Mentors that Help Veteran Entrepreneurs Succeed

It’s one thing to have a business idea and another to have the skills to turn that idea into a profitable, sustainable venture. Some people have strong practical skills but lack the business knowledge needed to make those ideas work. How can you take a good idea and a useful skill and transform them into something tangible?

Courses, mentoring, and participation in business groups can help formalize your ideas and turn them into actionable strategies. In communities like Escanaba, there are opportunities to start businesses both downtown and in other areas. Veterans can be one source of new business development with the right support.

Local veterans, in particular, may want to take advantage of this free opportunity to explore launching their own business ideas.

How mentors help veterans succeed as entrepreneurs

About DAV

Working on My Old Boat Engine: Getting it to roar back to life!

 Old boats are beautiful, but they require a fair amount of work. If you don’t have mechanical skills or the patience to tinker until things are right, you’ll likely end up spending a lot of money on repairs. I’m frugal, so I try to do as much as I can myself—whether it’s working on cars or boats. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of bringing something back to life that wasn’t working, or fixing up something inexpensive and making it run like new.

In this case, I was working on my boat, which hadn’t been running well and wouldn’t start for a while. I checked all the cables, cleaned the connections, tested various components with a voltmeter, ensured it is getting fuel, inspected the fuses, and changed the oil and filter. This time, it started right up. A little love seems to have gone a long way. There is a big difference between a boat with a working inboard engine and one that doesn't have a working inboard engine. 

The Funeral Sail Painting for Sale-Art as a Pathway to Insight

 Art doesn’t need to be perfect to contribute to our personal or collective understanding. It allows us to explore topics and ideas on a deeper symbolic level. Whether it’s one of our ancient ancestors drawing buffalo on a cave wall or a modern piece like this, art reflects aspects of life. When we challenge ourselves to view problems and questions through new lenses, we often discover solutions that others might not see. One doesn’t need to be a perfect artist to benefit from exploring art as a way of shifting perception.

The Funeral Sail: Sad in a Happy Place
8x10 Acrylic

Let us consider this piece I created a few days ago. My goal was simply to paint as a hobby. I’ve always liked lighthouses, sailboats, and the ocean, so I naturally gravitated toward that theme. After sharing the piece on my social networks—still very much a learner in painting—I received an interesting interpretation.

Someone described it as “sadness in a happy place.” They said, “The dark features and gray demeanor feel like a funeral sail with a loved one.” From that, the piece became titled The Funeral Sail: Sad in a Happy Place. It represents, in many ways, the balance of life and the acceptance of it as we live it. We are beings who experience both joy and sadness, and sometimes those emotions intertwine.

As I continue to improve my paintings, I offer some pieces for sale. Shipping is included. Often, I donate part of the proceeds to various charities, memberships, and events. You can message me directly and send $35 via PayPal with your address, or purchase through Etsy or eBay. If a piece doesn’t sell, it’s eventually repainted or repurposed. The best works are saved for the long term.

eBay Paintings

The Wooded Pathway-Etsy

Just in case you were interesed in art and leadership,

How Art Helps Leaders Shift Thinking In A Rapidly Changing World

October 2nd, 2025 Escanaba City Council Meeting: Condos, Tourism and Redevelopment on the Path to Investment and Growth

There are several important developments to pay attention to here, as they could create opportunities for community improvement. Housing investments and the refurbishment of older properties are of particular interest to me. Watching videos like this help encourage awareness of city activities for people who want to start-businesses or investors that seek to create new opportunities. This town has seen a lot of development in recent years and is connecting to the market as place to do business with a hometown appeal. They are bucking market trends creating something important. Running in the black. The process is wonderful to watch.

A few things, 

Encouraging the updating and redevelopment of existing properties can have a powerful effect on the community. As buildings age, they can be restored and given new life. Our city has many beautiful homes and historic structures, and several downtown buildings could be purchased and renovated for housing, retail spaces, or start-UPs (I thought the term "start-UPs" seems pretty cool. You can also read about Investing and Start-ups). The more we invest in updating homes and storefronts, the greater the overall appeal and vibrancy of the area.

There is also ongoing discussion about new homes and condominium developments in the area. A few properties are currently for sale, which could attract new residents and generate additional tax revenue for the city. Condominiums, in particular, tend to draw people who actively contribute to the local economy and community life—some year-round and others seasonally. If these properties are located within existing residential areas and enhance the neighborhood’s visual appeal and property values, they are well worth consideration.

A new tourism boat will be coming in. That makes three charter lines that like to visit the town, history, cultural, outdoors and other events. As more tourist ships come, you may find new tourism activities, and an effort to attract more ships and visitors. The airport being another way to attract additional tourists. The marina has been on the upswing and there is discussion on a resteraunt. 

