#97: Strategies for Veteran Startups with Brendan Aronson

“One of the biggest mistakes I see military veteran founders make, influenced by Shark Tank, is that they think to themselves, ‘Okay, I've got this idea. Now I have to raise capital in order to build the final iteration of the product, and then I can go out and sell it.’" — Brendan Aronson In this episode of Make Your Move, I’m chatting with Brendan Aronson, a United States Marine Corps veteran. You can find his section in The Military Effect by Scott Manthorne in chapter 3. Brendan shares his transition from the Marine Corps to the civilian business world and the importance of cultural fit and choosing your company wisely. You’ll also hear about his experience headhunting for military veterans and his role at Context Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in military veteran entrepreneurs. One of the standout lessons Brendan shares is the misconception, fueled by shows like “Shark Tank,” that starting a business begins with raising capital. Instead, his advice for entrepreneurs is to focus on proving demand and generating traction first, even if their initial solutions are rudimentary. Listen to the full episode to hear Brendan's journey from Marine to successful entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Visit themilitaryeffect.com, read Scott Manthorne's book, and listen to each weekly episode of Make Your Move to learn more. By challenging your assumptions and understanding the incredible impact veterans have and continue to have, we can create a better future for all of us.   WHAT’S IN THIS EPISODE Understanding the Financial World and Startups Challenges of Startups and Entrepreneurship Mentorship and Influence Business Advice and Sales   YOUR MOVE Get all the resources from this episode on genemoran.com/e97 Connect with Gene on linkedin.com/in/genemoran or visit genemoran.com Connect with Brendan Aronson on LinkedIn or at brendan-aronson.com