Lindsay Kough

I help grow companies | Navy SEAL Veteran | Former Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of the Navy (SES-III)

My why:   to serve God, country, and family by inspiring and empowering others to achieve their greatest potential living out their own why.

Gallop Strengths:   Self-Assurance | Achiever | Belief | Responsibility | Activator

Kolbe A Index:  5-5-7-3

President

We solve problems, and grow client companies in the United States and abroad.  We focus on innovation in architecture, engineering, healthcare, space, and defense.

CAGE Code:  95F88
DUNS Number:  015451889

www.trident11.com

Coming off of active duty in the SEAL Teams…


…there were no transition programs to help newly-minted veterans either find a job or start a business...

Or, at least, I had never heard of any of them at the time.

Mind you, this was “back in the day…”



Until recently, this was also true for college athletes, nationally-ranked athletes, Olympic athletes, and professional athletes.

Until…

Christian Ponder, world-class athlete, founded The Post.



The Post as an invite-only network for former athletes, focused on peer mentorship, career development, leadership, and investment education. 

True to its founding vision, The Post today is “building and supporting the most effective and diverse global network of leaders” exclusively from the athlete community. 

Reiterating, members include Olympians, NFL and NBA alumni, and NCAA champions turned CEOs and founders. 

Through regular leadership workshops and an online forum, members exchange opportunities and insights, embodying Ponder’s belief that together, they can catalyze each other’s power far beyond sport.

The Post opened also has a physical clubhouse space in Manhattan; an in-person hub for networking events, workshops, and rekindling the locker-room spirit among members.



Thanks to our national achievements of our United States Naval Academy Water Polo team, again “back in the day,” somehow The Post let me in…

I am grateful they did.



If you want any more information about The Post, feel free to DM me.



Groucho Marx’ quote, “I would never be a member of a club that would have me as a member,” does not apply in this case.



Find your tribe(s).

Happy New Year.

V/r, LTK



Photo: Christian Ponder at The Post Clubhouse in Manhattan. December 2025.

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trident-11

Founder/CEO at The Post

The Post

United States Naval Academy

I Help Grow Companies | Navy SEAL Veteran

When parents meet who continue to endure the loss of their children to suicide, a significant bond is formed… forever… and…



Amazing things can still happen.



Here is the short version…

The first note I sent to Leslie Weirich via LinkedIn DM was in November of 2021.

That was two years and 7 months after we lost our Leslie, aka “Lulu,” to suicide.

Lulu was 18.



Leslie and I finally met face-to-face about a year and a half later, in May of 2023, when she invited us to a fundraiser where she was speaking on behalf of a full-length feature film being produced with some ties to suicide, “Adieu.”



There, we met the writer/director, James Meyer, and his bride who is also the producer, Sara Meyer, both of Lava Lamp Films.



Six months later, in November of 2023, I was able to have breakfast with James and personally thank him for the unbelievable portrait he had drawn of Lulu and sent me from Europe (the portrait, itself, and the details of which are in a previous post).



In the meantime, at that fundraiser in May of 2023, Molly Stamer and her son, Jake Stamer, were at our table, as well (thanks to Leslie), and we had an enjoyable time.



Roll tape forward two and a half years later, this fine young U.S. Marine, Jake, reached out to me in November of 2025, cordially, with a specific reference to Lulu’s birthday…

Now, not as many people remember Lulu’s birthday as much these days, and he was quite a gentleman to mention it.



Well, we finally grabbed some time last week and discussed his goals and ambitions for life, and we enjoyed a meaningful, authentic, and deep conversation.

It was kind of a two-for for Jake as one of the great mentors on the planet, Rick Schultz, was there, as well.



Leslie, thank you for improving all of our lives with you in it.

James and Sara, keep going! Your work is important!

Molly, you have awesome sons. I know you have two, but I have only met Jake. Nice work!



It is a small world.

Let’s keep making it smaller.



Call to action: Stay connected... Take the meeting... Listen... Create more opportunities for others.



