“In 2010 I got really sick on a deployment to Africa. They took me to the hospital and ran some tests. At first, they didn’t have any idea what was going on, but I started having more and more seizures and eventually I was medically retired for it. So, I had to ask, what’s next? A lot of my friends who had gotten out had started businesses. So, I started my for-profit firm, Mission Six Zero.

Our company delivers keynote speaking engagements and workshops. I was doing an event with the Oakland Raiders through Mission Six Zero. I was talking to the veterans at the event. The wounded guys were talking about things non-profits had done for them and to me it sounded awesome, but they were telling me it was weird. It was uncomfortable for people to just give them stuff or take them on trips because after that high wore off, it all felt even worse. They started talking about how they wanted to own businesses and how they had ideas. The conversation kept playing over and over in my head: there was a real opportunity to help. So, I started Warrior Rising, a non-profit that empowers veterans who want to start their own businesses.”