#veteranbusinessowner

If you are looking for a lesson on shrimp, Thom Favorin is the teacher you need. As Founder and CEO of Harvest Moon Seafood, Thom and his crew supply all natural, chemical–free, sustainably caught Florida Pink, Atlantic White, and Royal Red Shrimp. They believe in bringing back local and naturally sourced product from great Florida fisheries to not only Florida restaurants, but people across the nation.

Having a relationship with the Captains themselves, Harvest Moon provides sea to table fresh seafood. They are a 100% disabled veteran owned business providing the best product possible. A portion of their sales go back to fellow veterans and they partner with HEAVENDROPt, a nonprofit that employs disabled veterans and civilians to help give them purpose in their lives. They accomplish this by providing employment opportunities to these two segments of our population.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Thom spent ten years in the Army before being medically discharged after an airborne incident where he broke his back. He became a medic firefighter for the next 20 years. After having a severe heart attack and subsequent triple heart bypass, he retired and started his entrepreneurship with Harvest Moon Seafood LLC. Believe it or not, Thom used to HATE seafood! After his surgery, his taste buds changed and now he cannot get enough of it!

Thom can tell you everything you ever needed to know about shrimp. For instance, did you know that there are over 300 different species of shrimp? While only a small portion are available commercially, each one has its own flavor profile. White shrimp have a sweeter flavor profile, while pink shrimp are the common one you see behind the seafood counter. If you like lobster, rock shrimp or royal red shrimp are great for their firm texture and you can even substitute them for lobster as a more affordable option.

Thom heard about our CEO Mindset course through one of our partners, Veterans Florida, and felt it was exactly what his business needed at the time. Finding out he was “too nice of a guy”, he realized he needed to step up in the CEO role

of his company and start taking control of what he needed for his business to succeed. “It was an amazing course with so much knowledge, and the energy throughout the whole group of participants was just amazing. The information was out there but you just didn’t realize or think of it on a regular basis when running your company.”

Soon after taking the course, COVID took a toll on restaurants, taking Thom’s production from 30 restaurants to just 2. Thom felt the anxiety most of the population was struggling with, “What do I do now? What is my plan B?” They pivoted to online home delivery and business took off. They will soon introduce an ecommerce website to be able to ship Florida seafood nationwide. After 7 months of hard work and collaboration, Thom and Harvest Moon Seafood have partnered with Jackson and Partners, a sales and marketing team that gives back to Veterans. 22% of Harvest Moon Seafood’s gross net sales gives back to the HEAVENDROPt program.

In his spare time, Thom loves going to the beach with his family, his wife of 28 years and two beautiful daughters ages 24 and 16. JULO loves your generosity towards your fellow Veterans, Thom. It’s amazing to see how far you have come in your journey to success. We congratulate you on everything you have accomplished and can’t wait to see your business thrive!

Bryan Jacobs - Vets 2 Success Navy veteran, and founder of Vets 2 Success, this Chef gives back to his fellow veterans and the community every day. Bryan’s and Vets 2 Success’s work supports homeless and displaced Veterans. They help them find passion and purpose through food and brew programs. He is humble, kind, and super talented! Please do check out Vets 2 Success online and sponsor a military veteran or 2, shop amazing products, and donate to support up-and-coming veteran chefs!

Bryan is also the founder of Reveille Meals. This is a food delivery service located in Bradenton, FL. He and his team prepare chef inspired meals using local farmers and markets. A portion of the proceeds goes to Vets 2 Success to help them to continue their non-profit mission. You can change a military veteran’s life for the better by doing what you love to do…EAT! ORDER UP!!

He enrolled in the JULO Strategy programs through Veterans Florida to refocus his mindset and actions to growing his business from the inside out. His most rewarding experiences have been the networking and new relationships that he’s building as well as his newfound ability to focus, hold himself accountable, and set deadlines only for the things that will help him to reach his goals.

Some of Bryan’s “A-ha” moments: Bryan Jacobs - Reveille Meals Strengths A-ha Moment

They (the programs) really opened my eyes and helped me to understand and embrace my strengths and overcome my weaknesses. I also learned that we should celebrate even the little accomplishments!

Chef Bryan successfully completed the JULO Strategy CEO Mindset™ programs Phase I and II recently. His other “claim to fame” so far is that he’s been featured on Guy’s Grocery Games – with Guy Fieri! Bryan Jacobs - Salute the Troops Grocery Games We can’t wait to see where Bryan’s missions will take him and all the veterans he serves!