Adapt and Overcome Podcast

In this episode of the Adapt and Overcome Podcast, Tommy Hardaway sits down with renowned physical therapist and strength coach Charlie Weingroff. Known for bridging the gap between medical rehabilitation and elite performance training, Charlie shares insights from a career that spans professional sports, high-level consulting, and serving as the lead physical therapist for United States Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC).
Charlie explains how his unique background in physical therapy, athletic training, and strength and conditioning allowed him to create a model where rehab and performance work together rather than separately. His approach focuses on solving the common disconnect between medical professionals and coaches, ensuring athletes and operators receive a unified strategy for recovery and performance.
During the conversation, Charlie reflects on his time supporting Marine Raiders as an “essential warfighting civilian,” a role that placed him directly in the mission of maintaining elite operators’ physical readiness. He discusses the lessons he learned working with high performers—from professional athletes to special operations personnel—and the communication challenges that come with advising individuals already performing at the highest level.
Beyond performance and rehabilitation, the discussion shifts toward financial independence and entrepreneurship. Charlie shares candid insights on building wealth as a healthcare professional, including the realities of trading time for money, scaling a service-based business, and why many professionals should begin thinking about investments earlier in their careers.
From index funds to real estate strategies, Charlie explains how independent professionals can leverage business ownership and smart financial decisions to build long-term wealth. He also highlights how risk-taking and entrepreneurship are often rewarded in the economic system, especially for those willing to step outside traditional employment.
Looking ahead, Charlie is expanding his online education and coaching presence, aiming to help more professionals learn from his experience while creating scalable opportunities beyond one-on-one consulting.
 
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What does it look like when a military physician combines medical excellence with smart financial thinking? In this episode, Tommy Hardaway sits down with active-duty Army cardiologist Adam Kisling to talk about medicine, leadership, and why healthcare professionals should think beyond their primary career when it comes to building wealth.
Adam shares his journey practicing cardiology while serving in the U.S. Army and explains how his experiences across different military assignments shaped the way he approaches both patient care and professional growth. Moving through multiple duty stations exposed him to different systems, leadership styles, and medical cultures—lessons that continue to influence how he practices today.
During the conversation, Adam explains why cardiology fascinates him. The field allows him to work with a wide range of patients—from young individuals with rare conditions to those facing serious heart disease later in life. That variety keeps the work meaningful and constantly challenging.
Tommy and Adam also dive into one of the biggest realities physicians face: the emotional and psychological weight of treating serious illness. Adam speaks honestly about the challenge of knowing that, despite training and effort, every doctor will eventually face cases they cannot fix. For him, the key to overcoming that pressure has been leaning on training, teamwork, and mentorship.
Beyond medicine, Adam shares an important message for healthcare professionals about financial awareness. Many physicians focus entirely on their clinical work, but Adam believes it is essential to understand personal finance, investing, and alternative income opportunities. He talks about maintaining a conservative investment approach through index funds, mutual funds, and real estate while also staying open to other potential income streams outside of medicine.
One of the topics Adam is most passionate about today is mentorship. He spends much of his time helping train the next generation of cardiologists—especially physicians transitioning from internal medicine into cardiology within the military system. Passing along the lessons he learned along the way is something he finds deeply meaningful.
For Adam, success comes down to continuous learning, staying curious about opportunities beyond your main profession, and helping others grow along the way.
 
