NMSN Magazine Fall 2021 by National Military Spouse Network

CAREER CONNECTIONS November, 2021, Vol. 9, Issue 2

Looking Back, Before Moving Forward www.nationalmilitaryspousenetwork.org

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

4 The Cost of Service

7 The Future of Apprenticeships

12 The Hybrid Wardrobe

16 Do You Have an Entrepreneurial Mindset?

20 3 Ways to Support Your Military Spouse Entrepreneur

24 How Service Members Support the Homefront No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the Publisher.

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President’s Letter For three years, the National Military Spouse Network has authored an annual white paper presenting policy recommendations focused on addressing employment challenges uniquely faced by military spouses. Specific recommendations include removing barriers that keep military spouses from starting their own businesses, supporting career portability overseas and a roadmap for increasing military family financial security through stable military spouse employment.

Sue Hoppin Founder & President National Military Spouse Network

We also called on the Department of Defense (DOD) to leverage its existing Survey of Active-Duty Spouses that is conducted every two years, to collect more granular data about the state of military spouse employment. Above all else, we continue to believe that we can't fix what we don't measure. The 2020 Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey revealed that 52% of active-duty spouse respondents expressed spouse employment as their number one concern. Not surprisingly, 44% of active-duty family respondents indicated that a civilian spouse’s employment challenges are the biggest stressor for their families. But there is a silver lining—we don’t have to completely start from scratch. Collective efforts and programs developed in response to veteran unemployment can serve as a guiding blueprint for military spouse employment. For example, expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include military spouses would undoubtedly help remove barriers to employment, just as providing these tax incentives to employers that hire military veterans has helped reduce veteran unemployment. Such legislation was reintroduced in the 117th Congress thanks to sponsor Rep. Antonio Delgado and original cosponsors Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Rep. Donald Beyer, Rep. Mike Kelly, Rep. Jimmy Panetta and Rep. Don Bacon for their introduction and support of H.R.2974, the “Military Spouse Hiring Act.” The legislation currently has over 60 bipartisan cosponsors and has been referred to the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means for further legislative consideration. What we continue to lack, unfortunately, is any sense of urgency among political and military leaders to embrace these reforms. There is still a lot of work to be done. We hope that you will join us to advocate for the changes that are required to get the needle moving in the right direction. Look for our next White Paper to come out in the middle of January and Save the Date now to join us for our 2022 Day of Advocacy on Friday, May 6th. Together, we will make a difference.

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THE COST OF SERVICE Measuring Lost Military Spouse Income BY JENNIFER BARNHILL, EDITOR IN CHIEF NMSN MAGAZINE

ow do you measure something that never was? Many military spouses know that over the years their careers — and pocketbooks — have suffered as a result of frequent moves, often into employment deserts. The love of a spouse aside, what does being a military spouse actually cost? AND how can our community mitigate these losses? Military spouses are diverse, with different educational and professional backgrounds. They move in diverse patterns, traversing the country and the world. Although a 2018 White House report estimates that over the course of a military career families sacrifice nearly $200,000 in lost spousal wages, it is unclear how this total was calculated. And this is for good reason. It is a loss that is difficult to quantify.

Measuring Lost Income Itemizing all the possible moments of loss of income is the first way to attempt to lessen the impacts of military service on military spouse income. • Licensure costs • Loss of investment savings (moving before fully vested) • Loss of promotion opportunities/tenure 4 | NMSN Magazine

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• Accept lower-paying jobs to have schedule flexibility and shorten unemployment gaps • Self-select - Service member “gets out” so the spouse can pursue their career It would be easy to say that moves disrupt career progression, shrug because, hey, this is the military lifestyle. It is the first two bullets that are the most intriguing. Why do military spouses work fewer hours than their civilian counterparts? The quick answer: the military. • Job loss/periods of unemployment • Child care costs (little flexibility for taking turns) This idea of measuring lost opportunity costs is not a new one. The nonprofit research company, RAND tried to examine this question a decade ago in their 2002 study Married to the Military: The Employment and Earnings of Military Wives Compared with Those of

Civilian Wives. In 160 pages the researchers examined many variables that contribute to the loss of military family earnings compared to their civilian peers. Findings noted that military wives*: • Work fewer hours than civilians • Earn lower wages than civilians • Wages decline as Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves increase

The RAND study hypothesized that the military lifestyle creates an imbalance within the family that requires military spouses carry more than their 50% share of the household duties, primarily as it relates to the demands of parenting and childcare.

