MilCom Founders Podcast, Episode 50: From Military Ministry to Mission-Driven Entrepreneurship with Theresa Irving
Join host Rod Loges and guest Theresa Irving as she shares her path from Air Force chaplain assistant serving overseas in England and Japan to founding Epic Military Brands, a strategic consulting firm connecting veteran entrepreneurs with mission-aligned partners and high-impact nonprofits. Theresa’s story covers opening a restaurant during COVID, building Duneberry Farms around disc golf technology developed for defense applications, and the hard lessons about exit planning that shaped how she helps other veteran business owners today.
In this episode:
- Theresa’s path from a small Michigan town to Air Force service at RAF Lakenheath and beyond
- Why she retrained from logistics to become a chaplain assistant and the profound impact of ministry work
- Her transition from military service to civilian entrepreneurship and the decision to buy a restaurant in Silver Lake, Michigan
- Opening Sands Restaurant during the COVID lockdowns and the creative strategies she used to generate a million dollars in revenue during her first year
- The importance of planning your exit strategy before you need it, and how poor exit planning cost her significantly
- Her roles at Warrior Rising and Owners in Honor, shaping veteran resilience and business ownership programs
- Launching Epic Military Brands and the consulting model that helps veteran entrepreneurs align their business with personal goals
- How she’s supporting Pulse Patch, a veteran-founded life-saving technology for law enforcement
- The role of military networks like SOAR, ACP, IVMF, and Warrior Rising in growing veteran businesses
Key takeaways:
- Personal and professional growth must be the foundation of a healthy entrepreneurial life, regardless of business success
- Clear communication and positive confirmation prevent costly mistakes and build trust with team members and partners
- The military culture of making immediate friendships translates directly to building the strategic relationships that drive entrepreneurial success
- Your business model must align with your personal and professional goals, or it will make you miserable despite financial success
- Exit planning should be built into your business plan from day one, changing how you operate and what opportunities become available
- Telling your military story and connecting with veteran networks accelerates business growth and provides mentorship you can’t get anywhere else
- Mistakes and setbacks become powerful learning opportunities when you communicate them early and honestly with your team
Guest: Theresa Irving, Founder of Epic Military Brands, retired Air Force chaplain assistant
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-irving-5a73a613/
- Website: https://www.epicmilitarybrands.com
Theresa Irving is a retired Air Force veteran and serial entrepreneur transforming veteran leadership into civilian impact. During her military career as a Chaplain Assistant, Theresa earned the Army Achievement Medal and multiple Iraq Campaign medals for her deployments to Iraq and Southwest Asia. Her tours in England and Japan deepened her ability to build trust across cultures, a skill that defines her work today.
After service, Theresa channeled her grant-writing expertise into mission-driven roles, including Deputy Director of Programming at Warrior Rising (2022–2024), where she shaped veteran resilience programs, and Director of Development at Owners in Honor (2024–2025). In 2025, she founded EPIC Military Brands (Two Sergeants LLC), a business development and strategic consulting firm dedicated to connecting veteran entrepreneurs, mission-aligned brands, and high-impact nonprofits.
As co-owner of Duneberry Farms in Shelby, Michigan, Theresa introduced a groundbreaking disc golf tracking technology originally developed for defense applications that has transformed how players experience the sport. This innovation exemplifies her mission: bringing military-grade excellence and innovation to unexpected places, building stronger communities, and empowering veterans to lead in civilian spaces. Her work spans venture partnerships, nonprofit strategy, and community-building at the intersection of defense, entrepreneurship, and veteran wellness.
The MilCom Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from veteran entrepreneurs.
Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com
Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Donate to the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund: https://bold.org/funds/dick-loges-veteran-entrepreneur-fund/
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