Army-Vet-Turned-CEO Tabatha Turman: ‘Use Fear As Fuel’

After two decades as a U.S. Army Finance Officer, Tabatha Turman didn’t just transition to civilian life—she launched a company that would go on to secure hundreds of millions in federal contracts. As founder and CEO of Integrated Finance and Accounting Solutions (IFAS), Turman has applied battlefield discipline, financial acumen and a passion for service to build one of the most respected government consulting firms in the industry.

In the following conversation, she shares how military lessons shaped her entrepreneurial journey, the strategies behind IFAS’s sustained growth and insights from her book, P2D: Elements of a Growth Mindset—a guide for anyone looking to turn purpose into performance. 

What was the experience like transitioning from the Army to entrepreneurship?

Entering the army at a young age provided me so many opportunities: To go to college and graduate school, hone my professional expertise and travel and see the world. I’m grateful for the opportunities and lessons I learned while serving. 

However, being deployed on critical missions meant I was away from home and my family. I was able to rely on my village to provide both my children and me continued, consistent support, but I certainly felt “mom guilt.” One thing that also goes unspoken is the transition period upon your return, where we’re all trying to get reacclimated, which can be a challenge.

All of this led me to honorably transition from the military and embark on my entrepreneurial journey. Using the skills that I learned in service, I discovered that there were critical accounting and financial tools that government agencies and contractors were missing. In 2007, this is what led me to create Integrated Finance and Accounting Solutions.

What advice do you have for professionals considering a similar move?

There are so many factors to consider when making career transitions. The first is to create a flexible, scalable plan: Do research on the industry that you want to move into, find the key players to network with and set goals for yourself to achieve.

Even in all your planning, there will be times where you will need to pivot or re-adjust your plan. Staying connected to your plan will enable you to keep your eye on the larger goal while being able to follow a strategic yet ever-changing plan.

The second is to have your support system in place, particularly if you’re going into entrepreneurship. There are a lot of uncertainties when starting your own company and having a strong support system in place allows you to feel encouraged in tough times and also, celebrate your victories.

Especially if you are a working parent, there will be times that you miss the kids’ sports practice or come home late. Luckily, today’s parents can rely on technology for video calls, sending messages and capturing important moments through video and photos.

Lastly, get a good accountant, lawyer and banker. They will be the most valuable members of your external team throughout your entrepreneurial journey.

How has your company grown over these past years?

I’m so proud of the many accomplishments my team at IFAS has accomplished in recent years. Through our continued diligence and team work, we’ve achieved a variety of goals and benchmarks, including being awarded a prime position on the prestigious GSA OASIS+ Total Small Business contract, as well as earning a $43 million IRS contract award, which will strengthen our financial management system’s portfolio of business.

We recently celebrated our Global Day of Service, a company-wide initiative led by the IFAS Corporate Citizenship Board that spanned multiple states to make a lasting impact on local communities where our employees live and work. We’ve also added a chief growth officer to our leadership team to support our strategic growth plan.

As an entrepreneur, I’m proud to have been awarded a Bronze Stevie Award for Best Entrepreneur, Financial Services. This is truly an honor to be recognized amongst my peers and notable executives across a variety of industries.

What are some key take-aways from your book, P2D: Elements of a Growth Mindset.

In my book, I share actionable lessons on overcoming fear, self-doubt and setbacks so that you can achieve true purpose-driven success.

First, identify what truly drives and inspires you, then align it with your goals. Is it working with people, creativity or learning something new? Once you identify those key components, you can search for industries or positions that align with those. You may be surprised at what you find!

Next, don’t let setbacks and losses discourage you—use it as fuel and transform it into opportunities for growth and resilience. It’s easy to focus on the negative and get stuck.

Oftentimes, it’s hard for people to move past their fears and mistakes and because of this, they live in the past. This is why I recommend that you use fear as fuel to see your dreams and goals through. Using fear as fuel allows you to push past perceived obstacles because of past failures.

Lastly, channel that passion into purposeful action. Whether it’s sending out a pre-established number of resumes or meeting a sales goal, now you’re prepared to take on the world and achieve your goals.