Can We Prevent Financial Loss? Yes. And there are many initiatives in place to do just that:

Loss

Current Solution(s)

What Is Still Needed

Licensure costs

• DOD licensure reimbursement

Increased state/licensure board reciprocity

• State reciprocity Loss of investment savings

• Private Investments

Alternatives to traditional 401K funds to • Working as a government employee provide matching for mobile employees

Loss of promotion opportunities/tenure

• Work for a military-friendly employer • Telework opportunities

Improvements on telework opportunities. What does this mean for employment law across states?

• Educating employers about military spouse employees Job loss due to military moves

• Applying for unemployment benefits

Child care costs (little flexibility • Child Development Centers for taking turns) • DOD fee reimbursement

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Improved access to unemployment benefits for military spouses Increase in availability of child care openings/ reimbursement funds

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The study also posed a very interesting question. “Should military families be compensated for the weeks of work a wife loses from frequent moves? If so, how much should this compensation be?” A quick search of the internet and this question seems to only have been asked once, in this very report. This type of compensation seems highly unlikely. So, what can be done?

Military spouse unemployment and underemployment and lost opportunities are not issues that are unrelated to other aspects of military life. Military moves are costly to the DOD and military families. They are also linked to poor educational outcomes for military children and increased stress and anxiety. A lack of affordable child care impacts service members’ Family Care Plan just as much as it impacts military spouse employment, just as it impacts employment equity in general. Bottom line: multifaceted problems require multifaceted solutions requiring participation from DOD, employers, Congress and military spouses themselves.

How YOU can help yourself: Take advantage of the benefits the DOD provides (LinkedIn Premium for FREE, licensure reimbursement, employment counseling, to name a few)

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#3:

Plan to pivot - career progressions change. Set a goal and aim for it, but always have Plans B - Z ready!

your worth - You will not get paid your #4: Know desired salary if you don’t know your worth (in $$$) and be prepared to ask for it!

Connecting the Dots

#1:

for the DoD - you can keep your tenure, #2: Work vesting and transfer jobs when available

#5: Share Your Experience - Let your leaders know what they can do to help you volunteer for NMSN’s Day of Advocacy

*The RAND study focused on military “wives” as there was not sufficient data to draw conclusions about male spouse earnings.

Jennifer Barnhill is a freelance writer with a focus on military family advocacy, Navy spouse and mother of three. Her reporting has been featured in Military. com, The War Horse, We Are the Mighty, Military Spouse Magazine, Military Families Magazine and TheMilitaryWallet. com. She is the Chief Operating Officer of Partners in PROMISE and serves on both the National Military Spouse Network Day of Advocacy and The League of Wives Memorial Project Committees.

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The Future of Apprenticeships BY JANET FARLEY, ED.M.

hile many spouses may be lured by the call of entrepreneurship, it is not for everyone. The Great Resignation may have paved the way for a renaissance of a forgotten path to career success, apprenticeships.

Rethinking Apprenticeships Apprenticeships “have evolved and sometimes people still have the misperception that they are only focused on the trades. That’s just not true anymore,” said Melissa English, an apprenticeship specialist for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) in Denver, Colorado. “You can find them in many areas today like healthcare, behavioral health and wellness,

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information technology, cybersecurity, education, the public sector, transportation and logistics, the energy industry, advanced manufacturing and, of course, within the trades too,” said English. The US Department of Labor (DOL) defines apprenticeships as industry-driven, high-quality career pathways where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce. So, for career-seeking military spouses, apprenticeships make perfect sense. Apprenticeships provide excellent opportunities for military spouses and transitioning veterans. Not only are they occupationally diverse but they are also portable in nature. Apprenticeships can also be completed virtually, another silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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English described working with one company in Seattle that hires apprentices virtually in Colorado Springs and another headquartered elsewhere in Colorado that hires cloud support specialists and cybersecurity analysts to work virtually for them from across the country.

Timelines and Transferability “Apprenticeships are employer-driven and employers determine the length required for the experience,” said English. “Most try to efficiently and effectively structure it so that the apprenticeship can be completed within a year or less, making this a good option for military spouses who may have a limited time in one area.” Timing is huge, but so is transferability. Darrell Roberts, the Director of Organizing for the SMART Union the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers and the former Executive Director of Helmets to Hardhats, agrees that apprenticeships support a highly mobile military lifestyle. “If you work in the trades, it can be easy to transfer your union membership from one local to another. Obtaining work, however, will depend on the needs of the industry in that location,” said Roberts. The stateside apprenticeship portability factor sounds great but what happens when military spouses relocate overseas? English has good news there as well. “Apprenticeships originated in the international community and while an employer overseas, on or off the military installation, may not be impressed by a DOL certificate itself, they will most likely highly value the fact that you have completed an actual apprenticeship program,” said English.

