Service Academy Business Mastermind

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Bret Petkus and Russell Toll are Army veterans and co-founders of Compassion Neurohealth, a neuroscience-driven brain health practice focused on changing how mental health is measured and treated. As an accomplished healthcare executive, Bret brings significant P&L leadership across medical and life science companies, while Russ, a Stanford-trained neuroscientist and combat veteran, leads the scientific development behind their technology. Their paths into this work were shaped by distinct but deeply personal experiences. Bret's own traumatic brain injury exposed gaps in how neurological damage is identified and addressed, while Russ witnessed the long-term impact of blast exposure during his service in Iraq. Their shared commitment to improving brain health led to a partnership grounded in both mission and medicine. In th

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Jesse Prince is an Army veteran who served nearly six years on active duty, including two combat tours to Iraq. After transitioning from the military, he built a career in commercial real estate brokerage while earning his Master's in Real Estate Finance from NYU, graduating near the top of his class and deepening his expertise in institutional-level real estate. Today, Jesse is the founder of IncrediVer, an AI-powered accredited investor verification and qualification platform for private fund managers and capital raisers. An engineer by training with years of experience in securities offerings and real estate technology, he helps issuers streamline compliance, reduce onboarding friction, and move serious investors from interest to investment more efficiently. In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Jesse about

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Tom O'Hare is a U.S. Navy veteran and the founder of Keel Capital and Keel Home Development, where he leads multifamily and infill residential projects across the Midwest and Northern Virginia. Before starting his own companies, Tom spent 17 years in real estate investment banking and later served as CIO and COO of a national single-family rental platform. During that time, he worked on large institutional portfolios and gained firsthand experience in how deals are evaluated, financed, and executed at scale. He now brings that perspective into his own development work. Today, Tom focuses on workforce housing and ground-up projects that help close supply gaps in growing markets. He partners with investors, local governments, and community stakeholders to move projects from concept to completion and deliver housing that meets re

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Tim Siemer is an Air Force veteran, aviator, and partner at SMB Equity, a real estate private equity firm investing in stabilized and development projects nationwide. At SMB, Tim focuses on evaluating new opportunities and managing investor relationships, applying a disciplined risk management approach shaped by years in military and commercial aviation. He works alongside his father, Mike Siemer, who transitioned into real estate investing after a career as a CPA and corporate CFO for both public and private companies. Over the past 24 years, Mike has helped lead SMB Equity through more than $3 billion in transactions, scaling the firm through long-term partnerships, disciplined underwriting, and a focus on tangible, value-driven assets. Together, they combine generational experience, financial expertise, and risk discipline

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Ryan Dau is a former Air Force officer, and founder of ReframeRIA, a consultancy that helps financial advisors streamline their operations, refine their client experience, and optimize their technology stack.  Through ReframeRIA, Ryan partners with advisory firms to improve their workflows, refine their client experience, and implement technology that truly supports their businesses. His mission is simple: remove the operational chaos that slows advisors down so they can spend more time serving clients and growing their firms with confidence. In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Ryan about: The Nonlinear Career Path: Ryan's Military, software, and advisory experience shaped his transition into consulting. Serving the Advisor, Not the Tech: Work begins with clarifying an advisor's ideal client and core pr

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Andrew Garcia is a U.S. Navy veteran and founder of The Arena and Pursuit, two businesses focused on helping veterans and transitioning professionals break into the tech industry. After a successful career in tech sales at Salesforce, Andrew launched The Arena to provide veteran-friendly recruiting services for defense tech startups. He later expanded his mission through Pursuit, a career training platform designed to help aspiring tech sales professionals land their first role. Today, The Arena partners with growing companies to place high-performing sales talent, while Pursuit offers coaching, community, and an online platform that helps job seekers prepare for interviews, build professional habits, and stay accountable. With a long-term vision to build a full career pipeline, Andrew combines mentorship, training, and recru

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Steve Buchanan is a U.S Army Veteran and the CEO of TDY Rentals, a company on a mission to transform the way government travelers experience temporary duty assignments. What started as a frustrating personal experience with TDY housing, turned into a purpose-driven venture to make extended stays feel less like deployments, and more like home. At TDY Rentals, Steve and his team provide fully furnished tech-enabled housing solutions tailored for government agencies, defense contractors, and active-duty personnel. With a focus on comfort, reliability and logistics, the company helps clients reduce cost, streamline coordination, and vastly improve the TDY experience. As a veteran entrepreneur, Steve is not just building a business, he's reshaping the standard for federal travel.      In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott ch

