Cole Fackler joined Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour to talk about the road from competitive swimming and surfing to eleven deployments as a Navy SEAL, and from there into building GBRS Group. It is a conversation about what military service actually teaches someone about discipline, and how that translates once the uniform comes off.
Sean and Cole trace that arc directly — from his early years as an athlete, through the demands of BUD/S training and combat deployments, to the entrepreneurial instincts he has applied to mentoring the next generation through his company.
About Cole Fackler
Cole Fackler is a former U.S. Navy SEAL who deployed eleven times over the course of his military career, including protection details and raid operations. After leaving the military, he founded GBRS Group, a company built around training and mentorship for both veterans and civilians.
His background as a competitive swimmer and surfer before entering the military gives him a distinct perspective on physical and mental toughness, one he has carried into both his service record and his work building GBRS Group into a respected training organization.
What Cole Fackler and Sean Kelly Talked About
- How Cole Fackler's background in competitive swimming and surfing prepared him for military training
- His account of the demands of Hell Week and BUD/S compared to other forms of toughness he's tested
- Stories from his eleven deployments, including protection details and raid missions
- How his combat experience shaped his approach to building GBRS Group
- His perspective on mentoring the next generation of operators and entrepreneurs
- Reflections on how deployment affects families and the importance of support systems
- His take on translating military discipline into entrepreneurial success
Why This Conversation Matters
Cole Fackler's conversation with Sean Kelly offers a rare, grounded look at how military discipline actually carries over into building a business. For anyone interested in leadership under pressure, his path from the battlefield to founding GBRS Group is a compelling case study in resilience.
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube
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About Sean Kelly & the Digital Social Hour
Sean Kelly is an entrepreneur and the host of the Digital Social Hour, one of the fastest-growing interview podcasts in the world, where he sits down with entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and cultural voices for candid, long-form conversations. The show draws over 100 million views a month across platforms. Explore more guest features on SeanKelly.io.
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