12 George Ashdown - Marine Veteran, Managing Director of Construction, a Husband, and Father

Summary George Ashdown - a Marine Corps Veteran, served with the Wing Support Squadron 274 MWSS and deployed to Iraq. George is now the Managing Director of Construction at ELK Development, a Husband, and Father of two girls. George Ashdown, a Marine Corps veteran, shares his journey from childhood to enlisting in the military. He always wanted to be in the military, inspired by his family's military history. He enlisted in the Marine Corps as an engineer and went through various schools to learn drafting, surveying, and earthwork. However, he was assigned to a Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) instead of a combat engineer unit. Despite his initial disappointment, he found value in his role as a drafter and surveyor, providing crucial support to the wing. During his deployment, he was tasked with building an LPOP using limited tools and resources. After completing his deployment, George Ashdown faced the challenge of transitioning from military to civilian life. He struggled with finding a job that didn't conflict with his architecture studies and had financial difficulties. However, he was fortunate to find mentors who helped him navigate this transition. He interned at the Air Lands Institute and received a great reference that led to a job at AC Martin, a prestigious architecture firm in Los Angeles. George's experience highlights the importance of planning and seeking guidance during the transition process. George Ashdown shares his career journey from the Marine Corps to becoming a director of construction in the real estate industry. He emphasizes the importance of taking action and making a plan to achieve goals. George discusses the challenges and rewards of building affordable housing and the impact it has on tenants' lives. He also highlights the translatable skills he gained from the military, such as confidence, decision-making, and the ability to learn from others. ➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by: https://jet.build/ Mentions in This Video George's Info: ➡︎ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeashdown ➡︎ Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elk-development/ ➡︎ Books: - Rich Dad Poor Dad: https://amzn.to/4cM5M1w (amazon) - Extreme Ownership: https://amzn.to/4f2zRvn (amazon) Subscribe To Our Podcast Here ➡︎ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKONY1n1qysTx2RiBiwj28QzLc8gI2oui ➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZizGddgHgKA4oimoLkNRc?si=cd7c0afd6b064292 ➡︎ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3Vt3rCE ➡︎ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vwbshow/ ➡︎ X: https://twitter.com/TheVWBShow ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstark512/ ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veterans-who-build ➡︎ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veteranswhobuild/ The Veterans Who Build Show ➡︎ At VWB, we are on a mission to provide a platform for Veterans to share their story, empower others for success, transition from Military to civilian to profession, chat translatable skills, professional and personal wins, and all things Built Environment The VWB Show Sponsors ➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by @jetbuild ➡︎ Find more information on Jet.Build, here: www.jet.build ➡︎ Jet.Build is THE central command for RE development and construction project management software. Solutions range from project finance to stakeholder collaboration, construction operations, and data reporting with AI. Jet.Build is the better way to build Timecodes / Chapters 00:00 Childhood Dreams and Enlisting 10:00 Assigned to MWSS: Finding Value in an Unexpected Role 45:05 Transitioning Challenges 46:39 Financial Difficulties and Lack of Support 48:59 Importance of Assets and Financial Independence 52:11 Mentors and Support Systems 53:55 Career Journey: Marine Corps to Director of Construction 58:06 Translatable Skills from the Military 01:10:16 Building Affordable Housing: Challenges and Rewards 01:19:19 Wellness Practice: Finding Quiet Time for Reflection 01:23:07 Recommended Books