A simple playbook to turn your years of experience into a new career:
Most people think changing careers means starting over.
It doesn’t. It means reframing what you’ve already built.
Here’s the shift:
1️⃣ Identify the skills that actually transfer.
Leadership. Relationship building. Problem solving. Resilience.
These don’t belong to one industry — they belong to you.
2️⃣ Stop focusing only on what you don’t know.
New knowledge can be learned. Experience takes years to earn.
The right opportunity values how you think, communicate, and serve others — not just the title on your resume.
3️⃣ Find alignment, not just a new role.
A great transition happens when your values, your strengths, and your vision for impact all line up.
4️⃣ Move forward with intention.
The strongest career pivots I’ve seen weren’t impulsive — they were thoughtful moves toward growth, purpose, and long-term potential.
Your past experience isn’t something to walk away from.
It’s the foundation for what comes next.
If you’ve been thinking about what a new chapter could look like, maybe it starts with asking:
“How could everything I’ve learned finally be fully utilized?”
📩 chris.poer@thrivent.com
📞 701-866-9896
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Explore a career built on meaningful work with unlimited potential. As a Thrivent financial advisor, you can choose the path that fits you best—whether that's starting as a virtual financial advisor, joining a team or leading a practice.
Start your journey here 👉 thriventcareers.com/4a5fr2T
What’s the most important thing to focus on when switching careers?
It’s not starting from zero.
It’s recognizing that you’re not actually beginning from scratch.
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is, “I don’t know enough about that industry yet.”
But knowledge can be learned. Skills are built over years.
Leadership.
Work ethic.
Communication.
Resilience.
The ability to build trust and solve real problems.
Those things don’t reset when you change careers — they transfer.
In fact, the professionals who thrive the fastest in a new field are often the ones who bring different experiences with them. They see challenges through a new lens. They connect with people differently. They bring depth that can’t be taught in a training manual.
If you’re thinking about a career move, don’t just ask yourself, “What do I need to learn?”
Ask yourself, “What strengths have I already been developing for years that could finally be fully utilized?”
Because the right transition isn’t about abandoning your past.
It’s about finding a place where everything you’ve built actually matters.
📩 chris.poer@thrivent.com
📞 701-866-9896
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Why do you do what you do?
Is it comfort?
Is it passion?
Is it values?
Most people don’t stop to ask — they just keep moving. The paycheck shows up. The routine works. The calendar stays full. And before long, comfort quietly becomes the reason you stay… even when growth starts to fade.
Here’s the truth: comfort isn’t bad.
But when comfort becomes your main driver, it can slowly limit what you’re capable of becoming.
The people I see make the most powerful career moves aren’t running away from something — they’re moving toward alignment. Toward work that uses their strengths, reflects their values, and creates real impact.
Switching careers doesn’t mean starting over.
It means carrying everything you’ve learned into a place where it actually fits.
If you’ve felt that quiet nudge that there might be more for you — more purpose, more growth, more meaning — maybe it’s time to ask a different question:
Not “What’s safe?”
But “What’s possible?”
📩 chris.poer@thrivent.com
📞 701-866-9896
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
One of the biggest myths about changing careers is that you have to start over.
You don’t.
The right move isn’t abandoning your past — it’s finding a place where your previous experience finally makes more sense.
Some of the most fulfilled professionals I know didn’t walk away from their skills. They walked toward an environment that could actually use them.
Leadership learned in one industry becomes mentorship in another.
Sales experience becomes relationship building.
Years of service become trust and credibility.
When your work begins to align with your values — how you serve people, how you grow, and what kind of impact you want to make — something shifts. Work feels less like starting from scratch and more like stepping into purpose with momentum.
A career transition isn’t about chasing something new just for the sake of change.
It’s about finding the right platform — one that honors who you’ve been and supports who you’re becoming.
If you’ve ever felt like your current role only uses part of who you are, maybe the question isn’t “Should I change careers?”
Maybe it’s “Where would my experience finally be fully valued?”
