Military Spouse Foundation Viewbook

ONLINE CAREER PLANNING & ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING CENTER

WHO IS MSF?

The Military Spouse Foundation (MSF) is not just an educational organization; we are a support system and a gateway to a successful career. We are motivators, partners, mentors, educators and peers.

Most importantly, we are military spouses.

ANSWERING THE CALL “My name is Roxanne Reed. I’ve been a military spouse since 1996. I have a bachelors degree from Old Dominion and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. I was an overqualified military spouse who couldn’t find work that matched my education and experience level so I started my own businesses. What I recognized rather quickly was that there are hundreds of thousands of spouses just like me. And while there are already online educational opportunities, support groups, individuals and companies sympathetic to our lifestyle, no one organization has been able to close the gaps on career and business issues we face as military spouses. We are a unique breed of career-minded individuals and need a “gap-free” custom fit program to provide short-term troubleshooting and long-term career support.

That’s why, with several other military spouses, I founded the Military Spouse Foundation. We have a unique approach to career planning and business training because the lifestyle of a military spouse is so unique. Military spouses often feel their skills and education are underserved, undervalued, and under-appreciated. But all that is about to change.”

ROXANNE REED, FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

74-91% of military spouses would like to work but can be hindered by basic features of the military lifestyle.

Blue-Star Families 2012 Military Family Lifestyle Survey

WHO SAYS BEING A MILITARY SPOUSE MEANS NOT HAVING A CAREER? NOT US. Currently, there are over 1,000,000 military spouses stationed across the country and around the world. Being a military spouse is an honorable and unique assignment. It’s a lifestyle that requires resiliency, compassion, dependability and adaptability.

We know there are military spouses who want to have careers or own businesses. We also know that by putting country first, many spouses have had to put their personal career ambitions on the backburner. We understand the frustration and loneliness that can come from feeling out-of-place in the professional world. Frequent transfers, lack of self-confidence and employment gaps are a few of the many hurdles spouses face—but we have a solution that allows them to thrive as a spouse and as a career professional.

How do we know so much about the lives of military spouses?

Because we are military spouses, and we created the Military Spouse Foundation to help other spouses find career and business success.

The Military Spouse Foundation is a non-profit organization that understands, first hand, not only the challenges facing military spouses, but also the opportunities. We have created a customized educational curriculum and professional online community specifically designed to meet the unique career needs of military spouses. Through our online career planning and entrepreneurial training center we help identify and assess a spouse’s goals, talents and abilities in order to pursue and succeed in his or her chosen career or business. We accomplish that through a unique combination of self-awareness, online education, one-on-one mentoring and an online community made up of military spouses. Bottom line, we help military spouses build a career or business around their unique circumstances and support them at every juncture along their way to financial and professional independence.

Individuals who choose a career in the military have chosen to serve their country. If you’re a military spouse, our Foundation has chosen to serve you.

FOLLOW MSF ON TWITTER @JOINMSF

ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS “Figure out what you love and what you are passionate about and find a way to do it. Don’t give up on your dreams. You may have to re-write them, re-define them, find a different way to achieve them, but you can still get there.”

TERI TWIGG, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS

We know the challenges.

We understand the concerns.

THE MSF CURRICULUM

COURSE 1: MILITARY SPOUSE PLANNING & SELF-EVALUATION

COMPLIMENTARY

COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS & EXPERT FORUMS

ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING

COURSE 2: MILITARY SPOUSE ADVANCED TRAINING & STRATEGIES

PROFESSIONAL TRACK

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRACK POST-GRADUATE ALUMNI COMMUNITY

LIKE MSF ON FACEBOOK

We have the solutions.

Military spouses often have a wide range of skills, experience and education but are unsure of how to translate these into career or business opportunities. Due to their transient lifestyle and often isolated base locations, military spouses often feel left out and left behind. Our complimentary first course is designed to help spouses harness their full potential and future earnings by learning how to translate their skills into what today’s recruiters and business professionals are seeking. Spouses also explore which career path might best suit their needs: traditional employment, 1099-contracting or entrepreneurial.

During our advanced level course, MSF instructors and mentors train, support & focus spouses as they move along their chosen tracks – professionals prepare for their job search, and entrepreneurs prepare for their business launch.

Our curriculum does for military spouses what traditional career planning resources cannot – we provide a platform that is specifically designed to integrate into the unique military spouse way of life. Our tools are focused on their success and helping military spouses compete with confidence in today’s market.

ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING • Every military spouse registered for our curriculum has an online mentor who’s there for her/him every step of the way, to be a knowledge resource, a sounding board and a support system.

• To ensure a true long-term solution, from the day a military spouse registers she/he is part of our constantly growing online community. A place spouses can access 24/7 from anywhere mililtary life takes them. Spouses can chat, share, troubleshoot, advise or just “hang out.” Think of it as the MSF campus quad.

COURSE 1: ASSESS YOUR SKILLS • Complimentary pre-requisite course • Self-paced, accessible 24/7 • Introspective self-awareness training to identify career paths and learn how to best take advantage of personal skill sets.

