In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20 Season 4, Lindsey interviews Katelyn Tinsley of Homefront Room Revival.

Katelyn Tinsley is an Air Force veteran and the founder of Homefront Room Revival. This nonprofit was created to help enhance the military life cycle by creating home comfort. Katelyn is also a military spouse at Seymour Johnson AFB. She was awarded the AFI Air Force Spouse of the Year in 2019.

Homefront Room Revival is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to provide military families with creative outlets to improve resiliency and enrich the military life cycle. In this episode, Katelyn talks about the purpose and mission of their organization and how they built a community of volunteers.

Highlights:

• [02:27] Katelyn's background and how she started her organization
• [04:05] Dec’ the Deployment Program
• [06:55] Importance of having a presence on base
• [09:30] Building a community of volunteers and showing appreciation
• [12:20] The reason she created the organization
• [13:00] How Katelyn got key leadership spouses to support her

Quote:

• [11:20] “ . . . it’s the sisterhood, the brotherhood, and camaraderie that comes out of the studio and out of the collaboration of the projects . . . ”

Links:

Homefront Room Revival
Homefront Room Revival on Facebook 
Homefront Room Revival on Instagram
Email Address: kate@homefrontroomrevival.org

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20 Season 4, Lindsey interviews Lacey Langford of The Military Money Show.

Lacey Langford is a U.S. Air Force veteran, military spouse, financial coach, speaker, and writer. Lacey is an accredited financial counselor with over 15 years of experience in financial planning, counseling, and coaching.

Lacey is also the military money expert and the founder of LaceyLangford.com, a personal finance blog specializing in the unique world of the U.S. military. She is the creator and host of “The Military Money Show,” a podcast dedicated to helping the military community with personal finance.

In this episode, Lacey shared how her interest and passion for personal finance developed, how she got frustrated and felt like she has lost her identity, and how she saves time and plans ahead.

Highlights:

• [02:24] Why Lacey started her business
• [03:13] On feeling like losing her own identity as a military spouse
• [04:49] On figuring out her business and learning to blog and podcast
• [05:53] The importance of saving time and planning ahead
• [09:00] The process of setting goals
• [18:35] On creating strategic partnerships

Quote:

• [07: 35] "To get it in your budget, you need to get in their budget."

Link:

Airtable

Profile:

Lacey's website
Military Money Show by Lacey Langford
Lacey on Twitter 

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20 Season 4, Lindsey interviews Becky Hoy of Brave Crate.

Becky Hoy is an Army spouse and the founder of Brave Crate. She believes that deployment is one of the best things that has ever happened for the growth of her marriage and her own personal development. Brave Crate is a deployment care package for military spouses.

In this episode, Becky shared the top 3 apps that has helped her run and organize her business. She also shares how others can use the apps effectively.

Highlights:

• [03:44] Creating systems and being efficient and productive
• [04:21] How she got the idea for Brave Crate
• [05:30] What the packages contain
• [07:15] Apps that can help you run your business and stay organized
• [08:00] On Asana, a project management and task scheduling app
• [10:44] On RescueTime, a time management software that helps you figure out where you are spending time on the Internet
• [13:11] On Toggl, a productivity tool and simple time tracker with powerful reports
• [15:10] On Planoly, an app that can help users manage, plan, and schedule Instagram posts from their computers and mobile phones
• [18:00] Platforms that provide analytics
• [20:52] On Tiktok, a social media app that lets you watch, create, and share videos

Quote:

• [08:50] "And I think the real gold in Asana, Trello, or any of the project management tool really is being able to pseudo-automate your tasks."

Links:

Asana
Trello
RescueTime
Toggl
Planoly
Stories edit
Coschedule
Later
Hootsuite
Facebook for Creators 
Canva
Tiktok

Profile:

Brave Crates
Brave Crate on Facebook
Brave Crate on Instagram

Drop and Give Me 20 is in it's 4th season!

