ELIZABETH A. CASTRO SHARES HOW TO Start Strong after Starting over
Celebrating America 250 with Patriotic Pouts and Beautiful American-Made Goods
MILSPO MARKETING: is your narrow niche keeping you stuck?
How the Women of R.Riveter Are Turning Career Disruption Into a Movement
Kera Sanchez
Editor-in-Chief,
Founder of MILSPO Social Co Magazine
By Colette Photo
Cover Photography
Alison Bell Contributor
Elizabeth A. Castro
Contributor
Laura Early
Contributor
Monica Fullerton Contributor
Britt Hall Contributor
Monika Jefferson Contributor
Sarah Lockwood-Sepulveda Contributor
Stephani Sheperd Contributor
Vimbo Watson Contributor
MILSPO Social Co.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to champion the modern military spouse by amplifying the stories wisdom and entrepreneurial spirit of women who live lead and rise through the unique challenges of military life Built on leadership, professional development, empowerment, and camaraderie, we create a platform where military spouses and military-affiliated founders can be seen, supported, and celebrated Through shared experience and collective strength, we provide inspiration, community, and practical insight empowering women to build businesses, elevate their voices, and define success on their own terms More than a magazine MILSPO Social Co is a movement one where women champion each other, grow together, and ignite possibility for the next generation of military spouses
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of MILSPO Social Magazine or Lemons to Legacies, LLC
Content provided is for informational and inspirational purposes only and should not be considered professional legal, financial, or mental health advice
Always consult appropriate professionals before making decisions based on the information provided
Select written and visual content in this issue was created or enhanced using AI-based tools Every piece is curated and refined by our human editors to maintain quality, authenticity, and editorial standards
MILSPO Social Co Magazine
Created and Published by Lemons to Legacies, LLC
Founder & Editor-in-Chief: Kera Sanchez @milsposocialco milsposocialco com
© 2026 Lemons to Legacies, LLC. All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed without written permission from the publisher.
It’s not just a motto for our government-contracted movers it’s for us
The movers and shakers The ones who get things done The military spouses who decide that this PCS, this duty station, this new month, week, or even today, is their moment to step into what they really want to do
So much of our success depends on action even when it feels intimidating, out of reach, or like we ’ re not fully prepared
Within a month of my most recent PCS, I attended a conference, set up coffee dates, connected with new faces, immersed myself in my local AMSE chapter, and began pitching to local TV stations. Life was moving fast and instead of pulling back, I leaned in harder
Yes, moving can feel overwhelming But you know what’s even more underwhelming? Staying stagnant Staying uninspired Not taking the leap
Let this issue be your reminder: when you have a mission-driven brand and a skill set shaped by military life, the possibilities are endless
Be intentional about what you consume fill your mind (and your feed) with things that push you to take action
With the launch of this issue and our new podcast, Rosie the Pivoter, our hope is to continue bringing you content that is thoughtfully curated and rooted in leadership, professional development, empowerment, and camaraderie
Oh and babe, you ’ ve got an inventory sticker on your shirt
MILSPO SOCIAL CO. MAGAZINE’S RED LIP EDIT FOR AMERICA 250
A true patriotic red comes down to three things: undertone (blue vs neutral vs warm), finish (matte vs satin vs liquid), and wearability across skin tones. The goal isn’t one perfect red it’s a spectrum of reds that make every woman feel seen.
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ROSIE THE RIVETER MEETS MODERN FOUNDER ENERGY
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By Britt Hall
For purpose and alignment coach Britt Hall, founder of Pattern + Purpose™, the idea of a niche can sometimes feel more like a leash than a strategy for military spouses looking to grow their small business Drawing on her expertise in clarity, alignment, and intentional living, Britt shows how narrowing too much can limit opportunities and stall growth. In a world that constantly tells entrepreneurs to pick a lane, she offers a fresh perspective: your niche should guide you not confine you.
As a very “ green ” small-business owner, much of the advice I see around marketing strategy focuses on niching meaning identifying and marketing to a distinct type of customer with a distinct problem for you to solve. I’ve encountered this advice everywhere, from my professional certification program and social media ads to major business journals and mentors It is often the first thing people suggest, even before discussing what your actual offer is
But I find myself wondering when niching becomes too narrow, and what that looks like when you are a military spouse entrepreneur
First things first, I believe every business owner owes it to themselves to sit down and ask one important question: What purpose does my business serve for me?
Most of us start because we want to offer something A handmade product A service Something that fills a gap or reflects talents that are uniquely “ us ” However, before we start thinking about our offer or our niche, it can be valuable to identify what we expect out of our businesses This is the question we use to build our projections and goals Everything else tends to stack on top of it
Within the military community specifically, I have discovered spouses who start businesses for a wide range of reasons To add a line of income or stability, naturally. To maintain employment when jobs are hard to find at a particular assignment To have something of their own alongside raising children and holding down the fort To set their talents loose in the world and leave it better than they found it
Lexus and Toyota are a common example One sells fewer vehicles at a higher price point, the other sells more vehicles at a lower one. They operate as separate divisions of the same company
The purpose your business serves does not have to be singular But naming it helps you understand whether you are chasing dollar figures, soul satisfaction, or some combination of the two That distinction matters, especially when it comes time to market yourself.
Once you have clarity on whether your business primarily exists to increase your income and provide a steady, reliable stream into your checking, savings, and investment accounts, the next step is building a marketing strategy that actually supports that goal
For fear of going off on a tangent spouses, hear me here You should consider having your own retirement savings account Not just your service member’s TSP. That is a separate conversation best had with an expert, but it belongs in our discussions
There are luxury brands that sell to very narrow segments of the population They operate on exclusivity, selling fewer items at higher price points They understand their ideal client has the money and means to pick up what they’re layin’ down
Other brands play the volume game, aiming to sell more at lower price points Most businesses fall somewhere on a spectrum between the two, and some manage to do both
For the average American military spouse running a business, having multiple divisions to niche separately is often unrealistic This is where it becomes important to evaluate whether being too specific is limiting opportunities, or whether being too broad is even manageable Either extreme can leave potential clients unsure about what you actually offer, and remove you so far from your purpose that you don’t see the point in continuing
One concern I’ve observed and want to name is what I call “cyclical, closed buying and selling”
I noticed this when I worked in Direct Sales and attended vendor events
Military entrepreneurs often do something similar, and it makes sense. We create products and services to fill gaps left by the military and by the small towns we often live in We design for each other We buy from and sell to each other
However, just under one percent of the current population is actively serving in the military, and fewer than five percent are separated or retired That’s slim pickin's if all of your inventory and packages are geared to serve only this demographic
I am not saying it can’t work. But if client numbers start to stagnate or revenue begins to dip, this can be a signal to reassess whether your marketing strategy, and your niche, are still supporting that original question: Is your business serving its purpose for you?
Here is some constructive homework if you find yourself in this position
Take a look at your current offer or offers Where can you use your existing skills to rework something you already provide so that it appeals to an additional audience alongside the one you already serve?
Maybe you make uniform wreaths What other professions wear uniforms that could be meaningful to acknowledge? I have yet to see a vendor who creates high-visibility vest wreaths, but I sure do see a lot of construction crews standin’ out in the blazing heat and pourin’ rain
Perhaps you offer coaching to help spouses manage deployments What other federal agencies have staff positions that deploy? (Hint: More than you may think) What other industries place sustained demands on partner resilience?
I have seen journals, coloring books, and planners designed to help manage the ups and downs of military life The same questions apply here How might your business mission adapt to include people with parallel experiences to your current clients?
Adapting doesn’t mean you have to come up with an entirely new offer, a new product, or special service The things you ’ re already spending time on may just need a tweak enough to open your niche and help your business start serving its purpose to you again.
Brittnie Hall is a 16-year Air Force spouse, certified coach, and multi-passionate entrepreneur. She’s the founder of Pattern + Purpose™, owner of Britt Skye Photography, and creator of the Entrepreneurs on Orders (EoO) community, helping military spouses build purposeful, portable businesses Her mission: to help others find clarity, ease, and alignment in every season of life
Note: Photos from this spread were taken by Brittnie and are available on her Spouse-ly site perfect for phone wallpaper!
Elizabeth A. Castro speaker, educator and advocate shares her leadership mindset for military spouses navigating constant change
If you ask a military spouse what they are good at, many of us hesitate beforeanswering.
Not because we lack experience In fact, most military spouses have built careers, supported families through deployments, navigated moves across the country and the world, and found ways to contribute in every communitywelandin
But somewhere along the way, the constant cycle of starting over can quietly chip away at how we see ourselves
New duty station New school New jobsearch Newcommunity
And sometimes the hardest part is not the logistics of moving It is the invisible question that follows many of usfromplacetoplace:
WhoamIhere?
For military spouses, identity often becomes tied to adaptability We become experts at jumping in, figuring things out quickly, and building connections wherever we go Yet that same adaptability can sometimes mask a deeper struggle When life requires constant reinvention, it can be easy to lose sight of our own growth and leadership
Over the years, I began to notice something important in conversations with other military spouses Many of us were not lacking talent, ambition, or capability What we were missing was a clear way to reconnect with our own sense of direction in the middle ofallthatchange
The turning point for me came when I began thinking about growth not as something that happens once we have stability, but as something that canhappenwithinuncertainty
Instead of asking, “How do I start over again?” I began asking a different set ofquestions
What I needed was not another strategy for starting over I needed a waytoreconnectwithmyself
Those questions eventually became the foundation of a framework I call RISE™,whichstandsfor:
Recognize|Imagine|Show|Engage
The idea is simple Growth does not begin with a perfect plan It begins withawareness
Thefirststepisrecognizingwhereyouarerightnow Whatexperiences have shaped you? What strengths have you built along the way? Military spouses often underestimate the leadership skills they develop throughresilience,problemsolving,andcommunitybuilding
Recognizing those strengths is not about looking backward with regret It is about acknowledging the depth of experience you already carry withyou
The second step is imagining what is possible next When life has required constant adaptation, it can feel risky to dream too far ahead Yetimaginationisoftenthespacewherenewpathsbegintoemerge.
What kind of impact do you want to make? What kind of work brings youenergyandmeaning?
These questions help shift the focus from what has been disrupted to whatcouldstillbebuilt
The third step is showing up in small, intentional ways Growth rarely happens in dramatic leaps More often it happens through small actionstakenconsistentlyovertime
That might mean volunteering for a new opportunity, exploring a course, reconnecting with a skill you once used, or sharing your voice inaspacewhereotherscanlearnfromyourexperience
Showing up is not about having everything figured out It is about taking thenextstepwithclarityandcourage.
Finally, growth happens in connection with others. Military spouses knowbetterthanmostpeoplethatcommunitymatters
Engaging with mentors, peers, and networks can transform uncertainty into possibility The relationships we build often open doors we could nothaveimaginedonourown
The truth is, military spouses are already leaders in ways that are often overlooked We manage complex transitions, build support networks, and help our families and communities adapt through constant change
Thoseexperiencesarenotsetbacks Theyareleadershiptraining Whatmanyofusneedisnotpermissiontolead Weneedthelanguage andconfidencetorecognizetheleadershipwealreadycarry
The military spouse journey will always involve movement and uncertainty But it can also be a powerful path of growth when we begintoseeourexperiencesthroughadifferentlens Instead of asking whether we are startin questionisthis:
HowamIrisingthroughthisnextchapter?
Short Micro-Episodes Exploring Skill Transfers
Dive into engaging micro-episodes that highlight the incredible journey of real female military spouse entrepreneurs and women creating their brands Discover how skills can be transferred from the most unexpected places!
Some career paths are straight lines Brittany Darr's is not, and she'll be the first to tell you so.
