Mr. Hernán Luis y Prado founded Workshops for Warriors, a non-profit school, to provide free training in advanced-manufacturing skills to veterans, wounded warriors and transitioning service members.
To help fund the operations of his non-profit, Hernan started VetPowered, a HUBZone-certified and service-disabled, veteran-owned small business dedicated to bringing advanced manufacturing back to America, one veteran at a time. Today, VetPowered employs 26 full-time staff in San Diego. The company has doubled its revenue every year since 2009.
In 2013, the White House recognized Hernán as a Champion of Change for Workshops for Warriors’ achievements transitioning military veterans into advanced-manufacturing careers. In 2017, the San Diego Business Journal recognized Hernán as Most Admired CEO in San Diego.
We spoke to Hernán to learn how he navigated his path to success. We hope his story inspires more veterans to become entrepreneurs.
Why did you decide to enlist in the Navy?
I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but grew up in France. I petitioned to become a U.S. citizen. I enlisted in the Navy the same day that I received my U.S. citizenship.
I wanted to join the U.S. Navy because the U.S. military is the only one in the history of humanity that has never systematically engaged in rape, plunder or genocide. America is the only nation that is governed by an idea, which is expressed in the Constitution, and not a person or bloodline. That was something I wanted to support.
My goal was to go to medical school and retire from the Navy as a medical doctor after 30 or 40 years.
How did the military change you?
I grew up in France and was pretty snobby. I was disconnected from war and physical hardship. I didn’t enjoy sweating. That got knocked out of me my first year in the Navy supporting the First Marine Division.
The military was a great training ground for me. It was really an introduction into street smarts. You can be academically gifted, but completely ignorant of how to apply that knowledge to real-world situations.
What skills did you develop in the military?
The military trained me to figure out how to do things — how to get the rubber to the road. It might not be pretty or perfect, but keep moving forward. A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed tomorrow. In the military, you engage your brain in every single task you perform. You develop a plan and execute it. You don’t walk into anything blindly. If a plan doesn’t work, you have your alternative plan or you have that rigorous thought process that can help you get to the solution you want while minimizing risk.
What motivated you to start Workshops for Warriors?
As a Hospital Corpsman, I developed a strong bond with the Marines I served. One in particular, John Jones, had a profound effect on me.
I met John in 1996 during a field exercise in California. It was 104 degrees outside and a lot of Marines were falling out of our march due to sun stroke or heat exhaustion. I was trying to mitigate this risk. I advised the Marines to apply sunscreen early, but they ignored me. I was particularly concerned about John because he was fair-skinned. I implored John to put on sunscreen, but he refused. So, of course, I wrestled him to the ground so I could apply sunscreen to his face. That’s how our friendship began.
The Navy commissioned me to be the Operations Officer of the USS FIREBOLT (PC 10). I deployed to Iraq where I met John, now Staff Sergeant Jones. I hadn’t seen him for four years. I told John that I wanted to introduce him to my girlfriend when we got back home. Every time I pulled into Kuwait Naval Base, I hung out with John.
After I rotated back to the U.S., I lost touch with John. I was working at the U.S. Naval Observatory and going to the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center every week. I saw Marines who were injured in Iraq. I remember how shocking it was. A lot of people have a glorified, Hollywood idea of what war is.
I saw these guys in Bethesda waiting for treatment while their girlfriends, spouses and children were on the West Coast. This became such a struggle that some of them committed suicide. I started losing more friends to suicide than to bombs and bullets overseas. At the time, I thought, “Oh my gosh, I’ve got to do something.” But I didn’t know what to do.
I was working six days a week at the Naval Observatory and volunteering at the National Naval Medical Center’s orthopedics ward. I performed surgeries; most of them were amputations of limbs. I was devastated, but it didn’t galvanize me into action.
As the Marines convalesced, I would talk to them. I’d invite them to my house where they would congregate in the garage. They asked me to get equipment: drill presses, bandsaws and welding machines so they could work on projects. It was easier than talking about how they felt without their limbs.