Today, I am very excited to be joined by Adam Bird. Adam is an Army veteran of 9 years and now an entrepreneur. He started his company, Heroes Media Group, about 4 years ago.

Heroes Media Group (HMG) is a digital media, branding and publishing platform committed to providing a voice for our community heroes and those who support them. HMG is dedicated to providing education, entertainment, and empowerment to active duty service members, veterans, firefighters, first responders, law enforcement, educators, medical professionals, and the clergy.

Highlights:

• [02:54] On starting podcasting and making a book
• [04:45] On meeting new people at events
• [05:37] On feeling reserved and being in the army
• [08:59] Tips to those people who might be introverted
• [14:05] Veteran community versus the military spouse community on entrepreneurship
• [18:35] On not being afraid to ask for help
• [19:20] On worrying about the business and not worrying about other things
• [22:00] Determining people who should be in your network
• [26:29] On growing your business through LinkedIn

Quote:

• [05:13] "When you go to an event, step out of your box and get to know as many people as you possibly can. It's not always what you know but who you know.”

Links:

Heroes Media Group
LinkedIn
Adam on LinkedIn
Adam on Facebook
Adam on Instagram

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20 Season 3, Lindsey invited Jessica Bertsch, founder of Powerhouse Planning.

Jessica gave us updates on what's going on with her business right now. You will also hear some messages from people she has made an impact on.

Highlights:

• [02:06] What's new with Jessica
• [03:18] The testament to being a business owner
• [04:56] The other element for this podcast
• [05:30] First letter for Jessica
• [07:13] Who Randy is
• [07:59] Second letter for Jessica
• [08:27] The top 10 things that the messenger love about Jessica
• [12:03] Third letter for Jessica

Quote:

• "Non-profit certainly need help."

Links:

014: Powerhouse Planning 
Powerhouse Planning

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20 Season 3,  Lindsey invited Elizabeth Boardman, the Chief Dreamer and founder of The Milspo Project. 

Elizabeth gave us some updates on what's going with her business since the last time we spoke to her. You will also hear messages from people she made an impact on.

Highlights:

• [01:00] The tendency to not hear feedback when working alone and not having someone to report to
• [03:33] What's new with The Milspo Project
• [04:11] What The Milspo Project is
• [06:50] Redefining their mission
• [09:45] First letter for Elizabeth
• [12:45] On navigating fundraising
• [14:10] Second letter for Elizabeth
• [17:00] Stepping back and working on things when running a business

Quote:

• "Elizabeth owns everything she does and doesn't do. That doesn't mean that every interaction is perfect and every decision is the exact right one. And I'd always, every time, rather work for someone who owns up to mistakes and loses and not just wins."

Links:

001: The Milspo Project
Milspo Project
Milspo Project on Facebook
Milspo Project Membership

In this episode, Lindsey's guest is Kathy Stoddard Torrey. In today’s show, you’ll hear about Kathy's life now, the people who are always there to support her, and letters from her loved ones.

Topics:

• [02:30] What Kathy has been up to
• [05:41] On whether or not she’s still taking clients
• [07:50] The people who are always there to support to her
• [11:43] Letter from her youngest son
• [14:08] Letter from her friend
• [17:44] Letter from her sister
• [25:42] Lindsey's failure with employees
• [31:33] How to connect with Kathy

Quote:

• "I couldn't just toss everything over to somebody."

Links:

• Ep 010: Tapfer Consulting
• Kathy on Facebook
• Kathy on Instagram
• Kathy on LinkedIn
• Kathy's website

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20 Season 3,Lindsey's guest is Claire Yanta-O'Mahoney. Claire has been a guest in season 1 of the podcast.

She is the founder of Fleur de Lis Fitness. Lindsey read letters from Claire's loved ones and Claire shared her thoughts on them.

