Emilee Tucker is more than her corporate credentials—she’s an advocate for authentic leadership who transitioned from an 18-year corporate career to become an executive coach. Driven by her curiosity and commitment to continuous improvement, Emilee pursued a master's in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership, combining formal education with practical certifications like NLP and Reiki. Her journey underscores the value of leaning into life's uncertainties to discover genuine joy and success.

Emilee introduced her unique ROI framework, breaking down how to find meaningful success through three simple yet profound principles:

1. Reward Yourself: Emilee emphasizes celebrating small daily victories, suggesting practical actions like enjoying a quiet cup of coffee or taking a peaceful walk. Rewarding yourself reinforces positive habits, boosting confidence and momentum by rewiring your brain for success.
2. Omit Negativity: Emilee highlighted how negativity consumes valuable energy and time. She shared that humans have approximately 60,000 thoughts per day, many repetitive and subconscious. By consciously reframing negative thoughts and practicing gratitude, individuals can reclaim significant mental and emotional resources, creating space for positivity and productivity.
3. Invite Your Dreams: Perhaps the most poignant segment for veterans, Emilee encouraged attendees to rediscover and articulate their dreams beyond past identities. She underscored the importance of visualization, emotional connection, and the power of clearly defining what they want to achieve, inviting veterans to create new, meaningful goals after their military service.

Follow Emilee:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emileetucker

https://www.instagram.com/iamemileetucker/

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the ATLVets Tampa Speaker Series, host Zack Knight sits down with Kristen Rheinlander, Director of Partnerships at The Headstrong Project. Broadcasting from the Centre Club in Tampa, this live session captures a candid and compelling discussion around trauma-focused mental health care for veterans, the stigmas that prevent service members from seeking treatment, and how organizations like Headstrong are eliminating those barriers.

Kristen shares her journey as an Army brat turned nonprofit leader, her career path from USO and HireMilitary to leading corporate partnerships at Headstrong, and the incredible impact her team is making through trauma-informed therapy.

Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of:

• How Headstrong partners with major organizations like Wounded Warrior Project to deliver over 250,000 clinical sessions since 2012.
• Why military cultural competency is critical in mental health care.
• The importance of confidentiality and patient-directed engagement in building trust.
• A 98% retention rate after the first therapy session—and why that matters.
• How corporate partnerships, funding, and community collaboration are vital to expanding Headstrong's impact nationwide.

Whether you're a veteran, corporate leader, mental health professional, or simply someone who cares about the well-being of our military community, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Topics:

• Mental health stigma in the veteran community
• The problem with PTSD as a limiting diagnosis
• Headstrong's care model: trauma-focused, confidential, stigma-free
• Access to care in under 13 days vs. 30+ days at the VA
• Importance of wraparound services and referrals
• Corporate partnerships with Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and more
• Supporting veterans through transition with peer referrals and community connection

Featured Guest: Kristen Rheinlander, Director of Partnerships, The Headstrong Project

Host: Zack Knight, Founder & CEO of ATLVets

Call to Action: To learn more about Headstrong or connect someone with services, visit theheadstrongproject.org. To get involved with ATLVets, attend future speaker series events, or become a corporate partner, visit atlvets.org.

Special Thanks: To the Centre Club Tampa for hosting and to all the incredible veterans, corporate leaders, and nonprofit partners who joined us for this powerful conversation.

Subscribe and Share: Be sure to follow the ATLVets Podcast for more inspiring conversations from leaders on the front lines of transition, mental health, and community impact.

#ATLVets #HeadstrongProject #VeteranMentalHealth #TampaVeterans #MilitaryCulturalCompetency #MentalHealthAwareness

In the latest episode of The Tactical Leader Podcast, host Zack Knight sits down with Marine veteran, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur T. Shane Johnson to discuss his extraordinary journey from military service to business success. T. Shane's story is one of resilience, survival, and a relentless commitment to helping others, particularly in the veteran community. From surviving an MS-13 gang attack to launching Big Guns Coffee, his path is both inspiring and deeply impactful.

T. Shane shared his motivations for joining the Marine Corps, emphasizing the discipline, determination, and brotherhood that shaped his character. The mindset of a Marine—adapt and overcome—proved invaluable in his transition to entrepreneurship. Zack and T. Shane discussed how veterans possess a unique drive and resilience that make them natural leaders in the business world.

One of the most gripping moments in the episode was T. Shane’s recounting of a brutal attack by MS-13. While riding his motorcycle, he was deliberately hit by a car, leaving him with severe injuries, including broken bones, internal organ damage, and punctured lungs. Despite flatlining multiple times, he fought his way back, determined to use his second chance at life to make a difference.

After recovering, T. Shane faced another challenge—transitioning to civilian life. He initially found success in the mortgage industry, but when the 2008 financial crisis hit, he lost everything and found himself homeless. Rather than giving up, he rebuilt from the ground up, using his story to inspire others through books, public speaking, and initiatives like Hike Across America, where he ran 12,000 miles to raise awareness for homeless veterans and suicide prevention.

T. Shane spoke passionately about the need to rebrand homelessness and help those affected regain their sense of self-worth. He proposed an initiative where homeless individuals could write and publish books, sharing their stories as a way to reclaim their identity and generate income. Zack resonated with this idea, emphasizing how purpose and identity are critical for personal and professional growth.

T. Shane’s journey took another turn when his 10-year-old daughter, Charlie, inspired him to start a business. Together, they launched Big Guns Coffee, a venture that not only supports veterans but also revolutionizes the coffee industry by being the first indoor hydroponic coffee farm in the U.S..

Big Guns Coffee isn’t just a business; it’s a movement—one focused on empowering people through high-quality coffee and a mission-driven brand. T. Shane and Charlie have worked tirelessly to scale their business, and now, they’re preparing for a major national launch.

🚀 May 2025 – Big Guns Coffee will be available in 427 Sprouts Farmers Market stores

🚀 July 2025 – Expanding to 300 Walmart stores in North & South Carolina

This incredible milestone is a testament to hard work, resilience, and family-driven entrepreneurship.

Throughout the episode, T. Shane and Zack emphasized the importance of leadership, storytelling, and service. Whether in the military, in...