Veteran, entrepreneur Lucas Landis earns MBA while building business, family life in western Kentucky
Kim Chaudoin |
Lucas Landis with his wife and one of their three children at a recent event honoring veterans who graduated in May.
Twice a week for a year, Lucas Landis made the three-hour drive from western Kentucky to Lipscomb University, often after working long hours growing a business, helping care for his three children and running on five hours of sleep or less.
Landis had long days in his quest to complete a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in finance in Lipscomb’s College of Business. But for Landis, who served five years in the U.S. Army, the challenge was part of the mission, which he completed in May.
“The one thing the military helped me with the MBA was the mentality that you can do anything for a short time,” said Landis, who carried this lesson from his years in the military into the classroom. “I can do anything for one year, no matter the pain or effort.”
His military service included one tour in Mosul in northern Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve. While his military days are getting further behind him, he said the discipline and perseverance he developed during that season continue to shape how he approaches challenges.
Landis, who lives in Hickory, Kentucky, with his wife and three children, said earning his MBA was a demanding but meaningful milestone. The achievement came as he balanced graduate school with family life, a growing small business and the commute to Nashville twice a week.
“Balancing a wife, three kids, a small start-up business that began growing much faster than anticipated, then school, with the work and the three-hour one-way commute twice a week was challenging and led to many nights of five or fewer hours of sleep,” said Landis. “But you can do anything for a short time.”
Lucas Landis, standing in center, received his MBA degree at commencement in May.
Landis first came to Lipscomb to complete his undergraduate degree, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2022. He had started college years earlier at Grand Valley State University in Michigan on a track scholarship, but an injury ended his athletic career. Eventually, he stepped away from college, joined the Army in 2014 and later returned to school after transitioning out of military service.
When he began looking for a place to finish his degree, Lipscomb stood out. And when it came time to pursue a graduate degree, the decision to return felt natural.
“I chose Lipscomb for my graduate degree because I attended for my undergraduate degree as well, and really felt connected to the campus and the staff,” said Landis. “Lipscomb also offers great value compared to other programs in how you are taught on your way to earning your degree.”
That sense of connection was especially important for Landis.
“As a nontraditional student, you can sometimes feel displaced on a college campus, but Lipscomb always felt welcoming to me,” he said. “I put a lot of effort into fostering relationships, and it always felt like if you put in the effort, you could build a great network while attending.”
Those relationships became one of the most meaningful parts of his Lipscomb experience. Landis credits Lipscomb’s faculty and staff for encouraging him, challenging him and helping him see the value of pursuing an MBA even while operating a business in an industry that may not seem like a traditional match for graduate business education.
“The entire staff at Lipscomb is always so inspiring and supportive,” reflected Landis. “I initially felt awkward pursuing an MBA while operating a septic business. Generally, those two lifestyles do not mix. I may be the only entrepreneur in the septic industry with an MBA, so coming back to Lipscomb felt wrong in some way. But all of the staff felt so supportive and inspiring.”
That business, which Landis started after earning his undergraduate degree, has already grown faster than he expected. After graduation, he plans to continue expanding the septic business and add plumbing services. Over the next three to five years, Landis hopes to either add other businesses or expand septic and plumbing services geographically.
“We have already hit higher numbers than anticipated, and we have more growing to do in the services we provide as we look to add plumbing as well,” he said. “The ceiling continues to grow.”
His MBA coursework, particularly with a concentration in finance, has given him the tools to think strategically about that growth, he said. It has also reinforced the value of perseverance, discipline and relationships, lessons that have been woven throughout his Lipscomb experience.
For Landis, that experience has also been deeply connected to his faith.
“Lipscomb has always been a boost to my faith,” said Landis. “Every time I return here, it reignites my faith. I have found myself straying further than I’d like, and being at Lipscomb has always helped turn me around and grow strong in my faith.”
That spiritual impact, combined with the university’s support for veterans, has made Lipscomb more than a place where Landis earned two degrees. It has been a place of renewal, encouragement and transformation. Landis said he is especially grateful to the Veterans Services office, which helped him see that Lipscomb was the right place for him.
“I credit Sam and Jimmy in the Veterans Services office at Lipscomb for convincing me that Lipscomb was a good fit for me,” he said. “They transformed my life, and I will forever be grateful to them. I owe much of my success to those two gentlemen and the rest of the Veterans Services office. Without them, I truly believe I would not be where I am today.”
Now, as he looks ahead, Landis is focused on building both his business and his life in western Kentucky. He and his wife are settling there, planning to build their forever home and raise their children.
“I find it both desperately upsetting and fascinating as I watch them grow and become their own person,” said Landis. “I look forward to guiding them through life, helping them grow and protect their faith.”
— Photos by Kristi Jones