Pivot Profile: Ann Vertel
Dr. Ann Vertel is a keynote speaker, motivational psychologist, and success coach for women in business. Before this, Ann served for 20 years as a U.S. Naval Officer. She made her pivot in 2003.
Ann, what compelled you to launch you own business immediately after your service in the Navy?
I didn’t want to exchange one “uniform” for another. Most former military officers transition into the corporate world, but I wanted to work for myself from home so I could be there for my family.
What was the most important mindset shift that took place in order to make a successful pivot?
It was grasping the idea that my income potential was unlimited. I remember reading Multiple Streams of Internet Income by Robert G. Allen and The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen. My whole concept of how income could be generated, automated, and scaled began to come into view, and I was very excited to put that to work. I knew I wanted to be paid for my knowledge and expertise so I could stop trading time for money.
[clickToTweet tweet=”I wanted to be paid for my knowledge and expertise so I could stop trading time for money. @AnnVertel” quote=”I wanted to be paid for my knowledge and expertise so I could stop trading time for money. @AnnVertel” ] What was the most important action step you took?I set myself up for success early by layering the pivot process. Instead of stopping one career and then starting the other, I spent the last year of my Naval career starting and building my business. By the time I retired from the Navy, I already had clients, an online presence, and a means of earning income. Layering the two made the pivot a seamless transition.
This was big because making my pivot enabled me to travel extensively and spend extended time with my mom before she passed away. This was such an amazing gift and I will treasure those memories forever. If I’d been working for someone else, I never would have had that luxury and would have deeply regretted missing those moments.
Now that you’re doing what you love, what you are most excited about?
This year I am thrilled to be doing a lot more keynote speeches and having a blast growing my blog and podcast audience. It is such a privilege to have a personal brand platform and I am honored to serve my audience.
Let’s say a friend is thinking of making a career pivot and asks for some pointers. What’s the most important thing you would tell him or her?
If you really want to make your pivot a success, get help sooner and set up automated systems right from the start. Don’t wait to join a mastermind, hire a coach, or network intensely. Doing something radically different can feel awkward and lonely, but once you realize everyone goes through that, you’ll start to be more comfortable with feeling uncomfortable!
[clickToTweet tweet=”Start to be more comfortable with feeling uncomfortable! @AnnVertel” quote=”Start to be more comfortable with feeling uncomfortable! @AnnVertel”]
Introducing The Pivot Profiles, a ‘magazine’ featuring 18 real-life pivot success stories, just like Ann’s. It’s yours, absolutely free.
The singular goal of this magazine is to give you a wide array of people, personalities, and pivots for you to identify with. This is a powerhouse group. The folks inside hail from a variety of industries: huge corporations, small business, radio, military, ministry, government, academia; the list goes on. We even have a former park ranger!
Some of them launched into solopreneur ventures; others started companies. One left business to enter the ministry, while others left the ministry to go into business. It’s all here.
