Bottle Breacher founder, Eli Crane, talks exclusively to the LINE1 Team to answer questions in point that tie in with the military and business. LINE1 is a platform connecting Veterans to a successful post-Military career. Designed by Veterans for Veterans, LINE1 inspires meaningful connections between communities and Veterans that lead to high potential, valued opportunities. LINE1 is the only independent career network that empowers Veterans to advance their own post-military careers.
1. When did you leave the military and what was your first job after leaving? I left the service in Oct. 2014. Being the CEO of Bottle Breacher has been my full time position since.
2. What do you like best about being an entrepreneur and what do you miss most about your Military career?I love the freedom that comes with being an entrepreneur more than anything else. The men I used to work with on a daily basis is by far the thing I miss the most. They were so hilarious and impressive human beings. They definitely made me better.
3. What Military skills and experience do you use most often today as an entrepreneur? Leadership, strategy, and learning to thrive outside of my comfort zone are a few of the many things I’ve taken from the military. I also learned to “do more with less” in the SEAL teams and that is a huge advantage as an entrepreneur.
4. What do you see as the most consistent stereotype of Vets? The most positive consistent stereotypes I see of veterans is that they are trainable. I have also noticed that they tend to be viewed as much more reliable and disciplined than their civilian counterparts.
5. What advice do you have for this community of fellow Veterans navigating their own post-Military careers? A few of the things I normally tell veterans is to not “expect” anything from anyone. Work as hard in the private sector as you did to succeed in the service and you will succeed. I also encourage veterans to be flexible. You might find that the first couple paths you start down are not what you expected. Relax, keep your head up, continue to build your reputation and your portfolio of contacts and you will eventually hit a home run. The last thing is to find a new mission. Most of us are mission oriented. It’s usually not enough for us to collect a paycheck and health care. Most of us need more, we need to be helping our country, community or fellow man in some collateral way. Seek and find a new mission and you will find that your service dose not need to end when you hang up the uniform.
Special thanks to the LINE1 team. To learn more about inviting your fellow Vets to LINE1 and earning Ambassador rankings and rewards, check out the
LINE1 Ambassador Program.
