We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cassie Briggs a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Cassie, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
I grew up in a small, country town in upstate NY where the primary career opportunities were working at one of the three prisons or one of the countless wineries. Fortunately for me, my high school biology teacher saw my potential and encouraged me to consider college and eventually teaching. So off I went, out of my small town to pursue a bigger dream—to become a university biology professor.
It was complete tunnel vision all the way through the next 11 years of schooling—no pauses, no second-guessing, just gas pedal to the floor. I even graduated from my doctoral program a year early to accept my dream job as a teaching professor at Michigan State University (MSU).
I built the career I always dreamed of—teaching undergraduates in biology, conducting scientific research vital to protecting the world’s endangered species, and mentoring students and colleagues along their career journeys. But everything changed in 2020, not because of the COVID pandemic, but because my partner and I had our first child.
I never planned to make a career transition, but I knew something had to give because my partner and I were both commuting over an hour in opposite directions. Unfortunately for me, my husband made $20K more than I did despite my PhD, so it made more sense financially for me to quit my job.
I had an identity crisis—who was I if not a professor?
With the support of a career coach, I started to reflect on who I was and who I wanted to be. I realized that what I really loved about being a professor was when office hours moved beyond “what is photosynthesis?” to “how does it show up in the real world and in one’s career?” I had even started a College-to-Career Mentoring Program and became a certified career coach while I was at MSU. And then I discovered that I could do this work in the private sector.
Success in Science Career Coaching was born six months after my first child with the mission of empowering students and early career professionals in science and medicine. I continue to work with students and young professionals (my people) in the fields I both love and excel in (STEM).
As a former collegiate athlete, I couldn’t imagine competing at the level I did without a coach, so why did it take me so long to get a coach to help me excel in my career? I would have discovered my true career calling sooner and avoided the identity crisis altogether. But even in my most crucial, early career stages, I would have picked a college for the right reasons and known to take more dual credit courses in high school to save money on college tuition. I would have saved valuable time writing a CV instead of a resume given that I was pursuing an academic teaching job. I would have felt more supported as the only woman in my herpetology lab. I would have negotiated for the salary I deserved. The list goes on…
As the founder of Success in Science, I envision a future where all students and early career professionals have access to a career coach—but not just any career coach, a coach that can speak their language, understand the science jargon in their resumes, and know what their future employers are looking for. I envision a future where we find fulfillment in life AND career. I envision a future where all aspiring professionals with a passion for science and medicine are welcomed and nurtured in their fields, regardless of the identities they hold. Because as diversity in STEM increases, the scientific breakthroughs and medical advances that follow will positively impact our world and all who inhabit it.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
In addition to what I shared previously…
Success in Science Career Coaching provides innovative and inclusive services that empower students and early career professionals along their academic and career journeys in science and medicine. (Currently limited to those pursuing education or work in the United States).
Success in Science offers 1:1 and group coaching programs, digital document reviews (resumes, personal statements, etc.), mock interviews, in-person and virtual workshops, and career development consulting for academic institutions. We also host a free podcast called Diverse Routes, where we interview established career professionals in science and medicine about their day to day work-life and journey to get there.
Success in Science helps clients explore their career options in science and medicine, prepare application materials, and develop healthy habits for better work-life balance, productivity, and focus. Answering questions like: What can I do with my major? How can I stand out on the job market? How can I negotiate a higher salary? We believe that a job should pay the bills, but also fulfill your soul, you can make a difference in the world without compromising your personal life, and that there is joy to be found in the journey, not just the destination.
Success in Science is unlike other career coaching companies, in that our coaches are established scientists or medical professionals themselves, so they understand your lingo and have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities more pertinent to those in science and medicine. Furthermore, as the founder, I am nationally and internationally certified as a career coach by the most respected certifying agencies in the industry. And our approach is unique in that we don’t use personality tests and career assessments – we partner with our clients to collect real-time data from job ads, professional bios of hired professionals, and personal testimonies from hiring managers to inform career decisions tailored to each individual client.
We are a 5-star career coaching organization with 5+ years of coaching experience and 12+ years of experience in STEM disciplines. Check us out at successinscienceCC.com.
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
Given that Success in Science is predominantly an online business the start-up cost was relatively low, but still required some capital for software (Zoom, Calendly, Canva, Kit, etc.), trademarking, and insurance.
I remember sitting at the dinner table talking with my Grandma about my business venture idea. She was smiling ear to ear and told me to go for it. In fact, she was planning on giving each of her grandkids some inheritance money when she passed, but she said it sure would be nice to see that money go to work while she was still alive and she really connected with my mission, so she gave me my inheritance early and I put it all towards the business and starting my career development scholarship program. The business grew faster than I could have ever imagine. My grandma passed away unexpectedly this past December (2024), but she lived to see me serve 80+ 1:1 clients, work with hundreds of workshop participants, and grow the business to six-figures. I look forward to honoring her investment and legacy for years to come!
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
As a former university professor, one thing lingered into my career coaching business: open office hours. As a professor, office hours were an opportunity to better connect with students, provide personalized support, and stay in touch even after our class ended. Now as a career coach, I currently (as of 2024) offer FREE open office hours to all my current and former clients for their entire career lives. As their coach, I become really invested in their success and this allows me to stay in touch and continue supporting them through the different stages of their career, not to mention they get to meet my other clients who all share a similar passion for science or medicine (easy networking).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.successinsciencecc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassie_sscc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuccessInScienceCareerCoaching
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassiebriggs/
- Twitter: https://x.com/cassie_sscc?prefetchTimestamp=1736192257678&mx=2
- Other: Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/diverseroutes
Success in Science Academy: https://ssa-eab359.circle.so/feed *requires FREE Circle account to access
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