Becoming an Apprentice

• Receive a portable, nationally recognized credential. Not all apprenticeships are managed quite the same way, however. Some apprenticeships are registered through DOL while others are simply sponsored by employers within private industry and are not considered registered. “Registered apprenticeships have definite advantages over non-registered ones. They have been around for a long while and the DOL has consistent and high standards for them. There are set wages, a specific number of hours that must be met both on the job and in the classroom. There are strict safety standards as well,” said Roberts. There are benefits to both that you will need to weigh. “Registered apprenticeships also offer lifelong training and development,” Roberts continued. “Industry-recognized apprenticeships [that are not registered] don’t have that same level of consistency around wages or standards and they don’t have the backing of the U.S. government.” How a program is structured depends on the employer and the job itself. But according to experts, the key is that the program needs to include at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. Before you even start a program, you need to outline: • How long it will last • How much you will earn • What benefits you will receive as you progress through the program It’s important to note that trades-based apprenticeships can last three to five years and are associated with union memberships.

Registered vs. Industry-Sponsored Apprenticeships There are some common components that make up any good apprenticeship program. You can expect to: • Earn a paycheck while gaining valuable work experience. 8 | NMSN Magazine

• Receive classroom training and benefit from mentorship.

“In the first year, apprentices will earn 50 - 70 percent of what they will ultimately earn and every six months they will get a raise. Apprentices start off knowing where they will end up,” said Roberts, adding that many programs also partner with local community colleges.

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“Depending on the program, apprentices may also be able to take a basic English and math course and walk away with an associate degree and in some cases a full four-year degree as well,” he said. Roberts also noted that many programs “set aside funding with our current apprentices as they grow, essentially building the future workforce that will ultimately replace them.”

Costs of Apprenticeship Programs Job seekers, take note. The cost of participating in an apprenticeship program can vary. A specific registered apprenticeship could be fully funded by the employer, a union or you might be responsible to fund some or all of it yourself. It’s important to keep in mind that if some of those costs fall on you, you may also be eligible to access additional sources of funding to assist you in offsetting the cost. “If an apprenticeship is registered then it will most likely appear on the state workforce development center’s list of eligible training options meaning that you may be eligible for full or partial funding through the workforce center,” said English. Military spouses and veterans can also use Post 9-11 GI Bill benefits to cover costs as well. Finally, because of the impact of COVID, some employers have been awarded funds to establish apprenticeships within their own respective industries. You may be able to take advantage of those programs at little or no cost to you.

Locating Apprenticeship Opportunities You can learn more about apprenticeships in general at Apprenticeships.gov and about existing apprenticeship opportunities through your state’s DOL website where you can also find further links to your state’s community workforce development centers. The family center’s employment readiness program or the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) on your local military installation may also be able to point you in the right local direction for assistance. Keep in mind that as a job seeker, you can also initiate the creation of an apprenticeship yourself. NOVEMBER 2021

“Approach an employer and express your interest in becoming an apprentice for them in a registered apprenticeship program,” said English. “If the employer is interested, connect them to an apprenticeship specialist in the state DOL office to start that conversation.” If you happen to be a military spouse who is also a small business owner and you wish to develop your own workforce via an apprenticeship, the same resources noted above will work for you too as the employer. But employers should be aware that the process won’t happen overnight. Initially, it may take a couple of months to establish a new apprenticeship. “We’ve worked with big healthcare companies, bringing on 20 apprentices at a given time and with small business owners to bring on only one,” said English.

The Bottom Line? “Don’t tune out when you hear the word apprenticeship. They can be very rewarding and

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lead you to a meaningful career that pays well and doesn’t involve college debt,” said Roberts. He also advises would-be apprentices to “really look at the career and determine if that is what you want to do and ask the right questions before committing to anything.” Before taking the leap ask yourself: • Will the apprenticeship help me land the career I want? • What is offered in the apprenticeship? • What standards are being met? Who sets them? • Is there a graduated wage model? • Who awards the credential and is it one that can be easily transferred and recognized elsewhere? • Who is paying for it? • Do I know anyone who has done what I’m hoping to do? (Talk to them.) According to Roberts, “Apprenticeships can be challenging but you can make anything you want out of the experience. You can advance on the job, start your own business, or just keep doing what you were trained to do. The sky’s the limit.”

