100 Entrepreneurs Lessons Learned

Ben Morley spent 27 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, then transitioned out of the military in a "Brutiful" way - a brutal beginning becoming beautiful.  He talks about learning a new language through his transition, coping with the infinite aspects of civilian live vs. the more finite world of the military.  He talks about his business consulting and coaching practice, and how he has used aspects of his military experience, such as streamlining, process improvements, and core values translated into culture, to help civilian businesses.  

Jordan Foley is a Naval Academy graduate and is still in the Navy.  He is also attending Georgetown Law School and has started a nonprofit called Chow, a culinary training program for veterans and spouses in the MD/VA/DC area.  Their mission is to provide culinary training online, along with hands on training in a commercial kitchen and with Food Trucks.  He started the nonprofit in January 2020 and learned how to bring his vision to fruition during the pandemic.  He talks with 100 Entrepreneurs about Chow's program and his lessons learned.  

James (Jamie) Horris joined 100 Entrepreneurs to talk about his experience as a wounded veteran and an entrepreneur.  He anticipated a career in the Army, but after his injury went to college and to graduate school for an MBA.  He has started several businesses, including a hops farm and a Brewery in Northern Virginia with partners and works as a financial advisor.  He spoke with us about the impact of the Covid-19 health and economic crisis on his small businesses.  Jamie also talks about building his extensive network of friends, colleagues, funders and contacts through the military, school, jobs, networking events and social media, especially LinkedIn. 

Laurie Gonyea first created a yarn company, producing cotton and silver spun yarn for the knitting community, but learned that the number of people who could benefit from silver and cotton spun socks was far greater than the number of people who can knit their own.  She created Silver Spun Goods, a silver spun sock company, in 2019.  She talks about why silver makes her socks so special, as well as her small business experience, including becoming a manufacturer, how she markets her products, reaching people through instagram influencers, coping in this current health crisis and so much more.  Check it out at SilverSpunGoods.com  

Nicole Krug started a social media agency a decade ago and has grown the staff and skill sets of her company to provide all types of online brand management for her clients, mostly small businesses.  She spoke with Amanda Weathersby, from 100 Entrepreneurs Foundation, about how her business and her clients are handling the current health crisis, in addition to how small businesses can build successful online strategies strategies, including using Social Media platforms, Blogging, Email Marketing and Websites. 

Donna Cole, Navy Veteran, has been interested in journalism and photography throughout her life, selling her first photograph to a national news service in her teens.  Researching the who, what, where, when and how of news events and communicating the stories comes naturally to her.  She's written for newspapers and online news media, and now hosts a radio show on WNAV in Annapolis MD.  As part of a multi-media specialist, she has become the social media expert among her peers.  She talks about how journalism allows her to focus on a variety of topics she is passionate about, such as wildlife, veterans, and children.  Learn how she chases down a story about the illegal poisoning of the American Bald Eagle, the high suicide rates among teens in a community, and how she used social media to increase awareness when 50 junior and high school students built a house in 15 days.    

HT Tran, Army Veteran, was wounded in Iraq, and at Walter Reed connected with 100 Entrepreneurs and Bob Nilsson.  He went on to co-found and build Anvil Builders and was the ENR Award of Excellence Winner in 2015.  Eventually, HT sold his shares in Anvil Builders, then a $60 million firm, and started DNW Ventures with a business partner.  Their first venture is opening 30 Mahana Fresh Franchises in San Antonio and Austin Texas over the next 10 years.  HT talks with 100 Entrepreneurs about his experience and about franchising.    

Lori Steenhoek, founder of Capital Pixel, a 3D Design firm, and Love Lori Michelle, a jewelry design firm, spoke with Amanda Weathersby, from 100 Entrepreneurs Foundation, about her businesses.  She studied architecture and became a 3D designer serving architectural and construction firms as well as individuals building new homes. She talks about building her business, including her referral network, pricing her work, and business development.  Last year she hired her first employee, and she talks about how she found the employee and what she was looking for - education vs. portfolio.  After years of rendering architectural drawings in a 3D world, Lori wanted another creative outlet, and started designing jewelry.  Her pieces are printed out of silver and gold on a 3D printer!

Michael Malone is a wounded veteran and the founder and CEO of We2Link, an application in development to help people with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) more easily manage their everyday and participate more fully socially.  TBI affects not just veterans, but civilians worldwide, due to accidents, surgeries, etc.  Michael is part of a study on TBI at Walter Reed, and has an extensive network with the people affected by it, including the people with TBI and their caregivers and family members.  His network also includes the doctors, therapists and researchers who study TBI.   Michael is currently working with a software developer to develop the App's features and is raising money for his company.  He spoke with 100 Entrepreneurs about his mission, the market, and the process he's going through to build his product and company.