The Universe Hits Like Mike Tyson

Sometimes the Universe whispers.
Sometimes it grabs you by the collar.
And sometimes… it hits you in the kisser like Mike Tyson.

I’ve never believed in coincidences. If you tune in just right, like with an old radio dial, you’ll catch the frequency the Universe is broadcasting on. That’s what happened to me with Your Veteran’s History.

A video popped up on my Instagram: a proper Southern gentleman describing the personalized books and timelines he creates for families of veterans. It stopped my scrolling cold.

Now, if you’ve read me before, you know I sometimes question America’s addiction to war, direct or by proxy. I have real anger about how our tax dollars fund horrific acts in our name all over the world. But none of that has ever dimmed the reverence I have for those who have or do serve. They’re the ones who write the checks and pay the costs of war, not the politicians and corporations that somehow are the ones continuously cashing those checks. Our veterans are the brave ones who ultimately put their bodies, hearts, and very souls on the line.

It hit me that this wasn’t just some nice little service or a business cashing in on flag-waving patriotism. This was something every veteran deserves. The Universe whispered: learn more, get involved. Then it stopped whispering and started swinging.

I dug deeper into the company, the website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, anywhere I could. The more I learned, the clearer it became: this wasn’t just any business. To me it felt like a calling, a responsibility.

Then came the Universe’s knockout punch.

The founder is John Southard, a PhD, a military historian. The name rang a bell. Back in 2020, when I was recruiting Brand Presidents at Threshold Brands for our MaidPro, Men In Kilts, and Pestmaster franchise systems, I met Rachel Southard. Within ten minutes of our intro call, I knew she was a rock star. She was sharp, witty, grounded, and she had the head, heart, and soul I look for in executive leaders. She joined my team, and sure enough, she was all that and more. She has since left Threshold, and she’s now the CEO for Ecomaids. During my research, I uncovered that John is not only related, he is Rachel’s husband. The Universe wasn’t whispering anymore; it was standing over me, counting to ten.

So I reached out. I told John what I was doing with the Improbable Dream Universe, how much I respected and believed in Your Veteran’s History mission, and how honored I’d be to help him accelerate it. And if he wanted to know what kind of guy I am to work with, he could ask his wife. Needless to say, he took the call, and I instantly took to the real human and heart that John is; pun intended, he’s a guy you want with you in any foxhole.

The last few months we’ve been building a company and a mission: capturing veterans’ stories before they’re lost to time, honoring so many lives that deserve to be remembered.

Why Substack?

Because Your Veteran’s History is so much more than a company, it’s a living archive in written words and images. Substack is a tech stack built for sharing that.

On our Substack space you’ll see:

> Serialized chapters & Visual Timelines from the biographies we create
> Hero spotlights and pivotal wartime stories
> Family interviews and personal reflections
> Behind-the-scenes glimpses of how we preserve legacies

While we are just getting started, Substack lets you follow the journey in real time. Whether you want to be inspired by stories of service, love military history, need an education on the cost of war for those that serve, or wish to preserve the history of a veteran in your life, you’ll be in the right place.

Sometimes the Universe whispers. Sometimes it hits like Tyson. For me, it hit in the form of Your Veteran’s History. And now I’m answering the bell and asking you to follow along.

Join the troop. Read their stories. Honor those who served.
Subscribe, free or paid, to follow along, support the work, and help preserve these legacies before they’re lost.

Every veteran has a story worth telling. We’re here to tell it.