One day in 2005, I was at the mall with my girlfriend, Rachel. I heard a guy shout, “Doc.” It was John. He said, “Doc, I need you to be my best man on Friday at noon at the chapel.” I said, “Sure, no problem. Well, get up, buddy. Give me a hug.” John said, “I can’t.” It was only then that I realized that he was in a wheelchair. In Iraq, John had stepped on a double-stacked improvised explosive device (IED) and lost both of his legs.
I could barely contain my composure. I told John that I would be at his wedding. He turned around and left. I was so overwhelmed, my knees buckled and I sank to the ground. I grabbed my girlfriend’s elbow and said, “We’re going to sell everything we have and create a school for veterans.” My girlfriend, Rachel, agreed. She has played a crucial role in Workshops for Warriors’ launch, growth and metrics-driven results.
That day changed my life. Before then, I planned to stay in the Navy until they kicked me out.
How many veterans has Workshops for Warriors trained?
We have graduated 421 service members. After four months of training, they have all been placed in advanced-manufacturing careers with an average salary of $60,000 a year.
Why did you decide to start bidding on federal-government contracts?
I needed money to fund the school. In 2008, Workshops for Warriors’ operating expenses were about $10,000 a month. I was a Lieutenant in the Navy, so that was more than my salary. In the beginning, Rachel and I were funding all of the non-profit’s expenses.
VetPowered’s first contract supported NAVSEA’s Southwest Regional Maintenance Center providing equipment-repair services. We started with a $2,500 credit-card job. That grew into a $60,000 job, then a $500,000 job and ultimately a $30 million contract.
Is there anything that blindsided you about federal-government contracting?
Cash-flow can kill a small business. When you get your first government contract, you have to be very careful about the rate at which you spend money. You need to prepare for the inevitable two-to-three months’ delay in payment that will happen at first because you probably didn’t fill out a form correctly or know how to navigate the system.
What advice do you have for veterans interested in becoming entrepreneurs?
Get a mentor. I have been blessed to have some incredibly great people help me. Dick Eger, SAIC’s former president; Ed Murphy, SAIC’s former CFO; and Marc Edwards, a philanthropist; have provided exceptional advice, support and friendship.
What advice do you have for small businesses interested in selling to the federal government?
Talk to Small Business Professionals. Faye Esaias, SPAWAR’s Director of Small Business Programs, and Mark McLain, SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific’s Deputy Director of Small Business Programs, are amazing. Small Business Professionals helped me cut through the noise. When you start a small business, you think, “Here I am. The government should come to me.” It doesn’t work that way. You have to figure out how you can help them meet their needs. Faye and Mark helped me identify government clients that are buying VetPowered’s products and services.
Emily Harman, the Department of the Navy’s Director of Small Business Programs, is a tremendous supporter of small business integration and sponsors national events, including Gold Coast, that are very helpful for small businesses seeking work with the federal government.
What advice do you have for a small business that just won its first federal-government contract?
Don’t keep secrets from your customer. If you tell your customer you’re going to have something done by Dec. 2 and you know you’re not going to make it, let them know what’s going on and what you’re doing to rectify the situation. Don’t keep them guessing. Bad things happen to everyone. Communicate early, often and truthfully.
What is VetPowered’s mission?
I describe VetPowered as America’s advanced-manufacturing force. Our goal is to help rebuild America’s manufacturing base with veterans. In the military, we were trained to go overseas and train people. I thought we could use that same model to teach veterans how to be manufacturers, machinists, welders and fabricators. I want to revitalize factories and towns and make America the world’s leader in green manufacturing.
What legacy do you want to leave?
One hundred and fifty years from now, I want people to look back and say that San Diego and Workshops for Warriors were the birthplace of America’s green manufacturing renaissance.
Is there anything about you that most people don’t know?
In France, I was a lead singer in a cover band, An American Band. We played songs by the Beatles, Guns and Roses and the Rolling Stones.