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In this episode of the Adapt and Overcome Podcast, Tommy Hardaway sits down with Marine veteran John Hayes to talk about a 30-year journey from “black magic” warehouse automation to building a real consulting business. John breaks down what he does in simple terms: think forklifts without people. He shares how getting started in the early days of AGVs (now AMRs) gave him a front-row seat to the robotics boom, and how he turned that long runway of experience into an advantage people can trust.
John also talks about what helped him stand out—building a personal brand, learning how to listen for what people mean (not just what they say), and using Marine Corps planning habits like BAMSIS to slow down, think clearly, and execute the right plan. The conversation shifts into life lessons too, including discipline, ethics, and why he eventually stepped away from corporate sales to work for himself as an advocate for customers.
Later, John shares practical thoughts on building wealth outside of a W-2. He explains why real estate can be a simple starting point for everyday people, why saving a little consistently matters, and how being prepared can open doors when opportunities show up. He also discusses basic investing ideas—like focusing on companies you understand and keeping savings in accounts that actually pay interest.
By the end, John keeps it real about what’s ahead: he’s working to close a major consulting deal, and if it doesn’t happen, he’s going fishing.
 
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Martin Engster runs Centerline Incorporated, a family-owned CNC spindle repair shop based in the middle of the United States. In this episode, Martin explains what a CNC spindle is, why it matters to manufacturers, and how his team helps companies get back up and running fast when a machine goes down.
Martin also shares how military structure shows up in the way they work: keeping things simple, staying disciplined, and paying close attention to detail. He talks about the standards they hold themselves to, including tight tolerances that demand careful, consistent work.
You’ll also hear Martin’s personal story of coming to the United States from Germany as a kid, working through citizenship challenges, and how the Marine Corps helped him fast-track becoming an American citizen in 2001. Toward the end, Martin opens up about losing his father in November of last year and what it means to carry forward a 60-year legacy of spindle repair knowledge, now with Martin, his brother, and his 22-year-old son working toward a third generation.
To learn more about Centerline and CNC spindle repair, visit centerline-inc.com.
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What does it take to go from a young immigrant who barely speaks English to leading city-wide technology transformation? In this episode, Jorge Cardenas shares his powerful 22-year journey from the Marine Corps to the Department of Defense and now serving as CIO for the City of Brownsville, Texas.
Jorge opens up about how joining the Marine Corps in 2004 introduced him to the world of information technology. What started as a military assignment turned into a lifelong career in infrastructure modernization, leadership, and innovation. After eight years in the Marines and nine years with the Department of Defense, Jorge transitioned into local government and private consulting, where he saw a major gap: many companies talked theory, but few had real-world execution experience.
That realization led him to start his own technology consultancy five years ago. Today, Jorge specializes in smart city solutions, network modernization, fiber optic deployment, private 5G networks, and AI infrastructure. Most recently, he led the modernization of the entire infrastructure for the City of Brownsville, including deploying fiber optics, implementing a private 5G network, and building an AI analytics platform to create new revenue streams for the city.
 
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In this episode, Tommy Hardaway sits down with Marine Corps veteran James Gonzalez to explore how robotics and AI are transforming surgery—and how military discipline helped shape his path into the medical device industry.
James shares his journey from serving in the U.S. Marines after 9/11 to discovering a passion for healthcare. What started as an interest in nursing evolved into a career in surgical technology and eventually into the fast-paced world of medical device innovation. Today, James works with Carl Storz, a global medical device company specializing in minimally invasive surgical instrumentation, digital integration, AI platforms, and robotic solutions for soft tissue surgery.
Listeners will get an inside look at how medical technology is changing operating rooms across the country. James explains how new tools are reducing procedure times, minimizing incision sizes, and improving patient outcomes. He also shares what sets his company apart in a competitive industry, including the advantages of being a private, family-owned organization with a long-term innovation vision.
Beyond technology, this episode dives into leadership, resilience, and career growth. James opens up about losing a job at a startup and how leaning on community, mentorship, and veteran networks helped him adapt and move forward. He emphasizes the importance of networking, mentorship, and pouring into others as keys to long-term success.
 
