It is important to learn the following warrior principles in order to overcome adversity and succeed in business: teamwork, purpose, confidence and tenacity. These are some of the traits that Zachary Green investigates in his new book, Warrior Entrepreneur: Lessons from the Battlefield to the Boardroom. “We’ve all known adversity in our lives. My experiences as an entrepreneur, a U.S. Marine and as a firefighter showed me how to use that adversity to grow and prepared me for my crucible,” Green said.
He served several years as a U.S. Marine and was a lieutenant in his local fire department. It was when he lost sight of the exits and his fellow firefighters in a smoke-filled room that he had an epiphany for his first startup: glow-in-the-dark gear for firefighters and exit signs that glow without power sources. In Warrior Entrepreneur, Green is transparent about his personal struggles with launching his business, and takes readers on a wild ride through the ups and downs, including mortgaging his home and maxing his credit cards. He triumphs because of his ability to face adversity as a warrior, never giving in to what he refers to as the “enemy” — fear and anxiety. Green was well accustomed to harnessing his warrior traits to help others. What he didn’t know was that he would need every ounce of his warrior spirit to save himself in late 2020 when Covid-19 almost claimed his life. “As I was literally on my deathbed, I reflected on all of the things I have achieved in my life and how the warrior spirit allowed me to conquer my challenges,” he recalled.
Resilience
In Warrior Entrepreneur, Green weaves his own story of resilience with research and examples of other successful entrepreneurs to encourage readers to embrace adversity as a way to grow and learn. He unpacks one-by-one the warrior principles that can apply to any career or business. “All of your hardships sharpen your thought processes,” Green said. “I stand today as a warrior entrepreneur and I would like to share my story and stories of other warriors — be it from the battlefield to the boardroom.”
Green is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and firefighter who started a company out of the trunk of his car and grew it to over $30 million in sales. He shares the principles he credits for his success in the new book. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a founder of several different companies. One of them, MN8, has three global brands (LumAware, Foxfire and ClearGuard) and has grossed close to $30 million and raised more than $4 million in venture funding. The products are now used by over 80,000 firefighters and three of the nation’s largest retailers in addition to being carried by The Home Depot.