What happens when a Veteran sets out to solve a personal problem—and ends up building a company that Mercedes-Benz wants to buy?

In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Joseph Kopser, U.S. Army Veteran, entrepreneur, author, and president of Grayline Group, about leadership, innovation, and the entrepreneurial journey that led to the successful acquisition of RideScout by Mercedes-Benz.

Joseph shares how frustration with his daily commute inspired him to build RideScout, a transportation technology platform that grew into an acquisition opportunity. He explains how military leadership principles—seeing problems, building teams, and executing under uncertainty—became the foundation for his success in business.

The conversation explores entrepreneurship, hiring, leadership, and why Veterans often underestimate the value of the skills they developed in uniform. Joseph also discusses his book Catalyst and his work helping founders and emerging leaders build companies that create lasting impact.

Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephkopser
Grayline Group: https://graylinegroup.com

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Why would a sheriff refuse to "win" cases?

In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Sheriff Eric Kirsch, Marine Corps Veteran and Sheriff of Wabaunsee County, Kansas, about why the true objective of every investigation is not winning—it’s finding the truth.

Eric shares an extraordinary career that spans Marine Corps counterintelligence, two deployments to Iraq, NCIS investigations, federal law enforcement training, operations supporting the fight against ISIS, undercover narcotics investigations, and ultimately serving as an elected sheriff. Throughout every assignment, one leadership principle remained constant: integrity must always outweigh ego.

The conversation explores investigative leadership, courtroom credibility, overcoming personal adversity, servant leadership, and how sobriety transformed both Eric's life and leadership. He also discusses why admitting mistakes builds credibility, why public trust is earned through transparency, and how leaders create stronger organizations by putting truth ahead of personal victory.

Whether you're leading a business, serving your community, or developing future leaders, this episode offers practical lessons on integrity, accountability, and leadership under pressure.

Guest Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wabaunseesheriff
Facebook: Eric Kirsch for Sheriff, Wabaunsee County Kansas | Alma KS

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What does it take to build a thriving business community while helping entrepreneurs grow faster and lead better?

In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Waco Hoover, entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of IMPCT Group and MCON, about leadership, entrepreneurship, and creating opportunities for Veterans and business owners.

Waco shares lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, explaining how community, relationships, and collaboration often become the greatest competitive advantages. He discusses the challenges entrepreneurs face as they scale, why many business owners isolate themselves, and how strong networks can accelerate both personal and professional growth.

The conversation explores leadership, accountability, event-building, and the importance of bringing people together around shared goals. Waco also explains the vision behind MCON and how creating meaningful connections can help entrepreneurs and leaders overcome obstacles faster.

This episode is a practical look at leadership, entrepreneurship, and the power of community.

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What separates great leaders from average managers — and why do so many organizations struggle to build accountable teams?

In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry and co-host Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent sit down with Stephen Hartz, founder of H&H Leadership Solutions, to discuss leadership, accountability, and organizational growth.

Stephen shares lessons from decades of leadership experience, explaining why trust, communication, and accountability are the foundation of high-performing teams. He discusses common leadership mistakes, the importance of self-awareness, and why organizations often struggle when leaders fail to invest in people development.

The conversation explores leadership coaching, culture building, and how leaders can create environments where people are empowered to perform at their highest level. Stephen also explains why leadership is a skill that must be continuously developed and refined, regardless of title or experience.

Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenhartzhhleadership
Website: https://hhleadershipsolutions.com/

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What does it take to build a successful law firm while staying true to a mission of serving Veterans?

In this special episode of Veteran Led, we’re reposting John S. Berry’s appearance on Treehouse Talks with host Eric Isham. John shares his journey from military school and ROTC to becoming an Army infantry officer, Airborne Ranger, attorney, entrepreneur, and CEO of Berry Law.

The conversation explores military service, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the evolution of Berry Law from a small family practice into one of the nation’s leading Veterans disability law firms. John reflects on lessons learned from Bosnia, Iraq, law school, and business ownership, explaining how service, discipline, and resilience shaped his approach to leadership.

This episode offers practical insights for Veterans, entrepreneurs, and leaders looking to build something meaningful while staying committed to a larger mission.

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What happens when a Veteran gets told “no” by every bank — and decides to build a company that solves the problem instead?

In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Rob Stewart, Air Force Veteran and founder of CR Equity AI, about entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership in rapidly changing industries.

After struggling to secure financing for his own business ventures, Rob identified a gap in the lending process and built CR Equity AI, a platform that leverages artificial intelligence to help entrepreneurs and real estate investors access capital more efficiently. He shares how the company grew from an idea born out of frustration into a business helping connect borrowers with lending solutions faster and more effectively.

The conversation explores AI, business growth, leadership accountability, and the challenges of building high-performing teams. Rob also shares lessons from both military service and entrepreneurship, emphasizing why innovation, adaptability, and servant leadership are critical for long-term success.

Guest Links:
Website: https://crequity.ai

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What happens when a military spouse turns a personal challenge into a business that creates opportunities for others?

In this episode of Veteran Led, John S. Berry speaks with Gabriela Bell, founder and CEO of Organized Q, educator at NYU’s Veterans Future Labs, and contributing author of Deserts to Mountaintops: Our Collective Journey to Reclaiming Our Voice.

Gabriela shares her journey from math teacher and military spouse to entrepreneur, explaining how frequent PCS moves, deployments, and raising four children led her to create a company built around flexible remote work. What started as a virtual assistant role evolved into Organized Q, a growing business that connects executives, nonprofits, and organizations with highly capable military spouses, Veterans, and other professionals.

The conversation explores leadership, delegation, resilience, and why so many leaders struggle to let go of tasks that prevent them from focusing on growth. Gabriela also discusses the strengths military spouses bring to the workforce and why flexibility, accountability, and trust are essential for building successful teams.

Guest Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gabriela-bell
Website: https://organizedq.com

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What separates strong organizations from struggling ones — and how do leaders build teams that actually perform?

In this episode of Veteran Led, Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent sits down with Tad McIntosh to discuss leadership, hiring, and building strong teams.

Tad shares insights from his work in human capital, talent development, and organizational leadership, explaining why hiring the right people is one of the most important decisions any company can make. He discusses how leaders can create healthy cultures, improve accountability, and build teams that consistently execute at a high level.

The conversation explores hiring strategy, leadership development, and how organizations can better align people, performance, and long-term growth. Tad also shares lessons on communication, trust, and why culture drives everything inside an organization.

Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tad-mcintosh-b85213
Website: https://humcapinc.com
Website: https://humcaphr.com

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