Black Powder Search

Happy Friday everyone... It's that time of the week where we ask our supporters for help spreading the word.… Black Powder Search is a purpose-driven executive search firm that specializes in placing Special Operations veterans with degrees and business experience into leadership roles at small and medium-sized businesses across the nation. Our community not only places these veterans, but provides a community to help them thrive in their personal and professional lives. They’ve given everything for their country and they deserve to live in abundance, and we aim to make that happen. Special Operators have spent the last 20+ years not only surviving but thriving in some of the harshest conditions the world has to offer, and there’s no reason American businesses shouldn’t benefit from their skills, expertise, and unique perspectives. If you know a Special Operations veteran who has a degree and business experience and would benefit from joining our community, please tag them or share this with them. Likewise if you know of or work at a business that needs leadership talent, introduce us or reach out so we can help. Have a great weekend! #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranemployment #specialoperations #executivesearch #specialforces #navyseals #sof

A little history factoid about speaking up... On this day - July 31 - in 1703 'Robinson Crusoe' author Daniel DeFoe was put in the pillory for seditious libel. His crime? He wrote three politically charged pamphlets. You’ve seen the pillory in movies, it’s where a person is locked head and hands in a wooden contraption in the center of town… Then the public pelts them with insults, rotten vegetables, eggs, sometimes mud and stones. But in DeFoe’s case he was pelted with…flowers? Yep, turns out the vast majority of English citizens at the time supported his views… But they were too afraid to speak up and risk exactly what happened to him. So when he did what they wished they had the courage to do… They showed their gratitude and cemented his status as a nonconformist thought leader. Back to 2024 and your current team culture… When’s the last time you held back from saying what was on your mind because you were just so sure nobody would support you? When’s the last time you forced yourself to say it anyway… Or were so upset you couldn’t help yourself… And instead of being met with awkward silence or stiff pseudo-smiles… You were pelted with flowers instead? Or…more likely for 2024… Pelted you with looks of relief and words of gratitude: “Thank you for saying what we were all thinking”. As #specialoperations #veterans we’ve seen those looks heard those words a thousand times since entering the business world. “Go along to get along” just isn’t in our Operating System. It’s not a modern-day Alpha male thing… First, because there are a ton of women in the #sof community and they kick as much ass as any of the guys… Also because it’s not about conflict for the sake of it… But staying true to what we know is right. Silence in business is a shortcut to mediocrity and crappy culture. It's an organizational and cultural death sentence and we don't put up with it. We can’t help ourselves… No more than DeFoe could help himself when the Queen of England ordered him locked up for writing what he knew to be right. In fact, when you put it that way, speaking your mind in a work meeting doesn’t sound so hard after all, does it? Next time you tell yourself not to speak up, think about this. Who might be waiting for you to say what they’re thinking? Who’s ready to pelt with flowers the person brave enough to stand up and say what needs to be said? Need help finding leaders like this for your company? DM our page, we’d love to help. Dave Robert Mark #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranemployment #specialoperations #executivesearch #specialforces #navyseals #sof

One down, two to go 💥 Colorado-based Special Operations veterans with operations experience… Operations Manager is TAKEN but two roles are still up for grabs. 1. Facility Manager (wholesale distribution) 🌎 Location: Colorado City, CO 💵 Compensation: up to $200k salary; matching 401(k); medical, dental, vision; training and development; career advancement 📋 Description: maintain organized storage, accurate inventory records, a safe work environment, and team culture within the warehouse HIRED 💥 2. Operations Manager (wholesale distribution) 💥 HIRED 🌎 Location: Colorado City, CO 💵 Compensation: up to $200k salary; matching 401(k); medical, dental, vision; training and development; career advancement 📋 Description: oversee multiple departments to ensure efficient operations, administration, client and vendor relations, logistics, and iterative process improvement (10 years experience in administrative/leadership roles preferred) 3. Transportation Manager (wholesale distribution) 🌎 Location: Colorado City, CO 💵 Compensation: up to $200k salary; matching 401(k); medical, dental, vision; training and development; career advancement 📋 Description: develop and implement, transportation strategies, policies, and procedures to ensure efficient distribution to retail partners; oversee daily operations of the transportation department (flexible scheduling) . . . The above opportunities are with one of the United States’ largest wholesale distributors for the convenience store industry. Each role requires someone who can read a spreadsheet, make a decision based on that data, then communicate that decision and their instructions to a diverse group of teammates. Which is why it’s perfect for #specialoperations veterans. If you’re a veteran with a degree and industry experience and want access to opportunities like this, DM our page so we can onboard you. Also reach out if you’re a business owner or if you manage talent at your current company and you’d like access to our proprietary talent pool of “triple-vetted” leaders. Let's go... #veteranshelpingveterans #wholesaledistribution #veteranemployment #specialforces #sofveterans #operations #leadership #navyseals #sof