Highlights:

• [2:36] What is new with Claire and Fleur de Lis Fitness
• [4:43] The first letter for Claire
• [6:02] Claire’s sister's response to Lindsey's question
• [7:18] Third letter for Claire
• [9:16] Claire's thoughts on the emails
• [9:48] How Lindsey and Claire met
• [10:34] Lindsey's two cents for Claire
• [13:02] Purpose of season 3

Quote:

"Successful entrepreneurs only sight failure as one of their most stabilising steps on the path to success."

Link:

013: FLEUR DE LIS FITNESS
Fleur de Lis Fitness

In this first episode of Drop and Give Me 20 Season 3, Lindsey visits with Katie Christy. Katie was a guest in Season 1 of Drop and Give Me 20.

Katie hears how she has made an impact on those around her, listen as Lindsey reads these letters!

Highlights:

• [03:44] The reason Katie wasn't able to continue her business
• [07:33] Katie's mom shares how her daughter has inspired those around her
• [11:09] Josh's replies to Lindsey, but Lindsey screws this up
• [14:28] Abi's words of reflection about Katie
• [17:55] Tips to listeners

Quote:

"It's so easy for us to shy away from our natural strengths because they come naturally to us, right? We think everyone's good at because we're good at them. And so I think one of the things that we really deny ourselves is that ability to accept praise to refill that tank..." - Katie Christy

Link:

006: [MINI-SERIES] ACTIVATE YOUR TALENT with Katie Christy 

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviewed Dan Dwyer, the founder of Vet2BizLife, and Amy Uptgraft, a playwright who wrote the play "I Will Wait" and the founder/artistic director of The Veteran's Spouse Project.

Dan Dwyer is a U.S. Army Veteran of 22 years, a husband, father, leadership coach and veteran entrepreneur. Dan's Vet2BizLife Podcast is dedicated to the boots to the business advancement of all veteran entrepreneurs.

Amy is a proud military spouse. Her husband, LTC Jamie Uptgraft is the commander of 1-501 INF (ABN) out of JBER, AK and is currently deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in support of Operation Resolute Support. Amy is actively involved in various Army volunteer organizations. Amy's play focused on stories of veteran spouses across generations. She aims to give voice to the experiences of military spouses across the generations using music, drama, dance, and expressive arts.

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:48] Who Dan is and the kind of business he has
• [03:18] Who Amy is
• [04:38] How Amy came up with the idea for the Veteran's Spouse Project (VSP)
• [05:02] How Dan came up with his business
• [05:49] How Dan helps people who seek his business advice and guidance
• [07:29] What authenticity means for Amy
• [08:57] On turning down opportunities/relationships from others that doesn’t feel right
• [15:49] Their advice to the listeners

Quote:

"I think authentic people are high-character individuals that don't just talk the talk, they also walk the walk." - Dan Dwyer

Social:

Dan Dwyer -
Vet2BizLife's website
Vet2BizLife Podcast on iTunes
Vet2BizLife Podcast on Google Play
Vet2BizLife Podcast on iHeartRadio
Vet2BizLife Podcast on Stitcher
Dan on LinkedIn
Dan on Facebook
Dan on Instagram
Dan on Twitter
Dan's Email Address: dan@vet2bizlife.com

Amy Uptgraft -
Amy's website
Amy's Facebook Page

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviewed Stephanie Lincoln, the owner and CEO of Fire Team Whiskey Military Health and Fitness and Charlynda Scales, a speaker, mover and shaker, and the founder of Mutt's Sauce.

Fire Team Whiskey­® is the vision of Former Army Captain Stephanie Lincoln. She was inspired by her work with the Florida Army National Guard Wellness Program and also her many years working with Military Medical. She observed the steady decline of the fitness and health of Military Service Members over the last 10 years. CPT Lincoln created and published a unique eating plan, a specialized line of nutritional shakes, bars, and other performance supplements and a fitness program that requires no equipment and minimal time. Fire Team Whiskey® encompasses all of those intangible things that a Military Member and First Responder is driven by: Duty, Comradery, and Mission.

