Guest: Kelly Bonn — Navy veteran, retained executive recruiter, executive coach

Location: The Centre Club, Tampa

Episode in a sentence

From small boats in the Med to C-suite searches in boardrooms, Kelly unpacks modern hiring, executive presence, and why your LinkedIn should teach—not trumpet.

What we cover

Kelly’s Navy path (Italy, small boats unit, coxswain/engineer) and the through-line to recruiting

Retained search vs. contingency—and why “human” beats “process”

Branding that works: educational posts, clear profile, and consistent presence

Posting cadence/windows that reach senior decision makers

Building a talent flywheel with employee advocates (and how to bonus them)

Interviewing that actually reveals judgment and fit (ditch lazy behavioral scripts)

Diversifying revenue streams so a weird year doesn’t sink you

Why the job market feels strange—and the signals it’s warming

Playbook & Tactics

Intro line: “I’m an executive coach and a headhunter. I help companies hire and leaders land.”

Three questions to ask in interviews:

“What would your current manager say about you?”

“What did you like most/least about your last role?”

“What’s the biggest challenge in the first 90 days here?”

LinkedIn content rule: educate > advertise. Case-style posts win.

Best posting windows (for exec audiences): Sun late AM/early PM; Mon late PM; Tue late AM.

Book pick: Captivate — Vanessa Van Edwards.

Offers & Resources

Kelly’s giveaway: Executive Bio + 1 hr coaching (leadership/job search) or hiring-manager interview training.

Services: retained search (Sr. Director → C-suite), executive coaching, resumes/executive bios, LinkedIn optimization.

Keep up with us

Tampa: monthly third-Tuesday meetups at The Centre Club

Clearwater: monthly wellness workouts

Message “TAMPA” to get reminders and invites.

Host: Zack Knight

Guest: Gary King — Navy veteran, speaker/author, creator of the St. Pete HAPPINESS signs, subject of The Happiness Experiment film

Episode vibe

A candid, hopeful conversation about trauma, perspective, and building everyday interrupts that keep people here. Practical tools. No fluff.

Timestamps

00:00 – 06:00 Cold open + Centre Club welcome, Monday-night football slander, Marine banter.

06:00 – 12:40 ATLVets updates: Elite Rewards monthly travel voucher, Clearwater wellness workouts, Atlanta Center of Excellence coming online.

12:41 – 14:10 Gary takes the mic: why this room matters to him.

14:10 – 18:50 Background in fast-forward: Navy, VIP security (incl. Gen. Schwarzkopf), speaking/author work across the globe.

18:50 – 23:40 The weight: 36 traumas, the loss of his son Jason at the Skyway, and the near-death experience that reset his lens.

23:40 – 27:00 Perception vs. perspective: the “circle and the ant.”

27:00 – 33:30 PTSD reframed as post-traumatic trigger disorder; the “hard drive (subconscious) + RAM (conscious)” analogy; the wallet story.

33:30 – 38:30 Autosuggestion 101 and the twine-and-20-knots practice.

38:30 – 44:30 Birth of the HAPPINESS signs (Nov 2019), first takedown, then liftoff; why simple words in public space matter.

44:30 – 48:10 The Happiness Experiment film; the woman who turned around at the sign.

48:10 – 55:30 The Happiness Formula book: F² H² = H (forgiveness of self/others; honesty with self/truth with others; self-worth).

55:30 – 1:01:30 Quick exercise: your Top 5 partner traits, and why “emotionally available” rarely makes the list (but should).

1:01:30 – 1:06:30 Self-acceptance vs. chasing approval; how we’re taught to outsource worth.

1:06:30 – 1:10:55 Q&A: faith, discipline, and why Gary still climbs the ladder.

1:10:55 – end Wrap, selfies with the signs, Gary’s open offer: “If I can help a vet, I’m in.”

Key ideas & takeaways

Triggers work like algorithms. If you can spot the pattern in real time, you can choose a different next move.

