Episodit
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This episode of the WPAOG podcast features an interview with David F. Melcher, a businessman and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General. He spent 32 years serving in the military and is recognized as a prominent figure in the aerospace and defense community, as the former President and CEO of Exelis from 2011–2015 and of Aerospace Industries Association from 2015–2017.
During his 32 years of service, David commanded at the Battalion, Brigade, and Army Corps of Engineers Division level. He has been awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, and had prominent staff assignments that included a White House Fellowship with the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan and as the Army’s Military Deputy for Budget, and Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs. For 12 years of his military career, David was assigned to the Pentagon.
In this episode, David talks about how he had no doubt that West Point was where he could gain the best leadership skills. He discusses working in the White House and then transitioning into business after serving so many years in the army. David also explains what he feels are the keys to success in life, and the importance of continuing to be an active member of the West Point community.
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Key Quotes“For younger officers who are leaving the military or non-commissioned officers, understand that you have significant leadership skills that are needed in industry. The things that you learned, leading a small or large organization, the organizational skills, those are very, very important, as are the ability to speak and write clearly and articulate what it is that you want - The ability to set goals, to be a problem solver, those are all things that people who have served in the military know how to do. So, never sell yourself short on what you know as you make a transition into an industry context.” - David Melcher
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Episode Timestamps(01:24) The Class of 1976
(02:54) West Point Experience
(09:24) Army Experience
(11:54) Mentors in the Military
(14:54) Working in the White House
(18:24) Corp of Army Engineers
(19:59) Retirement from Service
(20:54) Transition to Civilian Career
(30:24) Finding Success in Aerospace and Defense
(33:24) Serving as a Board Member and Director
(35:24) Routines and Keys for Success
(38:54) West Point and Military Service Across Family Generations
(41:09) Giving Back
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LinksDavid’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features a conversation with Joe Beard ‘96, Co-Founder & CEO of CollateralEdge, a Dallas-based fintech platform that provides banks with a flexible, automated sales enablement solution to efficiently increase lending capacity without compromising credit quality.
Joe has had a diverse career spread across the military, technology, investment banking, and venture capital. As a former Partner at Perot Jain, a Dallas-based venture capital firm, he led 40+ investments in 5 years. He's a Founder and Board Member of Venture Dallas, the premier venture capital conference in the DFW region, and a recipient of the Tech Titans Investment Catalyst Award. He spent 8 years as an investment banker in New York and Dallas and has executed approximately $10 billion in transactions across M&A, debt, and equity.
In this episode of On Point, Joe talks about how he had to adapt and use what he learned at West Point to succeed in business. He discusses the investment strategies that helped him make fifty investments in under five years, the importance of remaining clear headed when problem solving, and why having work experience before attending business school is extremely beneficial. He also talks about finding balance when moving between different segments of finance, business, and entrepreneurship.
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Key Quotes“The biggest challenge initially was just making sure that you're balanced, and really kind of being intentional about how you spend your time. And, there's never enough hours in the day, right? You know, no matter what work ethic you're bringing to the table, no matter how you're being creative about resources, there's never enough hours in the day to do all the things that you want to do. So you have to ruthlessly prioritize your time. You have to be ruthless about prioritization. Not chasing the next shiny ball, but really kind of focusing your effort and energy and doing the things that you know are gonna move the needle for your business.” - Joe Beard
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Episode Timestamps(02:08) Segment: AAR
(03:45) Experience at West Point
(10:04) Journey in the Army
(11:33) Segment: Sit Rep
(15:17) Attending business school
(17:06) Starting in investing banking
(20:07) Investment strategies
(25:10) About CollateralEdge
(33:27) Quick fire questions
(39:39) Segment: SOP
(43:45) Mentorship
(45:20) Segment: Giving Back
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LinksJoe’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode of On Point features an interview with David Hunt, Founder and CEO at Crossrope, a fun new way to get fit anywhere with a weighted jump rope experience.
David is a 2004 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Entrepreneurial Masters graduate, former Naval Aviator, startup founder, and jump rope enthusiast. With just a library card and an entrepreneurial itch, David was able to overcome a severe injury to focus his energy into creating a company that provides fun, accessible, and impactful workouts with revolutionary jump rope technology.
In this episode of On Point, David talks about his life as an aviation pilot in the US Navy, overcoming serious life-changing injuries through passionate entrepreneurship, and the importance of taking calculated risks while also embracing uncertainty.
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Key Quotes“A lot of people have ideas and it's really hard to take the steps, even if you don't know what they are, to go for it and to try something else, especially within the reality of you can do. Like a lot of times I think entrepreneurs are glorified for the unsung heroes taking crazy risks. And in reality, most of the time, it should be a calculated risk. If you are listening to this right now, and you are thinking about taking some sort of a risk or doing something entrepreneurial, please calculate it, and have some backup plans, because it can be a big mistake.” - David Hunt
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Episode Timestamps(01:48) Segment: AAR
(04:52) Experience at the Naval academy
(10:32) David’s initial career
(14:06) Becoming a pilot
(16:42) Entrepreneurship within the Naval academy
(19:44) Experience on active duty
(26:51) Starting Crossrope
(33:03) Transitioning from active duty into Crossrope full-time
(39:48) Lessons for service members
(48:30) The future of Crossrope
(53:17) Final remarks
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LinksDavid’s LinkedIn
Crossrope.com
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features a conversation with Bob Eisiminger ‘88, Entrepreneur, and Founder and Former CEO of Knight Point Systems. He is also a member of the Board of Directors at Chaminade University of Honolulu and Patriapps Software Venture Studio, and Board of Experts at Birthing of Giants Fellowship Program.
