What if you’re not falling behind, you’re just not asking the right questions yet?
John Tansill spent twenty years in the Marine Corps, split between active duty and the reserves, leading Marines in combat and learning humility from the best NCOs in the Corps. He transitioned from the rigors of Wall Street to the mission of helping veterans and military spouses enter the tech industry. Today, as Director of Veterans Affairs at Skillstorm, he serves as the bridge for thousands who want to break into IT but don’t know where to start.
How the MECEP program taught him more than any classroom ever could
The shock of trading a rifle for a clerk’s badge on the NYSE
Why paying your dues is not a step back but a running start
The truth about tech careers: passion first, paycheck second
How to build real work experience when you have none
What happens when you lead with connection, not desperation
⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:00 Military legacy and finding the Corps
06:30 From pilot dreams to infantry reality
12:45 The enlisted mentors who shaped his command
18:00 Why Wall Street humbled him fast
23:30 Starting over without ego
29:50 Why most transition programs miss the mark
37:10 Breaking into IT with no degree
45:00 The real value of Skillstorm’s free coding course
52:00 Serving the next generation of veterans
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntansill
Email: jtansill@skillstorm.com
My name is Adam Peters, and I’m here to unf*ck the transition.
