#25 - From Defusing Bombs to Rebuilding Nations with Courtney Buck

What happens when your ability to focus is the only thing keeping you alive? In today’s gripping episode, Marcus Arredondo talks with Courtney Buck, a former Army bomb technician turned global health and policy expert, whose story moves from the battlefield to boardrooms. Courtney shares what it’s like to disarm explosives under extreme pressure, why development aid is more than just charity, and how raising kids to avoid labels is his most meaningful mission yet. You’ll hear jaw-dropping stories, honest reflections, and insights that challenge how we think about risk, purpose, and public service.Courtney Buck is a U.S. Army veteran, former EOD technician, and founder of Courtney Buck Investments. After serving in Afghanistan disarming roadside bombs, he moved into roles with USAID and the CDC, working on global health and foreign policy. Now based in Florida with his wife and four kids, Courtney focuses on real estate investment and raising a family rooted in curiosity, courage, and resilience.Learn more about Courtney Buck:Website: https://www.courtneybuckinvestments.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneyryanbuck/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-buck-6867736/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtneybuckinvestments/Episode highlights:(2:49) Who is Courtney Buck?(6:39) What USAID really does?(11:17) China’s growing influence in Africa(17:36) Fallout from USAID closure(20:56) Becoming an EOD technician(26:52) The reality of disarming bombs(31:28) Finding peace in chaos(41:19) Lessons for raising resilient kids(44:51) Inside the CDC before and during COVID(49:06) How disease spreads globally(51:18) Why U.S. response was so hard(53:58) People Vs. Public health messaging(55:47) Grace for leaders in crisis(59:02) OutroConnect with Marcus Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-arredondo/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/cus Scales of Success Website: scalesofsuccesspodcast.com X (Twitter): https://x.com/scalesofsuccess Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scalesofsuccesspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scalesofsuccess Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ScalesofSuccess —-- Leave a Review If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scales-of-success-podcast/id1773864140 Get in Touch You can also Tweet @cus with any feedback, ideas or thoughts about the lessons you’ve learnt from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in.