"I kind of describe it like a trapezoid maze kind of thing," she laughs Originally a film and television production student with dreams of working in LA or New York, she fell in love, married a Navy supply officer, and soon found herself in San Diego after graduation with no contacts and no clear next step
What followed was a career shaped by adaptation. She became the first marketing and communications lead at a small nonprofit, (with zero formal marketing training) later worked at a DC ad agency, and moved everywhere from Spain to Monterey to Pennsylvania along the way
It was in Pennsylvania that she hit what she calls the straw that broke the camel’s back: a job she jokingly describes as "a dumpster fire floating down a river about to fall over a cliff " Six months after her maternity leave, she realized that returning to a job that only amplified the stress of new motherhood was no longer sustainable this traditional career path simply wasn’t working forher
That breaking point led her to a community of military spouse entrepreneurs she hadn't even known existed and to a powerful realization: "There was nothing so wrong or broken about me that means I can't also do something like this."
Four years later, Brittany runs her own branding and web design studio, helping small businesses build brands that convert through strategy, brand design, web design, and copy She does it intentionally as a solopreneur, working from a former maids' quarters turned home office on Ford Island, Oahu, dual monitors and a vanilla cappuccino always within reach.
Britt: "We're in a virtual and digital environment, so you don't always have the luxury of meeting someone face to face Most people want to do a lot of online research and digging before committing to even making a discovery call or an inquiry. So your brand has to set the tone and do what I would consider the majority of your selling before someone even reaches out to you
By the time somebody gets to a discovery call, they should already be 75 to 90% of the way there. They already know: can I afford you? Do they solve the problem I'm looking for them to solve? Do I like this? And then when they get on the call, it's more like a personality fit check. Do we mesh?
We sat down with her to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that works.
Q: Why does branding the whole kit: visuals, copy, website matter so much, especially for small and service-based businesses?
it's really just going to be confirmation of what someone alreadyknows.
So if you don't have a brand that looks professional, if you don't have copy that's speaking directly to the customer, if your website is difficult for people to navigate you're doing yourself a disservice. You're not going to be able to convey the value of what you offer to the right people "
it's really just going to be confirmation of what someone alreadyknows.
So if you don't have a brand that looks professional, if you don't have copy that's speaking directly to the customer, if your website is difficult for people to navigate you're doing yourself a disservice. You're not going to be able to convey the value of what you offer to the right people."
Q: What do most entrepreneurs misunderstand aboutbranding?
"The biggest thing that people miss is the importance of storytelling and customer-centered messaging. When people think of branding, they just think of a logo, a color palette, fonts. And it is extremely important don't get me wrong, you should have that, and that's what people are going to remember. But design should follow your messaging
Your copy should be clearly written to appeal to the customer's needs, their aspirations, and the problems they're currently facing I see a lot of websites where the founders talk way too much about themselves. Like if I were to tell you the whole story I just told first I worked here, then I worked there that's fine in a conversation like this, but nobodywants to read that on yourwebsite
The quality of your brand and message are sending cues to the reader about how valuable your product or service actually is If you're not painting a clear picture of the transformation you can offer the before and after, here's how you feel before, here's how you feel after your beautiful, wonderful logo isn't necessarily going to convert into customers that are willing to pay for your services.
If I were to sum it up: the biggest thing is getting too caught up on visuals and not focusing on messaging."
Q: How does someone know when it's time to rebrand?
"Your brand is really personal for most people especially if they've DIY'd it. People put a lot of their heart and soul into it It's a creative expression of their idea So people a lot of times feel protective of it, almost like 'this is my baby.'
But sometimes, if it's not helping your brand if you're still not getting the inquiries you want, or you're getting traffic but it's not equating to jobs, or you're attracting the wrong kind of customer those might be signs
And a rebrand is not necessarily throwing everything out. You can tweak things. Sometimes maybe you come in and say, 'I have a color palette I really like and a general logo I like ' A designer could look at it and say, 'Let's tweak this primary logo, create two or three variations, make sure the color palette has the right contrast so things are going to look good 'Those are small tweaks
But the biggest one? If you're afraid to send people to your website. If you're embarrassed by it.
If you're like, 'Please don't go there, go to my Instagram instead.' That could be a sign. You should feel proud of it. You deserve to feel proud of it. It should be something you can own, send people to, and feel confident with and it should be effective in gene es."
Brittanyloves listeningtoclassicalmusictokeeptheinspirationflowing
Want more? Check out two bonus Q&As with Britt on our website— search 'Issue 2 Bonus Content'!
Brittany Darr is a branding and web designer for small businesses She specializes in brand identity, website design on Showit, and website copy. Find her free DIY messaging guide a plug-and-play formula for discovering your own "Brand Superpower” on her website.
driftwoodcreative.co @driftwood creative co
If you ask moms to tell you the last time they had a real break, for most, the answer is either “I don’t know” or “X years ago ” Unfortunately, we have normalized the exhausted mother as the cultural standard, expecting women to manage a 24/7 cycle of domestic and professional labor The idea of a mom taking a true and intentional break is essentially an anomaly Any effort to care for herself or have an identity outside of motherhood is viewed as selfish and/or unnecessary
We must change that story line A great mom is also a mom that takes great care of herself! Every mother deserves a break from the relentless demands of daily life a dedicated space where her only responsibility is her own well-being
When my husband received orders for a one-year Command Assignment in Qatar, I almost immediately started feeling overwhelmed, wondering how I was going to manage it all, practically alone, for a whole year With no family living near us, I knew it would be a challenge to be a fulltime mom, run my business, and take care of myself
It was, indeed, a challenge
For that year, I convinced myself that most things, which did not involve caring for the kids, just weren’t worth it The idea of scheduling and paying a sitter to get a break became overwhelming As a result, I suffered Yes, I was getting more than enough quality time with our 2 kids, making sure they were thriving However, I was simultaneously struggling, because I was not caring for myself. I had very few breaks during that year and I felt it; mentally and physically
This led to a very real conversation with my husband about how I was feeling I needed to find a solution Since traveling has always left me feeling fulfilled and given me space to rest, I proposed that I would start going away once a month I would pack my bags and leave my family every month This would include workrelated travel, girl’s trips, solo trips, etc For a full year, I did just that
In August of 2025, I began retroactively sharing my journey with the world and the “MOMentarily Gone” Series was birthed on social media I shared how I leave my family once a month, the benefits of taking breaks, and encourage other moms to also be intentional about taking breaks in whatever form works for them
Through sharing my story, I’ve encountered many moms in the middle of their own struggle to take breaks and care for themselves I learned the various barriers that prevent moms from making time for themselves These barriers include guilt (both internally and externally driven), lack of support, lack of funds, not knowing what to do, and/or failure to understand the importance of taking breaks
Recognizing a need, I felt a deep desire to provide moms with a stress-free space for getting a break from it all In January 2026, I turned MOMentarily Gone into a IRL experience: the MOMentarily Gone Rendezvous & Staycation I secured the room block, made the dinner reservation and invited moms to join me for a staycation in Northern Virginia I took on the responsibility of planning (often another barrier) and their only task was to show up, have a great time, and rest Hearing moms share how freeing it felt to walk into a beautiful hotel room full of comfort and silence was priceless. Every mom got exactly the break she needed
The necessity of intentional breaks is far from just a personal preference or luxury; it is a scientifically-backed requirement to counteract the relentless cycle of tasks that define motherhood A 2025 study of over 198,000 mothers, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that the combined physical and mental load they carry contributes significantly to burnout and declining mental health For this reason, I encourage moms to develop a regular pattern of taking breaks as an intervention and a preventative measure against declining well-being
To fight back against exhaustion, you must embrace radical self-care In a world that views a mother’s rest as an 'unnecessary' anomaly, radical self-care is your deliberate choice to reclaim your time and energy It is 'radical' because it rejects the idea that a mother must run on empty to be considered 'great'
View breaks as a fundamental gift
you don’t need to earn or reserve only for special occasions.
Reject the guilt
refuse to apologize for the rest required to maintain your well-being
Confront achievement blindness
the false belief that you haven’t "done enough" to deserve a pause in your labor
My message will always be: there is no prize in giving everything to everyone, except yourself Running on empty is outdated and detrimental to your overall well-being It will always be worth it to figure out how you can incorporate breaks into your busy life, even if it feels challenging You can’t afford not to take breaks. Ultimately, you deserve to be at your best and your family will be better for it
As you begin to think about your plan to be intentional about taking breaks, keep in mind that breaks will look different for everyone The goal is to do something you love; something that leaves you feeling rested and/or fulfilled Whether it is an hour walk around your neighborhood or weekend trip, commit to developing your very own radical self-care plan, knowing that you and your family deserve this!
Stephani Shepherd is the founder of Great Life is a Must, an empowerment speaker, blogger, and event curator for busy moms who are high achievers.
Prioritize YOU on the calendar
schedule personal time with the same non-negotiable urgency as a professional appointment or family task.
Build a radical self-care action plan
intentional breaks every few months to ensure you always have a rest period to look forward to
Boldly ask for help
recognizing that external support is a necessity when your "village" is likely hundreds of miles away
Note: If you ’ re mom in the DC or Northern Virginia areas, you can get onthe invitelistfor the next MOMentarily GoneRendezvous & Staycation happeningon June 13-14,2026 in Tysons,VA!
For more information or to create a MOMentarily Gone Rendezvous & Staycation in your area, please contact Stephani Shepherd at admin@greatlifeisamust.com greatlifeisamust.com/momentarilygone @greatlifeisamust
By:
When I found out I was pregnant, I expected a lot of changes... but I didn’t expect my skin to change almost overnight I started noticing small bumps across my forehead My texture felt uneven, unfamiliar. The products I had used for years, my goto routine that always worked, suddenly didn’t feel right anymore I paused everything Stripped it all back And in the process of trying to “figure it out,” I started breaking out even more
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Pregnancy has a way of humbling even the most dialed-in skincare routines And it often leaves you asking the same question I did: What is actually safe and what should I be using now?
This is your reset
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can affect oil production, sensitivity, and pigmentation That’s why your skin might suddenly feel more reactive, congested, or unpredictable. Products that once worked perfectly may now trigger irritation or breakouts Ingredients your skin tolerated before may no longer be recommended
This is why simplifying your routine isn’t just safer, it’s necessary.
Pregnancy skincare isn’t about doing more, it’s really about doing less, but better
For me, this season has really been about simplifying my routine and being more intentional with what I’m putting on my skin Instead of reaching for a bunch of serums and doing all the extra steps, I’ve been coming back to the basics and focusing on what my skin actually needs right now.
You don’t need a shelf full of products to have healthy, glowing skin You just need a simple routine that feels safe, supportive, and easy to trust.
At the heart of it, a pregnancy-safe routine really comes down to three essentials: a gentle cleanser, a nourishing moisturizer, and a reliable SPF
Once you understand that, everything starts to feel a lot less overwhelming The biggest key is knowing what to avoid, rather than feeling like you need to keep adding more
Your cleanser sets the tone for your entire routine During pregnancy, harsh or overly active formulas can do more harm than good.
The biggest category to avoid? Retinoids, also known as vitamin A derivatives These are commonly found in acne and anti-aging products and include ingredients like retinol, tretinoin, adapalene, and others.
Instead, look for cleansers that are:
Gentle and soap-free
Fragrance-free
Labeled for sensitive skin
If you’re experiencing breakouts, a gentle cleanser with a small amount of exfoliation can still be helpful. The key is keeping your routine simple and making sure it doesn’t irritate your skin
After I stopped everything, I realized my skin didn’t need more skincare It needed support
A good moisturizer helps keep your skin hydrated, calm irritation, and support your skin barrier, which becomes especially important during pregnancy
rr
Look for formulas that are:
Fragrance-free
Designed for sensitive skin
Focused on hydration rather than correction
Be cautious with “anti-aging” moisturizers, as they can sometimes include hidden actives like retinoids.
