Meet Leonard Casiple | Innovator at the Nexus of Development-Diplomacy-Defense-Global Water Supply

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leonard Casiple and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leonard, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

Global Experience: During my Army career in Special Forces, I realized that there are limitations to military action. I observed that we need more than just security. To truly thrive, communities need a strong economic engine, a fair political system, and a culture that is open to new ideas and change.

Medical Retirement:
I was medically retired due to injuries which kept me away from the workforce. When I healed, no one would hire me. I started Public Value LLC because of that painful experience. Maybe HR thought that I was unreliable or inconsistent I am definitely not one of those. I work hard. I immerse myself in my work. I don’t watch the clock. I create. I stay up later than most. I get up earlier than most. It was a painful experience, but I am now grateful because that event led me to start my own company.

Life-long Dream:
In retrospect, ever since I was a teenager, I have always wanted to become an entrepreneur. During my business research, I realized that there were gaps in the market that were not fully served. I saw that my global experience and multidimensional skill set would strengthen companies, governments, and communities. In totality, my experience allows me to “speak” the economic, political, governmental, diplomatic, social, and cultural language of any community and guide them to success.

Logo:
My company symbol represents grit, perseverance, and forward movement. It honors the many years when I could not walk and had to use crutches, or a walker, or a cane. I lived with intense physical pain. Despite all of the challenges, I chose to fall forward, to fail in order to succeed, one step, one hobble, at a time.

Name:
The name of my company, Public Value LLC, is a concept from Harvard University’s JFK School of Public Policy. Public value describes an organization or an activity that contributes positively to society.

The Focus:
One business offering is beneficial; however, I choose to offer value through multi-dimensional solutions for my clients. After all, everything we do is touched by economics, water, diplomacy, and security.

Why the .space, and not a .com domain?
First, Water evaporates up to the sky, a “space” in the atmosphere. Precipitation falls back to Earth as rain. Secondly, the U.S. Space Force is a newly-formed organization. Space remains an unexplored frontier. In the future, Public Value LLC will become a major service provider for the Space Force. Third, the brain can lead to negative irrational thinking, while the heart can lead to unhealthy desires. The “space” between the heart and the brain is the “soul.” My company operates from the soul, a grounded, humble center.

Company Motto: Value Begins Within.
Self-worth begins within. I build strong companies and strong communities from within. When we look for external validation, we can become superficial and shallow. However, when we look internally, we find our strength, moral compass, and true purpose.

What should our readers know about your business?

Personal Background and Military Service: I am a first-generation American who grew up under martial law without reliable running water and electricity. We immigrated to the U.S. and lived in public housing. I joined the Army with a GED and a Green Card. I failed Special Forces Selection twice and earned the Green Beret on the third attempt.

I am a graduate of several Special Forces tactical certifications including: 1) Hostage Rescue; 2) Sniper, Level 2; 3) Special Reconnaissance; 4) Special Forces Engineer and Demolitions; and 5) Operations and Intelligence. Additionally, I am a graduate of the 18-month Arabic Language Course. With hard work, I became the only Green Beret in the entire Special Forces Regiment with a multi-year, simultaneous, near-native proficiency in Tagalog and Arabic.

After my medical retirement, I was away from the workforce for a long time because the urgeries, treatments, and rehabilitation took many years to complete. I felt ashamed. I felt that isolating myself was the best course of action. I hid. I did not listen to music for almost four years. Because I operated from ego, I initially refused to seek help. Over the years, I learned that healing by myself is impossible. I needed others to guide me. My soul flourished when I set ego aside, and sought help.

Civilian Life:
Despite all of the physical and psychological challenges, I earned an MBA in Global Management from (Thunderbird School of Global Management), a Master in Public Policy and Administration (Cal Lutheran University), and a Master of Competitive Intelligence™ (Academy of Competitive Intelligence). Plus, I earned multiple professional certifications ranging from Public Policy, Non-Profit Leadership, Safety, Project Management, and joined business groups to fully integrate with my community. Currently, I am working on my Doctor of Law and Policy Program at Northeastern University. My policy focus is the Global Water Supply.

Bootstrapping the Company:
I started my company with personal savings. Initially, it was hard because I made many mistakes. I did not know what I did not know. Just as I healed from trauma, I learned to ask business mentors to guide me. I’ve failed many times. Without failures, I would not be where I am today. My success is the result of thousands of failures along the way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I am an introvert. I prefer reading books, writing, and analyzing concepts in private. To be a good host, I would gladly come out of my shell to provide a great experience for my friends with the following itinerary:

Day 1: Theme – Orientation, Political and Economic Centers

Morning, At Home. Breakfast.
Using a map, explain the different areas of San Diego County and their cultural, economic, and political meanings.

Afternoon, Downtown, Seaport Village, Harbor Island. Lunch.
Explain the history of San Diego’s political seat, the economic drivers, and significance of sites such as the port, the Navy Base, Coronado, the Zoo (largest in the world) and Balboa Park.

Evening, Old Town. Dinner, Mexican Food.
Explain the contributions and influence of the Mexican and Spanish cultures.
Reflect on the day. Prep for Day 2.

Day 2 – 3. Theme – View from Elevation, Opening the Mind through Academics.

1) La Jolla and Mt. Soledad, Del Mar, and Carlsbad; 2) Coronado Bay Bridge; 3) USD and SDSU; and 4) PLNU and Point Loma (Cabrillo National Monument).

Explain the significance of UCSD, USD, SDSU, and PLNU.
Experience the views of San Diego at elevation from different locations to appreciate its true beauty.

Day 4: Theme – Mountains, Desert, and East County

1) Julian, 2) Anza-Borrego Desert.
Experience the quiet of Julian and the desert. Highlight that San Diego has sun, sand, mountains, desert, and snow all within a two-hour drive of downtown.

Day 5: Theme – Sports
1) Petco Park, 2) Snapdragon Stadium, 3) Chula Vista Elite Training Center.
Explain that San Diego, due its mild weather conditions, is a perfect spot for year-round sports.

Day 6: Theme – Zoo and Balboa Park
Explain that the Zoo is the largest in the world. Visit the different museums.
Dine in the Convoy area – Asian cuisine hub of San Diego.

Day 7: Theme – Water
Visit Sea World, Mission Bay, Pacific Beach, Coronado, and Imperial Beach with views of Tijuana.
Explain the significance of the Hotel del Coronado, the Navy Seal Training Facility, the only wooden roller coaster left in the world (Mission Bay), and that Imperial Beach is the Southwestern-most city in the U.S.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Website: https://publicvalue.space

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardcasiple/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leo.casiple.58

Other: 1. A LinkedIn post from May 2021 where I talked about my failures and successes received over 360,000 Views and almost 8,700 LinkedIn reactions. Link: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6798754469053108224/ 2. In 2022, I challenged Harvard’s “Strategic Triangle” Framework used for public policy. Link: https://leonardcasiple.medium.com/deconstructing-public-value-during-the-transition-from-crisis-to-peace-3eefc561681 3. In 2021, I was the first to adapt Harvard’s Five Forces Framework for Special Operations Wargaming. Link: https://academyci.com/18612-2/ 4. This year, I challenged Aristotle’s Concept of the Four Souls. His idea has not been challenged since 322 B.C. Aristotle missed the fifth element of the soul. I wrote about it at Northeaster University (one of my doctoral classes) and published it. Link: https://leonardcasiple.medium.com/the-rested-soul-850c4e52c161 5. In 2010, I was the first to adapt Patrick Hanson’s 7 Element of Branding for Special Operations Teambuilding. Pat is a world-renowned author and branding guru who has worked with Fortune 100 brands. I love exploring ideas and concepts to make the world a better place.

Image Credits
Norman Arroyo Photography Salvador Veta Photography The rest of the photos were taken by personal cellphone in public forums.