BUSINESS
From Sports Marketing Genius to Military Spouse Entrepreneur By Kristen Robinson I won’t lie; being a military spouse is not easy. There’s constant relocation, nothing ever happens the way you planned, and I won’t even dive into what happens when your service member is deployed and gone for days and weeks on end. One of the hardest things about being a military spouse is putting the dreams you had for yourself on hold. For me, it was the career dream I put on hold. In college, my plan was simple. I wanted to be involved in the sports industry, maybe try being a sports agent. I loved marketing and had fun volunteering for the X Games in Los Angeles, I wanted to keep sports marketing as an option as well. In my dream world, I would work my way to a top of a grand sports marketing agency by being a successful sports agent or Chief Marketing Officer. My office would be at the top of the building overlooking the ocean and my Executive Assistant would “hold my calls." I would be at the top of my game and enjoy the fruits of my hard labor. This was the way I thought it was going to happen; it didn’t go as planned. I met my husband and fell in love during college. While we were dating, I managed to put my plan into action. I did become a sports agent and after two years in the business, I realized it wasn’t for me. I was also playing women’s professional football (yes, with the pads, helmet, and everything! It’s real!) and found my passion for sports marketing. I loved getting sponsors for our team and found I could assist local businesses reach women and their families in a more direct manner and the cost would be less expensive than using the local newspaper’s advertising sections. Needless to say, I was good at it! So, what happened? Well, I got married and moved from Los Angeles where my dream career was a couple of companies away to Jacksonville, N.C. with a pit stop in Beaufort, S.C. Not exactly the most luxurious move or 24
Amazing Women March 2015
best move for my career dreams but, I married the one I love. I figured it wouldn’t be hard to start over again and achieve my career goal. Ninety days later in Jacksonville, I was depressed. It was difficult to get a job even for minimum wage! I was either overqualified for every job I applied for or employers knew I was a military spouse and wouldn’t hire me. I cried a lot and found myself in my husband’s arms constantly. I managed to get a part-time job at Sylvan Learning Center tutoring kids, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted a career with the office at the top of the building overlooking the ocean. In order to achieve this, I would have to climb the career ladder and work my way up. How can you do this when you move to a different place every three years? My husband hated to see me so lost and sad. He came up with an idea: “Why don’t you start your own business?” he asked me. “You’ve always wanted to start one and now is the perfect time.” I couldn’t deny it. Starting my own business was my hidden ambition. I was always curious if I could be my own boss. We looked at our finances and became frugal to get the money we would need to start my business. Fast forward five years later, and we’re both very happy! My company, KR Design, allows us both to love what we do from wherever we are. More importantly, I contribute to our household, something we both enjoy. The best part is KR Design has brought the two of us closer. It’s nice to let my husband know how my business is growing, what’s happening next, and the unexpected freedom and flexibility of running an online business. Now, I can be at his unit’s ceremonies and still have time to meet with a client. I didn’t think this kind of life could happen being a military spouse, but I’m glad it’s possible! Kristen Robinson is known as the Military Spouse Business Mentor and helps military spouses build online businesses that create flexibility and freedom within the military lifestyle. As an active duty US Marine Corps military spouse, Kristen created her business to support her husband’s military career while constantly moving from one location to the next. Kristen’s company, KR Design, allows her to do what she loves from anywhere in the world. To learn more about Kristen Robinson and KR Design, visit www.KristenRDesign.com.