 2nd and 3rd. This is a great opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and share experiences as a military veteran entrepreneur.
I'll be speaking on the M&A panel alongside Bob Eisiminger and Lamine Zarrad - I look forward to the conversation.
If you're a military veteran founder, VC, operator, student, or military spouse looking to build your network, register to attend here - lnkd.in/gmJxTehs
Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, Brendan Aronson and the Context VC team
#Startup #Entrepreneur #Veteran #TheMilitaryVeteran #mvs2023
Feb 1, 2023
Mike Sherbakov
Startup advisor. Impact investor. Community builder.
I'm honored to be speaking at the Military Veteran Startup Conference this week in San Francisco.
If you're a founder or investor in the veteran startup ecosystem - I highly recommend you find a way to join us this week.
I look forward to a great panel discussion alongside Sherman Williams II, Craig Cummings, Kevin Eckert.
A big thank you to Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, Brendan Aronson and the Context VC Team for putting together one of the best events of the year.
CC: The Veteran Fund Ryan Micheletti Justin Nahama Lisa Song Sutton
#veteran #startup #venturecapital
Feb 1, 2023
K. Holden Lindblom
Ambitious Problem Solver
Waking up at 4:00am isn't fun.
But you know what is?
The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 - hosted by Context VC Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, and Brendan Aronson.
These three people are absolutely incredible. Their last event in NYC was fantastic, and I'm so glad to have the opportunity to attend this year in SF.
Put simply, if you're a veteran even remotely interested in the startup space, you need to attend this event.
This event will likely sell out in the coming days - grab a ticket soon if you're on the fence - lnkd.in/e6Vgv5Wk
Let me know if you'll be there by posting a comment below, and reach out to connect with me before the event!
#mvs23 #startups #vc #veterans
Feb 2, 2023
Daniel Newland
Consultant
Kicking off The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 today, hosted by Context VC!
Context has assembled a terrific gathering of folks from across the military veteran startup ecosystem: founders, VCs, and operators at early-stage companies. Looking forward to hearing from fantastic panel speakers like Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho Hayden Meredith Timothy Herman and others.
Thanks to Lee Carter and the team at SEI for supporting this growing community.
Learn more at lnkd.in/eWrw6xtD
#mvs23 #startups #vc #veterans
Feb 2, 2023
Daniel Newland
Consultant
Kicking off The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 today, hosted by Context VC!
Context has assembled a terrific gathering of folks from across the military veteran startup ecosystem: founders, VCs, and operators at early-stage companies. Looking forward to hearing from fantastic panel speakers like Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho Hayden Meredith Timothy Herman and others.
Thanks to Lee Carter and the team at SEI for supporting this growing community.
Learn more at lnkd.in/eWrw6xtD
#mvs23 #startups #vc #veterans
Feb 2, 2023
Charlie Eadie
Strategic Advisor | Connector | Team Builder
Thanks Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for hosting an incredible event. I'm having a ton of fun seeing friends and making new ones. It is great to meet with inspiring #veteran #founders, VCs and VSOs. This is how you build #community. Great work!
Feb 2, 2023
Keenan Beasley
Culture & Commerce
Looking forward to joining some old friends at the conference and talking all things Infinite Looks Inc. and Supply Factory Brands Special thanks to Tim Hsia and his company for organizing a great panel with Charlynda Scales 💪🏾❤️🇺🇸 , "IRON" Mike Steadman and Kenneth (Ken) Sutton
Feb 2, 2023
Ken Rowe
Associate Partner at SwingSearch
Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson thank you so much for hosting an amazing event! It was a great first day, and I can't wait to continue to meet more people and reconnect with so many fellow veterans tomorrow!
Feb 3, 2023
Brandon Childers, M.S.
Founder of Freelance Corporal™
It takes a tribe.
Gearing up for day two of The Military Veteran Startup Conference with some of my favorite people. 3 notes:
1. Despite moments of confidence, entrepreneurship is a daunting arena. It's much less intimidating when you get to approach this ecosystem as part of a team, and I feel lucky to have found mine through Bunker Labs.
2. Working alongside Stephen, Colleen, and Michael makes the process enjoyable. A big thanks to Blake Hogan for doing a hard job really well.
3. I'd like to bellow my appreciation for Tim, Carina, and Brendan of Context VC from the roof tops.
Thank you for holding the door open and sharing this opportunity for diverse founders. Thank you for giving military friendly institutions a chance to support us.
Thank you for starting conversations, and welcoming feedback. Thank you.
It takes a tribe!
#MVC
Feb 3, 2023
Dean Wegner
Founder & CEO at Authentically American
Veteran Friends, 2 quick notes. First, make plans to attend the MILVET Startup Conference in 2024. The energy, buzz, and excitement from hundreds of Veteran Entrepreneurs pursuing their passion is just an incredible environment! Second, I was invited to be a speaker and sell product at our Authentically American booth to support two amazing organizations serving our American heroes, Bunker Labs and Service to School. I was also invited to do a 5min showcase of our product. 2012 Naval Academy grad Brendan Aronson introduced me. The setup could not have been more perfect. I asked Brendan to hold the Go Army shirt as I demonstrated our 'sweat' activated print innovation where a hidden message magically appears when you work out. Fortunately, Brendan is a good sport. Beat Navy! 👊💪😂🇺🇸
Tim Hsia
Carina Cho
Ark Lu
Blake Hogan
Alexander Emmert
Context VC
#Startup #Entrepreneur #Veteran #TheMilitaryVeteran #mvs2023
Feb 3, 2023
Will Revels, CFA, CEPA, CFP®
Wealth Advisor to Entrepreneurs | Veteran
So enjoyed attending The Military Veteran Startups Conference put on by Tim Hsia and Context VC in San Francisco this week!
A few things I heard:
"Investing in [under-represented] founders: It's not philanthropy, it's not impact investing, it's just smart."
"If you asked me three years ago what makes a good salesperson, I would have told you charisma. It is not. It is about being process-oriented, organized, and having disciplined follow up."
"Not enough founders add VC's to their distribution list and send out monthly investment updates on how things are going."
"CooleyGo.com"
and my personal favorite: "Get a wealth advisor involved early on to help you get organized so your family is taken care of." 😊
#mvs #vc #veterans #founders
Dean Bundschu Lars Herman "IRON" Mike Steadman Nick Bradfield Lindsay Kough Karen Deschaine Ron Mouw Bunker Labs Derren Burrell, CDFM, AIF®David Jones
Feb 3, 2023
Joe Guzman
Founder and CEO of Space Cowboy ADR, Regional VP of the US Space Force Association, Central Region
It's gonna be a great day in San Fran w Military Veteran Startups…
#mvs
#spacecowboy
#adr
Feb 2, 2023
Luke Schneider
Fire Department Coffee, CEO
The Military Veteran Startup Conference has been an incredible experience.
Tim Hsia and the Context VC Team are doing incredible things in the veteran community.
If you are a veteran entrepreneur, investor, or organization that wants to support veteran businesses' grow, I strongly suggest you attend their next event.
Thank you for inviting me to sit on the consumer panel moderated by Carina Cho.
I look forward to the next event!
Feb 3, 2023
Taylor Justice
Co-Founder & President at Unite Us
I'm excited to be one of the panelists at The Military Veteran's Startup Conference in San Francisco on February 2nd and 3rd! This is an amazing opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and share my experiences as a military veteran entrepreneur.
