While enlisting in the military takes immense bravery, returning to civilian life after years of service presents an often-undiscussed challenge. For army veteran and FIU College of Business alumnus Charles Masters Rodriguez MBA’23, finding his footing outside the military took some time.
“When you’re in the military, your purpose is the mission and the brothers and sisters —the soldiers — that you have around you that you’re leading. So, when you leave that, you kind of lose your purpose,” Masters explained.
Shaping his Legacy
Masters enlisted in the military straight out of high school, eager to join after growing up in a military family whose service dates to the Civil War. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, majoring in engineering management, and, for the next 5 years, he served as a diving officer in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
While his time in action was personally fulfilling, he also had a desire to build something of his own. In 2019, he retired from the military to follow those aspirations. However, the shift to civilian life was jarring. In the beginning, he felt lost without the structure that army life provided.
“Entrepreneurship was kind of like my saving grace,” Masters said. “I wanted to bring value to the community and to the world…that’s why I’m so passionate about it — because it’s my purpose. It’s how I give back.”
Later that year, Masters founded MK3 Industries, his first business venture. He began selling personal protective equipment (PPE) online to other businesses but eventually shifted to automotive parts and fleet maintenance equipment.
As MK3 grew, he realized that for it to reach its full potential, he had to grow with it. He was also looking for an opportunity to move somewhere closer to his family in Puerto Rico, where he was born. This led Masters to FIU, where he applied to the university’s Professional MBA (PMBA) Flex program in 2021.
“I heard [about the university] from a friend that got her MBA at FIU and had a really positive experience, so that really excited me,” Masters shared. “I was mostly excited about the Flex program because I was able to run my business while learning about business principles as I grew…so I applied when I was in California through the vocational rehabilitation program, VR&E.”
The Power of Community
As soon as Masters was admitted, he dove into graduate school headfirst, taking every opportunity to gain more experience and knowledge. The College of Business helped him utilize the skills and values gained in the army and apply them to business models.
He also participated in programs such as StartUP FIU and StartUP FIU Local, which help students realize their entrepreneurial dreams by providing them with resources and services to aid them in their journey. Masters credits StartUP FIU for helping him improve his networking and pitching skills by giving him opportunities to practice in a professional setting.
“When I first got to FIU, I had just started MK3 Industries. I was growing that, so I joined several programs, including StartUp FIU and StartUp FIU local,” Masters said. “I took some of their incubators. I would attend all the additional classes that were after hours that I could do with [Robert] Hacker and Barbara [Cotto] from FIU Local. They connected me with the SBDC at FIU.”
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) gave Masters access to a variety of experts who were able to guide him as he worked to expand his business. This work ethic led him to two major accomplishments upon graduation.
Not only did he leave FIU as a “Real Triumph Graduate” in Spring 2023, but he also won a competition at the 2023 Veterans Florida Expo that earned him a $10,000 stipend to expand MK3. He was also awarded a grant, which he used to acquire a warehouse space in Doral for inventory. This officially commenced phase II of MK3.
“I think one of the biggest skills that I managed to leave [FIU] with…is a desire to remain curious and continue learning from other people,” Masters said. “In addition to that, a lot of appreciation for partnerships and networks.”
A New Beginning
In April 2024, Masters announced a new tech start-up, Autoket. The AI-powered online marketplace, which would help auto repair shops purchase parts more efficiently, debuted at the 2024 eMerge Americas Global Startup Accelerator + Showcase later that month.
“FIU, as well as a lot of my other mentors, said, ‘You should apply for eMerge Americas for the pitch competition,’ and at first I thought I wasn’t ready,” Masters shared. “I almost missed the deadline because I was doubting myself…I just kept using my network with eMerge, FIU, and StartUp FIU Local. Everyone pitched in and helped me perfect my pitch.”
In the end, Autoket was named the Top Start-up in the university category and secured a whopping $30,000 grant to help Masters move forward with the project. Masters was awarded an additional $50,000 after winning first place at the 2025 PenFed Foundation Military Veteran Startup Conference pitch competition.
After a year of beta testing, the project was rebranded as Supply Veins in August 2025, a new AI-powered platform with a greater focus on communication. Despite building a digital marketplace with Autoket, Masters found that half of his clients still preferred to contact him directly for supplies rather than purchasing them digitally. With Supply Veins, he aims to bridge communication gaps between suppliers and buyers.
Even with so much on his plate, Masters ensures that he has time for other passions, including working with nonprofit organizations like VetsinTech, which supports transitioning military personnel, veterans, and spouses with opportunities to connect with peers and network within the tech community.
Masters has become a leader of VetsinTech’s Miami chapter. In July 2025, he hosted a networking event at his own apartment complex, creating a space for empowerment and connection for fellow vets across South Florida. He believes it’s extremely important to give back and help others find their place in civilian life, knowing firsthand how difficult it can be.
“If you’re looking for a family and community that will support you being a veteran, but also your passions and goals beyond that, whether it’s going into business or computer science or whatever you choose, FIU is a great option all around,” Masters told FIU’s Division of Academic & Student Affairs (DASA). “And it definitely helps to be in lovely Miami!”