Military Entrepreneur Magazine Fall 2017

Military Family

When you use veteran and military spouse companies, or hire them, everyone wins. Because they’re looking to build their future with you, and you’re looking for top talent with integrity, leadership experience, advanced education and technical know-how.

That’s why USAA has teamed up with some of America’s leading corporations to we encourage organizations of all sizes to become a part of our mission by: • Using veteran-owned companies

• Hiring veterans and military spouses

• Supporting local veteran organizations

• Encouraging others to do the same

Join us today and start creating success for your business and America’s military families. To learn more, contact supplier.diversity@usaa.com

Message from our Founder

We selected Modern Media as the focus of this issue because of the vast number of veterans and military spouses who have chosen this as the platform for their entrepreneurial ventures. While there are no solid statistics on the number of veteran and military spouses in media, we have tracked over 120 on Rosie’s List alone.

What is Modern Media you ask? Think of ‘old’ media – basically television, radio and print. By comparison, today’s smart tvs have thousands of channels, most print media is available online, we’ve got webinars, Facebook Live and podcasts. These are all mediums that as an entrepreneur can run out of your home. No, most of us don’t have the capacity to launch a television station, but we can take advantage of YouTube, podcasts and social media to share our content.

Several of our Service2CEO cohorts are using modern media to provide services to clients and reach potential customers. I was not alone in wondering, ‘how does one make money with a podcast?’ Fortunately for you, we have some rock stars featured in this issue that will answer that question and more.

This issue will also highlight several initiatives that The Rosie Network launched this year. We hosted the second Veteran Owned Business Showcase at San Diego’s Mission Valley Mall in partnership with

Westfield Corporation. Approximately 40 local veteran and military spouse-owned small businesses were able to sell their products and services directly to the community in which they live and serve.

On October 25th, The Rosie Network joined forces with the San Diego Business Journal to bring our community the first Veteran and Military Entrepreneur Conference and Awards event. A day full of learning and networking was followed by dinner and an awards ceremony. Pictures and awardees are featured!

We at Team Rosie hope you enjoy this issue and as always, we want to hear from you. This magazine is meant to be ‘by the military entrepreneur, for the military entrepreneur.’ Email us at contact@ therosienetwork.org with your questions and suggestions!

Have a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year. See you in 2018.

Brown Proud Military Spouse CEO & Founder, The Rosie Network

Stephanie

Flexibility, in life and career planning, is a crucial trait for military spouses and a concept that Army Wife Network Owner, Crystal Niehoff, has learned to embrace. Ownership of Army Wife Network (AWN, armywifenetwork.com) wasn’t part of Crystal’s plan two years ago when the founder advertised her search for someone to “adopt” the company, but it quickly proved to be the right decision for Crystal and her family.

AWN is comprised of new and seasoned military spouses on a mission to empower the journeys of those who follow, and Crystal was ready to lead her “troop” of passionate volunteers as they work together to carry out this charge. The foundation for Army Wife Network was laid years earlier in April 2005 with the first broadcast of Army Wife Talk Radio. Since that time the podcast has grown to tens of thousands of monthly downloads and is the leading and longest-running podcast of its kind.

Crystal knew that continuing AWN’s mission wouldn’t be easy, but her Army wife heart told her it would be worth it. “Taking the reins of Army Wife Network was an intimidating venture, yet one I felt called to take on because I believe wholeheartedly in the work that we’re doing in the military spouse community.” Crystal continues, “I’ve learned that we can’t be afraid to take risks, even in the face of

possible failure. As hockey great Wayne Gretzky puts it, ‘You miss 100% of the shots you never take.’”

Since then, AWN continues to expand their extensive database of military spouse blogs and resources, now numbering in the thousands. Their online following also continues to grow, as does their volunteer team. The all-volunteer Army Wife Network Core and Support Team, Experience Blogger Team and the newly-added Social Media Squad log hundreds of volunteer hours per month to empower military spouses anywhere they are stationed. Crystal credits persistence, reliability, and the willingness to learn new skills for AWN’s steady growth. However, it’s not all about the numbers. Crystal leads with a different goal in mind. “Growing our numbers is a good sign—it means we are doing something right,” she says. “However, our greatest desire is to give back. We want to encourage military spouse hearts, offer valuable connection, and leave a positive impact on the lives of everyone we encounter, both in person and online.”

The future looks bright for Army Wife Network! “We will continue to meet today’s military spouses where they are, and we are very excited to bring back our Field Exercises with a fun, interactive, virtual twist,” says Crystal. So be sure to watch what AWN has in store for 2018!

Forging ahead, Crystal and her team will continue to serve their fellow military spouses with gratitude, dedication, and enthusiasm, as well as encouraging AWN’s followers to approach their own life calling as military spouses with the same positive and empowering attitude.

CrystalNiehoff

“You miss 100% of the shots you never take”

MODERN MEDIA’S MILITARY SPOUSE MOVER & SHAKER

Military spouse and Modern Media mover and shaker, Jen Pilcher, shares her entrepreneurial journey with M.E.MAG. Jen is the Founder and CEO of Strategic Military Communications, LLC, a registered woman-owned small business specializing in connecting brands to the military and veteran consumers. Jen is also Founder Emeritus of MilitaryOneClick.com and MilSpouseFest, which were recently acquired by Lafayette Media Group.

ROSIE: Jen Pilcher, Welcome to M.E.MAG. As a military spouse Modern Media mover and shaker, tell us a little about yourself.

JEN: I am a military spouse and entrepreneur. My husband, Ed Pilcher is a Captain in the United States Navy and has just passed 21 years of service. We’ve been married for over 19 years and have two children: Katie, 14, Griffin, 11; and three rescue dogs, Sophie, Shaina and Grover, who are currently eating their way through our home.

ROSIE: As a military spouse, what about your service do you feel equipped you to become an entrepreneur?

JEN: As a military spouse I was frustrated with the lack of ease to find resources for the military and veteran community. I decided to combine my professional experience in the communication field with my personal experience as a military spouse to create MilitaryOneClick.com, a media company bringing together the best resources, information and opportunities to the military and veteran community around the world.

ROSIE: You saw a problem and set out to create a solution. Tell us how the journey began and where you’re

I REALIzED I HAD TwO cHOIcES: gIVE UP OR DIg IN.

headed.

JEN: I loved my career, but I also wanted to create a business that I could literally work from anywhere at any time. I started MilitaryOneClick in 2011, and my first hire was a military spouse, Kate Fosson, as our web designer. Soon after, and as the budget permitted, I added Barbara Harpuder, as Director of Social Media, Suzanne Tobin as our accountant and Danya Devine, our key account manager, now the Director of MilSpouseFest events.

As we scaled with new clients, I would scale the team. I am proud that we have employed over 20 military spouses, veterans and civilians living around the globe.

Prior to being acquired, MilitaryOneClick grew from a 100% self-funded, military spouseowned small business into a profitable business as

one of the largest military media companies in the country.

