Guest
20-Year U.S. Army Veteran
West Point Graduate
Harvard Graduate
Strategic Advisor & Keynote Speaker
Co-Founder of RideScout (Acquired by Mercedes-Benz)
Technology & Dual-Use Innovation ExpertTopics Covered
Memorial Day & Military Service
The true meaning of Memorial Day
Honoring fallen service members
Carry the Load initiative
Remembering sacrifice over celebrationGrowing Up & West Point
Growing up without military family connections
Pursuing scholarships to afford college
Why Joseph chose West Point over the Air Force Academy
Leadership culture at West Point
Lessons learned from military educationCombat Deployments
Two deployments to Iraq
Serving inside Saddam Hussein's palace complex
Iraq shortly after the 2003 invasion
Father's Day deployment in 2004
Life before widespread IED attacks
Leading soldiers in combat
The emotional toll of deploymentLeadership Under Pressure
Making decisions in high-stress environments
Building trust in dangerous situations
Responsibility for leading people in combat
Translating battlefield leadership into businessEntrepreneurship
Transitioning from military service to startups
Co-founding RideScout
Acquisition by Mercedes-Benz
Building and scaling innovative companies
Lessons learned from entrepreneurshipTechnology & Innovation
Artificial intelligence
Dual-use technology
National security innovation
Emerging technology trends
Startups solving real-world problemsBusiness Leadership
Risk management
Decision-making under uncertainty
Building resilient teams
Leadership principles from military service
Navigating change and disruptionKey Takeaways
Great leaders are built through adversity, not comfort.
Military leadership principles apply directly to business and entrepreneurship.
Innovation requires calculated risk and decisive action.
Purpose is one of the strongest drivers of resilience.
Success comes from adapting faster than the environment changes.
Leadership is about serving others before yourself.
The lessons learned in combat can transform the way businesses lead during uncertainty.Memorable Moments
Joseph explains why Memorial Day should be a day of remembrance rather than celebration.
The story of choosing West Point and discovering a lifelong purpose.
Deploying to Iraq on Father's Day with hundreds of fellow soldiers.
Working from Saddam Hussein's former palace after the U.S. invasion.
Steve and Joseph discuss the famous toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue.
Transitioning from military operations to leading successful technology startups.
Applying battlefield leadership lessons to entrepreneurship and corporate leadership.Why You Should Watch
If you're interested in military history, leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation, national security, or personal resilience, this episode offers a rare perspective from someone who has successfully led in combat, academia, and business. Joseph Kopser delivers practical lessons on courage, adaptability, and leadership that apply far beyond the battlefield.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.