Bob is a serial entrepreneur, an investor in veteran led companies, and a former CEO. In 2005, he founded Knight Point Systems, after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. While in the United States Army, Bob was an Air Defense Artillery Platoon Leader/Tactical Control Officer in Germany, a Public Affairs Officer at Fort Bliss in Texas, and an Airborne and Jungle Operations Expert. Bob is a graduate of the Birthing of Giants Fellowship Program, where post-exit entrepreneurs teach business owners how to grow companies for the purpose of acquisition, and is the recipient of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Mid-Atlantic Region in the category of Government Services.
In this episode of On Point, Bob discusses how his West Point and Army experiences helped him develop his hundred million dollar business, what it’s like to work alongside the United States government, and the importance of surrounding yourself with people that will help make you a better person. He also talks about what it was like serving in Germany during the cold war and fall of the Berlin Wall, and how giving back to West Point graduates continues the same cycle that ultimately afforded him great success in business.
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Key Quotes"I see my role now as if anyone reaches out to me, I'm going to go meet with them. Young west point graduates, guys getting outta the service, they wanna talk about, you know, whether they should go work for a big or small. I will offer up my time to anybody, because people offered up their time to me. And, I think giving back to the community that you came from, that you grew up in so important." - Bob Eisiminger
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Episode Timestamps(02:19) Segment: AAR
(04:00) Experience at West Point
(07:00) Mentorship at the academy
(08:40) Experience in the Army
(10:30) Transitioning out of service
(16:00) Starting Knight Point Systems
(20:30) How the military prepared Bob for business
(27:05) Startup tips
(31:10) Segment: SOP
(34:05) Mentorship
(36:30) Segment: Giving Back
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LinksBob’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode of the WPAOG podcast features a conversation between Tye Reedy '05, Director of Business Development at Adams Keegan, and James Keegan '55, a private investor and former Chairman of the Board of Adams Keegan. He is best known as a co-founder of Morgan Keegan & Company (now Raymond James), one of the country’s largest investment firms, where he served as president and COO until retirement in 1985. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of NASDAQ, Inc. Mr. Keegan served as a Director of AutoZone, Inc. from 1991 through 2004.
In this episode, Jim tells us how his experiences at West Point and in the Air Force, helped prepare him for the business world. He provides his take on what is required to start a business and navigate the trials and tribulations to success. Jim also explains why being disciplined and resilient are paramount to being a great entrepreneur.
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Key Quotes“Starting a business right now, the first thing I'd want to have is passion for the business and be adequately capitalized to start. And there you have the base. You start from there, you go into the integrity problem that you want your customers, your clients, to feel the same way you do, and to have the same experience you do and want to do business with you. You have to have the perseverance to know that if someone's going to say no and slam the door on you as you're walking out, you gotta turn around and do it again the next door you come to. And you might even go back to the first door and see if you can't get back in.” - James Keegan
“The idea of getting back and dealing with graduates, whether they're leaving the military after their obligation, like I did. Or setting out for a new life after retirement and starting their own business, I think if I can offer anything that helps them, makes it easier for them to do and understand what is involved, then I'd love to do it. That’s part of my goal. It's kind of a little payback if you will, because a great deal, pretty much everything I have, I gave West Point credit for whatever successes I might have had, however small or however large that goes along that line.” - James Keegan
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Episode Timestamps(02:30) Growing Up and Interest in West Point
(06:30) Experience Attending West Point and in the Military
(10:00) Path to Finance and Starting a Business
(17:30) Military and West Point Professional Influence
(19:45) Importance of Capital to Entrepreneurship
(20:30) Keys to Success of Business and Navigating Hardships
(23:15) West Point and Military Influence on Discipline Resilience in Business
(29:00) Learning and Succeeding in Multiple Trades
(31:00) Importance of West Point Entrepreneur Summit
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LinksTye’s LinkedIn
About James Keegan
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode of On Point features a conversation with Brian Elliott ‘14 and Andrew Wolgemuth ‘15, Co-Founders of Wove, a 21st century jeweler bringing the jewelry designer directly to couples for custom engagement ring creation.
Brian Elliott is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for reinventing outdated consumer experiences. At Wove, he focuses on Digital Product, UX and Marketing. He previously worked in two former venture-backed, consumer startups. Prior to this, Brian served as a Platoon Leader in the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, leading a team of 40 Special Operators in unconventional environments around the world.
Andrew Wolgemuth grew up in an entrepreneurial environment working at his parents' jewelry company. After attending West Point and serving as a Platoon Leader in the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, he attended Stanford GSB’s Ignite Entrepreneurship Program where the idea for Wove was born.
In this episode of On Point, Brian and Andrew speak about their varying paths to attending West Point, and discuss how years of military experience are applicable to entrepreneurship and help drive their work. They discuss how the tight knit West Point community helped support their vision and afford them their success. They also talk about how they’re disrupting the engagement ring industry by changing the way people buy engagement rings.
