🦅 2025: The Year of the Veteran Entrepreneur

🧠 Long Story Short:

Veteran EDGE 2025 wasn’t just an event — it was a masterclass in how veteran entrepreneurs show up, support one another, and scale together.

From reconnecting with 7-figure OGs to meeting future collaborators, I left with more than inspiration — I left with real partnerships, real perspective, and real momentum.

This year reminded me that success isn’t just about what you know — it’s about who you know and who you become for others.

Welcome to 2025: The Year of the Veteran Entrepreneur.

For those who don’t know my backstory — I’m a proud alum of the IVMF EBV (Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans) program. That experience gave me something most people pay thousands for:
✔️ My first professional logo
✔️ A capability statement
✔️ A clean headshot

With those tools in hand, I landed my first corporate contract.

Fast forward to today:
✅ 3 businesses
✅ 4 apps
✅ 2 exits
✅ 7 figures in revenue...

I am now a Brand Ambassador for IVMF Bunker Labs and run a thriving business. My journey with IVMF started almost 10 years ago, and I still make time to attend EDGE every year. Why? Because I get just as much value now — if not more — than I did on day one.

There are plenty of conferences for entrepreneurs. But Veteran EDGE hits differently.

It’s not just information — it’s transformation through proximity. This is where real business happens, real doors open, and real collaborations form between entrepreneurs who are actually in the arena.

EDGE brings together founders, operators, advisors, and changemakers from across the veteran ecosystem — people who truly get it.

I reconnected with powerhouses like:
Sheena Parker, Nick Green, Dan Spangler, Dr. Stephannie L., Nick Bradfield — all building legacy businesses quietly and powerfully.

And I met new leaders like:
MAJ (R) Annette Whittenberger, Justin Miller, Shawn Welch, Alex Mouton

Big gratitude to Neferteri Strickland, who connected me with a potential strategic partner in Chicago — a market I’ve been working on expanding into.

💡 Confirmation

EDGE validated what I’ve always believed:

Social media might reward visibility — but business rewards consistency and character.

Every conversation with my IVMF OGs reminded me that doing the real work quietly stacks the biggest wins.

🔗 Collaboration

The best part of EDGE? It’s not just networking. It’s collaboration in real-time.

I’m excited to:

• Partner with Moniek James, MBA on AI and tech

• Work with Abby Malchow to highlight Amazon’s resources for veterans

• Keep building with Ryan Hunt, always an inspiration

• Mentor three up-and-coming entrepreneurs breaking into multifamily property management — sharing hard-won lessons from my own service-based journey

📚 Who Not How Framework

One of the most powerful frameworks in entrepreneurship comes from the book Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy (read more):

That mindset was everywhere at EDGE.
People weren’t just looking for their “next hire” — they were looking for their next WHO. And in the process, becoming that WHO for someone else.

🙌 Final Thoughts

Whether you’re just starting your business or scaling your next venture, events like EDGE remind us that we’re not meant to do it alone.

Veteran EDGE 2025 was a reminder that:

If you're a veteran-connected entrepreneur, get in the room. Attend the next EDGE. Reach out to IVMF. Plug into Bunker Labs.

There’s a tribe of builders out here ready to lift you up — if you’re ready to lean in.

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Let’s keep building. Together.
— John Thomas

🎯 Veteran Entrepreneur | Franchise Leader | AI Innovator