If there’s one step you don’t skip, make it this one. Pregnancy increases your skin’s susceptibility to hyperpigmentation, including melasma. Sun exposure can make these changes more noticeable and harder to treat later But not all sunscreens are created equal
Avoid chemical sunscreen filters like avobenzone, oxybenzone, octinoxate, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene as your primary daily SPF
Instead, choose mineral (physical) sunscreens with:
Zinc oxide
Titanium dioxide
These sit on the surface of your skin and reflect UV rays, making them a gentler, pregnancy-preferred option. Aim for SPF 30 or higher, and stick with fragrance-free formulas whenever possible
Pregnancy-Safe Skincare: Quick Ingredient Checklist of What to Avoid
When I simplified my routine, I created this simple guide of ingredients to avoid.
Avoid the Following (not a complete list; consult your healthcare provider for guidance):
Retinoids / Vitamin A derivatives
Hydroquinone
Strong salicylic acid treatments
Chemical sunscreen filters
Disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes only Always check with your doctor or OB/GYN before making changes to your skincare routine during pregnancy
Looking back, my biggest mistake wasn’t that my skin changed. It was trying to fix it too fast. Pregnancy is a season where your skin needs support, not pressure. A simple routine reduces irritation, lowers risk, and allows your skin to rebalance naturally
Meet Your Skincare Guides
At Skin Analysis, LLC, we understand changing skin because we’ve lived it.
Founded by Sarah Lockwood-Sepulveda, FNPC, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with dermatology experience, our approach blends medical expertise with real-life insight to guide you with confidence through every season
Allison Sipple, RN, brings dermatology and aesthetic training, helping clients simplify routines and achieve healthy, glowing results safely
Together, we combine clinical knowledge and a personal touch to support concerns like breakouts, sensitivity, and pigmentation
We offer complimentary skin consultations in person at our Ewa Beach office or virtually so you can get personalized guidance anywhere.
IALTY SERVICES ON OAHU, HAWAII: ondGlow® Medical-Grade Facial, Chemical , SkinPen® Microneedling, Dermaplaning, ysport® simplify your skincare routine?
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Courageous Communicators equips military families with the knowledge, tools, and support to navigate speech therapy, school services, and communication development—no matter where military life leads.
Parent coaching for speech and language development
Guidance navigating speech therapy, IEPs, & school services
PCS and deployment support for communication continuity
Digital resources for military families
@courageouscommunicators www.thecourageouscommunicators.com
I’m Sarah Horwath, a Maryland native, military spouse, and licensed Realtor®.
Whether you’re PCSing to or from Central Maryland, I’m here to help you navigate your move with confidence. From first steps to closing day and beyond.
Look closely at a piece of denim really look and you'll notice something that stops you midthought. Each thread on its own is nearly insignificant. Thin. Fragile. Easy to overlook. But woven together? Those same threads become something legendary: a fabric synonymous with resilience, durability, and a certain earned beauty that only deepens withwear.
It's a fitting metaphor for the military spouse. Individually, the challenges are real and relentless frequent PCS moves, fractured resumes, careers left behind in states you no longer live in. But together? Something entirely differentispossible.
The team at R.Riveter has spent more than a decade proving exactlythat.
Co-founder Lisa Bradley grew up in rural Montana, raised by entrepreneurs who taught her that building something meaningful takes grit, creativity, and a refusal to wait for permission Her plan was always to build something of her own Then she married into the military and quickly discovered that no one had written that plan with her life in mind
Four moves in just a few years Each relocation brought another round of rejections, another fractured line on a resume that employers quietly penalized. Leadership roles felt permanently out of reach Even entry-level positions proved elusive.
But what hit hardest wasn't the job market It was the language
"The first time someone called me a dependent, it felt strange," Bradley recalls. "But after several moves, I started to actually feel dependent I felt like I was losing myself"
In a small mountain town in North Georgia, Bradley found her footing and a kindred spirit in another military spouse, Cameron Cruse who understood exactly what she meant. Together, they didn't wait for an opportunity They built it That decision became RRiveter
In the corporate world, pivoting carries a whiff of failure the admission that the original plan didn't hold In the military spouse community, pivoting is a survival skill It's what you do when you move to a new duty station and your license doesn't transfer When deployment reshapes everything you thought you'd scheduled When the career youbuiltsimplyisn'tportable
Bradley has come to see that flexibility as a competitive advantage, notaliability
"Sometimes we hold so tightly to the vision we had for our lives that we block what's actually available to us," she says "But you never know what's around the corner. The pivot might be exactly what takes you to the next level"
RRiveter itself has lived that truth
The brand launched with handbags crafted from upcycled military materials uniforms, tents, worn textiles given a second life
Symbolically, it was perfect But as thebusinessscaled,theteamnoticed something:customerslovedthestory far more than the distressed fabric itself
Lettinggooftheoriginalconceptwas harder for the founders than for anyone else Once they expanded into new canvas materials inspired by military textiles, the business flourished.
"Everyone else accepted the change immediately," Bradley laughs "It was just us who had to get over our own ideathatpivotingwasn’tafailure."
"The pivot might be exactly what takes you to the next level."
—LisaBradley,Co-Founder
Through a distributed manufacturing model, military spouses across the country produce components from their own homes Each finished piece is stamped with the identifier of the woman whomadeit
That stamp is not a small thing. It is ownership, recognition, and proof of contribution three things too often de spouses navigating a workforce that doesn't kn withtheirresumes
RRiveter makes beautifully crafted bags. But that has never been the point
At its core, the brand is an employment engine for military spouses specifically those whose careers have been dismantled by the transientnatureofmilitarylife
Laura Vien's résumé reads like a study in unexpected reinvention Her academic training is in biology and environmental studies. Before becoming a military spouse, she built a serious career in nuclear science and radiological health with the state of Tennessee
Then her family moved to Fort Bragg. That career highly specialized, deeply credentialed, and entirely non-portable was over
"With that kind of work, you can't just pick it anywhere," Vien says "That's a reality m military spouses understand on a very perso level."
A local magazine article about a scrappy you company called RRiveter caught her eye 2014 She thought: I'm a military spouse Th what they do. And I can sew. She joined teamduringthesurgeofattentionfollowing brand's Shark Tank appearance and ne lookedback
But it wasn't the product that kept her ther was the problem being solved the same one she'd lived herself Over the years, Vien moved from production into marketing, and eventually into her current role as Creative Director, where she shapes the visual language and retail experienceofthebrand
Ashlie Castillo studied criminal ustice and built a career in law enforcement When her husband joined the military and the family relocated, commuting to continue her workinpolicingsimplywasn't viable She stepped away from hefieldentirely
something that helped people etter,"shesays "Ijusthadtofind adifferentwayin"
After teaching for the military's Transition Assistance Program and navigating the scheduling demands of new motherhood,shereachedouttoabrandshe'dadmiredfor years viaInstagramDM
Her path was not linear It was, by every definition, a pivot. And it led exactly where she wassupposedtobe.
"That's not a sale. That's something else entirely."
—AshlieCastillo, SalesOperationsManager
That message became a job offer. That job became a leadershiprole.Today,CastilloisR.Riveter'sSalesOperations Manager, overseeing the systems and relationships that keepthebusinessmoving
She describes the work as another form of service. And in the moments that define why the brand exists customers bringing in a grandfather's uniform to be transformed into an heirloom bag, or a widow carrying a pieceofherlatehusbandintothenextchapterofherlife sheunderstandsexactlywhatshesignedupfor.
"Youseehowmuchitmeanstothem,"shesaysquietly "To carry a piece of someone they loved A chapter of their life That'snotasale That'ssomethingelseentirely"
One of the most striking things about R.Riveter's leadership team is how few of them arrived through traditional routes A nuclear scientist A law enforcement officer A biologist None of them were hired for the credentialsonpaper Bradleyisunapologeticaboutthat.
"Whenwe'rehiring,it'srarelyaboutwhethersomeonehas the exact background," she explains "Right Person, Right Seat It's about their ability to problem-solve, adapt, and grow."
Inasmallbusinessbuiltaroundtherealitiesofmilitarylife, rigid job descriptions are a liability Roles evolve Needs shift People discover capabilities they didn't know they had.Thecompanyoperatesonasimpleprinciple:findthe rightperson,thenbuildtherightseataroundthem.
It's a philosophy that mirrors military culture in the best way missionfirst,teamalways
InsideRRiveter'sretailstoreinSouthernPines,North Carolina, and across every digital touchpoint, storytelling isn't a marketing tactic It's the foundationofeverything.
"You're not just making a transaction," says Vien "You're connecting with people You're connecting generations"
That connection reaches its fullest expression through the brand's Heirloom Collection custom bags crafted from personal military uniforms Familiesbringingarmentsworndecadesago.Some arrive after a loss, searching for a way to hold onto something tangible The uniform becomes a bag Thebagcarriesthestoryforward
Families often bring in garments belonging to loved oneswhoserveddecadesearlier.Somecomeaftera loss, hoping to preserve memories in a tangible way “It’s about bridging generations,” Bradley explains “Being able to carry those materials and tell that storyforward.”
The process reflects the same theme that runs throughthecompanyitself:transformation
Something once tied to one purpose can evolve into somethingentirelynew.
"It'stransformation,"Bradleysays "Somethingtiedto becomes something entirely new whatitwas."
"You're not just making a transaction,You're connecting with people. You're connecting generations."
—LauraVien, CreativeDirector
The R.Riveter st gathering place entrepreneurs in Through initiativ company amp businesses offering visibility, connection, and the kind of support that multiplies when women choosetolifteachotherratherthancompete
RRiveter started with $2,100 on a credit card and no outside investors. More than fifteen years later, it remains one of the most compelling small business stories in America not despite its nconventional origin, but causeofit
We're competing with mpanies that have massive udgets," Bradley says. "But what e have is a mission and a team at believes in it That's not othing That'severything"
For the military spouses who find their way to RRiveter as customers, employees, or collaborators what they find isn't a plan B, sympathy, or a consolation prize for careers interrupted
They find possibilities They find each other. And together, they build something stronger than any one of them could have managedalone
R.Riveter stands as proof of what happens when those threads are intentionally woven together Just likedenim
We asked R.Riveter employees to share their experiences since joining the iconic brand, and one story in particular deeply resonated that of Gold Star spouseAshleySmith
Since joining in 2018 as a sewer, Ashley has grown through a variety of roles, includingRemoteRiveter,andnowservesasanAssistantManager.Herjourney reflectsnotonlyprofessionalgrowth,butthepowerofcommunity RRiveterhas proventobeasoftplacetoland aspacethathonorsboththelifeshebuiltwith herhusbandandthelegacyshecontinuestocarryforward
“Working for R.Riveter has been wonderful. I have been able to find a communityofwomenwhokeenlyunderstandmylivedexperienceasamilitary wife and mother They have experienced similar joys and challenges and have been a great support in difficult times Working at the Flagship store has provided opportunities to stretch myself both professionally and personally. I have learned I am capable of difficult things it has given me a place to be creative,collaborative,anddiscoverleadershipqualitiesIdidn’tknowIhad Iam able to participate in events that build friendships both inside and outside of work”
The military has always been a central part of Ashley’s family story, and she carries deep pride in the years of service she and her husband shared Through bothchallengesandtriumphs,shereflectsontheunwaveringcamaraderieshe hasfoundalongtheway
Heradviceisbothsimpleandimpactful:findtheworkthatfillsyourbucket Life may pull you in a million different directions, but meaningful, fulfilling work can sustainyou eventhroughthehardestseasons
TO EXPLORE R.RIVETER'S LATEST COLLECTIONS OR TO DISCOVER HOW TO BECOME AN AFFILIATE, PLEASE VISIT THEIR WEBSITE RRIVETER.COM @RRIVETERBAGS @RRIVETERFLAGSHIP PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY COLETTE PHOTO ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY HERE!
