From NCOIC to CEO: 5 Skills That Made Me Startup-Ready

When I served as the NCOIC of a 72-member flight—53 of them officers—I didn’t realize I was also building the foundation to one day run a business. I was writing performance bullets, solving personnel puzzles, and managing chaos under pressure. Sound familiar? That is startup life.

Here are 5 battlefield-honed skills that helped me move from leading in uniform to launching a brand:

1. Operational Planning Is My Default Mode

In the military, we don’t move without a plan, a backup plan, and a comms tree. As an NCOIC, I built schedules, tracked performance, ran training, and moved parts (people and equipment) with precision. Now, as a startup founder, I treat product launches, client onboarding, and social media rollouts like mission ops with timelines, contingencies, and after-action reviews.

2. Resourcefulness Isn’t Optional-It’s the Standard

Ever led a 12-hour shift short-staffed with zero room for excuses? That kind of experience teaches you how to adapt fast. You learn to prioritize on the fly, delegate with precision, and find solutions using whatever tools are within arm’s reach. There’s no time to complain, only time to execute. In business, I apply the same mindset, launching products with minimal resources, testing before investing, and pivoting without panic when things break (because they will). Whether it’s managing a last-minute client ask or fixing a broken workflow before a deadline, I rely on that same combat-tested calm under pressure. The mission doesn’t wait, and neither does the market.

3. Clear Communication Wins Every Time

Whether briefing a flight commander or correcting an Airman, I learned that clarity is king. In the military, one misunderstood order can cost time, resources, or even lives, so every word has weight. I remember once having to relay a last-minute shift change to 20+ personnel while simultaneously coordinating patient transport across two wards. There was no time for confusion. I broke the task into three simple points, gave specific time stamps, assigned fallback POCs, and verified acknowledgement. That chaotic shift change moment stuck with me, not because it was smooth, but because it worked and my team responded. I learned to strip away fluff, lead with intent, and tailor my tone depending on the rank, role, and urgency of the message.

Now, I write copy that converts, emails that move the mission forward, and SOPs my team actually reads. I lead meetings with purpose, give feedback that’s actionable, and present ideas with precision. Military brevity = business clarity. When you speak with clarity, you earn trust, and when your team trusts you, they move faster and more efficient.

4. Leadership Is About Accountability, Not Authority

Titles don’t make leaders, follow-through does. In the military, I saw Airmen, that's officers and senior NCOs, who couldn’t lead, and junior troops who naturally stepped up when it counted. I learned that real leadership isn’t about rank, it’s about responsibility and taking care of the team. I held the line during 12-hour shifts, made tough calls under pressure, and stood in front of my team when mistakes were made, especially when they were mine. I led by example because credibility is earned, not assigned.

As a founder and CEO, I carry that same mindset. My team doesn’t work for me; they work with me. I create a space where they can thrive, fail safely, and grow because that’s how we win together. And when something goes wrong, I own it because leadership is about showing up, staying accountable, and setting the tone for everyone else to do the same.

5. Mission Focus = Entrepreneurial Grit

The military teaches you how to grind through hard days and get results with limited intel and resources. You don’t always have the full picture, the perfect conditions, or the luxury of waiting. But you still have to deliver. Whether it’s operating short-staffed, responding to a last-minute tasker, or adjusting to mission changes mid-shift, you learn to adapt, execute, and keep moving forward. That grit and that ability to function under pressure, think on your feet, and stay calm when others fold is pure gold in the entrepreneurial world.

While others spend weeks planning, perfecting, and doubting, we’re already testing, learning, and iterating in real time. We don’t just build business plans, we build forward momentum. Because the mission doesn’t stop because it’s hard. Neither do we. That mindset of “figure it out, make it work, push through” attitude isn’t just a skill. It’s a weapon, so use it.

Final Thoughts: Mission Ready for Civilian Success

I didn’t go to business school, I actually got a degree in the sciences and then went to work. Early mornings. Long days. High standards. I led teams, managed crises, trained under pressure, and made decisions that mattered. That experience didn’t just prepare me for entrepreneurship, it forged me for it. And now, as I complete my master’s degree in business, I’m combining that lived leadership with the theory to build something that lasts. I’m not just learning frameworks, I’m validating the ones I’ve lived through.

If you’re wearing the uniform now or just hung it up, know this: you already have what it takes. You’ve led when it wasn’t easy, adapted without all the answers, and delivered with limited resources. That’s the job description of a founder. The mission has changed but your training still applies. The battlefield looks different, but the stakes are still high. And if you can run a team, run a shift, or run a deployment, you can run a business.

You’re more startup-ready than you think. Welcome to the next battle on your terms.