Fast 15: Brett Amerine

Brett Amerine likes to get things done.

A former U.S. Air Force captain, the military-man-turned-startup-advocate was taught the value of hard work early.

His father is Northwest Arkansas startup guru Jeff Amerine, and Brett Amerine was practically raised at work, he said — sleeping many nights on his dad’s office couch or in conference rooms.

“I saw all the hard work it took to put a roof over our head and food on the table,” he said.

At age 12, Amerine also learned “nothing worth doing in life is easy,” when he joined the workforce with a daily paper route. His family lived in Annapolis, Maryland, at the time because Jeff Amerine also was in the military.

During his own nearly five-year service, which ended in honorable discharge Jan. 7, Brett Amerine earned the Air Force Achievement medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award.

He also got an Ultimate Warrior Award for scoring perfect on multiple physical training tests and was awarded three times as unit company grade officer of the year.

In 2012, he was stationed in Los Angeles, where he led a team that analyzed the price point of rocket engines and identified waste that resulted in $92 million in savings — his proudest professional feat.

Amerine holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration (2009) and a master’s degree in operation management (2011) from the University of Arkansas. He’s also federally certified in contracting and program management.

At Startup Junkie, where his father is founding principal, Amerine is now in charge of day-to-day operations. This includes entrepreneur-to-investor networking opportunities, like the Natural State Angel Association, the latest of which he said boasted $150 million of net worth in the audience, and other programs, like ARK Challenge and G60 Pitch Contest.

For Amerine, the next step is to grow the footprint of the startup consulting firm. There are Startup Junkie facets in Louisiana and Kansas, but the plan is to establish entrepreneurial ecosystems in emerging regions in other states and, eventually, other countries.

“I’m driven by having a positive impact on the people around me,” he said. “I could be hit by a train tomorrow and have peace of mind.”