Janet Farley, Ed.M., CPRW, CFJST, CFCC is a career coach,a professional resume writer and the author of ten career/life advice guides, most recently Mission Transition: Managing Your Career and Your Retirement (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018) and Military Life 101: Basic Training for New Military Families (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016). A proud spouse of an Army veteran and a dedicated advocate for all those who have served in uniform and for those who have given their hearts to them, she offers straightforward career management and job search advice based on more than twenty-five years of experience working in employment services across multiple industries stateside and abroad. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Services and Human Resource Education from Boston University and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (PARWCC), Federal Job Search Coach and Career Coach. Farley is also a graduate of Skillfull’s Colorado Governor’s Coaching Corps and currently resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado with her family. Reach her at www. linkedin.com/in/janetfarley. 10 | NMSN Magazine

A MilSpouse Employment Recap Finding and growing a sustainable career has never been an easy task for military spouses. The reasons for that sound as familiar today as they did decades ago: • It’s hard to focus on a career when you are busy managing the non-stop stressors inherent in the military lifestyle. • Unaffordable or unavailable childcare makes finding and keeping a job problematic for those with young children. • Underemployment still runs rampant and discrimination against those who may relocate frequently still occurs. Despite the familiar obstacle of living in our own echo chamber and the economic fallout from COVID-19, there is ample evidence to support the reality that professionally-minded military spouses have it better now than ever before. • There are many new and modified programs promoting spouse employment endorsed by the Department of Defense and private industry partners. • Employers have become enlightened with a growing number intentionally recruiting from the milspouse talent pipeline. • Thanks to a global pandemic, virtual and remote employment practices are now considered business as usual in the workplace, at long last giving longevity and career portability a real chance. • Finally, military spouses also have far more career pathways open to them and one such pathway is the ever-evolving concept of apprenticeship whose time has come.

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MADE FOR

MILITARY SPOUSES USAA.COM/JOIN or call 800-531-8521 No Department of Defense or government agency endorsement. Membership eligibility and product restrictions apply and are subject to change. USAA means United Services Automobile Association and its affiliates. © 2020 USAA. 266283-1020

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The Hybrid Wardrobe GETTING DRESSED AGAIN IN A CROP TOP WORLD: TRANSLATING TRENDS INTO WEARABLE WORKWEAR BY ERIN HODGKINSON

THE 90’S ARE BACK SHOULDER PADS & GRAPHIC TEES Sprinkle them in, but do not eat the whole cake!

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Sprinkle modern apparel and accessories into your professional wardrobe The 90’s are back in a big way in fashion this year. Just in time to re-introduce ourselves to the world and into offices. Crop tops and high-waisted jeans have overtaken our most favorite storefronts and e-commerce shops. How do we begin to dress like professionals without feeling we are in an episode of The Real World? Luckily, you do not have to embrace your former awkward mouth full of braces self to step back into the office in style. nationalmilitaryspousenetwork.org

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3) THE LUG-SOLE Functional not practical You have to admit that the slip-resistant grip is useful in cold weather. Yet, a chunky sole can overwhelm a suit, skirt or trouser pant. You do not have to go all in combat style on a lugsole, nor completely disregard the need for nonslip fashionable shoes to transition into this trend.

1 ) KEEP YOUR SKINNIES

Instead:

Give them a refresh A huge sigh of relief! You can keep all your beloved skinny cut bottoms. Many of us have grown to love this style and as they have been around for so long they have officially moved into the “classic” category. Give the look a smart casual twist by choosing: • a mid-rise to ease into the creeping up waistline • an autumnal shade (bordeaux, burnt orange, olive) • a raw hem • an updated texture, velvet, or corduroy

2) BREAK OUT THE BOYFRIEND BLAZER Think outside the Oxford A blazer is a great seperate and stylishly speaks for itself. It can be paired with various types of bottoms. Go ahead and skip the matching pant and traditional button-up Oxford shirt. The modern long and fitted boyfriend style blazer lends itself to limitless versatility. Get creative by: • • • •

belting it (medium to chunky size worn at waist) layer over a hooded sweatshirt/turtleneck wear a dress, maxi skirt or jumpsuit underneath replace a necklace with a neck scarf

With a few key layers, you can upgrade your look without breaking the bank. NOVEMBER 2021

• try a thinner lug-soled boot with a more traditional style (Chelsea style vs. Combat) • choose a neutral color as the eye will naturally skim a light shade over black • opt out of a block heel or platform shoe and stick with the simple lug-sole Give yourself grace if you are not ready to immediately adopt combat boots or crop tops. For many of us, the 90’s were our first independent introduction to fashion. It was a time when we began to outwardly express our personalities by experimenting with clothing. When you peruse the current clothing racks be willing to keep an open mind. It may bring back those tumultuous teenage memories, but can also offer an occasion to embrace the nostalgia and expand your clothing options. By incorporating 90’s trends into your professional wardrobe without engulfing the entire aesthetic will ensure a fresh and modern return to the office.

INSPO

Check out our virtual closet for outfit inpiration.

Erin Hodgkinson founded Frilly Simple, a women mobile micro-boutique in 2013. The brand has expanded to include locations nationally and internationally. She approaches fashion as a means to motivate milspouses and milmoms to elevate their everyday. Erin grew up in colorful Colorado where her formal education includes a BA in English, as well as a teaching certification.

