Life of a business owner,
entrepreneurial-minded Military Spouse
There's been a ton of buzz and stigma lately about the military family; especially the military spouse. As we all know, the romantic World War II images of the immaculately dressed woman being scooped up by her perfectly romantic-at-all-times husband surrounds our worlds. It's what "America thinks we do" in our daily lives. He deploys, we wait patiently at home with the kiddos, he sends us hand written love letters, we sit at home some more, we give up our dreams and careers, and he comes back without a scratch and stays happily ever after with us for the rest of our lives.
REALITY CHECK---IT DOESNT ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY!
I would like to introduce you all to who I REALLY am. I am a person who has always been too proud to accept help. I am someone who was taught by my honorable and humble vice president in corporate america mother that you should build your life so that a man is something you WANT in your life and not something you have to have to make it. You need to want him in your life vs need him there. I am someone who graduated college with honors in 3.5 years with 2 majors and never looked back. I am someone who married a man with as much ambition, respect, drive, and high moral standards as I have. I am someone who decided (before I met him) to get in to a career that would give me the ability, time and wealth to live life ON MY TERMS. I am a REALTOR in North Carolina and Tennessee (at the same time). I own and run a real estate team that is 600+ miles away from where my family lays their heads to sleep most nights. I am a real estate coach, and most of all I am driven and determined. I am someone who spends a lot of time alone, without my husband (thanks to the army), and without many true friendships.
I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR -and- A WIFE
First, I am wanting to give you ladies a little hope. Being the wife of a military man DOES NOT mean you have to give up who you are or what you dream and wish to become in the pursuit of who he wants to be and the goals he has. You can have both!
In this world of www.whatever.com you can run a business (if that's what you wish).
In this world of relatively inexpensive airline travel you can move around the country fairly easily. (if you wish)
In this world of Google Hangouts you can host meetings and trainings online (if you wish)
In this world of the mom-prenuer you can be whatever you wish AND be a wife and mother!!!
IT'S ALL ABOUT ADAPTABILITY
The ability you have to adapt to the crazy ever-changing world we military spouses like to call home is the key to being able to pursue your goals. You're going to move when it's the least convenient timing. You're going to lose friendships because of distance, you're going to be doing this ALONE more often than not. You're going to play mom and dad, you're going to have the dog puking, the kids screaming, and crap to do....
You have to be able to adjust and thrive in the chaos and change. Anyone who knows me closely will tell you that I am someone who likes to have it all planned out. When i went to college, during my first semester I had my ENTIRE 4 years of classes planned out. When I met my husband I had it all planned out as to how this would go..... AND IT DIDNT.
One month later he left and moved 20+ hours away. At that point I had to make a decision on if it was worth it. I spent one weekend every month flying to Colorado to see him and then coming home to work in my business -until next month. Within 6 months I had moved from Tennessee where i had lived my entire life to Colorado to be with him. I went through real estate school all over again, got my Colorado license, and started my life and my business over again. Yet, nine months after moving across country we were married and on our way back to the eastern US.
Fayetteville, NC was our next stop in life. I, once again, tested and got my license in North Carolina and started my business ALL OVER AGAIN. I knew NO ONE... He was gone almost instantly and stayed gone off an on for about 12 of the 18 months we lived in Fayetteville.....and once again I was left to put the pieces of our new life together.
12-13 months after moving to NC (approx January of 2015) we were told we would be staying put for another 3-5 years so I started a real estate team/small business. By small i dont mean it at all. I had it all planned out. Almost instantly I had attracted a dozen or so people to join me... I had spent about $50,000 on the business at that point, and we were gaining momentum and making TONS of money. Life was perfect.
-BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE. FAST FORWARD TO JUNE 2015...APPARENTLY THEY LIED AND NOW
WE ARE MOVING AGAIN- and we needed to be there in 30 days.
Ladies, you will NEVER know what your life's story holds until you hold the paintbrush. As i'm writing this today, we no longer live in North Carolina. We moved almost 2 years ago now. I still have that real estate team. I still visit Fayetteville multiple times a year and help clients there buy and sell homes, and my husband is still deployed 6 months out of every year. I am pregnant with our first child. I will still travel and make it work.
It's all about CHOICE. It's all about DETERMINATION. It's all about RESILIENCE.
You are all strong women. You, too, can be a business owner. You can chase your dreams.
MAKE THE CHOICE. MAKE THE CHANGE.
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