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Key Quotes“I think it is so important for founders to find people that they're compatible with. And I think what really accelerated that for Brian and I is this shared background of West Point, and then even more specifically the range of regiment. I think there's a very specific standard, very specific type of person that usually ends up there. And I think that really allowed us to have kind of instant confidence in who each other were and probably accelerated that dating period quite a bit. I always think about it now, like if I had to go out and find another co-founder, I would be scared to death, because you know, you face a lot together and there's a lot of things you have to overcome, and I think having that sense of shared values is so important.” - Andrew Wolgemuth
“I think there's this question that is, how do I start a company? Right? And I think what I would challenge folks that are with that company is to reframe and say, you know, how do I test an idea? And if you remove the stress and the pressure of starting a company, which comes with all of these legal constraints and structural constraints where you're really focusing on the wrong thing, but instead say like, I have an interesting idea, what's the fastest way I can test this without a technical build. And you go out and test that idea, you remove the constraints, and the barriers, and the how am I gonna fund this, and you just go out and focus on the hypothesis.” - Brian Elliott
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Episode Timestamps(02:18) Segment: AAR
(04:47) Experiences at West Point
(10:48) Choosing military branches
(16:48) Segment: Sit Rep
(22:52) Starting Wove
(25:23) Where Wove currently stands
(29:30) Most expensive ring sold
(32:29) The process at Wove
(39:44) Segment: SOP
(42:22) Segment: Giving Back
(44:24) What’s next for Wove
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LinksBrian’s LinkedIn
Andrew’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features an interview with Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski ‘69, a Naismith Hall of Fame coach, a five-time national champion at Duke, and a six-time gold medalist as head Coach of the US Men’s National Team. He was also the West Point Men’s Basketball Head Coach from 1975 to 1980.
Coach K was initially reluctant to attend West Point, but eventually realized how much he loved the academy, the Army, and the importance of being exposed to so many different ways of leading. In his senior year, Mike was captain of West Point’s basketball team. Following graduation, he served in the Army for five years before beginning his college coaching career. Mike believes that the education, training, and environment of West Point benefits people well beyond their time attending the academy. He sees the culture based system of shared values as important for being a lifelong learner and leader, which has helped him coach and guide his players to become well-educated, strong, successful men both on and off the court.
In this episode of On Point, Coach K talks about how he ensures that failure is not a destination, and how accountability helps people become the best version of themselves. He explains how his time at West Point and in the military informed and affected his approach to teaching and coaching. Mike provides insight into his career coaching in college and the US Men’s National Team, along with the challenges and solutions for teaching the youth of today. He also describes the importance of communication, and creating powerful and inspiring visions that have helped lead and motivate his teams.
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Key Quotes"In the military, obviously it can be life or life or death. And so in sport we talk about it being life, but it's not. There is pressure and all that, but you need to know the truth in that moment. You have to have the courage to say or do what needs to be said or done in the moment it needs to be said or done. And really that's what the academy was all about and still is about."
"A culture based on value stands the test of time. It's great during good times, but you know what? It's even better during the tough times. And so what I've learned is whether the unit, I was an artillery officer, or the unit I was in, or the teams, you know, whether it be West Point teams, Duke teams, or I was an 11-year coach for the US team; I’ve always tried to create a good culture and based on values."
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Episode Timestamps(03:52) Playing for West Point
(07:50) Lessons learned as a cadet
(13:36) Building culture in sports
(18:24) Developing leadership skills
(22:40) Coaching at Duke
(31:58) Balance in teaching others
(37:29) Teaching the youth of today
(39:16) Challenges faced with change and communication
(46:31) Creating impactful visions and messages
(52:00) Giving back to fans
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LinksCoach Mike Krzyzewski’s LinkedIn
Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Twitter
General (Ret.) Bob Brown’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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In this episode of the WPAOG Podcast, Bridget Altenburg ‘95, President and CEO of the National Able Network, is joined by Kimberly Jung ‘08, CEO of Blanchard, and Emily Miller ‘08, Senior Impact Fund Manager at Twilio.org. In 2014, they founded Rumi Spice, an award-winning social enterprise that provides high-quality, sustainably farmed saffron to world class chefs and Michelin-rated restaurants, by sourcing directly from Afghan farmers in an economic partnership partners in the supply chain.
Kimberly and Emily are 2008 graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point, former US Army Engineer officers, and Harvard Business School graduates. As social entrepreneurs and co-founders, Kimberly led Rumi Spice as CEO and Emily as COO. They have employed more than 4,000 Afghan women and partnered with more than 300 Afghan farmers. Their work has been featured on Shark Tank, selected for Y Combinator's social fellowship program, and featured in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Foreign Policy, NPR, Forbes, the Chicago Tribune, Nightline with Diane Sawyer, Voice of America, Food & Wine, and more.
In this episode, Kimberly and Emily talk about how their time at West Point and in the military prepared them for becoming entrepreneurs, the tremendous impact Rumi has had on the spice trade in Afghanistan, and how their startup has helped create jobs for women in the country. They also recount stories of their experiences serving abroad in the Middle East.
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Key Quotes“I think really what West Point teaches you is about leadership and management, which I think has been the most helpful in my career, and also in my time as an officer in the Army. That leadership part, you really just can't get anywhere else in the same way that West Point gives it to you. And you learn it by doing. You learn it through practice. You learn it by following. You learn it by leading in small teams over and over again, and getting feedback for how to do it better. And that's what I think is the most important thing that comes out of West Point into the Army” - Kimberly Jung
“Entrepreneurship is not for everybody, but it is addicting once you do it because you realize it has so many similarities to the West Point and Army experience, you know, in combat. It's fast paced, it relies on a small, tight team. You have to move fast. You have to ruthlessly prioritize. You have to be incredibly creative about how you problem solve, and you know, make things happen. You know, you've got this big commander's intent and you have to figure out how you operationalize this and work. And then I think the other thing is just being undaunted by failure and by being told no. You know, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable all the time. I think that is, that is what entrepreneurship is.” - Emily Miller
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Episode Timestamps(02:46) High School Experiences
(04:30) Why they attended West Point
(06:31) Their R-Day experiences
(10:03) Stories at the academy
(11:09) Activities at West Point
(13:15) Picking a military branch
(17:58) Attending Sapper school
(22:45 ) Deployment experiences
(31:09) Creating Rumi Spice
(35:30) Rumi’s impact on Afghanistan
(39:19) Business Ventures after Rumi Spice
(40:49) How West Point and the military prepares entrepreneurs
(43:00) How West Point and the military have helped Rumi Spice
LinksKimberly Jung’s LinkedIn
Emily Miller’s LinkedIn
Bridget Altenburg’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features a conversation with Brad Genser, Founder and CTO at Farther, the first digital family office that pairs expert advisors with intelligent technology to manage your entire financial life in one place.