ROSIE: It’s great to hear that you employed from the military spouse community and built something that benefits so many military families. Every journey has its challenges, what were some of yours and how did you overcome them?

sands of people would just magically start going to it. I naively thought companies like USAA would just call me up and say how much they love MilitaryOneClick and wanted to sponsor the whole site. When none of this happened, I was a bit shocked. I realized I had two choices: give up or dig in. So I dug in my heels as hard as I could and never gave up. Eventually MilitaryOneClick friends (that’s what we called them) started visiting the site regularly and, although it took two years, USAA did become a sponsor. They are a huge reason why MilitaryOneClick and MilSpouseFest are successful.

I am also extremely grateful for the special people at Amazon, MetLife, La Quinta, GM, USAA, and MilitaryByOwner who believed in me, our team and the mission early on.

JEN: My greatest challenge was thinking it would all happen a lot faster than it did. I assumed that we would build the website in a few weeks, then launch the site and that thou-

ROSIE: It truly takes the Right Team to be successful. One of the other key challenges is revenue. How did you monetize your efforts?

JEN: Here’s my super complicated sales strategy that I used for every MilitaryOneClick client: provide value to your clients first, even if you do it for free initially. Sometimes we had to demonstrate over and over again, for free, what we could do and how we did it differently.

For example - when we were first starting out, I read a press release that MetLife had won the new TRICARE Dental Program contract. As a military spouse, I knew this would cause a lot of confusion and misinformation. As a business woman, I knew we had an opportunity.

I was determined to be the go-to resource for the new MetLife TRICARE Dental program. To do that, we developed content for the new MetLife TDP for free, shared it on MilitaryOneClick for free, captured all of the results and sent this information for free to the person listed on the bottom of the MetLife press release.

MY gREATEST cHALLENgE wAS THINKINg IT wOULD ALL HAPPEN A LOT fASTER THAN IT DID.

Soon after I received a call from Sharla Klaus, who was in charge of the MetLife TDP account. I can remember being in my home officewhich at that time was the dining room table - chatting over the phone with Sharla, negotiating one of our first “big” contracts. More importantly than the initial $800 a month contract, we fostered an incredible relationship with MetLife, Sharla and her team eventually became one of our best partners. I am extremely grateful to Sharla, who also encouraged me to certify Strategic Military Communications, LLC as a ‘Woman-Owned Small Business’, enabling me to pursue government contracts. She was more than a client, she became a friend, a mentor and she’s a fellow Jersey girl.

This is how we earned every client. First and foremost, we offered value to the prospective client. We demonstrated how we could customize to meet the client’s needs - not our own - and most importantly, we proved our value through data and analytics. These reports were extremely time consuming, but you have to prove the ROI for your clients. Data and metrics are key in demonstrating value for new and existing clients. In my opinion, renewals are much more important and indicative of your success than signing new clients. Shower your current clients with love. They deserve it. They took a chance on you, your team and your company, when you were new. Having all of our clients renew in the year 2014 was a huge milestone for our team. It proved

we were doing something right and that was worth the wait.

ROSIE: An increasing number of active-duty military spouses are choosing to become their own bosses. What do you love about it?

JEN: As a military spouse and mom, flexibility outranked making an income when I started the company. My husband was constantly traveling around the world with the Navy and my kids were both in elementary school. While it is extremely important as a business owner to have a solid revenue stream, I also needed the flexibility that only comes with being your own boss. I used our savings account, combined with small amounts of revenue, to build the MOC team. By using the money to hire military spouses versus paying myself, I was able to “buy back time.” To be clear, flexibility is not the same thing as working part-time. As every entrepreneur knows - you spend 80 hours a week working for yourself so you don’t have to spend 40 hours a week working for someone else. The strategy to hire military spouses for job roles that would take me twice as long ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made. It’s also the one I am most

P ROVIDE VALUE TO YOUR c LIENTS f IRST , EVEN I f YOU DO IT f OR f REE INITIALLY .

proud of and as a result, the company grew faster, stronger and became the best team in the business.

ROSIE: Hiring military spouses will always be great advice in our opinion. What advice would you give other military entrepreneurs?

JEN: Entrepreneurship is the ultimate rollercoaster ride - jump in, find some other passionate people to join you, and go. You need to stop waiting for the perfect time, there isn’t

one. I took a leap of faith starting MilitaryOneClick and you need to just jump. You will learn, fix and adjust constatnly along the way - and that’s ok. Reach out to mentors and fellow founders for support. This is an extraordinary community of military entrepreneurs who want to help.

I am honored, humbled and extremely grateful to my family, friends, mentors and the team - all who helped build MilitaryOneClick and MilSpouseFest. You can reach me at http://www.jenpilcher.com. I would love to hear from you - Jen.

Scott Tucker

CEO of Be Financially Fit West Point Graduate Army veteran & The Rosie Network Service2CEO member

Q. Scott, tell us a little about yourself.

I’m the son of teachers. My mother was a kindergarten teacher and my father was a football coach and I grew up in a small town in northeast Ohio. With kind of the average, low to middle class Type family.

We were always patrio1c and enjoyed learning about American military history. When the opportunity showed up to go to West Point I thought that made the most sense. I always was the guy running around in camouflage at high school the most. I graduated West Point 2002. That was the year 9/11 happened and President Bush gave the speech at our graduation, saying that ‘we’re going to go to war with Iraq.’ I did most of my active duty time in Germany with a deployment to Iraq. Upon my return, I was a liaison officer to a Air Force fighter squadron. So it was fun to see the other aspects of the services, the ones you don’t get to appreciate as much and gain tremendous respect for them. After a short stint at EUCOM, I got out of the Army and stayed in Stuttgart Germany.

Q. What about your service do you feel equipped you to become an entrepreneur?

Actually not much. In fact, I think it kind of hurt -or slowed down- my ability to grasp the concept of entrepreneurship. Every time I thought I was being an entrepreneur I realized, ‘Oh gosh! There’s a whole other level.’ I viewed it as being self-employed or

saying I was an entrepreneur, without actually making money from that venture. We are so used to the hierarchy of the military, receiving orders and SOPs, that it pretty much dictates our everyday lives. In the military, everything makes sense. It’s easy to follow. Entrepreneurship just doesn’t work that way. For those military guys that grasp the difference quickly are the ones enjoying success. If you look at a Dan Alarik or Tom Morckes, their story shows how quickly they recognized what their real opportunity was.

Q. Scott, tell us about your business, how you started and where you’re headed.

I began while living in Germany. I joined a small financial planning firm and would operate in the traditional old school sense of ‘Hey! Let’s talk about your financial plan, mutual funds and life insurance.’ Then I’d say, “here’s what’s wrong with your plan” and show them everything they could be doing better if you would just use these products and services. That’s how the industry works and that’s what I was taught. A few years ago, when I moved to San Diego, I realized people on the internet were providing these services more effectively. They seemed that there was a certain audience that they were working with using modern tools and technology to serve their clients. Gone were the old stodgy ways where I’m in a suit and tie trying to play a role, but not being myself. I wasn’t interested in

trying to win clients over with a steak dinner or wow you with my investment returns….which by the way, neither I or any other financial planner or advisor have any control over whatsoever.

My business model is not traditional financial planning, but showing vterans how to use tools and techniques to recognize their value and what being a veteran in the United States of America in the age of modern media offers. Maybe that’s entrepreneurship, but my goal is to wake up and enjoy what I’m doing and getting paid to do it. My services are transforming how veterans look at opportunities to save and invest their money. I want to see them take control of their future, understand what the purpose of money is to them and not just hope they get picked up at a job fair.