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(CLICK ON THE SPEAKER'S NAM

Sue Hoppin

Lizanne Lightfoot Storytelling is an effective way to make yourself memorable to customers and potential clients. Lizanne leads us through a brief storytelling workshop.

Hear from our founder to hear what 2022 has in store.

Traci McCombs Not sure if federal employment is for you? Traci shares her story of working for the federal government for over 8 years and shares insights into this career option.

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Trish Alegre Smith

Erin Hodgkinson

At the heart of every proposal is an “ask.” Trish shows us how to “pop the question.”

Erin helps us navigate post-pandemic professional dress for re-entering the workforce, networking events, and our professional lives.

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ME TO WATCH THE RECORDING)

Melissa St. Clair Recipe for Success: Standard Operating Procedures will cut through the fat and right to the meat & potatoes of standard operating procedures.

Leslie Janaros

Jessica Norsky Our experts unpack the connection between our emotional & physical resilience, identify pitfalls, and discuss self-care strategies!

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Nicole Murray

Heba Abdelaal

We sit down with Nicole Murray, Director of Community Relations for the Washington Nationals to learn how she landed her dream job and kept it.

Most bills are never considered by Congress. Understanding how a bill becomes law is important for effective advocacy on the issues most important to a constituent.

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Do You Have an Entrepreneurial Mindset? Yes. You’ve already got the mindset, so now it’s time for you to soar! BY DR. KRISTA WELLS

Take the Quiz

any successful entrepreneurs have a similar mindset: they focus on the future, want to make the most of opportunities and understand the importance of resilience. Lucky for military spouses, those skills are skills you already have. So, guess what, it’s time to turn your business ideas into reality. 16 | NMSN Magazine

Military spouses have to deal with a constant undercurrent of stress indicative of military life and working for yourself while your spouse is on active duty isn’t easy. So, what can you do? Even if you can’t implement your perfect business plan all at once, you can still capitalize on your natural entrepreneurial skills. You can map out your

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entrepreneurial vision and take proactive steps that align with that long-term dream.

Focus on What You CAN Do You might think you aren’t ready to start that public speaking business, but you CAN start going to Toastmasters’ meetings. You might think you can’t start that decorating business, but you CAN work at Ethan Allen and start that Instagram page. It’s about baby steps. You might not be able to write that entire book after watching toddlers all day, but you CAN take that one online writing class. In other words, you CAN hold your vision tight and take tiny steps toward attaining that “the world is my oyster” entrepreneurial feeling. When I first started my career coaching business two decades ago, my spouse was deployed. I was also working and trying to finish graduate school. Nothing went smoothly. I wasn’t giving my all to my career and once I had kids, I wasn’t giving my all to mothering either. When I started, I didn’t even follow the unwritten rule about saving three months’ salary before launching a business. (Yes, this is a best practice.) I remember those days. I couldn’t afford a website, so I drove around town posting signs in local coffee shops, hoping I would get a client before having to go back to work after maternity leave. Even years later, I had an idealistic image of what it meant to be an entrepreneur. I thought I could hang up my “life coaching” sign in local coffee shops, attract clients from 9 am–12 pm, and then play with my little ones. However, my first 15 clients had jobs and wanted to meet me in the evenings, or even worse, on the weekends. Despite my own rocky start, military spouses now come to me with their business ideas and want to know where to start. So, with a little hindsight, I will share some tips that help me—and my clients—persevere as we embrace entrepreneurship.

Small Steps to Entrepreneurial Success 1. If you are passionate about something, go for it! Even if you can’t start your ideal business venture today, you must develop the mindset that will help you focus, communicate and sell your product or service when the timing is right. NOVEMBER 2021

Developing these skills can help you think out of the box. For example, I worked with one spouse who wanted to start a party planning business but would soon be moving out of town. Instead of setting up a brick-and-mortar shop, she decided to create an online party-planning business where she ships party supplies to customers living an on-thego lifestyle. Similarly, I blogged for 10 years before pursuing a book deal. It would have been easy to give up on writing entirely, but instead, I wrote articles and took online writing classes, working towards my goal a little bit each day.

2. Know what motivates you. We have all heard that entrepreneurs must understand the business they are embarking on and be effective communicators; however, even introverts who know next to nothing about their desired market can succeed through passion and motivation to learn. There is not one recipe for a successful entrepreneur. Years ago, I had a colleague in one of my workshops who lost their child due to a severe disability. She ended up creating a playground for children with disabilities in honor of her son despite not having had previous experience with the playground business. Her motivation to succeed overcame her knowledge gaps.