I'll be speaking on Military Veteran Led Unicorn Companies panel alongside Alex McKindra, A.J. Altman, Mark Frank and Socrates Rosenfeld - I look forward to the conversation.
Jan 26, 2023
I really appreciated the opportunity to speak at the The Military Veteran Startup Conference about building a dual-use company.
Thank you to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for the gracious invite and for putting on a hell of a conference.
It's humbling to be in the presence of so many highly accomplished veteran entrepreneurs - it helps to keep me grounded and reminds me that there's much work to do for us to reach their level.
Also shoutout to my fellow Marines:
"IRON" Mike Steadman - really good to see you man and inspired by the impact you're making in the inner cities. Can't believe it's been 13 years!
Ian Cameron - Excited to follow what you're building in PropTech!
Maks Khurgin - Absolutely crushing it - I'd do what you're doing if I were smart enough
Daniel Gwak - Great catching up - with luck maybe I'll be sliding in your DMs about our Series B towards the end of the year!
Semper Gents, looking forward to seeing you at the next event!
Edit: Shoutout to Carina Cho as well for putting together such an awesome event!
Feb 4, 2023
Michael C. Malone
Using technology to tackle cognitive impairments and daily living. Army Veteran
Day one of the MILVET conference was epic. I am looking forward to day two. What made day one so great?
It was a combination of the information sessions and the meeting other founders and talking to Venture Capital partners to that back veterans.
I also spent the day with several bunker labs people (Brandon Childers, M.S., Colleen Marchi,Mikey Piro,Stephen C. ). I also got the chance to chat with the founder of Bunker Labs Blake Hogan.
If you could not make it this year then I recommend doing it next year.
Feb 3, 2023
Jimmy Byrn
Yale J.D./M.B.A. Candidate | Legislative Affairs | Investment Operations | Startups | Veteran
Had an amazing time at this year's MilVet Startup Conference at the Marine Memorial Club in San Francisco.
Thanks to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, and the rest of the MVS and Context VC teams for a terrific event. I learned a ton from the top notch speakers and got to meet up with old friends as well as amazing veteran founders and VCs throughout both days.
Looking forward to more MilVet events. I highly recommend these to anyone interested in expanding your knowledge and network within the veteran business community.
#startup #founders #veteran #venturecapital
Feb 4, 2023
Jacqueline Blackburn
Principal at Decisive Point
Attended Milvets Startup Conference in SF this week. If you haven't been, check out this year's lineup here, lnkd.in/eYK4W6eM, but also pencil in for 2024!
It takes a ton of work to put these events together and it couldn't have happened without Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson. Beyond grateful to participate as a panelist this year sitting next to the legends, Paul Madera Beau Laskey Daniel Gwak.
Building community is magical. Loved seeing it in action this week.
Feb 4, 2023
Andrew Napier, MD, FAAEM
Physician | Inventor | Tillman Scholar
Just experienced the incredible MilVet Startup Conference with IntuBlade co-founder Dave Warden III in San Francisco and I'm feeling inspired! The panels were top-notch, showcasing the grit and passion of veteran entrepreneurs.
A big standout was fellow Tillman Scholar Socrates Rosenfeld on the Veteran Led Unicorn Companies panel who perfectly captures the spirit of the veteran entrepreneurial community with this quote: "Passion drives us to tackle the hardest challenges."
Another highlight was hearing Bruce Cleveland discuss his book "Traversing the Traction Gap". His information was incredibly valuable, providing insights on bridging the gap between startup ideas and scaling successful businesses.
Hats off to Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, Carina Cho, and others for putting together a dynamic event that brought together a network of like-minded veterans and supporters. Thank you also to Fire Department Coffee for providing excellent coffee at the conference to keep us going. Can't wait for the next event!
#MilVetConf #veteran #VeteranEntrepreneur #entrepreneurs #startup
Feb 4, 2023
Jacqueline Blackburn
Principal at Decisive Point
Huge shout out to Juan Gutierrez Vince Unanyan Matthew Paul team for putting together such an incredible dinner around the Milvets Conference in SF this week. Ashley Hawkes Matthew Jeppson, thank you for being such an amazing advocate for military vets + families at JPM. JPM does an incredible job of supporting founders, investors, and the VC ecosystem. Proud to have worked with the JPM fam.
Feb 4, 2023
It was an honor yesterday to share the #stage with these amazing #veteranentrepreneurs in San Francisco. The two day event was excellent and provided fantastic #connections, #learnings, and #opportunities from partnering to investing and more. Thank you Context Ventures for putting this event on and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for your sponsorship. When in doubt #hire or #invest in a Vet!!
Feb 4, 2023
Kaush K.
Builder
A couple days ago I attended my first Military Startup Conference put on by Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson and the team at Context VC in San Francisco. Loved the energy and the presence of a diverse set of founders and VCs on various panels.
Everyone there truly wanted to help and support all the founders. The advice I got and the connections I made will be super useful as I continue my journey as a founder.
If you're a founder or want to stay connected in the startup ecosystem, follow Context VC and don't miss their next event!
Feb 5, 2023
Matt Cox
Partnering with pilots and operators to make flight safer and more efficient at Beacon AI
Excellent event by Tim, Carina, and Brendan of Context Ventures!
Some of the amazing attendees in photos below! Also, fun discussing dual-use startups with Tyler, Sonny, and Grant. Plus catching up with Stanford Ignite classmates "IRON" Mike and Jay, and defense tech friends including Matthew, Ian, and Chris.
Feb 4, 2023
Ben Faw
Creating Value In Tech / E-Commerce / Retail / Media
Read on about a great conference. Thanks to: Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, Carina Cho, Context VC, and the many sponsors and others who had a hand in the 2023 Military Veteran Startup Conference in SF this past week. While some will attend fewer conferences this year the value from the right conferences likely increases in my view. If you have key ties to Tech / Start-ups / Military / Veterans / Defense then I recommend you plan on attending this one next year. #startup #veterans #veteran #tech #military
Feb 5, 2023
Two weeks ago, Dean Bundschu told me he was going to the MilVet conference and that he should go. I also found out that Marlene Andersch from rockITdata was going. Now I had to go. Not only was this the first conference of the year, but one of the best conferences I've been to in a very long time.
There is too much praise for a single social media approach so TLDR: If you are a VET or a VC specializing in vets sign up at the link below.
For those wanting to hear more;
The conference was 2 action-packed days in SF and had speakers ranging from new startups to a few Unicorns and VCs with Billions in AUM (Assets Under Management A term I just learned.)
I learned a few other key things.
- Dual Use is a big deal. Companies that provide products for both Fed and Commercial
- This economy sucks for most people
- Hyperfocus is cool
- The book Crossing the Chasm is worth another look for B2B SaaS companies.
- Sell your product before you try to fundraise.
And one of the best pieces of advice came from Charlynda Scales 💪🏾❤️🇺🇸 "Don't look for Like-Minded People, Look for Like Hearted People".
I'd like to thank Tim Hsia, @amber-rae-sims, Brendan Aronson and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for a great event. See you next year.
#startups #people #conferences #vets
lnkd.in/gtJi3ZWu
Feb 5, 2023
What an incredible opportunity to share Sofia Health on a health tech panel with the veteran entrepreneur community alongside Katherine (O'Donnell) Lynch Lenore Karafa and Tracy Baldwin.
