Season 1, Episode 5

ACP: Leaning on Industry Mentors to Further Your Journey
with Leslie Coffey
Join us your way! 

You can tune in to the With Pride & Grit podcast on your preferred podcast platform or watch the videocast on Youtube.

Meet our Guest: 

Leslie Coffey is the Vice President – Military Engagement for American Corporate Partners and has been assisting transitioning service members and military spouses in developing post-military careers for over a decade.

As a military spouse of 26 years, Leslie understands the unique challenges of being a military spouse and is passionate about empowering others to find and grow great careers.

Leslie holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce and has been awarded for her volunteerism with the Meritorious Public Service Medal, Commander’s Award for Public Service, The Trooper’s Lady, Yellow Rose of Texas, Order of St. Joan D’Arc, Artillery Order of Molly Pitcher, and Civilian Volunteer of the Year. Her husband has been serving for 29 years in the US Army. Together they have four highly active children from 13 to 25 years old and one granddaughter.

Show Notes:
In this episode of the With Pride and Grit podcast host Jen Pasquale engages in an inspiring conversation with Leslie Coffey from American Corporate Partners (ACP). Join us as we explore the transformative power of mentorship for military spouses transitioning to civilian life. Leslie shares insightful details about ACP’s customized one-on-one mentorship program, designed to support active-duty military spouses free of charge. From the matching process to communication and goal-setting, we uncover the key elements that make this program truly remarkable. Prepare to be inspired by the success stories of military spouses who have found higher-paying jobs and started their own businesses, all thanks to the guidance and support they received. The importance of trust, commitment, and long-term benefits in mentor relationships is emphasized.

Delving into her personal experience, Leslie dispels common misconceptions about mentorship. She candidly shares how ignoring her mentor’s advice during her own career transition led to a missed certification opportunity and wasted time. Both Jen and Leslie remind us that mentorship is valuable for everyone, extending beyond military spouses, and offering guidance and support for personal and professional growth. 
 

To have somebody that's vested in you wants to see you succeed and is outside of the organization, so can kind of give you some unbiased perspective on things is super helpful

Resources & Mentions from this Episode:

ACP welcomes applications from service members, veterans, and spouses who meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Active duty service members (including members of the Reserve and National Guard).
  • Veterans of the armed forces that have served at least 180 days on active duty orders since September 11, 2001.
  • Surviving spouses and spouses of severely wounded post-9/11 veterans.
  • Service members who served less than 180 days of active duty since 9/11, but who were injured while serving or training.
 
 
Ready to apply? Head over the ACP spouse application

29% coming into our program are confident in their career path and their journey leaving. After working with the mentor, it jumps up to 87%

Pride & Grit is a Trademark of Hinshaw Consulting Group, Inc 2018© and Pride & Grit Consulting, LLC. 2022© All rights reserved.

Pride & Grit is a Trademark of Hinshaw Consulting Group, Inc 2018© and Pride & Grit Consulting, LLC. 2022© All rights reserved.