“Service to CEO” podcast creator Kristen Costlow left a promising military career to pursue her dream.  She served as an air traffic controller in the Navy and was rising fast in rank.  She soon found herself supervising sailors 10 years her senior. The day after she notified her supervisor of her plans to leave the military, she was promoted to Chief Petty Officer – quite the accomplishment for someone of her age.

Kristen joined the Navy right out of high school and says there were no specific issues that caused her to leave mid-way to a full military retirement. She was just experiencing severe burnout and didn’t want to be one of those persons who looked back and had regrets about not pursuing her dreams. She wanted to be a wedding photographer.

Kristen received her business license in March of 2021, in the middle of the COVID pandemic. While many weddings were postponed during the pandemic, she says there was a huge rebound surge in 2022.  When a wedding “boom” comparable to the days following World War II came along, K Nicole Photography was ready for them.

The Small Business Administration estimates that the average small business fails in 3-5 years. Although Kristen’s photography business is right in the middle of that window, she says she no longer wakes up terrified. “Every day I just have to wake up and know that I have to do the work, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so.”

Based upon her transition experiences, Kristen decided to start the Service to CEO Podcast to provide a platform for other women Veteran entrepreneurs to share the story of their journeys. She hopes to inspire other women in their “second lives”.  The Service to CEO podcast can be found on all major platforms.

TAKEAWAY: “That one day I might decide to leave early on a Friday is the one day that a client won’t wait until Monday. In my business one bad review can be really damaging.”