Q. What were your greatest challenges and how did you overcome them?

This is the typical story of any entrepreneur and you hear it over and over again. First, push through the doubters. I had a lot of support, but at the same time I was always thinking a ‘little bit bigger.’ Sometimes I would notice that those around me were limited in their ability to see my vision.

– to help veterans and military families have the financial confidence to follow their gut.

Q. What do you love about being your own boss?

I just love the idea of being able to create my own community and be a leader again like I was in the Army. I get to build my own platoon, not one issued to me by the Army.

Q. What message advice would you give to other military entrepreneurs?

Recognize the value of working at this together. This is what I love about The Rosie Network’s Service2CEO cohorts. We are all on the same team. The sooner you recognize you have no competition in this group, the sooner you feel empowered. When we collaborate with each other, even with someone who may have been considered competition in the past, you quickly recognize how you can help each other succeed. Don’t do what I did and throw down a chunk of change for some ‘BIG WIG’ mastermind opportunity….get a group of five to 10 people that are at your level of business and start talking higher level tactics and strategy. It keeps you going. It’s fun to learn, share and promote each other.

Blog Posts for a background of my story. http://www. military2veteran.com/the-one-thing-you-absolutelymust-do-before-you-transition-out-of-the-military

Online at: http://befinfit.com/

Copy of my book: http://fromdeploymenttodollars. com/

Perhaps I’m

just someone who ‘thinks’ more than I can ‘do.’ Some people are better at executing and in the beginning I wasn’t quite ready to execute the way I wanted to operate. I didn’t feel I had the integrity because of the way I was originally taught. My only option was to keep moving forward, to break through to something greater. I had to keep pushing, because frankly, I am the Unemployable Veteran.

There’s no way I could hold a regular job, I would be highly ineffective. There are a lot of people out there like I was, stuck and too worried about the paycheck to jump at the opportunity to be your own boss. The decision to quit my old broker dealer and start my own RIA was not an easy one. I let a sense of loyalty hold me back from what I knew was the right thing. Another lesson I learned was to not blindly follow others just because they are successful. These hurdles slowed me down, despite what my gut was telling me. So that has become part of my mission

of Highly-Effective Entrepreneurs HABITS

MINIMIZE low-impact decision-making

To maximize energy and effort for high-impact and creative decisions, entrepreneurs need to minimize as many day-to-day choices as possible. This can be as simple as eating the same breakfast every morning or giving each day of the week a goal-related theme.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg focuses his energy on his most important decisions and completely eliminates a minor decision each of us make every single morning: what to wear today?

Mimicking Steve Jobs who wore jeans and the same black turtleneck every day, the founder of Facebook wears the same daily uniform of jeans and a hoodie.

Don’t take NO for an answer

While we champion humility, sometimes the only way forward is to ignore the naysayers and have confidence you’re on the brink of success.

Known for refusing to take no for an answer, serial entrepreneur Elon Musk simply doesn’t allow others to tell him something is impossible. He puts himself on a path with forward momentum and creates tunnel vision toward a singular, innovative goal, refusing to allow anyone to deter him.

It has been reported that 90 percent of startups fail and without complete confidence in an idea and the determination to do whatever it takes to succeed, an entrepreneur won’t make it.

Source: Entrepreneur Magazine This was originally published as a PPT presentation on 7/14/15 for Entrepreneur by Dev Tandon, Founder/CEO of The Kini Group.

Take ONE step further than everyone else

Entrepreneurs are always characterized as the people willing to take one step further than everyone else.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is the living realization of this and is known for expecting near-perfect results. She once insisted her team test 41 different shades of blue for Google search results. While some find her tenacity and dedication to perfection intimidating and daunting, she has built a career on a commitment to high-quality output and results.

Put your customers FIRST

Innovative startups start with the customer as the first priority. Entrepreneurs see a need and fill it, creating a better world for their users.

Twitter was built on the premise of quick worldwide communication, 140 characters at a time. More importantly, Twitter founders Evan Williams, Jack Dorsey, and Biz Stone were more concerned with improving usability and minimizing the infamous Fail Whales than with revenue during those early, crucial years. As a result, they built a world-changing communication engine in which his users feel like they have ownership.

Enthusiastically SHIFT gears

Many companies fail. That’s a reality. However, persistent entrepreneurs who are willing to try something different end up being the ones that ultimately succeed. Many incredible businesses and services are the second, third or even fourth attempt of an entrepreneur who just flat out refused to give up and instead decided to try something different.

When her first company, Classtivity, struggled to get off the ground, Payal Kadakia realized she was going after the wrong goal

and switched gears to create ClassPass. The startup has grown exponentially in its first two years by scheduling hundreds of thousands of fitness classes for its users, all because Kadakia was unafraid of admitting she was headed down a wrong path and willing to turn around to find a better one.

Be VISIBLE

Most entrepreneurs don’t fit the 9 to 5 mold. They work when they want (albeit, more hours than the traditional employee) and work from wherever they’d like. They understand that creative insights require new environments and experiences. Sir Richard Branson takes this to the next level by being highly visible, not only within his company but also by making himself available to his customers. He experiences Virgin Airlines firsthand, chatting with his employees and customers to get a better feel for how his company is doing. He is constantly out and about meeting new people and finding new ideas.

Stay TRUE to your company culture

Startups allow a handful of people the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind culture. ModCloth founder Susan Gregg Koger started her online retail business at 17 and built her company without any professional experience in the retail world. This led to more creative power stemming from a ͞scrappy mentality, a disregard for the direction other large retailers were taking, and, most importantly, a steadfast dedication to a social shopping experience for customers. Rookie status, in essence, helped her team think outside the box.

Years later, with a successful company under her belt, Gregg Koger encourages her team to continue channeling this rookie mentality for innovative customer engagement and company development. She sticks to the culture that consistently drives creativity instead of following in the footsteps of other successful retailers.

Growing Your Brand With Video Marketing

by Tom Ladegaard

Let’s assume your product or service is amazing, and you’re the best in your niche. Let’s also assume that your website and social media have excellent copy and images, and your hashtags are on point. Ask yourself - do you have any original video content? This factors heavily into consumers’ evaluations about doing business with you. People will buy from you after they have decided they like and trust you.

Most consumers surf the web using mobile devices, and they can access your video with the tap of a finger. This is a great opportunity to connect with your market with ease and intimacy that text or photos cannot replicate. In fact, your video can and should incorporate text and photos. This article shares insight on creating a compelling video to connect with your audience, both live and offline.

What is Your Message? Who is Your Audience?

You must develop a concise message before hitting the Record button. What point do you want to make? Viewer attention spans are short and they will take precious few seconds to decide if they are interested in your message. You therefore want to craft a brief and catchy title, and the content should be consistent. Every second in a video is valuable, so convey your message quickly and efficiently, then end the video.

You also need to consider the people who

will be watching your videos. Tailor the videos to suit your target audience. Convey your message in a way that connects with your customer base.

Live or Offline?

The first consideration is whether you want to record live or offline.

