Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jen Amos. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Have I ever considered what it would be like to have a regular job? To be honest, it’s not a thought that comes to me often anymore. When you graduate with a Bachelor’s degree, yet get fired from four consecutive jobs in your young adult years, you quickly get the message that employment isn’t right for you. Additionally, I prefer to not work in an environment that feels rigid, isn’t something that I own, and, most of all, is building toward someone else’s dream. I don’t want to put myself in a position where I’ll eventually hit a glass ceiling, yearn for another job, or have someone to blame other than myself. I enjoy having personal responsibility for my life. Owning a business is not glamorous and I definitely have tough days. But I am in control of finding purpose in the present, joy in the journey, and blessings as I build.

As a business owner, my future is unwritten. Even if my purpose isn’t always clear, I trust in the journey and have faith in God’s plan for me. I get to build at my pace. It’s not merely about freedom, but more about having a creative outlet, working with like-minded individuals, and fostering an environment of collaboration and growth.

The last time I gave serious thought to a regular job was during a conversation with my best friend about job recruiters. But at this stage in my life, “No, thanks. I’m good.” Rather than getting caught up in the “what if” game, I choose to focus on my current reality, which is vibrant, active, and full of intention. In this way, I can say that I’m content because my life as a business owner feels purposeful, active, and alive.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m an award-winning podcaster and the co-owner of an award-winning financial firm. My journey to where I am today started back in 2010 when a friend invited me into direct sales. Through this time, I gained hands-on sales and business experience and studied life-changing books such as Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Working with my sales team and mentors, they taught me the value of storytelling in sales. I always remember, “Facts tell. Stories sell.”

In 2013, I reinvested the revenue I made in direct sales into starting my own social media marketing business. I had the pleasure of building an international team of freelancers and personally served over 100 clients. Fast forward five years, and I’m introduced to my now husband who introduced me to the personal finance industry. I was initially intimidated by it, as I felt that my understanding of personal finance wasn’t something I’d advise others. But as I focused my efforts on marketing my husband’s solutions, I realized it wasn’t as scary as I’d thought. I focused on my strengths and how I can be useful in what became our company, US VetWealth. Part of my strengths was recreating my own personal brand and becoming a podcaster as a way to practice public speaking and understanding our customers’ needs. I also consider myself my husband’s number one advisor and primarily work behind the scenes with marketing and operations.

At the time of this interview, we are excited to announce our latest book release: Don’t Forget Your War Chest: A Guide to Survivor Benefit Plan Alternatives: How to Privatize, Protect, & Profit Your Future Income as a Military Retiree by Scott R. Tucker.

In Don’t Forget Your War Chest, military retirees are introduced to a powerful alternative to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). The book discusses the challenges military retirees face in making informed decisions about their pension and life insurance options and reveals the War Chest strategy, which offers higher probabilities of success and a return on investment.

Embarking on a financial journey, especially transitioning from military service, can be daunting. That’s where this book steps in as your indispensable guide. Using a straightforward approach, this book provides a broad overview of principles and strategies but also demystifies complex concepts like Indexed Universal Life (IUL) and the War Chest Strategy. Career military servicemembers are encouraged to take their time, ponder these ideas, and fully grasp their implications for their post-military life as high-income earners.

Beyond just an informative and solution-oriented read, this book is an entry point into our company’s approach. Our book is instrumental in identifying potential clients who resonate with the Wealth Insurance Consulting philosophy and methodology. If you find value within these pages, there’s a chance you’re a perfect fit for us. As such, consider this book as a preliminary consultation, delivering the same wisdom and strategies used with our highest-paying clients. But this book’s scope extends beyond our career military servicemembers and military retirees. It encourages engaging in dialogue about the covered concepts and strategies with friends, colleagues, and crucially, your spouse or partner. Money matters impact the entire family, making such discussions vital.

The hardcover of Don’t Forget Your War Chest is available for purchase now on Amazon.com at: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Forget-Your-War-Chest/dp/B0C5PFZVBZ
Additionally, the digital copy and bonus material are available for FREE at: https://usvetwealth.com/war-chest-learning-center-access-the-military-retirement-blueprint/

What sets me apart? Well, I believe it’s my background and my collaborative spirit. I come from an immigrant family of farmers from the Philippines, my father joined the U.S. Navy in the 80s, then passed away before he could complete his 20 years of service. We became a Gold Star family and were catapulted into civilian life. I think I was drawn into entrepreneurship because it reflected my upbringing and frequent moves due to my father’s military service. Entrepreneurship challenges me to find order in the chaos. Also, it’s hard to consider employment after “doing all of the right things” like going to school to get good grades to get a good job. Then get fired from four jobs back-to-back.

I’ve been self-employed for 12+ years now, and I have grown a level of comfort and ease with this flexible lifestyle that many people seem to be intrigued by. I approach my work with a “build things right, not fast” and “build as we go” mentality. I think that’s what people appreciate about working with me. I’d like to believe that I welcome people to join me as they are, and I focus on fostering a working environment that encourages growth and transformation.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The lesson that I had to unlearn? It has to do with the self-imposed limitations that I carried for a long time. You know, there’s a saying that goes, “If you keep fighting for your limitations, you get to keep them.” This was me for the longest time.

