🎧︎ EP6. The Art of the Possible with France Hoang, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, boodleAI, ‘95

Sep 1

Episode summary - This episode features an interview with France Hoang, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at boodleAI. France graduated from West Point in 1995 in the top 1% of his class and currently serves as a Partner at FH and H, holds numerous board positions, and is a distinguished visiting lecturer at West Point. Early in his career, France went from Platoon Leader to Battalion Staff Officer to Deputy Chief Of Police to SWAT Commander before transitioning into the legal field where he ultimately became an Assistant United States Attorney.

On this episode, France shares his story of being airlifted out of Vietnam at the age of 2, how he achieved success in both the Army and later as an attorney, and why after 9 years in the private sector, he deployed again at the age of 35 as a Special Forces Officer in Afghanistan.

“I'm a big fan of what I call ‘hold my beer moments.’ What are those things that you're going to look back on in life and say, ‘Gosh, I regret not doing that’ versus, ‘That was crazy, but how cool that I had a chance to do that.’” — France Hoang

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Episode Timestamps:

*(2:05) - AAR - The After Action Review

*(2:30) - Getting airlifted out of Vietnam at the age of 2

*(4:00) - Why France’s parents decided to settle in the U.S.

*(6:10) - Joining West Point

*(7:40) - Post West Point

*(12:00) - Becoming the Chief of Police and SWAT team Commander

*(17:00) - Preparation meets opportunity

*(20:00) - Re-deploying at the age of 35 to the Special Forces

*(23:45) - Getting involved in aerospace

*(28:30) - The love of learning