Thank you Context VC Brendan Aronson Tim Hsia Carina Cho Ark Lu Brett Chereskin for an incredible event.
#veterans #veteranshelpingveterans #womenentrepreneurs #womeninbusiness #womenhelpingwomen #airforceveteran #airforce #veteran #milspouse #mitsloan #navyveteran #armyveteran #marines #entrepeneurs #femalefounders #health #wellness #healthtechstartup #tech #entrepreneur
Sofia Health Ness RokketMed
Feb 6, 2023
Scott Harrington
I help Founders move beyond building a product to building a company | Former US Army, McKinsey, & Bridgewater
Surging into the week ahead fueled by the afterglow of The Military Veteran Startup Conference. Two days with an incredibly diverse, driven set of leaders focused on making the world around them better. Prior service was the common background -- future impact was the common focus -- helping each other was the common commitment.
A sample of the range in the room -- former Army Ranger building cutting-edge AI+security ✅ - former Air Force pilot and mom building in HealthTech ✅ - former Navy Officer building a woman-led venture fund ✅ - former Enlisted Marine building in FinTech ✅
Much thanks to Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho and Context Ventures for hosting and the sponsors like JP Morgan for supporting this event. Sign up for next year if you are a Veteran building a business, investor looking for emergent founders, or just interested in building the future. lnkd.in/gDzqJyCN
#mvs23 #startup #veteran #mvs24
Feb 6, 2023
Isaac Riddle
Entrepreneur | Marine | Teammate
It's hard to express just how valuable The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023 - hosted by Context VC, Tim Hsia, Carina Cho, and Brendan Aronson was for me.
The panels were filled luminaries and the air of excitement and comradery was electric.
A couple standout lessons for me:
1) The best sales people are process oriented
2) Follow-up is critical
3) Don't optimize for vanity metrics
4) Sales is everything and everything is sales
5) Distraction sinks even good teams, don't get distracted
And there were many more. If you're a veteran in the startup world (or as Tim said multiple times) a civilian ally, I cannot recommend this event enough.
Thank you all for your hard work, this is now 100% on my can't miss events list!
Feb 6, 2023
Hayden Meredith
Banker I Veteran I Start Up Advocate
I had a tremendous time at the MilVet StartUp Conference in SF last week. Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and the whole team at Context VC put on a tremendous event.
My main takeaways, in no particular, that resonated most with me:
-Tim Hsia : coordination and cooperation between veterans in VC and civilians in VC is crucial- we must strengthen these relationships to facilitate a better understanding of ADG opportunities/TAM and leverage traditional VC dry powder.
-Dean Wegner (Authentically American): we don't have a marketing budget. We are a small company, so we've been on national television 21 times to tell our story. It's free and gets us broad exposure.
-Bilal Zuberi (Lux Capital): the most insulated verticals, where deals are getting done, that will lead to legitimate returns: ESG, AI and Defense.
-Veterans are not damaged goods. Vets are loyal, hardworking, dedicated and creative. Often times Vets need a push in the right direction while coming out to the military to define what their new normal looks like in "the real world."
-Steve Bowsher (In-Q-Tel): a tiny portion of start ups taking SIBR money, actually become functioning companies (paraphrased).
-Founding a company is lonely. Founders, especially first time founders, struggle with detaching their personal worth from the success or failure of their company.
-Trae Stephens (Anduril Industries / Founders Fund): "The leaders at Andruril stand on the stage and tell the employees what they are doing and why they are doing it. Not everyone is going to like it, but we communicate our position." This is great leadership- communicate your stance clearly and concisely and have a conversation around it.
-Henry Ward (Carta)- "often times the media goes after companies and founders that are trying to make a difference but fall short."
J.P. Morgan #tdc Alton McDowell Ashley Hawkes Josh Pacheco Juan Gutierrez
Feb 6, 2023
We often forget how refreshing it is to be the dumbest person in the room. (Me)
Very grateful to The Military Veteran Startup Conference at the the Marines Memorial Club in San Francisco last week. Shout out to Context VC, Tim Hsia, Brendan Aronson, team and the incredible sponsors for this event.
Biggest takeaway for me was the importance to stop moving long enough in order to #Learn, #Connect and grow meaningful #Relationships.
#military #veteran #startup #venturecapital
Feb 6, 2023
Charlynda Scales 💪🏾❤️🇺🇸
The LIKE-HEARTED™️ Mentor. Air Force Veteran. Entrepreneur. Program Manager. Servant Leader. Friend.
THE MILITARY VETERAN CONFERENCE was a wonderfully executed event by Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson and Carina Cho from Context Ventures. It was a quick trip for me but I greatly enjoyed meeting new faces and catching up with old comrades.
Access to capital is always needed for an entrepreneur to thrive. I'm proud to have joined the Underrepresented Founder panel with Keenan Beasley Kenneth (Ken) Sutton "IRON" Mike Steadman. These men were incredible and I am glad we were able to be transparent about our journeys.
Takeaways: Provide funding without strings attached. More can be done to educate black & brown founders about the basics of VC funding. More minorities & women should attend these conferences to offer greater perspective.
I shared that my journey with Mutt's Sauce LLC was night and day from OHTaste Foundation, specifically being a solopreneur vs scaling with a team. Thank you to the people who reached out to me to offer support with both!
#military #vc #milvet #funding Bunker Labs
Feb 6, 2023
Ryan Hetrick
MIT - West Point, Class of 2021. Chasing Greatness Mentorship Inc.
Check out the Chasing Greatness Mentorship Inc. launch in San Francisco! The link is attached to this video.
Also, check out my blog (link is below) on my experience and some behind the scenes events!
lnkd.in/ew5MvkjB
You can also check out our launch at the link below!
lnkd.in/eBwAvnVE
Thank you again to the Military Veteran Startup Conference - Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson are great people and we appreciate them giving us this opportunity!
Feb 6, 2023
Michael Eckhardt -- Chasm Director ⋆ Workshop Leader ⋆ Keynote Speaker
We help tech companies dramatically RAISE the PROBABILITY of: product/market fit • launch success • profitable growth
It was a pleasure presenting my session at Day 1 of the MVS Conference -- what a great group of 400 founders, venture leaders, VC's, and LP's.
Here's wishing you and your early-stage teams real traction and market success in 2023++.
--- Michael Eckhardt
Feb 6, 2023
Lenore Karafa
Leader | Board Director | Veteran
Walking into the MilVets start-up conference Thursday morning in San Francisco felt like a long overdue family reunion…A few highlights for me: Having the opportunity to moderate a health tech focused panel with a trio of deeply inspirational female founders, meeting other women in VC, hearing from Bunker Labs teammates on the underrepresented founders panel, and some late night sushi with old and new friends.
Thank you to Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson Carina Cho and the Context VC team. Thank you as well to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for sponsoring.
If we met for the first time - I'm still playing catch-up from the weekend, and would love to be in touch in the coming weeks. If you'd like to hear more from my First In team, please do like our page.
#veterans #entrepreneurs #venturecapital
Feb 6, 2023
Nick Bradfield
EOS Implementer | Helping entrepreneurs get a grip on their business.
My $0.02 about the MilVet conference last week. BLUF - next year, attend!
Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson and Carina Cho did an amazing job with the content and venue to draw great people in. Lindsay Kough and I chatted over lunch about what we hoped to get from the event. He put it simply… if you get a bunch of amazing people in a room then amazing things will happen. Well said. It happened.
