1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: I have countless emails and messages from people who worked 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: with sweared Away over the past eight years and just 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: said thank you for being a part of my journey, 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: because you gave me myself back. And it's amazing to 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: be able to say, you know, we've paid out over 6 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: thirty million dollars to military spouses and military families over 7 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: the last eight years. How much over over thirty million 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: at this point in souris. 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 2: In salary and income to military spouses. 10 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 3: Yes, welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 3: I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, 12 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 3: I'm an entrepreneur, and I've been a football coach in 13 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 3: Inner City Memphis. And somehow that last part led to 14 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 3: an oscar for the film about our team. That movie 15 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 3: is called Undefeated. I believe our country's problem, this will 16 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 3: never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in 17 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 3: nice suits using big words that nobody ever uses on 18 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 3: CNN in a Fox, but rather by an army of 19 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 3: normal folks. That's us, just you and me deciding Hey, 20 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,479 Speaker 3: you know what, maybe I can help. That's what Michelle Penzac. 21 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 3: The voice you just started is done. Michelle is the 22 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 3: founder of squared Away, which has helped four hundred military 23 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 3: spouses find work as virtual assistants, and I cannot wait 24 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 3: for you to meet her right after these brief messages 25 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 3: from our general sponsors, Michelle Penzac, Welcome. 26 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 4: To Memphis, Thank you. 27 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 2: How'd you get here? Where'd you come from? Did you 28 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 2: come here last night? 29 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 4: I did? 30 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: I can't last night or yesterday afternoon from just outside 31 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:02,279 Speaker 1: of Wilmington. 32 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 4: North Carolina. 33 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 34 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 4: And Memphis is hot. 35 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's warm. 36 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: The eastern North Carolina. Breathing through a hair dryer and 37 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: I didn't even think that was possible. 38 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 3: Memphis has humidity that is ridiculous. You can you can 39 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 3: get dressed, walk outside during the summer and you're soaking 40 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 3: wet immediately. 41 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 4: I didn't even try to do my hair, so don't 42 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 4: judge me. 43 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I won't. So where'd you grow up? 44 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: I actually grew up in North Carolina about an hour 45 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: from where we are now, in Clinton and Little Washington, 46 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: both places. 47 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,519 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you go to college or anything? 48 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 4: I did. 49 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: I actually went to college in Tennessee in Bristol U 50 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: T or in Bristol out of King College, King University. 51 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 2: Yeah. 52 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 3: No, we had another guest about a year ago. Yeah, 53 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 3: I think so that went to King Yeah, no way, yep. Yeah, 54 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 3: there's something in the water there apparently. 55 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 4: Hey, there's good things in East Tennessee. 56 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 3: So Michelle everybody is the founder and CEO of Squared Away, 57 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 3: which we're going to get to all of it. We've 58 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 3: had a few guests that are similar to Michelle, and 59 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,119 Speaker 3: we talk about a lot of times on an army 60 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 3: in normal folks that you don't have to start some 61 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 3: massive five OHO one c three, that you can serve 62 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 3: anywhere in your community. You can serve in your home. 63 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 3: You can be a member of the army of normal 64 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: folks by just doing what you can where you can. 65 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 3: We've also talked about there are occasions where we find 66 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 3: people that have for profit organizations, but the organization itself 67 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 3: has a social mission to it, and not necessarily just 68 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 3: in who that company serves in terms of their client base, 69 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 3: but also who works with them. And Michelle is one 70 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 3: of those rare folks who has bumped around found a 71 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 3: way to start a business that also has a really 72 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 3: poignant social mission. And I can't wait to unfold that 73 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 3: for everybody. Let's go back to the beginning. All I 74 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 3: know is that you were a young woman, single and free, 75 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 3: and the one thing you were not going to do 76 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 3: is marry anybody in the military. 77 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I met my husband, my now husband, at 78 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: a wedding Labor Day weekend twenty thirteen, and it was 79 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 1: somebody else's date. 80 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 4: Funny story. 81 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 2: Oh nice, but that's really that's. 82 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 4: Win his friends. 83 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 3: Why don't we open with the fact that you two 84 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 3: times your date to find your current husband. All right, 85 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 3: so you go to a wedding with a date and 86 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 3: this dude comes in and scoops you up and breaks 87 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 3: your date's heart. 88 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:45,239 Speaker 2: Is that what happens? 89 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: Well, I've kicked his butt at beer pong, So there's that. 90 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: And at a wedding. 91 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:55,159 Speaker 4: It was in Virginia. 92 00:04:55,200 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 2: This is Appalachia. We're talking East Tennessee over in Virginia. 93 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 3: Appalachis beer pong is more important than first dance, so 94 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 3: I mean, and. 95 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: It was a military wedding, so I mean, you have 96 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: to have beer pong or. 97 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 4: Something going on there. 98 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: I get it. 99 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 1: So I kicked his butt at beer pong and apparently 100 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 1: that hooked him. And I was like, I don't even 101 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 1: like Marines, and you guys have bad haircuts, like I 102 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: but he was really nice and we had a really 103 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: good time and it kind of kicked off from there and. 104 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 3: You end up marrying a freaking' is it a jar head? 105 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 3: Is that what marines are? What are marines? 