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He Led Troops in Combat — Now He Leads Billion-Dollar Companies (Lance Olmsted, President of Copperleaf, an IFS company)
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Leadership Under Fire
He Led Troops in Combat — Now He Leads Billion-Dollar Companies
I first met Lance Olmsted, now President of IFS Copperleaf, expecting a story about discipline and precision.
What I didn’t expect was how deeply human it would be.
Lance served as a U.S. Marine. He learned to lead in the most uncertain environments imaginable — where hesitation could cost lives AND empathy wasn’t optional.
That’s right...empathy.
And you’ll never forget why when you hear his story.
Those lessons stayed with him and became a positive guiding force.
Today, he’s guiding global teams and helping industries use AI to make smarter, faster decisions.
Before that, he helped drive a $1 billion unicorn exit by applying the same mindset that got his Marines home safe:
✅ Focus on the mission, not the noise.
✅ Act fast and adapt faster.
✅ Build trust before you need it.
✅ Lead with empathy, even under fire.
His story is proof that military leadership still works — not because it’s rigid, but because it’s built on resilience, clarity, and purpose.
Leadership isn’t about power — it’s about people. What’s your take?
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Follow Lance on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-olmsted-98708568/
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Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben Fanning
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