Live

We can use Facebook live, allowing our social media following to watch and engage in real time. (Other platforms allow livestreaming, but I’ll limit this discussion to Facebook.) The video remains available to be watched later, and live videos typically get the most views during replays. People do business with people they like and trust, and this is an opportunity for people to see the raw, unfiltered you. You can engage with viewers in real time and your message is broadcast instantly, without editing or uploading.

Here are some tips on how to effectively shoot a live video.

1. Post a notice 5-30 minutes in advance that you will be going live, and summarize the subject matter you’re going to discuss.

2. Post a title for your video before going live. This will increase your views. People are more likely to watch if they have a general understanding of what they’re going to see.

3. Don’t wait for viewers until you start the

message. Upon going live it can take several seconds or a couple minutes before people hop on the broadcast. Many people make the rookie mistake of saying, “I’m waiting for more people to hop on before I start.” This is disrespectful of the people who are already watching, waiting for you to start. Most live videos are viewed on replays, so don’t worry about the number of people watching in real time. Moreover, people watching the replay, having to sit through the “I’m waiting for more people…” stall, will bounce. As I was writing this section, I took a break to watch a live video from an influencer I know. He literally just opened with, “I’m going to wait a minute for more people to hop on.” Don’t do this!

4. Keep it short. Unless you are responding to real time comments from viewers, end the video once you’ve made your point. I’d rather watch a replay that is 4 minutes long instead of 45 minutes long. However, sometimes when I see new people jump on as I am wrapping up the video, I might do a quick recap of the video. For example, I might say, “To summarize,” or “The overall point is,” then repeat your thesis or main message.

Offline

While live videos have several advantages, more flexibility and depth are allowed offline. Offline videos enable you to edit and incorporate other content, such as music, logos and photos, you can create an intro/ outro and you can post your contact info and a call to action. The greatest advantage is you can keep shooting until you get it right, and flubbing a line is no big deal. You have many options at your disposal to improve the production value.

Subtitles

Subtitles are borderline mandatory. Many people are watching videos while riding public transportation or at work, with volume muted. Many people are too lazy to find and plug in headphones, so audio is often skipped. Your message will be seen by many more people if every word is typed out in subtitles, and assume your viewers are watching without audio. This entails extra work, but it pays off.

Music

5. Don’t get carried away with frequency. Speaking from experience, live broadcasting is a rush, and it’s fun to see viewers engage in real time and on replays. However, I know people who livestream every meal and random thoughts in parking lots. Too much. On the one hand, you should get over your (natural) fear of going live, but on the other hand, keep the livestream frequency in moderation.

This is where you create emotional resonance and a mood for the video. In fact, I start every video with music first, then build around the music. If a video is a house, music is the foundation. I time the clip transitions with the changes in the music and the right track just flows, like a dance. I know I just said many videos are watched muted, but you need to accommodate those with the volume on.

Be careful here. Using copyrighted music willy-nilly can get you sued. It’s one thing to use a Jack Johnson song for a family project that doesn’t get posted online, but if you use copyrighted and unlicensed music in your commercial video, you do so at your own peril. In fact, YouTube and Facebook might block the video from uploading. Do a search for royalty-free music. I have found free resources with a wide variety of music options, and I only have to give the creator a credit in the video.

Which Camera to Use?

You don’t need to invest thousands of dollars to create a good video. You have options. Live videos can be done on a phone, tablet, or even a computer with a webcam.

You can create decent videos with a smartphone. I don’t recommend creating offline videos with a phone, but they’re great for Facebook live. When using a phone, a tripod is mandatory. You can get a good one for about $20. Nobody wants to watch a shaky handheld video.

I mentioned computer because you can use your webcam to record. You can use a free video conferencing app called Zoom to record yourself. You can also use Zoom to record a client testimonial or interview others. The only limitations here are lighting and Internet connection. The video will appear blurry if you don’t have strong lighting, preferably natural, to illuminate your face. If you are recording a third party, both sides must have a stable Internet connection. If either side’s connection drops or sputters,

the video will lag and appear choppy. The video quality of Zoom interviews are hit or miss.

You can also use your computer’s webcam to broadcast using Facebook live. The same admonition about lighting and Internet connection applies.

An actual video camera is most preferable. If you don’t own one, you could borrow, rent, or hire a professional videographer. You don’t necessarily need a commercial-grade camera. I made videos with a Sony Handycam for years. A tripod is absolutely essential. So too is an external microphone. Built-in mics are not advised. You can get decent sound with a shotgun mic, which captures sound from a conical direction forward. You will get the best sound using a lavalier mic, attached to your lapel. Quality audio is paramount. People will not watch if they can’t hear you.

Speaking on Camera

Be yourself, but be your best self. You want to be authentic and real, but you also want to appear professional and competent. Never read a script – this is an absolute! I keep an index card with bullet points nearby. When shooting live I’ll glance at the card to ensure I don’t miss anything. When shooting offline I’ll deliver the same line multiple times, keeping the camera rolling, until it sounds right. Then I move to the next statement and repeat the process. This allows me to choose among several takes to find the best delivery.

Speak slowly, be articulate, smile and bring some energy. Raise your vibration with inspiring music before you shoot. You won’t connect with viewers by just talking at the camera. You need to emote.

Tom Ladegaard is a business attorney with a passion for videography. In 2016 He launched Eternal Roots – Your Custom Documentary, where he creates custom documentary videos memorializing life stories. He also creates commercial videos. Tom offers a permanent discount to veterans and active duty. www.eternal-roots.com

Mission: Small Business Finance

An initiative dedicated to supporting veterans, active military and spouses in getting the capital needed to start or grow a business.

ANNOUNCING

THE ROSIE LOAN

MOBILIZING ROSIE NETWORK ENTREPRENEURS

We thank you for serving our country and look forward to supporting the growth and success of your business.

• Multiple loan programs designed specifically to help you thrive as an entrepreneur

• Loans to help you start or buy a business, buy commercial real estate, purchase inventory or equipment or hire new employees and more...

DESIGNED TO EMPOWER YOU

CDC Small

Business Finance Work with the nation’s leading small business lender. As a nonprofit organization with over 39 years of experience, we help you find the loan to support your long-term success and growth.

Founding Partner

Providing you with the entrepreneurial programs and support services that specifically support the military community is a shared mission between The Rosie Network and CDC Small Business Finance.

ADVISING + TRAINING SERVICES

• 1:1 Business Advising Services (can include credit building)

• Service2CEO Curriculum designed to improve the opportunity to secure a small business loan including:

- Preparing Financial Records

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- How to Get Loan Ready Learn more at www.therosienetwork.org/service2ceo.php

FINANCING FOR THE ROSIE NETWORK:

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Learn more at www.cdcloans.com/veteran-small-business

Let’s talk: loaninfo@cdcloans.com

To honor and celebrate Veteran’s Day, The Rosie Network and Westfield Corporation were proud to feature local veteran and military spouse-owned small businesses at the Westfield Mission Valley Mall in San Diego. The Rosie Network ‘Veteran Owned Showcase’ allowed military entrepreneurs an opportunity to set-up and sell their products directly to consumers – at no cost to them.

‘This is the second showcase we’ve hosted with Westfield Corporation,’ said Stephanie Brown, CEO of The Rosie Network, ‘and we look forward to growing this program in other cities outside San Diego.’

