Army Transition Timeline
Thank you for downloading and using the Army Transition Timeline! I hope it adds some much needed structure to your transition, because mine felt chaotic. I wish I had this Transition Timeline. You’ll find the first few links are helpful, but the rest drive you to this webpage. There are a ton of resources out…
Navy Transition Timeline
Thank you for downloading and using the Navy Transition Timeline! I hope it adds some much needed structure to your transition, because mine felt chaotic. I wish I had this Transition Timeline. You’ll find the first few links are helpful, but the rest drive you to this webpage. There are a ton of resources out…
Lighting a Thousand Candles
I’ve wrongly advocated for militant personal privacy since college, avoiding social media. I initially believed I was protecting myself and others, but I didn’t realize the opportunity costs. The opportunity to share ideas, spread positive work, and surprisingly, inspire others. Since starting my post-military life, I joined LinkedIn, Twitter, and started a blog. I first…
Vet Tent – Fighting Impostor Syndrome
In my journey building a company, I’ve never felt like more of an impostor. Who am I to build this? What makes me qualified? Why would people use something I’m building? I’m realizing the trick is to continue fighting the inner demons. I will keep powering through. The facade I was parading will slowly fade…
My Past Week’s Silly Mistake: A Valuable Lesson in Web Development
I made a silly mistake this past couple weeks in Airtable, which is what I use to store all my events as a backend for Vet Tent. I had a filtered view that was showing me events that were occuring each day and all future events. In the background, I have an automation turning past…
Building Vet Tent In Public
In the past, entreprenuers loved building in stealth mode where they would conceal everything: idea, operating procedures, how much money they’re making. In the past, that was fair – We didn’t want folks copying our innovative ideas and to protect ourselves. In today’s world, the next phase of building takes place in public. Ideas are…
Building Digital Nick
It’s time I honed my digital presence. I started a blogging test on my way out of the Navy with nownick.me, but it never felt like I gained traction writing. However, recently I started posting more on LinkedIn, building my digital brand, and elevating the work I’ve been doing on Vet-tent.com. I wanted a way…
Fired Up 🗳️ Ranked Choice Voting
I am fired up about making serious progress on Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in Charlottesville. Dylan (my Cville Veteran Partner) and I are making progress – we’re connecting with our local leaders We’re taking a multi-pronged approach at the city, so we can eventually advocate at the state level: Tonight, I met with Delegate Sally…
The New Year
I’m not much of a resolution guy, but I’ve got a lot planned for 2023. Here are the big ones: 2023 holds a lot ahead and I have good feelings about it!
The 3-m Adventure Starts
After packing for a variety of situations and loading up the car, I hit the road and headed to Northern Virginia to catch up with friends. As I was leaving a guy was helping his girlfriend move into my building, we struck up a conversation and decided to hangout when I return! With one roommate…
Success, Investment, Training
Success. First private-sector job offer in hand. It certainly took a village to arrive here. A phenomenal company, with great people, and a solid location. After sleeping on it yesterday, I almost signed the offer today, but another mentor convinced me to wait one more day and call him tomorrow. I’m so privileged that people…
Sensing the Change
I feel lighter. As I come to the end of my Navy time and start the rest of life, I feel a sense of adventure again. The notion of pursuing anything. Throughout my uniform time, I had been so hesitant to book any personal travel because of the paperwork, the possibility of it being rescinded,…
Learn Remote, Gain Options
Many know of education in Monteray at the Naval Post Graduate school (NPS), but few take advantage of the remote learning opportunities. NPS offers an array of distance learning options for PhDs, Masters, and Graduate Certificates in many topics. Search the NPS Distance Learning Programs Here is a double whammy, another option is the Air…
Humbling Reminder
Two interns arrived at WillowTree from Brazil (20) and Ukraine (19), and on their second day in the office, I grabbed lunch with them. We shared the journeys that brought us to that moment. They were uncontainably ecstatic to be there. Overjoyed at the opportunity. They were both students at the innovative Minerva University (fascinating…
Capture Notes, Leave Gifted
You will leave your unit. You will miss some colleagues and eventually want to remember them fondly. Prepare for that by capturing notes earlier to leave with a signed frame of previous members. The people in our lives make the experience worthwhile. Gathering notes and signatures from people as they leave, allows you to capture…
Integrate Thoughtfully, Add Value
Pivoting from one multi-year tour to the next, A military career is one full of repeated transitions. Mastering these critical points of career inflection will bring you greater success and enable you to add value more quickly to the team. Each unit has its unique onboarding programs; however, solely relying on your unit is a…
Earn Freedom, Seek Financial Independence
The military enables people to serve their country, gain valuable skills, and be prepared for their next career. However, what if the military paycheck stopped coming? Would you be prepared to weather the financial storm? By living paycheck to paycheck, one source of income with minimal savings, you are fragile because you are financially bound…
See Connections, use Systems Thinking
As a military member, you are joining one large system. In the complex and broad-spanning Department of Defense, you have an important role to play, because of the influence and stake you have in the team and organization’s success. One tool used to improve your teams, processes, and outcomes wherever you’re planted is a Systems…
Past Connections to Progress
I finished watching the HBO series Band of Brothers, which tells the story of a group of men as they progress through the WW2 European campaign. The series brings up many topics, but their camaraderie with each other reminded me of my connection with my past sailors. This line hit me the hardest: “I cherish…
Transition Update
Resonating Quote: “Think of many things. Do one.” I am making a conscious effort to become a single tasker and focus energy on one task at a time with short aggressive timelines. For example, I set a 30-minute time limit on this post. I have not set aside time weekly to write. To counter this,…
Gracious and Generous Support – Transition Update 1
This week, I’m humbled by the philanthropic communities and individuals who donate generous resources to transitioning service members. These valuable people helped me get a firm grasp on a previously chaotic transition and turn it into a controlled glide slope. Through this transition, I have learned a few things: Vets help Vets. The veteran community…
First Steps
I’m starting this blog as a way to capture my lessons and share ideas. Mostly for me, but others might benefit. I decided to leave the U.S. Navy after an interview with SpaceX. Having been fascinated with SpaceX and Elon’s Starship project, I felt compelled to join. After the push from a friend working down…
Nick Co 