Talk: THE VETERAN ENTREPRENEUR ADVANTAGE

Military Skills That Build Businesses

When a haboob—a mile-high wall of sand moving at 60 mph—destroyed Beth's broadcast equipment in the Kuwaiti desert in 2003, she had a choice: give up or adapt. She grabbed alcohol wipes from the medics, canned air from the mechanics, and garbage bags from the mess tent. She got back to work.

Twenty years later, when 145% tariffs threatened to bankrupt her business overnight, Beth used the same skill set: assess the situation, leverage available resources, ask for help without shame, and execute under impossible pressure.

In this powerful keynote, Beth reveals how her 10 years in the U.S. Army—serving across 14 countries, making history as the first embedded journalist in a conflict zone, and mastering skills she never thought she'd need—gave her the exact capabilities required to build a seven-figure business, survive a mental health crisis, and fight back when trade policy nearly destroyed everything she'd built.

What audiences learn:

• Mission-focused execution - How military-style objective setting and tactical planning translate to business strategy and crisis management

• Rapid adaptation under pressure - The "F*cking Figure It Out" (FFIO) mindset that turns obstacles into opportunities

• Resource leverage - How to do the best you can with what you have, where you are—a skill that separates veteran entrepreneurs from those waiting for perfect conditions

• Team-first leadership - Why "you're not done until the whole team is done" builds stronger companies and more resilient teams

• Strategic asking for help - How military training actually teaches collaboration and resource-seeking, debunking the "lone wolf" veteran stereotype

• Mental resilience through crisis - Applying military stress management and support systems to entrepreneurial burnout and business threats

Beth's story includes:

• Serving as the first embedded journalist in a warzone (2003 Iraq), learning to create solutions with zero precedent

• Building Busy Baby from kitchen table prototype to $15M+ in lifetime sales with products in Walmart and Target

• Surviving a 2023 mental health breakdown and suicidal crisis by applying the same "ask for help" principle the military actually teaches

• Fighting the 145% tariff battle—pivoting supply chains across three continents in real-time while advocating on Capitol Hill

• Why the skills that make great soldiers make even better entrepreneurs (and why companies should be hiring more veterans)

Why this keynote resonates:

Veterans bring a unique combination of discipline, adaptability, mission focus, and team-first leadership that the business world desperately needs—especially in crisis. But the transition from military to entrepreneurship isn't automatic. Beth shares both the advantages veteran entrepreneurs have and the specific challenges they face, offering a roadmap for veterans building businesses and organizations looking to better support them.

Key takeaways for audiences:

• Specific military skills that directly translate to business success (and how non-veterans can develop them)

• How to leverage "constraints as advantages"—turning limited resources into creative solutions

• Why asking for help is a strategic skill, not a weakness—and how to build support networks before you need them

• The real story of veteran entrepreneurship beyond the stereotypes

• Actionable strategies for organizations to recruit, support, and retain veteran talent

Perfect for: Veteran organizations and military transition programs, corporate leadership and diversity events, entrepreneurship conferences, chambers of commerce and economic development forums, workforce development programs, business schools and MBA programs, startup accelerators with veteran founders, companies building veteran hiring initiatives

Also powerful for non-veteran audiences: The military skills Beth teaches—adaptability, resource leverage, mission focus, team support—are universal entrepreneurial advantages. This keynote inspires all entrepreneurs while honoring the unique veteran experience.

Format options: 45-60 minute keynote, 90-minute presentation with extended Q&A, half-day workshop including tactical exercises, panel participation with other veteran entrepreneurs

Special note: This keynote can be tailored for veteran-heavy audiences (focusing on transition strategies) or general business audiences (focusing on translatable skills). Beth adjusts content and depth based on your specific needs.