Conduct an interview with Nathan Wheeler for the "Battlefield to Business" podcast about his journey from military service to entrepreneurship in financial services.
Key Takeaways- Nathan transitioned from a decorated military career to founding a successful financial services business, Strategic Ascent LLC
- His passion for helping others and leadership skills transferred well to financial advising and building a team
- Key to success was finding intrinsic motivation and leveraging military experience in a new field
- Emphasizes importance of financial literacy and building generational wealth for veterans
TopicsNathan's Background- Moved frequently as a youth, born at Fort Bragg
- Joined Army after sister's arrest, initially planning short-term service
- Served as 13M (artillery) and 29E (electronic warfare)
- Decorated career including Airborne, Ranger School, 10th Special Forces Group
- Divorced during military service, struggled with alcohol after separation
Transition to Civilian Life- Worked as contractor, then for Army Strategic Command and Space Force
- Joined Deloitte consulting but found passion in financial services
- Got licensed initially to help friends/family, then saw bigger opportunity
- Left Deloitte to pursue financial services full-time in March 2023
Current Business - Strategic Ascent LLC- Independent financial services firm, not captive to any one company
- Has direct contracts with top 192 companies in securities/insurance
- Focuses on holistic financial planning and wealth-building strategies
- Aims to educate clients on financial literacy and asset protection
- Built team of 123 associates across the country in 18-19 months
Keys to Success- Leveraging leadership skills and drive from military experience
- Finding intrinsic motivation in helping others succeed financially
- Being willing to take risks and bet on yourself as an entrepreneur
- Continuous learning and exploring new opportunities
Advice for Transitioning Veterans- Identify what brings you joy and explore ways to monetize it
- Do due diligence on business opportunities, especially in financial services
- Leverage unique skills/experiences from military in civilian world
- Be prepared for self-motivation required as an entrepreneur
Next Steps- Nathan to potentially serve as financial services expert resource for podcast
- Jarvis to release this episode as one of the first on Veterans Day
- Explore possibilities for future collaboration between Nathan and Jarvis