Charlynda Scales is a Tennessee native who spent 11 years active duty in the U.S. Air Force. While still on active duty a few years ago, Scales founded a Dayton-based business called “ Mutt’s Sauce,” producing an all-purpose sauce based on a family recipe her late grandfather bequeathed to her.

They talked about how they started their businesses, their products, tips on making products at home, how they help other people, and many more. This episode is a must-listen, so don’t miss it!

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:49] Charlynda's background and how she came up with the Mutt's Sauce business idea
• [02:47] Stephanie's background
• [05:30] How Charlynda started her business
• [06:16] How Charlynda found a company she first ordered from
• [07:38] Stephanie’s products
• [11:03] Mistake Stephanie made
• [11:51] Charlynda’s take on co-packaging
• [13:04] Mutt's Sauce recipe's consistency and how it almost got ruined
• [14:58] Inventory of their products
• [17:18] On people who make products from home
• [20:40] How long they have been established

Quote:

"I would encourage you to talk to somebody who is maybe two or three steps ahead of you. And in this business maybe start it out at home and kind of work out from there so you can kinda not make all the mistakes that I did." - Stephanie Lincoln

Links:

SCORE
Amazon
Fisher House

Social:

Stephanie Lincoln -
Fire Team Whiskey
Fire Team Whiskey on Facebook
Fire Team Whiskey on Twitter
Fire Team Whiskey on Instagram
Fire Team Whiskey on Youtube
Fire Team Whiskey on Amazon

Charlynda Scales -
Mutt's Sauce Website
Mutt's Sauce on Facebook
Mutt's Sauce on Instagram
Mutt's Sauce on Twitter

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviewed two of her friends, Dianna Flett of Girl Smarts and Carl Churchill of Alpha Coffee. 

Dianna Flett is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and has served 21 years in various positions as a military intelligence officer. Girl Smarts is a series of workshops designed to give our young girls motivation and skills to move forward with confidence and strength in the years ahead.

Carl Churchill is the Co-Founder and Chief Coffee Officer of Alpha Coffee. Carl is a combat veteran with 21 years of service as both an enlisted soldier and officer. Alpha Coffee is a veteran and military-spouse co-owned and operated company dedicated to offering our customers amazing coffee, promoting the warrior lifestyle, providing the highest levels of service, and giving back to our military and veterans.

They're going to talk about their backgrounds, Carl giving bag of coffees to deployed service members, managing employees, and more. Tune in and enjoy!

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:24] Diana and Carl's background
• [04:24] For every bag of Alpha Coffee purchased, a cup goes to deployed service members
• [05:56] Tips for those who have employees
• [10:59] What After Action Review (AAR) is
• [15:01] What gave them an opportunity to learn as a leader

Quote:

"Sometimes I think people who have their own business has stopped working on their own leadership, and we can't do that, we have to stay keen on our own leadership skills." - Dianna Flett

Links:

Deputy

Social:

Carl's Alpha Coffee
Carl's Email Adress: carlc@alpha.coffe.com

Dianna's Girl Smarts
Dianna's Email Address: info@girlsmarts.com
Dianna's Facebook Page

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Erin interviews Doug Nordman, author of The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement and The Military Financial Independence and Retirement Pocket Guide.

He spent 20 years as part of the Navy's submarine force. And now he's an enthusiastic surfer, a martial art student, and a veteran of many chaotic home improvement projects.

Among other things, they’ll be discussing how to maximise Facebook groups. He’ll also share how he got into Facebook groups and how it grew. They'll also tackle building audiences, answering other people's questions on posts, getting into other groups, handling controversial comments or posts accordingly, and many more.

If you are one of those people who spends a lot of time on Facebook, you’ll surely enjoy this episode!

