Mark Cann

Age at time of shift

33

Gender

Male

Education level

Graduate

Universities attended

Loughborough

Shifted from

Major in Army

Location

All over the world

Salary

£30,000-£40,000

Years in old career

12

Shifted to

CEO of Charity and Director of own company

Location

Wiltshire based

Salary

£100,000+

Years in new career

7

Year of shift

1999

What was your role in your old job?

Army, various tasks all over the world. Mostly peace keeping. I served in a Cavalry Regiment.

What is/are your new role(s)?

Portfolio career - CEO of The British Forces Foundation and Director of my own specialist events and PR company. The BFF supports the welfare and morale of service people principally through entertainment. My company Directs/ Administers two further charities as well as the events and PR.

Why did you change?

Getting married, wanted to do something else, more stable home life, wanted to try something else in life.

Are you happy with the change?

Very.

What do you miss and what don't you miss?

Nothing in either. If I could put the clock back I would do it all over again. I just felt I had had the best of it and was not sure I would enjoy what the future held.

How did you go about making the change?

I took the plunge. Only once I made the key decision to leave did opportunities arise. Nothing helps you focus more than unemployment!

What was the most difficult thing about changing?

Finding a job that I would enjoy, challenging and with scope, that would also pay!

What help did you get?

My new wife gave me confidence in myself personally and a friend gave the company a break early on.

What have you learnt in the process?

You can only be successful if you are confident (and I would add happy although others disagree) in yourself and what you are doing.

What do you wish you'd done differently?

Nothing really except, win the lottery as that would have made the early days easier! I do not look back like that as I believe the past informs the present and I am content with that.

What would you advise others to do in the same situation?

Understand that only you and you alone can make the big decisions so do not expect others to do that for you.