ZeroMils

Put your doubts in the rearview mirror. 2.5 Million of the 8.6 Million Veterans in the workforce own a small business. That’s nearly 30%. Are you 2.5 Million +1? As small business owners ourselves we know it can be overwhelming to take the first step and find the “perfect fit.” With some incredible organizations that want to be part of ZeroMils #MilitaryThriving movement like Neighborly® and DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen - A Remodeling Franchise — we are opening up hundreds of small business and franchise opportunities for Veterans and military spouses while making their journey both seamless and inevitable. Over the next few weeks we will share stories of entrepreneurs who have experienced their own journeys to small business ownership alongside our partners. Our goal is simple: to help aspiring Veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs, like you, see yourself in these opportunities. Join us at our next Military Thriving Live event on May 30th at 12 pm EST and learn how you can access the information, tools, and resources you need to #thrive as a Veteran or military spouse entrepreneur. #MilitaryThriving Register here: https://lnkd.in/e5_pw3Ye

Recognizing #86, #87, and #88 of 100 #UnsungHeroes — Marine Veteran Elizabeth Hartman, ChFC®, Marine Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Pallas, and Military Spouse Lexie Coppinger. What I love most about posting. this is two-fold: 1) None of them will expect it and 2) It will bring awareness to 3 very talented leaders who are making change for our community and will be for years to come, long after I retire. They represent the very best of our #MilitaryThriving community because they want the very best for those who serve and have served. They are making a difference with God given talents as brilliant writers and passionate communicators every day here on LinkedIn and in their actions. Truth be told: I intentionally look for their posts and read their content every day. Their powerful storytelling and fierce advocacy for service members, Veterans, Military Spouses and their families are making a profound difference in the lives of so many and influencing policies and narratives that effect our community as a whole. I’m not going to share a lot about them. What I am going to do is ask you to follow them and support their efforts in their unique roles across multiple fronts. If you scroll through their posts from the past few months you will understand exactly what I mean when I say they are #unsungheroes. A currently serving Marine Officer, A Marine Veteran and a Military Spouse championing positive change. They are what ZeroMils and creating a Military Thriving community is all about.

Happy #ThrivingThursday everyone! If you are an aspiring Veteran or Military Spouse Entrepreneur who wants to own your own business or franchise join us on May30th and start your journey to #MilitaryThriving. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eKBeRz68

Recognizing #84 of 100 #UnsungHeroes -- Founder and President of Soldiers To Sidelines, Harrison Bernstein — the day after his birthday. There is no organization and no leader in the military and veteran nonprofit space doing more to help our community #thrive than STS and Harrison. In a nutshell they are giving Veterans all 5 components of #MiilitaryThriving while significantly impacting the propensity of young people to serve in the all volunteer force. STS is educating, developing, and certifying members of the military community to become expert coaches and exemplary role models while creating pathways to serve their local sports communities. As an organization STS fulfills the military community’s passion for service and desire for purposeful work by equipping them to become exemplary coaches and role models for today’s impressionable youth, leading to a stronger world community. Since inception they have certified over 1,700 Soldier Coaches world-wide and growing at a rate of 500+ per year. 70% of their Soldier Coaches are currently coaching. Their Soldier Coaches have positively impacted more than 85,000 kids through 8 Sports Certification Categories: Military Women, Sports Performance, Football, Soccer, Adaptive Athletes, Basketball, Endurance Sports, and Men’s Lacrosse. And ZeroMils is committed to helping Harrison and Soldiers to Sidleines was achieve their goal of 10,000 Military and Veteran Coaches impacting 1 million American youth each year. Harrison founded Soldiers To Sidelines and has served as executive director since May 2014. STS evolved from a passion project to a burgeoning nonprofit once Harrison resigned from coaching college and professional football to focus 100% on the STS mission. Harrison was able to attract key advisors and officers to help steward the mission. Since 2018, the board has grown to over 21 leaders in the military, sports, and business, and has built a staff of 9 employees. Harrison and his team have developed strategic partnerships with the USO, Team RWB, Wounded Warrior Project, Women Veterans Alliance, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, the Randy Walker Legacy Foundation and the NFL NY Jets who awarded Harrison the NFL Salute To Service Nomination by the NY Jets for the second time this past year. Harrison is also the author of “The Everyday Coach: Harnessing the Magic of Influence.” This is a must read and is based on decades of experience as a football and sports performance coach for several teams in the NFL, NCAA DIV I, II, and III, and at the high school level. While coaching, Harrison taught in the Master’s Program of Exercise Science at GW University for 7 years. Harrison graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a BA in Economics, was voted captain of the football team, and earned All American honors for three years and Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1997. Harrison is helping bridge the civilian-military divide and creating #MilitaryThriiving communities.