If you’re exploring what that next chapter could look like, I’m always open to a conversation.
📩 chris.poer@thrivent.com
📞 701-866-9896
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Why do you do what you do?
It’s a simple question — but for most people, the answer gets buried under responsibility, routine, and the expectations we carry every day.
I’ve learned that purpose isn’t usually lost overnight.
It slowly gets quieter when we stop asking ourselves honest questions.
What stops people from exploring their full potential isn’t always fear of failure.
Sometimes it’s:
• Comfort that feels “good enough”
• Success that looks right on paper
• A schedule so full there’s no room to think
• The belief that it’s too late to pivot or grow
But potential doesn’t disappear — it waits for alignment.
Alignment between who you are…
what you value…
and how you actually spend your time.
The most fulfilling careers and lives I’ve seen weren’t built by accident. They were built by people willing to pause, reflect, and ask, “Is this still the path that fits me?”
You don’t need to have everything figured out today.
But you do owe yourself the courage to explore what’s possible.
If you’ve been feeling that quiet nudge that there’s more in you — more impact, more growth, more purpose — maybe it’s time for a conversation.
📩 chris.poer@thrivent.com
📞 701-866-9896
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Is your advisor a salesperson with a product…
or a consultant with a process?
There’s a big difference — and most people don’t realize it until years later.
A salesperson starts with what they sell.
A consultant starts with who you are.
One leads with performance charts, features, and “what’s hot.”
The other leads with questions:
• What matters most to you?
• What does freedom look like?
• What are you protecting — not just growing?
Products come and go.
Markets rise and fall.
But a clear process grounded in your values? That’s what creates real confidence.
The best planning conversations I’ve ever had didn’t begin with a solution — they began with listening. With understanding family, purpose, risk tolerance, and the life someone is actually trying to build.
Because financial planning isn’t about chasing the next thing.
It’s about building something that fits — and lasts.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your current approach feels more transactional than intentional, let’s have a conversation. No pressure — just clarity around where you are and where you want to go.
📩 Message me directly or reach out to start the conversation.
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Ready to make a difference? At Thrivent, you'll build a financial advisor career you can put your whole heart into—whether you grow your own practice or join a team. Learn more about this lucrative career opportunity 👉 thriventcareers.com/3NTRYdE
What keeps people in careers that no longer fulfill them?
It’s usually not a lack of talent.
And it’s rarely a lack of work ethic.
More often, it’s responsibility.
Consistency.
A paycheck that works.
A life that depends on things staying predictable.
Sometimes it’s success—on paper—that makes walking away feel irresponsible.
The truth is, most people don’t wake up one day unhappy.
They slowly drift out of alignment.
They keep showing up.
They keep producing.
They keep doing what they’re good at.
Until one day they realize they’re doing it without energy, without joy, without a real sense of purpose.
And the hardest part isn’t admitting that.
The hardest part is admitting that something else might be possible.
Fulfillment isn’t about titles or tenure.
It’s about alignment—between who you are, what you value, and how you spend your days.
You don’t have to make a drastic move tomorrow.
But you do owe yourself an honest moment of reflection today.
Because staying comfortable for too long can quietly cost you more than leaving ever would.
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
A lot of people think about switching careers.
They ask:
“Am I qualified?”
“Am I too late?”
“What if I fail?”
“What if this doesn’t work?”
But there’s a better question we don’t ask often enough:
Why not you?
Why not the person who’s built real experience the hard way?
Why not the one who knows how to lead, solve problems, serve people, and show up consistently?
Why not someone who’s already proven they can adapt and grow?
Most career changes don’t fail because of lack of talent.
They stall because of hesitation, comfort, or the belief that opportunity is reserved for someone else.
It isn’t.
At some point, staying put carries just as much risk as making a change.
So instead of asking “what if it doesn’t work?”
Try asking “what if it does?”
If you’ve ever felt a nudge that there might be something more aligned with your skills, values, or long-term goals—this might be your moment to explore it.