At Farther, Brad provides the vision for using technology to deliver an elite wealth experience for clients. Prior, Brad was at Goldman Sachs in New York where he founded and led an Artificial Intelligence team dedicated to Private Wealth, and was an advisor on a team which managed more than one billion dollars in assets for clients. Brad graduated from MIT with an SM in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA. He also graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2007. Brad is a two-time Iraq war combat vet and was awarded two bronze stars.
In this episode of On Point, Brad discusses the importance of fostering relationships as a leader, managing over a billion dollars in assets, and how he received two bronze stars while serving in the Iraq War. Brad also talks about the valuable lessons learned during this time in the military, which aided his efforts in founding the next great financial institution.
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“You’re going from doing this huge thing, living at the very edge of life, to starting over and being like the new person who is sitting there pushing paper back and forth. And, I think that adjustment is a very jarring thing. It is not something that is abnormal, but it is something that people need to go through and deal with. The advice here, as I've gone down this journey, is realize that it will take time to adjust to your stage and give yourself time to recover and rest." - Brad Genser
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Episode Timestamps(02:00) Segment: AAR
(03:00) Walking hours
(04:30) Beast Barracks
(09:30) Impactful classes at West Point
(11:30) Mentorship
(16:15) Fostering relationships with NCOs
(18:45) Mental health suggestions for veterans
(21:30) Segment: Sit Rep
(26:45) About Farther
(30:15) Valuable lessons from the military
(36:00) Segment: SOP
(39:00) Segment: Giving Back
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LinksBrad’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features a conversation with BG (R) Michael Meese ‘81, President of the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association (AAFMAA), a not-for-profit, member-owned financial services association that provides life insurance, military benefits counseling, Survivor Assistance Services, residential mortgages, financial planning, investment management and trust services to the American Armed Forces Community.
Michael retired from the US Army as a Brigadier General after serving for 32 years. At AAFMAA, Michael oversees all aspects of the Association to ensure the financial security and independence of the American Armed Forces Community through insurance and other benefits. In his career, he served in a variety of strategic political-military positions including deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Bosnia. Michael was also the Executive Director of the Secretary of the Army’s Transition Team in 2005. He is a leader in military and Veterans issues, including chairing the 2016-17 Transition Team for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In this episode of On Point, Michael talks about his time as a student, teacher, and Department Head of Social Sciences at West Point. He explains the importance of empowering people, educating them, and then allowing them the ability to run with what they've learned. Michael also gives insight into being a part of the presidential transition team, and how AAFMAA is working to give needed support to veterans, survivors, and caregivers.
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“You get paid to work out, you get paid to study, they send you to school, you get paid to read and develop professionally. And all of those skills are not there just because the military likes to do it. It's because it makes it a better force. If you have a smart force that's reading, that's studying, that's working out and it's doing all those things, it makes you more effective and it makes the force overall more effective.” - BG (R)Michael Meese ‘81
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Episode Timestamps(02:00) First segment: AAR
(04:00) The Service Academy Global Summit
(05:50) Michael’s West Point experience
(07:45) Teaching at West Point
(08:00) Cadet walking hours
(09:45) Mentorship
(13:15) Branching in Field Artillery
(17:30) Michael’s Army career
(23:45) Segment: Sit Rep
(26:45) Retiring from the military
(28:00) Working at AAFMAA
(34:00) Mentorship
(38:30) Segment: SOP
(40:45) Physical fitness and Routines
(41:30) Segment: Giving Back
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LinksMichael’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features a conversation with Emily McMahan ‘01, Co-founder and General Partner of Academy Investor Network, a seed-stage focused venture fund which invests in dual-use technology and military veteran-led startups. She has a passion for working with startups and connecting people, technologies, and companies solving tough national security, civic, and social challenges for good.
Before founding AIN, Emily was a startup founder. She led a military veteran-focused incubator, Capitol Post, which advised hundreds of startups to leverage the region's strong business and startup community. Emily holds an MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point. After graduating from West Point two months before 9/11, she was commissioned as a U.S. Army military police officer and deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Noble Eagle.
In this episode of On Point, Emily talks about her experiences at West Point and in the military, and how they impacted her professional work and focus after transitioning into civilian life. She discusses the successful path she followed in her post-military career in entrepreneurship and being a venture capitalist. Emily also emphasizes the importance of creating a space where service academy graduates and the entrepreneurial community can deeply connect, listen, learn, and ultimately support each other.
