WORK
BUSINESS THE FRONTLINE OF
If you’re considering your career prospects after leaving the Armed Forces, launching your own business is an option that’s particularly well-suited to your skillset. Veteran entrepreneurs share their experiences of turning to business
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ne of the best ways to take control of your career when you return to civvy street is from launching your own business. A move that can seem risky and daunting without the right support can quickly turn into a reward, as you take charge of your working life.
EMPOWER
Alice Bromage joined the military in 1995, leaving in 2016 to start her own business, using the skills and experience gained during service to do so. She now mentors and coaches others to follow in her footsteps through her business, Empowering Success. “When you’re leaving the Armed Forces, it’s quite daunting to work out what your skillset is,” Alice recalls. “I’d already started doing coaching and mentoring when I was still serving. In the unit I was part of, 11 out of 12 were leaving at the same time, so I was already helping people resettle, work out next stages and think about career development. Somebody told me they’d pay me to do it and that was it.” For many veterans, the departure from service is prompted by a desire for improved work-life balance, or to have more of a say in their career, which resonates with Alice. “Starting a business after leaving the military allows you to be the master of your own destiny,” enthuses Alice. “It gives you the ability to say ‘yes’. It’s very empowering to realise that if something goes wrong, it’s 100 per cent your fault. But, if it goes right, a lot of that has been because of the hard work you’ve put in.”
RETREAT
When Nick Goldsmith left the Royal Marines after 11 years serving, it was the perfect time to embark on a new adventure, together with his
wife Louise. In 2012, while Nick was still in service, they bought an area of woodland as somewhere that could act as an escape from their hectic working lives. “When we purchased the woodland, it had no running water, no vehicle access and had been unmanaged for over 30 years,” Louise remembers. “It was never our intention to turn this into a business. At the time Nick was experiencing complex PTSD. I was also in a highly stressful job as a detective constable in child protection. The woodland was purchased as
somewhere we could relax and unwind from the hustle and bustle of our lives. We worked hard managing the woodland and it became a beautiful, quirky retreat for us and was soon helping aid with Nick’s recovery, too.” As a military spouse, Louise’s support was integral to launching the business and making it into the success it has become. Today, that small patch of woodland is Hidden Valley Bushcraft, providing high quality educational and recreational experiences for all ages and abilities. www.advancemagazine.co.uk
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