How to Fuel Business Growth with Partnerships

One of my most cherished memories during our tour in Japan is that of lying down under a magnificent sakura (cherry blossom) tree in the middle of Tokyo’s Shinjuku Gyoen. In full bloom,  the sakura trees are a wonder to behold, and each one of those trees began as a tiny seed. They did not grow into becoming spectacular trees overnight or by themselves. It took time, careful cultivation, and various elements to nourish them to flourish into the glorious wonder that they are. 

Growing a business is the same; it does not develop overnight or itself. There are a lot of factors that contribute to its prosperity, and one of them is partnerships. 

A partnership is a relationship between two entities wherein both parties agree to support and cooperate to advance their mutual interests, achieve their mission, and amplify their reach. To take the intimidation out of the concept of partnership, think of it as dating. You need to go through stages to navigate through it successfully.

Plot Your Vision

If you have not done so yet, create a vision of what you want your business to be. Where do you want it to be in the future? What do you want to achieve? Think of your business potential and articulate what you aspire your business to be.  

Identify Your Ideal Partner

Now that you know where you are going and what you want to achieve, you can start strategically identifying the organizations you want to align your business. It is important to consider having similar values with the partners you seek. It is a relationship, and you need to understand each other on a certain level for your relationship to succeed. 

Get Out There 

You cannot sit on your hands and wait for your ideal partner to come knocking on your door. Time is a resource that we can never regain when lost, and waiting for them to come to you is wasting opportunities for you to grow. Network, network, network! Make LinkedIn your best friend and search for key personnel in the organizations on your ideal partners' list. If you have a mutual connection, ask for a warm introduction. If not, do not be afraid to send that connection request and say hello. Another great way to find relationships s is by attending networking events in your industry or sphere of influence. AMSE has masterclasses on how to successfully navigate networking in today’s business environment, so don’t forget to check those out!   

Start the Courtship

Once you’ve established that connection, be prepared to do the courtship dance where your pitching prowess and relationship-building skills will come in handy. This getting-to-know-you stage will allow you to discover how you can mutually support each other to achieve your shared goals.  

Honor Your Commitment

It’s a match—congratulations! Now that you are in a relationship, roll up your sleeves and do the work. 

Expectations from both parties should be clearly defined. Do not rely on reading between the lines, as this is a surefire way of heading down a road you do not want to travel. Keep yourself accountable for what you have committed to.  Effective communication is key to a fruitful relationship. Maintain regular contact with your partners and communicate any changes as soon as they arise. Not all partnerships may work out. If you decide to go your separate ways, make sure you do it professionally and congenially.

AMSE is fortunate to partner with organizations such as Stars and Stripes, USAA, and Draft Kings, to name a few, in bringing valuable entrepreneurship resources to our members. Our relationships allow us to provide a digital platform where military spouses can learn how to start, scale, and sustain their businesses.   

Partnering with AMSE comes in many shapes and sizes — from corporate partnerships, masterclass hosting, and exclusive member discounts on tools and services to community collaborations. If you are interested in partnering with us at AMSE™ to bring essential entrepreneurship resources and programs to our nation’s military spouses, drop us a note today! 

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This article was written by Kat Calvo, owner of Kat Calvo Digital. It originally appeared in the Military Spouse Entrepreneur Guide, 4th Edition, with Stars + Stripes. Read more here!

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Supporting Late Career Milspouses with Jayla Rae Ardelean

Meet Jayla Rae Ardelean: milspouse mentor, writer, speaker, and host of The Heart of a Milspouse Podcast. She is originally from San Diego and has lived or attended school in Utah, Oregon, and Colorado. But it was in Fort Collins, Colorado where she met her future husband and was shortly whisked away to Rome, Italy for their first duty station together. 

From there, she has experienced five PCS moves in six years, one deployment, and countless existential crises in between. Talk about a crash course into the milspouse life!

As a late-career milspouse, her work focuses on supporting the milspouse with former dreams to re-spark their inner purpose using empowered action and personal growth tools, the Enneagram and Human Design being among them. I was able to sit down with this AMSE Member and talk about her mission, focus, and business.

Tell us about your journey as a milspouse mentor. What inspires you to support military spouses as a speaker and podcaster?