More than a MilSpouse Summit™ is an in-person event that brings together military spouses and business owners for a day of education, networking, and empowerment to elevate in both life and business This is a 3 day in person experience for military spouse small business owners.
The summit is for military spouses from ALL branches of service to include, active, retired, and reserve
Our motto is once a milspouse always a milspouse.
Join us for our 3rd annual MTMS October 7-9 at the National Medal of Honor Museum, Arlington TX th Brougth to you by the Association of Military
Thisyearstheme:
Build it
Here is our promise to you:
There will be No INFOMERCIALS HERE; this event is about pouring into YOU. We will not sell you anything; leave your wallet at home. You will not have a notebook full of notes you have no idea how to implement; trust us the babysitter & OOO will be worth it.
Samantha Mans will tell you her resume is "eclectic" and she means it. A radiology technologist turned CT tech turned remote genetics abstractor, with a youth ministry certification somewhere in between, her path looks like what happens when a military lifestyle meets a woman who refuses to stop growing. "Each piece has served me so well for those seasons," she says. "It's given me knowledge that has helped me in the new seasons So I'm not mad I don't regret any of it "
But the thread that runs through all of it isn't radiology or ministry or genetics. It's gratitude and it started, like so many things in military life, with a deployment
When her husband deployed shortly after they married, Samantha found herself drowning in anxiety. Working with her physician, seeing a therapist, but still struggling. So she started small: three to five things she was grateful for each day, and a daily affirmation She filled notebooks for years When anxiety crept back after each pregnancy, she returned to the same practice It kept working
"It kind of became like my prayer for the day," she says “I'm really grateful that I had hot coffee and could finish it this morning it’s simple and that's okay."
When the family returned stateside from Germany about four years ago, Samantha looked around at the negativity spiraling in military spouse communities and thought: we don't have to live this way The journal she'd been quietly keeping for herself became Happiness with Samantha a line of gratitude journals, affirmation card decks, a kids' edition, and a goal-setting planner, all designed, written, and selfpublished by Samantha herself A military spouse edition is currently in the works, designed specifically for the deployment box program run by nonprofit Plus One Heroes.
We sat down with her to talk about what gratitude actually looks like in practice and why it matters more than ever for military families
Q:Asamilitaryspouse,howhasthis lifestyleshapedthewayyouapproach happinessandmotivation?
Samantha: "We get knocked down a lot Even just now, with my husband gone TDY and everything in our world happening at the same time it gets scary But for me, it allows me to lean back on not just habits, but true mindset shifts. It allows me to take in that information and not sit and dwell in it to the point where I'm going to not leave my house, or be very depressed because that can easily happen in our lifestyle
It really has allowed me to take it in, focus on it for the time it needs, feel whatever feelings I have, and then get back and be like, 'All right How am I going to choose to live my day today? How am I going to choose to be grateful for the pieces that I have?' I think it helps me live a little bit more in the present, too It's not that I don't care about everything else in the world because I do But you have to bring it back to: what can I have immediate impact on, in my own heart and mind and my family that's in my house?"
Q:Whatdoesgratitudeasadailypractice actuallylooklikeforyou?
"I sit down and I actually write my daily gratitude I have the date, so it's dated If I miss a day, I don't go back I just continue, because that happens. Life happens There's a prompt for each entry, something you can think about for gratitude, and a prompt for the daily affirmation
For one that said 'I am peaceful,' I wrote: I can protect my soul, mind, and heart with peace and I can also share that peace with those around me So I expand on what does that feel like in this moment, right now, if I'm trying to bring more peace into my life
And for the gratitude, there are four bullet points to write things either using the prompt if you ' re stuck, or just something else Sometimes it's, 'Wow, I haven't been able to finish a coffee in days, and today I sat down and I read and I had a coffee, and that felt really, really nice ' Some of it will be naming someone I'm really thankful for because they did something specific. Like last night, one of my friends just came over to my house didn't tell me she was coming She just came and met me right where I was at. That is something I can be really grateful for And it pulls me right back into that present moment It just gets rid of all that noise that is otherwise circulating in my brain."
How am I going to choose to live my day today? How am I going to choose to be grateful for the pieces that I have?
Q:Whatadvicewouldyougiveamilitary spousewhofeelsstuckinanegativeloop?
"I think the biggest piece is being able to name or trying to name, because I know that can be hard what's making you stuck It's like putting a name to the feeling so you can process it better Saying, 'Hey, I'm really stuck because of this situation,' feeling what you have to feel about it, and then reframing your mind: 'Okay, but what good is maybe coming out of this horrible circumstance? What is the one good piece?’
It's focusing on some of those little things so that I can continue to move through the pieces that are kind of draining."
Want more? Check out a bonus Q&A with Samantha on our website search 'Issue 2 Bonus Content'!
Samantha Mans is the creator of Happiness Unleashed LLC, a line of gratitude journals, affirmationcarddecks,andplannersdesigned to help families build daily mindset habits. A military spouse edition just launched in partnership with Plus One Heroes Find her journalsandfreeresourcesatherwebsite.
happinesswithsamanthacom @happinesswithsamantha
“LOOK AT HER, SHE'S SHOWING OFF.”
I heard it morethan onceearly in my journey as an entrepreneur That sideways glance, that subtle dig wrapped in what felt like concern but tasted like resentment. And if I'm being honest, I understood it because I had felt it too that sharp sting of inferiority, that voice in my head whispering that I wasn't enough, that someone else's win meant my loss, that in a niche market there couldonlybeoneofusthriving
Growing up as a bold, loud, brown girl, I stood out in communities that didn't look or sound like me My ideas were questioned My big, audacious dreams were met with sideways looks and polite skepticism. Some of my visions made sense to people; a lot of them didn't But here'sthething even when people doubted me, even when they looked at me like I was crazy, I just kept going. I don't know if it was calling, or obedience to something deeper, or just sheer stubbornness, but Icouldn'tstop.
What I didn't realize then was that my ambition wasn't just about proving something to the people who doubted me. It was about creating the space I wished I'd had
When I started my business, I heard the phrase "collaboration over competition" everywhere It sounded nice It sounded evolved. But until I actually felt competition real, palpable competition in a niche market I had noideawhatthat reallymeant or what it would look like when it showed up on mydoorstep.
And it did show up. Early on, when other military spouse entrepreneurs started launching similar offerings, when I saw someone else's success in the space I had been pioneering,somethingshifted in me. It wasn't pretty It was competitive It was territorial. It was the scarcity mindset in full effect, that deep-down belief that there's only so much success to go around, and if someoneelseiswinning, I'm losing
I felt small. I felt threatened. I questioned whether I was even doing it right, whether my way was good enough, whether I should pivot or push harder or shut down entirely. The imposter syndrome crept in like it always does when we're not careful that voice telling me I was a fraud, that I didn't deserve my seat at the table, that everyone elsewassmarter,faster, betterconnected.
That's where a lot of ambitious women get stuck In that space between ambition and insecurity, between drive and doubt. And the temptation is to lean intothecompetition,tomakeit aboutwinning,to believe that collaboration is for people who aren't hungryenough.
But I couldn't stay there. Something in my spirit wouldn't let me
Theturning point camewhen I got honest with myself about what I was actually building. I wasn't just building a business I was building a movement, a community, a space where military spouse entrepreneurs could feel seen, celebrated, and lifted up. And I couldn't do that from a place of scarcity and fear
I had to get over my insecurities first. I had to face down that voice telling me I wasn't enough I had to grieve the losses real and imagined and choose something different. I had to believe that my success didn't diminish anyone else's, and that their success didn'tdiminish mine
That's when collaboration stopped being a nice concept and becameawayoflife.
Once I released the grip of "not enough-ness," everything changed. I started seeing other ambitious women not as threats but as allies. I started wanting to create a space where women could share their ideas without judgment, launch their dreams without fear, grow their businesses with support, and most importantly, have other women push them forward, lean back when they needed to rest, lend a hand, offeradvice, andconnectthemtoopportunities.
The Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs wasn't bornfrom a placeof"I need towin " It was born from a place of "I wish this had existed for me, and I wanttocreateitforothers."
Here's what I've learned after over a decade of building inthisspace:when ambitiouswomenchoose collaboration,everythingshifts.
First, the energy changes Competition is exhausting It's a closed fist, a guarded heart, a constant calculation of who's ahead and who's behind. Collaboration is an open hand It's generous It's the kind of energy that actually attracts opportunity, partnership, and growth. When you're rooting for other women, when you're genuinely invested in their success, people feel that They want to work with you They want to support you They want to be part of something biggerthanthemselves.
Second, the impact multiplies One ambitious woman can accomplish incredible things But a network of ambitious women who are lifting each other up? That's a movement.That'ssystemicchange.That'sthe kind of force that can reshape industries, challenge narratives, and create real opportunities for the peoplecoming behind us.
ONE AMBITIOUS WOMAN CAN ACCOMPLISH INCREDIBLE THINGS. BUT A NETWORK OF AMBITIOUS WOMEN WHO ARE LIFTING EACH OTHER UP? THAT'S A MOVEMENT.
Third, the wins feel better There's something about celebrating someone else's breakthrough that hits differently when you genuinely mean it When you've chosen collaboration, you get to experience the joy of their success without the poison of jealousy. You get to be part of their story. And they get tobepartofyours
And maybe most importantly, the fear decreases. Imposter syndrome loses its grip when you'resurrounded bywomen whoget it, who've been there, who believe in you even when you don't believe in yourself. That's the real magic of collaboration it's not just about businessgrowth; it'saboutsoulgrowth
As a Latina entrepreneur, as a military spouse, as a woman who grew up hearing that her dreams were too big and her voice was too loud, choosing collaboration felt radical. In a world that constantly tells women to compete, to shrink, to be less threatening, to play it safe choosing to build spaces where other women can be boldly, loudly, unapologetically themselves feels like an act ofresistance
But it's also an act of faith. Faith that there's enough. Faith that we're stronger together. Faith that the woman next to me isn't my competition; she's mycomplement Faith that whenwerise,weall rise.
This is what I want other ambitious women to know:yourambition isn't athreat. It'sagift.
Andthemost powerfulthingyoucandowith thatgift isn'ttohoard itorprotect itoruseit toprovesomethingtothepeoplewho doubtedyou. It'stocreatespaceforother womentoaccesstheirown ambition,their own boldness,theirowndreams.
That's what happens when ambitious women choose collaboration. We don't just build better businesses. We build better communities. We heal old wounds We model what's possible. We raise the bar for what leadership looks like. And we make sure that the next bold, loud, brown girl who's standing outinaroomthatdoesn'tlooklike her, think like her, or dream like her knows that she's not alone, that her dreams matter, and that there's a whole army of women readytopushherforward.
That's the space I wished I'd had And that's the space I'm committed to creating not just for myself, but for every ambitious woman willing to choose collaboration over competition, connection over scarcity, and community over isolation.
At Pembroke Bakery, we source our ingredients from small farms, regional mills, and independent food artisans who care as deeply about quality as we do.
Supporting them means strengthening a community of passionate small businesses committed to craft and integrity.
Small batch. Big impact.
A FOUNDER’S PERSPECTIVE ON PURPOSE, COMMUNITY, AND CREATING YOUR OWN PATH
BY MONICA FULLERTON
There’s a moment many of us experience on this journey where life doesn’t look like what we originally planned, and the traditional path no longer fits For me, that moment didn’t come all at once It came in pieces Through moves, transitions, career pivots, and the realization that building a career tied to a single place just wasn’t sustainable for the life we were living.
As a military spouse, I quickly learned that stability doesn’t always look like staying in one place It looks like adaptability It looks like resilience And more often than not, it looks like starting over again and again
But what I didn’t realize at the time was that those “start over” moments were actually building something much bigger
They were building perspective. They were building grit They were building the foundation for something that could movewithme
Andthatchangedeverything
It shifted the way I viewed my path What once felt like disruption began to feel like preparation. Each move, each reset, each new beginning was equipping me with skills I did not even realize I would need The ability to adapt quickly, to build relationships from scratch, to navigate uncertainty, and to keep moving forward even when the nextstepwasnotfullyclear
Over time, I stopped asking how I could fit into a traditional career path and startedaskingadifferentquestion
What could I build that actually fits my life?