106 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: Ah? 107 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, pretty much? Okay, jar head? 108 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: But he calls himself the elite because he's a V 109 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: twenty two. 110 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 2: What does that mean? 111 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 4: He's an osprey pilot. 112 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 2: Which is first of all, very cool. 113 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, so an osprey is it's osprey or osprey osprey. 114 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 4: It's a tilt roter so it can be. 115 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 3: It's an airplane that can can they take off vertically 116 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 3: but then fly like airplanes? 117 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 2: What do they do? Are they? Are they assault vehicles 118 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 2: or are they transport? 119 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: Transport troop transport kazavaks so casualty, evacuations, that kind of thing. 120 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 4: So that's really cool thing. 121 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, so he's kind of a boss. 122 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 4: He thinks he is, right. 123 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: Right, all right? So you dumped your date. 124 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 3: Now you're married to this rotor fly fixed wing doesn't 125 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 3: really know what he's flying. Marine who thinks he's the 126 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 3: boss And you're starting life and I'm starting life, which 127 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 3: is wonderful, but I mean nothing overly crazy. Just start 128 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 3: in life, yep, right, And you first get based where. 129 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 4: In Jacksonville, North Carolina? 130 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: So what is Jacksonville, North Carolina? 131 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: Basically the biggest Marine Corps town because it's nothing but marines. 132 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: And if you're there for a different reason, I would 133 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: be curious what that would be, honestly, But I grew 134 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: up about an hour from there, so I felt like 135 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: I was. 136 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 4: Going back to my roots in my hometown. 137 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: And I was very much the brand new military spouse, 138 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: everything patriotic Marine Corps wife. 139 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 4: Sticker on the car type deal supermoto. 140 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 2: And so you went from I don't like marines to 141 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 2: all in. 142 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 4: Oh yeah. 143 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: I was like, I mean if I'm to marry you, 144 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: like I'm committed, Like let's let's do this. And I 145 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: went in very optimistic about the opportunities because I wanted 146 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: to work. 147 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 4: I still wanted to have a. 148 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: Career, and I was like, this is my hometown, like 149 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: I can, I can do this, and I have this 150 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: great experience from working in DC. 151 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 4: Like I can what you do in DC? I was 152 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 4: a personal assistant to a lobbyist. 153 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: Really, now, that's interesting. 154 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 4: Chaos all day every day. 155 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 3: Well, and why don't you tell us what lobbyists do? 156 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 3: I know because my kids work in DC and one 157 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 3: works with lobbyists every day. 158 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: But describe that world advocating for different things, basically getting 159 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: in politicians' ears and saying, this is what we want 160 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: from you, and this is why. 161 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 4: A lot of deal making behind the scenes. 162 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 2: As an assistant, what are you doing? 163 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 4: You name it? 164 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: A little bit of everything from managing dinners and coordinating events, 165 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 1: travel planning, washing dogs they get in calendars for calendars, 166 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: chasing down dresses from the postal service they got lost 167 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: in DC, like everything you can absolutely imagine. 168 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 3: And literally taking all of the minutia off of the 169 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 3: boss so the boss can go do the work they 170 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 3: have to do to make a living. That's it, exactly 171 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 3: all right. So you had that experience in DC, which 172 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 3: kind of cool. How'd you get into that? 173 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: Completely by accident? I started as a nanny and after college. No, 174 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: I'll go back a little bit. So I graduated from 175 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 1: college with the intention of going into the Navy as 176 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: an officer. 177 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 3: You didn't want a date a marine, but you're gonna 178 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:27,559 Speaker 3: go to the Navy. 179 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, the Marine's Air Department of the Navy. 180 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 3: Okay, I get it, Okay, go ahead. So that's what 181 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 3: you wanted to do. 182 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 4: That's what I wanted to do. 183 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: I want to be a surface warfare officer because I 184 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: wanted to shoot the big guns and blow up Are. 185 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 2: You kidding me? 186 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: No? 187 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 2: Okay? 188 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: Really what I told them when I joined, I was like, 189 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: they were like, why do you want to be a 190 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: surface warfare officer? 191 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 4: Well? You see that gun on that destoyer I would 192 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 4: have blow shu up with. 193 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 3: So really, you're the boss. That's what we just found out. 194 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:02,079 Speaker 3: The iceprey guy, this transports people. You want to blow 195 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 3: stuff up. 196 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 2: All right? 197 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 4: I mean I'm from this house. That's weak. 198 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 3: I get it, especially the Bristol area. Let's he probably 199 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 3: went out with ten. You're right as a child and 200 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 3: blew up old cars and stuff. Not quite okay, Okay, 201 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 3: so that's what you want to do, But you end 202 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 3: up an assistant to a lobbyist. 203 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 4: So my story gets a little bit crazy. 