Marine veteran and Head of Programs, Reggie Ordonez, joins Sam Tierney, Assistant Programs Director at Warrior Rising, for another powerful episode of Office Hours Live. From mastering your first sale to crafting a pitch deck that captures attention, Reggie breaks down what it really takes to start, grow, and sustain a veteran-owned business. Real questions, real answers—built to help you move forward with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
Reggie Ordonez breaks down the truth about grants, funding, and revenue for veteran entrepreneurs. Learn how to find the right grants, prove demand, and build a business that lasts. Plus: key resources like SCORE, TechSoup, and VBOC, and Reggie’s top book picks — The E-Myth Revisited & Traction.
Warrior Rising’s Office Hours LIVE brings veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs face-to-face with practical coaching and real business strategies. Hosted by Reggie Ordonez and Sam Tierney, this episode covers startup pitching tips, securing SBA microloans, building business credit, marketing without ads, launching a new LLC, and navigating entrepreneurship during economic uncertainty. Whether you’re a veteran founder, military spouse, or small business owner, you’ll learn how to clarify your brand, access funding, and take calculated risks to grow.
Recorded in Normandy on the 81st D-Day anniversary, veteran Tyler Grout reflects on war, fatherhood, and business. From combat engineer to entrepreneur, Tyler shares how failure, mentorship, and legacy shaped his journey back home.
n this captivating podcast episode, we sit down with Chad Hennings, a legendary Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman and former Air Force fighter pilot. Chad shares incredible stories from his time in the NFL, where his background as a decorated military veteran fascinated fellow athletes. As a three-time Super Bowl champion, Chad reflects on how his experience flying fighter jets for the United States Air Force shaped his mindset, discipline, and success both on and off the field. Discover how his transition from the Air Force Academy to the NFL impacted his journey and hear why his teammates were so intrigued by his unique story.
Struggling with sales? In this Office Hours episode, Reggie Ordoñez shares no-fluff, real-world advice for founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs who want to close more deals without selling out. Learn how to shift your mindset, build confidence, and turn conversations into conversions.
Ready to grow your veteran-owned business? Start with proven marketing strategies designed for military entrepreneurs.
In this episode of Warrior Rising Office Hours, we break down tactical, real-world marketing tips specifically for veteran entrepreneurs, military spouses, and military-connected business owners. Whether you're launching a startup or scaling an existing busines, these insights will help you build a stronger brand, create trust with your audience, and drive real growth.
In this episode of the Warrior Rising podcast, Reggie Ordonez dives deep into marketing strategy, helping entrepreneurs and business owners course-correct and align their goals for success in the first quarter of the year. Reggie breaks down essential elements of brand strategy, focusing on key areas like customer understanding, competition analysis, positioning, and messaging. He emphasizes how crucial it is to continuously evaluate your marketing approach and adapt when necessary to achieve your business objectives.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build a solid marketing foundation and keep their goals on track for the year. Whether you're fine-tuning your brand or looking for ways to engage better with your customers, Reggie’s insights are invaluable for entrepreneurs in every stage of their journey. Tune in now and take actionable steps to refine your marketing strategy!
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
In this episode of Warrior Rising's Office Hours, Reggie Ordonez, Founder of Forward Brands, dives deep into the crucial elements of a successful brand strategy. He explores the vital relationship between marketing and revenue, emphasizing the importance of understanding your customers, competition, and how to position your brand to connect with your audience. Learn how to craft messaging that resonates, why brand strategy is the foundation of everything, and how to avoid wasting marketing dollars on tactics that don’t work. Reggie shares actionable insights to help entrepreneurs build strong, customer-focused brands that thrive.
In this Warrior Rising Podcast episode, host Alyssa Michelle sits down for a rapid-fire interview with five incredible female veteran entrepreneurs and military spouses who competed in DC in 2024. They discuss their businesses, the unique value women bring to entrepreneurship, and what motivates them to overcome obstacles. Tune in for inspiring stories and powerful lessons from these unstoppable women!