Why not now?
Why not this path?
Why not you?
If you want to talk it through, I’m always open to a conversation.
📩 Message me here
📞 Call: 701-866-9896
📧 Email: chris.poer@thrivent.com
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Every career change comes with a risk vs. reward calculation.
The risk is obvious:
Leaving something familiar.
Starting over.
Learning new skills.
Stepping into uncertainty.
But the reward?
That’s where people often stop short.
The reward can be:
• Greater control over your time
• Income tied to effort and impact
• Work that actually aligns with your values
• A future you’re building—not waiting for
The biggest risk I see isn’t changing careers.
It’s staying in a role that quietly limits your growth, your income, or your sense of purpose… simply because it feels “safe.”
Comfort can be costly.
At some point, you have to ask:
👉 Is the risk of change greater than the risk of staying exactly where you are?
You don’t have to leap blindly.
You just have to be willing to explore what’s possible.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your experience could translate into something more meaningful, more flexible, or more impactful—let’s have a conversation.
No pressure. No pitch. Just clarity.
📩 Message me here
📞 Call: 701-866-9896
📧 Email: chris.poer@thrivent.com
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Grow your career at Thrivent, where purpose is built into the work.
As a financial advisor, you’ll help your clients pursue their goals, protect what matters most and create meaningful change in their lives.
Learn more 👉 thriventcareers.com/4aNWxzQ
Lately I’ve been paying closer attention to how I manage stress—not just at work, but in life.
Because here’s the truth most of us learn the hard way:
If you don’t manage stress, it manages you.
For me, calming stress and protecting my health isn’t one big dramatic change. It’s the small, repeatable things:
• Moving my body every day—even when I don’t feel like it
• Getting outside and slowing my breathing
• Putting real boundaries around work and recovery
• Prioritizing sleep like it’s non-negotiable
• Fueling my body instead of just grabbing what’s convenient
These habits aren’t about being perfect. They’re about being present.
When stress stays unchecked, it shows up everywhere—decision-making, relationships, patience, focus, even how we show up for the people who matter most. Over time, it quietly erodes your health, your energy, and your clarity.
On the flip side, when you intentionally care for your physical and mental health:
You think more clearly
You respond instead of react
You lead better
You last longer
Your health isn’t separate from your success.
It’s the foundation underneath it.
Curious—what’s one thing you do to calm stress and protect your well-being when life gets busy?
I’ve noticed something over the years that feels obvious now—but I didn’t always live it.
I think more clearly when I feel healthy.
Not just physically strong, but well-rested, fueled properly, and mentally grounded.
When my health is dialed in:
Decisions feel less reactive
Problems feel more solvable
Conversations feel more intentional
Stress loses its edge
When it’s not… everything feels louder.
Lack of sleep clouds judgment.
Poor nutrition drains focus.
Chronic stress shortens patience and perspective.
Clarity doesn’t come from grinding harder—it comes from having the capacity to think well.
Health gives you margin.
Margin gives you clarity.
Clarity changes how you lead, work, and show up for the people around you.
Your body and mind aren’t separate systems. They’re partners.
When you take care of one, the other performs better—every single time.
What’s one habit that helps you think more clearly?
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
What are you waiting for?
Not in a critical way—an honest one.
Waiting for the perfect time.
Waiting until you feel more confident.
Waiting until the kids are older, the market is better, the fear is smaller.
Here’s what I’ve learned after making a career change myself:
clarity rarely comes before the decision. It usually comes after you take the first step.
Many professionals feel the pull toward something more meaningful, more flexible, more aligned with their values—but stay stuck because they think they have to have it all figured out first.
You don’t.
You don’t need all the answers.
You don’t need prior experience in financial services.
You don’t need to make the leap alone.
That’s where we come in.
We help experienced professionals explore whether this path makes sense—at your pace, with transparency, coaching, and support. No pressure. Just conversation.
Sometimes the thing you’re waiting for isn’t a sign.