Live music performed by Classic Buzz, a local band featuring Navy veteran, Steve Payne, was a huge hit with the crowd. Shoppers enjoyed Navy veteran BIG DEV’s BBQ, grilled and served hot on site. Kids tested their physical prowess at the obstacle course set up by retired SEAL, Nick North of North American Fitness and Health (NAFH) and expressed their creativity and thanks by decorating personal messages to our nation’s veterans. Food donations were accepted on behalf of the USO food drive.

Veteran Business Showcase at Mission Valley Mall in San Diego. Photos by Zoe Cooper Photography (zoecooperphotography.com)

The military entrepreneurs attending showcase, Landfair Legacy Creations, Rustic Touch by Lori, North American Fitness and Health, Big Dev’s BBQ, Swedish Sweets and More, Damsel in Defense, Wholesome Kitchen, Industrial Grind Coffee, Sipsee portable bottle stoppers, Free at Heart, Hello Mermaid, Simple Laces, Heather Beatty Photography, Brandee Jordan, Mary Kay, Jacki Smith with Keller Williams, Classic Buzz Band, JDOG Junk Removal Franchise. All can be found at rosieslist.org

Left: Landfair Legacy Creations original greeting cards. Right: Wholesome Kitchen

Left & Center: Navy veteran-owned Sipsee. Right: Swedish Sweets & More.

Left & Center: Free at Heart Boutique. Right: Rustic Touch by Lori

Left: Stick With It. Right: Simple Laces

L: Brandee Jordan with Mary Kay Cosmetics. C: Salute to Service greeting cards. R: Feeding the crowd was BIG DEV’s “Down Home” BBQ!

Left & Center: Navy Spouse-owned Hello Mermaid. Right: Great holiday shopping!

Left: JDOG Junk Removal. Center: Industrial Grind Coffee. Right: Jacki Smith with Keller Williams.

North American Fitness & Health kept the kids busy with its outdoor obstacle course!

On board the USS Midway Museum in San Diego with USS Midway Foundation President, Dan Beintema. The Rosie Network was honored with a 2017 Pillars of Freedom Grant through the USS Midway Foundation.

Supply Chain Management Firm to Deploy Franchising Opportunity For Veterans

The industry’s leading supply chain engineering and technology firm, which has spent more than 70 years servicing customers, plans to branch out and create entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans.

By Leah Polakoff

We live in a day and age where a considerable amount of businesses are at risk for automation and offshoring—one in four American jobs are in jeopardy of being transferred overseas and nearly half are susceptible to automation, according to a Ball State University study.

And the manufacturing industry (the second top employer of veterans) has proven to be the market with the highest drop in unemployment, declining by almost 5.5 million jobs since 2000.

But amidst a constantly shifting marketplace, the supply chain industry is one of few that continue to thrive, generating over $10 billion in revenue (and that’s expected to increase to over $16 billion by 2020). U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics predicted that by 2018, there will be 1.4 million new jobs in the logistics and supply chain field1

“No matter what you look at in today’s environment, there are jobs that are going by the wayside because they’re not needed any longer, due to the introduction and use of new technologies,” says Troy Michaels, an Army and National Guard veteran who now serves as the manager of audit and supply chain sourcing at Nexterus. “But until someone can figure out how to move freight from point A to point B electronically, which is probably never going to happen, the transportation industry, the supply chain side of it, will continue to be there, and it will continue to

grow.”

After leading the industry for more than 70 years, Nexterus (nexterus.com) will soon introduce a new opportunity, launching a franchising program with ownership options available across the U.S. Beginning in early 2018, Nexterus will seek qualified professionals who will act as entrepreneurs, consultants, and valued resources for their clients. Military veterans with logistics experience, supply chain industry professionals, and existing industry entrepreneurs who are looking to take their industry to the next level are ideal candidates.

Sam Polakoff, president and CEO of Nexterus, says that Nexterus franchisees will play a crucial role in serving their communities while utilizing best in-class supply chain processes and technologies. And, he wants to help veterans achieve their dream of business ownership.

A business model that has stood the test of time. Since its origin in 1946, Nexterus has continued to meet the ongoing demands and ever-changing needs of the supply chain industry. The firm was started by Abraham Allan Polakoff (grandfather of the company’s current owner, Sam Polakoff).

“My grandfather Abraham was a lawyer from Brooklyn and was having difficulty finding steady work, so he moved his family to Baltimore in 1942 and took a job as a transportation manager for what was

then Seagram’s Whiskey,” says Polakoff. “He worked for them for several years and when the gentleman who previously had his position returned from World War II, they gave him his job back and my grandfather was out of work. He was already a lawyer, and now he had this special interest in transportation regulation, so he combined his two areas of expertise and began a consulting firm, which he called Transportation Bureau of Baltimore. He opened up shop as a oneman consultant in Baltimore City in 1946.”

Upon Abraham’s passing in 1967, his son, Jay Polakoff, took over the family business. Jay transformed the small consulting firm, eventually renaming it TBB Global Logistics and introducing the world’s first outsourced transportation management company for small- and mid-sized companies. And in 2000, his sons, Sam and Phil, succeeded their father as coowners of the company. In 2015, Sam became the sole owner, and led a corporate rebrand, changing the business’ name from TBB Global Logistics to Nexterus, in order to better define the firm’s core services. Still advocating for small and mid-sized business owners, Nexterus aims to level the playing field by identifying, procuring, and delivering the same supply chain software and engineering talent utilized by the largest companies in the world, but in a scalable and affordable manner.

With Polakoff’s new franchising initiative, he hopes to provide the same opportunity for businessmen and women in similar situations to his grandfather. “We want to go back in history to create the future,” he says. “It’s evolution that has led our company to where it is now.”

While transportation used to be the entire picture, now it’s just one important piece of the supply chain puzzle. “We refer to ourselves as a supply chain engineering and technology firm,” says Polakoff. “So what we try to do is help business owners of small and mid-sized companies figure out what their global supply chain looks like in the present time, as well as how it can and should function in the future, based on growth projections and goals.”

What does this mean? Nexterus can be a valuable resource for any company that has a factory, warehouse, customer or supplier. Utilizing state-

What exactly is supply chain?

Supply chain companies oversee the tasks involved in product manufacturing and distribution. Nexterus uses a diagram to define its services, following the acronym PSMDR for Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Return.

“This is called the lifecycle of a product,” says Sam Polakoff, president and chief executive officer of Nexterus. “Say you were going to make a chair: You plan the make of the chair, source across the world to identify where you’re going to get the parts: the upholstery, the metal for the frame, the hardware that keeps the chair together. You’ll bring those parts into a factory, and manufacture that chair, then ship it to your customers. There’s Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and if something needed to be returned, you’ll bring it back through the supply chain from your customer to the place of manufacture or distribution.”