Oct. 2nd Esky City Council Agenda

Are Humans Hardwired to Hate? Not If They Reflect

Hate is a destructive force in any society, leaving behind long-term consequences. Across the globe, we see countless examples of how hate harms not only its targets but also those who have used it. Throughout history, religious and philosophical traditions rarely endorse hate as a virtue. Yet people often rationalize it, selectively interpret facts to justify it, or act on it without fully understanding why.

Could we be hardwired to hate?

A philosopher thinkng about the nature of
hate. "No one is hated more than
he who speaks the truth"-Plato

Some argue that hate is innate to the human experience, a survival trait that once helped early humans distinguish between tribes or competing groups. But in modern societies—built on principles, laws, and shared values—this primitive instinct offers little benefit. Failing to recognize the destructive nature of hate, and its ability to distort the thinking of entire groups, risks allowing it to resurface whenever conditions such as corruption, bias, or group preference create fertile ground.

Whether hate is hardwired into us or it arises from a misapplication of perception mixed with darker traits is not the core issue. History shows that humans have repeatedly justified horrendous behaviors under its influence. They also have been known to do wonderful things. If individuals—and especially leaders no matter the land—committed to honest reflection, we would be less likely to let hate find a pathway for prehistoric urges.

Avoiding the pitfalls of hate requires self-examination. Taking even a few moments to ask whether hostile feelings stem from genuine faults in others, or from one’s own unresolved issues, can be revealing. Clarity comes only by seeking the full scope of information and aligning perception with reality. Reflection often shows that people have been socialized to see flaws in those they label as “the other,” while overlooking the flaws within themselves. Even if it just a speck. Recognizing our shared humanity helps dissolve these false divisions.

Are Humans Hardwired to Hate?

Defining Your Brand, Reaching Customers and 2025 Branding Stats

Branding your product helps it stand out in a crowded marketplace filled with competing products, advertisements, and distractions. A strong brand should embody core values and customer guarantees that make it memorable, both online and in stores. These values and promises might emphasize product quality, lifestyle, location, identity, or other concepts that resonate with consumers.

Equally important is defining your customer alongside and in relationship to your brand. Understanding who your current and potential customers are allows you to effectively reach them. A clear customer profile naturally leads to identifying the best places and methods for engagement. Ask yourself: Who is my target audience, and where do they go to consume information related to their interests?

For example, a sports-related brand will likely see higher advertising returns in places where enthusiasts already spend time—whether that’s reading articles, watching events, or following news about the sport. The same principle applies across industries: the closer your brand aligns with a customer’s lifestyle, interests and networks the stronger the connection.

Keeping up with marketing trends can also guide where to invest your efforts. Different generations prefer different channels, so knowing your audience’s habits helps maximize impact. As technology evolves—through AI, mobile devices, streaming platforms, and beyond—so too must your marketing approach.

Finally, reviewing industry reports and marketing statistics helps you adapt to changes in the field. If you’ve built a great brand, ensure that your most motivated customers are aware of its values and guarantees. That awareness is what turns interest into loyalty.

97 Latest Branding Statistics 2025 (New Trends)

Does Greed Have a Destructive Impact on Society? The Good, Bad and Ugly

Greed is one of those value systems often discouraged by moral leaders in society. Most religious, people, and leaders (real leaders) have preached against it. While many of us want to accumulate more—since “more” can be an outward expression of inner desires for value—the majority believe we should earn our resources fairly. When greed combines with other destructive traits such as hate and corruption, it can lead to real harm and encourage toxic behaviors within certain social networks.

For example, consider this for learning purposes only: someone driven by dark triad traits might spread harmful rumors to dehumanize others, didn't care if they put children at risk, isolated the sick for money, and relied on corrupt officials within their social and work networks to gain advantages over others (all things an extension of personal desire.). In such cases, greed is not just a personal flaw but could be a reflection of wider social decay, where oaths, professions, promises, and social contracts are words without deeper belief.

From a philosophical perspective would a society that seeks to encourage positive behaviors and motivational effort lead to higher overall performance or one in which systems are tools for self-enrichment? We only need to think about how corruption is tied to poor economic performance overall. I think most of us would agree that there must be some rules to the road and the first one would make more sense.

If we want to build the best society possible, we must clearly identify and reject harmful behaviors. We should not reward greed, hate, corruption, or other antisocial actions. Instead, societies should design incentives where intelligence, hard work, and motivation lead to meaningful rewards. Allowing destructive pathways means one person’s gain comes only through another’s loss—and that is fundamentally immoral. It also has an impact on societal performance overall. 

Interestingly the piece below discusses the good and bad of greed. It is insightful to read, 

The Good Bad and Ugly of Greed