At its core, leadership is about inspiring and influencing behavior to help people to achieve a common goal. But how are great leaders shaped? Join us for a compelling conversation with Brian Stann, a former mixed martial artist and U.S. Marine who competed in the UFC’s middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

In this discussion, we explore where Brian is today, his journey through the military, the lessons he learned at Hire Heroes USA, and his leap into real estate development. Brian also breaks down how specific military experiences, training programs, and the culture of mixed martial arts combine to forge exceptional leaders.

We’ll touch on how to build, develop, and maintain toughness in your life. Brian even offers valuable advice for active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses.

Thanks for tuning in.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The merging of things he loved and how he wound up at Hunt Military Communities.

• Hunt Military Communities, its portfolio, the number of employees, and where they’re located.

• He distills down what Military experience, IOBC Training, and the martial culture do to human beings to create leaders.

• How to build, develop, and maintain your toughness.

Quotes:

“What I loved about the military, at that time, the brand was elite. If you wanted to be something elite, if you wanted to go on an adventure and climb to the top of the mountain, you joined the military.” — Brian Stann

“I fell in love with how martial arts and a martial mindset can help me be a better combat leader.” — Brian Stann

“The one thing that I struggle to find now as a CEO, the number one thing that I struggle to find is people who can truly lead other people.” — Brian Stann

“I think, if you take just a very simple definition of leadership, it’s the ability to influence people’s behaviors so that they can go accomplish a goal and that’s essential.” — Brian Stann

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Brian Stann on Instagram

Hunt Military Communities

UFC

Hire Heroes USA

Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae

Denzel Washington Commencement Speech
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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Veterans have the potential to be exceptional business leaders if they can prioritize and balance their values, wellness, and financial goals. Joining us today is the founder of Richard Group LLC, Jed Richard to discuss his incredible career and the difference he is making within his company.

Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Jed’s upbringing, how his grandfather became his inspiration, his time in the army, and how he transitioned into construction. We explore the exceptional entrepreneurial qualities veterans possess before Jed highlights the most common mistakes he sees them make in career planning.

He also shares book recommendations for aspiring entrepreneurs, insights gained from Peter Thiel, and why he is so passionate about supporting his employees’ families. Finally, Jed offers his perspective on the advancement of the construction industry.

Thanks for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The failures Jed has seen in veterans when career planning.

• Why veterans have dual ‘superpowers’ when it comes to entrepreneurship.

• How to make a difference in the private sector.

• Why transactional motives will not bring you fulfillment.

• How to become a great leader by following first.

Quotes:

“The people that get promoted in this world are promoted by their teammates, their peers, and the people underneath them that they’ve made successful.” — Jed Richard

“You’re going to create value in the world if you focus on being a great leader and sometimes being a great leader starts with being a great follower.” — Jed Richard

“I want to give the most noteworthy adventure to as many families as possible and to my own.” — Jed Richard

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jed Richard on LinkedIn

Richard Group LLC

The 4 Disciplines of Execution

Tools of Titans

The Great Game of Business

The Obstacle is the Way

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Anyone can build an average business, but who wants to be average when you can be excellent?

Today on Inspiring People & Places, we are joined by the founder and managing partner of Scare the Bear Capital, Matthew Dean. In this conversation, we hear all about Matt’s background, what led him to his current leadership role, and where he is in his career today.

We delve into the leadership lessons he learned growing his firm, his ‘Markon 100’ principle, and how his leadership style changed as the firm grew. Matt goes on to tell us about the ‘north star’ of Scare the Bear Capital, his favorite book for entrepreneurs to read, the most inspiring quote he can think of, his ideal dinner party guests, and so much more!

Finally, Matt tells us what he wants his legacy to be and encourages people with entrepreneurial spirits (especially veterans) to start small businesses today! Thanks for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The leadership lessons he learned growing a firm, one contract at a time.

• How his leadership style changed from 100 to 300 employees.

• The ‘north star’ of Scare the Bear Capital.

• Why people in the military would make wonderful entrepreneurs.

