#005 - Scott Mackes - From Strength Mugs to 10x Vets and Beyond

from Harder Not Smarter Podcast · host Greg VanDyne and Kevin Seiff

Summary Scott Mackes, a business savant and founder of Strength Mugs, shares his journey from starting a coffee mug business to creating the Service Academy Business Mastermind Group and the Investor Group within it. He discusses the importance of focusing on strengths and finding a niche market. Scott also highlights the success stories of the Academy Fund, a real estate lending fund that supports military veteran investors. The conversation explores the power of the military veteran community in entrepreneurship and commercial real estate. It also details the formation of 10X Vets, the importance of peer circles and retreats, advice for raising funds, the types of companies presenting to the SABM Investor Group, and the future plans for 10X Vets and the Academy Fund. Show Links Get 1-month of FREE access to the ⁠Vetrepreneur Collective Community⁠ by using discount code: NLT1UQTI Sign up for our Weekly Newsletter : ⁠https://vetrepreneuer-collective.ck.page/profile⁠ Download Free Business Launch Guide: ⁠ https://vetrepreneuer-collective.ck.page/97f8135a78⁠ Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC524p2BitbJXlVFqhMMXATg⁠ Listen on Apple: ⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harder-not-smarter-podcast/id1728285592⁠ Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4POIDow6wkQFCVbMZrFk1I?si=9dc90f8fe3204fde⁠ Follow on LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harder-not-smarter⁠ Scott Mackes Links LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmackes/ Service Academy Business Mastermind Group: https://sabmgroup.com 10x Vets https://www.10xvets.com The Academy Fund https://localvest.com/app/academy-fund-i-llc Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 04:32 Naming the Podcast 08:20 Discovering Clifton Strengths Assessment 12:12 Starting Strength Mugs 15:21 Creating the Service Academy Business Mastermind Group 20:00 Investor Group and Funding Opportunities 26:29 The Academy Fund and Real Estate Investments 31:08 Building the SABM Community 37:45 The Academy Fund Success Stories 39:23 Military Veterans in Commercial Real Estate 40:31 Formation of Hornet Capital 44:45 10X Vets and the Academy Fund 49:11 10X Vets Peer Circles and Retreats 52:20 Advice for Raising Funds 55:29 Types of Companies Presenting to SABM Investor Group 01:03:56 Future Plans for 10X Vets and the Academy Fund

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This episode was published on February 26, 2024.

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