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:56] What got him working on Facebook groups and how it grew/evolved
• [02:42] Building audiences
• [04:11] Answering people's questions
• [05:32] How he keeps people engaged
• [07:50] Getting into other groups
• [11:32] How he handles controversial posts or comments
• [14:07] What a beginner who wants to start a Facebook group needs to know

Quote:

"Whenever I'm answering a question, I try to provide a link to the reference and I get pretty good at this after 8 years of writing and blogging and so I know where too look, and that make sure that the subject that's been discussed has the right answers has the right information and the people can act on it later on." - Doug Nordman

Links:

Personal Finance for Military Service Members and Families (Facebook group)
MilitaryTimes 
Snopes 
Military FIRE (Facebook) 
Dave Ramsey Military

Social:

The Military Guide
The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement by Doug Nordman
Military Financial Independence and Retirement Pocket Guide by Doug Nordman

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey is joined by two of her friends, Judy Davis and Lauren Cecora, to talk about becoming an author.

Judy Davis is a military spouse and a successful entrepreneur. The motivational speaker is known nationwide as the Direction Diva. The published author and co-founder of DASIUM is also considered an authority on military life and small business success and is leading the way in depression, addiction, and suicide prevention in teens/young adults.

Lauren Cecora is a military spouse and the author of the book Past-Partum: From Shattered to Sane. Lauren is a postpartum mentor. In 2015, after the birth of her daughter, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression and later postpartum anxiety. In her book, Lauren shared her postpartum depression and anxiety story as well as her sanity saving tips to help any mother regain their sanity.

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:24] Getting to know Lauren and Judy
• [03:00] Judy's books
• [04:06] What made Judy start writing a book
• [04:45] How depression hit her son
• [05:04] Her motivation in writing her book “Warning Signs”
• [06:14] Lauren's book
• [07:11] Some of the sanity saving tips
• [10:50] The traditional way of publishing
• [11:45] Tips on finding a publisher
• [13:57] Self-publishing
• [17:19] Process of getting your book published
• [20:08] On marketing
• [21:22] On having a vast audience
• [23:21] People's review/feedback

Quote:

"There's no better joy than holding your published copy when it's all done. I don't think there's a better feeling other than the first time you hold your baby. It's one of those things but writing the book is only a fraction of what it means to even have a publisher or self-publish. It's just the beginning." - Judy Davis

Links:

Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford
CreateSpace

Social:

Judy Davis:
The Direction Diva
DASIUM 
Right Side Up by Judy Davis
Warning Signs by Judy Davis

Lauren Cecora:
Lauren's Website
Lauren Cecora - The Sanity Saver Facebook Page
Lauren on Instagram
Past-Partum: From Shattered to Sane by Lauren Cecora

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviewed two of her online friends—Kristen Smith and Moni Jefferson. They talked about the concept of collaboration and how it works.

Kristen is the founder of Blog Your Genius, an online education community for women who are looking to create out of the box professional opportunities. She's also a longtime blogger and digital marketer.

Moni is an entrepreneur, PR professional, and accidental app creator. She runs a public relations and social media agency and is also the brains behind MilSpouse Creative, a virtual global networking community for military spouse entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate, and create relationships. Plenty of gold nuggets in this episode so don’t forget to tune in!

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:32] Kristen's background
• [02:20] Moni's background
• [04:20] Business relationships
• [08:29] Advice to people when a collaboration is not working
• [12:05] On giving each other a heads up
• [13:06] On divorcing if things don't match up
• [14:52] What to do first when collaborating

Quote:

"As you grow and you go through different stages with your business, you are going to need relationships, you're gonna need other people to talk to and support you to point you in the right direction." - Kristen Smith

Social:

Asana
Trello

Kristen's Website
Moni's Website

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey invited Anna Blanch Rabe and Rebecca Alwine to discuss a complicated topic—business compliance.

Anna Blanch Rabe is the founder and CEO of Anna Blanch Rabe & Associates LLC, a communications consultancy specialising in shaping and executing the communications strategies for law firms, social enterprises, and socially responsible businesses who see the growth of their local community as intertwined with their profits. She’s a proud USAF spouse, who has served as a key spouse and is currently a key spouse mentor.

