THE VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS

It was March 11, 2011. A 9.0 earthquake hit off the coast of Fukushima, Japan. Shortly after, the PA system went off announcing the risk of tsunamis - even thousands of miles away from the epicenter.

Life after was not normal. At least not for awhile.

Immediately after the first hit, the train system which is the primary mode of transportation, was shut down forcing many to have to walk to/from home or work. Many people even had to walk for several hours in the cold. Homes and police stations along major roads opened up to give pedestrians a place to stop to warm up.

Traffic on the roads were backed up - causing what normally would have been a 30 minute drive to take several hours in gridlock because traffic lights were out and many people were trying to find alternate modes of transportation, or were in a hurry to run to the store for provisions.

Children were separated from family members for extended amounts of time. Cell phone lines were so tied up that many couldn’t even reach their loved ones by phone. Power was out in many areas.

Days later, media announced not only was there a double natural disaster, but also a nuclear disaster. There was an issue with not just one, but three of the reactors. The reactors were successfully shut down in time, but there wasn’t enough power, causing cooling systems to fail.

For many months, Japan felt the aftermath of these disasters. Some lost their lives or loved ones. Others lost their homes. Many lost power in rolling blackouts - even hundreds of miles outside of the Fukushima area for many weeks.

You won’t want to miss this discussion with lots of insight that you may or may not have considered to help better prepare you and your company with being ready to face a disruption, recover, and resume operations as quickly as possible. Plus, there are great resources Erika provides for aspiring business owners.

And if you are in need of someone to review your company’s existing program and help you fill the gaps or to tailor a plan if you don’t have one yet, Erika offers services nationwide. Her services are built for medium and large sized companies, but she is also working on a program for small business owners as well.

To learn more about EaaS, visit www.eaasc.com

Erika can be reached by emailing info@eassc.com

As time passes, certain memories are sure to slowly fade.

Memories of children, parents, grandparents, friends, and even pets.

First steps, childhood memories, marriages, births, progressions of life.

We live in a world where it’s so much easier to capture these moments, but it’s still not foolproof and this wasn’t always the case.

Printed photographs, slides, negatives, 8mm videos, reels, VHS tapes…

Recently, I received a box of items after my grandmother passed. In that box were old letters that my dad had written before I was born. 10 years’ worth, actually. Additionally, there were some old photographs. Many worn, some still in decent shape. My aunt had sent them to me because she figured that of out of all of the people in my immediate family, I was probably the one to appreciate them the most.

As I read through the letters and looked at the photographs, I found some that I thought my dad would enjoy. I took a photo with my iPhone Pro, but it definitely didn’t them justice. My $500 scanner wasn’t much better. Also, I didn’t really have the time and patience to scan them all, so I only sent over a couple.

As expected, my dad enjoyed them. But a few months later asked if I could send one of them to him again. I have no idea where those images went - I had deleted them shortly after sending them off. The originals are packed in a box somewhere with my recent PCS.

In another instance, I was proactive and had backed up my wedding and honeymoon photos on an external hard drive. Too bad that both my computer and the hard drive both crashed at the same time. Not that this is likely to happen to anyone else, but heaven forbid that photos I got from my aunt got lost in a PCS, or something happened to them when I wasn’t home.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get these items (old and new) nicely preserved in a safe place and easily sharable? I wouldn’t have to spend hours looking for my kid’s senior photos from 6 months prior when his father’s aunt asked for a copy.

Well, the good news is that my next guest’s veteran owned business does exactly that. AND more.

But, if preserving memories wasn’t enough of a reason, Geoff had an additional purpose. As the father of an autistic son, he knew how these talented men and women on the spectrum have an eye for detail, strong focus, and can perform repetitive tasks at a high level and wanted to incorporate supporting them. Heirloom will be hiring several autistic employees in September as they expand.

AND they are making a positive impact in the transitioning service member community by being a part of the DoD Skillbridge program! They have over a dozen on their team through the program - learning new skills and helping to make a difference. While they don’t have any openings currently, definitely keep an eye out for future opportunities!

“Founding a new startup takes perseverance and determination. You have to have a solid mission and vision to stay focused on the long game. Success in a startup doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of dedication and long hours to make it happen. You also need to surround yourself with a team that you trust. Leveraging the talents of your team is essential if you want your business to not only survive, but to strategically become the reality of your vision.” Excellent advice, Geoff!

Heirloom launched their “No Memory Left Behind” Kickstarter Fundraiser Friday, April 9th. Funds generated through this will be used to open a new fulfillment center that will hire up to 10 autistic workers by September, as well as develop new code for their platform, supporting contracted coders in war torn Ukraine. Kickstarter rewards will offer digitizing discounts that save clients up to $12,000 in digitizing their precious memories.