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“I think you have to know yourself when you're transitioning to know who you are and what you like. And, I hope that all the work we've done up until that point prepares us for that. So knowing yourself and who you are is really important because you have to be careful that you don't choose something based off of other people's expectations of what you should do. I see a lot of folks that are transitioning often that sort of have this expectation of what they're supposed to do. You have to know yourself and kind of go through that process.” - Emily McMahan ‘01
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Episode Timestamps(02:18) Segment: AAR - Emily’s decision to attend West Point
(04:35) Cadet type
(05:19) Walking hours
(05:56) Classes and studies
(06:39) Mentors at the academy
(08:20) Choosing a branch
(10:58) First OBC assignment
(11:21) Emily’s military career
(13:50) Segment: Sit Rep - Emily’s civilian career
(16:01) Starting Capitol Post
(16:55) Merging Capitol Post with Bunker Labs
(17:45) Co-founding the Academy Investor Network
(23:41) Leveraging and investing in opportunities at the network
(31:00) West Point Entrepreneurship Summit
(34:10) Lessons from volleyball at West Point
(36:33) Segment: SOP - Routines for success
(40:34) Day-to-day in venture investing
(42:39) Mentorship
(48:22) Segment: Giving Back
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LinksEmily McMahan’s LinkedIn
Academy Investor Network
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode of On Point features an interview with Brad Harrison, Founder and Managing Partner of Scout Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm making the world a better, safer place by investing in frontier and dual-use technologies built by veterans, intelligence leaders, and premier research labs.
Brad is an entrepreneur and seasoned business development executive with a passion for building companies that are pushing the envelope of technological innovation. He has successfully helped incubate several companies out of the Scout office and has deep experience developing concepts to include co-authoring 3 patents in search, geo-tagging, and personalization. Brad was a distinguished honor graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1994 and served as an Airborne Ranger in the United States Army for five years before retiring as a Captain. He also graduated from the MIT Sloan School of Management where he studied New Product and Venture Development.
In this episode of On Point, Brad discusses his experience in the military as a leader and why he always put the lives of his soldiers first. He explains how the skills and experiences he had at West Point and in the Army helped prepare him to be an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and mentor. Brad talks about his mission of making the world a better, safer place by guiding and investing in people to help build their business dreams and gain personal successes.
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“The advice that I give to people that come out of the academy and out of the military is you need to understand how special you are. You're different than everybody else out there. Right? If you were in combat, you had to make decisions, split-second decisions in an everly changing environment where it was life or death, right. You've got the capacity to think and process information in a way that your peers just don't have.” - Brad Harrison
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Episode Timestamps(02:24) Segment: AAR
(03:37) Brad’s West Point experience
(05:37) Impactful classes at West Point
(07:07) How Brad spent his summers
(07:52) Brad’s experience in the Army
(13:00) Mentorship in the Army
(15:59) Segment: SitRep
(30:27) Brad on founder empathy
(34:33) Sports aligning with VC
(36:35) Funding at Scout Ventures
(43:21) Academy Investor Network and the West Point AOG Entrepreneurs Summit
(45:21) Segment: SOP
(48:39) Brad’s daily routine
(52:15) How to cultivate relationships
(57:11) About the Academy Investor Network
(61:14) Segment: Giving Back
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LinksBrad Harrison’s LinkedIn
Brad Harrison’s Twitter
Tim Hsia’s LinkedIn
Lance Dietz’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features an interview with General Rebecca S. Halstead ‘81, Founder and CEO of STEADFAST Leadership, a leading consultancy company she founded after serving for 27 years in the Army. She retired from the military as a Brigadier General. Becky specializes in inspirational and motivational speaking, developing leader training programs, leader coaching and mentoring. Becky has provided hundreds of keynote speeches and leadership training to the corporate and academic sectors at both national and international engagements.
Becky entered West Point in 1977 with just the second class of women, and was the first person from her hometown to graduate from the academy. She was also the first female graduate of West Point (‘81) to be promoted to General Officer in 2004. Becky served and commanded in combat as the first female Commanding General at the strategic level of leadership in Iraq. In 2007 she received the National Women’s History Project award for “Generations of Women Moving History Forward”.
In this episode of the WPAOG Network Podcast, Becky talks about how she enjoys being a leader and why she sees herself as a role model for both men and women. Becky explains how her time at West Point and in the military provided her with many important skills and experiences that are transferable to the work she does today advising businesses on how to be better. She also gives insight on some of her proudest moments in the military and why it is important to be an honest, open, and direct mentor to help others succeed in the military and life thereafter.
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"You should be comfortable wanting to surround yourself with really good people. I mean, I worked for some bosses who they were intimidated by other people that were good and I'm like, I pray to be surrounded by great people, right? Like, I mean, I'm not intimidated by other people being better, smarter, faster than me. I want them on my team. But I also want people on my team that think differently, you know, I don't want my team to look just like me. And I had a great boss who said to me, just don't surround yourself with little Becky Halsteads. I was like, what's wrong with little Becky Halstead sir, you know? And he says, you think about it, you'll figure it out. And then I did. Because you know, if I were to just choose all women to work for me and you know, all white women to work for me, then I wouldn't get the diversity of thought and experience and culture and all the rest of that. So it's like no pick people who think differently than me to surround me to challenge my thinking, to challenge our way ahead, you know, and then I have to be wise enough and smart enough to discern what's best if I'm the one that's in charge to move us forward." - BG (R) Rebecca S. Halstead
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Episode Timestamps(01:45) BG (R) Rebecca S. Halstead’s Background
(03:00) Deciding to attend West Point
(05:05) Experiences at the academy
(06:15) Mentorship
(10:30) Significant achievements
(13:38) Early promotions
(15:49) Being a Role Model and Leader
(18:10) BG (R) Rebecca S. Halstead’s proudest achievement
(26:15) Valuable lessons learned
(30:00) About STEADFAST Leadership
(31:10) Remaining active in the West Point community
(38:05) Transitioning leadership
(41:05) BG (R) Rebecca S. Halstead’s book
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LinksRebecca S Halstead’s LinkedIn
Ian Faison’s LinkedIn
Ian Faison’s Twitter
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features a conversation between Dr. Scott Parsons, Character Education Integrator for the Military Program at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and LTC Tom Dull, Executive Officer at the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic.
