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The Veteran Advantage
What we can learn from our servicemembers about cofoundership
Tim He
November 11, 2024 • Est. Reading Time: 4 minutes
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INTRO
Hey, I’m Tim! ☕
We have a handful of veterans in our community — thank you for your service. It’s not lost on me that we have the privilege to be entrepreneurs because of you.
I also want to thank Confluence VC for sponsoring Cherrytree. (I tend to scroll past ads too, but I’m personally subscribed to them so I actually like what they offer).
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One time, I was waiting in line to board a plane, standing behind a regular guy wearing jeans and a jacket. He might’ve had a symbol on a hat or bag or something, but in any case, I didn’t notice.
Then, another guy walking from the other direction to get in line did a double-take. “Marine?” he asked, pointing at him with a bit of a grin. “Me too.”
There was instant camaraderie. No questions, no hesitation, they reached out and shook hands.
I have no idea what gave it away. I guess it takes one to know one.
Veterans make great entrepreneurs: mission-driven, risk-takers, resilient, disciplined. Cool under pressure.
But I think something unique happens when veterans become cofounders. Also, you don’t have to go to war to mimic what they have.
DEEP DIVE
“Camaraderie doesn’t happen by accident.” — Don Yaeger, public speaker and co-author of 30 books, including 12 New York Times best-sellers.
Camaraderie Counts
What I witnessed was the power of shared experience.
Not only did the guy somehow discern that they were both Marines, the instant bond and trust they had was obvious. In that brief exchange, they shared a silent understanding of shared experiences and values.
“He gets it.”
Stuff like this has probably happened to you too.
Have you ever been traveling abroad and met someone else from your hometown or even region? Or spoken to an alum from the same college?
You bond with people who have gone through similar things as you.
It’s probably not enough for your cofoundership if the only shared experience is building your company. It could be. That’s definitely a life-defining experience. But the point is to have other experiences outside the company to help you within the company.
Blowing steam off together is crucial, like doing sports, boxing, and games. Chatting and knowing that the other understands without saying more is comforting (like when you don’t need to explain the joke, right?).
What it actually is doesn’t matter all that much. You just have to make time for it in your schedule rather than hoping for free time to pop up.
If you’re not doing that already, today’s the perfect day to start. Your customers and VCs probably have the day off.
Use the time for your cofoundership.