But don’t let those savings scare you. Their pricing is incredibly affordable, and they have some amazing upgrades to their offerings coming later this year.

You can find out more about Heirloom Cloud at https://www.heirloom.cloud/

Their site has easy to access contact information, and if you take a look at the banner at the top, you can get more information about their Kickstarter Fundraiser!

This blogcast is 100% volunteer ran and currently not taking donations of any kind. If you’d like to help, please consider sharing! Don’t forget to support this and other veteran owned businesses by following and interacting their social media platforms as well!

View all of our interviews on our YouTube Channel!

Read that again: Growing AWARENESS and providing OPPORTUNITIES for learning and growth to ALL aspiring IT and cybersecurity professionals of ALL ages and walks of life.

So, yes - their services are available to EVERYONE. Veterans. Spouses. First responders. Or none of the above.

Retirees. Middle aged individual like myself. Young adults.

In fact, their youngest candidate in the program is actually 16 years old!

You can participate in their program from anywhere in the world, and you can go through the program at your own pace. Game changer for those who have a job - particularly active duty service members who deploy.

Gain knowledge. Gain experience. Learn practical skills and not just learn how to pass a test.

They offer a workforce development pipeline. They have a candidate pipeline to help individuals figure out what they actually want to do in the field. They get to know their candidates and provide guidance to best prepare them for what’s to come after they successfully complete the program.

And if this weren’t incredible enough, the program is 100% free - and includes 100 hours of training, labs, and hands on experience. Taking a holistic approach by teaching different roles within these industries to help make their students marketable in different fields.

Learn more about this incredible initiative and how it came about, plus hear some great advice about starting a business, and ways to grow by listening to the full interview in the video below. Don't for checck out our previous guests on our YouTube Channel.

If this program sounds incredible to you and you want to learn more, check out The Whole Cyber Human Initiative on their website.

https://www.wholecyberhumaninitiative.org/

If you’d like to help, there are a few ways you can:

This blogcast is 100% volunteer ran and currently not taking donations of any kind. If you’d like to help, please consider sharing!

Then there are the negative results relating to the worse loss possible - life.

And while a company has to keep the momentum of moving the business forward, this is why it’s important to not put safety on the back burner. Because instead of taking 2 steps forward, a safety infraction or fatality could force them 2 steps back.

While larger companies may have a safety professional on staff, smaller and mid-sized businesses may not have all of the boxes checked off to ensure that their company and employees are in the safest environment possible.

This is where a safety and health consultant comes in handy. They can assess various hazards that most workers and employers take for granted because they are familiar with regulations that are set forth by regulatory standards to help keep workers safe. And if that’s not enough for you to call one in right now, they can also save you a ton of money in the long run.

I would love to take this opportunity to introduce you all to Daniel (Dan) Hughes, a U.S. Army veteran, and certified safety professional (CSP).

Dan joined the Army 6 months after graduating high school and served as an infantry medic for nearly 6 years. And for those of you who don’t know, safety and health go hand in hand.

Fast forward a few years, and Dan was hired by an oil refinery and chemical plant where he worked his way up from laborer to equipment operator, then process unit operator back to laborer. As you may have expected, this industry has more than its fair share of accidents. He has witnessed several workplace fatalities that deeply affected him - increasing the impact that safety has in his life.

He was given the opportunity to get into safety and health and emergency response a few years later, but a little over a decade after that, he was laid off and had difficulty finding employment. This is when he started his first consulting business which was fairly successful until he was offered a full-time position as a construction safety manager. 21 years later, he retired as a senior safety director.

But, as anyone who truly lives safety to their core knows, safety doesn’t just stop - not even for retirement. His passion for safety still burns strongly, and he’s not ready to stop his passion after nearly 40 years. And while he’s felt accomplished in what he’s contributed so far, he’s got many, many years left to dedicate to his life-long passion.

So Dan started his second veteran-owned business - Peak Safety Solutions Incorporated.

Yes, crayon eaters. And, yes, they are over the age of 3.

Frank Manteau, The Crayon Eater King, is a Marine: 0311 Infantry and Marine Security Forces. Originally from the sticks of Ohio, he returned after his time in service. Dealt with some hardships - only to eventually pick up his family and move all the way out to Southern California.

From Corporate America to starting his own woodworking business, he eventually worked on a project which lead him to the epiphany of where Crayons Ready-to-Eat all began.

Now, imagine leaving your company after years of dedication. Moving where they want you to, - when they need you to. Spending more time at work than with your own family. Years of dedication to your work.

Trying to communicate how your work experience can fit well with your new company can be challenging. Terminology is different. They’ve never heard of the equipment and software you’ve worked with for years.

There’s a gap in translation.

To the interviewer, it sounds like you lack experience.

