An Army spouse for 20 years, Kimberly Bacso is the co-founder of InDependent, a non-profit group that encourages and supports wellness to help military spouses navigate home, marriage, and motherhood one duty station at a time.
I was so grateful to learn more about Kimberly’s story and where she is today:
InDependent
During one of her family’s tours in Germany, Kimberly was talking with other military spouses on social media regarding a recent article that showed a military officer retention difficulty because their spouses wanted more than military life. So she commented that rather than sit here and complain or be victims, let’s do something about it!
After teaching her yoga class, a few military spouses approached her. They talked and realized that there needed to be a wellness organization just for military spouses. There are several wellness options for service members and even military children, but military spouses were overlooked at the time. So they set out to create a virtual space where military spouses can come together to find inspiration, friendship, and accountability.
The Mission of InDependent
Their mission is to make wellness accessible and to give opportunities for all military spouses to connect for friendship, accountability, and inspiration. There is often a misconception that wellness is expensive, and many military families believe that it is not accessible. Perhaps it's because military spouses move too much or have too many other responsibilities. InDependent wants to debunk that and show that wellness is accessible for all who want/need it and to give tangible support and opportunities along the way.
Work + Life Harmony
With all the hats that she wears, Kimberly admits that a work+life balance or harmony can be a daily struggle. “It is easy to let work be the loudest voice”. Kimberly is determined to not let her own wellness go by the wayside. She sets specific boundaries with when she works and how much time she spends away from her family. She makes sure to leave her weekends free and sets aside specific time to spend with her daughter and her own wellness.
Success in Entrepreneurship is Not Always Measurable
Kimberly believes that success for her is being given opportunities she would not otherwise have. “I now have things on my resume that I didn’t go to school for or have specific training for.” She also feels that she has been able to stay current with a lot of business practices and procedures, including workflows and much of the technology. Since InDependent is still considered a “start up”, the success will continue to grow, and she is hopeful that her work will assist her more financially in the future.
Their Biggest Challenge
Kimberly says that the biggest challenge, which continues to this day, is convincing people that military spouse wellness is important. “We do not have to be an organization that helps veterans, children, and such. We deserve to have programs built just for us”. They have been sticking to their guns and this mission moving forward.
The passion that Kimberly and the rest of the team with InDependent have for military spouse wellness is unmatched. This drive and focus pushes them forward in spite of any setbacks they encounter. Kimberly encourages others on this journey to look to collaborate with new creative energy to keep the passion alive and to not lose momentum.
Her Advice for New Entrepreneurs
Kimberly believes that when starting a new business, it is important to look to see what is available already before starting something new, especially in the non-profit space. You may find that you can partner with someone who is already established; you could use your energy more wisely and find strength in the togetherness instead of diversifying the space so much it loses its effectiveness.
She recommends a space like AMSE especially for this. It is not just a resource but a community to collaborate and help one another.
What Support Does She Needs Right Now?
There is so much power in word-of-mouth marketing, and Kimberly knows that the more InDependent is talked about and shared, the greater impact it will have. She wishes that all military spouses will use their influence for good and share the mission and resources that InDependent has to offer. Additionally, Kimberly shared that InDependent wants to move into the “in-person” stage of the business, which requires more support from sponsors.
How InDependent is Moving Forward
InDependent wants to move forward and diversify, keeping their goal and mission in mind to include ALL military spouses. This means being inclusive of all the branches, male spouses, different ages, and diverse cultures. InDependent’s goal when it comes to military spouse wellness is to create relevant content that is fun, engaging, and helpful for all who need it.
“InDependent promotes wellness and community to military spouses. To Impact the Heart of the Home is to influence the wellness of our service members and future generations.
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If you would like more information on InDependent and the services they offer, please visit them here.
Noralee Jones is a MILSO of 12 years, mom of 4, and writer/creator at Mrs. Navy Mama. Having experiences 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 and 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.
