Dear Subscriber,

As I sat down to create content this weekend, something unexpected happened. Looking for photos of IVMF BunkerLabs, an organization that supported my journey, I found myself getting emotional. My mom passed last year due to stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I found out around this time last year about her diagnosis. I came across this picture. Here is a picture at one of my 1st IVMF events where my mom and my two younger brothers came out to support me when I was building my very 1st startup, RedBagGifts:

What started as a simple task for a social media post turned into hours of reflection, looking at hundreds of pictures of people, communities, and moments that shaped my path.

An African proverb says, "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." Today, I'm excited to announce a new series: "Stronger Together: The Multiplier Effect of Community and Collaboration."

Over the next several weeks, I'll take you through my 20-year journey, exploring how different communities—from family and friends to veteran organizations, tech networks, and business communities—created a multiplier effect that transformed individual effort into collective success.

Why This Series? Why Now?

About Twenty years ago July 25th 2004 to be exact, I arrived in Atlanta with nothing but determination and a Dodge Durango, I had literally just left the battlefields of Iraq. I told myself if I could just land one job interview, I'd make it work. Not even a job, an interview! (I was young and insanely confident in myself back then)

What I didn't know then was that success wouldn't come from individual effort alone—it would come from the power of community and collaboration.

From my grandmother's wisdom “If you can’t find a job, make a job…”, to military organizations and communities like DAV  and Bunker Labs, to the friends who became my first customers—every step forward was multiplied by the support of others.

What to Expect

Each week, we'll explore different aspects of community and collaboration:

- The foundation of family and friends who believed before anyone else

- Veteran organizations that helped me transition and grow

- Tech communities that fostered innovation

- Business networks that enabled scale

- And most importantly—how you can build and leverage your own support systems

This Week's Question

Before we dive deeper into the series, I'd love to hear from you: Who was the first person to truly believe in your vision? How did their support multiply your efforts?

Reply to this email or share your story on social media using #StrongerTogether. Let's celebrate the power of community together.

Here's to the multiplier effect of going far together,

John Thomas