Make your own money: who’s doing it, how and why you should too
You’ve been through it…the job search after PCSing. It can be stressful, exhausting, and intimidating. So why go through it? What if I told you some military spouses have unlocked the secret to never working for someone else again…Because they run their own businesses.
1. Find your strengths and start your own store
“My motivation to make my own money came after I wasn’t finding any jobs in my area of study and I thought I could create a job that integrated mass communication,” Julie Vickers said.
She’s an Air Force spouse and knew she had the gift of communication: she loves marketing, social media and being in control So, she started an Etsy shop.
“It was scary actually pulling the trigger and putting myself out there as a new business but I basically used the ‘fake it until you make it,’ strategy and it has worked well for me. I love my business and I have fun making things for my customers.”
But running her own business creating custom vinyl decals, t-shirts, onesies and other home décor isn’t a walk in the park. It takes hard work for her Etsy shop, Vickers Stickers, to rake in money.
“I just have to remember that each new city is a brand new set of potential customers and I can’t be afraid to post about my business on the spouse selling facebook pages! With Etsy though, my customers are from around the country anyways and it doesn’t matter where I live.”
2. Do the work other people can’t
Michelle Penczak has found a way to do the unthinkable: add more hours to someone else’s day. This Marine Corps spouse identified a need and found a way to fulfill that need by becoming a virtual assistant. She offers administrative support, helps organize homes and businesses, and get corporations and individuals ready to travel. Her secret to success? Working no matter where she is.
“I’ve always enjoyed working and planning; being a virtual assistant allows me to do both!” Penczak said. “The scariest part was not knowing if I could sustain my business with a few clients. My business continues to grow after 2 years…it has more than exceeded my expectations.”
3. Make dreams come true
“I loved planning our family’s Disney vacation and I started helping my friends plan theirs,” Kate Marie Geiger explained. “I had a friend who had a terrible Disney planner for her trip and she suggested that I start doing it since I know so much more than her planner!”
And the rest is history for this Marine Corps spouse. She’s now made a career facilitating Disney vacations for other families. She can book other trips, but Disney is her specialty. In her eyes, spouses who want to launch their own businesses need to understand the value of networking. She calls it her key to success.
4. Capture the perfect moment
Life is all about timing and sometimes even if you’re dreaming about starting your own business, you have to wait until the time is just right. For Marine Corps spouse Courtney Borgan that moment was when her children went to school.
“I wanted to do something that could be just for me. I could set my own hours and still have time to be there for my family and all of their events. I got the ball rolling while we were stationed at Miramar. Shortly after that, we moved to Beaufort, South Carolina.”
That meant Courtney Borgan was taking her new photography business, Courtney Borgan Photography, coast to coast and find a whole new list of clients. “I met people in my community through my kids’ schools, church, my husband’s work, and even a running club.
Once I was able to get a couple people though the doors, social media and word of mouth are the absolute best publicity you can ask for.” Guess what: she’s prepping for another move now and admits she’s terrified to start all over again, but something keeps her going:
“I love what I do. It makes me happy and I love getting to meet new people because of it.”
You know what else Courtney admits? Being her own boss means she’s also the janitor…when you work for yourself you wear many hats.
5. Become part of a community
“From the outside, people see products. They see shakes and a cleanse. They see just another health company called Isagenix,” Kimberly Rushing explained.
But to her, Isagenix was so much more than that. It was an opportunity to become part of a community and get people to feel better and establish freedom to live their dreams. True, it did start out as just a cleanse, but during that health choice, she discovered a great business option.
“My hubby was coming home from deployment in 3 weeks and I knew I needed a change. I felt good, ate extremely healthy and worked out, but I just didn’t feel myself. I was relying on caffeine to get through the day and still had barely enough energy to stay awake through my trainings and real estate research.”
Rushing is a full-time real estate investor and had found herself exhausted with the long hours, so she tried the Isagenix Cleanse. Not only did she feel better, she felt compelled to share the experience with others, so she started a little side business.
Seven short months later, she realized that side business was far more than extra pocket change. The money Kimberly had raked in from Isagenix had outperformed their entire real estate rental portfolio for that given month.
“There was no risk – everyone who decides to try it gets a 30-day money back guarantee,” Rushing said.
From that day on she and her husband began setting goals, not to sell, but to share. They began building a great community of friends and partners with people who love nutrition and truly believe in making a difference for others.