3. Know what DOESN’T motivate you. We have also all heard that one must love sales to be a successful entrepreneur. However, I recently worked with Chelsea, who started selling shakes to college students by publishing an advertisement in an online newspaper that targets graduate students in health-related majors. She was very successful despite not using any social media or pursuing direct sales. If she’d bought into the idea of needing to be a good public speaker to grow her business, she never would have started. She admitted that she may lose a few sales by not being on social media; however, she makes up for it by not getting sidetracked online. She used tools (like the quiz on page 19) to help her outline the skills she was naturally gifted at and “double down” on those skills.

4. Managing the dreaded balancing act. Mastering balance is another essential part of business. Chelsea shared that balance keeps her

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going and without it, “I’d be forced to give up.” Her dream is to open a healthy shake shop, but that will have to wait until her spouse retires. In the meantime, she is learning everything she can about nutrition “When I am folding my son’s clothes, I’m listening to audiobooks by Deepak Chopra on nutrition or the like and this allows me to stay focused on my long-term goals.” As a life coach, I see her ability to learn as much as she can about her business subject as an asset to her success. Whether she gets a job in the field of nutrition or pursues opening a storefront someday, no one can take away all that she’s learned. Even if she’s underemployed at the moment, she will reap the rewards of persevering and fueling a passion while supporting a military family.

5. Finalize your plans by building your network and listening to their advice. You can become a successful entrepreneur by writing out a solid business plan, seeking support to develop your strategy, and recognizing that positive shifts in your personal life will translate to your career and entrepreneurial aspirations. Maybe you can’t afford that full MBA (yet!), but you can audit a class in accounting, social media, marketing, project management or take those entrepreneurship courses offered in your town. Take free online professional development training courses or get set up with a career counselor via Military OneSource. Stop by your local SCORE or Small Business Administration (SBA) offices and brainstorm the steps you must take to open that limited liability company (LLC), attract an investor or trademark your business name. Maybe your first step is talking to people just a little further down the path than you. Who do you envy in your industry? Can you meet with them and pick their brain? After completing the first draft of my fiction book, I attended talks by authors in the same genre. At the end of one talk, my friend Kaleea practically pushed me over the book signing line and whispered, “Krista, tell them you wrote a book and ask them what to do next!” I looked at her and said, “I can’t do that,” and then remembered that this is something I would tell a budding entrepreneur to do. So, I told the two authors that I’d finished a book and they 18 | NMSN Magazine

were super supportive. They suggested I have the book edited and advised that I attend a writers’ conference where I could pitch my book idea to literary agents. I attended the conference six months later, and a few months after that I signed with their agent. When you are starting a new venture, ask lots of questions.

Throw out the Formula Although there is no magic formula for being a successful military spouse entrepreneur. Those who do succeed tend to have a solid foundation upon which to build their business plan. They tend to work hard and never give up, even when lots of doors are slammed in their face. They exude confidence and sell their product or service effortlessly through authentic marketing that conveys their passion for their business. They often have a lot of willpower and many begin their side hustle while still having a full-time job. Successful professionals are often successful people. They get up early, do what they say they are going to do and embrace obstacles with grace. It’s not about being good at everything. It’s about identifying your strengths and using those assets in a way that will serve your customers. Just for fun, take this mini version of my lifestyle blueprint, an assessment that I use to help business owners get grounded and grow. A big part of success in business is knowing yourself; when you couple the best version of yourself with an effective business strategy, you’re on your way toward a soaring business.

Dr. Krista Wells is a certified professional coach dedicated to empowering military spouses. In her private practice, she focuses on improving her clients’ health, increasing their wealth, and strengthening their relationships. In addition to her private clients, Krista offers keynote speeches, workshops for organizations and military bases, and writes for various military publications. She recently launched The Military Spouse Show podcast in an effort to expand her reach and connect with the broader military spouse community.

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3 Ways to Support Your Military Spouse Entrepreneur

SERVICE MEMBERS:

WE NEED YOU! BY MARLA BAUTISTA

ilitary spouses know the complexities of obtaining and sustaining traditional employment while living an active-duty lifestyle all too well. Being an entrepreneur may be the most rewarding career a military spouse may have. The satisfaction of fulfilling life’s goals while taking care of a family is achievable for both the active-duty service member and their partner. The best way 20 | NMSN Magazine

to support your spouse while pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams is to approach it like any other marriage matter—as if they were doing something to help you!

success of your military spouse entrepreneur partner.