Rebecca Alwine is a freelance writer, army wife, and mother of three. Her writing experience include military family topics, research pieces, guest blogging, and much more. Rebecca’s work can be found in over 28 publications including PCSGrades, Military OneClick, and ScaryMommy. She was also a contributing writer for ARMY Magazine and has also been published in Ms. Magazine and The Atlantic’s City Lab.

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:09] Anna's background
• [02:03] Rebecca's background
• [03:24] On operating remotely and hiring employees
• [03:53] Hiring a W-2 military spouse employee
• [05:00] Military spouses can have tax residency, not a home of record
• [06:48] Anna on hiring employees
• [08:33] Rebecca on hiring employees
• [10:54] Tips and advice
• [15:57] Each state has a definition of what they call a business nexus
• [18:25] Staying compliant
• [20:47] Why you should not be operating as a sole proprietor or straight partnership

Quote:

“We need to talk about it with people who are making a difference and we need to outsource to military spouses to do these things for us.” - Rebecca Alwine

Social:

Anna Blanch Rabe's Website
Anna on LinkedIn
Anna on Twitter 
Anna on Instagram
Anna on Facebook

Rebecca Alwine's Website
Rebecca's Full Portfolio 
Rebecca on Facebook
Rebecca on Pinterest
Rebecca on Twitter
Rebecca on Instagram
Rebecca's Email Address: whatrebeccathinks@gmail.com

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviews Jen Griswold and Mike Dugan. They were hand selected because they both bring incredible insights to a very interesting topic that we all have to talk about as we run our businesses and that is—SALES.

Jen Griswold is a veteran, an entrepreneur, and an author. An Air Force veteran by trade, Jen is the proud author of the new book Mission: Entrepreneur. This book is for busy people who are on the hunt for a flexible career. Mission: Entrepreneur is a compilation of stories from entrepreneurs who’ve used lessons learned from military life—work ethic, vision, passion, and resilience—to start and grow profitable businesses.

Mike Dugan is a former Navy fighter pilot and now a licensed advisor for Sales Xceleration, an organization dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses break their all-time sales records. Mike brings with him over 25 years of experience as a successful sales executive ranging from large Fortune 500 companies to smaller entrepreneurial businesses.

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:54] Jen's background and how she started her business
• [03:27] Mike's background and his current career
• [04:49] How they see sales and why it scares people
• [08:16] Eighty-five percent of the buying process occurs online
• [08:42] Consumers needing insights through professional sales people
• [09:46] Is sales something you can teach?
• [14:40] Dos and Don'ts in sales
• [18:27] Additional thoughts on sales and how it pertains to military entrepreneurs

Quote:

"The military is a great training ground for any business. And it is especially made for sales because at a young age both officers and enlisted men and women are given a high degree of responsibility . . . and that what sales is." -Mike Dugan

Social:

Mission Entrepreneur, by Jen Griswold Facebook Page
Mission Entrepreneur, by Jen Griswold  on Instagram
Mission Entrepreneur on Twitter
Jen on LinkedIn
Mission Entrepreneur

Mike Dugan on Sales Xceleration
Mike on LinkedIn 

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviews Molly Winkle and Janine Boldrin about knowing when to fold. In military-related business, we see some switching from one focus to another.

They shared their experiences as military spouses and how they came up with different and difficult decisions.

Molly Winkle is a veteran whose husband and son are on active duty and are currently deployed. She is a realtor specializing in military and long-distance relocation.

Janine Boldrin started Military Kids Life after working as a freelance writer in the military space for over a decade. She is currently the managing editor of Military Spouse Magazine. Her husband is in active duty in the army.