In this candid conversation, Ben shares how our team—featuring industry experts like Reggie Ordonez, our veteran entrepreneur operator, and our marketing guru, Alyssa Michelle—has been working tirelessly to deliver consistent, high-impact content and educational opportunities. Learn how our coaching calls, mentoring sessions, and national business showers are turning the transition from military service into thriving entrepreneurial success! Success stories from Salt Lake City & DC, including grants up to $150,000!
In this special Warrior Rising Podcast episode, host Alyssa Michelle conducts a Rapid Fire Interview with five incredible veterans who recently competed in Salt Lake City. From personal journeys to overcoming obstacles, these veterans share their inspiring stories and experiences on the road to competition.
In this Warrior Rising Office Hours episode, Reggie Ordonez, Head of Programs, breaks down the essentials of capital access for veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Learn what lenders are looking for, why proving your business’s revenue is key, and how to calculate break-even points for growth. Get tips on preparing your business for funding and setting yourself up for success before approaching banks or investors.
👉 Visit WarriorRising.org to enroll in our programs today!
War stories are for the boys,” says Navy SEAL veteran Andy Sullivan, who served through 9/11 and now leads nonprofit "Community First Project" in Massachusetts to train basic tactics to law enforcement to teach proactiveness against active shooters. In this powerful episode, we dive into the challenges of extended military service, the legacy of 9/11, and why every patrol-level officer needs tactical training. Don’t miss Sully’s mission to protect communities and preserve lives—from sea, to the field, to our own backyards. THIS IS WARRIOR RISING. Host: Green Beret & FBI veteran - Casey Maxted.
Join us as we sit down with Gabe and Lindsay Chrismon, founders of MyHome and first-place winners of Warrior Rising's Salt Lake City competition. They share their inspiring journey as a military family, how they met, and their path to building a successful business. Don’t miss this incredible story of resilience, entrepreneurship, and love.
🎙️ On this episode of the Warrior Rising podcast, we sit down with longtime supporters and Warrior Rising team members, Tomy and Dara Parker.
From Tomy's incredible military experience to Dara's unwavering commitment to bettering lives, this dynamic duo shares their inspiring story, how they met, and the drive behind their dedication to serving others. Dara's compassion shines through in everything she does (and honestly, she might just be the most compassionate person on the planet!).
Tune in for an episode filled with heart, purpose, and the power of teamwork. 💪
This week, we honor Veterans Day with an exclusive interview featuring Medal of Honor recipient Earl D. Plumlee from the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). Join us as we dive into his heroic story of courage and resilience, recounting the day he went above and beyond the call of duty in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Don’t miss this incredible conversation celebrating service and sacrifice!
🔗 Listen now and get inspired by a true American hero!
In this episode, we sit down with Reggie Ordoñez, a dynamic speaker, entrepreneur, and creative powerhouse. Reggie shares how he has leveraged resilience and an unstoppable mindset to transform challenges into opportunities, fueling his journey to success. From overcoming setbacks to following his passions fearlessly, Reggie’s insights offer valuable lessons for anyone aiming to achieve greatness in both personal and professional life. Join us as we explore actionable strategies for staying motivated, pushing past obstacles, and making each failure a stepping stone to success.
In this episode of the Warrior Rising podcast, we sit down with the inspiring force behind Absolute Motivation, known to many as Supermanis4real. A childhood amputee, he’s spent his life defying the odds and proving that nothing is impossible with the right mindset. We dive deep into his journey, including how his grandmother's love and support shaped him, overcoming insecurities, and his mission to coach fellow amputees to walk again and perform at their peak. His story is packed with resilience, grit, and pure motivation. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration, whether facing physical challenges or looking for the mental strength to push through adversity. Be sure to follow him on Instagram (@Supermanis4real) and check out Absolute Motivation to stay connected with his incredible journey!
We sit down with Sophie Cheney, founder of Pineland Pasture Farms and recent Warrior Rising competitor in Iowa. Tune in to hear how she’s building a sustainable business, navigating entrepreneurship as a veteran, and her mission to make an impact through farming.