The days were full and productive. The evenings allowed small groups to break off and break bread (although somehow we walked up hill both ways).
Semper fi, friends! It was great to see you all.
Blake Hogan Dean Bundschu Tony Pease Chris Anthony Eric Styles Lars Herman Marlene Andersch Brendan Huff Will Revels, CFA, CEPA, CFP® Sherman Williams II Craig Cummings Derren Burrell, CDFM, AIF® and many more…
Feb 6, 2023
Shield Capital
2,818 followers
"Dual-use is not a strategy."--Raj S..
On a panel last week with Connie Loizos, StrictlyVC & TechCrunch; Steve Bowsher, In-Q-Tel; Bilal Zuberi, Lux Capital; and Trae Stephens, Anduril Industries & Founders Fund, Raj shared the investment thesis of Shield Capital-- that companies at the intersection of commercial and government use cases will outperform and scale faster than those that don't.
Getting commercial technology integrated into the U.S. Government seamlessly is the strategy.
Congratulations to Tim Hsia and Context VC for a very successful #Military #Veteran Startup Summit.
#technology #startup #founders
Feb 6, 2023
Thank you to Tim Hsia and the entire Context VC team for hosting The Military Veteran Startup 2023 Conference at Marines' Memorial Club in SF.
I had the honor to join a wonderful panel with Paul Madera, Daniel Gwak, Jacqueline Blackburn and Tim Hsia to discuss Veterans in Venture Capital.
SVB and SVB Capital have been leading the way in venture and tech for 40 years and are proud to support our Veterans! Tilli Kalisky-Bannett Sulu Mamdani Dave Mullen Nancy Nguyen Michael Liu, CFA Kiran Srinivasan David Altman Julia Feldman Efrat Turgeman-Khayat
Thank you to all the veterans and non-veterans that support military veterans in their career transition to the exciting world of technology.
lnkd.in/ga4dmKvw
#startup #entrepreneurs #venturecapital #event #military #veterans #veteranownedbusiness #venturecapital #militaryveterans #community #founders #veteran #fundraising #svb #svbcapital
Feb 7, 2023
M
Manny
I was able to connect with some great vets at MBA programs I applied to. Because we had met in person, it was much easier to keep in contact. They went to bat for me and spent hours editing my resume, essays, and helping me prep for interviews!
Jan 24, 2023
Tom Gorman
Transitioning Navy Officer
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran's Networking Conference in NYC, hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. As I've thought more about the wisdom shared in a myriad of industry panels, I cannot help but think of this event as a great "PROTRAMID (or CORTRAMID) of the business world." With insightful panelists coming from a number of fields - such as investment banking, consulting, entrepreneurship, big tech, private equity, and venture capital - it provided a great overview of what opportunities are available for veterans after the military. And one of the best things about this event was that it was focused on informing veterans to enable their transition - no one was trying to sell me anything and there was no pressure to speak to recruiters, etc. Best of all, I was able to connect with a diverse group of service members who will provide the foundation of a new network.
I cannot recommend this event enough to anyone who is actively separating or even people who are a year plus out from leaving the military. I truly wish I had attended an event like this sooner. Huge thanks to everyone at The Military Veteran who made this happen. I can't wait to attend future iterations!
Oct 5, 2022
Catharine Parnell
General Counsel and Legal Advisor, Strategist, Communicator | Forté Fellow | | #Veteran and Military Spouse | TS/SCI | Known for Radical Candor | #Volunteer #Mentor
A common theme in my #EMBA program is #networking - how to do it, why you do it, how to make yourself more comfortable with the idea of connecting with people who might be able to help you (or those you care about) in the future. For those who aren't sold on the concept of networking, I'll point you to a bit of wisdom I jotted down last week at The Military Veteran conference —"You're only as good as your hard drive."
I liked this aphorism not just because I know the feeling of showing up to a new assignment and scouring the common drive for resources, but also because it holds true — you pull what you need from what (and who) you can put your hands on. When you #network effectively — with kindness, with energy, with compassion, with attention — you build your base of resources on which you can rely to do your job and to find the next one. Your mileage may vary, but here's what works for me:
▪️Engaging on this platform. Leave a thoughtful comment, start a conversation with someone, join one of the amazing Campfire coffee chats.
▪️Be generous with your time and with your gratitude. You make connections with people by giving them the benefit of your full attention and by giving your genuine thanks.
▪️Schedule time to connect one-on-one with people who interest you. Brendan Aronson is a master of this — he scheduled one call with me and changed the way I think about connecting to others. I followed his lead and set up time with Adrian Bonenberger this week — I'm so glad that I did.
▪️Keep notes (mental, or in an old-fashioned Rolodex, a Moleskine, a folder) about what people have done, what they care about, and what interests them. Try to remember to follow up with them about their favorite sport, their hobbies, their families, their industry. You can add value to people's lives by engaging with them on what matters to them (but you have to make an effort to remember those things).
▪️Ask the people you meet what problems they're trying to solve and what kind of people they're looking to meet. Start connecting those people and the benefits of those connections will compound over time.
What's your favorite piece of networking advice? What works for you?
Oct 7, 2022
Morgan Moore
Real Estate Broker | Goizueta MBA | Navy Veteran
I attended The Military Veteran transition conference in New York this weekend, hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
It wasn't a typical military transition workshop. Over twenty veterans and industry leaders shared lessons from their transitions into the civilian world. There were over 300 people in attendance, but they spoke like they were telling stories around a campfire, talking with friends. They shared the gritty details of what they wished someone had told them years before.
Transitioning from the military into civilian life is not to be taken lightly. For many of us, the uniform becomes our identity while serving. Shifting to the civilian world often feels like a fish out of water. There might even be an internal struggle as you balance pride in your military experience and imposter syndrome. Maybe you were presented with leadership opportunities early on and had confidence in your previous roles. Yet, your skills do not translate as easily as a civilian peer who was able to have a career with a more centralized focus.
In an environment filled with my brothers and sisters, I realized that I am not alone in rediscovering my identity after leaving active duty. This weekend, I learned that these feelings are not uncommon and it is okay to have them.
I know I will find my footing because that is what veterans do! We persevere. We also have one of the best networks in the world. Each one of us that has made the transition is here to help build up the next person, and I felt that support this weekend.
Thank you to all the panelists. I enjoyed learning about careers we did not have exposure to in the military. I appreciate the one-on-one mentorship and am grateful you took time out of your busy schedules to share words of wisdom.
Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center, Mizzen+Main, & Fire Department Coffee, and The Ridge. I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
#military #veterans #veteranssupportingveterans #militarytransition #leadership
Oct 6, 2022
Davis Hodge
U.S. Coast Guard Veteran, Undergraduate Student at Columbia University
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending The Mil Vet's New York Careers Conference hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. I received an Instagram invite for the event from a friend, who wasn't attending, and basically went with zero expectations. In short, the event surpassed any expectations I could have had for it. I was able to witness incredible speakers, meet and network with other like-minded Veterans, and connect with mentors and potential employers in the field. Representatives from JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Google, Amazon, and KKR were in attendance, to name a few. I was able to hear General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Alex Gorsky, CEO of J&J, deliver powerful speeches on leadership.