Important topics they discuss:

• [02:00] Molly's military background and what her business is all about
• [03:04] Janine on starting Military Kid's Life back when she was a freelance writer
• [03:10] Military Kid's life as the first print magazine for military kids
• [03:24] Janine's family and job background
• [04:05] Knowing when to fold
• [04:20] How Janine felt when they had to sell the project she spearheaded
• [05:20] Molly's experience making a switch from one focus to another
• [06:53] How she ended up doing real estate
• [07:46] How Janine knew it's over and it's time to let go of the business and how she felt about it
• [09:54] When Molly realized the business is not worth pursuing
• [11:25] The impact being a military spouse has when trying to fold from something
• [15:00] The possibility of picking back up later the entrepreneur effort they've put behind
• [17:40] Tips for those who are in the same situation they are in
• [20:58] Advice to those who are thinking about folding their business

Quote:

“. . . you’d think that you just have to work harder. And it's hard to figure out what that balance is or that tipping point of ‘Is my hard work going to catapult this or is my hard work in vain?’ and identifying that moment where you can figure out is it really just 'I need to go a few more weeks or a few more months, or even a year, or even I put it in a year . . . it’s really not going to be where it needs to be . . . ” - Janine Boldrin

Social:
Molly Winkle on Facebook 
Molly's Email Address: molly@mollywinkle.com
Military Influencer Conference - MIC 2018 
Military Spouse 
Janine's Email Address: janine.boldrin@militaryspouse.com

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Erin Ward interviews Laura Renner, Founder of Freedom Makers and Diana Jaquith, Co-Founder of WISE Advise + Assist Team. 

Freedom Makers’ mission is to support military spouses and their families by creating a path to stable, uninterrupted employment and income. ​Their virtual assistants are military spouses who, due to their association with the military, understand how to be flexible and deliver top-notch service. 

The Wise Advise + Assist Team helps businesses to strive, strategize and accelerate growth, while both empowering and employing military spouses.

They will be discussing how to run a remote business and how to manage both the clients and the business. Today’s episode is a must listen. Tune in and enjoy!

Important topics they discuss:

• [02:02] Their remote businesses
• [03:26] Running a remote business for military spouses/veterans is a good fit
• [06:41] People who want to do onsite works
• [08:46] Sticking to the model of doing things virtually
• [10:26] Tools they're using to make things easy for them
• [12:20] Writing paper notes
• [14:36] Managing their team remotely
• [16:34] The reason Laura's team is called "Freedom Makers"
• [18:54] Something they're doing that might be unique from a remote aspect
• [19:43] Things Diana and her team does to build that sense of culture and desire to stay in the organization
• [25:50] Their biggest light bulb moment while creating their remote business

Quote:

"In the virtual environment, what we do is we put out our why. Why do we exist? We exist because we believe that everyone should be able to have a career life and family... For our clients, we want them to be able to grow their business and spend more time with their families, and have a life..." - Diana Jaquith

Social:
WISE Advise + Assist Team 
Freedom Makers 

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviews Michele Bradfield and Curtez Riggs. Both had successful conferences namely Military Spouse Wellness Summit (Michele) and Military Influencer Conference (Curtez).

The Military Spouse Wellness Summit is a nonprofit fundraiser for InDependent. A portion of every VIP ticket will go to help fund the development of health and wellness programs for military spouses.

The Military Influencer Conference is an exciting, dynamic event that brings together hundreds of military spouses, military and veteran community leaders, entrepreneurs, influencers and business owners who are united by a mutual passion for the military.

In this episode, they talked about how both conferences went, the difficulties, and the lessons they learned. They also shared beneficial tips when planning an event.

Important topics they discuss:

• [02:50] Number of speakers both conferences ended up having
• [03:27] Scheduling difficulties
• [04:47] The point in the planning phase where they looked for sponsors
• [05:39] Lessons Michele learned when she hosted an event
• [06:28] How Curtez will do things differently the next time around
• [07:40] Influencer/affiliate program for their event
• [11:35] Saying NO
• [12:30] Tips/recommendations on launching an event
• [14:35] The next Military Spouse Wellness Summit
• [15:11] The next Military Influencer Conference

Quote:

"My number 1 tip for any event organizers is to get together an ambassador group influencers. Even if it's five to ten people, it doesn't have to be very many, that they need to have a strong influence in whatever community you are trying to reach..."  - Michelle Bradfield

Social:
InDependent
Military Spouse Wellness Summit
Military Influencer Conference 

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviews Britni Miltner of OakTree Network and Channel Milbourne of Milspo Biz Connect. With the new talk-show format, they discuss about building your network, their experiences on networking, and some tips on how to grow your network.