This is what our transitioning service members deal with every day as they try to leave the military and join the civilian workforce. Unless they’re applying for a job with a company that’s contracted with the military, it’s difficult to find the right words from their expertise and the skills they possess.

Robyn Grable, a veteran of the US Navy (GO NAVY!!!) recognized this pitfall. From her early days in the service, she advocated for our service members. She grew up in this lifestyle as a stepchild, later becoming a female in the military when some ratings (careers) were restricted for women.

With this unique experience, and as a single parent of a gifted child, she’s a defender for people to be recognized for their skills and not dismissed for something someone else thinks they may be missing.

This is why she created Veterans ASCEND.

Veterans ASCEND is an Ai-powered talent sourcing platform created in 2019, although Robyn has been in the industry for about 30 years.

It helps companies build an investment and a talent strategy that is 100% intentional and inclusive. No resume. No application upfront. Helping employers pinpoint what skills are needed for their positions and the company overall, and matching them with high-quality candidates that have these skills. Pricing is based on the size of the company, and she has over 60 employers that are currently using the platform - many of whom have been using it since the very beginning.

On the talent side of things, it’s a national program available to all active service members, Guard, Reservists, Veterans, and their spouses. All at no cost to them. Helping them to pinpoint their skills which are translated from their military or civilian occupational background. Helping them see where they fit best.

To hear more about Veterans ASCEND, Robyn’s story, and what they can do to help both employers and job seekers, check out the
full interview on our YouTube Channel!

You can reach out to Robyn and her team with any questions by emailing them at talent@veteransascend.com

https://veteransascend.com

Overall Trevor has 8 years of experience in the industry, however, Trevor Kinkade Design wasn’t established until 2018. He’s based out of Colorado Spring with clients all across the U.S.!

He helps “dreamers bring their ideas to life through well-crafted brands and logo design that lasts.”

“Nothing feels better than an idea coming to life.”

So whether you are a small business owner or a large corporation - a solid brand reputation and an amazing logo are very important in growth and recognition. This is where veteran-owned and operated, Trevor Kinkade Design can support you and help you grow and tell your story.

Check out this video short, but don’t forget to visit our YouTube channel for the full interview.

Then, of course, take a look at his work, and reach out if your business can use his talent!

https://trevorkinkadedesign.com

Trevor@TrevorKinkadeDesign.com

We all know that when you do a little research on the internet, chances are that you’ll come up with conflicting answers.

Strangely enough, I recently found myself googling, “ When was the first cookie invented?” Because that’s important to know.

Final verdict? Most likely in the 7th century in Persia, although I found the first chocolate chip cookie was credited to Ruth Graves Wakefield in 1937.

I know, I know….you didn’t come here for a history lesson. You probably came here to hear about one of the many veteran-owned companies out on the market today, or maybe you’re here to pick up an entrepreneurial tip or two.

As you may have guessed, this blog post features our very first veteran-owned business, which just happens to do with cookies.

While I’m a long-time fan of these tasty desserts, I recently became a fan of Grove Cookie Company, based in Beaverton, Oregon. Beaverton is a small city just outside of Portland.

Writing a blog takes a little bit of research, and I can’t just look at cookies and not eat them, soooo.… I’m glad listened to my stomach and just placed an order while I was “working.”

Gourmet, indeed.

Founders Marie and Grayson Hogard are a husband and wife team who craft small-batch gourmet cookies out of their kitchen using quality ingredients from companies known for their ethical treatment of animals and who are also committed to sustainability. Companies such as Ghirardelli, Bob’s Red Mill, and Vital Farms.

Grayson is a veteran - prior Army - MOS 31B and 31E - military police and corrections. He handles the business side of this endeavor, while Marie is the baking mastermind behind it all. Both have been working, and continue to work from home with their corporate jobs since Grove Cookie Company first began.

Originally, they had thought they might just sell their delicious cookies to friends and family, but somehow things got out of hand (as they tend to do at times), and they ended up with a full-fledged business. One year later, and things are going stronger than ever!

Their mission is to enhance client relationships, one cookie at a time.

They’ve spent 7 months fine-tuning their process to provide the best product for their clients.

Primarily their clients are companies, although they take personal orders as well.

Gourmet cookies, custom notecards, lovingly packaged and protected so that their clients’ recipients receive a beautiful (and tasty!) gift to help build business-client relationships. What a great way to leave an impression!

So if you’re looking for a delicious gift to thank a client, Grove Cookie Company could be the solution. They’re also a great idea if you want to send a gift to a loved one whether it be for a birthday, holiday, or “just because”. They ship nationwide!

And if you’re ever in the Portland area, you’ll want to stop by their brick and mortar location, expected to open by November 2022.

Check out this video short, but don’t forget to visit our YouTube channel for the full interview.

https://www.grovecookiecompany.com

relationships@grovecookiecompany.com

503.367.0933