1.Devaraj, Srikant, Michael J. Hicks, Emily J. Wornell, and Dagney Faulk. “How Vulnerable Are American Communities to Automation, Trade, & Urbanization?” (n.d.): n. pag. Ball State University. Center for Business and Economic Research Rural Policy Research Institute Center For State Policy, 19 June 2017. http://projects.cberdata.org/123/how-vulnerable-are-american-communities-to-automation-trade-urbanization 2. “The Veteran Labor Force in the Recovery.” DOL Special Reports - The Veteran Labor Force in the Recovery. United States Department of Labor, 3 Nov. 2011. https://www.dol. gov/_sec/media/reports/veteranslaborforce/ 3. Devaraj, Srikant, Michael J. Hicks, Emily J. Wornell, and Dagney Faulk. “How Vulnerable Are American Communities to Automation, Trade, & Urbanization?” (n.d.): n. pag. Ball State University. Center for Business and Economic Research Rural Policy Research Institute Center For State Policy, 19 June 2017. http://projects.cberdata.org/123/how-vulnerable-are-american-communities-to-automationtrade-urbanizationps://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/dk/Documents/process-and-operations/2015%20MHI%20Industry%20Report.pdf

of-the-art modeling software called Supply Chain Guru by Llamasoft, (one of the most powerful modeling software programs in the world), Nexterus employees use Guru and Fusion Center, its proprietary transportation management system (TMS), to help

business owners achieve and manage their boldest visions and dreams.

“Do they want to open a new sales territory? Do they want to introduce a new product? Do they want to merge with a competitor? Do they want to change a key global supplier? We look at the company’s current state and then use Supply Chain Guru to model how their supply chain would change, and how it could improve and become more efficient, to help that business owner make solid, strategic decisions,” says Polakoff.

Why invest in Nexterus?

“Nexterus has always had a profound respect for the military and the sacrifice that the men and women in the different branches of the military make to preserve our freedom and protect our country,” says Polakoff. “We’d like to offer this new opportunity to the men and women who have served as officers in military logistics units across different branches of the military. As a Nexterus franchise owner, they’re certainly going to be working in business development within their territory, but they’re also going to be working as supply chain consultants. And I think ultimately, that’s where a veteran would really want to spread his or her wings.”

And Polakoff and his team will provide new owners the guidance, support, and resources they need to be successful. The dedicated and experienced Nexterus team will be there to help franchisers establish their business, create early revenue streams, and offer numerous resources to bolster short and long-term success.

Nexterus franchise owners will act as business development managers within their markets to identify and contract with new clients, provide professional solutions and guidance and actively manage the client relationship on a long-term basis. An additional benefit is the ease of starting a sales and service-based business from a home office, as well as the flexibility to establish as a professional office as the business evolves.

“Nexterus has always been interested in supporting the veteran community and hiring veterans and contributions to local charities,” says Sean Sabre, chief operating officer at Nexterus. “If you’re a logistics core veteran in any of the branches, this entrepreneurial business opportunity is the one you’ve been looking for. There are a lot of beauty salons and restaurants, but there are not a lot of opportunities within the logistics field. And Nexterus will hopefully be at the top of the list.”

Nexterus will offer all franchisees:

Stand-up assistance: including the approval of your protected territory and advice on setting up your business office.

Ample training: at both the corporate support center in New Freedom, Pennsylvania, and on-site in your local area, to ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running when you launch your business.

Guidance on local sales and marketing efforts: including the provision of approved marketing tools and materials, presence on the company’s comprehensive and content-rich corporate website, articles, descriptions of services and solutions, and more. You’ll even be provided with access to leads generated by Nexterus on your behalf, including existing clients and multi-location businesses.

Access to approved suppliers and technology tools: Nexterus’s customized and proprietary software programs, including the exclusive business management platform, Fusion Center, which are designed to help maximize sales, effectively provide services, and better manage business functions.

Significant technical support: Nexterus is committed to being available by telephone or e-mail to assist in day-to-day operations. Plus, you and your clients will have access to the Central Call Center and Technical Help Desk—so you can better focus on business development and client management.

A confidential operations manual: This invaluable resource details everything from establishing your business to daily operating procedures, reporting and forms, marketing and sales, contracts, working with suppliers, and other important business functions.

Ongoing support: Nexterus can provide on-demand refresher training as well as periodic visits to your office to consult on operations and evaluate the performance of your business to ensure you’re operating in top form at all times

Launching in Early 2018…

An opportunity logistically engineered just for you!

Since 1946, Nexterus has been the choice of small and medium sized business owners looking to model, optimize and manage global supply chains. In 2018, veterans like you with military logistics experience will have the chance to own a Nexterus franchise.

Help business owners achieve their boldest vision with strategies and tactics similar to those deployed by the world’s largest companies. Streamline inventory, craft distribution plans, manage transportation and more!

The possibilities are endless. The world is literally at your fingertips. Be among the first* to join Nexterus as a franchise owner.

To learn more about our franchising program, call Sam Polakoff at 800-937-8224, ext. 540.

Babette Maxwell

Military Spouse & Modern Media Mogul

by Babette Maxwell

As a kid, my dad always said to leave the world a better place than you found it. He wasn’t necessarily talking about the world at large but rather your sphere of influence, the lives that you personally impact. I grew up an Army brat and married into the Navy. The military is all I know, and after 9/11, I knew I had to fill a need. A need so big and so vast it seemed impossible at the time. Military spouses needed a voice, something that belonged to only us, spoke only to us and was only about us.

And, so I built that something.

When I started Military Spouse magazine it was with the hope of leaving my world a better place somehow. The vision included building a brand for all military spouses, which was a huge challenge at the time because just a short 16 years ago the military community was far less purple than it is now. The services

were very autonomous and didn’t always communicate across branches. So, we began changing our nomenclature; base or post became installation and well, we removed rank from most of our content and conversation.

We also quit saying and writing wife, and began the process of calling EVERYONE a spouse. It didn’t roll off the tongue as easily as it does now, but eventually it became second nature and by year three it was old hat. Being a military spouse was a thing, and we broke down barriers.

Solutions to barriers like careers, working from home and moving with a job were nearly unheard of. To show that military spouses are a viable workforce we created Military Spouse Friendly Employers, with a very robust methodology, to show corporate America that military spouses are worth any risk and added extraordinary value to their talent pools.

Through the Military Spouse of the Year Award Program in 2008, we began recognizing accomplishment and achievements through merit-based policies. Awarding military spouses with recognition and exposure showed the world that being a military spouse was an extraordinary thing: beautiful, talented, accomplished, educated, trained, tenacious and willing to risk it all to HAVE it all.

And, slowly, the conversation changed. Through relevant content and fact-based information, panels of military spouses began taking shape, invitations to include military spouses at the proverbial decision making tables were received, and the wheels began to move. Content included things military spouses were doing around the world, how they were changing their own spheres of influence and impacting lives around each of them.

“I was exhausted in ways I had never experienced and quite literally stretched so thin I was certain I’d snap at any moment.”

Visit taskandpurpose.com

I don’t know that I would change anything about what I started. I did not know publishing or journalism when I began my business. I’m a mechanical engineer by education with a heavy emphasis on thermodynamics. I’m also a problem solver. I taught myself everything I needed to know to get my business off the ground. I had a SCORE counselor until he asked me if I was sure I wanted to start a magazine, and had I talked it over with my husband. I knew then, as I know now, that I was on the right track.

But there were days, solo parenting three boys under the age of 5, where I was certain I wasn’t. I was exhausted in ways I had never experienced and quite literally stretched so thin I was certain I’d snap at any moment. Somehow, I’d reach inside and find a few more minutes, a few more hours, a few more words to keep going. And, I’m glad I did.