These limitations often surfaced as insecurities. Thoughts like, “I’m not worthy. I’m not enough. Who am I to do this?” – were my constant companions. I’d managed to convince myself that I was a perpetual victim and everyone else was my oppressor. I had a firm belief that the world was against me, that it was an unsafe place to be. This mindset was my biggest limitation.

But even though the world can be unsafe, I’ve come to learn that it can also hold pockets of safety and community. The trouble was, I would enter these spaces already skeptical, already fearful. And often, I’d let others’ opinions influence my thinking. I’ve learned a hard truth along the way, “If you buy into people’s opinions, you buy into their lifestyle.”

One of the most impactful influences was my mom. Being raised by a single, widowed parent who heavily leaned on me created certain expectations and beliefs. One of them was around money. When she took money out of my bank account without my consent, it imprinted on me the idea that my money wasn’t really my own and it was okay for people to take from me. These instances taught me to always give my money away and be self-sacrificial.

Fast forward to today, I’m in the process of unlearning these ingrained beliefs. I’m beginning to embrace the abundance mindset, accepting the fact that there are other caring, generous people out there, not just me. Not everyone is out to get me. There are people who genuinely want to collaborate and communicate with me, to give to me without any ulterior motives.

This shift isn’t frightening, but it’s definitely unfamiliar. However, the more I embrace it, the safer the world feels to me. The less skeptical and fearful I am, the more confident I feel in relying on others. This newfound transparency in my relationships has only served to strengthen them.

Just like I’ve recently decluttered my home, I’m decluttering my mind of old, toxic beliefs. Working with a professional organizer, something I previously believed I couldn’t afford or didn’t deserve has helped me break through some mental blocks. It has become easier for me to let go and give away things that no longer serve me.

The most profound thing I’m unlearning is to identify my limitations and not let them define me. I’m discarding the opinions that don’t match my current lifestyle. I’m not in toxic environments anymore. I’m embracing this foreign place called the abundance mindset. And even though it feels alien at times, I’m fully here for it.

Documenting this journey is a testament to the mental work I’ve had to undertake, the beliefs I’ve had to let go of, and the leap of faith I’ve taken into the abundance mindset. It may be a new journey, but I’m definitely excited about where it’s taking me. A mantra I often say to myself is, “So far, so good!”

Have you ever had to pivot?

So, reflecting on a time when I had to pivot, either in business, career, or life, I find myself smiling because, to be frank, I feel like I’m perpetually in a state of pivot. Each day brings with it the opportunity for change, growth, and the “shedding of old skin” of what no longer serves me. My life feels very much alive, and the things that stay vibrant are the aspects I actively nurture.

However, if I were to reframe this notion of ‘pivot’, I think the essence of my story lies more in my capacity to be open, to be receptive to the world. This openness was a trait born out of my experiences growing up as a military kid, constantly moving around, and having to adapt to new surroundings, new schools, and new faces. Even when we eventually settled in San Diego, I found myself still constantly on the move, switching schools and then going to college. It felt as if life was rushing by, and unless I surrendered to the flow, I would always be playing catch-up.

My frequent ‘pivots’ comes from this state of openness, this willingness to receive whatever comes my way. Of course, this also includes the wisdom to discern between the good and the bad opportunities, and the courage to let go of projects, even those close to my heart, for the greater good. This concept, often phrased as ‘killing your babies,’ is about relinquishing control over ideas or projects you may have fallen in love with, especially when they no longer serve their purpose.

Growing up, I only understood the scarcity mindset, a constant need to hold onto things as long as possible until they literally fell apart. I’ve come to learn that the value to preserve, whether material possessions or ideas, can prevent you from making room for better opportunities. Hence, the key to successfully pivoting, or rather, to be open, is to have a healthy practice of grieving over things that I need to let go of, declutter, and make space for new opportunities.

In retrospect, I can’t pinpoint one specific instance of a major pivot because there have been so many. But I can say that when I stopped rushing myself, stopped pushing for the next big thing due to some external pressure, and started to perceive life as a gift to be received rather than a race to be won, it was a game-changer. I had an epiphany: instead of constantly seeking, why not embrace what life has already given me? This mindset shift was transformative. So yes, my story of pivot is essentially a tale of learning to be open to life’s opportunities and embracing the ones that I already have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://usvetwealth.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenamos/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@USVWTV
• Other: The hardcover of Don’t Forget Your War Chest is available for purchase now at: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Forget-Your-War-Chest/dp/B0C5PFZVBZ Additionally, the digital copy and bonus material are available for FREE at: https://militaryretirementblueprint.com/plans/308368

Image Credits
Headshot taken by Christopher Ian Perry | https://www.classiccityfilms.com/