John Ballen

And I basically got out at the end of 2017, and I went on LinkedIn, and I'm like, I guess that's where you get jobs because that's what I think people do. And I was like on LinkedIn and I wound up randomly connecting with this guy named Jordan Selleck, who is he was living in New York at the time.

And I basically got out at the end of 2017, and I went on LinkedIn, and I'm like, I guess that's where you get jobs because that's what I think people do. And I was like on LinkedIn and I wound up randomly connecting with this guy named Jordan Selleck, who is he was living in New York at the time.

He's this former investment banker who had just so happened at the time that I was on LinkedIn doing this like kind of weird job search. that his best friend was a transitioning fighter pilot. Like he was leaving the military, going to the private sector, was struggling with the transition, which is very common in the military, making that jump to the civilian world.

He's this former investment banker who had just so happened at the time that I was on LinkedIn doing this like kind of weird job search. that his best friend was a transitioning fighter pilot. Like he was leaving the military, going to the private sector, was struggling with the transition, which is very common in the military, making that jump to the civilian world.

And Jordan, who's like this very entrepreneurial guy, he was trying to prove to his friend, his friend's name was Austin, that like, You must be alone. Like you're so successful being a fighter pilot. Like you're going to find a job.

And Jordan, who's like this very entrepreneurial guy, he was trying to prove to his friend, his friend's name was Austin, that like, You must be alone. Like you're so successful being a fighter pilot. Like you're going to find a job.

And he was like – he was doing this exercise where he was reaching out to like random veterans on LinkedIn and being like, hey, what are you doing like with your transition to the civilian world to prove to Austin that like you're basically complaining and you can go find a job. You're not a – But he found like one, nobody really got back to him because they didn't know who he was.

And he was like – he was doing this exercise where he was reaching out to like random veterans on LinkedIn and being like, hey, what are you doing like with your transition to the civilian world to prove to Austin that like you're basically complaining and you can go find a job. You're not a – But he found like one, nobody really got back to him because they didn't know who he was.

But I got back to him and I'm like, actually, you know what? I just got medically retired. I have no idea what I'm going to do. I got kids. I'm stressed. I don't know. Didn't know this guy. And so Jordan quickly went from trying to prove a point to his friend. He was like, oh. Well, hey, why don't you like come to New York and I'll just like introduce you to some people in my network.

But I got back to him and I'm like, actually, you know what? I just got medically retired. I have no idea what I'm going to do. I got kids. I'm stressed. I don't know. Didn't know this guy. And so Jordan quickly went from trying to prove a point to his friend. He was like, oh. Well, hey, why don't you like come to New York and I'll just like introduce you to some people in my network.

And out of that was born this charity that Jordan and I actually started called Elite Meet. It's still around today. It's like a networking event. It's a series of networking events for transitioning military veterans and private sector hiring managers to meet and get jobs. So I did that for a little while. Ironically, my job became running a charity that helped other vets get jobs.

And out of that was born this charity that Jordan and I actually started called Elite Meet. It's still around today. It's like a networking event. It's a series of networking events for transitioning military veterans and private sector hiring managers to meet and get jobs. So I did that for a little while. Ironically, my job became running a charity that helped other vets get jobs.

But Jordan instilled in me, he was a big believer in Gary Vaynerchuk's style of social media that sort of like bombard the internet with content and be like all in on content. And Jordan, he even had a similar sort of, he was similar to Gary Vee. And I found it like really fascinating, the idea of social media and content creation, because when I was in the military,

But Jordan instilled in me, he was a big believer in Gary Vaynerchuk's style of social media that sort of like bombard the internet with content and be like all in on content. And Jordan, he even had a similar sort of, he was similar to Gary Vee. And I found it like really fascinating, the idea of social media and content creation, because when I was in the military,

I didn't even have – or I might have had a YouTube account, but I certainly didn't post on it, didn't have social media. But I – with Jordan, we began using social media content to drive donations for this charity we're running together. But at some point, I wanted to do more like with social media.

I didn't even have – or I might have had a YouTube account, but I certainly didn't post on it, didn't have social media. But I – with Jordan, we began using social media content to drive donations for this charity we're running together. But at some point, I wanted to do more like with social media.

I was doing storytelling but narrative storytelling like written out stories about military stuff to try to generate donations.

I was doing storytelling but narrative storytelling like written out stories about military stuff to try to generate donations.

i was like yeah i want to i want to do something for myself with social media like build a brand for myself and i i committed a cardinal sin one that i was very aware of so this is self-awareness but doing it anyways um in the the seal teams and really i think in special operations generally despite what you see in terms of books written and like movies made about seals and

i was like yeah i want to i want to do something for myself with social media like build a brand for myself and i i committed a cardinal sin one that i was very aware of so this is self-awareness but doing it anyways um in the the seal teams and really i think in special operations generally despite what you see in terms of books written and like movies made about seals and