valerie lavin

109: Building a Business After Service with Valerie Lavin

“It’s the worst feeling, no matter how minor the incident is that you are witnessing, whether you come up on it or you’re in the middle of it and just not be prepared to have, to be able to help.” —Valerie Lavin

FEATURED GUEST

Valerie Lavin is a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant with over two decades of military service. Following her transition from active duty, Valerie embarked on a successful journey into entrepreneurship. She co-founded Luminary Global, a company that provides emergency and trauma kits to first responders, military personnel, and everyday households, catering to both beginner and experienced preppers. Valerie is deeply embedded in the veteran business community. She is passionate about aiding veterans in their post-military transitions, sharing her own experiences and lessons learned, particularly emphasizing the importance of building a strong business infrastructure and honest communication with clients.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

  1. Valerie’s transition from military service to entrepreneurship highlights the importance of being adaptable. Despite unforeseen challenges like the pandemic, Valerie and her team pivoted and thrived.
  2. Valerie emphasized the necessity of having a solid infrastructure for a business. As business opportunities arise, having the right foundation ensures you can scale and succeed without faltering.
  3. As Valerie discovered, working as part of a team — even a small one — can amplify creativity, problem-solving, and overall success.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

  • [05:44] Business challenges led to successful distributorship opportunities.
  • [11:15] Military experience and agility set us apart.
  • [17:36] Started a veteran staffing company; it failed.
  • [21:57] Embrace personal growth; entrepreneurship reveals true self.

YOUR MOVE

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Gene Moran

Gene spent nearly 25 years in uniform, serving in six ships and more than ten duty stations, and visiting over 50 countries serving as a US Navy Surface Warfare Officer and retiring as a Captain. In corporate, he led legislative affairs for a large international defense company from the Washington, DC office. In doing so, Gene gained a detailed understanding of the defense industrial base and supply chains of myriad platforms, systems and capabilities. Then in 2013, he took the leap to start his own business, Capitol Integration. Since then Gene has helped scores of companies improve their federal positions.

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