Thatquestionbecameaturningpoint
It opened the door to entrepreneurship in a way that felt aligned. Not something I had to force, but something that made sensefortheseasonoflifeIwasin
It allowed me to think beyond location and start focusing on impact, flexibility, and creating something that could grow withmenomatterwherelifelednext
What I also began to realize was that I wasnotaloneinthisexperience.
I was surrounded by other military spousesandwomenwhowerenavigating similar challenges Talented, driven individuals who had so much to offer, but often lacked access to consistent opportunities because of circumstances outsideoftheircontrol
That realization sparked something deeper.
Itwasneverjustaboutbuildingsomething for myself From the start, it was about bringing people together About creating a space where we could navigate this journey alongside one another and not feellikewehadtofigureitalloutalone
It became about building alongside otherswhotrulyunderstandthislifestyle.
People who get what it means to start over, to adapt, and to keep showing up evenwhenthingsfeeluncertain.
People who are talented, driven, and ready to create something of their own, but just need the right environment and supporttodoit.
I saw so many individuals with incredible ideas and potential, but without consistent access to opportunity or community.
AndIknewitdidnothavetobethatway That is what led me down the path of buildingwithpurpose
Not just asking what I could create, but asking how I could bring people together in a way that allows all of us to grow, be seen, and truly shine. How we could create something rooted in connection, support, and shared momentum
And in that process, I found something even more meaningful than a career path I found a community that grows together, supports one another, and continues to show up for each other througheverystageofthejourney.
Because sometimes the path that does not look like it is working out is actually the one leading you exactly where you aremeanttogo.
Monica Fullerton Is the CEO and Founder of Spouse-ly, a marketplace for Military and First Responder businesses and Business Bestie Consulting, helping passionate women shine In their business
To learn more Visit
monicafullertoncom spouse-lycom
@monicafullerton
MILSPO SOCIAL CO . POST
LAUNCH PARTY!
Greetings from Southern Pines, NC
May30th 11:00AMET-2:00PM
Ft. Bragg Spouses! Join us for a day of community, connection and opportunity at R.Riveter Storefront!
Seven moves. Five states. One overseas tour. How military spouse entrepreneurs are building thriving businesses and the sisterhood that makes it possible.
The orders came on a Tuesday They always seem to come on a Tuesday
You know the drill if you ' re married to the military One minute you ' ve got a full calendar, a waitlist, and referrals coming in without lifting a finger The next, you ' re staring at a zip code you ' ve never heard of, wondering how on earth you ' re going to start over. Again
I've done it seven times Seven cities, five states, one overseas tour in Okinawa, Japan and now Hawaii. Each move brought a new community, a new market, and a new version of me trying to figure out how to rebuild a photography business from scratch while simultaneously finding the nearest grocery store and enrolling four boys in yet another school
Here's what nobody tells you: it can be done You can have clients waiting for you before your boxes are unpacked But it takes a strategy, a community, and a willingness to play a long game
One of my favorite business mentors once called me a "wild card " Not as a compliment he genuinely didn't know how to approach the problem
How do you coach a location-based entrepreneur who keeps moving? How do you build SEO, local referral networks, and community roots when the roots get pulled up every two or three years?
How do you coach a location-based entrepreneur who keeps moving? How do you build SEO, local referral networks, and community roots when the roots get pulled up every two or three years?
The honest answer is: you build a system A repeatable, flexible, relentless system and then you execute it with the same grit that military families bring to every single PCS move
Over the years, I've assembled tactics from SEO specialists, social media strategists, business coaches, and fellow military spouse entrepreneurs who were all solving the same impossible puzzle. What emerged wasn't a perfect playbook It was something better: a living, breathing framework that I've now used successfully for my last three relocations and that I share with other photographers and creative entrepreneurs navigating the same uncertain terrain
In the military world, everything hinges on orders Your ability to take action depends entirely on what information you have and when you have it That's why I think about relocating a business in three distinct stages:
STAGE 1 TBD:
You know a move is coming, but not where or when This feels paralyzing, but it's actually prime time for foundational work Announce your move to current clients via direct email before social media Start de-localizing your website remove city and state references so your SEO doesn't lock you into a place you ' re leaving Examine your brand with fresh eyes. Evaluate your pricing structure. Blog consistently, but about topics that aren't location-specific. Save money, because the income gap during a move is real
STAGE 2 — TARGET CITY IN HAND:
This is where the real work begins and where I invest the majority of my energy Once I have a city, I dig in like a detective Keyword research for the new market Competitor analysis Hashtag research Legal and insurance requirements by state and county I start identifying potential business partners who serve the same ideal client I do I begin engaging authentically with photographers, vendors, and local businesses in the new area well before I arrive I start blogging with location-specific SEO I research Facebook groups, networking organizations, and professional associations I build the infrastructure of a business that exists in my new city before I physically get there
STAGE 3 YOU VE MOVED:
You're on the ground, it's time to activate everything you ' ve built. Show up at the networking events you researched. Introduce yourself to the vendors you ' ve already been following Book the promotional mini-session event you planned Turn your new community into your new client base
Here's a major caveat that most people miss: the timing of your SEO transition from one location to another is a big deal Switch it too early and you lose bookings in your current city Switch it too late and you ' re starting from zero when you arrive The decision depends on your specific situation how much business you still want to book locally, how long until the move, and how competitive the new market is
One practical tip that saves enormous amounts of time: use the Find feature (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) on every single page of your website to hunt for city and state references You'd be amazed how many times your location appears in places you ' ve completely forgotten about alt text, blog tags, footer copy, meta descriptions Miss one, and your SEO is still anchoring you to a city you no longer live in
Tactics matter Strategy matters But if I'm being completely honest about what has made the biggest difference across seven business launches? It's the women who were doing this alongside me
Military spouse entrepreneurship is an oddly specific experience The civilian business world doesn't quite understand it Generic business coaches even great ones aren't built for our reality We are building something real and scalable and income-generating while also being the logistical backbone of a family that picks up and moves at the military's discretion We do this without a traditional support network, often far from family, often while our spouses are deployed or in the field
That shared experience creates a camaraderie that's hard to describe to someone who hasn't lived it. When you ' re in a Facebook group or on a coaching call with another military spouse photographer and she says "my husband just got orders" you don't have to explain anything Everyone in the room already knows exactly what that means for her business, her family, her sleep schedule, and her mental health The collective understanding is instant and profound
This is why community isn't a nice-to-have for military spouse entrepreneurs. It's mission-critical. The woman who moved to Okinawa two years before you did can tell you which Facebook groups actually have local clients in them The photographer in your new duty station can tell you which networking groups are worth your time and which ones are a waste of a babysitter. The mentor who has moved her business seven times can tell you that yes, it is possible and hand you the exact checklist she used
I want to challenge that narrative directly because I've watched it be proven wrong, over and over, by women who decided to build anyway
The truth is that moving repeatedly forces a kind of entrepreneurial evolution that most business owners never experience You get very good at identifying what actually matters in a market versus what's just comfortable habit. You learn to build relationships efficiently and authentically You get nimble You get resilient You stop being precious about starting over, because you ' ve proven to yourself that you can.
I know how overwhelming it feels to look at a checklist of 30+ tasks and wonder how you'll ever get through it while also holding your family together in the middle of a move. I remember sitting in a hotel room, laptop open, editing photos from a session I had just shot because I genuinely didn't know when my next paid gig was coming. That session might be it for a while I was editing like it mattered, because it did
But here's what the system made possible: when we moved to Hawaii, I had a paying client within 30 days of launching And I want you to understand what that move actually looked like we took more than 30 days completely off from work to transition our family We traveled the mainland before we ever got on the plane to the islands. I launched in August I had my first session in September The work I had put in before we arrived the research, the SEO groundwork, the relationship-building, all of it done from hotel rooms and borrowed WiFi meant that when I was finally ready to open my calendar, someone was ready to book it
Something I tell every photographer I work with: every single move is different, because you are a different person every time. The business I rebuilt in Virginia Beach after Quantico was not the same business I launched at Camp Lejeune in 2010 I had more experience, more confidence, a clearer vision of who I wanted to serve and how The market was different. My pricing was different. My brand was different
Military spouses are often told that frequent moves are a liability That we can't build anything lasting when we ' re always starting over.
It works One task at a time, one stage at a time
The military gives us orders we didn't ask for and timelines we can't control What we do control is the preparation, the strategy, and the community we build around ourselves We are not wild cards we are resourceful, driven, deeply experienced entrepreneurs who have learned to build something beautiful in every place we land
Bloom where you ' re planted Even when you don't know where that is yet.
Alison Bell is a six-figure family photographer, business mentor, and military spouse based in Hawaii. She has launched her photography business seven times across five states and overseas, and now helps other photographers and creative entrepreneurs do the same. She co-hosts the Get Booked Podcast with SEO expert Melissa, providing actionable business strategies for military spouse photographers. Download her free 39 Ways To Get New Clients and book a free discovery call at AlisonBell.co.
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Army Spouse Owned
By: Vimbo Watson
We’ve all been there standing in the middle of a pile of undone laundry, mentally running through a never-ending to-do list Have you researched your next PCS location well enough to know where you want to live?
And even if you’re not moving anytime soon, did you remember to buy or bake something for your child’s upcoming class party? Oh and don’t forget, you won’t have time to run to the mall for a dress for the upcoming military ball. So now, you somehow need to carve out time to order something online and just hope it fits
We have absolutely all been there. There is a specific brand of stress that comes with this incredible military life that we are all privileged to live. There are factors like deployment of your spouse, frequent moves, and other elements unique to military life that are beyond our control But in chaotic moments like the picture just painted, here is what no one is there to remind you: you were not built to run on empty for long Military spouses burn out differently, and yet we’re still invited to buy into the myth of “just push through” This is why I’m so passionate about intentional community building - basically connecting with other humans better - as your lifeline for how to be an active participant in your own life The point is not just to survive, but to have a full, balanced life
There is a time and place for most words, but I fear that some things we say in our community have been used to isolate rather than empower. Terms such as “resilience” and “fortitude” are awesome and beautiful and absolutely have their place However, if I’ve learned anything from my time as a military spouse, the sooner you are honest with people around you about what you actually need, the more you have a chance to make a real, meaningful connection.
And to be clear, resilience does matter There are moments in military life where pushing through is necessary But somewhere along the way, pushing through stopped being a temporary strategy and started becoming a permanent lifestyle. That’s where the problem begins. Because when “just push through” becomes your default, it quietly teaches you to suppress your needs instead of expressing them It convinces you that asking for help is a sign of weakness instead of wisdom And over time, it creates distance not just between you and others, but between you and yourself.
You stop checking in You stop reaching out You start carrying everything alone
And the truth is, isolation doesn’t always look like loneliness. Sometimes it looks like being the strong one. The capable one. The one everyone else relies on. But even the strongest among us were never meant to do life in isolation The pivot happens when you realize this: strength is not found in how much you can carry alone; it’s found in how willing you are to let others carry life with you.
We often talk about community as something that’s “nice to have” Something extra Something you’ll get to when life slows down
But the research tells a very different story. Connection is not optional. It’s biological.
When you are in safe, supportive relationships, your body quite literally responds Stress hormones like cortisol decrease Your nervous system begins to regulate You feel safer, more grounded, more like yourself.
On the flip side, chronic isolation does the opposite. It keeps your body in a heightened state of stress It accelerates burnout It impacts your mental, emotional, and even physical health in ways we don’t always recognize right away.