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Charleston, SC on June 1st & 2nd? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Jeff Evenson is an experienced business leader and scaling strategist at scaling.com, where he works with founders who are ready to move from early traction to sustained growth. Alongside Blake Erickson and Dr. Benjamin Hardy, he helps entrepreneurs shift from being day-to-day operators to becoming strategic leaders who design companies that scale. Over the last two decades, Jeff built and exited multiple businesses, including a $3.5M hair salon operation, a manufacturing firm, and a machine shop. He formally entered the coaching space in 2021 and recently joined scaling.com after an introduction from fellow West Point graduate Freddie Kim. Today, his work centers on helping business owners grow with clarity and discipline through three guiding principles: raising frame, raising floor, and sharpening focus.     In this episod

Kurt Greene is a certified EOS Implementer at EOS Worldwide, where he helps leadership teams build stronger, more scalable companies. A graduate of West Point and an Army veteran, Kurt brings a unique mix of Fortune 500 leadership, HR expertise, and peer-group facilitation experience through Vistage Worldwide, Inc. He works with founders and executive teams to implement practical tools that cut through complexity so they can regain control, align their teams, and get back to their visionary role. Whether partnering with veteran-owned businesses or mission-driven entrepreneurs, Kurt's work is grounded in service: helping leaders lead better, build healthier teams, and create workplaces people actually want to be part of.     In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Kurt about: The EOS Framework: Kurt explains how EOS equips overwhelmed business owners with tools to get out of the weeds and back to thinking big. Right People, Right Seat: The "right people, right seats" approach brings clarity

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ ____ Michael Quilty (USNA '88) is a Navy veteran and franchise development leader who's built his career around creating opportunities for others. After years leading growth and strategy across multiple industries, he's now focused on helping fellow veterans transition to entrepreneurship through franchising. At Wild Bill's, he plays a key role in growing the company's franchise footprint, and expanding the presence of their nostalgic craft soda brand across the country. Michael's work focuses on identifying the right partners, particularly military veterans for opportunities that combine operational excellence with community engagement. His leadership is driven by purpose: helping others succeed while scaling a mission-led business.   In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Michael about: The Wild Bill's Franchise Model: A turnkey opportunity centered on events, nostalgia, and customer engagement. Vetera

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Tampa, FL on January 26th & 27th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Travis Wittick is the founder of Academy Endeavors, a coaching company that helps high school students navigate the competitive and complex admissions process for U.S. Service Academies and ROTC scholarships. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and former Air Force hospital administrator, Travis first discovered his passion for mentorship as an Academy Liaison Officer helping students prepare their applications while still on active duty. After transitioning to the civilian sector and earning his MBA from Duke, Travis launched Academy Endeavors in 2020 leaving his corporate job and betting on his vision full-time. Since then, the company has grown steadily, with an 85% success rate and 40–50% year-over-year growth. Travis and his growing team of Academy graduate coaches now support families across the country with applica

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Tampa, FL on January 26th & 27th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Speaker Bio:  Zach Farkas is the founder of Relos, a proptech company automating real estate workflows to streamline transaction coordination and reduce hours of manual work. Before launching Relos, Zach was the #4 ranked VA lender in the nation, a career he built by focusing not on volume, but on educating veterans about how to leverage their VA home loan benefits. A former Army officer, Zach built his lending business by combining his personal mission with practical insight, and carried that same energy into Relos. Frustrated by the inefficiencies in real estate operations. He created a system that uses AI to extract contract data, assign stakeholder tasks, and help lenders save up to 12 hours per transaction. Now, Zach's focused on scaling Relos into a category-defining platform.   In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scot

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in Tampa, FL on January 26th & 27th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Omar Ritter is a West Point graduate, fractional CFO, and the author of West Point to Wall Street: My Journey to Mental Wellness. Currently serving as an Area President at FocusCFO, he helps small and mid-sized businesses improve their financial visibility and achieve sustainable growth. With a career spanning financial leadership, entrepreneurship, and military service, Omar works to strengthen the backbone of small business communities through expert financial guidance and genuine care. At FocusCFO, Omar provides business owners with fractional CFO support, helping them clarify their financials, structure operations, and prepare for strategic exits or growth opportunities. Beyond numbers, Omar is an advocate for mental wellness in high-performing communities, openly sharing his own journey through burnout, healing, and growt