204 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: I went through OCS and around week. 205 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 4: Eight I got injured and. 206 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: They said that I can have surgery and then start 207 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: at the beginning again. And I was like, oh, hell no, 208 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: Like I made it through eight weeks, there's no way. Like, 209 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: I am not a runner, I am not that person, 210 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: and I just have marine jelling at me. 211 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 4: Absolutely not, I'm I can't do it. I know I can't. 212 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 3: And now a few messages from our general sponsors. But first, 213 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 3: if this episode or any other episodes inspire you, I 214 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 3: hope you'll consider sharing your reflections about it on social 215 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 3: media and tagging us at Army of normal Folks. Your 216 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 3: reflections can help others and also evangelize the Army. Thanks 217 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 3: for thinking about doing this, noble deed. 218 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. 219 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: So literally kind of fell flat on my face is 220 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: what it felt like at the time. And we had 221 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: a family friend that had triplets and was moving to 222 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: the DC area and needed a nanny. 223 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 4: So that's how I got to DC. 224 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 3: So you went to DC as a nanny, and then 225 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 3: that played out and you got a job. 226 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: As a Yeah, I started looking at different roles. I 227 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: really liked coordinating things, especially. 228 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 3: For the girl. 229 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 1: They were tiny, little crazies running everywhere. But it was 230 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: a unique experience because I was courting doctor's appointments and 231 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: traveling with them and they had feeding too, so just 232 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,559 Speaker 1: making sure all that was maintained. And I was like, man, 233 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: I really like coordinating stuff, and I started looking for 234 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: assistant roles at that point to get myself into the 235 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: corporal world. 236 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 3: It's really weird how the steps along your life have 237 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 3: led you to where you are now, because these are 238 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,439 Speaker 3: just little baby steps to being squared away. 239 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 4: Yes, so very much so. 240 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 3: Now you become an assistant to a lobbyist and then 241 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 3: you marry the marine, and here you are in Jacksonville, 242 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 3: North Carolina, and you feel like, hey, I got skills, 243 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 3: oh yeah, and you want to. 244 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: Work and I want to work and I'm motivated. We 245 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:51,599 Speaker 1: weren't ready to start a family. 246 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 4: At that point. 247 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 2: You got a degree. 248 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 4: I have a degree, and you know. 249 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 3: You've got a degree, You've got experience, you've worked in DC, 250 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,199 Speaker 3: you done all of this, and you're now in Jacksonville, 251 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 3: North because surely someone wants your skill sets, you. 252 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 4: Would think, right. 253 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: So we were moving from Corpus Christy, where Sean got 254 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: his wings, and I started applying for jobs literally immediately 255 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: in Jacksonville. In Jacksonville, so that I would have something 256 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: when we got there, and I started going on in interviews. 257 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,239 Speaker 4: And the interview was really interesting. 258 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: They would start talking about my background, asking me all 259 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 1: the typical interview questions, and then they would get to 260 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,839 Speaker 1: what brings you to Jacksonville, North Carolina. 261 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 2: How why do they ask they must know everything everybody 262 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 2: that comes to Jacksonville, North Carolina's on the moment. 263 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 4: I honestly think it was. 264 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: A question to see, like, is this person in military spouse? 265 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: I think it was a weeding out question really, to 266 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 1: be perfectly honest, because this was twenty thirteen. 267 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 2: It is. 268 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: Very much the military and the community surrounding the military 269 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: were ingrained in the well, you're only going to be 270 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:14,479 Speaker 1: here temporarily, temporary, three to four years. That's not temporary 271 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: in my opinion, it's not. It's a long time exactly. 272 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 2: But it was their way to say no, Yeah. 273 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: Their way to say no. And when I would tell 274 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: them this is why I'm here. My husband's at New River. 275 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,239 Speaker 1: He's learning to fly the V twenty two. 276 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 4: Oh that's such a cool aircraft. Let's talk more about that. 277 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 4: And I'm like, hi, here, Seanerry has a job. Can 278 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 4: we get back to this right now? 279 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: And they were just like, okay, well, we'll be in touch, 280 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: and they were in touch and let me know that 281 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: they weren't going with me. And finally, the very last 282 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: interview I went on, I got so ticked off because 283 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: it was going the exact same way, and he goes, well, 284 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: what did your husband do? 285 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 4: I said, I would tell you, but I would have 286 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 4: to kill you. 287 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: And he goes, he goes, what does your husband do? 288 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: And I said, well, I would tell you, but I 289 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: would have to kill you. 290 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 4: And he just looked at me like I was crazy. 291 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: And I was like, I know how this is going. Thanks, 292 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: have a good day, like I just. I was like, 293 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: I see it going down the exact same rabbit hole, 294 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: Like I'm done. 295 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 4: I was. 296 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: I was so over the whole interview process. I'd done 297 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: it so many times. 298 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 2: Wow, So. 299 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 4: It was I depressed. 300 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 2: I was. 301 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 4: I got very depressed. 302 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: All my military spouse friends were having babies and doing 303 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: the stay at home mom thing and we just weren't there. 