197 - Paul Habenicht - Marine Veteran Applying Military Principles to Entrepreneurial Success

Paul Habenicht - Marine Veteran Applying Military Principles to Entrepreneurial Success

Paul Habenicht, a U.S. Naval Academy and Darden MBA graduate successfully built and exited a veterinary services business called VetEvolve.

Paul shared his journey from the Marine Corps to entrepreneurship, highlighting how his military experience shaped the culture and operations of VetEvolve. As Paul and his co-founder Nick acquired and integrated veterinary clinics across the country, they intentionally applied principles from the Marine Corps playbook - things like mission-type orders, empowering frontline teams, and an "officers eat last" mentality.

"We really understood that it's all about your people," Paul explained. "The best captain in the world is supported by 20 sergeants and they do the work and they drive your plan." This people-first approach allowed VetEvolve to scale while maintaining a strong culture.

Paul also offered insights on the emotional and practical aspects of exiting an entrepreneurial venture. While the financial upside was rewarding, he found the transition out of the day-to-day business to be bittersweet. "It doesn't feel exactly like you think it does," he said. "There's a tremendous amount of work that leads up to that sort of a transaction or that sort of process."

Now, Paul is turning his attention to helping other entrepreneurs through his new venture, Range Control. He's eager to share the lessons he learned - from navigating acquisitions to building a cohesive culture - with the next generation of founders.

"I'm looking to transfer some of the skills I've learned," Paul said. "I can help them see where they need to go and provide them some of the advice and guidance and investment support that people have provided us."

To hear the full interview and learn more about Paul's entrepreneurial journey, check out the latest episode of the Mission Oriented podcast.