There’s a large group of military spouses out there who are in-between - they’re not young adults or seasoned, but they may be new to military life. I call this group “Late Career Milspouses” because their partner may have had a military career before they began their relationship, and they almost always had a career of their own, too. Because I know the challenges I experienced as a Late-Career Milspouse myself, I work to build support for this group through my podcast, speaking events, and support.

How has AMSE influenced your entrepreneurial journey? What are some of your favorite resources they provide military spouse entrepreneurs?

AMSE has helped me level up my networking game. Before I found AMSE in 2021, I was struggling to find a group of milspouse entrepreneurs who have similar goals and ambitions. As soon as I joined, I realized that they had been right under my nose for an entire year in business!

Before AMSE, I wondered to myself where the other milspouse entrepreneurs were out there in the world. Being plugged into a community of military spouses with similar goals has been amazing. Supporting entrepreneurs is now a part of my life. Most significant for me personally, it helps me understand the late-career military spouses within the group, especially by connecting with fellow members in the Slack workspace, the Cohort, and the AMSE Member Dashboard.

AMSE has an amazing community of military spouse entrepreneurs. How do you use this incredible network to build up your own professional network?

My work supports milspouse entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs. What AMSE has made clear is that Late-Career Milspouses can be found in a lot of different places, and once I was plugged into this network, I realized that everyone has a wealth of connections at their fingertips, too. I’ve been exposed to so many new relationships that may not have happened if it weren’t for this group!

We’d love to hear about your podcast. Why should Military spouses tune in to your show? What are three things they would get out of this great platform?

The Heart of a Milspouse podcast focuses on sparking inner purpose through empowered action and personal growth tools. The podcast started with a deployment series and will branch out from there. If you tune in, you’ll get an honest examination of military life challenges, ideas for how to incorporate tools for personal growth into daily life (such as using the Enneagram), and a space to feel more connected to who you are.

As a motivational speaker, what has been one of your most memorable experiences?

The speaking isn’t usually what’s most memorable - it’s the private messagea that come from military spouses afterward! Hearing how much impact I had on someone lights my heart on fire and simply encourages me to keep going. It reminds me that there’s so much power in letting others know they aren’t alone.

The person after the event who speaks out to me after is what really makes what I do worth it. The moments afterward are what matter the most to me. As a motivational speaker, it is more than a stage. I find so much value as a guest speaker on podcasts/LIVEs, and again making those connection points from those experiences.

Can you share one piece of advice you would give a military spouse who wants to be a military spouse advocate or entrepreneur?

Put your heart in, and don’t lose the connection to why you’re doing it in the first place—we all need your idea or support or creativity!

There is room for all of us to do what we are doing as entrepreneurs. This is our solution if traditional employment isn’t working out.

If considering entrepreneurship, jump in! Be all in. I wish I had jumped in sooner. This is definitely my hope for other military spouse entrepreneurs.

Where can we find you on social media? What is the best way people can reach out to you?   

I love hearing from y’all and checking in via Instagram: @mil.spouse.

You can also check out my website for ongoing updates about services, sign up for my email list, see what’s happening on the pod, etc. 

If you’re interested in booking Jayla Rae for a speaking event or guest expert session, see here.

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The All-Access Pass gives you even MORE!

✨ Group Coaching every month, with the opportunity to be an AMSE Group Coach yourself!

✨ An exclusive discount in the AMSE Shop!

✨ A FREE 20-second snippet on our official podcast, Owning Up, to promote your business!

✨ A feature on the AMSE Blog - all about you and your business!

✨ Access to the AMSE Cohort, an immersive 7-week course with hands-on coaching through the Building Your Business the AMSE Way coursework with Moni Jefferson.

Learn more about the All-Access Pass and sign up here!

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Meet Christina – Army wife, boy mom x 2, lifestyle blogger, and military spouse entrepreneur. It’s a Military Life is an upcoming nonprofit and lifestyle blog for everyday military life – sharing lifestyle content, personal stories, collaboration opportunities, and military child resources. We are a supportive milspo and vet networking community! My passion is writing about and for the military community, and it is such an amazing opportunity and a great honor to be an AMSE writer! Find me on Facebook (@itsamilitarylife & @christinaetchberger), Instagram (@itsamilitarylife, @itsamilitarychildlife & @christina_etchberger), and Twitter(@itsamil_life).

