From Army Ranger to The Apprentice Winner | Kelly Perdew
About this episode
Kelly Perdew discusses his journey from Army Ranger to winning The Apprentice and building a successful venture capital firm focused on veterans.
How does a West Point graduate and Army Ranger go from military service to winning The Apprentice and building one of the most successful veteran-focused venture capital firms in America? In this episode of Combat Story, AJ Pasciuti sits down with Kelly Perdew to discuss leadership, service, entrepreneurship, and the lessons that carried him from the U.S. Army to the national spotlight and beyond. Kelly shares his journey through West Point, Army Intelligence, and Ranger School before discussing the experience of competing on—and ultimately winning—Season 2 of The Apprentice . He reflects on the leadership lessons he learned in uniform, how military experience shaped his approach to business, and why veterans often possess unique advantages as entrepreneurs and leaders. The conversation also explores startup failures, venture capital, the founding of Moonshots Capital, and the importance of backing mission-driven founders who can thrive in uncertain environments. Throughout the discussion, Kelly offers practical insights on leadership, resilience, accountability, and what it takes to build successful teams both inside and outside the military. In this episode, we discuss: West…
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