ABOUT SEAN BUCHANAN

Please describe your service to our country: I spent 21 years on active duty and 4 years in the National Guard. I started in the Infantry and then after I came back from Iraq in 03, I went to SFQC to become an SF Engineer. I was assigned to 1st SFG(A) in FT Lewis. I deployed twice more to Iraq. I finished my career working in the Force Mod office as a Combat Developer, which is where I made my contacts in the firearm industry.

Injuries, if any? Yes, I am a disabled veteran.

When did you retire? I retired in Oct 2013.

Please describe what the SOF brotherhood means to you: It means belonging to something bigger than yourself. I know it sounds like a cliché, however, you are always accepted by your SOF brother, even when you completely disagree. We are men you can count on to have your back and stand with you through anything. It also means you belong to a group that can accomplish anything they set their mind to, and will help their brothers achieve their goals and dreams.

How has the transition from warfighter to civilian gone? I think I was a little luckier than some, I had been interfacing with the members of the defense industry when I retired so I started working for SIG SAUER right after I retired. Because there are many members of the SOF community that work in the firearm industry, there was a feeling of familiarity there. An added benefit of working at SIG is it helped me figure out that I really did not like the corporate workspace.

What is the name of the business you started? My wife and I started Beckard LLC as the parent company, and under it we have Caveman Apothecary, which is men’s grooming products, Bubble and Foam, ladies’ spa products, and Beckard General Store, which carries other items I like to make, as well as uniquely procured items we find during our travels or other items that I and other small business owners/artists create.

When did you start it? We started the company in January of 2017.

Why did you start this company? Caveman Apothecary started because my wife got tired of my scratchy beard and my um…less than optimal grooming habits. I guess when you spend your entire career as a soldier in the field with the benefit of relaxed grooming standards, you don’t think too much about whether your beard is soft…or if your skin is moisturized. Whatever. Anyway, when I retired from the Army a few years ago and had way too much time on my hands, I started growing the face fur. Or it could be that the hair I had on my head migrated to my beard. I needed something to keep the beard in check, and that evolved to experimenting with soap and body scrubs – you know, things that guys can use whether in the field, downrange, or before a night on the town with that special someone.

Please describe your products/services: Hand crafted grooming and shaving products for men. Additionally, we do custom formulations of some of our products for fellow GBs that can’t use other commercial products because of negative reactions to common chemicals.

Where is it located? Beaverton, OR

What does this company mean to you/why is it important? We created the businesses to fill a need in the market for handmade, small batch products, as well as provide an outlet to normalize a retired soldier, serve our community, and ultimately leave a legacy for our children.

What have been some challenges as an entrepreneur? We have had to learn a lot about internet marketing! There are so many tips and tricks and lessons to learn, and you have to learn it at the speed of the internet – which means there’s no time to waste.

What is the best part of being an entrepreneur? Ideally, that we’ll be able to work totally for ourselves and set our schedule, expand our business, and grow in a way you can’t when working for someone else. We’ve had the opportunity to meet other great veteran entrepreneurs, and we love growing our network.

How did your SOF career prepare you for what you are doing now? (In what ways have you drawn on your experiences as a SOF soldier in your business life?) I think in the planning, thinking differently about how to approach the business, as well as ability to learn the new technical skills required to make the business successful.

What do you offer the consumer not only through your business, but also through your expertise as a SOF Veteran? Our products are handmade in our shop here in the USA. We do not believe in mass production or relying on excessive foreign imports. Each item we create (with the exception of our bath/body products) is one of a kind, and we take pride in being able to create customized items/commissioned items for the military community.

Who has influenced you as an entrepreneur? My wife has, as well as other veteran entrepreneurs, also the book “The E-Myth Revisited,” by Michael E. Gerber, which does a fantastic job at helping explain how to make small business ownership work.

Family? We are a blended family of 7.

Why do you live where you live? We moved to Utah for work and the ability to obtain custody of my youngest son. Afterwards, we relocated to Beaverton, OR for a new career opportunity for the wife.

Favorite food? Beef and bacon

Favorite place in the world? Anywhere with my wife

Pets? We have four rescue dogs.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Play with the dogs, watch you tube videos on how to make anything and everything

Words you live by (ethos)? I try and follow the Noble eightfold path, Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, and don’t stand by when something needs to be done.