In this episode of Tactical Wealth, Army Ranger, entrepreneur, and Co-Founder of Valor Hunt Club Drew Plateis shares how his experience in the 75th Ranger Regiment shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, leadership, and building businesses with a mission beyond profit.
From growing up in New York and finding direction through military service to launching security companies, building luxury fashion and jewelry brands, and creating Valor Hunt Club, Drew explains how military discipline, adaptability, and learning through adversity helped him navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship and find a greater purpose in business.
In this episode, we dive into:
Finding Direction Through Military Service: How Drew’s difficult upbringing, exposure to the aftermath of 9/11, and early experiences with Army Rangers inspired him to pursue special operations
Choosing the Ranger Regiment: Why Drew pursued the Army Ranger pipeline, his desire to get into combat quickly, and what it took to earn his place in the 75th Ranger Regiment
Understanding the Ranger Mission: How Rangers operate across land, sea, and air, take on high-value targets, and adapt to complex missions under pressure
The Entrepreneurial Mindset in the Military: Why Rangers learn to accomplish the most with the fewest resources and how that mentality builds confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills
Transitioning Out of the Military: How injuries pushed Drew to leave active service and the challenges of rebuilding his identity, finding direction, and starting a new chapter as a civilian
Taking Ownership of His Future: How Drew moved from working at a security firm to launching his own security business and learning to take responsibility for client acquisition, revenue, and business growth
Finding Opportunity in Unlikely Industries: How Drew brought his military background into the luxury fashion and jewelry markets, combining tactical influences with high-end design
Learning From Business and Failure: Why Drew measures entrepreneurial success by how much he learns rather than how much money he makes, and how each venture helped him better understand his strengths and priorities
Knowing When to Pivot: How Drew approached exiting his luxury businesses and reinvesting in opportunities that aligned more closely with his values and long-term mission
Building Businesses With Fellow Veterans: Why Drew believes military friendships, shared adversity, and the ability to give each other direct feedback can create a strong foundation for entrepreneurship
The Story Behind Valor: How challenges with an earlier venture shaped Drew’s approach to funding, ownership, and building a business alongside fellow operators
Building Valor Hunt Club: How Drew is creating a home for special operators to share their skills with the civilian community through training, outdoor experiences, and veteran employment
Nature, Wellness, and Conservation: Why Drew wants Valor to provide a space for people to reconnect with nature, support their well-being, and contribute to conservation efforts in Florida
Defining Success Beyond Money: Why personal growth, self-awareness, and understanding how you can best contribute to society matter more than material markers of success
Rapid Fire: Drew shares his best investment, biggest financial mistake, the military skill that has helped him most in business, the habit he still carries from service, a book that shaped his thinking, and his morning routine
Whether you're a veteran, entrepreneur, founder, or business leader, Drew’s story offers perspective on finding purpose after military service, building businesses through adversity, learning from failure, and using entrepreneurship to create opportunities for others.
👉 Subscribe to Tactical Wealth for more conversations on military service, entrepreneurship, investing, wealth, leadership, and building with purpose.
EPISODE RESOURCES
Connect with Drew Plateis:
🌐 Website: ValorHuntClub.com
📸 Instagram: @pewlikedrew
👤 LinkedIn: Andrew Plateis
Connect with Kaj Larsen:
🌐 Website: KajLarsen.com
📸 Instagram: @KajLarsen
👤 LinkedIn: Kaj Larsen
Join the Mission Money Community ➡️ https://mailchi.ch/siebert/valor-newsletter-signup
Tactical Wealth is supported by Blackout Coffee Co. Fresh coffee. Proudly supporting America’s military community. Get 20% off your first order at blackoutcoffee.com/TacticalWealth