304 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: And I wanted to work, and it was frustrating because 305 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: I knew I had the skill set, I had. 306 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 4: The drive, and nobody wanted to hurt me. So I was. 307 00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 4: I went from depressed to ticked off. 308 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 3: This is for later, So this is a setup question, 309 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 3: but I do want to get between years a little bit. 310 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 3: At that time in your life. All Right, you've done 311 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 3: what everybody says you need to do. You've gotten your degree, 312 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 3: you're married, you're a faithful wife, you're supportive of your husband. 313 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 3: You uproot your life and you move wherever the military 314 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 3: tells you to move, and like a good little soldier, 315 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 3: you soldier on right. And here you are in this 316 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 3: community of a bunch of marines with a degree, talent, 317 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 3: the right attitude, motivation, all you're supposed to have. 318 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: The world says you're supposed to get a job if 319 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 2: you want a job. 320 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 4: Yep. 321 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 3: And I can't imagine you had to have been laying 322 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 3: there in bed, looking at the ceiling, going this sucks, 323 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 3: and being really unhappy with your station in life at 324 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 3: that point. 325 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: I was. It was so frustrating because I'm not a 326 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: Pinterest person. I don't do Pinterest projects. I need something 327 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,479 Speaker 1: for me. I can support my spouse, I can support 328 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: my kids, but I need something that brings me joy 329 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: as a human and I can be committed to. And 330 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: I had that, but nobody wanted to kind of point 331 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:27,959 Speaker 1: me in the right direction. And I kind of had 332 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: to figure that out for myself, honestly, And that's when 333 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:39,400 Speaker 1: I found a virtual assistant company that was hiring remotely, 334 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: so remote. 335 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 4: Before remote was cool. In the end of twenty thirteen. 336 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 3: So now you get this job as a virtual assistant, 337 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 3: all right. I don't even know what that means because 338 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 3: I've got a company and I have people in my 339 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 3: office and people outside manufacturing and all of that. How 340 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 3: does how as a CEO, how would a virtual assistant 341 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 3: work for me? How does it make sense for me that? 342 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 3: How do I contact my assistant? How does my assistant 343 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 3: keep up with my calendar? If I'm not there? Kind 344 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 3: of explain the role of a virtual assistant as it 345 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 3: unfolded you when you first started. 346 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, so a virtual assistant is basically doing. 347 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: Everything that you would in a typical office setting at. 348 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 4: Home or wherever in the world they are. 349 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: So if you can get on a phone call, if 350 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: you can text, if you can send an email, this 351 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: person can do essentially the exact same thing remotely that 352 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: they could in your office. So honestly, it's delegating everything 353 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: to them even though they're not sitting you're my. 354 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 3: Virtual assistant off in North Carolina and Jacksonville. That you 355 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 3: get this job, right, And I'm sitting in Memphis running 356 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 3: my business and I have I coach a football team, 357 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 3: I run a business, I sit on three boards and 358 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 3: I got Alex messing with me over this podcast, telling 359 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 3: me when I got to do interviews, when I got 360 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:08,159 Speaker 3: to do new narrations. And my calendar right now is 361 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 3: booked out until June of next year. All right, that's 362 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 3: what my calendar looks like. It is bonkers. And if 363 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 3: I don't have that, I'm lost. 364 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 5: I would have worked for you. Tell her why she 365 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 5: couldn't be your virtual assistant. 366 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 2: I don't know. 367 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 5: You Tell her because he uses the paper calendar. 368 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 4: Oh see that right? 369 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 2: There was I here today on time. 370 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I'm old school, I admittedly so, but I 371 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:42,119 Speaker 3: got my stuff on lockdown. 372 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 5: So you've missed one interview so far because of this 373 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 5: paper calendar issue. He booked himself once and I had 374 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 5: to do the interview that. 375 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 3: I felt so sorry for the guest having to spend 376 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 3: two hours with Alex. So anyway, tell me how you 377 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 3: you replace my world and make things easier for me, 378 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 3: and how it's efficient. 379 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: Well, Number one, you can keep your paper calendar. Okay, good, 380 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: You can still keep your paper calendar if you're going 381 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: to manage it. But if you delegate your entire calendar 382 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: and say, here, Michelle, here's fifty different things that has 383 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 1: to be managed. I can set it up so that 384 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: number one, you don't miss an interview ever, that'd be good. 385 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 1: You get notifications you are still committed to everything. You 386 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: get reminders every single day. 387 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 2: Do I contact you by email, text, or phone or 388 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:34,440 Speaker 2: is the answer to that. 389 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 1: Yes, say anything, including smooth signals, like however you want 390 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: to communicate. It would just it would be like picking 391 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 1: up the phone just saying hey, I need this okay cool. 392 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,719 Speaker 3: So it's no different than you just being outside the office. 393 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 3: You just happen to be a phone call away instead 394 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 3: of ten steps away. So that's the job you take on. 395 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 3: All right, So you're first when you get hired, what 396 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 3: do they do? Assign you three or four companies that 397 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 3: how's Yeah? 398 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: So clients sign up for support for any number of 399 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: reasons and then they select you based on your experience 400 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: as to who would be the best fit for you. 401 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 4: So I started off. 402 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: With five different clients in totally different niches, things that 403 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: I had never experienced before, venture capital, e commerce, travel, 404 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: so many different things that I was learning as I went. 405 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 4: But I still had that basic core skill set that 406 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 4: I had of being an assistant in DC. Yeah translated 407 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 4: amazing all. 408 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 3: Right, so are you on eight hours and you're just 409 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 3: at home and or I guess you could be anywhere. 