Belonging is not just emotional it’s protective. And for military spouses, this matters even more Because the lifestyle itself already introduces layers of unpredictability and stress deployments, transitions, frequent goodbyes. Without intentional connection, those stressors don’t just pass through you… they stay.
This is why building your “tribe” is not a luxury It is a strategy It is one of the most practical, accessible ways to care for your mental health in a life that often feels anything but stable. And when you start to see community through that lens not as something extra, but as something essential, it changes how you show up
You stop waiting for connection to happen to you. You start building it on purpose
Now, let’s make this real. Because “build community” can sound great in theory but what does it actually look like in the middle of your already full life?
It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the most meaningful connection often starts in the smallest ways
1. Go anyway.
Go to the spouse event Go to the Bible study Go to the workout class. Even if you’re tired. Even if you feel awkward. Even if you know you might only be there for six months before your next move You are allowed to build something meaningful, even if it’s temporary
2. Be honest sooner.
Instead of waiting until you’re overwhelmed, start practicing small moments of honesty
“I’ve had a hard week”
“I could really use some support right now.” “I don’t have it all together today.”
Real connection is built on truth, not perfection
3. Reach out to the one person.
Not ten people Not a whole group Just one Send the text Make the call Follow up on that conversation you’ve been thinking about. Consistency with one person is more powerful than surface-level connection with many.
If you don’t see the kind of community you need, that might be your invitation to start it. A monthly coffee meetup. A walking group. A simple “come as you are” gathering It doesn’t have to be big to be impactful It just has to be intentional
This is what building a better tribe looks like not perfect, not polished, but purposeful. It’s choosing connection again and again, even when it would be easier to withdraw
If there’s one thing I want you to take with you, it’s this: You do not have to earn rest by burning yourself out first. And you do not have to navigate this life alone. The invitation is not just to keep going it’s to start living differently
To move from burnout to belonging. From isolation to intentional connection.
From simply surviving this life to actually experiencing it
Start small. Start today. Text someone. Show up somewhere Let yourself be seen, even just a little more than you did yesterday Because the life you’re building deserves to feel full, not just functional This is the heart of the work I do through A Better Tribe helping women move from burnout to bliss, one intentional connection at a time You were never meant to do this alone And the moment you stop trying to everything begins to change
SINCE 2015, I HAVE SUPPORTED THE FORT MEADE COMMUNITY WITH PCSING TO AND FROM THE AREA, SPECIALIZING IN VA PURCHASES, DISTANCE SELLING, AND DIVORCE SALES I COLLABORATE WITH MILITARY SPOUSES AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES TO ENSURE A SMOOTH, EDUCATIONAL, AND SUPPORTIVE HOME BUYING OR SELLING PROCESS. WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF MILITARY EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING USING A VA LOAN AND BEING A LANDLORD FOR 13 YEARS, I UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF MILITARY LIFE AND LOOKFORWARDTOASSISTINGYOU!
There are countdowns sitting on kitchen counters, office desks, and bookshelves CONUS and OCONUS Handcrafted from
wood and intentionally designed, each one carries thoughtful details worked into its form Every day, someone walks past and moves the number tiles forward. One day closer to a homecoming One day closer to feeling whole again
These were made by Wendie Whelan. Made by hand, with intention, thinking about the family it was going to And that, at its simplest, is Valor Craftworks
But the story of how Wendie got there from a 20-year corporate career, through burnout and a personal reckoning, to launching a handcrafted business rooted in military family life is one worth sitting with
Because while Wendie wasn’t counting down to a deployment of her own, she intentionally stepped into that experience testing, refining, and reworking her designs to ensure they truly served the families they were created for.
And if you ’ re a military spouse holding onto an idea you haven’t let yourself act on yet, her story might feel especially close to home.
What She Made Next Wendie Whelan, Valor Craftworks, and a Second Start
Wendie will be the first to tell you she had a good career. Two decades in project management, customer success, and process improvement She was good at it She was promoted The money came But somewhere along the way, after a family move from Colorado to Oklahoma, somewhere in the grind of early 2024 Wendie realized the work no longer lit her up.
"My heart just wasn't in it," she says simply "The majority of my waking time was spent doing something I wasn't feeling."
For someone who had always operated by a personal philosophy of choosing meaningful work over money, that disconnect was impossible to ignore She and her husband Ken had made a promise to each other early on: they would never make job decisions based on a paycheck They would do work that mattered And for the first time in a long time, she wasn't keeping that promise to herself
What made it harder was that she was also the family's primary breadwinner Ken, an Army veteran who served in Desert Storm and Desert Shield, had spent years as a stay-athome dad while Wendie built her career. The idea of walking away from financial stability wasn't just scary it had always felt completely off the table
"I never thought we could make it work," she admits. And yet, they made the leap
What Wendie did next is something a lot of people in crisis don't think to do: she planned. Not perfectly she's the first to say the financial planning could have been more thorough, but deliberately thinking a way through the unknown She and Ken spent six to nine months mapping out what stepping back might look like She gave her employer three months' notice She set her team up for success She tied a bow on it "That was the easiest part of the pivot," she says "I got to prepare and walk away knowing I'd done it right."
She also didn't immediately know what came next The first plan was simply to stop to rest, reset, and figure out who she was outside of a corporate role. But about halfway through that planning period, something shifted She started thinking about starting a business Not a side hustle, not a hobby something real, something rooted in legacy and intention.
Two things converged to point Wendie toward Valor Craftworks.
The first was a long-held, half-joking dream "I always used to tease my husband when we retire, I'm going to be a woodworker," she laughs. She'd always been fascinated by how things are made, always being our family's unofficial MacGyver She knew she wanted to make something with her hands She knew she didn't want to resell products from overseas. She wanted to build.
The second was more personal, and more profound
In 2024, Ken who had always spoken proudly and positively about his military service had a day that changed everything
Decades of carried weight came forward all at once What followed was an inpatient stay at the VA for his safety, a crash course in PTSD, and Wendie's first real, immersive encounter with what veterans carry long after their service ends
"I don't even know if humbling is the right word," she says quietly. "We forget. We don't truly recognize and acknowledge the service doesn't end when they leave They carry that with them forever"
Through the VA process, the disability rating system, watching her father-in-law and her own father (both Vietnam-era veterans) finally navigate services they'd long gone without Wendie found herself deeply, personally inside the military community for the first time And she found she had something to offer to the community
Not expertise. Not lived experience of deployment. But thoughtfulness Care And the ability to make beautiful things that hold meaning for families navigating distance and time
The early days of Valor Craftworks were, by Wendie's own admission, a little chaotic Her project management instincts kicked in hard she bought all the right software, tracked everything, built systems before she had products to put in them. It took her seven or eight months to realize she was getting in her own way
"My background got in my way, " she says with a laugh. "I was so focused on admin work that I couldn't spend my time on the creative side the part I was actually excited about"
It's a tension many type-A entrepreneurs know well: the impulse to have everything figured out before you begin Wendie had to unlearn it
The products themselves grew organically The deployment countdown now Valor's signature piece, came from a passing comment her husband made in the middle of a Michael's store. The open-when cards started as military family gifts and expanded into college send-offs after customer requests poured in The summer camp cards followed The red bracelets she makes by hand, every evening, watching TV.
"I sit there every night making bracelets because I enjoy it," she says "And I want people to know they're getting something made with love and honor."
Every product is tested in her own home before it's released. Every design decision is deliberate no dog tags, for instance, because she knows that symbol can carry pain for some families The blue star detail woven into the countdown design is a quiet nod to the Blue Star Flag, not a replication of it. These aren't accidents. They're the result of someone paying close attention
Wendie is careful not to claim experiences she hasn't had She hasn't managed a deployment She doesn't pretend to know what that's like. But she has sat in a VA waiting room She has watched her husband carry something invisible and enormous She has listened, and read, and asked, and learned
"I will never try to be something I'm not," she says "But we are always researching, always talking to people, making sure what we ' re putting out there means something."
That authenticity the refusal to perform connection she doesn't feel, is exactly what makes Valor Craftworks resonate.
And if you ' re a military spouse sitting on an idea, hesitating, waiting until everything feels right, Wendie has something to say to you directly:
"You don't have to have it all figured out You're never going to have all the answers You just have to go "
She turned 50 the Friday before we spoke Twenty-plus years of playing it safe One leap that terrified her And now, every time she writes a thank-you note by hand and tucks it into an order, she means every word:
Valor Craftworks creates handcrafted products for military families navigating distance from deployment countdowns to open-when cards and journey signs.
Find them on Etsy and at valorcraftworks.com. @valorcraftworks
“You don't have to have it all figured out You're never going to have all the answers You just have to go
Thank yo e make this for you Thank you for honorin ank you for your service.
She's s ' s still stretching And for the first time in a long time, the uncomfortable feeling is a good one.
Reach out about custom design ideas today!
FACEBOOK: RITTEROHANAWOODWORKING INSTAGRAM: @RITTEROHANAWOODWORKING TIKTOK: @RITTEROHANAWOODWORKING
WEBSITE: WWWRITTEROHANAWOODWORKING
Meet Courtney, the founder of The Well Thing. A physician assistant who couldn't fix herself. A military spouse surviving day to day And the discovery that changed everything about how she understood healing
Courtney Meinders knows more about the human body than most people ever will She passed her boards. She was trained to diagnose, treat, and care for patients under a physician's supervision. She understood physiology, pharmacology, and the clinical language of illness. And yet, sitting in a doctor's office in Germany exhausted, underweight, and carrying more than fifteen diagnoses, she was told that what she was experiencing was all in her head.
"I remember thinking: I can't do this to my patients," she says.
"There has to be something more."
That moment became the turning point. Not just for her health, but for her life's work. Today, Courtney is an Integrative NLP Practitioner serving women many of them military spouses who are where she once was: doing all the right things, spending thousands trying to feel better, and still not healing. What she found on the other side of her own decade-long journey wasn't just wellness. It was a completely different understanding of what the body actually needs in order to recover and the business she built around that understanding is helping women find their way back to themselves
It started with stress. Courtney was in PA school when her then-boyfriend deployed, and almost immediately, her health began to unravel GI issues Food allergies Unexplained weight loss By their wedding, she was, in her own words, so thin it was noticeable. By the time they moved to Germany, she had lost the ability to function in any meaningful way.
"I didn't have the energy to plan trips My husband did everything. We didn't have kids yet, thank God, because I could barely function." She wasn't working. She wasn't socializing. She was spending every available mental resource trying to figure out how to fix herself and going nowhere "There's just a block up when you're not feeling well," she says "You don't interact with people. You just disappear into it."
When they returned to the States, she drew a line. She was going to find answers, even if she had to seek them outside the system she had been trained in She began seeing a functional medicine doctor and, as she describes it, her whole world changed.
Functional medicine, she explains, works differently than conventional care Where a conventional doctor looks at symptoms, assigns a diagnosis, and prescribes a treatment, effectively a band-aid. Functional medicine asks a different question: what is actually causing this? "We look upstream," she says "Toxins, stress, diet, environment it's all interrelated And when you actually get to the root, sometimes you don't just manage the disease. You reverse it."
