Send us a text Michael Athanasakis, a veteran with an impressive military career, shares his story of transitioning from active duty Army service to owning a Chick-fil-A franchise. Discover how leading helicopter attack platoons and teaching military science equipped him for the entrepreneurial world. Michael also discusses his initial steps into franchising with Great Clips, inspired by his stepdad's success, and how these experiences laid the foundation for his business acumen while he was ...

Send us a text Mark Adams, a former active duty and reserve Air Force service member, shares his journey from military service to finding his place and an operational excellence leader in the private sector. Mark thought about retiring in 2012, but after recognizing gaps in his experience and education, he reenlisted and focused on closing those gaps. After completing his bachelor's degree and learning to better translate and market his military skills, he was much better prepared for post-...

Send us a text Marc Lopez joined the Army 20 years ago and started his career in the intelligence field as a linguist. He transitioned over to become a warrant officer and is now a cyber warfare operator who is preparing to begin a SkillBridge program before he retires. When two of Marc’s closest friends retired three years ago, he was inspired to begin preparing for his own retirement to ensure a successful transition. Using his background in intelligence, Marc decided his first step...

Send us a text We are excited to host Marine Corps veteran, Eric Infanti. By all accounts, Eric had a smooth transition into the corporate world, where he worked for 5 years. When his health began declining, Eric began a healing journey that included 2000 hours of yoga teacher and meditation training. He earned a dual master’s degree in Buddhist psychology and Ayurvedic medicine and is now a PhD candidate with the study on the role of extreme peak flow states on resilience and professional ou...

Send us a text On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we get back to the basics with best practices for crafting a resume. Certified resume writer and career coach, Lori Norris, shares 5 elements that a resume must contain as well as the role that AI can play during the job search process. 1. Focus. Every resume, from the very first line, must clearly present a focus. There is no such thing as an effective generic resume. A resume that tries to appeal to everyone appeals t...

Send us a text If you are a transitioning service member, it’s always helpful to hear the role that time has in the transition process. The transition process doesn’t end when you land your first job as a civilian. There is so much wisdom to gain from listening to other veterans’ journeys as they progress through various jobs and companies. On this episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, we welcome back Ray Jokie. Ray first appeared as a guest on Season 1, Episode 38 and shared his s...

Send us a text We are excited to welcome back Chris Dreisbach for his fifth appearance on the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast. Chris retired in 2020 as a Senior Master Sergeant for the United States Air Force. Now in his sixth role since his retirement, Chris continues to share the lessons he’s learned along his path. Chris reflects on his previous roles and discusses the challenges he experienced. In his first role as a maintenance manager, Chris assumed the job would be similar to ...

Send us a text We welcome Ethan Shipp. Ethan began his career in the United States Air Force as an EMT but has since retrained as an information systems technician. Although he is still serving, he used his tech skills to create a resource designed to empower and inform service members about the many different SkillBridge programs. Ethan started Rate My SkillBridge after doing research for his own SkillBridge program and identifying an opportunity to help others make informed decisions during...

Send us a text On this solo episode of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, Lori shares the challenges that she and her family have been going through over the past few months. During this time, Lori has struggled with burnout, a feeling that most everyone has experienced at one time or another. Feelings of burnout are especially prevalent among job seekers. Lori shares her thoughts on when and how to take a break from the job search process. Your body communicates with you. If you a...

Send us a text In celebration of Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we are pleased to host Sarah Bumgardner. Sarah is a military spouse and a certified financial education instructor who has worked with AAFMAA since 2010. She is currently the Director of Partnerships and Member Engagement and supports both AAFMAA members and the entire military community. Sarah became a military spouse when her first husband became an officer in the US Marine Corps. For 10 years, Sarah lived the mil sp...