The #retrospective as a #businessculture litmus test… Want a glimpse into an organization’s culture? Play “fly on the wall” during a retrospective. Healthy organizations lay it all out there. They’ll go right for what needs fixing and not hold back… They understand the point isn’t to dime each other out or make their department look better than others… But to make the business stronger by not repeating mistakes. It flattens the feedback loop and gives people at all levels the chance to speak up. Good leaders - those confident in themselves and their teams - embrace the retrospective. They thank their teammates for harsh feedback because they see it for what it is: A chance to grow. Retrospectives in struggling organizations are different. There’s little back and forth, only people agreeing on what supposedly went well (even if it didn’t). In fact, in those retrospectives you’ll likely hear nothing BUT positives. Why? Because there’s no #psychologicalsafety - people aren’t comfortable calling out mistakes and areas for improvement. Why? Because the leader takes criticism personally and their team knows it. To name a fault or mistake is to sign one’s pink slip. Or at the very least paint a target on your back for the next round of layoffs. So rather than being honest… They spew banalities and count minutes until they can go back to their cubicles… Then everyone goes back to cleaning up after mistakes instead of avoiding them… And working around opportunities for improvement instead of resolving them. Resentment builds, productivity tanks, turnover soars, it’s a mess. This is where #specialoperations #veterans shine as #businessleaders. Do we have #leaders in our ranks who don’t get it right? Sure. But any Special Ops vet worth their salt recognizes it for the travesty of #leadership it is. We know mission success is bigger than us as individuals… And when someone from the team sees an opportunity for improvement… We see it as a reflection on that leader’s ability to develop a healthy team culture... Because nobody goes out of their way to improve teams they don’t want to be on. So think about this next time you’re in a retrospective… Are people leaning in and waiting their turn to contribute? Or leaning back and waiting for the meeting to end? Dave Robert Mark #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranemployment #specialoperations #executivesearch #specialforces #navyseals #sof

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks for all your help spreading the word about Black Powder Search. Our community of “triple-vetted” talent is growing and so is our community of business partners so thanks for all the support. We’ve still got plenty of room to grow so please, give us some love and a repost if you can. If this is your first time hearing from us… Black Powder Search is a purpose-driven executive search firm that specializes in placing Special Operations veterans with degrees and business experience into leadership roles at small and medium-sized businesses across the nation. Our community not only places these veterans, but provides a community to help them thrive in their personal and professional lives. They’ve given everything for their country and they deserve to live in abundance, and we aim to make that happen. Special Operators have spent the last 20+ years not only surviving but thriving in some of the harshest conditions the world has to offer, and there’s no reason American businesses shouldn’t benefit from their skills, expertise, and unique perspectives. If you know a Special Operations veteran who has a degree and business experience and would benefit from joining our community, please tag them or share this with them. Likewise if you know of or work at a business that needs leadership talent, introduce us or reach out so we can help. Have a great weekend 👊🏼 #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranemployment #specialoperations #executivesearch #specialforces #navyseals #sof Robert Dave Mark