410 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 3: As long as you have your phone. 411 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 1: As long as I had my laptop, I was good 412 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: to go. I was coordinating stuff all the time. One 413 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: of my clients used to love to call me with 414 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 1: a task when I was going to the grocery store, 415 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: and I was like, you know where I am. I'll 416 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: give me an hour, I'll work on it. It's fine. But 417 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: it worked really well with the Marine Corps lifestyle because 418 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 1: there were days my husband was working days. There were 419 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:11,360 Speaker 1: days he was flying at night and he was home 420 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 1: during the day, and it worked out really well. 421 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 3: Okay, so here you are. You finally found your spot. 422 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 3: You're over your depression. You got a job. You feel 423 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 3: like you're doing something, you're earning, you're doing something for you. 424 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: And I made it to a manager position. So I 425 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: was now teaching other assistants how to work with their clients, 426 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: be better task managers, put together processes, and I loved it. 427 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: It was amazing. And then we found out in twenty 428 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 1: fifteen that we were going to have our first little boy, 429 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: which was insanity, and Sean was getting ready to deploy 430 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: for the second time, so he was due to miss 431 00:22:57,480 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: pretty much all. 432 00:22:58,160 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 4: Of my pregnancy. 433 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 2: Yikes, what does deploy mean? 434 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 4: Go overseas or be stationed somewhere else. 435 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 3: And you guys don't get to go with them when 436 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 3: they do that. 437 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 4: That was for our second deployment. 438 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: His first deployment was to Afghanistan five months after I 439 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: started working. 440 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 2: Let's talk about that for a minute. 441 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 3: What is it like as a spouse when you have 442 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 3: now married and followed your husband to some base and 443 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 3: then he comes home and says, Okay, I've been deployed. 444 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 3: I'm gone for nine months and you're not going to 445 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 3: see me and I may be in arms way. 446 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 2: What happens in you? 447 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, every emotion that you can possibly have 448 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 1: runs through your body a multitude of times. 449 00:23:54,000 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 4: And the lead up to the actual deployment is just awful. 450 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: You're grab, you're sad, You're trying to help them coordinate 451 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: all of their stuff. We lost our cat like three 452 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: hours before he left, and I'm crying because I can't 453 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: find the cat and he's going to Afghanistan and my 454 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: life is chaos. And he's going to Afghanistan for the 455 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: first time in twenty fourteen, and we didn't know how long, 456 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: we didn't know what communication would be like. 457 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 4: And you know, it's just me and my job. 458 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. 459 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 3: I think it's important for people to we hear about deployments, 460 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:55,400 Speaker 3: and it's always from the perspective of the deployed. We 461 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 3: rarely talk about the spouses and how hard that must be. 462 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: I think only it was very lonely. And the military 463 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: spouse community is just amazing. It's like an ingrained family 464 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:14,640 Speaker 1: that you have, and you embrace the suck together. 465 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 3: You embrace the suck together. Yes, it's funny to hear 466 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 3: a cute young lady say that. I've heard that from 467 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 3: guys before, But I guess the spouses have to take 468 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 3: the same mentality. 469 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, oh yeah, very much so. 470 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 2: And did you have friends whose husbands were lost? 471 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 6: Oh? 472 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, we There is no community like the military spouse community. 473 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:45,200 Speaker 1: It's you grow together in every possible way. You cry, 474 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: you laugh, you're ticked off because the Marine Corps does X, 475 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: Y Z, and so it's it's kind of like being 476 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 1: married to the spouses in a way. It's just they're 477 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 1: your support and but. 478 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 3: Them the commitment to our nation's sovereignty and our liberty 479 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 3: and the freedoms we enjoy. Forget politics for a little while, 480 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:14,640 Speaker 3: for God's sakes, I'd like to forget politics every day. 481 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 3: But the commitment, the dedication to the strength of our country, 482 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 3: which is on the backbone of men like your husband 483 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 3: who maintain our liberty and our freedoms, that that sacrifice 484 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 3: is very much borne by you guys. The spouses too, 485 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 3: and I think they get I think they're unherlded. 486 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 4: Very much so. 487 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 1: And I've seen some of the strongest men and women 488 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 1: because guys are military spouses too, just figure it out 489 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 1: without any accolades or any support when it comes to that. 490 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: So we have to lean on each other more so 491 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: than anything, And even our families don't get it sometimes, well, 492 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: this is what you signed up for. 493 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 4: Can't tell you how. 494 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: Many times I've heard that and still want to bob 495 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:21,959 Speaker 1: somebody in the head for it. But meanwhile, meanwhile, like 496 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 1: my spouse is, you know, I haven't heard from him 497 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: in two weeks. I can't turn on the TV because 498 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 1: I'm watching all this crazy news about where he's at 499 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: right now, And every time my doory gets knocked on, 500 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 1: my heart sinks into my toes and because. 