How a Marine Veteran Led NYC Through Crisis and Built an Organization That Saved Lives | Zach Iscol

In this episode of Tactical Wealth, former Marine Corps infantry officer Zach Iscol shares how a career built on service led him from the Battle of Fallujah to founding one of the nation's largest veteran mental health organizations and ultimately serving as New York City's Emergency Management Commissioner.After graduating from Cornell, Zach commissioned into the Marine Corps just one month before September 11th. He volunteered for the infantry, fought in the Battle of Fallujah, helped build the Marine Corps' special operations pipeline, and learned leadership lessons that would shape every chapter of his career.Following his military service, Zach noticed a growing crisis. Veterans were dying by suicide at alarming rates while access to mental health care remained difficult and stigmatized. That realization led him to found the Headstrong Project, providing veterans with world-class mental health care at no cost and without bureaucracy.Zach also discusses launching Task & Purpose, building organizations inside existing institutions, leading New York City through emergencies ranging from cyberattacks and extreme weather to the migrant crisis, and why leadership is ultimately about serving the people around you.In this episode, we dive into:🇺🇸 From Marine to Public Servant: How combat leadership prepared Zach to lead long after leaving the military.🧠 Changing Veteran Mental Health Care: Why he founded the Headstrong Project and how it transformed access to care.🚀 Building Organizations That Matter: Lessons from launching nonprofits, media companies, and mission-driven ventures.🏙️ Leading New York City Through Crisis: What it takes to manage emergencies affecting millions of people.📈 Entrepreneurship Beyond the Garage: Why not every startup begins from scratch and how to build inside existing organizations.💡 Leadership That Scales: The importance of humility, taking care of your people, and creating teams built on trust.📊 Learning From Failure: Why listening to customers, embracing setbacks, and pivoting early are essential to success.⚡ Military Lessons That Last: How the Marine Corps shaped Zach's approach to leadership, resilience, and decision-making.Whether you're a veteran, entrepreneur, founder, public servant, or someone looking to build a mission-driven career, Zach shares powerful lessons on leadership, entrepreneurship, resilience, and creating lasting impact.👉 Ready to stay tactical and stay driven? Hit SUBSCRIBE and join us for more conversations on leadership, wealth, and building a life of purpose.EPISODE RESOURCESConnect with Zach Iscol:💼 LinkedIn: Zachary Iscol📸 Instagram: @zachiscolConnect with Kaj Larsen:🌐 Website: kajlarsen.com📸 Instagram: @KajLarsen👤 LinkedIn: Kaj Larsen