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3 Upgrades You Need for Your Home Office

If you have been a military spouse entrepreneur for long, chances are, you’ve conducted remote work anywhere you can set up your laptop and get service on your phone. Raise your hand if you’ve ever used a moving box, storage bin, or flimsy card table for a desk! I used all three at various stages during last summer’s PCS alone when we were supposed to have a door-to-door move but it ended up taking more than a month to get our household goods because the moving company couldn’t find a crew to unload the truck. 

But, just because you CAN work anywhere with only the barest of necessities doesn’t mean you should. If you spend a third of your day (or likely more) sitting in your home office, it’s time to uplevel the comfort and joy factors with some upgrades. 

Here are three home office upgrades I started using in the last year that have been gamechangers:

UPGRADE YOUR OFFICE CHAIR

One advantage from working from home is that you can roam the house with your laptop. However, you may not always achieve the best ergonomics and you may start to have consequences show up in the form of migraines, stiff shoulders and neck, achy back, wrist pain, etc. 

I had all of the above, so when I started doing work that significantly increased my time in front of a computer, I knew I needed to invest in a really good office chair with lumbar support and the ability to adjust seat and armrest height. After reading reviews and sitting in as many chairs I could find, the Herman Miller Aeron Chair was unmatched in comfort, adjustability, and size inclusivity (I’m only 5’2” so most chairs are too big!).   

And I do mean invest. These chairs come with a four-digit price tag that can make a dent in a military family budget, but I was able to find one used on Craig’s List for a decent price. One of my favorite things is that I don’t kill my ankle bones when I throw ergonomics out the window and decide to sit in it cross legged! 

UPGRADE YOUR DESK

Any flat surface will work, right? Nope! I sometimes spend more than half of my workday on video calls and I had two issues—my laptop sat way too low to be flattering or comfortable, and that’s way too many hours to be sitting in a chair. I was typically spending more hours of my day sitting than sleeping! So, I succumbed to an Instagram ad and purchased the Harmoni Stand-Up Desk. It lives up to the hype! It allows me to choose a good height for video calls whether I’m sitting or standing, and it allows me to stand during meetings if I choose, which significantly reduces the number of hours I spend sitting on my tush. Bonus that it’s a beautiful addition to my office. 

UPGRADE YOUR TO-DO LIST

You could keep your to-do list on your phone, in your planner, or on any piece of paper. I had multiple projects going at once and I needed a way to prioritize and strategize my week as well as keep track of the chosen tasks for the week. Anybody else’s comprehensive to-do list too overwhelming to sort through on the daily? I finally found and upgraded to the Ink + Volt Dashboard that I’ve built into my Friday routine. I review my personal and work calendars for the week ahead, identify three top priorities for the week, outline six focus areas with associated to-dos, and track my three personal wellness non-negotiables. By going through the exercise of completing this dashboard, I’m able to rest better on the weekends because I’ve already reviewed the successes of the last week and have outlined what the week ahead is going to look like. It also helps me communicate needs with my family so nobody’s surprised during the work and school week. 

These three upgrades that I made to my office during the last year have helped me boost my wellness, productivity, and communication! I wish the same for you in the months ahead. What are the best upgrades you’ve made to your home office? 

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The All-Access Pass gives you even MORE!

✨ Group Coaching every month, with the opportunity to be an AMSE Group Coach yourself!

✨ An exclusive discount in the AMSE Shop!

✨ A FREE 20-second snippet on our official podcast, Owning Up, to promote your business!

✨ A feature on the AMSE Blog - all about you and your business!

✨ Access to the AMSE Cohort, an immersive 7-week course with hands-on coaching through the Building Your Business the AMSE Way coursework with Moni Jefferson.

Learn more about the All-Access Pass and sign up here!

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For over 20 years, Kimberly Bacso has driven organizational success by leading educational and wellness initiatives. Highly skilled in creating digital content strategies, she’s grown communities with word-of-mouth, grassroots approach. She is a proud U.S. military spouse who has founded thriving brands, transformed struggling outreach efforts, and catalyzed a group of 150+ writers from the ground up within the health and wellness space. When she’s not working, you can find her trying new plant-based recipes or traveling off the beaten path with her husband and teenage daughter. 