V/r, LTK



Photo credit: Jules Gordon.  From left to right:  Jake Stamer, moi, and Rick Schultz.  I tagged Jules on this, not just because she shot the photo, but because Jules and Emily Holland do such a great job for everyone at Industrious!

The most important thing about CEOcircle is not what you learn… it’s who you’re trusted to learn with…



Congratulations again to the newly selected D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families - IVMF/J.P. Morgan Commercial and Investment Banking CEOcircle cohort!



Selection into CEOcircle is earned. 



It reflects leadership maturity, operational credibility, and a willingness to be challenged by peers who understand both service and scale.



As an Alumni Facilitator, I’ve seen what makes this program different. 

CEOcircle is not a class, a pitch group, or a networking exercise. 

It is a trusted peer environment where veteran and military spouse founders engage in candid, high-caliber conversations about growth, decision-making, and responsibility at the next level.



As you have already heard from others, over the year ahead you’ll be surrounded by leaders who speak the same language, hold one another accountable, and push past comfort toward clarity and execution. 

The relationships built here, supported by IVMF and J.P. Morgan are durable, honest, and consequential.



To this year’s cohort, you weren’t selected for where you hope to go…

You were selected for what you’ve already built and what you’re capable of building next.

Yes, we enjoyed an amazing fly-in last month at JPMorganChase’s headquarters in NYC, but the real work started this afternoon in our first "Call Sign Huddle."

Red 1, you came prepared and have plunged into the work!



Congratulations, again!

Let's GO!



It is a high honor to serve you.

V/r, LTK



Photo (from left to right):  Charles Masters Rodriguez, LTK, Chris Gonzalez, PMP, Jonathan Schneider, Chris Merwin, David Waldbauer, Jary Jackson, Charles Hargett, Lisa Bradley, and Michelle Buonfiglio (not pictured:  Ashley Driscoll, CPESC/QSD, Beth (Fynbo) Benike, Tom Burden and Dan Feliciano).

#ivmf #IVMFSyracuseU #jpm #jpmc

Institute for Veterans and Military Families - IVMF

J.P. Morgan Commercial and Investment Banking

J.P. Morgan

JPMorganChase

Co-Founder & CEO @ Supply Veins | Techstars ’24 | Stanford LBAN | Supply Chain l Dual-Use l Former Army Diver l Veteran Advocate

President at A-G Associates

Co-founder @ Moderne | Java Champion | founder OpenRewrite - OSS automated refactoring

President at R3 SSG

President, LIMA CHARLIE INC | Veteran | FEMA & DOD Housing Industry Expert | GovCon & Construction Leader | 37K+Households Delivered Since 2021 | Multifamily Investor | Mission-Driven | Built to Execute, Driven to Serve

CEO • Special Forces Retired • Small Business Acquisitions • Entrepreneur • Talent Management

President/CEO at First Principles & Concepts (FP&C) with expertise in Federal procurement

Co-Founder, CEO of R. Riveter

Inclusive Banking Business Development Executive, J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking

Owner @ Bancroft Construction Services | DVBE, SBmicro, WBE, CBE

SBA MN Small Business Person of the Year 2025 | President and Founder at Busy Baby LLC | 2-time VET100 & INC5000 | Shark Tank Entrepreneur | 2026 CEOcircle

Intuition Leads To Success | Shark Tank | Forbes 30u30 | INC 5000 | Grypmat CEO

🚀 CEO & Co-Founder at Clotheslyne | Techstars '23 | Innovator in the Gig Economy | Former Major, US Marine Corps and Aviation Logistics Expert | Entrepreneur

Well, LinkedIn busted us…



Matthew Ray Scott has not only instrumental helping me build three of my prior companies, but we have also become close “later in life” dear friends since 2014.



Matthew is a top physician brand strategist and founder of "FEED. The Agency," an award-winning healthcare marketing agency. 

He launched FEED in 2010 and grew it into an 8-figure company, working alongside his mother, wife, daughters, and even best friends. 

His work helps surgeons and healthcare innovators stand out from the "sea of sameness".