She got about eighty percent better. It was significant progress But there was still something she hadn't yet reached
That something was NLP Neuro-Linguistic Programming Courtney encountered it at a conference, and it reframed everything she thought she understood about healing
"The body has a blueprint for perfect health," she says. "We're just not always living from it. And a huge part of why is what's happening in the mind not in a dismissive way, like 'it's all in your head ' But in a very real, physiological way "
The principle she came to unde historically resisted: the mind Emotions, beliefs, fears, and lon on how cells function, how ho responds Stress doesn't just fee toxin does And suppressed em deployments, managing house order to keep going, can quietly
"Ninety-eight percent of disea people hear that disease often b means the illness isn’t real or t symptoms are very real It simp and emotional bodies. And tha the root, the body can finally be
NLP, as Courtney uses it, isn't r calls weeding Rather than re (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy affirmations to reframe it, NLP The neurology rewires. The bod weight, can redirect toward hea The diagnoses she had carried living under fell away. "I d "I'm free "
Courtney did not plan to become an entrepreneur. She planned to be a PA. But what she found in functional medicine and NLP made it impossible to go back to writing prescriptions and watching patients cycle through the same patterns without ever truly getting better
Her turning point, she says, came during a particularly low season of military life. Her husband was deployed. She had reduced her work schedule from five days a week to one. She was dropping her daughter at full-time daycare not to go to work, but to go home and sleep because that was genuinely all she had "I remember thinking: there are so many people probably going through this. Maybe not as bad. Maybe worse. And our lives are so different from civilians' lives. People just don't understand "
That recognition, that military spouses face a combination of stressors that most practitioners are not equipped to address, and that those stressors directly affect physical health, became the foundation of her practice. She now works with women one-on-one, integrating both the physical and the mental-emotional dimensions of health Sessions begin with an intake to understand where someone is physically: what they're eating, what their environment looks like, whether there are toxins or lifestyle factors worth addressing From there, she moves into what she calls a breakthrough session a detailed personal history designed to surface the beliefs, memories, and emotional patterns that are blocking the body from healing. Then the real work begins.
"Once we weed those out," she says, "then we can build We can rewire We can start putting better habits and beliefs in place not from willpower, but because the old stuff isn't in the way anymore."
For military spouses specifically, she emphasizes that this work is not a luxury or a wellness trend It is, she believes, a practical necessity The constant moves, the isolation, the pressure to keep it together while a spouse is deployed all of it accumulates in the body. All of it has physiological consequences. And all of it can be addressed, if someone is willing to look at the whole picture rather than reaching for a prescription
Building a practice as a military spouse brings its own particular challenges, and Courtney is candid about them. Her business has had to move and flex with every set of orders. Her client base, her community, and her physical location have all shifted What she has found, in each new place, is that the strategy is always the same
"The first thing I do when we move is plug into the community," she says. "Join spouse networks. Find a bunko group Get connected because that's how I understand what the needs are, and that's how people find me " It is, she acknowledges, also how she stays well. Isolation was part of what made her sickest. Community is part of what keeps her grounded.
Her practice operates largely online, which has given it flexibility across duty stations, but she pairs that with intentional local presence wherever she lands. And her advice for other military spouse entrepreneurs navigating the same tension is straightforward: don't wait until you're settled to build. Plug in first, understand the community around you, and let the work grow from there
For women in business specifically, her message about health is not incidental to the entrepreneurial conversation, it is central to it. "If your health is suffering, everything else suffers around you," she says. "You don't have the energy You don't have the clarity The foundation has to be there, or the business can't grow on top of it " She sees the two as entirely intertwined: a woman who heals is a woman who can dream again, plan again, build again. The work she does on the body is, in practice, also work on the business
Courtney is currently finishing her first book, The Perfect Health Blueprint, anticipated to release in May It is, in many ways, the distillation of everything she lived and learned a guide for women who sense that there is another way forward but don't yet know what it looks like. The book walks readers through recognizing what is actually going on beneath the surface, releasing the emotions and beliefs that are keeping the body stuck, and building the new habits and mindset that allow genuine healing to take root
"You have a blueprint for perfect health," she says "It's in you We're just getting back to it."
For women who are reading this and feeling something stir a gut sense that their symptoms are telling them something, a quiet conviction that their life could look different, Courtney's first instruction is simply this: trust that feeling
"That's your unconscious mind saying yes," she says. "There's something here. Keep going."
From there, she encourages women to allow themselves to be seen. Not to push it down, not to keep the mask on, not to perform okayness in the name of keeping everything together "The things you're feeling are real," she says, "and they are impacting your health Healing doesn't happen in hiding "
It is, ultimately, the same thing she had to learn for herself that asking for help is not weakness, that being known is not a liability, and that the person you were before all of this is still there, waiting to be found
COURTNEY MIENDERS IS AN ARMY SPOUSE, MOM, AND FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PA, INTEGRATIVE NLP COACH, IHP-2
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT HER WEBSITE AT THEWELLTHING.COM FOLLOW HER AT @COURTNEYNICOLEMEINDERS
When the system failed her at her lowest moment, she didn't just survive she built what she wished had existed for every military family who comes after her.
There is a red light on A1A in Jacksonville, Florida, that Eleanor Haack Finney will never forget Her husband was deployed She had just been turned away from mental health care her children in tow following another miscarriage. She was exhausted in the way that military spouses learn to carry silently: completely, invisibly, without an outlet And sitting at that intersection, she had made a decision. When the light turned green, she planned to drive off the bridge in front of her
Then something interrupted her. A flash of her boys. The sound, in her memory, of her youngest calling out mama She slammed the brakes. She went home to the same loneliness, the same lack of support, the same weight. But something had shifted "I realized that what I was experiencing wasn't just personal," she says "It was systemic." And so she decided: if she couldn't find the support she needed, she would build it
That decision, made in a car, alone, at a Florida intersection, is the foundation beneath everything Eleanor Finney has since constructed: Defenders of Resilience Military Ministry, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving military families nationwide; Mission Resilient LLC, a faith-based coaching and discipleship platform; several books, a podcast, an app, a counseling framework, and a growing network of trained lay counselors who carry her mission into their own communities None of it was born from a business plan All of it was born from a breaking THEFORMATION
Eleanor came to military life already shaped by hard things She had professional experience in executive leadership, beginning as an executive assistant and stepping into chief of staff roles, learning to think ahead, hold complexity, and lead without needing to be in the spotlight She was doing ministry long before she had language for it: walking with women, sitting in late-night conversations, showing up for blended families navigating brokenness. But military life intensified everything.
As a mom of four children with special needs, she navigated the particular loneliness of parenting through deployment school meetings attended alone, medical appointments where she was the only advocate in the room, 2 a.m. moments no one ever sees. She walked through miscarriages largely without support. She survived infidelity and marriage crisis She was diagnosed with a heart condition after a heart attack, and chronic illness while remaining, in her household and community, the steady one
"There's something no one can prepare you for," she says, "when you're both the one breaking and the one that everyone depends on"
Resilience, for Eleanor, is not a motivational concept. It is a physical memory forged in survival rather than formed in comfort And it is that embodied understanding that makes her work distinct from most programs in the military spouse space. She didn't study this. She lived it. And that distinction is not just personal it is her entrepreneurial edge
Here is what Eleanor wants other military spouses to understand: the skills you are building right now, in the hardest and most invisible seasons of your life, are the exact skills that build something lasting.
"I learned how to carry a lot at once," she says of her years in chief of staff roles and military life simultaneously "I learned how to think ahead, how to lead without a title, how to hold a vision even when the circumstances are uncertain" She didn't recognize it as entrepreneurial training at the time Looking back, she sees clearly that it was.
When she began building Defenders of Resilience and Mission Resilient, she did not start with investors or a launch strategy. She started with what was already in her hands her experience, her story, her willingness to show up for other people the way she had needed someone to show up for her. "Purpose is often hidden in what feels small," she says. "It's how you show up for your family, how you respond in hard moments, how you love and serve when nobody is watching"
This is her first and most foundational business principle: don't wait for a different season Use what's already in front of you
What Eleanor has constructed is not a single organization it is a carefully designed strategic system of support, and the architecture is intentional.
Defenders of Resilience Military Ministry, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the mission arm. Every resource it offers pastoral and lay counseling, trauma recovery programs, marriage support, community groups, and an ethical AI support system for in-between crisis moments is completely free to military families It exists to remove every barrier that Eleanor herself encountered. Funding it sustainably, however, required a different kind of thinking
Mission Resilient LLC is the forprofit counterpart: a coaching and discipleship brand serving women beyond the military community who are navigating hard, hidden, or transitional seasons It operates through one-on-one coaching, digital courses, a podcast, and The Resilience Room a monthly subscription app offering pastoral counseling, discipleship, and community for a price Eleanor describes as "less than a cup of coffee," because, she says, getting help should never feel out of reach.
The two entities are not in tension. They are in conversation The LLC generates revenue that sustains the ministry's free offerings. The ministry deepens the mission that gives the LLC its authority and authenticity. Together, they form something larger than either could be alone
"I was never building to get rich," Eleanor says plainly. "I was building something that could sustain itself so that it could serve more people Because what we're given isn't meant to stop with us. It's meant to be stewarded and multiplied"
For military spouses considering their own ventures, that dualstructure model is worth studying
A for-profit business can fund a mission. A mission gives a business its why. They don't have to be separate
When asked how she makes decisions across a nonprofit, a business, a family of six, and her own health challenges, Eleanor doesn't hesitate. She names four filters, and they apply as readily to a new entrepreneur as they do to a scaling organization
Filter everything through calling, not just opportunity. "Not everything that's good is something I'm called to build," she says Learning to say no to good things in order to say yes to the right ones is, she believes, one of the most underrated leadership skills a military spouse can develop. You have likely already been practicing it, every time you chose which ball to drop gracefully because you couldn't hold them all
Build for sustainability, not just impact. Early-stage entrepreneurs often sacrifice their own capacity chasing growth. Eleanor builds with longevity in mind for the organization, and for herself "I know I'm not just building impact for today," she says "I'm building things that can last and serve well without burning me out in the process."
Put people over platforms Whether in the nonprofit or the business, the metric that matters is whether people are genuinely being served Growth that loses sight of the person in front of you is growth in the wrong direction.
Choose obedience over outcome This one, she acknowledges, is harder to sell in a business context. But for Eleanor, it is the stabilizing force in seasons of uncertainty. "I don't always have perfect clarity on outcomes," she says "But I focus on being faithful with what's in front of me" For military spouses who have learned to function without guarantees, this is not a foreign concept. It is, in fact, already their daily practice.
Underlying all of her work is the ROOTED Method a six-step healing and identity framework Eleanor developed from her own journey. It moves people through recognizing the season they are in, owning the root pain beneath the surface, opening to God's presence in the process, telling the truth about their calling, embracing small sustainable steps forward, and declaring a new identity rooted not in what they have been through but in who God says they are.
The method serves as the foundation of her book Perhaps This Is It, inviting readers to reframe how they see their everyday lives. At its core, it’s about recognizing that no matter the season whether marked by uncertainty, growth, loss, or joy God is already at work. Instead of waiting for a “perfect” moment or a more defined calling, the message is clear: you are equipped right where you are.
Through this lens, the idea of being a missionary shifts from something distant or formal into something deeply personal and present.
It becomes less about geography and more about posture how you show up in your daily interactions, your work, your relationships, and your challenges The method encourages a mindset of awareness and willingness, trusting that even the smallest acts of faith, kindness, and obedience can carry eternal impact.
Ultimately, it’s a call to live with intention and openness, embracing the belief that your current season is not a detour, but a divine assignment.
"Purpose isn't something you arrive at," she says "It's something being formed in you right now."
For military spouses who feel invisible, for women in the inbetween seasons who are carrying more than anyone sees, Eleanor's message is consistent and direct: the skills you are building in the hardest and most ordinary moments of your life are not wasted. The leadership you are practicing without a title, the resilience you are developing without applause, the community you are building from nothing in yet another new city all of it is preparation
"Military life didn't just shape my circumstances," she says. "It shaped my capacity" And capacity, she has learned, is the raw material of everything worth building
Eleanor Finney is available through Mission Resilient's website for one-on-one coaching, The Resilience Room app, and Coffee Cup Counseling for those local to her Defenders of Resilience Military Ministry can be accessed by any military family seeking free pastoral care, counseling, or community support Her book Perhaps This Is It, and her chapter in the military memoir anthology WE ARE THE LEGACY: What We Carried, What We Conquered and What We Became arrives in September 2026.