Of the wealth of valuable advice I received, here are a couple of ideas that stuck with me:
-Stay humble, hungry, and intellectually curious
-Ask yourself where you want to be in five years
-Ask yourself what is important to you
And from Alex Gorsky on leadership:
-Be a "life-long" leader
-Serve the people who use your products
-Take care of employees
-Give back to your community
-Shareholders deserve a fair return
-Allow everyone to be comfortable speaking up within your company, even if you disagree
-Take care of yourself: eating, exercise, and mental health
Brendan and Tim are doing big things for the Veteran community, and they deserve the recognition for doing so.
Oct 7, 2022
Roxanne Bras Petraeus
Ethena | McKinsey & Co. | U.S. Army
There are never enough hours in the day and I'm working really hard at saying "no" so that I can say "yes" to being a CEO and mom.
This reality always hits me hard when I get the chance to talk with a bunch of incredible veterans, like I did last week. I shared the stage with my father-in-law (and Ethena evangelist!), General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and as you can see by my smile, I had a blast!
I shared my experience leaving active duty Army service for "business," broadly speaking. I made my way into tech by way of consulting.
Since the talk, I've gotten so many nice messages from folks making their own transition. Unfortunately, there aren't enough hours in the day to talk in depth, so I wanted to share a deeper cut of my transition lessons and experiences with an article.
(Also, writing is how I do my best thinking.)
Let me know if you have other questions about transitioning from the military (or making big career changes in general!) and I'll tackle them in an upcoming post.
Thanks for the opportunity to chat, and to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing!
#veterans #veteransupport #careerchange
Oct 5, 2022
Ian Folau
I help companies become great. I also help them sell their business when the time is right.
I continue to be impressed by the determination that I see in veterans that want to make an impact and provide service. This weekend I snuck out to NYC to speak at The Military Veteran conference on a panel with fellow successful veteran entrepreneurs on the nuances of starting up a business. I had some great conversations with some active duty military folks looking at what they want to do next as well as some that have been out of the military for quite some time and are looking to network into new opportunities.
If you are a veteran looking for what is next for you, conferences like these are what you should be doing in order to understand what you don't know and what could potentially fill you with passion. I am open to speaking further with anyone I met at the event if I can provide any help.
Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia and The Military Veteran team was awesome. Great work!
Oct 3, 2022
Catharine Parnell
General Counsel and Legal Advisor, Strategist, Communicator | Forté Fellow | | #Veteran and Military Spouse | TS/SCI | Known for Radical Candor | #Volunteer #Mentor
On Friday, I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran's #networking conference in New York City. While the MilVet's stated mission is to help veterans find meaningful post-service careers, the value of their community goes far beyond that purpose -- the MilVet supports transitioning #veterans with passion, care, empathy, and generosity. Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia have built something wonderful and I cannot wait to see how it grows.
Friday's program gave me a lot to think about, including an excellent leadership model taught by none other than GEN (Ret.) David Petraeus. My primary takeaway, however, was an aphorism told by Bering Tsang - "If you see a turtle on a fence post, chances are it didn't get there by itself." Pithiness aside, the point is simple -- none of us got where we are in the #military, in our #militarytransition, in our careers, in our development, without the grace and guidance of others. If you've made it over an obstacle, reach back a hand.
If you're transitioning -- or just somewhere in your journey where you need a friend -- I'm here to pull you up behind me. If I can help build your network or talk through career options, it would be my sincere pleasure to do so.
Thank you, Brendan and Tim and the MilVet team, for a wonderful conference.
#army #navy #marinecorps #airforce #coastguard #spaceforce #career #jobsearch
Oct 3, 2022
Ben Kent
Space and Defense Tech | Writer | Marine Veteran
Last weekend, I attended the second The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia. Once again, TMV2 knocked it out of the park.
I'll share my one key takeaway to those about to exit the military:
The transition period is inherently a time of uncertainty. Whether finding a job, going to school, or starting a business post-military, it's critical to stay humble, hungry, intellectually curious and open to surprising possibilities. Approach the transition as an exciting time for intense learning and growth beyond the military structure.
TMV2 shows the community is alive and well to help fellow veterans. It was gratifying to reconnect with K. Holden Lindblom and John Jasionowicz IV and to meet driven fellow service members starting their transition like Peter Christensen and Saamon Legoski, MPH.
Thanks to the fantastic speakers who joined us. I was especially eager to hear insights from experts in defense and space tech like Dan R. and Sherman Williams II. Thanks as well to sponsors like Scale Facilitation® and Fire Department Coffee. If you're a transitioning veteran or employer looking for an amazing talent pool, highly recommend you follow The Military Veteran!
Oct 4, 2022
James Myron
Sr Consultant | Cornell MBA (c) | Marine Corps Veteran
I had an incredible weekend @ The Military Veteran conference TMV2 talking military transition and the language of business.
I was amazed at the amount of people I met with shared backgrounds, diverse backgrounds, and the stories I heard of successes, failures, overcoming setbacks, taking big risks, and good old leveraging opportunities. It was good to make new friends, connect with old ones, all while learning and growing.
So many impressive people took the stage, and shared knowledge on leading industries with the next generation.
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing a great event with an even better culture!
#TMV2 #militarytransition #business #turtleonafencepost
Oct 4, 2022
Shawn Gregoire
Business Strategy | Data Analytics | Innovation | Defense Ventures Alum
The Military Veteran conference this past weekend was every bit as great as advertised!
I wanted to take the time to thank Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing and hosting such a valuable, talent dense event for the veteran community. I would also like to thank everyone behind the scenes who ensured a smooth, inviting conference.
I am normally not a fan of networking events, especially ones where I'm walking into a huge room full of strangers. But Brendan and Tim made the genius decision of separating everyone into small groups so we can get to know each other before the event. It immediately made the room warmer, and I felt more comfortable getting to know people less familiar to me.
Thanks so much to the legendary "Table 15" crew (Amis Matulionis, Trevon Andrews, Richard Gerrity, Valentin Noël, Justin Hyeon, Delali Ofori) being so engaged and friendly throughout the weekend. It made all the difference in the world for my confidence and comfort level.
I was also blown away at the candor and helpfulness of the all-star list of industry leaders at the event, and the talent of the people I met was astounding.
The Military Veteran conference was one of the most valuable events I've ever attended, and I genuinely value the relationships made from the event. If you're a military member even thinking about transitioning into the civilian sector, you *need* to be in this group.
Also, I'm providing FREE Linkedin reviews for anyone who attended the event. Just send me a message to set up a time, and we'll go over your profile from top to bottom so the right people are looking at you.
I'm really excited to support The Military Veteran and its members any way I can going forward!
#linkedinhardmode #themilitaryveteran #networking #veteran
Oct 3, 2022
Nathan Vrablic
NYU | Investment Banking
This past weekend, I had the pleasure to attend The Military Veteran conference where I was surrounded by the brightest veteran leaders and innovators in the world. I want to thank Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, Amber Sims, and Diana T. for all of their hard work in hosting this event. The team knocked it out of the park and offered incredible insights for veterans transitioning out of the military via panels and networking opportunities. I also want to thank Fire Department Coffee and Ridge Wallet for sponsoring the event!
Lastly, I urge all veterans interested in pursuing a career outside of the military to connect with The Military Veteran team. I look forward to partaking in future events and spreading the word to student veterans at New York University!!