Matthew is also an accomplished author.



What truly sets Matthew apart is his heart-led leadership and values. 

As a young Army officer, he made the courageous choice to leave the service after coming home from a deployment and realizing his baby daughter had taken her first steps without him. 

That speaks volumes about his priorities. 

He carries that same people-first mindset into his work.

As his Army service is mentioned here, books could be written about what he did in the service. 

I will just leave you a summation that his service in special operations was more than noteworthy in several extremely hazardous missions in foreign countries throughout the world.



Anyone who follows Matthew on LinkedIn knows how freely he gives back. 

His heartfelt transparency on this platform has fostered a true community of friends around him. 

He’s always ready with advice, humor, and encouragement, exemplifying servant leadership in every post. 



I’m grateful to call him my friend. 



He leads with excellence and empathy, never losing sight of what matters most… 

…family, friends, and helping others succeed.



Whether or not you are in healthcare or medtech, his messages are universal.



Matthew, thank you for our extended conversations about God, Lulu, our journeys in Christ, family, silent retreats, leadership, and some hilarious stories…



I also want to thank you and your dear bride, again, for letting me stay in the “Jeff Rivers Suite.”



I am glad LinkedIn recognized how important you are to my family and me.

Bear hugs, brother.



Love deeply.

V/r, LTK

Twelve drummers drumming…


On this, the twelfth day of Christmas, we are reminded that Christmas is not over, yet…

Kneeling in pew 11 at Mass on Christmas day, I remain grateful for all of our gifts… 



The divine completion of the Holy Trinity…

Christ is Lord.



Lulu, we love you and miss you.



Love, Dad



PS:  It was awesome to catch up with a dear family friend, his bride, and their three children.  



Photo:  Sacred Heart Church, Winnetka, IL on Christmas day.

Eighteen (18) men got together this morning in a Men’s Spirituality Group (MSG).  So what?


Well, these Roman Catholic men have been getting together on the second Saturday of every month for the last 17 years…

Rain or shine.  Blizzard or heat wave.

Sometimes it is 18 to 23 of them...

Sometimes it is 12...



They pray.

They share some of life’s deepest and darkest trials and tribulations…

They share family achievement, successes, and hardships…



It is not a therapy session.



It is a way men actually are there for one another.

It is a way that men help one another be the best husbands, fathers, friends and professionals they can be.

There is no place like this.



They read scripture.

Most Saturdays, a priest joins them.

On the Saturdays the priest is cannot make it, they listen to Bishop Barron’s reflections on the Sunday gospel.



They pray for intentions for one another.

They pray, again.



They come back the next month on the second Saturday…



I am grateful for these Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Glenview, IL.

I don’t make it every second Saturday, but I make the ones I can.

These are great men.



Sometimes you see them “out in town,” too!

Bennett Weiss is one of these men (pictured).

It was great to see him “in the wild” at a recent conference.



I remain grateful for William Harlan who founded MSG (and still runs it), and for Rick Schultz who introduced me to MSG.

We are all better men for it.



Find your tribe and stay with them.

Not just for yourself, but for them, too.



God’s blessings.

V/r, LTK


Photo: Bennett Wise, "out in the wild…"  October 2025.

Power Solutions Service & Sales, Belec Electrical, Inc.

Kestrel Capital Group

“My father told me to follow my own bent in business, but whatever that business, to work hard.”



Yes, our Dad said something very similar to us growing up, but these are the words from the late, J. Pierpont Morgan.



Those words capture the essence of J.P. Morgan and the mindset that defined his greatness.



As a former teammate in what is now J.P. Morgan Private Bank, “back in the day…”, we learned that Morgan did not become one of the most influential figures in American history simply by inheriting opportunity. 

He earned it through discipline, conviction, and an unrelenting work ethic. 

He believed deeply in choosing a path aligned with one’s strengths and passions, and then committing to it fully. 



As we studied, we learned for Mr. Morgan:
Effort was non-negotiable. 
Vision without execution meant nothing.



He also understood that real power is built on trust. 