ZeroMils is focusing a significant amount of our time helping Veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs, like us grow and thrive as small business owners because we see huge #untapped potential to create massive change with YOU. 🔸This is why we are working with our nonprofit partners to introduce thousands more Veterans and Military Spouses to small business and franchise opportunities. 🔸This is why we are putting the pieces in place with companies like First Command Bank and other service providers to make business ownership both seamless and inevitable. 🔸This is why we are partnering with companies like Neighborly® and DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen - A Remodeling Franchise who are providing #Veterans and #MilitarySpouses with extraordinary opportunities to go into business for themselves but not by themselves. 🔸And this is why you should join us on May 30th for the next episode of #MilitaryThriving Live. Register here to start your journey to being your own boss! https://lnkd.in/eKBeRz68

Memorial Day is less than two weeks away and I felt compelled to share this final video from our experience at the Marine Barracks this past Friday, as a way of focusing on families of the fallen as we approach May 27th. Listen to the notes and reflect on those we’ve lost in service to our nation. #NeverForget —————- “The powerful sound of a bugler playing “Taps” is a call to remember those who gave their lives in the service of the United States. Born of a French bugle call, the melody we know as “Taps” was rearranged and used during the Civil War as a call for lights out. In the late 1800s, the Army formally adopted the tune for use at military funerals and memorial services. The 24 mournful notes comprising “Taps” are played to commemorate the memory of service members from all branches of the armed forces. The final bugle call is a sign of respect and a tribute to those known, and unknown. On Memorial Day, this pensive melody—so ingrained in our national identity—is heard at commemorative ceremonies throughout the nation.” Source: WRTI

Words to live by…. Last night at a book signing hosted by Hope For The Warriors® and American Legion Post 176 in Springfield VA — Colonel Gregory D Gadson shared his extraordinary journey to peace and purpose with 100+ Veterans. On #Commitment: “Commitment is blind. It is #unconditional. If you are committed to something, no matter what it is, you will see it through until the end.” On #living life to its #fullest: “I’ve heard people say ‘you only live once.’. I believe you only live once — every day. Tomorrow is not a promise..” #MilitaryThriving

Yesterday our CEO Kevin Schmiegel paid a visit to Soldiers To Sidelines Coaches Seminar at Georgetown University’s John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletic Center. The room was packed with Veterans who gave up their Saturdays because they want to lead, mentor, and inspire young people through coaching. More to follow about ZeroMils growing partnership with S2S and how Harrison Bernstein and his team are helping Veteran coaches to #thrive and impacting positive recruiting outcomes for DOD. The future is bright. We are #MilitaryThriving.

Veterans and Military Spouses are not only more likely than our civilian counterparts to become a small business or franchise owner, we are more likely to succeed as one. If you’ve been thinking about what it would feel like to be your own boss, it’s time to make your dream a reality. Join our Military Thriving Live: Aspiring Entrepreneurs event on May 30th https://lnkd.in/eKBeRz68

Last night Laura Schmiegel attended the first of this year’s Evening Parades at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I - the oldest post in the Corps. The Commandant, General Eric Smith, hosted it in honor of the first responders and cardiologist who saved his life last October. In hearing Eric’s words and talking to other senior Marines I’ve served with — Assistant Commandant General Chris Mahoney who showed me the way as a role model at the College of the Holy Cross and LtGen Ted Banta who went to Naval Postgraduate School with me and Paul in the 90s — I felt nostalgic and was filled with immense pride. That pride was overflowing by the end of the night as we watched and interacted with young Marines who represent our Corps with such excellence that I wanted to run home and get my dress blues and join them for a drink at Center House. There were so many #unsungheroes there last night I don’t know where to start. And if I did I could write a whole other series of 100 unsung heroes and fill page after page with story after story. For me — and I know Eric, Mo, and Ted would agree — #83 of #100UnsungHeroes is every Marine currently serving in our Corps. They are truly unsung, upholding the highest standards, traditions, and values that define the greatest fighting force the world has ever known. Again, I can’t express in words how proud it made me feel, to be there last night and just soak it all in This pride is a sentiment that must be shared because it matters. And I will shout it from the rooftops. I am a Veteran, I served and I am #thriving. P.S. I took a bunch of videos last night that I am going to share individually throughout the day with just a brief description. I encourage you to take just a minute to watch each one of them and realize we still have the finest young men and women serving this great nation. #MilitaryThriving #100UnsungHeroes #SemperFidelis