What can Navy SEAL training teach you about leadership, business, and life?

In this episode of Anything But Typical, Gary and Ben sit down with retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Tim Cruickshank, founder of Bone Frog Coffee Company, to break down the mindset, discipline, and team-first philosophy that shaped his journey.

Tim shares how elite military training—including BUD/S and combat deployments—built the mental toughness and adaptability he now uses as an entrepreneur. More importantly, he reveals how his business was born out of a deeper mission: honoring fallen teammates and supporting Gold Star families.

This episode is a powerful conversation on leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, and what it truly means to put others first—in business, family, and life.

• 00:01:00 – The “heartbeat question” and defining your legacy
• 00:05:00 – Military upbringing and lessons in integrity and trust
• 00:09:00 – How Tim decided to become a Navy SEAL
• 00:18:00 – What BUD/S training is really like (mental + physical)
• 00:29:00 – Building mental toughness: “30 seconds at a time” mindset
• 00:33:00 – Combat lessons: adaptability, leadership, and trust
• 00:38:00 – Transitioning from military to entrepreneurship
• 00:39:00 – The origin story of Bone Frog Coffee Company
• 00:41:00 – Starting a business with no experience + finding mentors
• 00:47:00 – Building during COVID and learning from customers
• 00:49:00 – Leadership lessons from Navy SEAL training applied to business
• 00:54:00 – Scaling impact and giving back to Gold Star families

• Leadership starts with serving others first, not yourself
• Mental toughness is built through small, repeatable wins under pressure
• The best teams are built on trust, accountability, and shared hardship
• Entrepreneurship requires adaptability, humility, and constant learning
• Purpose-driven businesses create deeper loyalty and long-term impact
• Surrounding yourself with mentors accelerates growth significantly

BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training) is one of the most intense military training programs in the world, designed to push candidates mentally and physically. It focuses heavily on teamwork, resilience, and mental endurance, with extremely high attrition rates.

Navy SEALs develop mental toughness by breaking overwhelming challenges into smaller time increments (like 30 seconds at a time), controlling their mindset, and learning to operate under extreme stress and discomfort.

Key leadership lessons include:

• Put your team before yourself
• Adapt quickly under pressure
• Communicate clearly in chaos
• Earn trust through consistency and action

Tim’s approach:

• Surround yourself with experts and mentors
• Start small and iterate quickly
• Listen to customer feedback
• Stay consistent and adaptable

A purpose-driven business builds deeper customer loyalty by aligning its mission with impact. In this case, giving back to Gold Star families and honoring fallen heroes creates emotional connection and long-term brand trust.

Navy SEAL mindset, leadership lessons, mental toughness, entrepreneurship journey, purpose-driven business, startup advice, team culture, business leadership, resilience training, Bone Frog Coffee, veteran-owned business

• Bone Frog Coffee Company – https://www.bonefrogcoffee.com
• GovX (military & first responder discounts)

• Visit: https://www.bonefrogcoffee.com
• Get 10% off your first order
• Military & first responders: 20% off via GovX
• Support a mission that gives back to Gold Star families
• Follow Anything But Typical for more real conversations on leadership & business

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Episode live date: March 10

Name of show: Anything But Typical Podcasts

Episode number and title: Episode 164: The Power of Relationships in Business and Life with Ashley Tison

Brief summary of show: What if the most important business question has nothing to do with business? In this episode, Ashley Tison shares the powerful question he returns to over and over again: “If I were given six months to live, what would be my regrets?” Through years of walking alongside entrepreneurs navigating growth, exits, and major life transitions, Ashley has seen how success often gives way to a deeper realization — that time, relationships, and meaning matter more than most people expect. This conversation explores the tension between building something significant and not losing your life in the process.

Bullet points of key topics discussed & time stamps: 0:00 – Opening reflection: the question that changes everything 1:12 – Why entrepreneurs eventually start asking deeper questions 2:48 – The hidden cost of building, growing, and chasing success 4:15 – Why founders often realize too late what mattered most 5:42 – Family, experiences, and meaning in the next chapter 7:03 – How the “six months to live” question reframes priorities 8:21 – Why the next chapter people want is often the one they’ve delayed 9:37 – Closing thought: sometimes business conversations become life conversations

List of resources mentioned in episode (including sponsors): OZ Pros OZPros.com Annie Dillard quote: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

Calls to action: Learn more at OZPros.com Visit trustbgw.com Follow Anything But Typical and BGW on social media: Instagram: @anythingbuttypical LinkedIn: BGW CPA, PLLC