Perspective is a practice. Get above the moment; don’t let the moment run you.

Short beats clever. The brain remembers simple, repeated lines—use them on purpose.

Public words change private minds. A six-inch sign can be the inch someone needs.

Notes & care

Gary shares personal methods and beliefs. They’re not medical advice. If you’re struggling, talk to a qualified professional, reach out to a peer, or call/text 988 (in the U.S.) for support.

Host: Zack Knight

Guest: Lindsey Streeter, Military Affairs Executive, Bank of America; retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major; Owner, Savannah Hurricanes; Founder, Streeter Esports & Entertainment

Recorded at: The Buckhead Club, Atlanta

Episode Summary

Lindsey Streeter unpacks the difference between veteran-friendly and veteran-ready, shares the “divine timing” behind his transition to Bank of America, and details practical systems that improve retention, mobility, and belonging for veteran talent. He also talks entrepreneurship—the Savannah Hurricanes, community impact that earned national recognition, and why legacy is the point of the work.

Timestamps

00:00–01:06 – Welcome, road-warrior points for Lindsey & Lena; ATLVets 12-city expansion

01:06–02:01 – ATLVets update: 30,000-sq-ft Roswell Veterans Center of Excellence (co-working, accelerator, human performance)

02:01–05:35 – Who Lindsey is beyond the bio: purpose, the “dash,” widowhood, second chances, community focus

05:35–06:21 – Entrepreneurship thread: Savannah Hurricanes, community programs, national recognition; thoroughbred ownership as legacy

06:21–11:20 – Why the Army, early years, mentors who shaped a 31-year career, sitting the E-9 board and realizing the path fit

11:20–13:11 – Favorite assignment: Savannah (1989), Desert Shield/Storm

13:52–17:26 – Transition fear, the phone call that changed everything, veteran rotational program at Bank of America

18:08–22:18 – Veteran-ready vs. veteran-friendly: right-fit recruiting, five-year lookback, precision nets

22:18–25:07 – Veteran Onboarding Initiative (90-day buddy), ERG scale, safe-space learning

25:07–26:40 – Veteran Development Program: 5-month cohorts, senior-leader exposure, capstone, retention & mobility outcomes

27:25–29:14 – What keeps vets: visible path to progress & purpose; paid service time (TRWB, Team Rubicon)

29:14–30:27 – The big vision: careers for veterans and military spouses; portability matters

31:06–33:48 – Entrepreneurship as purpose; measurable community impact and recognition

33:48–34:47 – Reality check: ~20% of transitioning vets start businesses; the capital/network gap

36:42–38:11 – How BofA helps vet founders: CDFIs, Bunker Labs/IVMF, dedicated small-business bankers

39:11–44:10 – Hiring advice: dedicated veteran recruiters, translate MOS, hire for coachability, avoid credential inflation theater

47:22–49:09 – Becoming veteran-ready without alienating non-vets; why some vets don’t self-ID

48:28–49:09 – Life Event Services: one number when life hits

53:26–55:16 – Financial literacy gaps; Better Money Habits origin story for military families

59:56–1:04:23 – Purpose and the personal mission statement (Covey influence), living consistently across roles

1:05:21–1:10:26 – Why ATLVets exists: solving the “Now what?” after TAP; VetOPS, accelerator, and sustainable impact model

1:10:26–1:11:04 – Wrap, networking, and selfies (season tickets, anyone?)

Key Ideas

Veteran-ready = systems: precision hiring, 90-day buddies, ERG-powered belonging, visible mobility, Guard/Reserve support, Life Event Services.

Purpose retains: service opportunities on company time satisfy the mission drive.

Entrepreneurship needs scaffolding: CDFIs for capital readiness; incubators/accelerators for reps; pitch platforms for proof.

Translate, don’t transpose: MOS ≠ job title; hire for potential and humility.

Financial literacy is aftercare: VA loan realities, tax exemptions, and...