The Ops Con

The Ops Con Story

Our story is one of resilience, growth, and a commitment to empowering others to succeed. It began with our founder, who grew up in Botswana and South Africa, facing significant challenges throughout his early life. Despite these hardships, a strong desire to serve and a sense of adventure led him to enlist in the British Army at the age of 17, joining The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Over more than a decade of service, including two operational tours in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick 8 and 13, he developed critical skills in leadership, problem-solving under pressure, and teamwork. These experiences laid a foundation of resilience and adaptability, instilling a sense of purpose that would shape his post-military journey.

After leaving the military, he faced the challenge familiar to many: transitioning to civilian life. Beginning with entry-level security roles, he worked tirelessly to rise through the ranks, eventually finding his place in elite, five-star environments where professionalism and precision were paramount. In his first year, he worked an incredible 348 days, gaining experience across a mixture of roles, including 5-star hotel agency security, close protection, security driving, and chauffeuring.

The journey, however, was far from linear. It took over a decade of hard work, perseverance, and countless setbacks to establish his successful concierge company. These failures became valuable lessons that shaped his understanding of excellence and resilience, eventually leading to opportunities to work with Ultra High-Net-Worth (UHNW) individuals and redefine what world-class service truly means.

Yet, one reality stood out: the path into civilian careers such as private security, hospitality, and professional driving is often unclear, with limited guidance and mentorship available. These industries are not only rewarding but also in high demand globally, offering significant opportunities for those with the right skills and support. That is why we have brought The Ops Con to life, in alignment with our core mission, to provide the tools, training, and community necessary to seize these opportunities and create a financial foundation by which individuals can discover who they are and where they want to go, always having something to fall back on.

More than just a platform, it is a community dedicated to providing the tools, insights, and support needed to help individuals succeed. Whether you are a seasoned professional, a veteran exploring new opportunities, or someone completely new to the industry, we are here to bridge the gap and guide you on your journey into this dynamic world.

Fraser Coleman, founder of The Ops Con — FounderFraser Coleman

“At its core, The Ops Con Academy exists to fulfil a simple yet vital mission: to ensure food on the table and a roof over your head for those transitioning from service. Everything else, including growth, success, and fulfilment, will come in time. By focusing on this fundamental goal, we provide a clear and supportive pathway for servicemen, women, veterans, and blue light professionals to begin finding themselves with purpose and stability.

The Team

Co-Founder · Technology & Operations

Sam Hembury

Sam is a military veteran with operational experience in Ukraine, bringing real world insight from active environments and frontline conditions.

A Co-founder of The Ops Con at Pink Frog Studios, Sam plays a key role in shaping the organisation from both a strategic and technical standpoint.

He maintains active operational status as a qualified Close Protection Officer within the private sector, ensuring his perspective remains current, practical, and grounded in ongoing industry demands.

With a lived understanding of the veteran and wider security community, Sam is also the creator and lead developer of The Ops Con platform.

He is responsible for building and maintaining our digital infrastructure, driving the technical development that supports our training delivery, membership systems, and continued growth.

Where others see a website, Sam builds a mission ready platform.

Partnerships & Development

Alice Coleman

With a background in education, recruitment, and direct support for service leavers, Alice brings a well rounded and practical understanding of transition and employability. She has worked closely with individuals navigating career change, supporting them as they move from structured environments into new industries and opportunities.

Her focus sits firmly on building and developing business partnerships, creating meaningful relationships with organisations that align with The Ops Con's mission and open up real opportunities for the community. Alongside this, she manages the travel element of one of our founding partners, USGC, ensuring smooth delivery across international operations.

Having been present throughout Fraser's own transition from service, Alice offers a first hand perspective on the realities faced not only by those leaving uniform, but by the families alongside them. This insight underpins her approach, ensuring everything delivered is grounded, relevant, and built with real world understanding.

Head of Academy

Graham

Graham knows the path our members are on because he has walked it himself. He left full time service in the British Army, where he served as a Non-Commissioned Officer with tours of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kenya, and built a new career from the ground up, running his own training business before joining the fire service and moving into close protection.

Today he is a serving Fire Service Watch Commander and an embedded close protection medic on high-risk overseas details, most recently in Nigeria and Beirut.

Instructing has been a big part of that journey. A registered Qualsafe and QNUK instructor and assessor, Advanced Trauma Instructor and FREC 4 qualified, Graham has spent more than six years preparing people to perform when it matters, from fire service colleagues to UK and international close protection teams.

He was also one of The Ops Con's founding members, so he understands our community from the inside: what operators need to get qualified, what employers look for, and what it takes to be ready for the first task.

As Head of Academy, Graham leads our instructors and course delivery, making sure every member is trained by people who have done the work and are invested in their success.

Graham is still operational, so he knows exactly what to teach and why.

The Ops Con Academy

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Training

The Ops Con Academy is the training heart of our community, the pathway that takes members from wherever they are starting to qualified, job-ready professionals. The training is varied and wide reaching, and so are the people who deliver it. Our instructors come from all walks of life, service and skill, spanning military, blue light and civilian specialisms, each bringing real operational experience to everything they teach.

Training is delivered from Battersea Power Station in London, at venues across the UK and internationally through our partners. Every course is grounded in real-world application, and whatever the discipline, our instructors teach with authority because they have lived it.

The Academy is strengthened by the quality of our training partners: established providers whose courses are selected because they meet the same standard we hold ourselves to. Whether members train with our own instructors or through a partner, the quality bar never moves.

Crucially, our instructors are not trainers relying on past experience. They remain active in their own fields, continuing to work live assignments and operations that keep their skills sharp and current. This ensures that every programme reflects the realities of the work, and prepares members to excel with confidence and competence.