First, you’ll read about two hard-working military spouse entrepreneurs and how they make success and family life look effortless. Later, you’ll learn three ways you can contribute to the

Sierra Redmond is an Army wife, mom, a journalist by trade, CEO and US Military Leisure Travel Market Strategist of East Star Media. She splits her time between writing travel-based

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Step Up When They’re on the Go

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content for publications and being a strategist for companies and brands who want to reach military leisure travelers with their marketing strategies. Sierra works no less than 20 hours per week while also homeschooling her son. She works mostly while her child is on school breaks or after her family is asleep. Her job requires her to travel at least once per month. When asked how her husband’s job within the military affects her travel for work, she said, “my husband is a military police officer, and that is a very hands-on job.” Sierra’s husband currently serves as the NCOIC [Noncommissioned Officer in Charge] and was always needed at the station.

have been times where we have had to turn down opportunities because the military mission will always come first,” Sierra said. “It can be difficult, but he is very supportive of my career and does what he can on his end to get off work when we have travel opportunities.”

Lending a Helping Hand

Entrepreneur Sierra Redmond pictured with her spouse “Though we make it work, and most people generally understand our lifestyle, there

Air Force spouse Melanie Simon is a licensed esthetician and beauty influencer who works nearly 50 hours per week. While Melanie’s work doesn’t require a lot of travel, she does attend annual events out of town. “He celebrates my wins and invests in my endeavors when he can,” said Melanie. She admits that her service member spouse is

Services Members: We Need You Here are three ways to support your military spouse entrepreneur.

Provide Emotional Support Service Member: Asking your spouse what their challenges are and then trying to help in any way is a great way to show your support. Emotional support, especially when things get tough, can make all the difference in staying motivated. For example, you can help clean up around the home, cook a meal or help with some other chore. Military Spouse: While it’s essential that military spouse entrepreneurs lean on each other when times get rough, you should try to find ways to rely upon your partner. Tell your service member how they can help your efforts.

Listen and Ask Questions Service Member: To support your spouse in their entrepreneurial pursuits, you’ll need to put in some work. You won’t have much insight into what your spouse is working on if you don’t ask NOVEMBER 2021

questions and listen. Try listening more than talking when discussing your spouse’s business ideas and try not to advise unless they ask for it. Military Spouse: It’s easy to take things personally when you hear something that doesn’t fit into your worldview—and that can be damaging to both parties involved. Be patient; there will be times when emotions are running high but do what you can to remind each other of the reasons why you fell in love with each other in the first place!

Don’t Settle for Mediocrity Nothing about the military lifestyle is average, and we shouldn’t expect our marriages or careers to be either. Military couples know that there’s more to success than just finding a work/ life balance. If you’re going to put so much time and effort into something, it might as well be awesome! If your partner is an entrepreneur, do what you can to support their goals and dreams—it’ll pay off in spades down the road.

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Melanie is an entrepreneur whose job is to advise and provide beauty services to a diverse clientele. Her clients rely on her dependability. And being a military spouse, life can sometimes be unpredictable. She advises entrepreneurial families to “be flexible when the opportunity allows for flexibility but don’t change your limits because other people believe you should.”

Melanie Simon, entrepreneur also her biggest supporter and has “been known to be a Spa LaRae employee when necessary, stuffing bags or envelopes--even modeling when I have needed him.”

She recommends talking with your spouse and setting clear and realistic boundaries to help both careers thrive. Melanie, like many other military spouse entrepreneurs, wishes there were spousal preference opportunities on military installations for military spouse entrepreneurs. She believes it could be a beneficial relationship to both the milspouse entrepreneur and

the local military community. This is especially true for product and service-based businesses that have a large base of military consumers. Nonetheless, military spouse entrepreneurs need support from lawmakers, installations and most importantly their service members.

Marla Bautista is the author of My Thoughts Abandoned and co-author of Brave Women, Strong Faith. She is also a freelance writer, blogger, and speaker. Her passion is giving to people in need. She does so as the co-founder of the Bautista Project Inc, a nonprofit organization providing homeless community members in Tampa, FL.

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WE ASKED MILITARY SPOUSES PROFESSIONALS HOW THEIR SERVICE MEMBER SPOUSE PROACTIVELY SUPPORTED THEIR PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY AND IF THEY HAD ADVICE FOR OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS WITH HIGH-PERFORMING SPOUSES. HERE IS WHAT THEY SAID:

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Kevin Hoppin, Air Force (Ret) (Spouse of Sue Hoppin, President of National Military Spouse Network) “Sue has always had a vision to do great things. People talk about viewing issues from the 30,000-foot level or getting bogged down in the weeds. Well, Sue is usually cruising at 40 or 50,000-feet. Concrete steps I took while on active duty to support her career involved taking an assignment to a location that would allow her to soar to great heights. Beyond proactive steps, I mainly stayed out of Sue’s way. I provided support to keep the runway clear, keep fuel in the fuel truck and help load the bags. I didn’t tell her where to go but provided a sounding board on the advantages of coming left, coming right, climbing or descending to help navigate her career. From encouraging her to take the leap to ‘write that book’ or start the business or sit on a board. My advice is to provide support and a positive atmosphere for growth.”

