Lisa Gardner is joined by Gino Johnson, CEO of Champions for Veterans, to discuss his inspiring mission to help veterans secure the benefits they deserve.

After witnessing his father's 17-year struggle to receive proper VA compensation, Gino created an organization dedicated to educating and empowering veterans through their benefits process.

Hear a deeply personal story of family, service, and commitment as Gino discusses the challenges veterans face transitioning to civilian life, the critical importance of understanding their unique skills, and how his organization is changing lives one veteran at a time. From navigating VA claims to addressing mental health challenges, this episode offers a compelling look at supporting those who have sacrificed for our country.

Also in this episode:

• Personal Motivation: Gino was inspired to start Champions for Veterans after witnessing his father's 17-year struggle to receive proper VA benefits, missing out on over $600,000 in potential support.

• Veterans' Transition Challenges: Many veterans struggle to translate their military skills to corporate environments, facing communication and leadership style differences.

• VA Benefits Impact: Proper VA benefits can be life-changing, potentially providing medical coverage, financial support, and educational opportunities for veterans and their families.

• Servant Leadership: Gino emphasizes cultivating leadership by giving team members opportunities to grow, providing training, and offering constructive feedback.

• Holistic Support: The organization focuses on more than just financial benefits, addressing mental health challenges like PTSD and supporting veterans' overall well-being.

• Technology Solution: Champions for Veterans developed the VA Claim Builder app to help veterans more easily navigate the benefits application process.

• Mission-Driven Approach: The organization aims to help 100,000 veterans this year, with a long-term goal of simplifying and improving the veterans' benefits system.

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Connect With Gino Johnson

Email at gino@championsforveterans.com.

If you're a Veteran or know a Veteran, download our comprehensive guide to determining your eligibility for VA Disability Benefits here (https://www.championsforveterans.com/comprehensiveguide) and join our new platform, VA Claim Builder, to get started building your claim. https://vaclaimbuilder.com

About Lisa Gardner

Lisa Gardner is a corporate real estate thought leader and co-founder of OMS Strategic Advisors, LLC, focusing on real estate, strategy, and workforce development. With over 25 years of experience, she drives profitability by optimizing human capital, leading diversity initiatives, and crafting covrporate strategies. She has managed national accounts for Fortune 500 companies like Wal-Mart and AT&T, and revitalized multicultural marketing for JCPenney. Lisa serves on the Executive Board of SMU's Cox School of Business and contributes to DCEO Magazine. She is active in her community at Gateway Church and lives in Plano, Texas, with her husband and two children.

A Son's Courageous Quest to Restore Dignity for Our Veterans | feat. Gino Johnson

The Uncompromise Podcast: Transformative Leadership Advice From Business Executives & Coporate Trailblazers

Lisa Gardner chats with Nina Vaca, the CEO of Pinnacle Group to discuss her personal journey and the key principles that have guided her success, including the importance of a growth mindset, courage, and transparency.

Nina draws powerful parallels between her experiences as a triathlete and the leadership lessons she has applied in building her company. She emphasizes the value of practicing virtues like resilience, humility, and risk-taking, and how she has instilled these qualities in her organization. Nina also speaks passionately about the significance of diversity and inclusion, explaining how Pinnacle has made this a core part of their culture. She provides concrete advice for companies looking to foster true inclusivity, highlighting the need for intentionality, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Also in this episode:

• Courage is essential for leadership - Nina defines courage as the strength and ability to do the uncomfortable. She has cultivated courage through surrounding herself with a supportive network and drawing on her experiences as a triathlete.

• Practicing virtues builds resilience - Activities like triathlons allow Nina to practice virtues like resilience, humility, and risk-taking. She then applies these lessons to her business, helping her and her team navigate challenges.

• Responding vs. reacting is crucial - Nina emphasizes the importance of thoughtful responses over knee-jerk reactions. She has instilled this mindset in her organization and personal life, encouraging a pause to consider the best course of action.

• Seek "higher ground" in communication - Rather than searching for common ground, Nina advocates finding "higher ground" where you can seek to understand others without judgment, even if you don't agree with them.

• Diversity is a core value, not just a box to check - At Pinnacle, diversity is embedded into the culture from the top down. Nina ensures there is intentionality, accountability, and continuous improvement around building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

• Leaders must transform themselves first - As Pinnacle has grown, Nina has had to continuously evolve as a leader. She has invested heavily in her own professional development to ensure she can guide the company effectively.

• Developing people, not just companies - Nina's ultimate goal is to be remembered as someone who built people up, not just built successful businesses. She sees her role as creating the conditions for others to thrive.

• Transparency and vulnerability are strengths - Nina is willing to share her personal stories and struggles, believing that this openness can inspire and teach others. She sees transparency as essential for effective leadership.

