By Amy Nielsen
My school gave us the week off. Probably because they are pretty sure no one is actually going to complete a module this as it is the first, unofficial vacation week of the summer.
After last week’s panic about getting everything done before the holiday weekend, I realized it is a holiday week. And, a pretty big one for us military spouses go. It inspires to think about my eventual business and how, or if, I want to relate to the military.
I tried to use my military resources to fund my schooling but that was not in the cards for an off the wall career in a small, very specialized school. But, are there other monetary resources I can use in the future that are specific to retirees and their spouses?
On a practical side, the VA has some excellent small business loans. Many banks have veteran incentives. I could have my husband be a silent partner to get the loans I will need to operate.
Can I use my military background to help open doors and move forward with my business?
There are a myriad of different organizations that help veterans now. Many have a health and wellness focus and I may want to explore a partnership with an existing organization. I am sure if I look I can find other likeminded health and wellness mentor-type folks who are also military spouses. They may be able to point me in the direction of the next certification I should pursue. If I move towards working on a national scale I might also make personal connections with other professionals who can advise me as to which trade organizations to join.
As I look at our larger military community from a client standpoint, is there a component to what I want to do that can be tailored more specifically to the military lifestyle? We all want to be healthy and happy, but how is that different in the military family? Local to me, there are people who teach and coach a similar subject to clients using supermarkets as classrooms. Part of my dream is to be able to teach around the country. Perhaps I can take a similar model and pitch it to the commissary system?
If I am ever so lucky as to be so busy that I eventually am able to hire employees, do I want to focus on hiring military spouses and service members? What would set them apart and why would they be more of an asset than a civilian? Are there other graduates from my school who I can connect with in the military community to build a network of coaches? I envision these individuals working with relocating families to continue their progress in a new duty station, banding together to help our community be healthier.
As a military spouse, I am used to thinking about how to get services and support as we have moved around with the Navy. Now in retirement, and with this new school and job, I am turning the tables and thinking about how to be of service and support to this community. As I go forward I will tuck this piece of community in my bonnet and see if it percolates back up as I get closer to finishing school and embarking on growing my business.
