From Marine Corps to Corporate: Gayle Anders on Navigating Civilian Life

06/10/24 • 82 min

Download "10 Military Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Career... and Your Life"

Our guest today is Gayle Anders, a business continuity leader with over 20 years of experience, currently managing business continuity for Netflix’s global operations. Gayle's innovative approach has been internationally recognized for its effectiveness and strong ROI. Before joining Netflix, Gayle progressed through leadership roles in the United States Marine Corps, focusing on global operations, crisis management, continuity of operations, and disaster recovery. The discipline, teamwork, and attention to detail from his Marine Corps experience continue to influence his ability to ensure the robustness of business continuity plans and foster a resilient organizational culture.

Summary

Gail Anders shares his journey from the Marine Corps to the civilian world, highlighting the transition, challenges, and lessons learned. He emphasizes the importance of humility, adaptability, and continuous learning in navigating the corporate landscape. Gail's experience provides valuable insights for veterans and civilians alike, shedding light on the diverse skill set and mindset cultivated in the military. Gail Anders shares his transition from military to civilian life, emphasizing the need for self-reflection, adaptability, and financial prudence. He discusses the challenges of decision-making, leadership, and responsibility in the civilian world, highlighting the freedom and flexibility it offers. Gail's journey reflects the importance of family, communication, and the pursuit of personal fulfillment.

Takeaways

The importance of humility and continuous learning in navigating the corporate world.
The diverse skill set and mindset cultivated in the military are valuable assets in the civilian landscape.
Gail's journey provides valuable insights for veterans and civilians, emphasizing adaptability and the ability to leverage military experience in the corporate world. Transitioning from the military to civilian life requires self-reflection and adaptability.
Leadership and decision-making in the civilian world come with increased responsibility and accountability.
The civilian world offers freedom and flexibility, allowing individuals to make choices and change their minds.
Maintaining a balance between work and family life is crucial for personal fulfillment and happiness.
Financial prudence and the ability to pivot are essential for a successful transition to civilian life.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer
10:00 Lessons for New Military Personnel
13:23 The Power of Humility and Continuous Learning
33:13 Leveraging Military Experience in the Civilian Landscape

Download "10 Military Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Career... and Your Life"

Summary

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer
10:00 Lessons for New Military Personnel
13:23 The Power of Humility and Continuous Learning
33:13 Leveraging Military Experience in the Civilian Landscape

Previous Episode

Healing Trauma: Veterans Turn to Cannabis and Psychedelics with Gary Hess

Download "10 Military Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Career... and Your Life"

Our guest today is Gary Hess, the founder and Executive Director of the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives (VAHA), CEO of Teleleaf, and Partner of Dynamic Growth Solutions. Gary served in the Marine Corps for 11 years as both an enlisted member and Infantry Officer, experiencing the challenges of PTSD, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and pharmaceutical dependency first-hand. He used cannabis to manage his conditions and catalyze Post-Traumatic Growth. Now, Gary is an advocate and activist for the use of medical cannabis in post-traumatic recovery for veterans and trauma survivors.

Within VAHA, Gary leads efforts to provide evidence-based education on the benefits of medical cannabis and works with patients, medical professionals, and lawmakers to reduce obstacles to access. He has teamed with Dr. Sue Sisley and the Scottsdale Research Institute to remove barriers hindering federal research initiatives and has successfully testified in Congress for the legalization of medical cannabis in Louisiana and North Carolina. Additionally, Gary is the CEO of Teleleaf, a telemedicine platform that provides affordable and convenient access to cannabis, and a Partner in Dynamic Growth Solutions, which offers solutions for indoor cannabis cultivation.

Gary holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Sociology from Wartburg College and is pursuing a PhD in Cognitive Behavior and Brain Sciences, studying the effects of trauma and the effectiveness of cannabis and other holistic alternatives in recovery.

Summary

Gary Hess, founder of the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives, shares his journey of using cannabis and psychedelic-assisted therapies to heal from trauma. He discusses the disconnect between the mind and body that many veterans experience and how holistic alternatives can help facilitate the reconnection. Gary emphasizes the importance of education, intention, and integration in the healing process. He also provides resources for accessing medical cannabis and exploring psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Takeaways

Holistic alternatives such as cannabis and psychedelic-assisted therapies have the potential to facilitate healing from trauma and reconnect the mind and body.
Mindfulness practices, breathwork, and meditation are important tools for processing painful emotions and achieving balance.
Education and empowerment are crucial in the healing journey, especially for those who have experienced significant trauma and are seeking holistic alternatives for mental health.
Access to medical cannabis and psychedelic-assisted therapies can be obtained through organizations like the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives and Teleleaf.
There is hope for those struggling with mental health issues and trauma. It's important to reach out for support and explore alternative healing modalities.