Quotes:

“I’m unapologetic about wanting to be profitable.” — Matt Dean

“I truly believe that we can help small business owners achieve financial goals that they could not achieve on their own.” — Matt Dean

“To be good or average in the industry is not very hard. But who wants to be average?” — Matt Dean

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Matt Dean on LinkedIn

Markon Solutions

Shoe Dog

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

In any partnership, trust is a key player; both the trust you find in your partner and the trust you knowingly have in yourself. Joining BJ on this episode of Inspiring People & Places is John Grady, who serves as the Northeast Region Executive and Senior Vice President of Development at Wexford Science & Technology in Philadelphia.

As a seasoned executive with a wealth of experience in real estate, finance, city building, and corporate and public affairs, John has a remarkable track record of leading successful public-private partnerships. He knows how to craft compelling messaging and drive inclusive investment and growth across various sectors.

John also dives into his career arc, the great story of the Philadelphia Navy Yard and its redevelopment. In addition to key leadership lessons that John has learned while working on projects that bring the public and private sectors together in partnership.

Don’t miss this episode for his thoughts on how leadership has changed, why work transforms people and communities, and more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The great story of Philadelphia’s Navy Yard and its redevelopment.

• The importance of private and public partnerships.

• Key leadership lessons John has learned while bringing together the public and private sectors to accomplish projects.

• The idea that work transforms people and communities.

Quotes:

“Working with good people really [gets] me motivated.” — John Grady

“The Navy Yard is a tremendous example of Philadelphia at its best. It’s got a bright future, and at its most fundamental core, it is a day-to-day real-life public-private partnership, every day.” — John Grady

“I’m a big believer that partnerships are built on trust. You have to go into a relationship trusting your partner, trusting what they can do well, trusting them to do that, and trusting yourself, knowing what you do well, and bringing that to the table.” — John Grady

“Work transforms communities. It transforms people.” — John Grady

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

John Grady on LinkedIn

Wexford Science & Technology

The Navy Yard Philadelphia

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

We are inspired by the leadership, passion, and mission-focus that veterans bring to the built environment. However, figuring out what your next steps are after serving can be challenging.

During this episode, we welcome Arpan Patel, Director of Operations at the US Air Force Reserve. He shares his story, from growing up with immigrant parents, to serving and leveraging his background in civil engineering to build a career on the other side.

You’ll also hear about the process of excavating his Ikigai, where the synergy of purpose, skills, opportunity, and passion lives. Arpan describes how he found the willingness to absorb what was available to him in order to make an informed decision about his future. We also explore the importance of favoring legacy and people over dollars and cents, before Arpan shares some of the ideas and principles that have supported him along the way.

Thanks for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Navigating the gut punch of not reaching a lifelong goal to be an aviator.

• The mindset shift required to understand that engineering supports the mission.

• Leadership lessons for the transitioning veteran: networking and more.

• Understanding that people and legacy far outweigh dollars and cents.

Quotes:

“A theme throughout my history is networks that have helped bolster opportunities or allowed me to leverage the opportunities in front of me, opened doors, and allowed me to walk through them.” — Arpan Patel

“Life is unfair and doesn’t pan out the way that you see it, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be defeated.” — Arpan Patel

“Life is tough, but tough times don’t last, tough people do.” — Arpan Patel

“Do your best, go for it, do everything you need to do, but if it doesn’t work out, keep your head up.” — Arpan Patel

“When you find communities that have shared passion and values, you’ll connect.” — Arpan Patel

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Arpan Patel on LinkedIn
Society of American Military Engineers

The E-Myth Revisited

Working Genius

Ikigai

The Go-Giver

Getting Naked
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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Being able to inspire change is key to being a good leader. But more importantly, a leader needs to have the humility to reflect on when their capacity for driving that change has expired.

Joining us today is the former CEO of the Society of Women Engineers and former AVP of admin and operations at DePaul University, Betty Shanahan to discuss her remarkable career arc.

In this conversation, you’ll hear all about what inspired Betty to get into engineering, her education, career highlights, her time at the Society of Women Engineers, and so much more! We delve into her efforts through DePaul University to bring computer sciences into high schools in Chicago before Betty tells us about the importance of working on your career outside of your job and furthering your knowledge and skills.

