My Story
I do not have a straight-line career. I have a series of chapters — each one preparing me for something I did not know was coming. Here is the honest version.
Arthur Toole is a U.S. Army veteran, entrepreneur, and community builder who has dedicated his career to building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem — one company, one competition, and one connection at a time. As co-founder of MegRelief, he transformed a personal health discovery in Grenada into a plant-based pain relief company built to help people move freely without dependency on pills or invasive procedures. As the creator and organizer of the DMV Veteran Shark Tank, he has opened doors for veteran entrepreneurs across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region — providing access to capital, coaching, and community since 2021. As Director of the Maryland Business Opportunity Center, he connects Maryland small business owners with vetted legal, financial, and marketing expertise at no cost. Arthur leads with the belief that access is the difference — that entrepreneurs with the right support can compete at any level. He documents the full journey publicly, because the lessons he learns building are most valuable when shared.
chapter 1
Life in the Military
I served in the United States Army, moving from Military Intelligence to Infantry Captain. The Army gave me a framework I still use every day: how to assess a situation clearly, how to lead under pressure, and how to keep moving when conditions are not ideal.
chapter 2
Corporate Career (Citigroup/USAA)
After the Army, I moved into financial services — Citigroup, then USAA. I learned how businesses operate at scale, how to speak the language of capital, and what institutional credibility looks like from the inside. That perspective matters now that I am building from the outside.
chapter 3
The Grenada Discovery
My wife Danette’s family is from Grenada — the Spice Isle, home to roughly 20% of the world’s nutmeg supply. In 2011 I was six months into relentless knee pain after a sports injury. Doctors, prescriptions, and over-the-counter products had all failed. Danette’s mother offered to put a plant-based oil on my knee. I almost said no. Within minutes I felt real relief for the first time in six months. I could move. That moment became MegRelief.
chapter 4
Building MegRelief
Eight years of testing, formulating, and ensuring regulatory compliance before the first product launched. I was not going to rush it. MegRelief is built on camphor — an FDA-recognized topical analgesic — combined with nutmeg oil from Grenada and a plant-based formula designed to work with the body. I co-founded it with my wife, Danette. This is a family business in the truest sense. I document the build publicly at megrelief.com and here in the Journal.
chapter 5
DMV Veteran Shark Tank
In 2021, I launched the DMV Veteran Shark Tank — a pitch competition for veteran entrepreneurs in the DMV region. We have run four competitions. The 2021 winner, Dr. Katherine Sylvester of Operation MIST, has grown annual revenue from $20K to over $250K and is now partnering with hospitals and federally funded health organizations nationwide. A 2022 competitor, Bon Appésweet, reached Whole Foods nationally and secured investment on the TV show Shark Tank.
DMV Shark Tank
chapter 6
Maryland MBOC
I currently serve as Director of the Maryland Business Opportunity Center — funded through a federal grant secured by the University of Maryland. My team connects Maryland-based entrepreneurs with vetted accountants, attorneys, website designers, and social media experts at no cost. If your business is registered in Maryland and in good standing, reach out through the contact page.
chapter 7
Women-Owned Business
I am building toward becoming an investor in women-owned businesses. I am not there yet — but I am doing the work now to be credible when I get there. That means supporting founders like the team at Mommy Monitor and Operation MIST, understanding what women-led companies need, and building my own operator track record first.
chapter 8
What is to come
None of these chapters are finished. I document the work in progress here and in the Journal. If something I share helps you move faster or see around a corner you could not see before, then it is worth sharing.