My advice is this: Someday everyone’s life will flash before their eyes. So, make sure you want to watch it.

M.E. Mag is the only tax-exempt quarterly publication ‘by and for the military entrepreneur’ reaching over 360,000 active-duty, retired and military dependents in the Southwest region alone. M.E. MAG has received authorization for distribution on military installations nationwide and through military transition assistance packets, community service centers and email messaging. Our readers understand business and the military community. To learn more about sponsorship, advertising or feature opportunities contact Dayna Klock dklock@therosienetwork. org, 619-818-5968.

M.E. MAG is published by The Rosie Network a nonprofit 501c3 therosienetwork.org

2017 and Conference & Awards VETERAN MILITARY ENTREPRENEUR

Although San Diego has a long-standing tradition and rich history with the military, there has not been an event dedicated to educate and celebrate military entrepreneurs and businesses that lead as employers and advocates. The event

The conference included breakout training sessions on Funding, Branding, Cyber Security and Women in Entrepreneurship. Attendees also participated in “Lunch with the Experts” where they chose a topic and industry expert to sit with during lunch where informal discussions could take place. The room was buzzing with interaction and conversation.

"I have been involved in business journal events around the country for more than 30 years, but I have never been more gratified or honored to celebrate a group of rising business stars," said Huntley Paton, President and Publisher, San Diego Business Journal.

NRSW San Diego Color Guard

The dinner awards recognized 9 winners selected by an independent panel of judges from various categories including Best Entrepreneur in Small, Medium and Large Company Categories, Best Company Owned by A Military Spouse, Best Military Advocate for Military Entrepreneurship and Best Entrepreneur Startup Company Category. Table centerpieces were filled with various products and services from Veteran, Military Spouse and Military Family owned businesses and auctioned to help raise funds for The Rosie Network to further the nonprofit’s mission and expand Service2CEO; a 12-month no cost business training and development program for military entrepreneurs looking to launch and grow small businesses.

One of the evening highlights was honoring 91 year “young” Rancho Bernardo resident Ida Tagliaferri for her efforts as a World War II “Rosie the Riveter.” She became very emotional as she received a standing ovation.

“Events like this are important because it celebrates the contributions that our veteran and military spouse-owned businesses make to our community, The funding raised also allows us to empower the next generation of military entrepreneurs.” said Stephanie Brown, CEO and Founder of The Rosie Network

Women: The Growing Face of Entrepreneurship

Honoring a San Diego living Rosie the Riveter

Lunch with the Experts

We look forward to building on the success of this event! If your company would like to sponsor the 2018 Veteran & Military Entrepreneur Conference and Awards, please contact Dayna Klock at dklock@therosienetwork.org.

To view more photos, please visit http://therosienetwork.org/vmeca/

Special guest speakers included Jerry Sanders, President and Chief Executive Officer, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Larry Broughton, former US Army Green Beret and President and CEO of Broughton Hotels.

The Honorable Althea Coetzee Leslie, Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration and Lars Herman, Founder & President Herman Construction Group, US Navy Veteran and 2017 SBA California Small Business Person of the Year.

SBA’s Barbara Carson and the HON Leslie with Stephanie Brown and Huntley Paton, President, SDBJ

SPONSORS

Thank you to the Conference Sponsors: USAA, Bank of America, CDC Small Business Finance, Armed Forces Insurance, Herman Construction Group, Inc., Departure, Assured Strategies, Mindful Mills and Ashford University and to the Evening Award Sponsors: Tri- City Medical Center, City of San Diego, Wells Fargo and Cox who all made this momentous event possible.

Marketing Melodie hosting Facebook Live onsite.

Celebrating San Diego’s Military Entrepreneurs.

VMECA WINNERS

Best Advocate for Military Entrepreneurship

Best Executive, Private Company

Best

Best

Michael

Best

Flossie Hall, Navy spouse and CEO of Healthy Momma

Best Entrepreneur, Startup Company

Best

Best

Best

Award paddles were handcrafted by

James Hintzke. For SEALs, the Trident represents the most difficult element to operate in – we felt this was appropriate, as the same may be said about entrepreneurship! To view more of James’ products, visit his Rosie’s List profile page: http://www.rosieslist.org/architectural-renaissance-tech

Jim Fitzsimmons, retired Marine, attorney and SCORE mentor

Entrepreneur, Nonprofit Organization

David Charbonnet, retired SEAL, CEO of VIP NeuroRehabilitation Center

Executive, Public Company

Richard Pascoe, Army veteran, CEO of Apricus Biosciences, Inc.

Johnson, Ret. Navy, Founder of Premier Mechanical Group, Inc.

Company Owned by a Military Spouse

Dr. Eric Venn-Watson, Navy veteran and Co-Founder, Epitracker, Inc.

Entrepreneur, Small Company

Mike Chiesl, retired Marine, Founder of The Mike Chiesl Group

Entrepreneur, Medium Company

Lars Herman, Navy veteran, President of Hermon Construction Group, Inc.

Entrepreneur, Large Company

Alan Lerchbacker, Navy veteran, CEO Naval Coating, Inc.

retired Navy SEAL,

The Rosie Network featured baskets filled with products and services provided by local San Diego veteran and military spouse-owned businesses. A special thank you to those who donated to support the evening’s fund raising effort on behalf of the The Rosie Network’s Service2CEO incubator program. Mindful Mill, Bottle Breacher, Predator Warpaint, Swedish Swets and More, Alpha Coffee, Country Rebel, Learn Dad, Dearie’s Delectables, EnCompass Background Search, Fly Babies Embroidery, Navigation Apparel, Infinitely Fit

Virtual Military Entrepreneur Resource Center

The Rosie Network is excited to announce the launch of our online Military Entrepreneur Resource Center (MERC). A virtual portal on therosienetwork.org where you can find business resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Things to look for:

• Monthly Rosie Talks video training sessions facilitated by subject matter experts in business, planning, accounting, marketing, legal issues, and more

• Exclusive discounts and specials available to all Rosie Member Businesses

• Frequently asked questions

• Information from experts in all areas of entrepreneurship

• And much more

Is your business registered on Rosie’s List? It’s FREE! Visit www.rosieslist.org

MARINE CORP SPOUSE CONQUERS MILITARY LIFE THROUGH MEDIA

Kristine Schellhaas success as an entrepreneur and nationally known advocate for military families is the result of her unwavering passion and fearless commitment to helping others. She founded USMC Life to inspire, connect and educate military families helping millions of readers each year. Kristine’s award-winning memoir, 15 Years of War, was released in 2016.

to Iraq, one to Afghanistan).

Last year, my husband retired from the Marine Corps. Today, we’re still figuring out our new normal, but being able to spend quality time together is something we don’t take for granted.

When I met my future husband, I was living life full-throttle: working just under full time, going to school full-time, and celebrating life fully. We dated for several years and he began making efforts to rejoin the Corps. By then, I loved this man fiercely, but the idea of becoming a military spouse was scary – deployments, the potential for war, moving away from loved ones and the unknown was almost paralyzing.