Dr. Scott Parsons assists universities and institutions in developing leaders of character by designing curriculum, integration techniques, and assessment tools with a focus on character education. As a leader, teacher, and coach, he designs character education programs based on Neo-Aristotelian Virtue Ethics to facilitate a flourishing life for students, faculty, and staff. As a retired Army officer with over 21 years of military experience, Dr. Parsons spent roughly half of his military career in Intelligence and the other half in academia serving as an Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Ethics.
LTC Tom Dull commissioned into the US Infantry in 2005 and has served at Fort Campbell, KY, Fort Bragg, NC and Fort Riley, KS. He has served as a Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, Troop and Company Commander, Aide-de-camp, and Battalion and Brigade Executive Officer. LTC Dull has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Unified Response, Freedom Sentinel, and Atlantic Resolve. LTC Dull's military education is expansive and includes the United States Army Officer Candidate School, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Airborne Course, Ranger School, Air Assault Course, and the United States Naval War College.
In this episode of the West Point Association of Graduates ‘Character Cut,’ LTC Dull talks about his background as a student of virtue ethics, responding to mission command and discipline initiatives, how the United States Military’s values vary from other nations’, and the importance of character education for young leaders in the academy. Dr. Parsons and LTC Dull also talk about Parsons' use of practical wisdom during combat in Iraq.
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"There's gonna be times where maybe, perhaps, some of these officers, soldiers are kind of alone and generally unafraid, but they're solving problems at the tactical level. And, some of those will be ones where their character will come into question. And so we really want them to kind of come through the other side with their character in tact, right? We want them as they represent not only themselves, the organization they're part of, but the American military that they fought with character, they fought with honor. And they've come back with it. And I think practicing early on, especially here, what we see at the military academy, what we could possibly see in some other initial entry training units, like I think would be such a phenomenal kind of experience." - LTC Tom Dull
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Episode Timestamps(01:09) LTC Dull’s background as a student of virtue ethics
(05:32) How practical wisdom influences soldiers
(09:34) Virtue ethics in military situations
(13:58) Dr. Parsons on employing practical wisdom in Iraq
(16:50) Mission command and discipline initiative
(18:27) LTC Dull’s whiteboard explained
(21:02) LTC Dull on Army doctrine
(24:06) The importance of character education for young leaders in the academy
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LinksDr. Scott Parsons’ LinkedIn
LTC Tom Dull’s LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features an interview with Rolfe Arnhym ‘53, a Chair for Vistage, the world’s largest and most comprehensive executive coaching organization for small and midsize businesses with $1 million to $1 billion in revenue.
As a Vistage Chair, Rolfe mentors numerous business leaders in the community through three groups he oversees. He has served every community in his personal and professional life with a focus on service to others before oneself, and making each community better for future generations. Rolfe is a West Point graduate and retired Army officer with a distinguished 21-year military career, including two combat tours in Vietnam and commanding an Infantry Brigade in the Army Reserve. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and later as a Colonel in the Reserves. Rolfe has held numerous significant leadership positions including serving as CEO of the Pasadena, Long Beach, Palm Springs, and Beverly Hills Chambers of Commerce from 1978-1999.
In this episode of On Point, Rolfe talks about how he works at Vistage with CEOs and executives to develop and add to their professional skill sets and grow as business people. He provides insight on his highly varied career, and what inspired him to write a book for readers to gain insights into mentorship and coaching, being able to walk away with multiple calls to action. Rolfe also touches on the power of the Chamber of Commerce as an important resource to help you succeed in business, and sheds light on the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of moving the Army versus Navy game across the nation.
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“I find a general weakness right now in terms of people holding themselves accountable. They are ready to blame almost anybody else's circumstance, pin the tail on some other’s donkey; never-mind holding their people accountable. I find that internally and I worked very, very hard on this to make sure to help people establish core values. Some would call it a fundamentals and in my book, the number one core value is mutual respect, which is a fast way of saying, ‘treat others as you would have them treat you’, which makes a huge difference.” - Rolfe Arnhym
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Episode Timestamps(02:22) Rolfe’s role at Vistage
(03:54) Moving the Army v. Navy game across the nation
(11:44) Impact the Army v. Navy game left on the West Coast
(14:38) Using the Army v. Navy game as a West Point marketing initiative
(17:42) Why Rolfe wrote Start Everything, Finish Nothing: The Curse of Modern Management
(19:52) Inviting the Mayor of Moscow to Beverly Hills
(24:49) Transitioning out of the military
(26:04) Creating the MILES system
(27:32) The Chamber of Commerce as a career path
(30:27) Rolfe’s relationship with West Point
(36:58) Lessons learned from over the years
(40:04) Life as a mentor
(41:37) How the Chamber of Commerce can help you
(44:55) Final thoughts
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LinksRolfe Arnhym’s LinkedIn
Rolfe Arnhym’s Twitter
rolfearnhym.com
Ian Faison’s LinkedIn
Ian Faison’s Twitter
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features an interview between Dr. Thomas Sherlock, Political Science Professor at the United States Military Academy and Ambassador William B. Taylor, Vice President, Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Dr. Thomas Sherlock received his doctorate in political science from Columbia University and teaches courses on comparative politics, democracy and democratization, comparative political institutions, international security, nationalism and populism, and the politics of the post-Soviet region. He has written and contributed to many books and publications, providing insight and expertise on Russia, and frequently conducts field research in the post-Soviet space.
Ambassador William B. Taylor is vice president, Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He has served as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, oversaw U.S. assistance and support during the Arab Spring, helped the U.S. government facilitate relationships and reconstruction in parts of the Middle East, coordinated U.S. assistance to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and worked on the staff of Senator Bill Bradley. Ambassador Taylor is a 1969 graduate of West Point and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He also served as an infantry platoon leader and combat company commander in the U.S. Army in Vietnam and Germany.
