For some people, being in the military is a lifelong career. For others, it’s a springboard to entrepreneurship. Veterans Shelby Dziwulski, Raquel Riley Thomas and Aubrey Carlson applied their fine-tuned military skills, like discipline, hard work and team building, to become successful entrepreneurs. Their enterprises are among the over 5% of U.S. businesses that are veteran-owned, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Learn more about their journeys to success.
From the U.S. Naval Academy to luxury travel concierge
Growing up near the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Shelby Dziwulski frequently visited on weekends with her family. She knew she wanted to be a Navy pilot and regularly watched the movie Top Gun.
When it was time to go to college, Dziwulski accepted the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship at the University of Maryland. Then, she enrolled in flight school. “I got my wings in 2015,” Dziwulski says. Even though her military career as a Navy search and rescue pilot was challenging, she found it to be a “very positive experience.”
Photo courtesy of Carl James
While stationed at different ports, she often found interesting places to stay—like a renovated Airstream beachfront property in Australia. “My squadron mates started noticing and said, ‘How do you find this stuff?’” This was the impetus behind her company, Authenteco Travel, which helps other people find unique accommodations while traveling.
At first, she mostly worked with military members who needed help navigating the rules and regulations related to military travel. Eventually, she expanded her clients to other types of travelers with specific needs, such as those with medical issues or disabilities. Dziwulski’s business now has clients who have a broad range of backgrounds and requests.
She credits her military training for her grit, which has helped her be a successful business owner. As an entrepreneur, she worked 16- to 18-hour days for three years straight, including weekends. Her Navy training helped her persevere through challenging times. “If I didn’t have my military experience, I would not have been able to do what I did with Authenteco,” she says.
When carving your own path, Dziwulski says mentors can be helpful, but they can’t solve every problem you’ll come across. Dziwulski says that’s when it’s important to trust that you have the answers. “No one’s advice is as powerful as your own intuition,” she says.
From the U.S. Army to a media and entertainment powerhouse
Stemming from a military family, Raquel Riley Thomas wanted to “keep the tradition going” by joining the U.S. Army. Her initial plan was to get some experience and then go to college. “But I liked it so much that I ended up staying in,” Thomas says. She eventually went to Hampton University on an ROTC scholarship and then was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 2002 as an ordnance officer, reaching the rank of captain.
However, in 2009, her 3-year-old daughter asked her a question that changed her life: “How come there aren’t any princesses [who] look like me?” She was referring to being a person of color. After that, Riley Thomas decided to enter a beauty pageant to change the narrative and act as a role model for her daughter. She remembers thinking, “I’m going to win this pageant. And I’m going to give the crown to my daughter because I want her to feel like there is a princess [who] looks like her.”
Photo courtesy of Roy Cox Photography
Riley Thomas did end up winning the Mrs. Maryland America pageant, advancing to the national level. “I became the first African American to win first runner-up in the 40-plus year history of that pageant,” she says. After she competed, she became the second Black judge in the history of that pageant. “I was making some history here, not even realizing that was [what had] happened,” she says. “I loved the camaraderie, and it kind of reminded me of being in the military.”
She purchased the Mrs. America franchise in Washington, D.C., and later bought the ones located in Pennsylvania and Delaware, which eventually prompted her to launch An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC. “We started as a production company with a division of public relations, and it became a talent management [firm],” she says.
Her military background helped her organize and remain focused on her business. “It makes you focus on what is happening in front of you,” she says. In the military, they also maximize your expertise; Riley Thomas uses this same strategy with her business. “I have experts from all sorts of all backgrounds, and by doing that, [it] builds the great team that we have,” she says.
If you are starting a business, Riley Thomas suggests having a budget and researching the industry you plan to enter. “Learn from those who’ve come before you,” she says.
From U.S. Navy helicopter pilot to hospitality
Photo courtesy of Mike Diedoardo
Aubrey Carlson grew up on a farm in Illinois and wanted to attend college. However, her parents were unable to afford tuition, so she opted for a full-cost ROTC scholarship at the University of Maryland. After college, the ROTC scholarship requires that you serve in the military.
When it was time for her to select a military specialty, she was unsure which one to choose. “I knew nothing about the military,” she says. Growing up in her small town, she never saw women working in anything but “regular jobs.”
“I didn’t even know women could be pilots,” she says. “I just never even saw that.” When she realized that was an option for her military service, she thought, “That looks really cool. And so, then, I was really inspired.”
When Carlson began flight school she soon learned, “You couldn’t have fear; you had to trust in your instructors and yourself,” she says. Even though Carlson knew little about the military or aviation, the adrenaline of flying became addicting to her, propelling her to success. Luckily, it was a skill that came “pretty natural” to her—while also being the most challenging thing she’s ever done, she says.
Reflecting on her career, Carlson loved serving as a Navy helicopter pilot, traveling the world and making lifelong friendships. “The biggest gift my 10-year Naval aviator career gave me was confidence,” she says. Despite her positive experience, when her commitment was ending, she decided she wanted to try a new career path. She was unsure about her next step but positive about one thing: “I’m never going to write a resume,” she says. This meant she wanted to be a business owner.
After owning some different businesses in the food sector, she ended up in real estate and renovated a run-down home with her fiancé. “It really sparked our interest, and we did a real estate course through another military veteran,” she says. They grew their business by purchasing and renovating homes and then renting them out as short-term vacation rentals. Other people were so impressed with her design style in their rentals that they asked, “Can you design mine?” So, in addition to renting the properties, she now offers a design service through her business, Salt and Sky Lodging Co., which she co-owns with her fiancé, Brad Hylton.
If you are unhappy with the business you own and it doesn’t work out, Carlson says it’s OK; you can try another one. She and her fiancé owned multiple businesses before they co-owned their current one, where they discovered a gap in the market of short-term vacation rentals. Her focus is on designing with eco-friendly materials, including kitchen utensils, toilet paper and recycled products. “I’m going to do it the way I live my life, which is environmentally responsible,” she says.
Carlson’s military experience helped her be a successful entrepreneur. “The first rental property we bought—it went horribly wrong,” she says. “If we stopped there, we wouldn’t have this business.” During her service, she learned that you need to keep moving through failure, which helped her cope with challenges. She says the grit and adaptability that she learned from the military have helped her to be successful in her business.
This article originally appeared in the September/October issue of SUCCESS Magazine. Featured photo courtesy of Mike Diedoardo.
