Little Big Vets

This week Nick speaks with Gareth Williams, a former British Army officer turned Australian Army officer. Growing up in a military family, it’s no surprise that he ended up serving in not just one army, but two. He takes us through his journey and how these experiences shaped his approach to life and work.From joining the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment to his deployment in Kosovo, and eventually transitioning to the Australian Army, Gareth shares how his military career gave him the leadership, communication, and planning skills necessary to co-found Job Oppo, an employment platform focused on connecting veterans with meaningful job opportunities. His passion for changing the narrative around veterans—focusing more on their successes rather than their struggles—also led him to launch Veterans Can, an initiative that highlights the positive impact of military service on veterans’ lives and promotes global connectivity among them.This is a valuable conversation for anyone leaving the service or anyone interested in learning about the importance of patience, networking, and having confidence in a new phase of life.

Nick talks to Danny Keating, a former Royal Navy submariner who has built a successful career in the tech industry. You'll hear about his unique path, how he adapted to different careers, and the challenges he faced along the way. You'll get important lessons on networking, mentorship, and finding a new sense of purpose after leaving the service.Danny’s story started with a pull toward the military, influenced by his father’s service. He joined the Royal Navy just before 9/11, and over the years worked his way from the control room to the kitchen as a chef on submarines. After seven years, he felt ready for a change, pursuing a degree and then jumping into the tech industry, where he built a successful career in sales and business development. Through all the personal and professional challenges—including the loss of his brother and mother—Danny found solace in his work. Now, he’s focused on helping other veterans, especially submariners, transition into civilian careers with projects like Submariners United in Business.

Nick is joined by Rob Giles, who shares his journey from joining the army with minimal experience to starting his own successful company. He reflects on his early days in the military, where he joined to make his family proud but quickly realised it wasn’t his true passion. After a brief stint as an HGV driver, he rejoined the army with a fresh mindset, focusing on education and self-improvement. Rob talks about his experiences in Kosovo and Iraq, the evolution of military training, and how his mix of practical experience and academic achievements helped him transition into a career in governance and training. He stresses the importance of continuous learning, networking, and not being afraid to fail. Rob offers advice for those leaving the military: start your own company, build a strong network, and focus on what you love, outsourcing the rest. It’s all about taking risks, learning from mistakes, and finding what truly makes you happy.

This week Nick Haley welcomes Alex Freeman to the podcast, who shares his inspiring journey from the military to entrepreneurship.Alex had a long military career, serving for 22 years from the age of 18 and eventually becoming a company commander. He recounts his experiences in basic training, Sandhurst, and deployments in Northern Ireland, Germany, Bosnia, and Saudi Arabia, each providing unique cultural and operational insights.Transitioning from the military to civilian life wasn't easy; after spending over half his life in the service he struggled when he finished. However, he shares with Nick how he not only managed, but thrived, in the subsequent years. His journey from earning an MBA to working in management consultancy and eventually founding his own company is essential listening for anyone coming out of the military.Today Alex is getting ready for the launch of Stance Fitness, a company focused on enhancing strength training through data which he co-founded.

Nick Haley is joined by James Cameron, the founder of Mission Motorsport - a charity focused on using motorsport to aid the recovery and reintegration of wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women - and a former Army officer. James shares the details of his extensive military journey, including his time in the Royal Tank Regiment, the impact of urgent operational requirements in Afghanistan, and his eventual role in pioneering the deployment of new armoured vehicles. Transitioning from the Army to the corporate world is never easy, and James shares the challenges he faced when establishing Mission Motorsport. He highlights the importance of putting recovery first and leveraging his passion for motorsport to create meaningful opportunities for veterans. Expect advice for those nearing the end of their military careers, ways you can prioritise personal goals and utilise available resources, and methods to actively seek help from the veteran community.It’s the camaraderie and resilience found in military life that sets veterans up for success. Find out how James channelled the personal and professional growth it fostered into a thriving business. 

“I wanted to start something where I start something, where I could build it, see the fruits of my labour, learn things that I could utilise going forward.”These words come from Duncan Grocock, former Operations Officer for the British Army and Nicky Haley’s guest for this episode of Little Big Vets, who moved from law school and a stint as a semi-pro rugby player to full-time military service and eventually entrepreneurship.Duncan shares his personal story and talks insights from his time in the military and his transition to civilian life, including the founding of Cannonball Coffee, Duncan’s own high-caffeine coffee company. He goes on to talk about the trials, tribulations and lessons learnt from running a business and his current role in freelance strategic communications and as a Communications Planner for the military reserves.In this episode, your three important takeaways are:1.    It’s Who You Know: Duncan swears on the power of networking. Build professional relationships and keep at it. From leveraging connections to explore career options post-military, to partnering with a local roastery for his coffee business, Duncan’s journey demonstrates how effective networking can open doors and provide support.2.    Know Your Niche: Duncan’s experience founding Cannonball Coffee underscores the power of identifying and catering to a specific target audience when starting a business. Thorough market research and understanding customers’ needs can set you apart and drive growth!3.    Bounce Back Stronger: Duncan’s story is a masterclass in resilience – a key trait in veterans. Exploring business challenges head on, learning from failures, anticipating obstacles and staying flexible can transform setbacks into stepping stones. Try, fail and grow.

