Sam Mackey admits he isn’t always the smartest or strongest guy in the room but he puts in the work.  His philosophy is “To find something that I can do better than everybody else and take enough responsibility where I can’t be replaced and do it the best that I can.” Mackey served 20 years in the military including time with the elite Navy SEALs. He never thought he would be an entrepreneur but is now the CEO of Outsider, an outdoor lifestyle brand.

Mackey’s entry into the military was rather un-auspicious. He had gotten mixed up with the wrong crowd.  His parole officer suggested joining the military in order to get off probation.

He was injured during his first BUDS class and failed the timed run. He was rolled back but was placed in the immediate next class. Due to his injury he failed again and washed out. Mackey would not give up. He worked his way through the arduous re-application process and eventually returned and graduated.

Mackey secured a sniper spot with the teams. His “15 minutes of fame” came while deployed with a Lithuanian Special Forces team. During that mission, he NEARLY recorded the longest kill shot on record; at a distance of nearly 1.5 miles. However, review showed that his shot was so close it caused the target to reposition, allowing another sniper to finish him off. He disagreed with the proposition that the days of the sniper are numbered. “There always needs to be a human behind the rifle.”

Mackey met NFL stand out quarterback Jay Cutler when he was asked to come speak to some NFL players.  They became friends and discovered that they both shared a love of the outdoors. When Jay offered him a position with Outsider, Mackey jumped in with both feet, eventually rising to the position of CEO. They currently sell drinkware and apparel, including a patented rotating handle cup that fits in any holder.

TAKEAWAY: Mackey believes that because of the adaptability and innovation required while serving in Special Forces, it is the ideal “breeding ground” for entrepreneurs.