MILCOM Founders Podcast -- Episode 20: From Army First Sergeant to Life-Saving Emergency Solutions with Valerie Ellis Lavin

Join host Rod Loges and guest Valerie Ellis Lavin as she shares her journey from serving as a US Army First Sergeant to founding Luminary Global, a company providing emergency preparedness and trauma response solutions to clients ranging from sheriff's departments and fire rescue units to corporate clients like DoorDash and Cirque du Soleil.

In this episode:

• Valerie's 21-year Army career in military intelligence, serving from 1993 to 2014
• Her decision to join the Army after watching "Private Benjamin" - a moment that changed her life
• Serving as First Sergeant and the leadership lessons learned caring for soldiers
• Her 2010 deployment to Ramadi, Iraq during Operation New Dawn
• The eye-opening experience of transitioning from military to civilian life
• Building and losing her first veteran staffing company
• Discovering her passion for veteran entrepreneurship programs
• Co-founding Action Zone, a nonprofit supporting military and first responder entrepreneurs
• Transitioning Luminary Global from services to products in 2019
• How boxing became her outlet for fitness and stress relief

Key takeaways:

• Compartmentalizing emotions is a crucial business skill, but requires balance for mental health
• Understanding your strengths and staying in your lane while partnating with complementary skills
• The transition challenges many veterans face aren't always acknowledged by those still serving
• Automation and outsourcing can be better growth strategies than premature hiring
• Quality of life businesses are the backbone of communities
• The power of cohort-based learning across diverse industries

Guest: Valerie Ellis Lavin, Founder and CEO of Luminary Global, Co-founder of Action Zone, Retired US Army First Sergeant (21 years of service)

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieellis7/
• Business Website: https://luminaryglobal.com/

Valerie Ellis Lavin is a retired US Army First Sergeant who served 21 years in military intelligence, including roles as First Sergeant for multiple units and as the J-2 Army enlisted leader at United States Central Command. After retiring in 2014, she experienced firsthand the challenges of veteran transition and became passionate about supporting veteran entrepreneurs.

She co-founded Action Zone, a nonprofit that has helped over 300 veterans, military spouses, and first responders through their entrepreneurship programs, with participants generating over $19 million in earned revenue and employing close to 700 people. With Luminary Global, Valerie and her husband Jeremy provide customized emergency preparedness solutions to everyone from individual preppers to major corporations and government agencies.

Beyond her businesses, Valerie serves on multiple veteran advocacy councils and is currently program manager for a major Tampa Bay initiative creating a comprehensive database of defense-related organizations and veteran support services.

Looking ahead: Valerie continues expanding Luminary Global's product lines while monitoring supply chain challenges, and growing Action Zone's impact in supporting veteran and first responder entrepreneurs across diverse industries.

The MILCOM Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from successful veteran entrepreneurs.

Sponsored by One Degree Financial
www.onedegreefinancial.com

Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at https://www.milcomfounders.com/