September 11th hadn’t happened yet, so I asked myself what future wars would look like? Eventually, I came to the conclusion that they’d be similar to Desert Storm: short in duration with little loss of life. Then life as we knew it was forever changed on 9/11.

I lived through the ups and downs of being married to an active duty Marine for more than 15 years to include 3 children, 3 moves and 5 deployments (three

I never once dreamt of anything other than having a professional identity, but after marrying my Marine, I found that an opportunity of having a professional career (not just a series of “jobs”) were as likely as me winning the lottery. I felt that I was being branded as a military spouse and with it the professional kiss of death.

No matter where we moved, I couldn’t kill that drive inside me to do something. I became an avid volunteer and used my natural instincts of being a connector to help others on their journey to find resources and information. Never in a million years did I ever think I’d ever become an entrepreneur or a writer, but that natural gift of wanting to help others opened up possibilities that I would have never sought out, had I not been forced to look for new opportunities.

I’m more of an accidental entrepreneur… I never set out to start a company, I simply started a website in 2009 to help make life easier for Marine Corps families (USMC Life (www.usmclife.com). I decided to put down all the ‘what you wished you would have known’ online so families could PCS more successfully. Later, I added resources, news, information, and videos.

The site took off and filled a need in the community,

Kristine Schellhaas author photo by Ryan Elizabeth Ward

No matter where we moved, I couldn’t kill that drive inside me to do something.

growing to 2.5 million people a month in social media and website traffic. I sold the website in January, 2015 after receiving an offer I couldn’t refuse. I knew that I needed a partner to move the site into its next phase. After selling the site, I began writing a book to try to explain what life has been like for our family dealing with constant war and deployments. After all, it was the question I was asked the most, “What’s it really like and how do you do it?”

I also realized that our military generation didn’t have the letters and mementos saved like those generations who served before us and our generation’s story could be easily missed. I began piecing together all the correspondence passed between me and my husband over his combat deployments and painstakingly stitched together years of emails.

It took me back to a time and place that I had very much forgotten about – all those small details and memories during his deployments. My book 15 Years of War was released and has won 3 awards to date. Today, I speak about those lessons learned including being a mom, military spouse, entrepreneur, and writer.

Balancing work and home life is really difficult. I work all the time. Seriously. All.the.time. It’s difficult to actually step away from work because I have that

Schellhaas family — photo by Ryan Elizabeth Ward Photography

Most of the time, I had to research and figure out how to solve my own problems.

nagging drive that says, just go online for a few minutes and see what’s going on. It turns into hours, but it’s also what has made me successful today.

Another difficult aspect of entrepreneurship is not having resources that mainstream organizations have. I had to budget for everything I did, so hiring a team member or consultant to help me with the latest challenge wasn’t always an option. Most of the time, I had to research and figure out how to solve my own problems.

ties with people and companies I admired. Almost all of them refused to return an email. It was extremely disappointing, especially when I reached out to companies whose primary mission is supporting military spouses. Then there were the rare people who did reply with a small piece of advice or feedback – it was always motivating and encouraging. Because of that experience, I always make it a point to answer emails and do whatever I can to support others.

Eventually, I got to the point where there weren’t enough hours in the day and brought on two employees and several volunteers. Without these military spouses, my business would not have been as successful as it was.

I loved being an entrepreneur because I could work anytime and anywhere. I didn’t have to worry about who has to stay home with the kids on snow days, who can take the kids to sports, or worry about asking for several weeks of vacation time when we go home on vacation.

I can’t imagine a better fit for military spouses than entrepreneurship. I think that’s partly why we see so many direct sales consultants in our community; spouses want to find a way to earn extra money and create a portable career. Not only is this a strong motivation, but our servicemembers don’t have the luxury of playing the normal role of mom or day; they deploy often and work long hours. Throw kids in the mix and it’s exponentially more difficult to manage sick days, before/after school care, business trips and more.

If you want a really successful business, you have to earn it. Plenty of people want to own their own businesses, but it’s not just going to magically happen just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work more hours and spend more money than you think. I’ve helped a few friends start businesses that end up fizzling out because they simply haven’t wanted to put the work in to keep it going. You’re not going to get immediate results, so you have to want it in the end.

I also think you need to give to others. When I first started, I looked for advice and networking opportuni-

Finally, remember that you’re never going to do it all on your own. I owe my business success to the followers who shared my content and remembered to step back, think critically and adjust when I received criticism. My volunteers and staff have supported the site because they truly believe in it. Organizations have provided some amazing opportunities for me to develop as not only an entrepreneur but as an individual. I’m truly thankful.

USMC Life: Inspired, Connect, Educate. http://usmclife.com/ Kristine Schellhaas: Author, Speaker, Coach http://kristinespeaks.com/ https://twitter.com/kristinespeaks https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristineschellhaas

15 Years of War: How the Longest War in U.S. History Affected a Military Family in Love, Loss, and the Cost Of Service.

I can’t imagine a better fit for military spouses than entrepreneurship.

You’re going to have to work more hours and spend more money than you think.

JOCKO WILLINK is a decorated retired Navy SEAL officer, author of the book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and cofounder of Echelon Front, where he is a leadership instructor, speaker, and executive coach. Jocko spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer. As commander of SEAL Team THREE’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War. Jocko returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. There, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield.

us that know him, know that he has a great sense of humor, an infectious laugh and a love of family. We’ve included a pic of Jocko actually smiling… okay, may be just grinning. Seriously though, even if joining the SEAL teams is not in your future, we strongly recommend listening in to Jocko’s podcast, you will no doubt be motivated to #GetAfterIt.

During his career, Jocko was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards. In 2010, Jocko retired from the Navy and launched Echelon Front with Leif Babin where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. Clients include individuals, teams, companies and organizations across a wide-range of industries and fields. Jocko may come across as all serious – he certainly has the man-scowl down – but those of

Interestingly, veterans from the special operations community are twice as likely to start their own business than those who are not. We refer to this as the Battlefield to Behind-the-Desk syndrome… when you’ve been in the battlefield, you are less likely to find the behind-the-desk type job as challenging or rewarding as being your own boss.

We have certainly seen a wide range of businesses founded by special operators, from leadership training and custom hunting gear, to technology innovators and gifted artists. One thing they have in common is a level of determination and discipline that often puts the rest of us mere mortals to shame.

With over 150,000 followers on Twitter (@ jockowillink) and a New York Times bestselling author, retired Navy SEAL Commander, Jocko Willink is also an American podcast titan. His newest book, Discipline Equals Freedom, should find a space in your library and if you have kids, we highly recommend Way of the Warrior Kid, read by Jocko and his son, Thor. Both can be found on his podcast link below. Moving into the modern media space was a natural extension for Jocko…whose personal branding includes workout gear and supplements that he uses himself, Joint Warfare and Super Krill Oil. Shop at www.JockoStore.com.

Excerpt from www.JockoPodcast.com

Each issue, we feature several veteran and military spouse-owned companies as part of our mission to promote our nation’s military entrepreneurs. Of course, with the holidays fast approaching, we are happy to bring you our Holiday Buying Guide. Remember, the choice is yours, so support a military entrepreneur and #BuyMilitaryFamily-Owned on Rosie’s List! (www.RosiesList.org)