One down, two to go 💥 Colorado-based Special Operations veterans with operations experience… Operations Manager is TAKEN but two roles are still up for grabs. 1. Facility Manager (wholesale distribution) 🌎 Location: Colorado City, CO 💵 Compensation: up to $200k salary; matching 401(k); medical, dental, vision; training and development; career advancement 📋 Description: maintain organized storage, accurate inventory records, a safe work environment, and team culture within the warehouse HIRED 💥 2. Operations Manager (wholesale distribution) 💥 HIRED 🌎 Location: Colorado City, CO 💵 Compensation: up to $200k salary; matching 401(k); medical, dental, vision; training and development; career advancement 📋 Description: oversee multiple departments to ensure efficient operations, administration, client and vendor relations, logistics, and iterative process improvement (10 years experience in administrative/leadership roles preferred) 3. Transportation Manager (wholesale distribution) 🌎 Location: Colorado City, CO 💵 Compensation: up to $200k salary; matching 401(k); medical, dental, vision; training and development; career advancement 📋 Description: develop and implement, transportation strategies, policies, and procedures to ensure efficient distribution to retail partners; oversee daily operations of the transportation department (flexible scheduling) . . . The above opportunities are with one of the United States’ largest wholesale distributors for the convenience store industry. Each role requires someone who can read a spreadsheet, make a decision based on that data, then communicate that decision and their instructions to a diverse group of teammates. Which is why it’s perfect for #specialoperations veterans. If you’re a veteran with a degree and industry experience and want access to opportunities like this, DM our page so we can onboard you. Also reach out if you’re a business owner or if you manage talent at your current company and you’d like access to our proprietary talent pool of “triple-vetted” leaders. Let's go... #veteranshelpingveterans #wholesaledistribution #veteranemployment #specialforces #sofveterans #operations #leadership #navyseals #sof

Let’s talk #specialoperations #veterans and #emotionalintelligence Specifically what #eq godfather Daniel Goleman calls #socialintelligence Or what we normies call “knowing your audience”. One lazy morning in 2018 I followed a friend as he made rounds through our workspace chatting up colleagues and superiors. His demeanor never changed once. He was the same laconic, quick, charismatic guy I’d come to know since we started #specialforces training together in 2000. But in the first conversation he took 10 minutes to get to the point, first asking after the guy’s kids then admitting defeat at a recent team party bbq cook-off. Only after his audience felt seen and heard for his fatherly prowess did he bring up the reason he’d sought the guy out in the first place. The next conversation was with a superior and it took 20 minutes to get to the point. Only instead of asking after the guy’s wife and kids… He congratulated the guy for getting published in a Special Operations journal, and thanked him for obtaining approval for us to (finally) execute a high-risk training exercise. Only after his audience felt seen and heard for his professional prowess did my friend get to the point. The next two conversations went like the first two… Only after the third guy felt adequately praised in front of his peers did my friend get to the point… Only after the fourth guy felt recognized for his selection to the leadership role he currently held did my friend get to the point… (Try that last one with gatekeepers btw) Again, my friend never put on an act… He never adopted a different personality or put on a show… He simply communicated with his audience in the manner in which they wanted to be communicated. He used the REAL Golden Rule: treat others as THEY want to be treated. The implication of course is that he took the time to learn and understand their motivations in the first place. This friend of mine (he’s still serving in classified roles, hence the anonymity) isn’t an outlier in Special Operations… He’s the norm. And we here at Black Powder Search have a stable of talent with #eq skills just like this. Imagine what they could do for your organization’s output and #culture. If you're a #talentacquisition professional who's on the lookout for #leadershiptalent... DM our page anytime to connect with these people, we’d be happy to help. #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranemployment #specialoperations #executivesearch #specialforces #navyseals #sof

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks for all your help spreading the word about Black Powder Search. Our community of “triple-vetted” talent is growing and so is our community of business partners so thanks for all the support. We’ve still got plenty of room to grow so please, give us some love and a repost if you can. If this is your first time hearing from us… Black Powder Search is a purpose-driven executive search firm that specializes in placing Special Operations veterans with degrees and business experience into leadership roles at small and medium-sized businesses across the nation. Our community not only places these veterans, but provides a community to help them thrive in their personal and professional lives. They’ve given everything for their country and they deserve to live in abundance, and we aim to make that happen. Special Operators have spent the last 20+ years not only surviving but thriving in some of the harshest conditions the world has to offer, and there’s no reason American businesses shouldn’t benefit from their skills, expertise, and unique perspectives. If you know a Special Operations veteran who has a degree and business experience and would benefit from joining our community, please tag them or share this with them. Likewise if you know of or work at a business that needs leadership talent, introduce us or reach out so we can help. Have a great weekend everyone! #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranemployment #specialoperations #executivesearch #specialforces #navyseals #sof

