July 2024 - Mentorship Success Story
Rissy Ortiz, a U.S. Air Force Veteran, has been a business owner since 2012 and has even helped others build their own businesses from the ground up. Interested in taking her self-propelled career to the next level, she signed up for a year-long American Corporate Partners mentorship in 2023, quickly gaining a friend and confidant in her Mentor Carlandra “CT” Moss.
CT is the Director of Blue Star Families’ Campaign for Inclusion and a Certified Life Coach. As a 24-year Air Force Veteran herself, CT could relate with Rissy on multiple levels. “She’s been such an inspiration since I met her,” Rissy says, explaining that CT’s openness in sharing her own post-military path helped illuminate possibilities Rissy hadn’t considered.
Rissy, who was beginning to flesh out her spiritual life coaching practice, had always approached business as a strictly professional undertaking. She wasn’t sure how vulnerable she should be in her marketing and interactions with clientele. “[I]t was all about putting on a business face and not letting them see you sweat,” Rissy says of her past ventures.
Rissy’s conversations with CT gave her a new perspective: “If [clients] are coming to you,” she explains, “they’re coming because they have their own obstacles. Sharing your own story is what makes you relatable.”
The mentorship has been successful on a practical level as well. CT has offered insight into best practices for obtaining certifications, utilizing social platforms, and marketing - from macro concepts to finer points like reformatting Rissy’s digital brochure for readability.
As a Veteran who works directly with the military community everyday, CT appreciates the chance to share her experience and insights with ACP Proteges. “I am honored to play a tiny part in [Rissy’s] journey,” she says, and adds that she highly recommends ACP to colleagues and friends who want to join her in mentoring a Veteran or Military Spouse.
As for Rissy, she is very excited to help an expanding clientele, using her own story as a crucial connection point. Her mentorship with CT has been key to unlocking this superpower. She summarizes her experience by simply saying, “CT is amazing!”
ACP recognizes and honors the ambition of our Veterans and Military Spouses who want to forge their own careers. ACP Ventures is a new program focused on the needs of small business owners and prospective entrepreneurs. To learn more and apply for your own mentorship, visit the ACP Ventures home page and get connected with an ACP Operations Associate!
