For the Zoomies

2nd Lt Andrew Cormier '25 - 8 Lessons I've Learned Over the Past 99 Conversations, Final Episode | Perspective Ep 42

Host of FTZ Andrew Cormier winds down the show with a 100 episode recap. He goes into how the show started and how it evolved into what it is today, then candidly covers 8 themes that emerged throughout the past 99 episodes that he learned over the past 3 years. The themes are listed below: • The worst career decisions are made with half the information • A perfect record isn’t always a sign of great leadership. Sometimes, it’s a sign no one ever pushed back • Every rule was written for a reason—the question is whether that reason still matters • There are so many ways to contribute to national security, many of them are out of uniform • You don’t need to launch a startup to think like an entrepreneur. Intrapreneurship is about building where you are • It’s hard to judge your house until you’ve lived in someone else’s • Finances aren’t just numbers—they’re narratives • The goal isn’t to fly forever—it’s to make sure others can Thanks again for all of the support over the years, this has been such a fun project to work on! If you want to keep up with my substack, feel free to subscribe! https://andrewcormier.substack.com/?r=5384d8&utm_campaign=pub-share-checklist

Vishaal "V8" Hariprisad '06 - Distinguishing Laws, Policies, and Regulations is the Key to Cutting Through Bureaucracy! | Perspective Ep 41

Host of FTZ Andrew Cormier sits down with founder and CEO of the cyber insurance company Resilience V8 Hariprisad to discuss the ins and outs of aligning incentives within an organization and also knowing which rules are okay to break and which ones shouldn't be touched.

Dave Lam '11 - Helping Small Business Owners with Micro Private Equity Buy-Outs | Perspective Ep 40

Host of FTZ Andrew Cormier sits down with founder of Phalanx Partners Dave Lam '11 to discuss micro private equity and how carrying the core values into the industry helps small business owners boost their businesses.

Brig Gen (R) Dave Stilwell - Beyond TikTok & Taiwan, How is the PRC Threatening the U.S. Way of Life? | Perspective Ep 39

Host of FTZ Andrew Cormier sits down with China expert Brig Gen (R) Dave Stilwell to discuss more broadly the attack vectors China has on the U.S. way of life, and how despite their thoughtful plan, they lack the American Spirit. We discuss IP theft, influence on Hollywood, the social credit score, currency debasement and debt, Uyghur slavery and forced labor, TikTok, surveillance, supply chain vulnerabilities, One Belt One Road, the military threat on Taiwan, and lots more. Here are a few articles we pointed to during the discussion: https://www.newsweek.com/enes-kanter-freedom-receives-human-rights-award-after-being-ousted-nba-1681761 https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-08-13/car-legend-steve-saleens-china-venture-collapses https://tnsr.org/2022/12/chinas-brute-force-economics-waking-up-from-the-dream-of-a-level-playing-field/ https://www.reuters.com/technology/intel-ceo-invested-hundreds-chinese-companies-some-with-military-ties-2025-04-10/ https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Testing-Ernie-How-Baidu-s-AI-chatbot-stacks-up-to-ChatGPT

Lt Gen Dale White - Deterrence, Venture Capital, and Measuring Risk in Air Force Acquisition | Perspective Ep 38

Host of FTZ Andrew Cormier sits down with top AF Acquisition officer Lt Gen Dale White to discuss deterrence in acquisition, the future of procurement with venture capital playing a larger role in defense, and many more topics.