Former Army Ranger Matthew “Griff” Griffin was touring a factory in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2009 when he looked to his left and saw a combat boot sole with a flip-flop thong punched through it. Griffin turned to the factory manager and asked, “Can I run with this?” He told Griffin, “Yeah, sure. Go ahead.”With those words, Combat Flip Flops was born.
Griffin went back to his hotel and registered the domain name. By 2012, Griffin, fellow Army Ranger Donald Lee and Andy Sewrey were laying the foundation for a one-of-kind footwear and accessory company that manufacturers its products in war zones and post conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Cambodia and Lebanon.
Armed with leadership, decision-making, problem-solving and organizational skills, many service members leave military service with a skillset tailor-made for entrepreneurship. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, one in every 10 veterans is a small business owner or self-employed, making veterans 45% more likely than their civilian counterparts to be entrepreneurs. If you’re considering making the leap, here’s some advice from veterans who turned their military skills into
If you’re considering making the leap, here’s some advice from veterans who turned their military skills into entrepreneurial success:
