I'd never had trouble finding employment, but it took time to find my “dream job”.
It was so fulfilling to have a job that I enjoyed and paid what I deserved. This made all those other jobs leading up to it worth it. Then my husband approached me about going back into the military. Of course, I support and love him, but so many things went through my mind.
First came questions about how long he would be gone and how life would be for our future military children. But I was also scared about what I would do for work. After all, I worked hard for that job!
So now I needed a flexible job, something that would follow me everywhere.
As a fellow military spouse, I know the struggle you may be facing in your job search. I firmly believe in maintaining your own identity apart from your spouse and their career, kids, chores, errands, and never-ending to-do lists. The best place to start is earning your own money doing something you enjoy that won’t fall apart every time deployment or a PCS comes up.
But where do you start? Here are 5 businesses that you can start today as a Milspouse.
Virtual assistant
For many small and large business owners, having a virtual assistant is considered vital AND a lifesaver. A virtual assistant is anyone who offers services to other business owners from afar in exchange for an agreed-upon fee. Pretty simple right?
If you break down everything that you can do as a virtual assistant, you may be surprised at the options you can provide clients. These may include any of the following:
customer support
processing online orders and refunds
website design and maintenance
graphic design
calendar management and travel arrangements
editing and proofreading content
transcription
bookkeeping
data entry
This list of tasks available for a virtual assistant is vast, and virtual assistants are always in demand.
Freelance Writer
If you enjoy writing, you may love this one. Basically, companies hire you to write blog posts, articles, interviews, and more for their site. They could be a ‘blogger’ or a business owner that needs content but does not have time to write them. You also may consider starting your own blog to build up your portfolio before pitching to other blogs, websites, and more to provide content. Blogging can be as little as a few 300-500 word posts for $20-40 each or up to $600+ for longer posts with more research required.
Social Media Influencer
Is there something you are passionate about? Something that you will discuss with anyone at any time? Maybe you are passionate about fashion, healthy meals, fitness, travel, or photography. Or perhaps you want to help others change their lives, learn a new skill, or gain insight about a specific topic. Influencing might be the right fit for you.
Influencers are creators who share content while building communities around topics and niches. Instagram is a visual platform and a great place to start. Content creators covering travel, photography, fashion, beauty, fitness, food, and more find success on Instagram, as do lifestyle influencers who share aspects of their personal lives on the platform. Influencers can be found on TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube...you name it, there is a place for social media influencers.
Social Media Manager
This is a little different than a virtual assistant. This role is focused on social media and making it work for the client. Here’s a job you can do if you have experience on social media - which most of us do! After all, social media is here to stay. Build yourself a portfolio showing that you can run groups on Facebook, work on engagement on each platform, and even come up with some sample graphics and posts. Along with Facebook, you will want to be familiar with Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. You will need to keep on top of trends and new features with each.
And do not forget about Pinterest! Did you know that Pinterest is a huge search engine? You can utilize it to help drive traffic to your client’s website and products directly through there. Setting up awesome pin graphics and scheduling them at the right time helps your client get the exposure they need.
These can all be automated to help you and your client schedule in advance. There are many scheduling options, such as Tailwind, Planoly, Post Planner, etc. You will want to discuss with your clients which ones they prefer, so ensure you are familiar with them. Many have free trials so you can get familiar with the features prior to clients requesting them.
Create/Sell a Physical Product
Can you recall a time when someone said to you, “You know, you should sell this!”? Maybe it was a screen pressed shirt you made for your kid’s 2nd birthday; some homemade decor for Christmas; a BBQ sauce you don’t even need the recipe for because it’s a part of your blood. You may also see a need for a product or something that, if created, would make life easier for others. If you have ideas like this, you can turn that into a business that will go with you wherever you are!
Take some time to brainstorm your ideas and check out the market for similar items. Then use platforms like Etsy, Amazon, Gumroad, and even military spouse specific platforms like Spouse-ly to sell your product.
Whatever route you choose, there are so many options for military spouses to become successful entrepreneurs. Find support that will make all the difference and don’t simply assume that military life can stop you from fulfilling your dreams.
Noralee Jones is a MILSO of 12 years, mom of 4, and writer/creator at Mrs. Navy Mama. Having experience with 7 deployments, 4 PCS moves alone, and the author of the Self-Care Guide for MILSOs, she is an expert on the importance of taking the time to focus on filling our bodies, minds, and souls with our individual needs in order to make the most out of our lives. She is also the Co-Author of The Newbie’s Guide to Military Life, which focuses on supporting MILSOs through the ups and downs of military life through Mrs. Navy Mama. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