Ulisses Bautista, Army (Spouse of Marla Bautista, author & CEO of the Bautista Project) “I try to assist my spouses’ professional pursuits by listening to how she needs to be supported. I also kept in communication with my chain of command in case my spouse is required to travel on short notice so that I’d be ready to put in leave or be available when needed. Most importantly, out of all this was to be flexible and open to my family as much as I could. Do not let anyone tell you; you can’t support your spouses’ career. You, as the service member, have to advocate for your spouse and their career. Support your spouse’s career like you support a military mission; give 100%. Place your family first and your mission a close second.”

Kathy Roth-Douquet, co-founder and CEO of Blue Star Families My husband, Greg Douquet, USMC (retired), badgered me to go to law school once we got married. I had been very successful, earned a much higher salary, etc. before we were married and he knew I needed to keep myself developing. So, he first kept after me to “just take the LSAT, you don’t have to apply to law school, just take it and see how you do.” Then, “Just apply to law school, it doesn’t mean you have to go, just apply and see what happens.” Then, “just try it, you can always stop going of you don’t want to keep doing it.” The result? I became a lawyer!

Tyler Meredith, Army (spouse of Callie Meredith host of the Call to Marriage podcast and Senior Operations Effectiveness Analyst with eviCore) “While on active duty, I was able to support my spouse’s professional goals by first deciding on a PCS location that offered the most opportunities in her field and then deciding to find a house or apartment that is an equal distance away for both of us. It is sometimes difficult to find a duty location that offers both of us an opportunity for advancement. The other support is the usual encouragement, advice, and occasional venting session that anyone can do. The best advice that I can offer is to be understanding. The military can have very great opportunities to travel to new and exciting places, but you never get 100% certainty or say on where you will go next. As long as you have the conversations and you each try to make an attempt, then you have to be happy that you did everything you could.”

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Cassidy Norman, Navy (Spouse of Michelle Norman, founder and Executive Director of Partners in PROMISE) “It can be challenging to balance our work and family life. Often, my support for Michelle’s job doesn’t allow much more than leaving her favorite coffee on the counter when I head off to work. However, for both of us, support of each other’s professional pursuits is an extension of having a strong, healthy marriage. Prioritizing my already busy schedule to take care of the kids when her job takes her away from home is important. Even more important is providing her unconditional moral and emotional support to sustain her special education advocacy. Set aside time every week, whether it be working out together or scheduling a date night, to unwind, reset and refocus on each other while communicating what is needed to support each other.”

Myles Fullerton, Air Force (spouse of Monica Fullerton, Founder & CEO of Spouse-ly) “One of the largest impacts or ways that I support my spouse is to give time back. When I come home from work, it’s Dad’s time to rally our twins. When able, and often seldom (because Monica has it covered) cook dinner for the family, clean up, do homework with the twins and outdoor activities, soccer, basketball, ride bikes, etc. Give time back. Our spouses are the backbone of our families. They keep us afloat, our families afloat, which enables all of us to continue our mission. Be understanding of the struggles that come with being a military spouse, be patient, and love your family.”

Tony Castillo Jr., Air Force (Ret.) (spouse of Verenice Castillo Founder & CEO at Military Spouse Advocacy Network) “We carved out time for Verenice’s educational and volunteer opportunities. During this time, I cared for our boys, tended to the house, and advised Verenice whenever she asked in order to earn her bachelor’s degree with distinction. When it came to volunteering, Verenice’s desire to lead inspired me to include her in my unit’s Airman and Family readiness programs, namely Key Spouse mentorship roles at squadron and group levels. Be creative when supporting – it’s fun for both of you. I stress education and other goals to increase marketability in whatever your spouse aspires to. When volunteering, Verenice and I found a special connection in doing this together; the relationships we grew with our Airmen also helped our own family grow in its own unique way.”

David Barnhill, Navy (spouse of Jennifer Barnhill, freelance reporter and researcher and COO of Partners in PROMISE) “I do what I can to try and ensure she is able to take advantage of opportunities that she is interested in pursuing. This comes about in a myriad of ways depending on the situation. Could be as simple as taking care of dinner while she is in class or encouraging her to take work trips that might benefit her professionally. Encourage your spouse to take advantage of their own opportunities. Do your best to make it easier for them to say ‘yes’ to those opportunities. They will have to sacrifice plenty with deployments and military-related demands. If your spouse feels as though they can pursue their own endeavors outside of the military, the relationship is better.”

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