501 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:46,640 Speaker 3: You think it's someone coming to tell you. 502 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 1: You don't want that. Like that is a feeling that 503 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: it's so hard to understand. It's it's dread, it's fear, 504 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 1: it's sadness, it's anxiety of every level. 505 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 2: And at the same time, you can't even get hired. 506 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: Exactly, I need something to detract distract me from this, 507 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 1: and otherwise it's just an emotional turmoil. 508 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 4: You need a distraction during deployment. 509 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,400 Speaker 3: Okay, so now you have a job that you love, 510 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 3: you've made manager. Sean comes home and says, I'm being 511 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 3: deployed again second time. 512 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. 513 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 4: We knew. 514 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 1: He came home in October twenty fourteen from Afghanistan, and 515 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: we knew before. 516 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 4: He got home that he would be leaving again in July. 517 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 2: To go to Spain at least not Afghanistan. 518 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 4: At least not Afghanistan. They closed out Afghanistan. 519 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 2: But now you're pregnant. 520 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 4: Now I'm pregnant and your husband's leaving. 521 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 2: And you got this job. So how's that all unfold? 522 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: He he left the beginning of July, and I was like, 523 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: you know what, I'm trucking along, you know, growing baby, 524 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: doing my thing, having a grand old time. And I 525 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: actually went to Hilton Head, South Carolina with my in laws, 526 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 1: and I had gotten there on Sunday, and my husband's 527 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: brother was also in the Marine Corps. 528 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 4: At the time. 529 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: They were in transition from moving from Germany to Japan, 530 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: so they were stopping in Hilton Head just to have 531 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: a week of family time. And I got to meet 532 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: our baby niece that I hadn't got to meet yet. 533 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 4: And so it was like family vacation slash working vacation. 534 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 4: So this was August twenty fifteen, and I was like, Okay, 535 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 4: I'm going to get up. I'm going to log into work. 536 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:50,959 Speaker 1: On Monday morning, couldn't get in my laptop, and I 537 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: was like, what's going on? My team started calling me, 538 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: I had clients calling me, what's going on. I can't 539 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: get my laptop. Virtual is sending these really weird emails about, 540 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: you know, talk to your assistant. I hadn't seen what 541 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: was going on, but I got a news article a 542 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 1: few minutes later, and it was Virtual lays off over 543 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: four hundred employees with no notice. 544 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 2: So now your husband's deployed. 545 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 4: Yeah. 546 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 3: The one thing that's keeping you busy and hanging on 547 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 3: is your job. You're pregnant. 548 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 4: I'm with my in laws. Let's put that out there. 549 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 3: Your husband's missing your pregnancy and you go to work 550 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 3: one day virtually and now that you're jerked out from 551 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 3: under you. 552 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. 553 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 4: I was a hot, hormonal mess. 554 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 3: Hot hormonal. I think you're allowed to be hormonal. You haven't. 555 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: I was. 556 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 4: I mean, I was crying. 557 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: I would clients that were asking me what's going on. 558 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, I have no idea. I'm I can't call Sean. 559 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 1: He's in Spain, he's on answering his phone right now. 560 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 1: And I was just like, what the heck am I 561 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: gonna do? And one of my clients, who is a 562 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 1: very near and dear friend, he was like, just form 563 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: an LLC. 564 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 2: You can just start an LLC. 565 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 4: I was like, you made that sound so easy. He guys, 566 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 4: go online and start an LLC. 567 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 1: And he was like, virtual released your clients, like, we'll 568 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 1: come work with you, we'll put you on a contract 569 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: today and we'll take it from there. 570 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 4: And all my clients came with me. 571 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: I had seven clients at the time, and they all 572 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: came with me. 573 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 3: So you just decided I'll start a company and I'll 574 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 3: be a virtual assistant with mown business. 575 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 4: Yep, I don't. I don't care about what are you 576 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 4: at this time? 577 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 1: I was three yeah, just over three months okay. 578 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 4: So close morning segment. So I was feeling creepy, very 579 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 4: motivated at that point. 580 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 2: So how's that going? 581 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 4: It was great. 582 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 1: I it was just me, so I wasn't managing anybody. 583 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:21,280 Speaker 4: It was my clients. I was like, man, no pressure here, How. 584 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:22,719 Speaker 2: Did you know how much to charge? 585 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: I just charged them the exact same thing. I was 586 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: already like, they were already paying. 587 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 3: And so basically your customer said, started business, I'll be clients, 588 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 3: and other clients came cool. 589 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 2: So now you got a gig yep. And then the 590 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 2: Marine Corps shows back up. 591 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it was I mean it was fantastic. From 592 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 1: August to the beginning of January. I was living my 593 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: best life. 594 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 2: And now you're eight months pregnant. 595 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 4: Though, yeah, and I was due the end of January. 