April 22, 2025
MILCOM Founders Podcast – Episode 9: Brand Strategy for Growth with Reggie Ordonez
Join host Rod Loges and guest Reggie Ordonez as he shares his journey from the Marine Corps to founding Forward Brands, a brand strategy company helping founders generate more revenue through clear, compelling messaging.
In this episode:
- Joining the Marine Corps at 17 and serving in various roles including as a martial arts instructor
- Transitioning to civilian life to help raise his niece and nephew, following his uncle’s footsteps
- Becoming the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree
- Founding a nonprofit called Embrace Process that offers Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scholarships to at-risk youth
- Creating Forward Brands to solve the problem of founders spending marketing dollars without clear brand strategy
Key takeaways:
- Dreaming is easy, execution is hard – especially when building your own business
- Brand strategy must focus on customers, competitors, positioning, messaging, and touchpoints
- A brand is ultimately a “gut feeling” that should be clear and consistent across all platforms
- Marketing leadership is about guiding clients toward clarity, even when they get busy
- In entrepreneurship, you’re never going to have it all figured out – be ready to make decisive decisions in real time
Guest: Reggie Ordonez, Founder & CEO of Forward Brands, Former Marine Corps Veteran, Former Marketing Director and COO of Bunker Labs, MBA in Entrepreneurship and Marketing
Reggie Ordonez serves as the Program Director at Warrior Rising, an organization supporting veteran entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, and funding opportunities. After leaving the Marine Corps in 2016, Reggie earned his bachelor’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship with an emphasis in Economic Development from Belmont University, followed by an MBA with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Marketing from the University of Arizona.
Before founding Ford Brands, Reggie was the founding director of a Veteran Business Outreach Center serving Tennessee and Kentucky, and later served as Marketing Director and COO at Bunker Labs. His company, Forward Brands, helps founders develop clear brand strategies focused on customers, competitors, positioning, messaging, and touchpoints to generate more revenue and build their American dream.
In addition to his business ventures, Reggie runs a nonprofit called Embrace Process, which provides Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scholarships to at-risk youth and families with limited financial resources, helping develop character, discipline, and resilience.
Looking ahead: Reggie recently launched a five-week brand strategy sprint program where founders can work together to develop their brand strategy, with personalized guidance to fine-tune each element of their strategy.
The MILCOM Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from successful veteran entrepreneurs.
Sponsored by: One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com
Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at https://www.milcomfounders.com/scholarship/