# Event Details - **Event Name**: Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service - **Event Start and End Date**: Mon, 05 Oct, 2026 at 05:00 pm (-06:00) - **Event Description**: Open to all and FREE to attend! We believe that great things don’t happen in a vacuum, and we encourage everyone to venture out to network at Chance Meetings. What does it take to go from commanding troops to commanding a boardroom? For veterans who've made the leap into entrepreneurship, the answer often comes down to the same skills that kept them sharp in uniform: discipline, adaptability, and a deep commitment to mission. Join us for a Chance Meetings panel featuring four members of our community whose military careers have shaped the way they build, lead, and serve. Todd Hanna, a decorated Marine Corps Captain with two combat tours in Iraq, has spent years guiding startups and early-stage companies through growth as founder of Belay On Advisors, and has held leadership roles at organizations like Kate's Real Food and Vertical Harvest. Matt Adkins, founder of Mountaineer Spirits and a former Army infantry commander in the 10th Mountain Division, is channeling his operational background into building a sustainability-driven whiskey brand in the Tetons. Eric Bressler, founder of Alpine Infrastructure, is tackling avalanche mitigation with remote technology used at resorts like Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Alta. And Lauren Gurney, an Army Major who has spent 21 years flying UH-60 Black Hawks (often as the maintenance test pilot who takes the aircraft up after it's been taken apart to make sure it still flies), has kept a second career going in the kitchen the whole time, from owning Cocopelli Chocolatier in Santa Fe to baking for Dornan's and Jackson Cake Co. She's now bringing that same systems mindset to her next venture. Whether you've served, started a company, or are simply curious about what drives people to take big risks for a bigger purpose, this conversation has something for you. Our panelists will dig into the lessons that carry over from military life to business, the challenges that don't come with a playbook, and why a mission-driven mindset matters for any entrepreneur. You don't need a startup or a military background to walk away with something valuable. Come ready to listen and connect. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/jackson/chance-meetings-from-service-to-startupmission-driven-lessons-from-military-service/200030752294933 - **Event Categories**: business, meetups - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 5 ## Ticket Details ## Event venue details - **city**: Jackson - **state**: WY - **country**: United States - **location**: The Virginian Lodge - **lat**: 43.4742 - **long**: -110.77758 - **full address**: The Virginian Lodge, 740 W Broadway Ave, Jackson, WY 83001-8645, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/f2b8f2e95349e449f170c7e9b296ff32d37077e05143f2410213b7ffdc13d80a-rimg-w1200-h628-dc3898a8-gmir?v=1790705478 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service being held? - **A:** Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service takes place on Mon, 05 Oct, 2026 at 05:00 pm to Mon, 05 Oct, 2026 at 05:00 pm at The Virginian Lodge, 740 W Broadway Ave, Jackson, WY 83001-8645, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service ? - **A:** Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service is organized by Silicon Couloir. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service is ideal for professionals, entrepreneurs, startup founders, and networking enthusiasts eager to grow their connections. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Jackson, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Chance Meetings: From Service to Startup—Mission-Driven Lessons from Military Service", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/f2b8f2e95349e449f170c7e9b296ff32d37077e05143f2410213b7ffdc13d80a-rimg-w1200-h628-dc3898a8-gmir?v=1790705478", "startDate": "2026-10-05T17:00:00-06:00", "url": "https://allevents.in/jackson/chance-meetings-from-service-to-startupmission-driven-lessons-from-military-service/200030752294933", "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "The Virginian Lodge", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "740 W Broadway Ave, Jackson, WY 83001-8645, United States", "addressLocality": "Jackson", "addressRegion": "WY", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "43.4742", "longitude": "-110.77758" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Open to all and FREE to attend! We believe that great things don’t happen in a vacuum, and we encourage everyone to venture out to network at Chance Meetings.\n\nWhat does it take to go from commanding troops to commanding a boardroom? For veterans who've made the leap into entrepreneurship, the answe", "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Silicon Couloir", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/silicon-couloir/12935590", "description": "Silicon Couloir, Jackson. 1,255 followers · 67 talking about this. Silicon Couloir is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to empower entrepreneurship in..." } ] } ] ```