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Advancing The Line for Veterans & Families
Senior Leader Track | ATLVets — Veteran Entrepreneurship & Business Acquisition
ATLVets Leadership Institute · Senior Leader Track

Build It.
Or Buy It.

Two paths. One program. Current business owners scale through peer cohort, mentorship, and accountability. Veterans without a business enter the Patriot Growth Capital acquisition pipeline and step into ownership of a proven company.

A
For Current Business Owners

Build Your
Company.

You've started something. You have revenue, customers, maybe a team. What you need is a high-caliber peer group, experienced mentorship, and a structure that holds you accountable to the growth you know is possible — but haven't been able to lock in alone.

The Senior Leader Track is not a class. It's an operating environment — built around the same principles that made you effective in uniform: peer accountability, standards, feedback, and execution.

Ideal Candidate — Path A
Current business owners who already have a business and are looking to grow it. Solution-oriented, open to mentorship, and willing to implement recommendations — not just receive them. You bring opportunities to the group, not complaints.
You have an existing business with revenue
You're open to accountability and honest feedback from peers
You implement — not just listen
You're solution-oriented, not complaint-driven
You can commit to the monthly structure and quarterly retreat
Apply to Path A →
B
For Veterans Without a Business

Acquire a
Company.

You don't have a business yet — but you have the leadership experience, the operational discipline, and the drive to run one. The PGC path gives you a direct pipeline to step into ownership of a proven company with established customers, cash flow, and a team already in place.

The Senior Leader Track is the on-ramp. You develop the business fundamentals, build deal literacy, and get evaluated for placement. Patriot Growth Capital is the destination — a private equity firm that sources, structures, and supports acquisitions specifically for veterans stepping into the owner/operator role.

Ideal Candidate — Path B
Veterans with strong leadership experience who want business ownership but prefer to acquire a proven company rather than build from scratch. You understand that Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition is a rigorous process — not a shortcut — and you're prepared to earn the placement.
Strong military or civilian leadership background
Interest in business ownership through acquisition (ETA)
Willing to engage seriously with deal evaluation and underwriting
Understanding that placement is earned, not given
Committed to the SLT program as the required on-ramp
Learn About the PGC Path →
Program Structure

What the
Program
Actually Looks Like.

The Senior Leader Track runs on a monthly cadence with two virtual sessions, one 1-on-1 coaching session, and quarterly in-person retreats. This is not a seminar. It's an operating rhythm — built to create pressure, accountability, and momentum every single month.

01
Every 2nd Wednesday · Virtual · 9:15–10:30am
Workshops
Education sessions aligned to the quarterly focus topic. Q1 2026: Sales & Strategy. These are not lectures — they're working sessions where you apply what you're learning to your actual business in real time.
02
Every 4th Wednesday · Virtual · 9:15–10:30am
Hotseats
You bring a real business or personal challenge to the group and receive direct, unfiltered feedback and guidance from peers and mentors. This is where excuses die and solutions get built. No passive observers — everyone engages.
03
1× Per Month · Scheduled by Member
1-on-1 Coaching
A private mentorship session with one of the ATLVets-provided mentors — experienced operators and industry leaders who have built, bought, and scaled real companies. You set the agenda. They hold you to it.
04
Once Per Quarter · In-Person · Weekend Intensive
Retreats
The entire cohort comes together in person for a weekend of deep learning, community building, and strategic work. This is where the real breakthroughs happen. The environment, the people, and the intensity produce results that four hours of Zoom cannot.
No Graduation.
The Senior Leader Track continues as long as you need it. There is no finish line — just the next level. Members are evaluated quarterly for continued involvement based on engagement and execution.
Apply Now →
Membership & Expectations

This Program
Is Earned.

The Senior Leader Track is not free — and that's intentional. Earned development is valued. Free programs are forgotten. The equated value of this program is $500/month, contributed to ATLVets through financial contribution or volunteer hours.

This is the ATLVets earned model applied to the highest-level program we offer. You invest in it. You show up. You implement. You grow. And every dollar contributed funds the broader veteran mission.

