Meet Anthony Koert | Aspiring Entrepreneur & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Koert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, what do you want your legacy to be?
I can only hope those who knew me remember me as a guide. That my writing didn’t make an exacting mandate on how to live their lives but gave them just enough advice and inspiration to improve their journeys according to their wants. There is no forcing my thoughts on anyone or manipulating to fortune, just some hard-earned life experience meant to leave the reader with a crescent smile. Most importantly, I want to enrich people’s lives in the simplest ways and I want my writing to be a small part of that.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I am most excited about what will come. I decided, and partly, my body decided for me, that it was time to leave the Marine Corps and pursue another career. I had multiple health issues I knew I had to figure out for myself, so I started writing about my fitness and health journey. If I could write about what I learned about my road to recovery and reduced pain, I could help others. At the same time, health and fitness have always been a passion of mine, which is why I want to build a brand around The Rising, a fitness and lifestyle blog. The Rising will be one part of what I hope to build: a well-rounded community based on healthy living and fitness through simple guidance to practice throughout someone’s life. Healthy living and a road to recovery can be overwhelming, which is partly why I want to provide more straightforward and easy to follow guidance for people to start their journey. Simple rules in a complex world to help build a solid foundation along with positive habits. There are a lot of challenges that lay ahead, but I look forward to facing them.

Career:
2012-2022: Marine intelligence officer
2023: Business intern at NASA

Education:
The Citadel (2012): Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice
Texas Tech (2024): Pursuing an MBA & master’s degree in mass communication

Lessons learned:
– You can only change the things you have control over. Everything else, you can only attempt to influence.
– Professionalism is about mutual respect.
– You need to develop yourself. No one else will take ownership of your career.
– Find multiple mentors that round each other out.
– Give back and mentor others.
– Always prepare and provide evidence to support what you are saying.
– If you want to be heard, competence in your field matters. Striving to be an expert should be a goal.
– Sometimes, you must do the work no one else will do.
– Competition is about merit, not about slandering others.
– Diversity of thought and experience is vital for progression and success.
– A team should hold itself accountable before someone else has to.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I was fortunate to travel around the world over the last few years, and I have one bit of advice. If you’re heading to a place that’s new to you, book a food tour. It’s never been a disappointment in all of the places where I have done it. Food and drinks paired with history and insight from a local have never missed the mark. If you can, get a group of your family, friends, or coworkers and enjoy it. Not only may you find that you prefer Cuban coffee, but the tour guides always know the best places to visit in the city. Just sparing a few hours at the beginning of your trip could make the rest of it.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I once read a book that proposed that we steal the best characteristics of others to form ourselves, and in this, we are all interconnected. I stole the most from my parents, who made a lifetime of sacrifices to give me opportunities to grow and learn. My mother’s compassion and my father’s determination were just the start of what I stole from them.

In a more recent sense, I look to my wife and find admiration in her intellect, foresight, and support. We left the active duty military at about the same time as each other, and transitioning to a new life is never easy. Her transition was far more graceful in figuring out where she wanted to be and determining a way to find a passion to pursue. I couldn’t say the same for myself. It often feels like she pulls me up alongside her rather than letting me drag in the dust behind her.

Website: www.ajkoertez.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajkoertez/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-koert-464027210/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthony.koert.7

Image Credits
The profile that features Anthony Koert in a blue suit and the wedding photo were taken by Julia Mina Photography. The remaining pictures were Anthony’s personal pictures.