• Leveraging a "growth mindset" - Throughout her career, Nina has maintained a growth mindset, constantly seeking to learn, adapt, and improve. This mindset has been a key driver of her success and that of her organization.

Lisa Gardner chats with Shellye Archambeau, author of "Unapologetically Ambitious," who shares the key traits she looks for in leaders, including intellectual curiosity, trasformative leadership, a desire to learn, and the ability to genuinely care.

Shellye discusses navigating change by creating trust and empowerment, allowing teams to innovate. She recounts risks she took, from leading an initiative at IBM despite lacking expertise, to leaving a successful IBM career to become a CEO. Shelly emphasizes diversity, recounting a powerful story of restructuring a meeting to give a women's council a voice. This conversation offers inspiration and wisdom for aspiring professionals looking to advance their careers and leadership.

Also in this episode:

• Seek Intellectual Curiosity: Look for leaders who are intellectually curious and always eager to learn and grow.

• Demonstrate Genuine Care: Effective leaders show they genuinely care about their teams through their actions, not just words.

• Embrace Risk-Taking: Taking calculated risks is essential for career growth and organizational innovation.

• Develop Others: A leader's primary job is to create more leaders by empowering and supporting their team members.

• Leverage Diversity: Actively creating an environment that values diverse perspectives leads to better ideas and solutions.

• Ask for Help: Seeking mentorship and sponsorship from others is crucial for navigating challenges and advancing one's career.

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Shellye Archambeau is an accomplished CEO and Board Director with over 30 years of experience in technology, leading organizations in both B2B and B2C sectors. As the former CEO of MetricStream, she transformed the company into a global leader in governance, risk, and compliance software. Shellye is a frequent expert on CNBC and CNN and the author of Unapologetically Ambitious, which inspires professionals from diverse backgrounds. She is passionate about mentoring and has created spaces to share insights with her growing community. She has held leadership roles at Blockbuster.com and co-authored Marketing That Works.

Lisa Gardner is a corporate real estate thought leader and co-founder of OMS Strategic Advisors, LLC, focusing on real estate, strategy, and workforce development. With over 25 years of experience, she drives profitability by optimizing human capital, leading diversity initiatives, and crafting corporate strategies. She has managed national accounts for Fortune 500 companies like Wal-Mart and AT&T, and revitalized multicultural marketing for JCPenney. Lisa serves on the Executive Board of SMU's Cox School of Business and contributes to DCEO Magazine. She is active in her community at Gateway Church and lives in Plano, Texas, with her husband and two children.

The Uncompromise Podcast: Transformative Leadership Advice From Business Executives & Coporate Trailblazers

Lisa Gardner chats with former Dallas mayor and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to discuss his unique perspective on defining great leadership and transformative leadership.

Ambassador Kirk emphasizes the importance of respect, empowerment, and surrounding oneself with diverse, talented teams. Ambassador Ron Kirk also reflects on his own career journey, highlighting the mentors who opened doors and the importance of paying it forward. He also discusses critical leadership challenges facing policymakers, strategies for bridging public and private sectors, and the value of extending grace and creating an organizational culture that mirrors the world we want our children to inherit.

Also in this episode:

• Great leaders treat people with respect and empower their teams, avoiding the "jerk" syndrome.

• The best leaders surround themselves with talented individuals, regardless of age or background, and empower them to succeed.

• Diversity and inclusion foster innovation - leaders should create an environment where different perspectives are welcomed.

• Extending grace, managing conflicts with care, and focusing on the positive contributors are hallmarks of effective leadership.

• Public service experience can be leveraged effectively in the private sector by understanding the impact of policies and bringing a governance mindset.

• Inspiring leaders often come from personal relationships and networks - mentorship and sponsorship are crucial for developing the next generation.

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Ron Kirk is Senior Of Counsel at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, leading the International Trade Practice Group and participating in Sports Law, Public Policy, and Private Equity groups. Former U.S. Trade Representative and a member of President Obama’s Cabinet, he also served as Mayor of Dallas and Texas Secretary of State. Kirk is a corporate director for Texas Instruments and Macquarie Infrastructure Corp and holds various board and trustee roles, including with Austin College and the LBJ Presidential Library Foundation. He earned his law degree from the University of Texas and lives with his wife, Matrice Ellis-Kirk.

About Lisa Gardner

Lisa Gardner is a corporate real estate thought leader and co-founder of OMS Strategic Advisors, LLC, focusing on real estate, strategy, and workforce development. With over 25 years of experience, she drives profitability by optimizing human capital, leading diversity initiatives, and crafting corporate strategies. She has managed national accounts for Fortune 500 companies like Wal-Mart and AT&T, and revitalized multicultural marketing for JCPenney. Lisa serves on the Executive Board of SMU's Cox School of Business and contributes to DCEO Magazine. She is active in her community at Gateway Church and lives in Plano, Texas, with her husband and two children.