Apply to Join →
$500
Equated Monthly Value
Contributed to ATLVets via financial contribution or volunteer hours — your choice. Either way, it's a monthly commitment. Every contribution funds veteran leadership development programs across all six ATLVets tracks.
Application + Interview Required
Enrollment opens at the end of each quarter. Prospects apply, are interviewed, and join at the beginning of the next quarter. Not everyone gets in — and that's the point.
Quarterly Evaluation
Each member is evaluated quarterly for continued involvement. Engagement and execution are the standards. Passive membership is not an option.
Members Recruit Members
Each member is encouraged to recruit future prospects for the program. The cohort stays elite because the people in it take ownership of who joins next.
Small Cohort by Design
The Senior Leader Track runs in small cohorts. Everyone knows each other, everyone is accountable to each other, and there is nowhere to hide.
The Acquisition Path · Path B

Skip the Startup.
Buy a Business.

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is one of the most powerful — and least known — paths to business ownership for veterans. Instead of building from zero, you step into a proven company with existing customers, cash flow, and a team that already operates.

Patriot Growth Capital sources, structures, and supports acquisitions specifically for veterans stepping into the owner/operator role. The Senior Leader Track is the required on-ramp — it's where you build the business fundamentals and prove you're ready to lead at the ownership level.

1
Apply to ATLVets Senior Leader Track
The SLT is the required first step for the PGC path. You develop business fundamentals, build deal literacy, and demonstrate operator readiness before any acquisition conversation begins.
2
Complete the Program & Get Evaluated
Quarterly evaluations determine readiness for the PGC pipeline. This is not automatic — it's earned through demonstrated capability, engagement, and execution inside the cohort.
3
Enter the PGC Pipeline
Qualified SLT members are referred to Patriot Growth Capital for deal sourcing, evaluation, and structured acquisition support. PGC provides strategic guidance through the full acquisition process.
4
Step Into Ownership
You become an owner/operator of a proven company — leading people, executing a mission, and building long-term wealth. The mission continues in a different uniform.
Patriot Growth Capital
Private Equity
Built for Veterans.

PGC is a private equity firm focused exclusively on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition for veterans and veteran family members. They contribute 5% of profits directly to ATLVets programs — so every acquisition they make funds the broader veteran development mission.

Proof of Concept · 2025
Ben Buzek — ATLVets Senior Leader Track member — became the first veteran placed in a PGC acquisition as an owner/operator. Recognized at the 2025 ATLVets Thanksgiving Gala.
Learn About PGC →
Zack A. Knight, MBA — Founder, ATLVets
A Note From the Founder
"I Needed This
Program. It Didn't Exist.
So I Built It."

I'm an entrepreneur built through iterations, not instant success. My journey hasn't been a straight line — it's been shaped by learning in public, taking calculated risks, and refining my approach through real wins, real setbacks, and the discipline to keep moving forward.

Over time, I've evolved from executing ideas to building systems, leading teams, and developing programs that help veterans and high-performing leaders step into business ownership and long-term impact. I believe entrepreneurship isn't a moment — it's a continuous process of growth, adaptation, and accountability.

That's why I built this program. I was medically retired and couldn't find what I needed. No peer group of operators who understood the military-to-ownership transition. No mentors who could translate leadership experience into business execution. No structure that held me accountable the way the military had.

Now it exists. And if you're a veteran who has been looking for what I was looking for — this is it.

Learn More About Zack's Journey →
Zack A. Knight, MBAFounder & Chair, ATLVets Inc.
Ready to Advance the Line?

Applications
Now Open.

Enrollment opens at the end of each quarter. Apply now and you'll be considered for the next cohort. Every applicant goes through an interview before joining — because the quality of the cohort is the quality of the program.

1
Submit Your ApplicationComplete the ATLVets program application — tell us about your business, your goals, and which path you're pursuing.
2
InterviewEvery applicant is interviewed before joining. The cohort stays elite because we're selective about who enters it.
3
Join the Next CohortEnrollment starts at the beginning of each quarter. You'll receive your onboarding materials, mentor assignment, and first session schedule.
4
ExecuteTwo virtual sessions per month, one 1-on-1 coaching session, and a quarterly retreat. The structure is set. What you do with it is up to you.
What You Get
When You're In.
Monthly workshops aligned to quarterly focus topic
Monthly hotseat sessions — real feedback on real problems
1-on-1 monthly coaching with experienced operators
Quarterly in-person retreat — weekend intensive
High-caliber peer cohort of veteran entrepreneurs
Access to the Patriot Growth Capital acquisition pipeline (Path B)
Operator playbooks, KPI scorecards, and execution systems
No graduation — the program runs as long as you need it
Program value: $500/month, contributed to ATLVets through financial contribution or volunteer hours. Enrollment opens end of each quarter. Interview required. Quarterly evaluation for continued involvement.

Stay tuned for more and let us know how we can assist you!

Are you ready to Advance The Line?