We discuss balancing work and life, leadership, knowing when it’s time to step down as a leader, and celebrating your achievements as an engineer. Finally, Betty answers our rapid-fire questions and shares her favorite quotes, must-read books, her ideal dinner guests if she could invite anyone (dead or alive!), and what she hopes her legacy will be.

To hear all this and be reminded that you can get through any struggles you may face, tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Working on your career outside your job and balancing work/home life.

• What makes a good leader and the importance of knowing when your time is up.

• Why engineers need to celebrate their large achievements.

Quotes:

“When you struggle, you recognize [that] other people have [also] struggled and worked through it and continued to be successful.” — Betty Shanahan

“A lot of being a good leader is the humility of saying: ‘I don’t know a lot’.”— Betty Shanahan

“Engineers are responsible for our health, happiness, and safety. So all of us, as engineers, are contributing to the country, to individuals in our work. So we need to celebrate our large achievements as engineers.” — Betty Shanahan

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Betty Shanahan on Facebook

Society of Women Engineers

The Leadership Challenge

Inspiring People & Places Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

The built environment offers vast potential to impact those who live, work, and thrive in these spaces. Today’s guest on Inspiring People & Places is Joe Reagan, the Executive Vice President of Development at Wexford Science and Technology.

Join us as we explore the diverse aspects of his career journey, including how his understanding of deal-making and real estate within the built environment has deepened his appreciation for the financial implications of a mission. Joe also shares key leadership advice that has served him well throughout his career.

Additionally, we discuss why military veterans often occupy senior facility roles. Be sure to tune in to hear all this and more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Understanding the deal-making and real estate of the built environment gave him an appreciation of the financial implications of a mission.

• The evolving economic model of healthcare and the economic drivers of the capital and real estate markets and how these two are playing out in Joe’s world.

• A leadership lesson that has served Joe throughout his career in the built environment.

Quotes:

“It’s [my] ability to communicate back and forth that has helped me adjust my career going forward.” — Joe Reagan

“There comes an appreciation of the value of knowing people you are going to be working with and why repeat business should be such a big part of everyone’s business plans.” — Joe Reagan

“[There is] potential to impact the built environment and the place that people live, work, [and] love. You really can have a profound impact on the built environment.” — Joe Reagan

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Joe Reagan on LinkedIn

Wexford Science and Technology

Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe's Series 1 to 5 Books Set (Prey, Trafalgar, Fortress, Triumph, Tiger)

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

“When we value women, then we begin to value everyone.” These are the wise words of today’s guest; women’s advocate, international speaker, and author, Jill Tietjen.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about Jill’s early life and interest in math, her passion for encouraging women to pursue STEM careers, her incredible career, and so much more! We delve into the electrical engineering challenges Jill has encountered before discussing her opinions about how grids can be modernized and what the demands are.

Jill goes on to tell us about her writing career, where her love for books came from, and how she managed to persevere through writing 16 books. She even tells us how her life purpose to rewrite women into history ‘fell into her lap’ and shares one leadership lesson she has carried with her through her career.

Finally, our guest answers our rapid-fire questions and even tells us what she wants her legacy to be. Thank you for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Jill tells us about her life, career, and mission to encourage women to go into engineering.

• How we can modernize electrical grids and current electrical demands.

• Where Jill’s passion for books came from and how she persevered through writing 16 books.

• How engineering can be a more attractive industry for women.

Quotes:

“When we value women, then we begin to value everyone and when we value everyone, then everyone’s ship rises.” — Jill Tietjen

“Not only are women not encouraged to be engineers and in the STEM fields, they’re also not written into our history books.” — Jill Tietjen

“We’re going to have to figure out alternatives in order to meet [electrical] demand.” — Jill Tietjen

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jill Tietjen

Jill Tietjen on LinkedIn

Jill Tietjen on Facebook

Jill Tietjen on X

Over, Under, Around, and Through

Duty Calls

Inspiring People & Places Podcast

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn