The path from military service to civilian life is rarely a predictable one. Still, for Patrick Mate, CEO and co-founder of Patriot jean Co., the journey was a profound case of the unexpected. After a career in the military and then a successful civilian career that had its own share of unexpected encounters, Patrick leaped into entrepreneurship. During an interview with Veteran CEO Magazine, Patrick shared his story of recognizing a market gap and building a veteran-owned company, a journey marked by challenges, self-funding, and triumph for veteran-owned businesses.