• Learn what professional/career recruiters, employers and entrepreneurs believe is needed to succeed • Instructor led to ensure a customer fit experience

COURSE 2: CHOOSE A TRACK

COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS & EXPERT FORUMS • Become a part of the military spouse professional community • Connect with industry experts • Learn up-to-date career options and opportunities

PROFESSIONAL TRACK • Develop a highly-effective master resume • Create a 30-second “personal pitch” to help land that interview • Conduct informational interviews with industry experts and develop relationships that kick-start the hiring process • Utilize our “resource pairing” with recruiters and mentors

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRACK

POST-GRADUATE ALUMNI COMMUNITY • Stay connected, no matter where you go • Be notified of job opportunities by our recruiting partners and enjoy alumni connections

• Based on the Kaufman FastTrac ® Program for Entrepreneurs™ • Objectively evaluate your concept and plan for starting a business • Develop a working knowledge of marketing, product/service development, management and financials • Utilize our “resource pairing” with other industry experts and entrepreneurs

TO ENROLL IN OUR FREE ONLINE COURSE, OR INQUIRE ABOUT OUR TUITION AND FUNDING OPTIONS: MILITARYSPOUSEFOUNDATION.ORG

WE NEED YOUR HELP At Military Spouse Foundation, our goal is to provide FREE tuition to military spouses through the support of government grants, private donations and sponsored seats. Donate a “sponsored seat� for a spouse today and change a life.

(Note: The Military Spouse Foundation has applied for recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.)

UP TO 57% of military spouses indicated an interest in pursuing self-employment or starting a business in the future…The government typically needs small business vendors and military spouses often live where the DoD needs help.

Blue-Star Families 2012 Military Family Lifestyle Survey

Help change the life of a military spouse The Department of Defense has reported that 85% of military spouses need to work in order to cover basic needs, yet given the demands and uncertainties of military life, it is harder than ever for military spouses to find employment. The Military Spouse Foundation (MSF) knows this only too well. Our program is more than online courses. Our graduates describe it as a life-altering experience. Please join us in our efforts to further enhance the military spouse world.

BECOME A SPONSOR Military spouse educational programs would not be possible without our valued sponsors. Please join MSF in our efforts to further enhance the military spouse world. Your assistance and generosity will not only help individual spouses, your organization will be connected to a very appreciative military spouse community. Whether you can donate one seat or several, we have designed creative ways to connect you with our military spouse community.

Contact us to connect with one of our team members.

BECOME A MENTOR Mentoring is a huge part of the Military Spouse Foundation (MFS) experience. It’s what makes our programs and community so unique. When spouses feel overwhelmed or confused, our mentors are here to give that “big (virtual) hug” and keep them focused on their goals. If you are a business professional, career coach, mentor or educator and would like to help others, contact us to learn more about becoming a mentor or an MSF Certified Instructor.

Not sure how you can contribute?

MSF is always looking to expand our network of spouses, supporters and volunteers. Do you currently recruit or work with military spouses? Are you a spouse looking for a way to give back? Contact us to connect with one of our team members. We’d love to have you as an ally.

GET THE LATEST ON OUR BLOG AT MILITARYSPOUSEFOUNDATION.ORG/BLOG

57% of military spouses felt being a military spouse had a negative impact on their ability to pursue a career.

Blue-Star Families 2012 Military Family Lifestyle Survey

THE MSF PARTNERSHIP OUR PASSION The Military Spouse Foundation (MSF) founders; Roxanne Reed, Executive Director and Celeste Beaupre, Operations Officer came together eight years ago with a dream to help their fellow military spouses realize that they are smart, capable and, with the MSF, have the help and support they need to succeed. Military spouses have been an underserved and often misunderstood community in need of solutions. The MSF team was created to passionately bring that solution to life.

The MSF staff and advisory board consists of a dynamic team of corporate trainers, managers, professional development and small business advisors, educators, and entrepreneurs. They are veterans and military spouses.

They are mothers and fathers. As proud spouses and leaders in the community, they have made their dreams come true and now want to help other military spouses do the same.

OUR PARTNERS Our online learning center is powered by Logic Bay. Our entrepreneurial track is based on the FastTrac® NewVenture™ program from the Kauffman Foundation, the United States’ largest foundation dedicated to the research and expansion of entrepreneurship. This program has been customized by military spouses and veterans to ensure that entrepreneurial spouses can succeed in a business that can withstand the demands of their lifestyle.

FIND MSF ON YOUTUBE AT YOUTUBE.COM/MILSPOUSEFOUNDATION

JOIN THE MSF CONVERSATION Here you can connect with other professional military spouses as well as get inspired with career and business articles, video tips and news. Explore career options and hear from successful military spouses.

@JOINMSF

MILITARY SPOUSE FOUNDATION

YOUTUBE.COM/MILSPOUSEFOUNDATION

MILITARYSPOUSEFOUNDATION.ORG/BLOG

VISIT US ON THE WEB AT WWW.MILITARYSPOUSEFOUNDATION.ORG OR CALL 1.800.XXX.XXXX TODAY.

MILITARYSPOUSEFOUNDATION.ORG

1.800.800.4594

1230 31ST STREET, NW, 2ND FLOOR, WASHINGTON, DC 20007