596 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 2: Got it. 597 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: So Sean came home a week and a half before 598 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: Sawyer was born, so I think he came home around 599 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: like January fourteen, fifteenth. But I didn't have coverage for 600 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 1: my clients, so I had to get other assistants to 601 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: basically fill in for me, and I didn't want them 602 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: to lose confidence in me. So I scheduled two weeks 603 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: off to have Sawyer, which is insanity. Don't ever only 604 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: take two weeks off for maternity leave when you're having 605 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: a baby, ever. But it worked, and Sorry was born 606 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: the end of January and he was an infant and 607 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: I was recovering from a C section. Again, don't take 608 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 1: only two weeks off. So but it worked, and my 609 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: clients stuck with me and they were fantastic through that 610 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 1: crazy period of my life. 611 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 2: And then you get to move. 612 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, by the time I was kind of getting in 613 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:01,320 Speaker 1: the swing of things with having an infant, run a 614 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: new company, Yeah, doing all that. 615 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 4: Sean came home in April very excited. 616 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 1: He was. 617 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 6: He was like, they're setting up a new unit in Hawaii, 618 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:24,359 Speaker 6: and I think I just stood there and I was like, wait, 619 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:25,279 Speaker 6: what come again? 620 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: And I went and sat in our bedroom closet and 621 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: I was like, I cried for like forty five minutes. 622 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: I was like, Holy crap, I I. 623 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 4: Just had a baby. I'm just figuring this out, and 624 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 4: now I have to move six time zone. 625 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 3: That's what I was going to ask. Five is Hawaii five? 626 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 3: Or it's six from North Carolina. 627 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 1: Spring forward, spring forward is six, fall back is five? 628 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:52,640 Speaker 2: Okay six six times soon. 629 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:58,240 Speaker 4: So I kind of imploded for about forty five minutes. 630 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,760 Speaker 1: And most of my clients were on the East Coast, 631 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 1: so I was like, well, this is going to be fun. 632 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 1: But I told him I was moving in October, so 633 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:11,879 Speaker 1: I had a little bit of prep time too. There 634 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: is no guide to moving to Hawaii. It is insanity, 635 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 1: especially with a baby, and you don't have housing, and 636 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: it's a whole different ball game from being in North Carolina. 637 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:27,720 Speaker 1: So that was a coordinating effort. So I tell my clients, 638 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:29,920 Speaker 1: I said, we're moving with the Marine Corps. Didn't tell 639 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: them where I'm taking a week off. They were fine 640 00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 1: with it. 641 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:35,399 Speaker 4: So I get to. 642 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 1: Hawaii in October of twenty sixteen. Keep in mind we're 643 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:40,800 Speaker 1: still on the housing list. 644 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 2: On the housing list, where do you live when you 645 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:45,240 Speaker 2: don't have a house. 646 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:47,800 Speaker 4: The boq. 647 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:53,759 Speaker 1: It's basically a hotel on base of military, which was 648 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: fabulous with a ten month old at that point or 649 00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:57,920 Speaker 1: nine month old. 650 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 5: And why didn't you tell your clients you're moving to Hawaii. 651 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:03,440 Speaker 1: I didn't want to freak them out and be like Okay, 652 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: you can't support me from Hawaii, and I wanted to 653 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: show them, not tell them, basically, And so we got there. 654 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 1: We were literally in a room that has a small kitchenette, 655 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,160 Speaker 1: a bedroom, a playpen, and a bathroom. 656 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 2: Nice. 657 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 1: That was it because we didn't have housing, and we 658 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:27,720 Speaker 1: didn't have housing for two months after we got to Hawaii. 659 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:33,720 Speaker 1: So I had an infant basically still and a husband 660 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: who had to go to work in the morning. So 661 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:40,120 Speaker 1: I was doing zoom calls and emails from the bathroom. 662 00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:43,600 Speaker 2: Are you kidding now? At what time? That had to 663 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:44,960 Speaker 2: been two or three in the morning. 664 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 1: I set my alarm for three am, so I was up. 665 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:53,880 Speaker 1: I was in my client email by three fifteen Hawaii time. 666 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:59,840 Speaker 3: Case you could be a commercial for red Bull or 667 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 3: I'm kind of stimuli. 668 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:02,360 Speaker 1: You know what. I've been trying to get sponsored by 669 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 1: any caffeine products for like ten years. 670 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:06,520 Speaker 4: Let's do this. 671 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:08,920 Speaker 2: That's insane, it is. 672 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 4: Looking back, I'm like, what the heck was wrong with me? Truly? 673 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 2: But you needed you needed that. 674 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:18,080 Speaker 5: I needed you want ever ask like, why are you 675 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 5: doing the zoom call from a bathroom? 676 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:22,440 Speaker 4: No, because the way I had my the way I 677 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:23,280 Speaker 4: have my setup. 678 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 2: Why is there right now? 679 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:28,160 Speaker 4: I can only see the door. 680 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,400 Speaker 1: I can always I can only see the door closed, 681 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:35,239 Speaker 1: so oh yeah. I was like, yeah, I know, I'm 682 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:39,080 Speaker 1: gonna just have to hold it. But uh, they could 683 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: only see the door at that point, so I was like, 684 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:43,799 Speaker 1: all right, this works. And they didn't ask questions. They 685 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:45,759 Speaker 1: were just like, how was your move? And I'm like, 686 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 1: I have my laptop sitting on the top. 687 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:50,000 Speaker 4: Of the toilet, so. 688 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:55,040 Speaker 2: Is it a toilet flushed or something? In the middle 689 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 2: of those. 690 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:58,440 Speaker 4: Like, thank god, there's only one bathroom. 691 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:04,759 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, Okay, so how long how's that going? 692 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:08,399 Speaker 1: I did that for six weeks before we moved into 693 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,160 Speaker 1: our house, and I was like, thank you Lord, I 694 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:11,760 Speaker 1: don't have a back toilet as. 695 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:16,480 Speaker 4: A disc right now for calls. And it worked. 696 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:19,680 Speaker 1: It actually worked out really well because I would work 697 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:24,239 Speaker 1: from three to noon Hawaii time, and taken out with 698 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:27,719 Speaker 1: Sawyer in the afternoon and then I had the rest 699 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: of the day with him in Hawaii. 