Here at Military.com, we write on how to translate your skills to the civilian job market, ways to revise your resume and sector specific advice, all with the goal of helping you to achieve your goals in the transition from military to civilian.
One man who has done just that is entrepreneur and podcaster John Lee Dumas.
Who Is John Lee Dumas?
- Dumas served in the Army for approximately eight years, including a 13-month tour of duty in Iraq as an armor platoon leader, tanks (including his time in the reserves).
- He went to law school, but soon found it wasn't for him. He tried finance, then a tech startup before leaving to do.
- He moved to San Diego and got involved in real estate.
- As you can see, Dumas served as a prime example of a veteran who was struggling to find his passion.
How Did Dumas Get Involved in Podcasts?
- When Dumas found his way to San Diego, he spent a lot of time in the car, where he started listening to podcasts, such as NPR.
- Soon his passion for listening to podcasts introduced him to Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income and Cliff Ravenscraft's Answer Man podcasts. He was hooked, and realized there might be something he could do in this world.
- Sitting back and considering the podcast market, Ravenscraft realized that none was offering daily content. Most were once a week, but for people who listen to podcasts all the time, it wasn't enough.
- Hence, his podcast was born.
Entrepreneur on Fire
- When approaching the idea of doing his own podcast, Dumas knew he loved interviews and learning about entrepreneurship. This would be his show -- interviews with entrepreneurs, discussing their success, failures and lessons learned.
- The podcast launched on Sept. 22, 2012.
- Numerous guests have appeared on the show by this point, including fellow entrepreneur and podcaster Tom Morkes (Army veteran), RealMenRealStyle.com founder Antonio Centeno (Marine Corps veteran) and such well-known names as Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income) and Tim Ferriss (4-Hour Workweek).
Was It Successful?
- By December 2013, they already had 400 episodes, and Dumas had his first $100,000-income month. Within the following year, he had his first $200,000-income month, and he has gone on to do even better. Not bad.
- The podcast led to various spinoff podcasts, courses and elite mastermind groups.
- Today, Dumas is extremely well-known and well-liked, especially in the veteran and podcaster communities.
- The podcast now has almost 1,500 episodes, and Dumas is living happily.
What We Can Learn from Dumas
While not all of us have to achieve this level of financial success to thrive in our civilian careers, it is inspiring to watch one veteran's journey as he followed his dream. Whether your dream is to host podcasts, drive trucks or be a lawyer, it's all about finding that passion and putting your all into pursuing it. As you do, you might want to consider listening to podcasts on transition, or whatever it is that inspires and educates you and fits your tastes.
A wealth of information is out there, and at least in the podcast world, it's free. Use all resources at your disposal as you pursue your dream.
Find out more about Dumas and Entrepreneur on Fire.
Listen to some of the top podcasts for military transition.
The Next Step: Find the Right Job
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