7 minute read
Switching from an employee to an entrepreneur mindset
The Successful Transition Story of Launching V-FORCE
A long and rewarding career can offer financial stability and peace of mind. However, for military families, the decision to change jobs for one or both partners is not unusual. And that path can be challenging. Going from employees to entrepreneurs was a giant leap for Chris and Clare Vosper, but the right mindset was a crucial element in launching their successful business.
WHAT IS V-FORCE?
Let’s start at the end. Established in 2014 by Chris and Clare, V-FORCE offers to deliver the best elements of the world’s finest Special Ops units’ training combined with extreme sports and motorsport. Intrigued? I know I was.
“Basically,” says Chris, “V-FORCE combines all the things I loved doing in the military with my hobbies and skills. When I decided to leave the military, I couldn’t find a job that ticked all those boxes. So, I decided to create one from scratch.”
If you are looking to start a new business or career, mind mapping to work out your perfect job is a great exercise to do. Ask yourself the same questions Chris did: 1. What are your skills? 2. What do you love doing? 3. What will people pay you to do?
Your skills
What people will pay you to do Perfect job
What you love Chris served in both regular and reserve service capacities for over 24 years. Before transitioning to the Royal Air Force, he was an Army officer and an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter pilot. He is also a qualified British Association of Rally Schools (BARS) and Association of Racing Driver Schools (ARDS) instructor and competes in both motorsport disciplines. In addition, Chris is a Security Industry Authority (SIA) close protection and surveillance operator.
Combine all these skills together, and V-FORCE offers a rewarding and adrenaline-fuelled experience through various activities, such as action-movie stunt driving, evasive driving training, and vehicle gunnery urban combat.
THE TRANSITION PROCESS
Following a high-tempo position in the Armed Forces, including several tours of Afghanistan and a lot of time away, Chris decided he wanted to change his lifestyle and career.
“After meeting Clare on a motorbike track day, it wasn’t long before we settled down and decided that staying in the military would not suit our life, long term,” says Chris.
Chris nailed down his business idea several years before leaving the military. He then focused his time on honing the skills he would need to make this dream a reality. “I spent my spare time in motorsport to gain enough experience to become an instructor,” explains Chris. “I freelanced at a local rally school to consolidate my instructor skills and to gain an understanding of the ideal customer I wanted to aim for.”
Chris did this in both rally and racing driving, as well as becoming an unarmed combat instructor. “My goal was to understand every activity the business would offer before launching the concept. However, I was very aware that I had no idea how to start a business, never mind the day-to-day running, financial, mechanics, and marketing side of things, so those were all elements I had to learn from scratch too.”
“I decided to plan my transition, have a long lead-in time, and build the business gradually,” says Chris.
CHRIS’S TOP TIPS WHEN PLANNING TO TRANSITION FROM THE MILITARY TO SELF-EMPLOYMENT
1. Acquire the skills you need: If you know there are specific qualifications you will need to run your business, try to get them before you make the transition leap. If you can use your resettlement time for this, then great! If not, you might want to use your spare time to focus on what you need to achieve to run your business. 2. Learn the mechanics of business: If you have opportunities to attend business start-up courses, take them. Learn as much as you can about the practicalities of running a business, so it isn’t so daunting once you take that first step to launching your business. Read business books on how to write a business plan and follow other entrepreneurs online. 3. Network and join relevant organisations: Speak to people who have started a business. Attend local business networking meetings or start-up events.
Join relevant organisational bodies or your local chamber of commerce. Learn as much as you can from other people. 4. Make the most of your resettlement courses: A vast range of classes are available during military resettlement. Financial management, career transition workshops, accountancy, and business start-up courses were all ones that Chris accessed and found very useful.
5. Get your domestic situation settled: Before delving into the uncertainty of starting a business, it helps if your home life is stable. Work out where you want to live and what your finances will be like after leaving. If this part is solid, it can alleviate worry when starting a business.
JOINING THE LEAP
As an IT consultant and senior manager for more than 26 years, leaving her job to support Chris in starting V-FORCE was a huge career change for Clare too. “However, I love motorsport,” says Clare, “and a lot of our time and fun together has been based around motorsport, so we have always been very aligned in achieving this dream.”
“We’ve been together 13 years,” adds Clare, “and we have spent 12 of those planning and implementing this business.” Clare goes on to explain how they were both on the same page from the beginning regarding setting up V-FORCE: “There have been a lot of compromises along the way, especially financially, but if it makes you both happy and gets you to the end goal, then it’s worth it.”
Clare left her IT career in December 2019 to join the business full-time. Needless to say, when March 2020 hit, the pandemic threw up a new set of challenges. Despite this, V-FORCE has continued to go from strength to strength, now comprising an 18-car fleet and an expert team of professionals.
SUCCEEDING IN BUSINESS AS A COUPLE
Working and living together 24/7 can be intense. “Your marriage becomes very tight knit,” explains Clare. “You can’t afford to fall out throughout the day over every business problem. Communication is key. You need to discuss and resolve problems quickly and move on. It’s not always glamorous, but if you are open and on the same page, working towards the same goal, it can lead to success.”
CLARE’S TOP TIPS FOR BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR
1. Get comfortable with social media: Social media is an excellent marketing tool and one that is often essential to showcase your business. Remember, treat your social media pages as if you are in a meeting room. Whatever you say on social media needs to be something you would say directly to someone in person.
2. Find your support network: Look to friends and family who can offer you moral support. You will need to step outside of your comfort zone, take risks, and work long hours. Having that support behind you is invaluable.
3. Collaboration over competition: Working with other businesses and organisations is always beneficial.
Partnering with the right people is a fundamental element of having a successful business.
4. Keep learning: Whether you are looking for motivation or business advice, books or podcasts can be a great way to learn or refresh your skills.
Clare and Chris both recommend books/audiobooks such as: • Brian Tracy – Eat That Frog! • Tony Robbins – Awaken the Giant Within • Bob Proctor – Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life
5. Establish your home- and work-life boundaries:
When you live and work together, a business can become all-consuming. Make time to switch off from work. Schedule in downtime and make time for your relationship and your hobbies. Keep communication open, and make sure you say when work encroaches on your home life.
Making the leap from employee to entrepreneur can be daunting. Throw in the transition from military life to the
civilian world, and it brings a myriad of new challenges. However, Chris and Clare clearly show that, with the right mindset, it is possible to transition smoothly and successfully. Adopting a gradual transition, prioritising, having a collaborative goal, and communicating from the very beginning are crucial elements in developing an entrepreneurial state of mind.
To quote the aforementioned Bob Proctor, who died earlier this year:
The V-FORCE mission is to deliver:
• World-class tactical and advanced driving training • Extremely enjoyable and rewarding Special Ops skills training events
