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Kevin didn’t make it into the Navy SEALs on his first try.
Or his second.
He didn’t even make it through his first week of BUD/S.

Kristen left a stable teaching career, built a nutrition coaching business, burned out… and started baking sourdough bread from home.

Today, this veteran entrepreneur couple runs Crafted Coastal Bakery in Encinitas, California . Scaling from eight loaves a week to more than 100, while raising two young boys and debating whether to risk everything on a retail storefront.

In this episode of Not Special, we dive into:

• Kevin’s journey from Marine Corps officer to Navy SEAL
• The brutal reality of military transition
• What being in the SEAL teams is actually like
• Why most people aren’t gluten intolerant — they’re reacting to commercial bread additives
• How cottage food laws make small business ownership possible
• The financial and emotional math of scaling a family business
• Working with your spouse without wrecking your marriage
• Why local politics impact entrepreneurs more than national politics

This conversation is about resilience, reinvention, clean food, leadership, and building a meaningful life after military service.

If you’re navigating military transition, starting a small business, balancing family and ambition, or questioning your next move, this episode will resonate.

New episodes of Not Special drop weekly featuring veterans, entrepreneurs, and leaders who don’t think they’re special… but absolutely are.

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In this deeply personal episode, Herb Thompson former U.S. Army Green Beret, Drill Sergeant of the Year, Ivy League MBA, speaker, and entrepreneur, shares the moments that shaped him most: combat leadership, chaos, addiction, recovery, marriage, and learning how to finally slow down.

From leading troops through some of the most kinetic fighting of his career, to struggling with silence once the mission ended, Herb opens up about what elite performance really costs and how purpose evolves after service.

This episode goes beyond military stories. It’s about identity, resilience, leadership, and the lifelong process of becoming whole.

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Why this episode is different (The co-host becomes the guest)
01:35 – The moment an 8-year-old decided his future
02:48 – Earning the Green Beret wasn’t the finish line
03:41 – 10 days, nonstop gunfights, and real leadership
06:20 – The General Patton story (almost getting killed by accident)
08:07– What people get wrong about Special Forces
10:28– Teaching, culture, and force multiplication
11:39 – Becoming a myth among Afghan commandos
15:38 – Leaving the military and still feeling unfinished
18:41 – Operator speed, chaos, and life after war
21:35 – Alcohol, avoidance, and the moment things changed
23:32 – Asking for help at Warriors Heart with Tom Spooner
27:26– Stillness, Jamaica, and learning how to stop
31:48 – Marriage, business, and being co-founders
33:44 – Liberty Speaks and leadership after service
40:36 – Why overcoming adversity matters most
41:56 – What Herb values most: liberty and freedom
43:00 – Final reflections + subscribe

#specialforces #podcast #greenberet #leadership #mentalhealth

Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

Support those that support us:
Fire Department Coffee https://alnk.to/74xixOf

👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.

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Jason DeBlasio shares his journey from a difficult upbringing and dropping out of high school to serving as an Air Force flight engineer, supporting critical mid-air refueling missions on the KC-10 during combat operations.

In this episode of Not Special, Jason explains the often-overlooked role of flight engineers, the pressure of keeping aircraft in the fight, and what it means when fuel determines whether troops on the ground survive. He also discusses his transition out of the military and the creation of Military Metal Art, a company dedicated to building culture, identity, and pride through handcrafted metal artwork.

The conversation explores leadership without recognition, innovation inside the military, entrepreneurship after service, faith, marriage, and defining success beyond rank or title.

This episode offers a rare look at the unseen roles that make missions possible — and the mindset required to build something lasting after service.

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Why Jason Is Special

01:18 – Dropping Out of High School at 16

03:03 – The Court-Ordered Program That Changed Everything

04:15 – Life on the Flight Line: Cold, Misery & Reality

05:36 – Becoming a KC-10 Flight Engineer

07:26 – “The Most Overqualified Backseat Driver”

08:22 – Hearing Troops in Contact Over the Radio

13:20 – 13 Deployments & The Weight of the Mission

15:09 – Knowing When It Was Time to Leave the Military

16:53 – The $10,000 Coffee Pot Problem

20:42 – The Birth of Military Metal Art

22:19 – Turning Passion Into a Scalable Business

28:51 – Why Quality Almost Broke the Company

31:31 – A Stick Figure Drawing Becomes a Masterpiece

33:04 – Leadership, Ego & Letting Talent Walk

35:59 – Selling Majority Ownership Without Losing the Soul

37:53 – Culture, Identity & “The Goldfish Effect”

41:01 – Why This Work Actually Matters

42:01 – Artwork For SpaceX Astronauts

44:20 – Final Thoughts on Purpose & Impact

Connect with Liberty Speaks:

🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com

🔗 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

Support those that support us:

Fire Department Coffee https://alnk.to/74xixOf

👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.