Page 131 - Marky Stein - Fearless Career Change_ The Fast Track to Success in a New Field (2004)

Ten Success Stories About People Just Like You

the picture. Later she was able to assemble an executive staff and
pay them a monthly stipend until the business was off and running.
Eventually, she hired a Web designer, a chief technical officer,
a chief marketing officer, an executive vice president, and a chief
financial officer. Alice is in the final phases of completing her Web
site, but she already has a full house for several events—to Broadway
plays, a trip to Las Vegas, and a 12-day Mediterranean cruise.
For all her hard work, Alice and three of her family members
are traveling for free, but what satisfies her most is that 30 percent of
the profits from all these events will be going to adult literacy, AIDS
prevention, and breast cancer research.
Alice’s success can be attributed to the following strategies:

1. Transferable talents Yes Developed same skills as an
employee.
2. On-the-job training Yes She had to learn how to run
her own business.
3. Strategic education No
4. Short-term education Yes Free SBA classes.
5. Internship No
6. Volunteering No
7. Just Dive In! Yes From employee to CEO!
8. Entrepreneurship Yes She started her business from
“scratch.”

From Retirement to Jewelry Designer in Eight
Weeks Using Transferable Talents
Name: Elsie
Former occupation: Retired
New occupation: Jewelry and crafts designer
Primary strategy: Transferable skills
Other strategies: Just Dive In!, entrepreneurship
Length of time from career decision to a paid position: Two months
Cost (if any) of transition: Up-front costs for materials

Elsie, at age 72, had been enjoying retirement on her late hus-
band’s military pension for over 10 years. She was busy, healthy,

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