In this episode, Louis Gelinas, West Point Class of ‘11, shares how his Army experiences, especially managing people and operations under pressure, shaped his entrepreneurial path. Currently, the Director of Product at Rivet — a workforce management platform for trade contractors — was born from a simple but powerful idea: solve a real-world problem with the tools he wished he had in uniform. Louis also highlights the crucial role the West Point Entrepreneurs group played in helping Rivet navigate early challenges, secure vital connections, and ultimately hit key growth milestones.

Louis studied History and Chinese before serving as an infantry officer with assignments in Italy, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Korea. After eight years on active duty — and growing his family to include four children — Louis returned home to Detroit, Michigan, to launch the next chapter of his career. Doubling down on his software development skills, he teamed up with local entrepreneurs to cofound Rivet, a workforce management platform built specifically for trade contractors. Today, as Director of Product, Louis leads a team of engineers, designers, and product managers, channeling the lessons from his Army days into building a platform designed to empower America's skilled trades workforce.

Throughout the conversation, Louis talks candidly about the challenges of staying focused in the fast-paced world of startups, how West Point’s leadership lessons still guide his decision-making, and why curiosity and community are critical to entrepreneurial success. From the early days of Rivet’s scrappy beginnings to winning the confidence of investors and customers, Louis’s story is full of valuable insights for anyone looking to build something that truly serves others. Plus, we dive into how staying relentlessly mission-focused — even when things get tough — can make all the difference.

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Key Quote:

“  Company Commander time is really where you get the heat of like the prioritization, ideally your company commander and your battalion commander are the people who are being like, there's 10 priorities, but we're gonna be able to really make time to be good at three of them. And as a platoon leader, ideally, you get to focus on the one thing we're gonna be training on.

This is gonna be our key task, this is gonna be our mission. But a big part of it is like somebody else decided to filter out the like 17 other things. The various aspects of the Army is gonna ask you to do. And that like intense focus on prioritization is like very important even as a Company Commander, is that you can kind of figure out like if you picked the right thing to focus on like not only do you succeed in your mission, but everybody's okay with the fact that you put a ‘C’ into, you know, this aspect of the third thing on the list because you did the most important thing. What is the most important thing is always gonna serve you well.”

-Louis Gelinas

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(01:19) Louis’ West Point Career and Transition

(04:21) Founding Rivet: Inspiration and Team Formation

(08:32) The Impact of West Point Entrepreneurs

(14:09) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

(26:01) The Future for Rivet

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Learn more about the West Point Entrepreneurs Group

Connect with Louis

Learn more about Rivet

What does it take to be a great leader? In this episode, host Jamie Enos sits down with Lieutenant General (Ret.) Benjamin Freakley to unpack the essence of leadership, trust, and lifelong service. From his days at West Point, class of 75’, to commanding troops in combat, General Freakley shares hard-earned wisdom on building trust, listening to those around you, and leading with integrity. He also reflects on the unbreakable bond of the Long Gray Line, the power of mentorship, and how West Point shapes leaders not just for the Army but for a lifetime of service, the tenets of being on the Long Gray Line don’t end at graduation, but serve your lifetime.

Lieutenant General Benjamin C. Freakley serves as a Professor of Practice of Leadership at Arizona State University and a Special Advisor to ASU President Michael Crow. He co-founded the ASU Leadership, Diplomacy, and National Security Lab after retiring from the U.S. Army with over 36 years of service. A graduate of West Point class of 1975 and former Commanding General of the U.S. Army Accessions Command, he was responsible for worldwide recruiting and ROTC programs. Throughout his career, he led U.S. and international forces in combat, commanded at all levels, and played a key role in shaping future military leaders. His leadership experience spans from Operation Desert Storm to commanding forces in Afghanistan, and today, he continues to develop leaders both inside and outside the military.

The conversation also dives into General Freakley’s involvement with West Point’s 50-Year Affiliate Program and why mentoring the next generation of Army officers is critical. He shares invaluable advice for young leaders navigating their first roles in the Army—emphasizing the importance of humility, trust, and learning from non-commissioned officers. Tune in to hear why leadership is a lifelong commitment, how West Point’s values endure far beyond graduation, and what it truly means to serve.

Key Quote:

“ The essence of leadership of all the things we do is trust. Women and men either trust you or they don't. In and out of combat, it always just struck me that even an arduous training, a noncommissioned officer would ask her soldiers to do something and they would do it. And I would just reflect on, you know, why are they doing this? Why are they taking this chance? Why are they doing what they're being asked to do in and out of combat, and the essence of leadership is trust. And how do you get that trust? Integrity, competency, and getting results. You have to be a leader of integrity. You have to live the honor code at West Point your entire life. And women and men will follow leaders who are competent. We don't like to waste our time. We don't like to be caught up in inefficient moments. We don't like to walk up into a complete disaster of a mess and say, ‘what's going on here.’ We like to be around people who know what they're doing, who know their stuff and, and then leaders have to get results and people want to be on a team that wins.”

-LTG (R) Ben Freakley ’75

(0:26) Inspiration and Early Influences

(02:47) Leadership Philosophy

(04:45) For our Future Leaders

(10:57) How Family Can Mold Leadership

(15:32) The Long Gray Line and Lifelong Service

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Learn More About Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley

On this week’s episode, host Jamie Enos sits down with Brigadier General (Ret.) Jim Warner, Class of 1976, to explore a legacy of the Long Gray Line that spans generations. From his father’s improbable journey from a Depression-era farm boy to a four-star general to Warner’s path through West Point, this conversation is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and commitment to service. Warner’s reflections on the Academy’s past and present—shaped by his experiences as a cadet, an officer, a class president, and a mentor—highlight West Point’s enduring mission to develop leaders of character. His powerful decision to donate both his and his father’s West Point rings to the Class of 2026’s Ring Melt Ceremony underscores the deep connection graduates share across time.

A distinguished leader in both military and civilian spheres, Brigadier General (Ret.) Jim Warner has spent his career developing learning organizations that drive mission success. As Chief Learning Officer of the Veterans Health Administration, he led the nation’s largest Continuing Medical Education program, delivering over 6 million CME credits to hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals. His leadership extended to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, where he shaped the professional development of officers and Army civilians worldwide. Warner’s military career included key command and operational assignments in combat zones, as well as strategic planning roles shaping national defense policy. His deep commitment to mentorship, education, and leadership development is evident in his work, ensuring that both soldiers and civilians continue to learn, grow, and serve with excellence.

This episode isn’t just about history; it’s about the future. Warner speaks passionately about the next generation of West Point leaders and their remarkable potential. With stories of courage, mentorship, and the unbreakable bonds formed at the Academy, he reminds listeners that West Point is not just an institution—it’s a force that shapes the character of those who will go on to shape history. Whether you’re a graduate, a prospective cadet, or simply someone who appreciates stories of perseverance and purpose, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.

Key Quote:

“If  you really want to accomplish something, it's about what you do with others, and how they respond to you and how you respond to them. So, that's one thing. The one enduring aspect of the West Point experience, I think, goes to first, the ethics of duty, honor, country, the notion that if you're going to be successful, in your own eyes, you've got to do it be able to be part of something bigger than yourself, something that's going to last longer than you do, that you can build something that carries forward to [the] future.”

– Brigadier General (Ret) Jim Warner

(00:32) The Family Legacy at West Point

(09:25) Jim's Path to West Point

(13:34) Ring Memorial Program

(20:01) Leadership Philosophy and Career

(25:56) Mentorship and Influences

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Connect with Brigadier General Jim Warner