Spreading “Goode” to the World: A story of a podcast’s goal

The podcast heavily focuses on Veteran and spouse entrepreneurs, retired vets and their military experiences. It tells stories of kids growing up as military children. The podcast also shares stories of military spouses and their numerous hurdles.

Surinder was born in England and raised in Scotland. After graduating college, she moved to the Middle East, working as a flight attendant on commercial and private flights. She met her future active-duty spouse in 1998; the rest is history.

An entrepreneur at heart and acting impulsively to provide a service to the U.S. military, she drafted and presented a business plan to NEXCOM (Navy Exchange Command) to open and operate coffee stands on naval bases throughout San Diego. Starting with one cart in 2002 on Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, her business expanded to thirteen carts and a staff of twenty-eight employees. This venture gave her a better understanding of the military from both genders.

After meeting all kinds of people as a business owner, Surinder realized that there is potential to share the stories of military family members and service members. This gave her another idea, and in April of 2023, she started The Goode Show podcast. She now knows her true calling, serving as the “missing link” between the military community and civilians. There was one particular story that urged her to start her podcast. A former service member she met while working at the coffee cart opened up about his struggles and why he joined the military.

“This dude crawled out of the gutter to start his life,” said Surinder. “He joined a gang at age 12, his parents were on drugs, and he joined the military to escape it. He’s now a successful entrepreneur and has written two books. I remember thinking that I just needed to share his stories.” She says she will never forget him.

“For me, it’s all about the stories,” said Surinder. “My enjoyment comes from hearing everyone’s stories. I want to give people a platform.”

Surinder will be at the upcoming MilSpouseFest in San Antonio. If you want to meet her, click here to register for our free events.

You can find The Goode Show podcast wherever you stream your favorite music and podcasts.