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ ____ Anthony Pinto is the founder of Veteran Vectors, an AI consulting and automation company serving defense and government contractors. A former submarine officer with nine years of service, Anthony previously appeared on the SABM podcast in April 2020 while still on active duty, managing real estate deals from overseas. After leaving the Navy and navigating the challenges of military spouse life, Anthony pivoted from real estate to launch Veteran Vectors in 2025. His company helps small and medium-sized defense tech companies compete with prime contractors by automating manual processes, streamlining compliance audits, and building custom AI solutions. In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Anthony about: Veteran Vectors Mission: Helping defense and government contractors use AI to automate manual processes in HR, compliance, and backend operations. The RAPID Framework: Identifying tasks for automation us

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ ____ Travis Winfield is the founder of Military Operated Real Estate, and author of the upcoming book Military Money and More. A retired Navy Command Senior Chief with 24 years of service, Travis founded the Winfield Group in Southern California, successfully helping 100-150 military families per year before passing the business to his son in 2024. Recognizing that less than 12% of the nearly 20 million active duty and veteran population has used their VA home loan benefit, Travis launched MORE to create the first national real estate brand exclusively serving the military community. With military-affiliated certified agents, SkillBridge integration, and VA-approved education benefits for real estate training, MORE aims to become the trusted resource for veterans coast to coast, the "USAA of real estate." In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Travis about: Military Operated Real Estate (MORE): Creating a na

Dan Fitzgerald is the Founder of the 40Forty Padel Club, a company bringing one of the world’s fastest growing sports to South Carolina and beyond. A Citadel graduate and former Army Infantry Officer, Dan went on to serve as a TAC officer at West Point, teach leadership, and build executive teams as a recruiter before discovering padel during his travels to South America. Hooked from the very first game, Dan saw an opportunity to introduce the sport to the U.S. market in a way that was both affordable and community-driven. Today, he leads 40Forty Padel Club with the mission to make padel accessible, grow the sport across universities and population centers, and create spaces where people connect through play, fitness, and community. In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Dan about: The Rise of Padel: Why this international sport is exploding worldwide and how it differs from tennis, pickleball, and racquetball.  Founding 40Forty Padel Club: Dan’s journey from Citadel cadet to Army officer, to

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Drew Miller is the CEO of Fortitude Ranch, a survival and recreational community for disaster preparedness and everyday use. A former Air Force intelligence officer and longtime prepper, Drew founded Fortitude Ranch over a decade ago, creating a network of secure rural compounds supported by professionally organized teams and sustainable resources. With eight locations nationwide, Drew’s mission is to offer members affordable access to well defended, well-supplied communities. These are places to vacation in good times and also survive during societal collapse. Featuring defensive walls, cleared lines of fire, and a blend of staff from military and law enforcement backgrounds, Fortitude Ranch stands out for its depth of planning and national media recognition. In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Drew a

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Curtis Cullen is the Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Convolo Capital, a real estate investment firm focused on small to mid-size multifamily syndications across the Southeast and Sunbelt markets. A West Point graduate, Curtis served as an Infantry and Aviation officer, including time as a Battalion Operations Officer, before exiting the Army in 2018 to pursue a career in commercial real estate. After the Army, Curtis built his business and finance expertise in corporate roles that included managing multi-million-dollar strategic initiatives, automating enterprise systems, and conducting market research to support executive decision-making. He later earned his MBA from UCLA with a concentration in Real Estate and Finance before co-founding Convolo Capital in 2020. Today, he leads acquisitions and asset management, gu

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Raj Kankaria is the President of Lone Star Attorney Service, a full-service litigation support firm and the largest process service company in Harris County, Texas. A West Point graduate and former Army engineer officer, Raj went on to hold leadership roles in investment banking and commercial strategy at Citi, Mexico Pacific, and WSI Enterprises. After discovering an overlooked corner of the legal services industry, he rolled up his sleeves, learned the business from the ground up, and eventually acquired the very company he once contracted for. Now, he’s focused on transforming Lone Star into a one-stop shop for litigation support services across Texas and beyond. With a sharp operational mindset and a hands-on approach, Raj is building a scalable platform that delivers speed, reliability, and trust to legal profession

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in San Francisco, CA on October 7th & 8th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Daniel Bednar is an investor and advisor at Curbit, a technology company transforming the restaurant industry with real-time data and operational transparency. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Officer, Daniel led technical operations and intelligence programs on the USS Makin Island, in Afghanistan, and at the Office of Naval Intelligence. After transitioning into finance and strategy, he’s applied that same mission-driven focus to helping startups scale with structure and speed. His partnership with Curbit grew from a collaboration into an active leadership role, where he now drives fundraising, builds strategic partnerships, and helps shape the company’s long-term growth. At Curbit, Daniel is focused on streamlining restaurant operations, delivering accurate wait-time predictions for guests, and equipping