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A Year in Review: Reflecting on This Year + Preparing for the Next

It’s the end of the year, whether we like it or not. Is your milspouse business ready for 2022? 

There are plenty of ways to look to the next year and prepare for what may come. Part of this is also reflecting on the current year, too. What did you learn? What things will you be taking with you, and what will you be happy to leave behind? 

Hopefully, you have been preparing your business and yourself for 2022 but if you have not, here are a few things you can do to reflect on the past year and embrace the year to come.

Reflecting on This Year

• Consult the past.

First, I like to consult my planner for the year. Even though I utilize online planning tools and calendars, I still like to keep a paper planner. Why? It is where I jot down all my notes, thoughts, and ideas. I make mini-checklists for projects and short-term goals, and I find a lot of value in looking back at what was important to me during the year.

• Consult your books.

Next, I take a look at our financial books. Money does drive business, and it is vital to evaluate the past year before moving into the next. You should ideally start this earlier than the last week of December (my sweet spot is early November). I start by taking a look over the profit and loss sheet to see what revenue streams were successful or not, and it helps determine where our strengths and weaknesses are. I also use this to guide our projected budget and plans for the next year, as our profitable areas should continue!

• Take a deep dive and reflect on the year.

Finally, I reflect with my business partner on the year. We have a long meeting where we highlight the successes and things we would like to continue in the future while also acknowledging what didn’t work or bring us value. We have an honest conversation about our workloads, physical/mental health, and our personal goals for the business. We use all these answers to draw up plans and goals for the next year.

Preparing for the Next Year

I touched on some of this in the steps above because it’s natural for you to create goals and plans while reflecting on the past. I did some research for you, and there are a few more ideas for how to start your new year on the best foot.

• Map out your goals.

Your goals and priorities for the new year? They need to be planned out. What areas of your business are you making the highest priority? What steps will you take to achieve your goals? Make plans, set deadlines, and find a way to hold yourself accountable. For example, my business partner and I have a goal to increase our profits by at least 30%. We will achieve this by hiring assistance to help us pitch new partners, trimming down our current programs and monthly utilities, and leveraging our earned PR and current partners to help us reach more people. Whatever your goals are, make a plan to help you achieve them!

• Consider your financing options.

Whether you were profitable or not, everyone could use more funding for their business. The pandemic is still affecting small businesses, and there are tons of opportunities for grants and relief. If you are looking to start pitching or looking for investors, get your pitch decks and documents together. There are masterclass replays and downloads available on the AMSE Member Dashboard to get you started or to help you refine your current materials.

• Review your policies and contracts.

There is never a better time to audit your own paperwork than the new year. Do you have contracts that are renewing or expiring? When was the last time you updated your SOPs or workplace policies? Make a commitment to evaluate these and any other files you have been neglecting. Take those lessons learned with you as you approach your policies and practices.

No matter how you choose to reflect and prepare for the year ahead, I wish you success and the best of luck. With some planning and consideration, I know that you can reach anything you aspire to.

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The All-Access Pass gives you even MORE!

✨ Group Coaching every month, with the opportunity to be an AMSE Group Coach yourself!

✨ An exclusive discount in the AMSE Shop!

✨ A FREE 20-second snippet on our official podcast, Owning Up, to promote your business!

✨ A feature on the AMSE Blog - all about you and your business!

✨ Access to the AMSE Cohort, an immersive 7-week course with hands-on coaching through the Building Your Business the AMSE Way coursework with Moni Jefferson.

Learn more about the All-Access Pass and sign up here!

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Rachel is the co-owner and editor of The Military Mom Collective. She has been an Air Force spouse for 18 years and is a mother of four children. She holds a BA in English and a MA in Management. When not busy with work or her family, she enjoys reading as many books as possible and drinking all the coffee.

Rachel is also the Copy Editor at AMSE and a freelance writer. She has been featured on We Are The Mighty, Her View From Home, AMSE, PCSgrades, The Beautifull Project, Hand-in-Hand QC, and other publications. She has been blogging for herself and other organizations for over 10 years. She is always trying to stay on top of SEO practices and loves using the power of experiences and storytelling to empower businesses and individuals.

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