Silicon Valley Business Journal

Editor's note: This is an excerpt from an article honoring veteran business founders in Silicon Valley. It was originally published in the Silicon Valley Business Journal on 5 November 2021.

Veterans can bring a multitude of technical skills to businesses that hire them, depending on their specialization and training in the armed forces.

But military experience also instills attitudes and mindsets that are valuable to the business world in general, including discipline, adaptability and the idea that no one will be left behind.

As personal values grow as a success factor in the workplace, veterans offer companies the benefit of their experiences, taking them from the field and the base to the office and the meeting room.

We spoke to two military veterans who founded and lead Silicon Valley companies to see how their service has benefited them in the business world, and how businesses can better serve veterans. U.S. Army veteran Socrates Rosenfeld leads Santa Cruz-based Jane Technologies, which operates an online store for cannabis products, and Teresa Phillips — who also served in the Army — is the head of Spherex, a Santa Clara-based data and technology company that helps adapt media content for global audiences.

Socrates Rosenfeld, co-founder and CEO, Jane Technologies

U.S. Army, 2004-2011

Socrates Rosenfeld co-founded Jane Technologies, an online marijuana and cannabis products store, after his stint in the Army. 

How has your experience in the military has prepared you for your career today?

Serving in the military is a very unique, difficult and challenging experience. From training to combat, you are guaranteed to face some adversity. When you're in the thick of those challenging times, you have to dig deep and find the courage to move forward, as scary and as hard as that may be — that’s how real values and character are formed.

Why should local companies specifically seek out military veterans to hire?

We’re extremely mission- and results-driven individuals, accustomed to fulfilling our duties and succeeding in the face of adversity. We had to be adaptable and persevere despite limitations, unclear instructions, and shifting priorities. We’re excellent at following a chain of command and adhering to protocol, which bolsters a company’s structure and organization, and yet we’ve also all had to make tough decisions in real time. Perhaps most importantly, we’re dedicated to taking care of our people, building effective teams, and offering the support and guidance to collectively accomplish goals.

What can local companies do to support employees who are military veterans, or encourage more veterans to join their ranks?

Employers should look beyond the technical skills a veteran possesses. As veterans, we’re adaptive and resourceful by nature, having lived life outside of our comfort zone, and we operate on an accelerated learning curve. During my time in service, I saw people with no college degrees or prior experience successfully fixing turbine engines and flying Apache helicopters in their early 20s.

Try not pigeonhole your veteran employees. With the natural soft skills that veterans possess, we can truly succeed in any facet of business. It’s a good idea for employers to offer training programs. Veterans take initiative and have gumption and can easily acquire technical skills, so if we have the opportunity, we’ll take it.

To encourage more veterans to join your ranks, I think specific outreach and initiatives that demonstrate a company's genuine interest are really effective. In the cannabis industry, we see internship or incubator programs for social equity applicants that include veterans in that pool - and it is very successful in attracting talent.

Teresa Phillips, co-founder and CEO, Spherex

U.S. Army, 1986-1993

Teresa Philips co-founded Spherex after her own military service. 

How has your experience in the military prepared you for your career today?

My entire military service prepared me for my career today. I gained valuable experience and expertise every single day alongside fellow servicemembers, allied forces and foreign dignitaries.

My military service taught me how to pay attention to detail; act with pride, purpose, and integrity; soldier through adversity; execute with precision; and lead by example. Serving under the direct command of general officers prepared me well for executive life in the high-tech industry, as managing large-scale initiatives and leading teams came natural to me.

Why should local companies specifically seek to hire veterans?

Companies should extend opportunities to veterans not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the smart thing to do.

Veterans are motivated, disciplined, professional and trained. We are loyal, persistent and focused on achieving the mission. Most importantly, we know that a team is only as strong as its weakest link, and we leave no one behind.

What can local companies do to support employees who are military veterans, or encourage more veterans to join their ranks?

Local companies can host open houses or other events specifically for veterans. Leaders in human resources can educate themselves about military positions and create “cross-walks” to illustrate how military education and skills are transferable to civilian positions. And hiring managers can learn how to interview veterans by expressing an interest in their military careers and drawing out their strengths and expertise.

The best way to honor veterans for their service is offering them employment opportunities when they come home.