Sound Bites

"I smoked a joint and it did everything that the medicines were supposed to do."
"The cure for the pain is in the pain."
"Understanding the dos and the don'ts, understanding that you have to meet people where they are."

Next Episode

Breaking Barriers: Veteran Mental Health and Fitness with Dave Morrow

Download "10 Military Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Career... and Your Life"

Our guest today is David Morrow, a former infantry officer with the Canadian Armed Forces who served as a civil affairs officer in Afghanistan. Dave grew up in the Army, learning the valuable lessons of hard work, the importance of a solid team, and how to motivate people during the worst situations. After returning from Afghanistan injured and without a clear sense of direction, Dave launched into a teaching career he hated, neglecting his back injury and suffering from PTSD. His life was spinning out of control until he made a change.

Dave's new mission is to help 100,000 veterans lose 2 million pounds. He believes that twenty years of war fighting weren’t for nothing and that we need to leverage our collective experiences for the betterment of humanity. Dave provides a remote-based training platform delivered weekly based on his BE.A.S.T. Body Blueprint Method. His members are part of the H2K Facebook group, where they receive encouragement, camaraderie, and Q&As, supported by world-class guests on his H2K Podcast, the H2K Blog, and his book, 'The Nimble Warrior.' Dave's company is Canada’s first to provide online personal training services fully subsidized by the VA with their A.T.H.E.N.A. Program. In 2021, he was recognized as Canada’s 'Most Motivational Personal Fitness Trainer.'

Dave loves a good challenge and is deeply committed to getting folks healthy and strong. If you’re able to help in completing his mission, he welcomes you to join his network and work together on this massive challenge

Summary

In this conversation, Mike Bledsoe and Dave Morrow discuss the importance of addressing hard topics and the impact of censorship on news consumption. They also delve into the challenges faced by veterans in terms of mental health, physical fitness, and transitioning to civilian life. Dave shares his personal journey from the military to becoming an entrepreneur in the health and fitness space, specifically focusing on veterans.

They touch on the cultural barriers to investing in oneself and the value of education versus training. The conversation highlights the need for veterans to prioritize their health and well-being in order to thrive in all areas of life. In this part of the conversation, Mike and Dave discuss the importance of making new choices and starting a new path before reaching a point of desperation.

They also talk about the need for reflection and self-work during the transition from military to civilian life. Dave shares his personal journey of leaving his teaching job and becoming an entrepreneur, highlighting the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship. They also discuss the School community, a platform for veterans to learn and connect with each other, and the Military Influencer Conference as a valuable event for veteran entrepreneurs.

In this final part of the conversation, Dave Morrow discusses the importance of taking care of oneself in order to run a successful business. He shares his experience of being overwhelmed and burnt out while working in the education system and how becoming an entrepreneur allowed him the freedom to prioritize his well-being.

Dave also talks about his ongoing struggle with chronic back pain and the various methods he uses to manage it. The conversation then shifts to the topic of self-help and personal growth, with Dave emphasizing the need to address deeper emotional wounds and motivations in order to truly improve oneself.

Mike Bledsoe shares his own journey of self-reflection and the importance of knowing oneself in order to break patterns and make new choices. They discuss the role of psychedelics and alternative therapies in healing both physical and emotional pain. The conversation concludes with Dave encouraging veterans to prioritize their health and well-being and to use their resilience and experiences to make a positive impact in their communities.

Takeaways

Addressing hard topics is important for personal growth and societal progress.
Censorship of news on social media platforms limits access to information and can lead to misinformation.
Veterans face unique challenges in terms of mental health, physical fitness, and transitioning to civilian life.
Investing in oneself is crucial for personal and professional development.
Education provides a broad set of knowledge, while training focuses on specific skills.
Prioritizing health and well-being is essential for veterans to thrive in all areas of life. Don't wait until you have no other options to make a new choice and start a new path.
Reflection and self-work are important during the transition from military to civilian life.
Entrepreneurship can be a challenging but rewarding journey.
The School communit...