Nick Haley sits down with Tom Sherwood, former Lance Bombardier of the British Army’s Fire Support Team and Co-Founder and CEO of Koios.Tom shares his incredible story, from joining up (influenced by his dad’s background in law enforcement and the impact of 9/11), to navigating the highs and lows of military life through operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.Nick and Tom also discuss his transition into corporate and civilian life, excelling in the recruitment industry on behalf of massive companies like Spotify, Apple Music and Snapchat before founding his own startup, Koios – a business which leverages the power of AI to predict personality and behaviour accurately from speech.In this episode, your three takeaways are:1.    It’s All About Resilience: Tom’s story highlights the importance of resilience in both military and entrepreneurial settings. Overcoming setbacks and persisting through challenges is crucial for long-term success.2.    Change Happens, Embrace It: Look, veterans know that sometimes the unexpected happens. It’s the same in business. When things don’t go to plan, you need to be agile. Tom’s journey underscores the skill of adapting to change and being open to pivoting strategies.3.    F*CK IT!: Tom’s advice for veterans leaving the military – go for it! Humans are endlessly adaptable, especially military vets, so take bold steps and you’ll thrive.Find out more at littlebigtech.co.uk

Laurie Timpson, a former British Army officer, shares his journey from the military to becoming a business owner. He joined the army due to family traditions but had little knowledge about what it entailed. Despite early struggles and a steep learning curve, he gained valuable skills and experiences. After leaving the army, Laurie worked in humanitarian roles before starting his own high-end knife business. His story illustrates the transition from structured military life to the flexibility required for civilian jobs and entrepreneurship.Three takeaways you'll get from this episode:Skills Transfer: Military skills like discipline and leadership can be valuable in civilian jobs and running a business.Retraining: Gaining new skills or qualifications can ease the move from military to civilian life, helping to adapt to new roles.Flexibility and Determination: Success outside the military can require adjusting to new situations and persisting despite challenges, as shown by Laurie’s varied career path and eventual success in crafting bespoke knives.Find out more at littlebigtech.co.uk

Nick Haley chats with Ben Ford, a former marine who has successfully transitioned from active service to the tech industry. Ben shares his personal story, from enlisting at the age of 23 after dropping out of an engineering degree, to teaching himself the programming language Python on a warship enroute to Iraq, navigating various tech roles post-service and ultimately co-founding the company Mission Ctrl.Ben talks about how his military career was fundamental to providing him with the strong foundations and skills (learnt through rigorous training and discipline) which he would later apply in his transition into technology, web programming and entrepreneurship.In this episode, your three important takeaways are:1.    Transferable Skillsets: Problem-solving, discipline and resilience are key transferable skills that can be applied to all aspects of your life. Ben’s story highlights how military service was critical in developing these skills, which he later found vital in his tech career.2.    Self-Drive = Success: Veterans possess an innate self-drive which keeps them moving forward. Ben’s journey underscores the power of continuous learning and development. By diversifying his skillset through teaching himself programming and navigating various roles, he set up a career path for himself leading to success.3.    Adaptability and Innovation: Ben’s ability to adapt and innovate played a significant role in his post-service career. His journey to entrepreneurship is marked by his capacity to leverage emerging tech and adapt swiftly to change, exemplifying the dynamic application of traits he honed in the military.

Nick Haley chats with Dan Wilkinson, a former officer in the Irish Guards, who shares his transition from military service to various entrepreneurial endeavors, including his current role in promoting veteran employment in the renewable energy sector through his initiative, Hire a Veteran. Dan recounts his non-academic leanings in school, his time at Sandhurst, and the leadership skills honed through his military service, which he leveraged in civilian life across roles in global trade missions and even a mini pizza empire.In this episode you'll learn the importance of:Preparation and Networking: Effective transition from military to civilian life requires thorough preparation and robust networking. Dan highlights these as crucial elements that helped him navigate his post-military career path and eventually led him to successful entrepreneurial ventures.Understanding and Leveraging Transferable Skills: Veterans possess a unique set of transferable skills, including leadership, resilience, and strategic planning. Recognizing and articulating these skills can open up diverse opportunities in various sectors, such as renewable energy.Continuous Learning and Adaptability: The importance of being open to continuous learning and adapting to new environments is vital for success in civilian careers. Dan's journey through different industries shows that adaptability and willingness to learn from each experience are key to finding and succeeding in new opportunities.