SoFi Blog

SnappyScreen is a touchless sunscreen application system. You select your protection level (SPF) and height, step into a booth, and SnappyScreen applies a head-to-toe protective coating in about 10 seconds. The sunscreen is oxybenzone-free, paraben-free, alcohol-free and does not damage your bathing suit. It’s a slick and sought after product—one that can now be found at 4- and 5-star hotels across the U.S., in locations such as Florida, Hawaii, and California, and in such exotic locales as Aruba. Before the final launch, entrepreneurial sisters Kristen McClellan (founder and CEO) and Katelyn McClellan (COO) built several prototypes to refine the product and make the experience smooth and easy.

At SoFi, we’re lucky to have an extraordinary group of members who have navigated this whole ‘career thing’ with aplomb. From getting promoted or laid off to changing industries, members have faced whopping challenges—and they have the insights and battle scars to prove it. So we asked a few to share their best career tips based on their personal experiences.

Here’s what they said:

Name: Deanna Krinn

Age: 29

Locale: Bloomington, IN

Alma Mater: Indiana University

By Day: Project Manager at Indiana University Communications

SoFi Member Since: 2015

Approximate SoFi Loan: $54,000, Combined Personal and Student Loan Refi

SoFi Savings: ~$500/month

Deanna Krinn is the first in her family to put herself through college, which she knew would be challenging when relying solely on scholarships and loans.

As a result of having to move to attend college, Deanna maxed out her first credit card, charging $2,000 on it in just a few months after arriving at Indiana University. Despite working three jobs to cover her expenses while in school, her total credit card debt grew to over $16,000, and she was forced to take out a personal loan to keep up with payments.

Name: Nicole Gaines                                                                                                     

Locale: Nashville, TN                                                                                                    

Alma Maters: UC Chattanooga & Cumberland University                                                

By Day: Registered Nurse at Vanderbilt Medical Center                                                                                               

SoFi Member Since: 2015                                                                                             

Approximate SoFi Loan: $37,000                                                                                    

SoFi Savings: ~$500/month

Nicole Gaines is a single mother, full-time nurse, dedicated daughter, community volunteer, and bikini contest competitor. Needless to say, she is the definition of success. Nicole shares that her secret is in making it a priority to take care of herself in order to take care of others.

Name: Josh Gould
Locale: Brooklyn, NY
Alma Maters: Claremont McKenna College; Dartmouth/Tuck School of Business (MBA)
By Day: Business Development in the renewable energy field
SoFi Member Since: 2014

When your senior-level government job has a term limit, you have to start thinking about your next job while you’re still getting settled. Learn how SoFi member Josh Gould navigated his latest career move in the niche field of renewable energy—with a little help from an unexpected place.