In this episode of TheMilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins sits down with Kevin Capozzoli, Co-Founder & CEO of Critical Materials Group and US Army veteran, to discuss his 25-year military career, his transition into entrepreneurship, and how the leadership and decision-making skills he developed in the Army continue to shape the way he builds businesses.

Kevin shares how his father's Vietnam service influenced his decision to serve and reflects on the lessons he learned from a career in the infantry, including leadership, responsibility, failure, decision-making, and learning from both great and difficult leaders.

The conversation explores Kevin's transition from the Army to the business world, including his decision to pursue graduate education at the University of Texas and ultimately build a company rather than simply look for his next job. He explains how military planning principles, including red-teaming and stress-testing ideas, became valuable tools for evaluating business opportunities and navigating uncertainty.

Listeners will gain insight into:

• Kevin's journey from Florida State University to a 25-year Army career
• The leadership lessons learned through military service
• Why failure and responsibility accelerate professional growth
• The difference between managing, leading, and commanding
• Kevin's decision to leave the military and pursue entrepreneurship
• Why veterans should consider whether they want to "get a job" or "make a job"
• How military decision-making principles translate into business
• Why entrepreneurs should never fall in love with their ideas
• Using red-teaming to stress-test business opportunities
• How Kevin identified critical vulnerabilities in the U.S. munitions industrial base
• The founding and mission of Critical Materials Group
• Building a company focused on critical energetic materials and national security
• Navigating government acquisition and the defense industrial base
• The importance of understanding who actually buys your product
• How to handle investor rejection and constructive feedback
• Why self-awareness and humility are critical to entrepreneurship
• The importance of health, family, and financial preparation during transition
• Why betting on yourself requires preparation as well as courage

Kevin also shares practical advice for veterans preparing for their next chapter, emphasizing the importance of defining what you truly want to accomplish, building financial runway, taking care of your health and family, and being willing to embrace uncertainty.

Whether you're a veteran preparing for transition, an aspiring entrepreneur, a business leader, or interested in national security and the defense industrial base, this episode offers practical lessons on leadership, resilience, decision-making, entrepreneurship, and betting on yourself.

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