#recruiting and #employeeretention are never-ending battles... Here are five areas where Special Ops veterans can make a real difference: 1. TALENT ASSESSMENT: Where we come from everything starts with talent assessment and selection. We’ve developed a critical eye for not just skills but intangibles like resilience, adaptability, and teamwork; an instinct for candidate evaluation, honed by experience. 2. TRAINING EXPERTISE: In Special Ops, creating high-performers is a life-or-death requirement. We’re force multipliers who elevate good employees to great through training, coaching, and mentoring, which increases a team's output by orders of magnitude. 3. TEAM COHESION: Special Ops veterans understand that a team's strength lies in its unity. They excel at fostering trust, loyalty, and a shared sense of purpose – key ingredients for employee retention, especially in today’s market where talent is increasingly in search of meaningful work. 4. STRESS MANAGEMENT: Having thrived in high-pressure situations, Special ops veterans come hardwired for stress-management skills that spreads to other members of the team. This built-in resilience framework is crucial in today's fast-paced business environment. 5. DIVERSITY: Our experience working with multicultural and multigenerational teams is invaluable for building inclusive, high-performing teams in a global business landscape. What else would you add? . . . If you're a #businessowner or #talentacquisition professional who’s struggling with any of the above, reach out to us here at Black Powder Search so we can connect you with our community of triple-vetted talent (Special Operations veterans with degrees and business experience). #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranemployment #specialoperations #executivesearch #specialforces #navyseals #sof

Ok kids, gather round and take a knee… This’ll be the furthest - and probably the only time - Black Powder Search ever wades into politics. On this day in military history - July 15, 1863 - President Davis ordered service duty for the Confederate Army. (Hard to verify the date, just go with it) What would you do if faced with the following choices? 1 - Obey a presidential directive to take up arms against friends and family in the North 2 - Take a supporting role instead of entering direct combat, and likely be branded a coward by those you know and love for the rest of your life Remember, the average American had an entirely different values set back then. And EITHER decision came with life-changing consequences. What’s that got to do with politics? Welp, in case you haven’t been watching the news… There’s no shortage of Americans on social media casually tossing around words like “insurrection” and “civil war”… Words that we here at Black Powder have used while serving in a handful of countries overseas during ACTUAL civil wars and insurrections. We don’t use those words lightly, they come with consequences. Consequences we’ve seen up close and personal, and always hoped we’d never see again… Especially not in our own country. People paid with their lives and that payment was final. A 20-year-old learned that final lesson over the weekend, and while we’re glad President Trump is ok, our heart still breaks for that kid. We’re big believers in Occam’s Razor: the most obvious cause for an event is the most likely. You can’t call someone Hitler reborn for a decade and not expect consequences. Get off social media and talk to that coworker who voted for the other guy. Buy a coffee for that cousin who thinks you’re crazy for voting like you do. You’d be shocked - shocked! - at how much you have in common… At how non-threatening to you and your way of life they really are. Social and mainstream media offer majorly skewed perspectives on the American experience. You can’t trust them. Only by interacting with your fellow Americans will you realize how much you have in common with people you’ve been conditioned to believe hate you and your way of life. It’s all smoke and mirrors from people who benefit from the hate. One thing we love about what we do is watching firsthand how business brings people together. Funny how having a common goal and reaping rewards together brings people closer. It’s as true in the office as it was on the battlefield. In fact, it’s the closest thing we’ve found to true camaraderie since we left the military. So take a knee, take a few deep breaths, and give each other some space and grace. We promise the tough-talkers don’t actually want what they say they want. They only think they do because they haven’t seen it for themselves and don’t know any better. There’s a reason combat veterans, some of the truest patriots you’ll meet, want peace. We appreciate and love you all. ALL 🇺🇸