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In this Scuttlebutt Podcast episode, host Brock Briggs interviews Joe Heieck, former Navy intelligence officer and CEO of gWorks, a software company serving state and local government. Joe discusses transitioning from a Navy SEAL Team Three environment, emphasizing leadership, earning trust daily, and being prepared for decision-making. He shares his experience with entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA), favoring a funded search for additional support. Joe details the strategic focus and decisions he made to grow gWorks, such as targeting the SMB side of government and leveraging private equity partnerships. The conversation highlights the importance of networking, the role of investors, personal growth in leadership and resilience, and the recalibration process for improved business valuation. Joe encourages listeners to put good out into the world and is open to connecting with veterans pursuing ETA.
In this conversation, Brock speaks with Joe Heieck. Joe was an intelligence officer in the Navy, where he spent time on SEAL Team Three as part of the Naval Special Warfare community, and is now the CEO of gWorks, a software company serving state and local government. In this conversation, Joe talks through why leadership of the NSW community is different and the do's and don'ts for implementing strong leadership in your life and business. We talked about his entrepreneurship through acquisition journey, a checklist to consider for self funded versus traditional search for veterans, and all of the different parties you should consider being close to when buying a business and where to find them. And lastly, we also get into how Joe helped grow the business so quickly, whether to focus on horizontal or vertical growth, and the ins and outs of a recapitalization.
Resources:
Show Notes:
Welcome to the Scuttlebutt Podcast. 0:00
Scaling gWorks is top of mind today. 1:33
How to plan for a ramp up. 3:34
When to get involved and when to get out of the way. 9:24
Coming to acquire gWorks through ETA 12:51
The importance of earning the trust and respect of your teammates. 18:26
The different relationship dynamics of NSW community versus traditional Navy fleet 21:39
His first taste of real leadership. 28:03
When it was time to exit the Navy for good. 30:47
The pros and cons of getting out of the Navy. 37:12
The search process and why he became a searcher. 40:22
What are some of the risks that come with being a first time CEO? 46:18
Benefits of choosing a lifestyle business versus with partners. 48:49
Where can searchers go to find the right people? 54:48
Don’t be a dick and good things can happen. 1:01:10
What is the revenue mix look like now? 1:05:44
Deciding whether to grow vertically or horizontally. 1:10:23
What does going through this process tell you about the importance of who your investors are? 1:16:48
Where have you grown the most as a leader? 1:21:21
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The Scuttlebutt Podcast - The podcast for service members and veterans building a life outside the military.
The Scuttlebutt Podcast features discussions on lifestyle, careers, business, and resources for service members. Show host, Brock Briggs, talks with a special guest from the community committed to helping military members build a successful life, inside and outside the service.
Follow along:
• Episode & transcript: https://www.scuttlebuttpodcast.co/
• Brock: https://www.brockbriggs.com/
