Black Rifle Coffee Podcast

In this episode, we sit down for a deep dive into beef, business, ranching, veteran opportunity, and what it actually takes to build a start-to-finish American cattle operation. We talk with the team behind Little Belt Cattle Company about how they built a 100% Montana-raised beef program, why restaurants became their core business, the truth about dry aging vs wet aging, how USDA labeling can confuse customers, and why food security matters more than most people realize.   We also get into the transition from the military to agriculture, the parallels between ranching and special operations, and how veteran internship programs are helping build the next generation of producers.   Topics include: • Building a direct-to-consumer and restaurant beef business • Wet aging vs dry aging • Steak cuts, seasoning, and cooking methods • Why reverse sear works so well • Cattle production from calf to finished beef • The real reasons beef prices have gone up • USDA labeling confusion and “Product of USA” • Veteran pathways into agriculture • Why food supply is national security

Join us for a compelling episode with Henry Sledge, author and son of Eugene Sledge, to discuss his book The Old Breed. Henry shares intimate insights into his father’s experiences as a Marine in World War II, immortalized in Eugene’s iconic memoir With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. Through heartfelt storytelling, Henry explores the enduring impact of his father’s legacy, the challenges of documenting a deeply personal history, and the timeless lessons of courage, sacrifice, and resilience that continue to resonate today. Tune in for a poignant conversation that bridges generations and honors the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation.    

This week on the Black Rifle Coffee Podcast, Logan Stark sits down with AG Gregoroff, founder of Toehold Flip Flops, for one of the most wild and jaw-dropping conversations we’ve had yet. AG opens up about growing up in a violent gang-infested neighborhood, selling guns as a teenager, and facing 16 years in prison after a corrupt drug raid changed his life forever. After two years behind bars, he walked free and built a life defined by obsession, discipline, and legacy. Now the founder of one of the most premium flip flop companies on the planet, AG shares how his father’s final words fueled a mission he refuses to quit. If you’re an entrepreneur, a veteran, or someone chasing redemption this episode is a must listen. TOPICS COVERED: ● Growing up surrounded by violence and addiction ● Wrongful charges, jail time, and fighting for justice ● Why obsessive craftsmanship drives Toehold’s success ● Military contracting and training Marines in survivability ● Finding peace in the ocean and purpose through pain ● Legacy, fatherhood, and building something that lasts   TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Psychotically Obsessed with Perfecting Everything in Life 04:41 – Growing Up in Vista, CA: Gangs, Cows, and Condos 19:23 – Teen Gun Sales, Mormon Disguise, and Street Smarts 23:51 – Getting Raided and Facing 16 Years in Prison 27:44 – Life in Jail: Surviving Violence and Corrupt Systems 31:15 – Prison Rules, Stabbings, and the Cost of Integrity 35:08 – Getting Out and Starting Over with Nothing 39:02 – Becoming a Military Contractor and Security Pro 42:21 – Training Marines for Survival in Helicopter Crashes 46:09 – Developing the Art of Situational Awareness 50:44 – Jiu-Jitsu as a Lifeline Inside and Outside of Jail 55:37 – The Apple Store Job That Shifted AG’s Focus 59:55 – AG’s Father Passes Away: A Message That Changed Everything 01:04:33 – Building Toehold from Grief, Purpose, and Obsession 01:09:10 – What It Takes to Make Something Truly Great 01:14:44 – AG on Legacy, Faith, and Doing Hard Things 01:21:03 – Why He’ll Never Sell Out—And Doesn’t Care if You Buy 01:28:17 – Final Thoughts: Work Ethic, Redemption, and Purpose

In this episode, Dakota sits down with a Medal of Honor recipient who made an unusual decision at 37: reenlist in the Marine Corps and pursue Recon. They break down the moment that sparked the commitment, what it’s like going back through the pipeline, why today’s Marines are more capable than people think, and the leadership gaps that need fixing. They also talk legacy, fatherhood, PTSD as an injury that can heal, and why belief and hope still matter.

Since the last time he was on, a lot has changed. Dagan launched the Nomadic Research podcast out of Dixon, Illinois and went all in on building something of his own. Rural northwest Illinois, limestone bluffs, the Rock River, big whitetails, and just enough distance from Chicago to keep your sanity intact. Not a bad place to build a studio and start the next chapter. Evan and Dagan get into the why behind it. Why Illinois. Why leave a long career. Why step out and start talking publicly after years of working inside one of the largest and most misunderstood organizations in the country. Dagan walks through his background growing up in a Marine family, doing 12 years in the Corps across infantry and reconnaissance billets, then making the jump to the Agency where he and Evan worked together for years. They talk candidly about the difference between the tactical side of the house and where the real strategic decisions get made, the infamous seventh floor, and what it is like to be a small cog inside a 23,000 person machine. There is humor, a few shots at California, some perspective on career pivots, and a real look at professional evolution from Marine to operator to podcaster and business owner. This one is about reinvention, loyalty to where you came from, and figuring out what comes next when you have already done a few lifetimes worth of work. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in.