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:

1. Skills Transfer: Military skills like discipline and leadership can be valuable in civilian jobs and running a business.
2. Retraining: Gaining new skills or qualifications can ease the move from military to civilian life, helping to adapt to new roles.
3. 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.

Nick Haley speaks with Jonny Ball, whose career spans military service, significant injury and recovery and a new career in politics. Jonny shares his early inspiration, from his grandfather leading to his enlistment in the Princess Wellesley Royal Regiment at 17, his experiences in Northern Ireland, and the challenges of medical setbacks that redirected his career into the intelligence corps. Beyond his military service, Jonny has carved a niche in politics and community service, supporting veterans’ transition into political roles through Campaign Force.

Together Jonny and Nick explore Jonny’s recovery from a severe motorcycle accident and his return to sports. Jonny's story highlights the importance of community and purpose in overcoming challenges. Jonny’s contribution to politics is a key part of the story; aiming to include more veterans in public service to leverage their experiences and leadership qualities.

Three key takeaways you'll get from this episode:

• Skills and Purpose Transition: Jonny Ball’s story illustrates the transfer of military skills and purpose to civilian life, particularly in politics and community service. His experience shows how veterans can apply their military discipline and leadership in various roles outside the armed forces.
• Community Support in Adversity: Jonny's recovery and achievements underscore the role of community and support in overcoming challenges. Whether through the Invictus Games, CrossFit, or political activism, belonging and shared goals have been crucial in his recovery journey.
• Veterans in Politics: Jonny’s work with Campaign Force highlights the potential of veterans in politics. He advocates for diverse voices in public service, encouraging more veterans to apply their experience and integrity to enrich the political landscape with their dedication and leadership.

Nick is joined byJames Murphy, a former infantryman whose promising military career was dramatically altered by an incident in Afghanistan. James shares his journey of meticulous planning and determination that led him from the front lines to becoming the CEO of Techbets. His story is one of resilience, strategic foresight, and the ability to pivot from a military path to a civilian career deeply entrenched in technology. Through discussions about his initial motivations, the rigorous training regimen, the camaraderie, and the pivotal moments of his military service, including a life-changing injury, this episode offers a deep dive into the making of a veteran whose skills and experiences have found a new lease of life in the tech industry. Nick and James explore:

• His inspiring transition from military service to the tech sector, marked by detailed planning, resilience, and adaptability.
• The impact of a critical incident in Afghanistan on James' career trajectory and his strategic approach to navigating life post-military.
• The importance of leveraging military experiences and skills in civilian careers, particularly in the dynamic field of technology.

Nick's conversation with James Murphy provides valuable insights into the seamless integration of military discipline and strategic planning in achieving success in the tech industry