Brewing Community & Business: The Brad Pond Interview

By Brent Parker | Resilience Repurposed Podcast & Blog

In this special interview, I sat down with Brad Pond—veteran, tech entrepreneur, and now proud owner of Cavaliers Coffeehouse in North Augusta, SC. His journey from Navy submariner to multimillion-dollar software sales executive to the steward of a thriving local café is nothing short of inspiring.

We dug deep into his background, motivations, marketing strategies, and what drives him to keep building—even when others would call it quits. Grab a cup of something strong and enjoy this deep dive into resilience, reinvention, and relationship-driven business.

☕ From Submarine to Small Business

Brad joined the Navy at 17, inspired by Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Rising. His six years of military service instilled the discipline and resilience that shaped the rest of his life. After a successful career in enterprise software (including emergency management tools used by FEMA and the military), Brad was offered the chance to acquire Cavaliers.

Instead of immediately stepping in, Brad pulled an “Undercover Boss” move—spending three months quietly observing the shop’s operations and customer dynamics before finalizing the deal. That approach gave him a front-row seat to Cavaliers’ unique culture and helped shape his first 100 days of ownership.

“It wasn’t about coming in and changing everything. It was about seeing what made Cavaliers special and asking how I could elevate that.”

🎯 Relationships Over Transactions

Whether in sales, tech, or hospitality, Brad believes relationships are the cornerstone of business. From FEMA contracts to barista-made lattes, it’s all about connecting people with solutions—or experiences—they remember.

“People don’t come back just because of a coupon. They come back because something clicked. Because they felt seen.”

🛠 Marketing That Builds Trust

Cavaliers thrives on community engagement. Brad uses a blend of traditional and digital marketing:

• Email campaigns tied to events and product launches

• Social media storytelling—focusing on real people, not just products

• Customer-generated content, like reposting guests’ photos from the courtyard

• Old-school loyalty cards—every 10th coffee is free

“You don’t need to dominate the whole market. You just need to be sticky enough for the right people.”

🗺 The Local Advantage

While large chains expand into the region, Brad remains confident that authenticity and experience will always beat convenience.

“Dutch Bros doesn’t have a courtyard and blues music on a Friday night. We do. That’s the difference.”

His team sources pastries, bagels, and cookies from beloved local bakeries like Sheila’s, Little D, and Alamie’s. The courtyard? Modeled after Charleston’s low-country charm. Cavaliers doesn’t just serve coffee—it curates moments.

🧠 Lessons in Leadership & Life

• On Entrepreneurship:
  “It costs more than the spreadsheet says. But God’s timing is always right. Sometimes you’ve got to leap before the money shows up.”

• On Niche Business:
  “Be the expert. Spend 18 minutes a day honing your craft. That’s how you rise to the top.”

• On Veterans in Business:
  “The civilian world doesn’t move at military speed. Be patient. Know when to push and when to pause.”

🎤 Listen to the Full Interview

🎵 Stream on Spotify

💡 Final Takeaway

Brad Pond exemplifies what happens when discipline meets soul. His success isn’t from chasing trends—it’s from understanding people, taking smart risks, and leaning into service with humility.

🔁 Coming Next

Stay tuned for more veteran entrepreneur spotlights and behind-the-scenes looks at real small businesses making a real difference.

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Help support Brad Pond and the incredible work he's doing to bring people together—one drink, one beat, one courtyard conversation at a time.

Chapter 16 Breakdown: Why Startups Fail — And How You Can Avoid It

Series: Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Reflections | Author: Brent Parker, Resilience Repurposed LLC

Let’s face it—no founder likes to talk about failure. But as Colin C. Campbell points out in Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat., understanding why startups collapse is one of the fastest ways to avoid joining that statistic. In Chapter 16, he peels back the layers of bad hiring, flawed product-market fit, ignored warning signs, and poor funding decisions that quietly sabotage good ideas.

This post isn’t about doom and gloom—it’s about decoding failure so you can design your business to be more resilient from day one.

🚫 Failure Happens—But It’s Not Random

Campbell opens up about his own failed venture in blockchain tech, sharing how a combination of Silicon Valley hype, the wrong hires, and skipped systems led to a shutdown. He takes ownership of what went wrong—not just emotionally, but operationally. This isn’t just storytime; it’s a template for recognizing structural cracks before they become fatal flaws (Campbell, 2023).

🧩 The Six Hidden Reasons Startups Fail

• The company doesn’t solve a real problem. Like MoviePass, many startups create exciting features without validating if enough people care about the problem being solved.
• The wrong people are running the company. Even a great idea will crumble if led by mismatched leadership. Entrepreneurial vision can’t be outsourced.
• Red flags are ignored. Emotional investment makes it easy to overlook key warning signs. But those flags often predict collapse.
• They raise too little—or too much—money. Underfunding creates fragility. Overfunding can lead to waste, arrogance, or diluted control.
• There are too many cooks in the kitchen. Leadership confusion and partnership misalignment create internal gridlock that kills momentum.
• External forces strike. Even well-run companies can get crushed by outside events like the dot-com crash or COVID-19. But how you prepare can cushion the blow.