In this episode of the WPAOG Broadcast Network, Dr. Sherlock and Ambassador Taylor provide perspective and insight on the current war being waged on Ukraine by Russia. The ambassador sheds light on the history of the region, its relationship with Russia, its rapid democratization, and shares his experiences with President Vladimir Zelensky. He talks about how the United States is supporting the Ukrainian people from both sides of America’s political aisle. As well, he details what the conflict means for the country’s people, how it will affect the U.S. and NATO, and what you can do to help support Ukraine as the country fights for its freedom.
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"They are committed to winning this war against the Russians. Most people around the world didn't think they had a chance, but they do. And, they are convinced and I believe them. I think they do have the ability, the commitment, the resilience, indeed the strength, to push back against the Russians. And from top to bottom from the government that you asked about to the individuals that you asked about, they are committed to their independence, to their sovereignty, to their freedom in some real sense, and to defending their own land." - Ambassador William B. Taylor
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Episode Timestamps03:00 History of Ukraine and the Perspective of War from It’s People
08:40 Expectations of the Russian Invasion
13:20 Character of President Vladimir Zalenski
19:40 United States’ Perspective and Interest in the Ukrainian Conflict
24:20 What the Conflict in Ukraine Means for the United States Military and NATO
29:50 Major Obstacles that Ukraine Faces in Entry into NATO and EU
35:20 What Americans can do to Support Ukraine
39:20 Ukrainian’s Reaction to Support of the West
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LinksAmbassador Taylor’s Biography
Dr. Sherlock’s Biography
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features an interview with Dan Streetman ‘90, Chief Executive Officer of TIBCO, a revolutionary software company that allows communication within the financial markets to occur in real-time and without human intervention.
Dan is an expert at leveraging real-time data to enable faster, smarter decisions. Prior to leading TIBCO, Dan helped propel significant data-driven transformations, most recently at BMC, Salesforce, and C3.ai. He is a strong advocate for creating cultures of collaboration, and he honed his leadership skills as a U.S. Army officer, serving in combat operations and receiving decorations including the Bronze Star. Dan is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and earned an MBA at Harvard Business School.
In this episode of On Point, Dan talks about how always finding the right solution and having humility are critical in everything you do. He explains that teamwork is crucial for success both in business and the military. Dan provides career advice for transitioning veterans, talks about receiving the distinguished MacArthur Leadership Award while at West Point, and gives insight into his post-military career path.
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“You're never going to accomplish as much as an individual as you will with a team. And oftentimes that's accelerated by technology. Right? So there's a proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone, and if you want to go far, go together. Fast alone, far together. And, in technology we break that paradigm. That proverb was stated when we all moved by foot. Let's take the simplest example of technology, it's a rowing shell. So you take a rowing shell, and if the team is working together that are aligned, and by the way they're all pulling in the same direction, they'll go faster and farther together than any individual ever will. And so that's the biggest thing I learned is that every individual in service to the larger team makes a big difference.” - Dan. Streetman
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Episode Timestamps(01:50) Segment 1: AAR
(03:37) Dan’s West Point experience
(08:50) Dan’s time in the Army
(17:11) Receiving the MacArthur Leadership Award
(19:06) Impactful classes at West Point
(20:57) Segment 2: Sit Rep
(25:32) Leadership in military vs. corporate leadership
(28:09) TIBCO merging with Citrix
(31:46) Sales advice for transitioning veterans
(36:49) Segment 3: SOP
(41:59) Dan’s daily routine
(44:19) Balancing work-life and family
(47:10) Segment 4: Giving Back
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LinksDan Streetman’s LinkedIn
Dan Streetman’s Twitter
Tim Hsia LinkedIn
Lance Dietz LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
Breakline
VetsinTech
United in Stride
Team with a Vision
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This episode features a conversation between MAJ Benjamin Elliott, instructor for MX400 Officership at the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Dr. Ryan Erbe, Emotional Wellness Integrator with the Character Integration Advisory Group at the United States Military Academy.
MAJ Benjamin Elliott graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2007 with a BS in Psychology. In 2016 he earned an MS in Strategic Intelligence (MSSI) from the National Intelligence University (NIU) in Washington, DC. His first commission was as a Military Intelligence Officer, serving as a Human Intelligence Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Battalion Assistant Intelligence Officer. MAJ Elliott then served as a reconnaissance squadron Intelligence Officer and the Brigade Assistant Intelligence Officer. Following that he was assigned to the National Training Center as an Observer, Coach, and Trainer on the Cobra Team, Operations Group. After gaining his MS, MAJ Elliott served as an interagency fellow at the National Counterterrorism Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence where he was a counterterrorism analyst assigned to the Interagency Intelligence Committee on Terrorism.
Dr. Erbe has a demonstrated history of working in the higher education field and is skilled in research, teaching, course design, curriculum development, nonprofit organizations, and more. He earned his PhD from Indiana University in Health Behavior and Human Development in 2017. His current focus is on integrating character development into wellness initiatives across the military academy. Previously, he held positions as an Adjunct Professor at the Rocky Mountain School of Ministry and Theology along with the State University of New York at New Paltz, where he taught Counseling Adolescents, Health Psychology, and Research Methods. He most recently was the Lead Minister of the Hudson Valley Church, where he focused on Spiritual Formation and Family Health.
