The Full Story of Not A Very Good Teacher: From the Battlefield to the Classroom of Life 

Not A Very Good Teacher isn’t just a company—it’s a movement born out of resilience, purpose, and the enduring call to serve. Founded by U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel (Reserve) Timothy Gick, it stands at the intersection of service, fitness, and entrepreneurship—reminding America’s youth that leadership isn’t taught; it’s lived. 


This is the story of how one Marine’s journey across battlefields, boardrooms, and continents became the spark behind Mission Match, a Made-in-America game inspiring the next generation to serve. 

A Foundation of Service:

Built by the Corps 

Timothy Gick spent over 18 years serving in uniform, he led Marines in Afghanistan’s rugged Helmand Province, trained alongside Georgian forces in Europe, and advised partner nations across the globe. Every mile run, every ruck humped, every mission briefed forged a philosophy that would later define his next venture: resilience isn’t taught—it’s earned. 

That ethos of endurance—built through adversity—would later carry him through injuries, setbacks, and the turbulent road of entrepreneurship. 

“Why can’t America build something that’s fun, meaningful, and inspires kids to serve their country?”

From Command to Creativity:

The Entrepreneurial March 

Gick’s entrepreneurial path was as unconventional as his military career. He founded C4iD, a defense contracting company that won a seven-figure US Forces Europe contract and was later acquired in 2017. He co-led a blockchain firm that raised $15 million, ran one of the top-rated restaurants in Tbilisi, Georgia, and built a global customer service firm supporting Medicare and Medicaid clients. 


His ventures weren’t random—they were training grounds. Each startup demanded adaptability, endurance, and leadership under pressure—the same traits the Corps had instilled in him. 

But in 2022, while volunteering at the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation warehouse in Concord, California, Gick experienced the turning point. As he sorted through thousands of toys, one detail struck him: 

Not a single toy was made in the United States. 


At that moment, the mission changed. “Eighty percent of toys were meaningless,” he recalls. “Why can’t America build something that’s fun, meaningful, and inspires kids to serve their country?” 

That question became the seed for Mission Match—a Made-in-America card game designed to reconnect kids to service, teamwork, and fitness. 

The Birth of Not A Very Good Teacher 

The name started as a joke. “I’ve never claimed to be a great teacher,” Gick laughs. “But I’ve always believed the best lessons aren’t told—they’re lived.” 


From that simple idea, Not A Very Good Teacher (NAVGT) was born—a brand built to reconnect Generation Alpha with purpose, physical fitness, and the values of service through play. 

Four prototypes and over 500 family playtests later, the vision became reality. 

Mission Match  became the first U.S.-made military-themed memory game, connecting kids ages six and up to the five branches of service—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force—plus STEM & Leadership as additional pathways. Each card isn’t just a match—it’s a story of leadership, resilience, and purpose. 

But Gick didn’t stop there. He built “Pathfinder Games”, live youth tournaments combining physical fitness, leadership challenges, and STEM tasks. The first major event, hosted in partnership with the City of Alexandria, Virginia bringing together 16 youth organizations and over 100 families. Kids completed “mini-missions,” met with groups like the Young Marines, Stars & Stripes, and STEAM Bridge, and—most importantly—found their own call to serve. 

From Entrepreneur to Educator:

Building Purpose through Play 

Launching Mission Match wasn’t easy. Gick bootstrapped the company, hand-delivered decks to USO centers, and personally tested the game with families, teachers, and youth groups nationwide. When manufacturing delays, funding gaps, and design challenges hit, he turned to the same traits that carried him through deployments—adaptability, grit, and teamwork. 

Partnerships followed: the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Military OneSource, and others saw the impact potential. Mission Match became more than a product—it became a platform for kids to see service in a new light. At community events, school gyms, and military bases, children played, laughed, and learned the meaning of teamwork and leadership—without realizing they were learning at all. 

The Heart of the Mission:

Resilience, Fitness, and Service 

NAVGT’s philosophy is simple: build stronger kids by re-introducing resilience. 
In a world dominated by screens, Mission Match gets kids moving, thinking, and connecting face-to-face again. The game has evolved into a full movement—hosting Pathfinder Games, youth tournaments that blend physical fitness challenges, STEM problem-solving, and leadership missions. 


Every deck sold supports veteran employment, youth mentorship, and community programs that foster service-minded leadership. Gick calls it “the new boot camp for Gen Alpha—one built on curiosity, confidence, and connection.” 

A Brand with Purpose:

The Next Generation of Service 

For Gick, entrepreneurship became another form of service. “You don’t stop serving your country when you take off the uniform,” he says. “You just find new ways to serve.” 

Through Not A Very Good Teacher, he’s mentoring veteran entrepreneurs, building community partnerships, and investing in youth organizations that share his vision of a healthier, more connected America. 


Whether through a classroom, a card game, or a community event, every NAVGT project embodies the Marine Corps values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment—reimagined for a new generation. 

The Why:

Resilience, Fitness,

and the Call to Serve 

For Timothy Gick, Not A Very Good Teacher is personal. It’s the bridge between the Marine he was, the entrepreneur he became, and the mentor he’s determined to be. 


“I’ve seen what happens when people lose their sense of mission,” he says. “This generation is connected online but disconnected in life. We’re changing that through gamification—getting kids moving, leading, and believing in something bigger than themselves.” 


NAVGT’s goal is simple but profound: Connect Generation Alpha to service—to show them that leadership, fitness, and purpose start young. 

It’s about building stronger kids who become stronger citizens. 

The Future: Leading the

Next March Forward 

As NAVGT expands into books, STEM challenges, and nationwide tournaments, the mission remains the same—to serve those who will one day lead. 


“Resilience isn’t built overnight,” Gick says. “It’s earned through challenge, failure, and the willingness to get up one more time. That’s what we’re teaching the next generation—because the world they inherit will need leaders ready to stand, think, and serve.” 


From the battlefield to the classroom of life, Not A Very Good Teacher is proving that leadership starts early—and that the mission to serve never ends.