You don't have to have it all figured out to begin You just have to be willing not to stay where you are.
By Laura Early
Last summer, I ran a company from a borrowed laptop in someone else's guest room.
We didn't have confirmed orders until about a month before we were supposed to leave the country. But the house still needed to be rented out, logistics still needed to move forward, and life with two daughters under three didn't pause to wait for paperwork So we did what military families do We prepped to move anyway, on faith and forward momentum.
In the three weeks between leaving our home and boarding a plane to Germany, we stayed in six different places My computer broke mid-move I had client calls, deadlines, and a business to run. I had a toddler who needed her routine and a baby who needed me And on the other side of that flight, I spent 58 days without my belongings building a life in a new country out of whatever we'd managed to carry on the plane.
Nobody gave me a leadership award for that season No one added it to my resume But here's what I know now, on the other side of it: that was some of the most sophisticated leadership I have ever done
And if you're a military spouse, chances are you've done something just like it
There's a story that gets told about military spouses in the workforce usually by well-meaning people who don't quite understand what our lives actually look like It goes something like this: she has gaps in her resume, she moves a lot, she's a flight risk, she's hard to invest in
I want to dismantle that story, because it is built on a fundamental misreading of the evidence
Those gaps? They aren't absences of productivity They are periods of intense, unacknowledged work Every PCS is a full-scale relocation project managed without a dedicated team Every new duty station is a challenge; new schools, new doctors, new community, new professional network, built from nothing, on a timeline you didn't choose
Every deployment or TDY is a season of singleparenting, household management, and emotional leadership, often while also trying to hold down a career
The problem isn't the gap The problem is that we've been taught to apologize for it instead of articulate it.
Let's get specific, because this is where it matters most.
Not the interview answer version Not "I'm a flexible team player" The kind of adaptability that kicks in when you find out you're moving overseas in thirty days, your orders aren't confirmed, your computer just died, and you still have a business to run and two children to keep alive
That kind of adaptability isn't a personality trait. It's a trained capacity And it is exactly what companies spend thousands of dollars trying to build in their leadership teams through workshops and offsites You built it through lived experience
In a business context, this translates to leading through uncertainty without stalling It's the ability to keep your team moving when the strategy shifts, to hold calm in the room when things go sideways, to make decisions with incomplete information and course-correct as you go That is a rare and valuable leadership skill, and military spouses have been practicing it for years
2.
Moving to a new country with two kids under three, no local language fluency, and a business to maintain forces a kind of cultural agility that most professionals never develop You learn to read rooms differently. You learn that communication is about more than words, it's about context, tone, relationship, and trust built over time in unfamiliar environments
There is a particular kind of leadership that only emerges under real pressure. Not manufactured urgency or a tight deadline, actual crisis, where the plan has fallen apart and someone needs to hold the center
Military spouses know this intimately We have held households together through deployments and emergencies We have made hard calls alone, at odd hours, without a co-pilot We have kept children feeling safe and loved on days when we were anything but fine ourselves We have learned, through repetition, how to regulate our own emotions in order to stabilize everyone around us
That is crisis leadership And in organizational settings, it is the difference between a manager and a leader people actually trust when things get hard.
4. Resourcefulness
When I was operating from my 3rd Airbnb, waiting on flights that may or may not come, I didn't have access to my full setup I didn't have my systems or my office I had a borrowed laptop, a hotspot, and a to-do list that didn't care about my circumstances
So I adapted I prioritized ruthlessly I found workarounds I kept things moving Resourcefulness true resourcefulness is the ability to build something functional and even excellent out of what's available rather than waiting for what's ideal In business, this looks like innovation under constraint It looks like finding the path forward when the budget gets cut or the timeline gets compressed It looks like never letting perfect be the enemy of done. Military spouses have been practicing this their entire careers.
This one gets underestimated the most
Because we've navigated so much hardship ourselves; isolation, grief, identity disruption, and starting over again and again We carry a depth of empathy that shapes how we lead others through hard things We don't just understand intellectually that change is difficult We know it in our bodies
In leadership, this translates to the ability to hold space for your team during transitions, to recognize when someone is struggling before they say so, to build cultures where people feel genuinely seen and supported. People-first leadership isn't a trend for us It's the only way we've ever known how to lead, because we've needed it ourselves
Here's the honest part
Society has a narrow script for what leadership looks like, and military spouse life doesn't fit neatly into it We've been told, in a hundred subtle and not-so-subtle ways, that our careers are secondary That our value is in our support role. That we should be grateful for whatever professional scraps we can gather around the mission
And some of us (if we're being real) have believed it We've internalized the narrative that our patchwork paths mean we're behind, that our overseas address is a liability, that we need to work harder to prove our legitimacy to rooms that don't understand our context
But here's what I've come to believe: the underselling isn't a character flaw It's a learned response to a system that never built a category for us The work is unlearning it.
So what does that actually look like in practice?
It starts with language When you describe your experience, resist the urge to minimize Instead of "I took some time off during our moves," try: "I managed multiple full-scale international relocations while maintaining my business continuity and building new professional networks in each location" That is not spin That is accuracy
On LinkedIn, your overseas experience is not a footnote, it is a headline. Lead with it. Frame it as the cross-cultural, operationally complex, personally demanding professional experience that it is.
In client conversations and pitches, your story is part of your value proposition The fact that you ran a business through a transcontinental move with two kids under three and a broken computer is not a vulnerability to hide It is evidence of exactly the kind of grit and capability your clients are hoping to hire
And in rooms where you feel like you have to prove yourself, boardrooms, investment conversations, partnership discussions, remember that you have been doing the advanced work for years You just haven't been calling it that
I don't tell my moving story for sympathy I tell it because I think a lot of military spouses need to hear someone say out loud: what you have been doing counts
The chaos of last summer was real. The exhaustion was real. The moments of sitting in a temporary space, on a borrowed computer, wondering if I was holding it all together or just barely holding on, those were real too
But so was the leadership. So was the resilience that isn't just bouncing back, but building forward So was the decision, made over and over again, to keep going with what I had, where I was, until I could do more
That is not a gap in your story. That is the whole story.
The boardroom needs what you've built Stop waiting for permission to say so
Laura Early is the Founder and CXO of WISE, where she helps founders operationalize growth through scalable systems, customer experience design, and high-performing teams She has supported more than 700 organizations in building the infrastructure needed to grow efficiently and sustainably She is also an advocate for military spouses in the workforce and writes about leadership, life abroad, and building something meaningful in the margins.
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ome brands are built in boardrooms. Bravory Bakehouse was built in a kitchen by someone who had been quietly perfecting her craft for fifteen years while life happened around her. Moves Transitions A career pivot A new chapter on a new duty station Through all of it, Erin Vandre kept baking And the people who tasted what she made kept saying the same thing: this should be a business.
Now, alongside her husband and cofounder Nic, that calling has grown into Bravory Bakehouse, a missiondriven brand built to honor and uplift the military-connected community More than a bakery, Bravory creates meaningful economic opportunity for military spouses while giving everyday Americans a simple, tangible way to support the families who serve
At its heart, Bravory is built on two truths: the treats must be exceptional, and the mission must be real. Every item is handcrafted and tailor-made the kind of baked goods people write home about but the impact goes far beyond what comes out of the oven
How Erin and Nic Vandre turned a home kitchen, a legacy, and a calling to serve into a mission-driven bakery — and a blueprint for military spouse entrepreneurship.
Military spouses often face repeated career disruption, underemployment, and limited continuity of opportunity because of the realities of military life. Bravory exists to help close that gap. Every purchase becomes more than a transaction It becomes a practical act of support, a point of connection, and a way to turn everyday buying into real economic impact for military families.
Erin has always anchored the brand to what it truly is: not just a product, but a feeling, a community, and a calling Bravory exists to shine a light on the Homefront Hero the military spouses and families whose strength, sacrifice, and resilience so often go unseen The brand gives people a meaningful way to support that community through something simple, warm, and memorable: handcrafted treats made with purpose.
Nic, a veteran and the company’s visionary co-founder, describes Bravory’s deeper purpose in one phrase: “The Homefront Hero.” The number of Americans who serve is already small, and the spouses, caregivers, and families who carry so much of that burden often go unseen.
That insight, drawn from lived experience, is the emotional engine behind Bravory. Here, a cookie is never just a cookie. Every purchase, every partnership, and every handcrafted treat handed across the counter is part of a larger story one about belonging, resilience, and turning passive patriotism into active, everyday support.
If Bravory Bakehouse has a secret ingredient, it might be this: Erin and Nic Vandre are genuinely, productively different and they know it
Erin is the gravitational center of the operation On Sundays and Mondays, when the bakehouse is closed, she’s in the kitchen turning lab time into new recipes, refined processes, and a form of pragmatic therapy that carries her through the week. She manages the team, shapes the culture, oversees the product, runs the socials, and makes the daily decisions that a growing business requires Nic calls her the chief everything officer and he means it
“This company wouldn’t exist without Erin,” he says plainly “Her daily grind the things people don’t see are what made it what it is today ”
Nic, by contrast, operates at altitude. He is the visionary, the connector, the one building relationships, pitching the mission, and pushing the ceiling higher. He describes his role as CXO chief experience officer and while he laughs when he says it, the impact is real.
“I often think vision is underrated,” he says. “Close your eyes and see how far you get without running into something Vision is everything ”
“Erin lives in the now and makes it real. I live in the future and make it possible We need both.”
Together, they’ve built a rhythm: clear roles, constant communication, and a shared understanding that Bravory is bigger than either of them
Neither Erin nor Nic came from a traditional business background. Erin is a self-taught baker fifteen years of instinct, experimentation, and craft Nic transitioned out of the military confronting questions of identity and worth.
“Entrepreneurship forces you into the fire,” he says. “When you take full responsibility, you take your power back.”
For Erin, the lesson came through growth. Scaling meant learning to trust.
“You have to give things to your team and let them put their fingerprints on it,” she says. “That’s how you build something bigger than one person ”
That same standard is what gives Bravory its credibility: mission matters, but so does making something genuinely exceptional.
Their advice for others especially military couples is clear: define the problem you’re solving, know your market, divide roles honestly, and ask for help early
“This community wants to see you succeed,” Erin says “Let them ”
Bravory Bakehouse operates as a brick-andmortar bakery with nationwide shipping, a growing team, and a customer base drawn in not only by the quality of the product, but by the purpose behind it These are handcrafted, tailor-made treats people rave about, but what they’re really buying into is something bigger: connection, dignity, and opportunity for military families
Bravory’s vision extends far beyond the bakery case The brand is building a model that creates meaningful work for military spouses, strengthens community connection, and turns everyday purchases into real economic impact
Through alignment with organizations such as MilStreet USA, The Rosie Network, and the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce, Bravory is part of a broader movement supporting entrepreneurial education, access to resources, and the rebuilding of small businesses across the military-connected community
Those partnerships reflect a shared belief that community is strategy Not charity, but empowerment Not just awareness, but action. Not just a story, but a system of support that helps military families build, rebuild, and grow
Nic’s long-term vision is expansive: franchise locations near military installations, corporate gifting programs, a nonprofit arm, and eventually consumer products accessible nationwide making it easier for every American to participate in the mission.
Erin doesn’t use many words but when she speaks, they land
“It means representing a strong community of women who can do anything,” she says “I’m proud to be part of it ”
“I have a community of military spouses who support me. They always have. That’s why I keep going.”
It’s grounded. It’s steady. And it reflects everything Bravory is built on: clarity of purpose, pride in community, and the belief that military spouses deserve more than acknowledgment they deserve opportunity
Nic will talk about scale, expansion, and national reach Erin will show up in the kitchen and create something that makes someone feel seen.
Both are Bravory Both are necessary.
And together, they are building something very hard to ignore
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Female Military Spuse Leaders Committed to collaboration and providing resourcesfor