In this episode of On Point and the West Point Association of Graduates ‘Character Cut’ series, Dr. Erbe and MAJ Elliott talk about making people a priority in the military. They discuss the virtues of love, competence, character, and caring, and whether unconditional love has a place in the Army, leadership, and service. MAJ Benjamin Elliott and Dr. Erbe also go into the five forms of love and the ways it impacts life in the military.
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“When soldiers believe that their leader has a clear and heartfelt commitment to doing the right thing for their soldiers, to willing the good in their lives, to be primarily concerned about their wellbeing, especially in the midst of very trying and difficult circumstances, that as well promotes trust or enhances trust for a leader." - Dr. Ryan G. Erbe
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Episode Timestamps(03:05) Introducing Dr. Ryan G. Erbe
(03:25) Talking about the virtue of love
(05:00) Does unconditional love have a place in the Army?
(10:25) The three Cs: competence, character and caring
(14:26) Army doctrine and leadership
(16:35) The five forms of ways to love
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LinksDr. Ryan G. Erbe LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features an interview with Mark McLaughlin class of '88, Chairman of the Board at Qualcomm and Vice Chairman of the Board at Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity leader working to shape the cloud-centric future with technology that is aimed at transforming the way people and organizations operate.
Mark also served as President and CEO of Palo Alto Networks from August 2011 to June 2018. Prior, he was President and CEO of Verisign, after holding other numerous positions with the company. Before that, he was the Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Signio, Vice President of Business Development for Gemplus, served as General Counsel of the Caere Corporation, and practiced law as an attorney with Cooley Godward and Kronish LLP.
For nearly a decade, Mark has served as a member of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), a body that for more than 30 years has brought industry chief executives together to provide counsel on national security policy and technical issues to the U.S. President and national security leadership. He received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and his B.S. degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served as an attack helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army and earned his Airborne Wings.
In this episode of On Point, Mark talks about his non-linear career path that started after being medically discharged from the military because of a helicopter accident. He explains his paradigm for assessing work opportunities, advice for military veterans as they transition into civilian business, and how he has balanced his career and family life. Mark emphasizes how veterans can translate their unique skill sets and experiences into jobs and leadership opportunities, the importance of networking with fellow alumni, and how they need to look out for and promote themselves to prosper outside of the army.
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"My big message now to folks who are transitioning out is don't lock yourself into a life plan, something like that where you feel like you're off course, or you're failing if things don't work out exactly like you thought they were gonna work out. Do a ton of networking, super important. That's actually how stuff works in life. That's actually how opportunities present themselves. You have to work really hard to get the opportunities and executing the opportunities, you do a lot of networking that way. And, don't be discouraged if you feel you're on a non linear path to something. Many times in my life most of the best things that happened to me weren't planned; something happened, something presented itself, somebody took a chance on me, and then I went in that direction and it worked out." - Mark McLaughlin
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Episode Timestamps02:00 AAR - After Action Review Segment
02:15 Decision to Attend West Point
02:55 Experience at West Point
03:55 Starting the Crew Team at West Point
05:50 Difficulties in First Year
07:45 Experience Flying Cobra Attack Helicopters
09:50 Abrupt end to Military Service and Making a Career After the Army
14:30 Career After the Military
26:15 Mentors and Advice from Others
28:00 Time at Palo Alto Networks
35:00 Working with Different Types of Investment Firms and Boards
37:15 SOP - Standard Operating Procedure / Daily Routines and Advice
45:45 Giving Back - Advice for Transitioning Veterans
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LinksMark’s LinkedIn
Marks Twitter
Tim Hsia LinkedIn
Lance Dietz LinkedIn
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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This episode features a conversation with Rodney Manzo, Founder and CEO of Anvyl, a company that strives to bring intelligent and connected supply chains to customers around the world.
Rodney has a demonstrated history of launching products around the world. His skill sets span operations management, international supply chains, cost negotiations, analytics, systems engineering and team building. Prior to starting at Anvyl, Rodney was a Senior Director of Supply Chain at Harry’s and a Global Supply Manager at Apple. He also served in the United States Army as a Combat Engineer during tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Rodney received his Bachelor's Degree in Management and Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and his Masters in Business Administration focused in Finance and Operations from Columbia Business School.
In this episode of On Point, Rodney Manzo discusses his career as a combat engineer in the Army, the effect that maintaining a rigorous daily routine can have on consistency, how mentors are extremely important while in the military and throughout your career, and the trials, tribulations, and ultimate successes related to starting his own supply chain company.
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"I think the biggest piece of feedback for anyone that's in the military, transitioning out of the military is get mentors, get good smart people, very experienced people around you. When I was at the military I had zero, when I was transitioning, zero. I was so clueless going into West Point about careers. I knew I liked banking? But what is banking? consulting? What would you do as a consultant? I was clueless. Where, if you talk to someone, they'll tell you very quickly and efficiently what that is and you're living through them. So from that mistake, I definitely course corrected later in my professional life. - Rodney Manzo
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Episode Timestamps(01:48) Segment: AAR - After Action Review
(03:13) Rodney’s track and field experience
(03:58) His experience at West Point
(06:35) Life as a combat engineer in the Army
(13:12) Mentorship at West Point
(17:26) Segment: Sit Rep
(21:10) Joining early startups
(22:50) Challenges faced switching companies
(26:03) What is Anvyl?
(27:36) Starting Anvyl
(30:37) Advice for starting a business
(33:01) Segment: SOP - Standard Operating Procedure
(34:34) Structuring a CEO’s daily routine
(39:24) Strengths of veteran entrepreneurs
(40:36) Segment: Giving Back
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LinksRodney Manzo’s LinkedIn
Anvyl Website
West Point Association of Graduates
On Point Podcast
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- Näytä enemmän