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What happens when you take military discipline, leadership under pressure, and combine it with concierge-level healthcare? In this episode, Robert Kunkel shares how his Army background shaped the way he leads and builds hospitals that truly care for people.
Robert Kunkel, Director of Operations for Exceptional Healthcare, joins Tommy from Farmington, New Mexico, where he is preparing to open his company’s eighth micro-hospital. With a career that began in the infantry and transitioned into the Army Medical Service Corps, Robert has spent decades solving complex problems in high-pressure environments.
After retiring from the Army in 2013, Robert continued serving in healthcare leadership roles, including work with Indiana University Health and government healthcare services. Today, he helps lead the development and launch of 22,000-square-foot micro-hospitals that combine emergency services, inpatient care, radiology, lab, and pharmacy services under one roof.
One of the key differentiators for Exceptional Healthcare is its concierge care approach. Inspired by leadership training at Disney University, the company emphasizes treating patients like valued guests. From doing a patient’s laundry to feeding family members, Robert explains how small, thoughtful actions create a powerful experience in an industry where word-of-mouth matters.
Robert also shares his personal journey as the first in his family to earn an advanced degree and how overcoming self-doubt helped shape his leadership style. He discusses breaking the stigma around military leadership in the civilian workforce and how he now mentors others to pursue education and growth.
If you are in healthcare, leadership, or transitioning from the military to civilian life, this episode offers practical insights on discipline, adaptability, and serving people well.
 
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What does it take to turn military service into a 23-year leadership career in the pharmaceutical industry? In this episode, Marine Corps veteran Nicole Bennett shares how her time as a recruiter gave her the sales training, discipline, and leadership foundation that launched her into big pharma and beyond.
Nicole, who works for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, explains how her company stands apart as a niche biotech founded by two doctors who still lead the organization today. She shares insight into manufacturing and distributing a product that treats eight different medical conditions, and how being part of a smaller biotech company creates unique opportunities.
The conversation dives deep into the powerful transition from military life to corporate America. Nicole discusses how Marine Corps sales training helped her land a competitive pharmaceutical role over 250 other applicants. She also opens up about one of her biggest challenges—learning to adapt her direct Marine communication style to corporate leadership environments.
 
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In this episode of the Adapt and Overcome Podcast, host Tommy Hardaway welcomes Stephen Dupart, an active-duty Army Allied Trade Specialist who works as a welder and machinist by day and runs an online personal training business by night. Stephen shares how he transformed his life after once weighing nearly 300 pounds and struggling with fitness and confidence.
Stephen opens up about his journey through yo-yo dieting, basic training, and the mindset shift that helped him lose over 120 pounds and regain control of his health. He explains how hiring a coach changed everything for him and why accountability is now the foundation of his own business, Strife Fitness.
Listeners will hear how Stephen balances early mornings, military PT, long workdays, and late nights building his business. He also shares practical advice for anyone stuck in a 9-to-5 job who wants to create extra income or pursue entrepreneurship without feeling overwhelmed.
As the episode wraps up, Stephen talks about his plans after leaving the Army, including opening a brick-and-mortar gym in Wisconsin and expanding Strife Fitness even further.
 
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What does military leadership really teach you about success after the uniform comes off? In this episode of the Adapt and Overcome Podcast, host Tommy Hardaway sits down with Army veteran and investor Jon Kerr to explore how discipline, structure, and leadership learned in the military can directly translate into business and investing success.
Jon shares his journey from serving as an Army captain to becoming an investor in multiple companies. He explains why he proudly calls himself an investor instead of an entrepreneur, how he evaluates businesses before putting his money to work, and why leadership teams matter more than ideas alone. Throughout the conversation, Jon breaks down the importance of finding differentiated businesses, owning equity, and taking a long-term view when building multiple income streams.
The conversation also dives deep into how military culture shaped Jon’s approach to leadership. From understanding accountability to helping teams succeed, Jon explains how lessons from drill sergeants and commanders still guide how he supports the companies he invests in today. He also offers honest advice for people looking to create income beyond a traditional 9-to-5 and why there is no such thing as “easy money.”
This episode is packed with practical insights for veterans, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in investing, leadership, or building financial independence.
 
Be a Guest
Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://adaptandovercomepodcast.com/guest  and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...