“Money,” he said, “comes from character.” 



In an era of financial chaos, Morgan’s reputation for integrity allowed him to stabilize markets, reorganize industries, and restore confidence when few others could. 

His leadership during crises reminds us that calm, principled action matters most when fear is loudest.

Above all, Morgan refused to bet against the future. 

Even in downturns, he believed progress would prevail. 

That optimism, paired with hard work, enabled him to help shape modern American industry and finance.



The lesson is timeless: 

Follow your own path.
Work relentlessly.
Act with integrity.
Believe in what lies ahead. 



Greatness is rarely accidental. 

It is built, day by day, by those willing to do the work.



It is the beginning of 2026…

Let’s get to work!

Let’s GO!



Love you, Dad!  

It has been almost 11 years...  You are still with us...



V/r, LTK



Photo:  The wall of a high floor at JPMorganChase’s headquarters on Madison Avenue after a reception at the end of a very successful D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families - IVMF/J.P. Morgan Commercial and Investment Banking co-sponsored CEOcircle.  December 2025.

#ivmf #IVMFSyracuseU #jpm #jpmc

J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Point zero six percent (0.06%) of what?   So what?   Who cares?



There are approximately 36.4 million businesses in the United States…

Of those businesses, approximately 1.6 million of them are “Veteran-owned” (meaning a Veteran owns at least 51% of the business)…

Of those roughly 1.6 million Veteran-owned businesses, only 888 of them have been awarded the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL's) HIRE Vets Medallion.

Only 888 in the entire United States.



888…



That’s it…



We can do better!



From the DOL, “The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2017 (HIRE Vets Act or the Act), signed by President Trump on May 5, 2017, required the Secretary of Labor to establish a program, by rule, that recognizes employer efforts to recruit, employ, and retain veterans.”

“The Secretary announced the Final Rule (20 C.F.R. § 1011) on November 9, 2017, the program became effective in January 2018, and accepted initial applications in 2019.” 

“The HIRE Vets Medallion Program is an employer recognition program administered by the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS).”



If you are a Veteran-owned business, no matter what your size, please apply!

Applications open again in 21 days.

Go to HIREVets dot Gov.



Our company, TRIDENT 11, is humbled to have been selected as part of the 888 for the fourth year in a row.



Be part of the 888!



Be part of the 0.06%...



Let’s GO!

V/r, LTK



#HIREVets

U.S. Department of Labor

TRIDENT 11

As a keynote speaker with over eight years of experience, I focus on men’s mental health and military suicide prevention. Partnering with organizations like Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, I’ve delivered impactful public education programs, including the implementation of the Sources of Strength Suicide Prevention Program in schools. My work emphasizes collaboration, meaningful dialogue, and hope-driven action to save lives and reduce stigma.  

Having shared our family’s story nationwide, I aim to reach as many active-duty military personnel as possible, resonating deeply with audiences thanks to my personal connection to military families. My mission is to foster mental health awareness, empower communities with resources, and drive initiatives that promote resilience and prevent loss.

Leslie Weirich

Have you ever watched a light go out?

Austin would have been 30 years old on Monday. 

His teammate, Evan Hansen would have been 29 yesterday. 

And Adlee Scheerer just turned 18 in December. 

Guess what they all had in common?

They were lightbulbs. 

Burning bright for everyone around them. 

Everyone knew they could go to them for help and they would always be there. 

Until they were not. 

If you have a young person in your life who is shining bright….

You need to check on them. 

Before their light goes out. 

_______________

QPR is a one hour online course which teaches parents how to talk to their kids. I will attach the link below. You can never give your child the idea of taking their own life by asking them about it. But you can give them a safe space to talk when you begin the conversation. 

https://lnkd.in/d84kdcf6

_______________

If you or someone you know is struggling, then please call or text the National Lifeline at #988

#CheckOnTheLightbulbs #StopSuicideNow #988Lifeline #LesliesHope #DoSomething

Mental Health Speaker | Hope Spreader | Author

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Lindsay Kough's LinkedIn Performance

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