ason Lee Sharp’s story is one of hardship, discipline, service, and transformation. Raised in Chicago amid drugs, homelessness, and the pull of the streets, Jason learned early that suffering could either break him or build him. Today, he is a businessman, author, soldier, mentor, and leader dedicated to helping others turn adversity into strength.

In this episode, Jason shares how his challenging childhood shaped his mindset, how military school redirected his life, and how leadership became the throughline of his journey. From founding Sharp Leader and Sherris Lounge to serving as an infantry company commander in the Kansas Army National Guard, Jason’s path reveals what it means to stay alert, endure pain with purpose, and grow through discomfort.

We also dive into his book, Eyes Wide Open: Learning to Suffer, his work with youth through gritKC, and the lessons he has learned about mentorship, resilience, and choosing growth when life gets hard.

Joe Byerly is a combat arms officer with over 20 years of experience in both combat and training environments, serving at levels ranging from the tactical to the strategic. Passionate about leader development, he created this platform to help leaders share lessons learned from their own experiences, captured in their "green notebooks." Throughout his career, he has been fortunate to have mentors who encouraged him to read, write, and publish. Joe has contributed articles to notable publications such as ARMY Magazine, Military Review, Strategy Bridge, Small Wars Journal, Task and Purpose, and Foreign Policy. Featured on Forbes and a frequent guest on leadership podcasts, Joe has also spoken at prominent events, including the Annual AUSA Conference, the Future of War Conference, and the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum Annual Conference.

Episode 51 with Jason Van Camp

Jack Ryan is a Business Development Director for FN America's Military Programs Team, focused on their infantry weapons and land systems portfolio. This includes current programs of record (small arms) and developmental weapons platforms for the U.S. military.

Before working for FN America, Jack served in various business development roles within the Aerospace and Defense industries. Jack has previously worked with Syncroness, an engineering design firm focused on developing Aerospace products, and Textron Aviation, supporting their commercial sales team (domestic Citation, King Air, and Citation sales).

Before entering the industry, Jack was an active-duty Infantry Officer and served as a rifle platoon leader in Afghanistan and as a company XO at Ft. Bliss, TX. Jack is continuing his military career as a Reservist and has had two company commands and various operations roles during his time in the Army Reserves.

Jack graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Smeal College of Business (Penn State University) and held an active private pilot's license (SEL) with an instrument rating.

Jack resides in Northern Virginia with his wife and four children. He enjoys cycling, backcountry skiing, and hiking during his off time.

Episode 45 with Jeff Hubler

Episode 39 with Rob Campbell

Episode 36 with General David H. Petraeus

Episode 33 with Mark Gerecht

Episode 29 with Dr. Mike Battaglino

Episode 24 with Gregory D. Archbold