It’s permission.
If you’ve been quietly wondering whether there’s a different next chapter for you, maybe this is it.
📞 701-866-9896
📧 chris.poer@thrivent.com
Chris Poer
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
In financial services, the human relationship will always matter.
Markets change.
Technology evolves.
Tools get faster and more sophisticated.
But people don’t stop needing to be heard.
Behind every financial decision is a family, a business owner, a retirement dream, or a moment of uncertainty. No algorithm can replace empathy. No app can replace trust.
For many of us who came from other careers, this truth is familiar. We spent years building relationships, leading teams, solving problems, and showing up for people when it mattered.
That experience transfers.
Real planning happens through conversation—listening carefully, asking the right questions, and understanding what truly matters to someone’s life, not just their balance sheet.
That’s why relationships matter more than transactions.
Why trust matters more than trends.
Why integrity will always outlast innovation.
In this profession, the greatest value we bring isn’t a product or a platform—it’s being present, accountable, and committed to the people we serve.
Because in financial services, the human relationship will always matter.
Chris Poer
📞 701-866-9896
📧 chris.poer@thrivent.com
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Where your experience creates a lasting impact.
After 31 years in another career, I learned something important:
experience doesn’t disappear when you change paths—it compounds.
The skills built over decades—leading people, solving problems, serving others—don’t stay behind. They become the foundation for what’s next.
In financial services, experience matters.
Listening matters.
Integrity matters.
When your work aligns with your values, you don’t just build a career—you help families make confident decisions and plan for what matters most.
This is where skills are transferable.
This is where purpose meets profession.
This is where your experience creates a lasting impact.
If you’re considering a second chapter, I’ve walked that road—and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned.
📞 701-866-9896
📧 chris.poer@thrivent.com
Chris Poer
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Some of the best seasons of my career have been the ones where my values and goals were in alignment.
Because when that happens, work feels different.
You’re not just grinding to hit a number.
You’re building something you actually believe in.
I’ve learned that goals are important — they create direction and momentum.
But if your goals aren’t connected to your values, success can still feel empty.
For me, alignment means:
✅ doing right by people
✅ leading with integrity
✅ staying focused on what matters most—faith, family, and purpose
✅ building a team culture where people feel supported and challenged
✅ pursuing growth without sacrificing who I am
When values and goals match, you don’t just work harder…
You work with more clarity, more consistency, and more fulfillment.
So here’s the question I’m asking as we move forward:
Are my daily actions helping me build the life I want—or just keeping me busy?
Because the best work really is done when your values and your goals are pulling in the same direction.
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Plan your finances for the people, causes and community you love | ThriventExcited to share some great news…
We’re growing our team in the St. Cloud, Minnesota area!
I’m looking for people who are driven, coachable, and ready to build something meaningful — individuals who want their work to matter and who care deeply about helping others.
What makes this opportunity special is the environment behind it:
✅ strong training and development
✅ a culture of integrity and collaboration
✅ leadership support and coaching
✅ the chance to grow a career that creates real impact for families
If you—or someone you know—has been considering a career change, exploring business ownership, or looking for a role with purpose and support, I’d love to connect.
📍 St. Cloud, MN
📞 701-866-9896
✉️ chris.poer@thrivent.com
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Plan your finances for the people, causes and community you love | ThriventExcited to share an announcement…
We’re growing our team in Duluth, Minnesota!
I’m looking forward to connecting with individuals who are driven, coachable, and passionate about helping others — people who want their work to matter and who are ready to build something meaningful.
What I love about our environment is simple:
✅ strong support and training
✅ a team culture rooted in integrity and collaboration
✅ the opportunity to grow personally and professionally
✅ a career built around making a real impact in the lives of families
If you—or someone you know—has been thinking about a career change, a fresh start, or the opportunity to build something of your own with the right support behind you, I’d love to talk.
📍 Duluth, MN
📞 701-866-9896
✉️ chris.poer@thrivent.com
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
