Transitioning to academic medicine from a nontraditional career path is both rewarding and challenging. Knowing how to “pitch” a nontraditional background is essential to success in an academic environment. This chapter defines a nontraditional career path and presents seven skills necessary to thrive in academic medicine: (1) self-awareness, (2) claiming expertise, (3) leveraging assets, (4) creating innovative vision, (5) staying focused, (6) telling a good story, and (7) being fully engaged. Taking these steps increases academic productivity, recognition, impact, and promotion, while preserving one’s core values and maintaining well-being. The success and flourishing of a diverse faculty enrich the academic medical center and the patients and communities they serve.