October 08, 2025

He Led Troops in Combat — Now He Leads Billion-Dollar Companies (Lance Olmsted, President of Copperleaf, an IFS company)

31 minutes

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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By Ben Fanning

4.8

6565 ratings

October 08, 2025

He Led Troops in Combat — Now He Leads Billion-Dollar Companies (Lance Olmsted, President of Copperleaf, an IFS company)

31 minutes

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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