🧠 Human Error Is the #1 Culprit

Campbell doesn’t sugarcoat it: “The biggest factor in success and failure is human failure” (Campbell, 2023, p. 140). Whether it’s hiring too fast, scaling without systems, or ignoring your gut, most collapse points come down to judgment—yours or someone else’s. But that’s also where your greatest opportunity lies.

❤️ Failures Are Scars That Guide Us

From Walt Disney’s early cartoon rejections to Milton Hershey’s candy startup struggles, Chapter 16 reframes failure as a rite of passage. “Startup failures are the scars of our past that guide us forward in our new ventures” (Campbell, 2023, p. 141). You don’t have to fear failure—but you do have to learn from it.

💡 Final Takeaway:

Failure isn’t random—it’s a pattern. Chapter 16 teaches you how to spot it early, take responsibility when things go sideways, and turn losses into future-proof systems. Learn from Colin’s scars so you don’t have to earn your own the hard way.

🔁 Coming Next: Chapter 17 – How to Vet a Business Idea

We’ll dive into the checklist that separates ideas from real businesses and walk through the rigorous testing process Colin Campbell uses before he bets on anything new.

💬 Share This With a Future Founder

Tag someone who’s launching their first business—or recovering from their last one. This post could save them months of pain and thousands of dollars.

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📚 References (APA Style)

Campbell, C. C. (2023). Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Wiley.

Bryant, S. (2022, November 28). How Many Startups Fail and Why? Investopedia.

Mitchell, B. (2022, November 22). 82% of Small Businesses Fail Because of Cash Flow Problems. U.S. Bank.

Chapter 10 Breakdown: Hire Do-It-Yourself Employees – The Mindset That Moves Startups

Series: Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Reflections | Section A2: People | Author: Brent Parker, Resilience Repurposed LLC

Welcome to Chapter 10 of the Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Reflections Series
As we wrap up Section A2: People, this chapter shifts focus to what truly drives momentum in startups — employees who don’t wait for instructions. Colin C. Campbell makes the case that in the early stages of growth, your best hires aren’t just capable — they’re self-starting, adaptable, and proud to get their hands dirty. This isn’t about personality types; it’s about mindset. And mindset, when shared by your team, becomes rocket fuel for scale.

🔧 DIY is a Mindset, Not a Skill

Campbell clarifies that DIY employees don’t have to know how to do everything — they have to be willing to figure it out. It’s about ownership, problem-solving, and the courage to take initiative without waiting to be told (Campbell, 2023).

👣 Hiring DIY Employees Starts with You

Leadership by example is key. If you’re unwilling to run errands, fix issues, or show up in the trenches, you’re modeling the opposite of what a DIY culture demands. Campbell references the “everyone picks up trash” mentality from Disney as a clear standard for founder behavior (Campbell, 2023).

🔁 DIY is About Adaptability

Startups are in constant flux. Campbell stresses that hiring people who thrive in change — who can pivot, learn on the fly, and support the team — is more valuable than hiring for static job descriptions. Flexibility beats formality in the early stages of growth (Campbell, 2023).

🚀 DIY Encourages Ownership, Teamwork, and Innovation

Campbell outlines three core benefits of hiring DIY-minded team members: deeper ownership of outcomes, collaborative problem-solving under pressure, and a hunger for improvement that drives real innovation. These are not soft skills — they’re survival traits for scaling companies (Campbell, 2023).

🎯 Final Insight

DIY isn’t just a hiring filter — it’s a foundational culture trait. When every employee shows up with the mindset to solve, build, and improve, the entire company moves faster and more intelligently. Campbell’s message is clear: the best early hires aren’t looking for a job — they’re looking to own a mission.

🔁 Coming Next: Chapter 11 – Why You Need a Clear North Star

In the next chapter, we’ll begin Section A3: Money — and focus on why scaling too early can be fatal. Campbell teaches how to use metrics, timing, and alignment to scale with intention, not impulse.

📚 References (APA Style)

Campbell, C. C. (2023). Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Wiley.

This year, I’m lacing up my shoes with a purpose.

I’ve joined the Wounded Warrior Project® Carry Forward® Virtual 5K, and every step I take is for the brothers and sisters who still carry invisible wounds — post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, depression, anxiety, and the countless battles that continue long after returning home.

This isn’t just a run. It’s a mission — one that reflects both my personal journey as a combat veteran and the values that drive everything we do at Resilience Repurposed LLC.

I’ve seen firsthand what happens when warriors come home but never truly return. I’ve lived through it. That’s why this event means so much to me — because it funds real programs that help warriors rebuild lives, restore purpose, and rediscover strength.

Through Wounded Warrior Project, 100% of donations go toward life-changing services in mental health, independence, and career support — all free for those who served.

By donating, you’re not just supporting a cause. You’re investing in the future of those who’ve sacrificed for this country.

🔗 Donate now:

https://carryforward.woundedwarriorproject.org/participant/LewisBrent-ParkerJr-2025

🔗 Learn more about my work:

https://blog.resiliencerepurposed.com

Together, we carry forward — for healing, for hope, and for the next mission.