Oct 3, 2022
Jacob Ashton
Junior at Columbia University | Army Veteran
I had the pleasure of meeting General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Roxanne Bras Petraeus yesterday. Thank you to Brendan Aronson, Tim Hsia, Diana T., Carina Cho, Amber Sims, as well as everyone who who set up and ran the MBA networking event yesterday through The Military Veteran! You're all changing the lives of veterans for the better! You've reinforced my goal of applying to Harvard Business School, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, The Wharton School, and others! If you want to get amazing content relating to top MBA programs or network with other veterans who are going to change the world, follow the people tagged in this post! #veterans #MBA # #networking #network #veteranshelpingveterans
Oct 1, 2022
Attended The Military Veteran networking event in NYC over the weekend. It was a fantastic networking event that I can not highly recommend enough. A huge kudos to Amber Sims, Tim Hsia, and Brendan Aronson for organizing this event.
Where else do you get to listen, learn and interact with General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), and Alex Gorsky in a fireside chat?
We got the unvarnished and non-flowery BLUF from veterans, who are some of the best in their respective fields, on careers in
: Investment Banking,
: Consulting,
: Big Tech,
: Start-ups,
: National Security,
: Venture Capital, and
: Private Equity.
In addition to gaining a wealth of insight, I also got a chance to connect with veterans who have readily offered their help. Shout out to Jack James, Eric Nelson, Jacqueline Blackburn, Renée LaMarche, Charles Masters, Michael Bruno, Jason Rodriguez, Joseph Collias, and others.
A huge thanks to my fellow Darden classmate Catharine Parnell for recommending this event.
Looking forward to the next event to gain more insight and hopefully give back to this great community of veterans.
#kudos #event #networking #veterans #tech #careers #privateequity #nationalsecurity #consulting #venturecapital #investmentbanking #military
Oct 3, 2022
Charles Masters
Entrepreneur | E-commerce | FIU MBA Candidate | Veteran Military Diver
Last weekend, I attended one of the best events I've ever been to!
The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson was truly exceptional in every way.
We had an incredible panel of speakers from: Start-ups, Big Tech, Investment Banking, Consulting, National Security, Venture Capital, and Private Equity.
I want to thank General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), Roxanne Bras Petraeus, Ashley H. and Alex Gorsky for taking the time out of their busy schedules to share their valuable knowledge with us.
I would also like to thank Clyde M. Woltman, Billy Knapp and Sam Ellis for their one-on-one mentorship.
I look forward to continuing to grow with talented veterans such as Pablo Rivera, Dustin Castillo, Juan Bermudez Torres, Naveen Vinta and Joe Mawad.
My biggest takeaway from this amazing event -
The transition period is a challenging time for many veterans because of how much uncertainty we face. When you leave the military, a piece of your identity can feel hazy at times. It's okay to feel lost at this moment while you rebuild yourself, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are thousands of veterans who have gone through these same feelings. We are all here to help one another. So make sure you reach out to this extraordinary community.
Again, thank you to all the fantastic speakers who joined us. Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , Chick-fil-A Restaurants, Fire Department Coffee, Mizzen+Main, and The Ridge. I personally want to thank Florida International University, FIU Chapman Graduate School of Business and StartUP FIU for their constant support in helping me grow my business skills.
Finally, I would like to thank Tim Hsia, and Brendan Aronson once again for putting this all together. I look forward to seeing you both at The Military Veteran Startup Conference 2023.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
#veterans #business #tech #startup
Oct 4, 2022
Jimmy Byrn
Yale J.D./M.B.A. Candidate | Legislative Affairs | Investment Operations | Startups | Veteran
Last weekend, I attended The Military Veteran Transition Career Conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson in NYC. I wasn't sure what to expect, but this conference absolutely blew away my expectations. The speaker slate was truly top notch including General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), Roxanne Bras Petraeus, as well as my USMA classmate: the spectacular Sam Ellis. The stories from vet entrepreneurs and business leaders were particularly inspiring.
The #1 thing I left the conference with is a sense of how hard it is to start and grow a business from scratch, but also how fulfilling it can be to put everything into it and build something of your own. Several people I met gave me a lot to think about regarding areas of entrepreneurship and business leadership and dispelled some of the myths that often accompany them. This in and of itself made it worth it to attend, but there was a lot more.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition. It's a terrific organization and this will likely not be my last visit to one of their conferences. #business #career #leadership #people #military #entrepreneurship #help #veteran
Oct 4, 2022
Jason Rodriguez
Automation Specialist | NYU | Veteran
Last week, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson
Here's what I learned from this amazing event-
It's critical for me to maintain a humble, hungry, and intellectually curious mindset while I continue my career. Hearing a chairman of IBM speak, Alex Gorsky, made me embrace those qualities even more.
Thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us. Rob Huberty was insightful with how his company is using AI to reach their goals. Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center, Fire Department Coffee, Mizzen+Main, and The Ridge #.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition or for career advice in general.
Oct 4, 2022
Matt Grothaus
Officer Recruiting | Marine Corps Pilot | MBA Candidate, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, '24
Last week, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
Transitioning out of the military is a daunting task. Hearing all of these veterans speak about their civilian careers gave me incredible insight. Some of the anxiety I had about leaving the Marine Corps has been replaced with confidence and drive. I can't wait!
Before this event, I was asking myself "What will I do when I get out?" This question came from a place of genuinely not knowing what options exist, 😂.
Now I'm asking myself, "what will I do when I get out?" because I learned about so many exciting career paths by listening to the speakers at the event.
Thank you to the speakers and attendees, I enjoyed meeting all of you and I look forward to a day when I can attend as a veteran, so I can provide the same insight to the next generation.
Thank you to the sponsors: Scale Facilitation® Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center , Fire Department Coffee Mizzen+Main.
I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
#militarytransition #military #veteranshelpingveterans #veteran #thankyou #careers #event
Oct 4, 2022
Peter Christensen
Student Veteran; Founder; Proud Dad
I spent the last few days in New York learning from people who are changing the world.
Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia started The Military Veteran to connect transitioning service-members and military veterans with people and opportunities I would never have dreamed I would be able to access.
I met Tommy Jones, who trailblazed a wildly successful hiring initiative that increases diversity and helps veterans and military spouses land jobs with Verizon.
I met Rob Huberty, who started a company called ZeroEyes. They integrate AI and school security video feeds to detect firearms and prevent school shootings.
I met men and women who learned English as a second language, whose parents are immigrants, and many who immigrated to the United States themselves.
They all shared something in common: they all retained and exemplified the best principles one learns through service to one's country.
Selflessness. Humility. Grit.
Oct 4, 2022
This past weekend, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference in New York City hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
After over 11 years of Active Duty service as an officer, Army Aviator, and now as a West Point instructor, I have decided to transition to a civilian career. This conference was tremendously helpful to me as I begin to navigate this transition and I am grateful for the experience.
I am looking at a wide range of exciting opportunities in the business world, the airlines, DoD-SkillBridge opportunities, or even something new and unexpected where I can make an impact. This conference showed me that you just have to jump in and get after it. Civilian careers are not linear - there is no perfect path. And that can be exciting and reassuring for a transitioning officer like me.
I couldn't believe the outpouring of support from veterans who have achieved great things in their civilian careers - they showed me that it's alright to figure out how to build a career by trying new things.
Thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us:
General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), Alex Gorsky, Ashley Roxanne Bras Petraeus, Bradley Genser, J. Cooper Lycan, Rob Huberty, Neal Zuckerman, Ian Folau, Rodney Manzo, Clyde M. Woltman, Dan R., Nick McGrath, Thomas Hendrix, Jacqueline Blackburn, George Dutile, Sam Ellis, Bering Tsang, Zachary Zimmerman, Devon Van Buren (Turner), Timothy Balthazar, Rafael Albornoz, Tommy Jones, Billy Knapp, Ari Schiff, Joe Kistler, Augusto Giacoman, Sherman Williams II.
Thank you to the conference sponsors: Scale Facilitation® , CHICK FIL A, Fire Department Coffee, Mizzen+Main, Ridge Wallet.
I highly recommend you follow The Military Veteran and ask them for help during your transition.
Oct 3, 2022
Nicholas Kilcourse
US Army Veteran | Freelance Sports Writer
Last week, I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson
Here's what I learned from this amazing event -
1) If you're not doing something that absolutely lights you up, then it's time to move on and try something new. There are way too many opportunities in the world to not be enjoying what you are doing. The autonomy of the Civilian world can be overwhelming now that we can put our hands in our pockets and choose to do whatever we can, but it should also be empowering.
2) "Who you are as a person is who you are as a Leader" - Alex Gorsky This quote really resonated with me. As Veterans, we may not start out with the hard skills that our peers may have, but what we do possess are a very unique set of leadership capabilities instilled at us at a MUCH younger age than our civilian counterparts. Moral of the story: Be a good person and people will want to follow you. We can provide as much value to our peers as they can provide to us.
3) Just go for it. Whether you're a 27 year old Veteran or you just retired after 20 years, GO GET AFTER IT! There is nothing we can't do as Veterans especially if we continue to EMPOWER each other. Connect and network with everyone you can. You never know what you can provide each other.
I can not express my gratitude enough for this organization (@TheMilitaryVeteran) for this incredible event. I can't wait for the next one and I look forward to eventually being one of the panelists at one of their Conferences.
Oct 3, 2022
Alec Eiber
Software Engineer at Oracle (OCI) | US Navy Veteran
Had a great time this weekend at The Military Veteran networking event in NYC. Hearing from people like General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Alex Gorsky was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I learned a TON from everyone who spoke on the numerous panels.
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for putting on the conference.
The amount of high-functioning and super-achieving people I met was incredibly motivating, but I also realized how many of them were just normal people facing adversity in life. It was humbling, yet encouraging to see the incredible opportunities out there for veterans.
For any transitioning vets looking to get into tech (on the engineering side), please don't hesitate to ask for help. As I learned from Bering Tsang, "If you see a turtle on top of a fence post, it probably didn't get there on its own."
Oct 3, 2022
Brian Kevin Lagrange
Sell Your Business and Real Estate For Top Dollar! Need Financing or Have Any Questions? Let's Connect!
Shout out to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for hosting The Military Veteran Conference in Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel this past week.
It was an incredible gathering that opened my eyes to what I want to do as I begin my transition and opened many doors to new opportunities and relationships. This is the type of event that re-ignites that flame inside your soul that you had when you first joined the military.
#veteran #military #opportunities
Thanks to General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Roxanne Bras Petraeus for speaking to us. We know you are busy individuals changing the world but you definitely changed mine with your wisdom on private equity firms KKR & Co. Inc. #privateequity
Thanks to the following people for sharing their stories and journey. Your talks and our conversations made an impact on me-Joe Mawad Matthew Jones Bering Tsang Ian Folau J. Cooper Lycan Billy Knapp James Myron Karanjit Paul Asa L Miller IV Timothy Balthazar Tommy Jones Bradley Genser Rob Huberty Ark Lu
I look forward to the next one. I am the one standing behind the sign in the photo below. Great group of business leaders who have served this great county of ours. #business #leaders
Oct 3, 2022
Charles (Taegun) Kim
Kellogg MBA + MS Design Innovation (MMM) Candidate '24 | Blockchain Business Development @ MVL
I attended The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
I couldn't believe the outpouring of support from veterans who have achieved great things in their civilian careers. They were very generous enough to provide me with candid and valuable advice from the industries that each of them represents.
It also reminded me once again to help other vets as much as possible and to be open to receiving help from others.
Thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us. Thank you to the sponsors: @scale facilitation, @Chick f-Lil, @Fire Department Coffee, @Mizzen and Main, and @Ridge Wallet. I recommend you follow The Military Veteran, and ask them for help during your transition.
Oct 3, 2022
Bond Robinson
Naval Officer, Helicopter Pilot
Last week, I had the privilege to attend The Military Veteran transition conference hosted by Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson.
The event was in incredible place for military members to gather in community, network, have candid conversations, and get real advice from business leaders who are in all stages of life post service.
It was great to be in the company of people who could share the anxiety of leaving an incredible, stable career where we get to lead talented individuals and make an impact on a global scale. It was even more beneficial to get insight from vets who have gone through the transition process and are dominating in their new careers.
Normally, networking events stir a certain level of stress for a high functioning introvert like myself, but this event was extremely different from all others that I've been to. I met peers from all branches, some in the same position that I am, some a year or two behind me, and some that are where I want to be in ten years.
If anyone is transitioning from active duty, or has already transitioned, and is looking to gain invaluable insight for their future career, I'm giving my highest recommendation to The Military Veteran.
A big thank you to the fantastic speakers who joined us!
#military #veteran #community
Oct 3, 2022
John Jasionowicz IV
MBA Candidate at Vanderbilt Owen '24 | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus
I feel that LinkedIn gets over saturated with information at times, so I try to limit my posts. However, that should display that I only post when I feel strongly about something. One of these things is the The Military Veteran. I have been to TMV1 and TMV2, their first and second conferences, so I definitely wouldn't do something two times if I didn't believe in Brendan Aronson's and Tim Hsia's mission.
Growth is an important business concept that George Dutile and Sherman Williams II spoke about on each of their panels. Between TMV1 in July and TMV2 in September I saw the conference grow from 50 in attendance to about 300.
Numerical growth is one thing, but the breadth of my network expanded as well. I was able to reconnect with JP Basham, Ben Kent, and K. Holden Lindblom while also meeting new veterans and transitioning service memebers from diverse backgrounds like Saamon Legoski, MPH, Shawn Gregoire, and J. Cooper Lycan. It was also a once in lifetime opportunity to meet General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Alex Gorsky.
#veterans #business #opportunity #growth
Oct 3, 2022
I had the pleasure of attending The Military Veteran conference on Friday of last week in NYC and got to connect with ambitious veterans, business owners, and listen to some great speakers, like Alex Gorsky (CEO Johnson and Johnson), General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) and Roxanne Bras Petraeus , and some of my West Point classmates Rafael Albornoz, Augusto Giacoman, Tim Hsia.
Key takeaways (did my best paraphrasing)
Alex Gorsky: "A lot of people like to admire problems. You can differentiate yourself by figuring out how to get things done."
General Petraeus: "The key steps of a strategic leader are to 1. Get the big ideas right 2. Communicate those ideas effectively 3. Oversee the implementation of the ideas 4. Refine big ideas and repeat.
Roxanne Petraeus: "if you don't know exactly what you want to do when you get out of the military, think about it for a little bit, then just pick something and give it your best shot. Your first job doesn't define your career and you can refine later."
Thank you Brendan Aronson and Tim for organizing.
Photo of Raf and I catching up before my flight home. Wish we got a pic with all of us '04 guys.
