Adapt and Overcome Podcast

What happens when an infantry officer leaves the Marine Corps and finds himself helping build advanced satellite systems? In this episode, Tommy Hardaway sits down with Marine veteran Lee Meeks to discuss his unexpected journey from the least technical military specialty to the world of aerospace and technology.
Lee shares how veterans bring much more to the workforce than technical skills alone. He explains why teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and leadership are often more valuable than a specific military occupational specialty. Drawing on over 20 years in the Marine Corps and decades in the defense industry, Lee offers encouragement to service members who may wonder how their military experience translates into civilian careers.
The conversation explores the evolution of technology, satellite systems, data centers, and innovation, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration and diverse perspectives when solving complex problems. Lee also discusses some of the biggest challenges he has faced in his career and how managing personalities and keeping egos in check can make all the difference.
Tommy and Lee also talk about financial planning, investing early, and creating multiple streams of income. Lee shares his own experiences as a university professor, speaker, photographer, and lifelong learner.
 
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What happens when a Marine Corps officer, an ER nurse, and a creative artist all come together in one person? In this episode, Tommy Hardaway sits down with Nicole Stubbs to explore her remarkable journey of service, resilience, and reinvention.
Nicole shares how growing up in a military family led her into the Marine Corps, how a medical separation changed the direction of her life, and how she found purpose in healthcare as an emergency room nurse. After experiencing burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic while balancing motherhood and deployments, she discovered an unexpected outlet through acting. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion and eventually opened the door to film production.
 
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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...

Marine veteran Bo Khamphanthong joins Tommy Hardaway to share how he transformed his military experience into a new mission of helping veterans and active-duty service members prepare for life after the military. In this conversation, Bo discusses financial planning, VA disability claims, retirement options, and the importance of building a successful transition plan.
After serving in the Marine Corps and deploying to Iraq, Bo's original goal was to become a criminal defense attorney. Instead, life led him through personal training and eventually into financial services, where he discovered his passion for helping fellow veterans navigate the uncertainty that often comes with leaving active duty.
 
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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...

What happens when a Marine veteran walks away from a successful sales career and starts over in an industry he knows nothing about? In this episode, Thomas Shirley shares how burnout led him to make a major career change and how the mindset he developed in the Marine Corps helped him succeed in the world of technology.
Thomas discusses his journey from AT&T sales into payment technology, where he now works as a Systems Engineer supporting critical systems for a global financial technology company. He opens up about entering the field with no experience, learning on the fly, and embracing continuous growth.
 
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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...

What happens when a man spends 44 years serving as a Marine, reaches the role of 37th Commandant of the Marine Corps, and then steps into civilian life at age 66? In this episode, retired General Robert Neller shares the reality of transition, purpose, leadership, and life after service.
General Neller opens up about the challenges of leaving behind a structured military life and reinventing himself after retirement. He discusses the importance of reconnecting with veteran networks, finding purpose after service, and helping fellow veterans navigate the next chapter of life.
 
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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...

What happens when someone starts learning Marine values seven years before ever putting on the uniform? In this episode, Marine veteran Matt Milburn shares how his journey began in high school Marine Corps JROTC and how those early lessons shaped a 21-year Marine Corps career and his transition into the defense technology industry.
Matt discusses his current work supporting U.S. Army and Marine programs in satellite communications and command-and-control systems while continuing his mission of serving warfighters after military service. He also opens up about the realities of transitioning from military life to the civilian workforce after more than two decades in uniform.
 
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What happens when a military aviator serves across nearly every branch of the U.S. military and then reinvents himself as a physician and healthcare entrepreneur? In this episode, Tommy Hardaway sits down with Dr. Charles Sasser to discuss his remarkable journey from the Marine Corps to medicine, and how he is reshaping healthcare through a patient-first practice model.
Dr. Sasser shares how his experiences in the military shaped his mindset, leadership style, and belief in perseverance. He talks openly about transitioning from military service into medicine, returning to school after his aviation career, and building an independent healthcare practice that removes insurance from the equation to focus on quality care and stronger patient relationships.
 
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What happens when a Marine Corps veteran earns a philosophy degree and discovers there aren’t many job openings for philosophers? In this episode, Clinton Avery shares how he transformed uncertainty into opportunity and built a career in software engineering through persistence, learning, and small daily improvements. This conversation is a powerful reminder that career paths are rarely straight lines.
Clinton takes listeners through his journey from a young kid fascinated by computers in the library to serving in the Marine Corps, earning a philosophy degree, and eventually pivoting into software engineering after working in the insurance industry.
 
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What happens when a Marine veteran returns from multiple combat deployments carrying invisible wounds—and later becomes the person helping others heal?
In this episode of Adapt and Overcome, Tommy Hardaway sits down with Marine veteran, therapist, researcher, and counselor Matt Rensi to discuss his journey from serving three combat tours in the Middle East to rebuilding his life after PTSD, depression, and personal struggles.
Matt shares how therapy changed his life and ultimately inspired him to become a mental health professional serving active-duty military, veterans, first responders, and families. He explains how his own experiences allow him to connect deeply with clients dealing with trauma, PTSD, depression, and life transitions.
Matt also opens up about returning to therapy during a difficult season while balancing full-time work, a PhD program, marriage, and raising four young children. His message is clear: healing is ongoing, and asking for help is a sign of strength—not weakness.
 
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What does it take to go from immigrating from Venezuela with very little, serving in the Marine Corps, and helping build software that supports billions of users worldwide? In this episode, Jose Villalta shares his journey of resilience, service, and growth.
Jose Villalta is a software engineer with Amazon Web Services (AWS), working with Elastic Container Services (ECS), helping support cloud infrastructure that powers workloads around the globe. During the conversation, Jose explains how his technical background spans hardware, processors, communications systems, embedded software, and cloud technology. He discusses the massive scale involved in AWS systems and the responsibility required when software impacts millions of customers monthly.
Jose also opens up about his journey from Venezuela to South Florida, how the Marine Corps helped shape his mindset, and how military service gave him the discipline and confidence to pursue higher education and a career in engineering.
 
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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...