467: How to Turn a Military History Degree Into a Successful Business With CEO Courtney Spaeth, growth [period] [Main T4C Episode]

Courtney Spaeth is the founder and CEO of growth [period], a strategic business development and transaction advisory services firm. She began her career working as one of the very few women in the national security sector, including several government agencies such as the Department of Justice.  In addition, she was an assistant in charge of global terrorism issues in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC) before taking on roles in the corporate world. As the director of homelands system solutions at Lockheed Martin, Courtney and her team secured over $3 billion in new business. Then, she became the corporate vice president of homeland security for Raytheon Company. Tired of the “culture of fear” she felt corporate America encouraged, Courtney founded growth [period] in 2007.  WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE:  How Courtney got a job during the 2008 recession (3:45) How Courtney handled a major family tragedy (6:12) Why coping with the coronavirus requires creativity (8:13) What a business development consulting firm does (9:44) How the culture at growth [period] is different than other firms (13:25) Why you have to be a good listener and communicator to excel in business development (18:27) Why confidence is essential to making sales (20:09) How being unafraid to ask questions benefitted Courney’s career (22:47) What it was like being one of very few women in the national security field (25:54) How building trust among her co-workers landed her promotions  (30:10) Why to follow the career path that makes you happy (40:31) Why Courney’s glad she was fired from Raytheon (46:10)