700 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:33,400 Speaker 4: So it was actually a really great setup. 701 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:34,359 Speaker 2: You made it work. 702 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:36,240 Speaker 4: I made it work, all right. 703 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:39,960 Speaker 3: So then I think, if I remember the story correctly, 704 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:42,799 Speaker 3: A client calls and says, we're growing, we need more. 705 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:48,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, So Shane, who is my co founder. He was 706 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 1: ACTUALLYE Shane mc. 707 00:38:50,239 --> 00:38:52,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, but your husband's name is Sean. 708 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:54,240 Speaker 4: It's Sean, Sean, Shawn and Shane. 709 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:55,840 Speaker 2: Okay, So Shane. 710 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:59,080 Speaker 1: Shane was one of my clients and he was actually 711 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:02,120 Speaker 1: south By south West in twenty seventeen. 712 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 2: He was in Austin, Texas. 713 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: He was running a tech company at the time that 714 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:10,439 Speaker 1: was growing and he was scaling and doing all kinds 715 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:14,839 Speaker 1: of crazy things. And he called me and was like, hey, 716 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:18,680 Speaker 1: we need we need you to scale. And I was like, 717 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:21,840 Speaker 1: you mean scale like I have like I have a 718 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 1: one year old and like I'm in Hawaii, Like I 719 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 1: haven't slept in three years. 720 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 4: Like come on, I can't do this. 721 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:33,360 Speaker 2: I haven't slept in three years. 722 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:36,200 Speaker 1: Like That's that's what it felt like. And I was 723 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:38,880 Speaker 1: just like, Yeah, I'm gonna have to get back to 724 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 1: you on this. We're gonna have to think about it. 725 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:45,560 Speaker 1: And one of my friends at the time actually came 726 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:48,840 Speaker 1: to my house and she was a new military spouse 727 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:50,799 Speaker 1: in Hawaii. 728 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 3: And is it just as hard in Hawaii for military 729 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:55,760 Speaker 3: good jobs the same? 730 00:39:57,400 --> 00:39:58,760 Speaker 2: How long are you going to be here? 731 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:02,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, we're looking for someone more permanent that's not Germane 732 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:06,920 Speaker 3: to only Jacksonville. It's all military spouses facing. 733 00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:09,720 Speaker 4: That free military town around the world. 734 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,600 Speaker 5: Remember doctor Trina Clay you from given hour, She's a 735 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:23,560 Speaker 5: military spouse, and remember she lied. She faced the exact. 736 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:26,520 Speaker 1: Same issue exactly like most people. I've seen it on 737 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:30,719 Speaker 1: Facebook pages constantly, I'm hiding the fact that I'm a 738 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:33,319 Speaker 1: military spouse, Like, why the heck should you hide it? 739 00:40:33,400 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 2: You should be in factor? 740 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 3: Should where does badge of vine? And more importantly, employers 741 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:44,880 Speaker 3: have an opportunity, not I'm not saying irresponsibility, but an 742 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:47,959 Speaker 3: opportunity to maybe be a little supportive in. 743 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 1: That role exactly and if they but they're not, and 744 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:55,520 Speaker 1: I think it's because they feel like there's a bottleneck 745 00:40:55,680 --> 00:41:00,400 Speaker 1: in how they can support a military spouse or support 746 00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:02,360 Speaker 1: them in a remote capacity, because you. 747 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:03,160 Speaker 2: Kind of get it. 748 00:41:03,239 --> 00:41:05,760 Speaker 3: On the one hand, you spend a lot of time 749 00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:07,760 Speaker 3: and a lot of money, a lot of efforts employer 750 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:10,640 Speaker 3: training somebody to be proficient in their job, and you 751 00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 3: don't want to invest that amount of time and effort 752 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:15,239 Speaker 3: training someone to be professionally their job for them to 753 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:17,960 Speaker 3: them in a year and a half or two, get 754 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:20,359 Speaker 3: transferred and you're starting over and so. 755 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:22,240 Speaker 4: But what if you can make it work remotely? 756 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:27,400 Speaker 3: Okay, that's I'm teeing you all but agreed. If you 757 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:29,440 Speaker 3: can make her work remotely, then it doesn't matter when 758 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:29,799 Speaker 3: they move. 759 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:30,920 Speaker 2: So but here's the thing. 760 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:35,520 Speaker 3: So this guy, Shane, his business is blowing up, and 761 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:38,360 Speaker 3: you have another military spouse friend and you bring on 762 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:39,400 Speaker 3: and say. 763 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:43,480 Speaker 1: Hey, I was I didn't bring her on at that point, 764 00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:45,640 Speaker 1: but I was like, you know what, if we're going 765 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:48,480 Speaker 1: to do this, We're going to do this with military 766 00:41:48,520 --> 00:41:54,600 Speaker 1: spouses being the focus because you have an immense talent 767 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 1: pool that people are just completely glossing over and not 768 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:04,120 Speaker 1: been trying to employ and making it their mission to employ. 769 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: So I said, let's do this. I didn't know how 770 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:13,799 Speaker 1: the heck to start a company, and I knew enough 771 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:16,520 Speaker 1: to be dangerous basically at that point. 772 00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:22,799 Speaker 2: But you are surrounded your clients are all pretty high energy. 773 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:25,440 Speaker 3: Business folks exactly, so you do have a pool of 774 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:26,560 Speaker 3: mentors at YaST. 775 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,920 Speaker 1: Shane was a fantastic He has been a fantastic mentor 776 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:35,160 Speaker 1: over the past eight years. And he kind of gave 777 00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:37,280 Speaker 1: me the lay of the land and told me, Okay, 778 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:38,640 Speaker 1: here's how you. 779 00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:41,279 Speaker 4: Start putting the idea in minds. Here's how you. 780 00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:45,239 Speaker 1: Start talking about Squared Away and you know, just kind 781 00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:48,480 Speaker 1: of guiding me through the blueprint of what we were 782 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:49,080 Speaker 1: trying to build. 783 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:56,719 Speaker 3: And that concludes Part one of my conversation with Michelle Pensack. 784 00:42:56,239 --> 00:42:58,600 Speaker 2: And you don't want to miss part two. It's now 785 00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:02,080 Speaker 2: available to listen to it together. Guys, we can change 786 00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:05,279 Speaker 2: this country, but it starts with you. I'll see in 787 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:05,719 Speaker 2: part two.