Most veterans understand that preparing to separate from the military is more like a long-term process than a single event. Plans should start a few years out. Cheryl Ford, DrPH started writing down ideas for her future company’s name 10 years before heading into her military retirement. She had at least 70 names collected as she got closer to her retirement date, and none of them touched her heart. She was considering the possibilities of starting her own business, working as a federal employee, or becoming a consultant. If she couldn’t pick a name that means something to her, she’d have to take entrepreneurship off the table.
One day before going to sleep, Ford picked up a piece of paper and added ATHOS to her list. When she woke up, everything clicked, and her path was set. She looked at the letters and saw, “At The Helm Of Success.” She looked up what “athos” means and learned it’s a mountain where monks go to pray, and women are not allowed. Ford thought she’ll be the first woman to go to that mountain. She’d found the name that spoke to her heart. Although the domain was purchased just two weeks earlier, Ford was delighted to learn ATHOS1 was available and made it hers. It turns out that’s even better because the 1 completes the vision: “At the helm of success, one must pay it forward.”
“I’ve had a great career, and I know I can pay it forward with less restraints by being in charge of my own vision,” she said.
Ford’s distinguished career in public health service has included roles as a health services officer, enterprise architect, White House fellow, and more. She knows how to synthesize high-level information and make it actionable and how to direct emergency response and managed care operations. She’s had three presidential initiatives under her watch and has the honor of being the first White House fellow to receive a meritorious service award from the Department of Defense.
Knowing the experience and capabilities she brings to the table, Ford initially approached entrepreneurship programs with some healthy skepticism.
“I can’t get stunned with a bad connection and blow my opportunities,” she said. “I didn’t want to be sold anything.”
Then, a woman she met at a networking event assumed she must have gone to V-WISE. Another woman in the same circle had attended V-WISE and spoke highly of it. The experience prompted Ford to investigate.
“When I first looked up the IVMF, I didn’t even look at the program selection. I had to find out about what they were first,” she said. “The mission of Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) and focus on women was near and dear to my heart, and the way they described the program, I knew it was worth the investment.”
Ford attended V-WISE as part of the Nashville cohort this spring and she’s glad she did. She especially cites the speakers, who didn’t take for granted the foundation of knowledge the participants needed. What’s more, Ford was impressed to find unprecedented access to all those speakers. She came prepared with questions she wanted to ask and found the access she needed to get specific answers to help her with what comes next. For example, she got answers about seeking her SBA 8A designation and getting SBA certified as a woman-owned business. She walked away from V-WISE with clarity, homework, and actionable knowledge to go and build from.
“I believed what they promised, and they delivered,” she said. “I looked, listened, and felt. It did not disappoint. It’s where preparation meets opportunity.”