Oct 3, 2022
Alexandra Hundley
MBA Candidate, Tuck School of Business
Transitioning out of the Navy back into the civilian world via business school is incredibly daunting and often overwhelming. Last week I was fortunate enough to attend The Military Veteran's first ever conference in NYC.
I was so impressed with co-founders and fellow veterans Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for their passion to create invaluable connections to service members navigating similar post-military journeys.
Support is always crucial for veterans and that was definitely felt through KKR & Co. Inc. and J.P. Morgan for providing the venues/catering and each panelist for their insight.
If you are also a transitioning or soon to be transitioning veteran, I highly recommend you attend one of these events. Contact the co-founders listed above, the MilVet page, or myself if you have any interest in their next NYC conference 30SEP-OCT1.
#business #connections #veterans
Jul 16, 2022
Nick Connelly
Investment Analyst | Partners Group
This week, I had one of the best experiences of my military transition at The Military Veteran NYC pre-MBA conference. This event was far more powerful than any other job fair or pre-MBA programming I have attended. Thank you to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for the opportunity!
Personally, I recently made the decision to start working full time in lieu of an MBA, but any vets pursing an MBA or transitioning into a startup should definitely lookout for future events from this team.
Jul 9, 2022
Ken Culbertson
MBA Candidate at Columbia Business School | US Marine Corps Veteran
Big thanks to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for hosting the NYC MBA Conference over the last two days. Vets considering careers in business and MBA programs had the chance to hear from and network with other veterans in a variety of industries including investment banking, consulting, tech, startups, alternative asset management, and non-profit. We got to see how strong the veteran community is built on the vulnerability, transparency, and powerful desire to help each other out.
If you are already a successful businessperson who happens to be a veteran, a vet looking to transition into a business career, or anywhere in between, you have to reach out to Brendan and Tim to join the community they're building at The Military Veteran.
For the West Coast vets - They will be hosting other conferences in San Fransisco, July 14-15th and San Diego on August 27th.
Jul 9, 2022
K. Holden Lindblom
Ambitious Problem Solver
Transitioning out of the military can be tough. Real tough. You don't need to go through it alone. There are A LOT of resources out there, but sometimes navigating to the right resources, the right mentors, and the right paths can be difficult. The Military Veteran conference was a two-day in-depth deep dive into all things MBA and post-military careers.
I transitioned out of the #military almost 7-years ago (wow time flies), and I still learned a plethora of things. If you're a #milvet and you're thinking about careers/MBA after service, I highly recommend checking them out.
Many thanks to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for putting on such a wonderful event.
Jul 9, 2022
JP Basham
MBA Candidate, Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business 2024 | Army Veteran
This week, I had the awesome opportunity to attend The Military Veteran's NYC MBA Conference after transitioning out of the military last week on July 4th.
Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson along with sponsors Deloitte , JPMorgan Chase & Co. , and KKR & Co. Inc. showcased panels highlighting careers in Investment Banking, Consulting, Venture Capital, and Private Equity as well as non-traditional paths in Entrepreneurship and Non-Profits to over 50 matriculating MBA Students. They facilitated conversations with industry leaders who in turn helped us confirm our target industries and identify actionable steps to pursue them as we start our MBA Programs.
Transitioning out of the military is difficult for anyone, but I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend my first week on the other side of the DD-214. I'm thankful for each person who's helped me along the journey, and am looking forward to the next The Military Veteran event.
Jul 9, 2022
Peter Sunderland
Wharton MBA Candidate '24 | Former Army Infantry Officer
Spent the last two days in NYC at The Military Veteran pre-MBA conference. Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson pulled together and incredible group of veteran panelists and transitioning veterans. I'm looking forward to their next event and grateful to be plugged into such a strong network of veterans.
Jul 9, 2022
Levi Braley
MBA Candidate at Columbia Business School
If you're looking to leave the military, earn an MBA, and accelerate your post-service career I can't recommend The Military Veteran Conference enough. Veteran conferences can be a dime a dozen. The MVC is worth anyone's time to get a vector check on your personal goals and benchmarks of success, and widen your aperture of what is doable.
Over the past two days we met veterans excelling in but not limited to investment banking, consulting, tech, startups, entrepreneurship endeavors, asset management, general management, non-profits, and venture capital. They spoke about challenges, successes, and opportunities for us to follow in their footsteps.
I was one of 2 Air Force folks in attendance out of over 60 attendees, so here's hoping this post provides a bit of visibility to the transitioning United States Air Force and United States Space Force community that assessible opportunities exist to network meaningfully.
A big thank you to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for shouldering this tremendous effort, thank you to KKR & Co. Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for generously donating venues, and thank you to the ~30 speakers who gave us time this week. For those interested in future events follow The Military Veteran for updates and opportunities to attend, and reach out to me if you want to hear more about my experience. #military #militarytransition #mba #mbaconference #veteranshelpingveterans #veteran #airforce #spaceforce
Jul 9, 2022
Sonephet Victor Vichith
Securing humanity's framework with innovation and technology | MBA Candidate at Cornell SC Johnson
Spent the past two days in #nyc with a group (The Military Veteran) of driven and highly motivated #veterans who are prospecting, incoming, and current #mba students at B-schools worldwide. The conference provided insights for any Veteran looking to pursue an MBA and, at the same time, develop meaningful relationships within our network. BIG THANK YOU to Tim Hsia and Brendan Aronson for hosting us and creating this awesome #community!
For those looking to transition out of the military and/or pursue #businessschool, check out The Military Veteran!
#military #transitioningmilitary #veteranshelpingveterans
Jul 9, 2022
John Jasionowicz IV
MBA Candidate at Vanderbilt Owen '24 | Bass Military Scholar | Army Veteran | Analytics & Strategy Focus
I do not post on here often, so that should display how valuable The Military Veteran Conference was to me. The value of a robust professional network should not be discounted. The fact that I met multiple high achievers from my old duty station shows the value of the military network.
I would also like to thank KKR & Co. Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for being great hosts and providing venues to make this venture possible. Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia are in the early stages of building a great organization and I would keep your eyes on its future growth. I would make the trip to NYC from Nashville anytime.
Jul 9, 2022
Amber Sims
Executive Officer at U.S. Army
I recently attended The Military Veteran's NYC MBA Conference. I could not be happier and more grateful to Brendan Aronson and Tim Hsia for organizing this event.
Brendan and Tim didn't just host this conference, they really care about each and every veterans post-military success. The conference was more than what I was expecting of the typical finance/consulting track that veterans are often pushed towards. There were also start-up and non-profit founders/representatives as well. The speakers were honest with their experiences and encourage you to be honest with yourself while transitioning out. As George Dutile said, "Own yourself as soon as possible, you are never too old, and stop comparing your path to someone else's".
Also, big thank you to KKR & Co. Inc. for hosting Day 1. Shout out to JPMorgan Chase & Co. NYC Office and Mark Elliott's team for donating their venue on Day 2 and educating us on their veterans initiatives.
Feel free to reach out to Brandon, Tim or I if you have any questions as their will be a similar conference this fall focused on job recruiting.
#militarytransition #militaryveterans #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranownedbusiness #transitioningservicemembers #mba
Jul 11, 2022
Tom Allison
Head of New Ventures at Live Nation Entertainment
Enjoyed meeting so many #veterans transitioning from warfighters to business builders at the The Military Veteran summit in NYC! Thanks for having me, Tim Hsia Brendan Aronson J.P. Morgan
Jul 12, 2022