John Ballenger is no stranger to success. He’s also a great reminder that anything can be accomplished with dedication and drive.
For the last 20 years, John Ballenger has been a valued member of the Marine Corps, with career highlights including working as a presidential pilot flying Marine One helicopters for Presidents Trump and Biden.
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Now, though, he has taken a bold leap of faith.
He left the Marines and moved into real estate development with his business Aspire Development Group, specializing in developing high-growth areas and urban communities in Colorado and Oklahoma. While the Marines were tough, he’s the first to admit the transition into entrepreneurship has been far more brutal.
John Ballenger
Ballenger, who also offers personal coaching services through 8:28 Ventures, is backed by his Marine Corps experience in which he provided leadership and management across strategic planning, operations administration, logistics, policy development, and aviation maintenance.
And while he’s driven to succeed, he’s also the first to admit it’s not easy. He’s lived a life plagued by tragedy and has had to work hard to overcome personal and professional battles to get where he is.
He lost his mother, aunt, and grandfather to suicide, and heartbreakingly, he also lost his daughter at eighty-six days old just before deploying to Kabul, Afghanistan, for 8 months. And while the tragedy never goes away, he believes we are all products of our experiences, and if you have the right belief systems in place, this can give you an incredible advantage in life.
“It’s these stories that make me relatable so I can help others,” he says. “I don’t know what you’re going through specifically, but I understand what loss looks like and how negative aspects in life can derail you.”
Ballenger has faced many challenges during his transition into entrepreneurship, including adapting to civilian life and building a business from the ground up. He was also forced to find his footing in the private sector, which was especially difficult for someone from a military background.
“It’s imposter syndrome,” he says. “There’s a lot of self-doubts, wondering what the hell am I doing jumping into real estate after flying helicopters for 20 years?”
“And while it’s hard to get over that limiting belief, I did it, and I continue to build and work up the business after starting from scratch.”
Despite these setbacks, Ballenger persevered, and his real estate and personal coaching businesses are both flourishing. For real estate, he specializes in developing high-growth areas through the 15-minute city model. This type of city planning access to resources quickly through biking or walking rather than through car dependence.
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Though it’s still early, Ballenger is confident his business will succeed, particularly as he understands the market and demand. He says, “It’s all about plugging yourself into the gaps”, determining what’s missing from his competitors, and providing a better product.
When it comes to helping others through coaching, he leverages his unique mix of military experience and personal resilience to encourage them to overcome fear or doubt.
“I’m here to help you get back up on that horse and keep going,” he says. “Because you are way more resilient than you think you are.”
Ballenger’s journey serves as an example of how hard work and dedication can help anyone overcome any obstacle. Through perseverance, he has managed to create a successful career in the private sector, proving it’s never too late to make a change.
He is living proof that no matter how difficult the transition may seem, success can be achieved if you stay focused and keep pushing through any obstacles on your path.
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