Explore the inspiring journey of Lindsey Chrismon, a ground-breaking West Point First Captain and elite military helicopter pilot, as she transitions to Harvard Business School. Learn how her drive for new challenges led her to co-found Oply, an innovative AI-powered home maintenance solution, embodying true entrepreneurial spirit.
Lindsey Chrismon’s trajectory is nothing short of remarkable. Her undergraduate journey began at West Point, the top military college in the United States. She then became an elite military pilot. Now, she is undertaking an MBA at Harvard Business School as she embraces her latest challenge as an entrepreneur.
If you seek an inspiring story of ambition, it doesn’t get much more impressive than this. Lindsey Chrismon’s journey through Harvard Business School and beyond exemplifies resilience and drive. She combines discipline with intellectual curiosity. She sets a powerful precedent for innovation and leadership.
Lindsey’s career began with an impressive foundation at West Point. She wasn’t content with just admission; she aimed for the pinnacle of achievement.
During her time at West Point, Lindsey distinguished herself. She was selected as the First Captain in her graduating class of 2014. This leadership role signifies the top cadet. “I was the fourth woman in West Point history to be appointed as the First Captain, which means that I was ranked number one out of all 4,400 cadets while I was there,” she says of her historic achievement. (0:20)
Her husband, Gabe Chrismon, was a West Point classmate. He confirms her persistent drive. “If Linds has an idea of what she wants to do,” he said, “she’s pretty much going to find a way to make sure that happens.”
After West Point, Lindsey continued pursuing excellence. She set a goal to fly helicopters early on. An Apache helicopter landing outside her room sparked this dream. Then, she made it real. Lindsey became an aviation officer in the U.S. Army. She flew the Apache helicopter for about four years.
Later, she moved to special operations. She became the first woman in Army history to fly the AH-6 Little Bird helicopter in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. In Lindsey’s words, it’s “the most elite helicopter force on the planet.” (00:49) This is the same unit that flew SEALs into the Osama bin Laden raid.
She flew Little Birds for about six years, in total, spending almost a decade in military aviation. “Serving your country is something that profoundly resonates with me as an individual. What it means to me to have served for 10 years, I would not trade it for anything,” Lindsey explains. (0:01)
After almost 10 years of flying elite helicopters, Lindsey felt it was time for a new chapter. This decision initially surprised her military friends. She always assumed she would pursue a 20-year career, perhaps even a general’s rank.
Despite the daily excitement of her job, she knew something was missing. “I did feel, at a certain point, intellectually capped. I wanted to experiment and get out in the world and do other things that were a different chapter, and face different challenges.” (1:07)
She wanted to explore what else life had to offer beyond the military, and this intellectual hunger led her to pursue an MBA degree.
Lindsey had a clear vision for her higher education. She remembers, “I actually wrote in my West Point yearbook that I wanted to go to Harvard Business School.” (1:25)
This was 10 years earlier. Her determination is evident in her consistent follow-through. Her husband affirmed this goal. “HBS was where she was going to go no matter what,” he stated.
Upon arriving at HBS, Lindsey felt intimidated, “It had been 10 years since I had been in an academic setting.” However, she found the experience opened her mind and broadened her perspective. “It was just so enlightening to see how much more to the world there is than just what I knew.” (1:38)
Lindsey gained insights from classmates that expanded her worldview. This opened her aperture to new opportunities.
Her HBS time launched new entrepreneurial ambitions. Lindsey eventually co-founded Oply with her husband, their second venture together.
Oply is an AI-powered tool. It helps homeowners proactively manage home maintenance systems. “With our technology that we’ve developed, we can actually anticipate what’s going to happen and then book those services so that it elongates the life of your major systems of your home to prevent those large losses.” (2:13)
This venture showcases Lindsey’s affinity for innovation and how she thrives on solving real-world problems. Her MBA skills from HBS helped her gain the connections, business know-how, and tools to make her entrepreneurial dream a reality.
Lindsey spent her last HBS year raising capital. She often flew to Nashville for business development. Her resilience is clear. Reza Satchu, who teaches Entrepreneurship Management at HBS, praised her. He says, she delivers “compelling value proposition” with conviction. Even when challenged, she fights back. High-profile investors tested her, including the CEO of Delta and Kevin O’Leary.
Yet her tenacious spirit continues to shine through in her endeavours. It was honed in military service. It has proved invaluable in startups.
As her HBS journey concludes, Lindsey feels mixed emotions. The experience passed quickly. Now she is eager to focus on Oply. However, she will miss her friends and daily classes. She adds, “The amount of support that I received, whether it’s through all of the programs like the Rock Center, the iLab, my professors, that is a huge benefit to being an HBS student.” (2:24)
While the classes may be ending, the support, connections, and knowledge she gained will continue to guide her entrepreneurial journey.
Lindsey Chrismon’s journey is a powerful testament to unyielding ambition. She consistently defies expectations. From leading at West Point to commanding elite military aircraft. Then, she navigated entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School. Her co-founding of Oply showcases her unwavering commitment to innovation and resilience.
Chrismon’s story provides an inspiring blueprint. Set audacious goals. Cultivate unwavering determination. Never shy away from the next intellectual frontier. Her legacy is still being written. It will undoubtedly continue to inspire leaders and innovators for years to come.
Read the original post from LinkedIn here.
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