Building and sustaining a career is a known challenge for military spouses. With frequent military moves career progression can appear limited. This is why building a business as a military spouse can provide an opportunity to create a career that travels from place to place.
For military spouses seeking to build a business and earn extra income, numerous resources are available through veteran business centers and the Small Business Administration. This guide will explore how to take advantage of these opportunities, including free community college classes and specialized programs like Boots to Business. The included resources can be used by military members, veterans and military spouses.
Resources to Build Your Own Business as A Military Spouse
Successful businesses see a need and fill it. Whether a business is built from handmade crafts, is virtual or just requires a laptop, there are many small business resources military spouses can use to get started.
Small Business Center Network
Based in North Carolina, the Small Business Center Network (SBC) provides free virtual business classes for building a business from the ground up. The courses are offered through the North Carolina Community Colleges and are accessible anywhere. Being stationed in North Carolina is not a requirement to take the virtual courses.
From registering your business to developing a marketing strategy, the array of classes will equip military spouses with basic business knowledge and encouragement. The courses are taught by instructors who have business degrees and run their own businesses. They each have real world knowledge to share which is invaluable to new entrepreneurs navigating the business landscape.
Second Service Foundation
The Second Service Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports military entrepreneurs through coaching, resources, capital and an innovative mentorship program. They offer specific resources for military spouse entrepreneurs.
Founder of The Second Service Foundation, Mark L. Rockefeller, states how entrepreneurship is an asset to helping military spouses leverage their talents:
“Like military members, military spouses are exceptional at adaptation to change, resilience and flexibility. But uniquely, military spouses often have a high level of experience and education but have had to sacrifice their own careers to follow their service member. So military spouses combine talent, with grit and self-sacrifice.”
The Second Service Foundation offers virtual classes, local programs and regular events to support military spouse entrepreneurs. Gaining the training necessary to start and run a business is accessible anywhere.
Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) actively provides business guidance for budding and experienced entrepreneurs. They specifically offer two introductory-level courses that military spouses are eligible to attend for free. The Boots to Business and Revenue Readiness classes are assets to starting a business, setting goals and successfully scaling a business.
Both courses are meant to be taken in succession with Boots to Business taken first. Then, Revenue Readiness builds from there. Military spouses can take the Boots to Business course at their local military base. If the course is not offered locally, there are also virtual offerings.
The SBA also administers the Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) to further assist military members and their spouses once they separate from active-duty status. The VBOC provides business counselors that can provide a personal business assessment, help entrepreneurs find relevant courses for growth and assist entrepreneurs in reaching their goals.
Effectively Become an Entrepreneur
This is a list of essential resources available to military spouses who want to build their own businesses. They provide a foundation to assist military spouse entrepreneurs lay the groundwork of a career that moves with them through military life
By utilizing these small business resources, military spouses can effectively navigate the entrepreneurial landscape. The plan to turn their business ideas into successful ventures provides a career that moves to any duty station which provides military spouses the opportunity to achieve greater career stability and financial independence.