Can you believe we are hurtling towards the end of January? I hope you have had an amazing month and are excited about February.

But, if you’re feeling a little bit stuck, overwhelmed, or annoyed with military/business life, I’ve got a simple idea to share with you – one that is at the core of why Milspo exists…

Are you ready?

You see, when I first started my design business in 2012 I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to do it – I had zero followers on social media, I hadn’t ever heard of an email list, and my website was PAINFUL to use….not ideal for any small business.

At the time, I had just left my job and my home to move to RAF Brize Norton (wherever that was?!) and try life as a ‘military girlfriend’?!? To make that work, and give me some flexibility, I started my own business, and it was GREAT….until it wasn’t.

I was so lonely, and it was, in all honesty, a bit rubbish. I found myself at strange base coffee mornings or trying to find someone – anyone! – at a networking event who wanted to talk about my business rather than my partner’s job! It was exhausting and not doing anything for my head or my business dreams.

What was I doing? It was all too much. Too isolating and too scary.

But I loved my business – I knew I was good at it; perhaps I just needed some support.

This is where so many of us get stuck. In the overwhelming weeds of ‘I don’t even know how to make this all work’.

I was so overwhelmed it was much easier to simply give up.

That’s when it dawned on me: I should start doing just one thing every single day that takes me in the right direction toward building my business.

Seems simple enough, right?!

So that’s exactly what I did. Each day, I chipped away at my new website, started building my email list, got my head around GDPR and refined what I was offering people…it took a while, but I got there.

By the time we were inevitably posted, I had a business I could take anywhere! That next posting wasn’t easy, but it was so much happier because I had something just for me. I had accomplished something HUGE!

That moment changed me forever. This was what was going to make my military experience a little bit happier, and I wanted to shout it from the rooftops so that others knew it, too.

That’s where The InDependent Spouse podcast came in. It shares the stories of others who are doing inspirational things despite the pressures of military life, and it’s the reason we all have Milspo.

A little podcast created in my crappy married quarter spare room was built step by step and has made such a difference to how I and so many others, see this bonkers military life and the opportunities it can bring.

But, it was a scary thing to do – but I did it. Why? Because I have a genuine belief that if I can wave my favourite person to a war zone, I can do brave things in business….and guess what? If I can do it, you can too!

Not all at once (honestly, listen back to the first episode! It’s DIRE, and I was SO NERVOUS), but, step-by-step, it’s started to grow and refine, and I am pretty proud of it now.

It’s important to set BIG goals. The next important thing is not to let them overwhelm you but rather to let them inspire your small steps.

When you’re on step 2 or 3, you won’t know what step 8 or 9 (or 14,823) looks like, but you’ll know just in time to make it happen.

So, because you can do brave things, here’s my challenge for you to get you to that next step…

1. Come to our Virtual Networking Events
2. Join FindAMilspo​
3. ​Be a guest on the next podcast series​

Now, I know what you’re thinking- those ARE brave things! But you know what they are also? Amazing ways to build your business or side hustle.

Why is Milspo Virtual Networking good for you and your business?– Well, simply, you’ll get to meet amazing Milspo’s also living in this military world who will not only support you to succeed but also get exactly what it’s like juggling all of the things.

A lot of them are further ahead in their business journey, so they can give you some shortcuts to help with growth, and they’ll most likely want to buy from you, too.

Plus, this month, we’re working on how to create a great elevator pitch without the ‘ick’ and giving you a chance to practice it in a safe space. It’s a FREE event that you can attend in your slippers, so it’s a win-win all around.

Why is it good for business? – Our online business directory www.findamilspo.co.uk is pretty epic!

Not only is it the largest of its kind, but it’s also THE place to go to find Milspo-owned businesses.

You get your own bespoke profile that’s completely searchable, with space to add your social links and images of your products and services – and you can get reviews added and pick your favourite.

Plus, it’s not just for our community to buy from – it’s for everyone! Corporates, charities and individuals all use FindAMilspo to directly support the Armed Forces community.

It’s 7p a day to join – or £25 a year – and it’s another way for you to be found. We’ve worked hard on searchability and SEO goodness, so it puts you right in front of the people who need to see you, which will only help you grow your business. It’s a big tick for your marketing endeavours and really easy to do.

Have a look at everything that’s included here – https://findamilspo.co.uk/product/subscribe/

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Why is being on the podcast going to help you build your business? The InDependent Spouse just hit 20,000 downloads. Gasp! (brave things!!!) So, series six is incoming, and I am looking for guests.

It’s great for you as, basically, I do all the heavy lifting here – all you need to do is share your inspirational story with me over Zoom one day. It takes about an hour, and I do the rest….yes, this one is big and scary, but you can do brave things, remember?

You can apply quickly and easily by filling out this form below.