Britni Miltner is the owner of OakTree Network. It was created to encourage military spouse entrepreneurship and to connect local spouses with service Talents to share with other nearby military spouses.

Channel Milbourne is the founder of Milspo Biz Connect. It connects local consumers with military spouse owned businesses to strengthen and grow communities. Don’t miss this episode!

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:14] Britney's tips on how to build your network and how she connected with Channel
• [02:10] Channel on meeting Britney for the first time
• [02:45] How similar their businesses are and how they help each other
• [03:30] How referral system would be advantageous if you are networking with each other
• [03:55] Some of the things Channel does in building her network
• [04:55] Do your research first before taking a referral
• [05:56] How they avoid replying in sales mode when there's a post or a question in a social media group
• [07:05] Social media platforms they use to grow their network
• [08:33] Some of Britney and Channel's favorite organizations that are helpful to their personal and professional growth as they're networking as military spouses
• [10:43] The difference between Channel's conversation with the chamber and her conversations in military networking group

Quote:

“Really mix and mingle because you'll be surprise of what people know and how they can help you grow." - Channel Milbourne

"Everybody has something to offer, to teach you. You can learn something from just about everybody." - Britni Miltner

Social:
OakTree Network Website
OakTree Network's Facebook Page
OakTree Network on Instagram
OakTree Network for Military Spouses on Google Play
Milspo Biz Connection Website 
Milspo Biz Connect on Instagram
Milspo Biz Connect Facebook Page
Channel Milbourne on Twitter
MilSpouse Creative Community
The Inspired Women Mini Group
Internet Marketing Association Website

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviews Paul A. Dillon, a veteran and the owner of Dillon Consulting Services. Dillon Consulting Services LLC provides project management and business development services for clients in the service industry. 

Paul talks about his experiences during his active duty and he shares his passion in helping his co-veterans become entrepreneurs themselves.

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:39] Paul’s active duty Army background
• [04:56] How Paul transitioned into consulting
• [07:17] Facts and figures veterans face in relation to entrepreneurship
• [10:23] How Paul’s company facilitates those interested in entrepreneurship
• [13:53] How Paul overcomes the obstacles in his business

Quote:

“Every problem has a solution, it takes merely intelligence to find it, and then the courage to act on it." - Paul A. Dillon

Social:
Dillon Consulting Services LLC
Paul's Email Address
Paul's LinkedIn

Social:

Charlie Mike Podcast
Landmark Life Coaching Website
Dwayne's LinkedIn

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviews Corey Christman, a retired Special Agent, a criminal investigator, a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a wine maker, and an amazing leader who developed a company called Vethos. Vethos is a Human Capital Leadership and Executive Strategy firm. They help in creating leaders, building cultures and growing revenues.

Corey also talks about how he became an entrepreneur and shares some tips on the process of hiring the right people.

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:21] What is Vethos all about
• [02:08] From a retired special agent, a criminal investigator, a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom to being an entrepreneur
• [03:08] What made Corey become an entrepreneur
• [03:38] How Corey’s learning in the service helps Vethos
• [05:03] How to hire the right people the first time
• [08:08] Tips on what the company can do to make sure that the newly-hired employee is going to stay
• [10:59] Being a wine-maker
• [12:50] Thoughts on entrepreneurs having more than one business
• [14:28] Advice to those interested in entrepreneurship

Quote:

“Basically, it’s bringing value to companies that have a disconnect between where they are today and where they want to go tomorrow.” - Corey Christman

Social:
Vethos
Corey Christman's LinkedIn
Corey's Twitter

In this episode of Drop and Give Me 20, Lindsey interviews Megan Hall, a podcaster and a military spouse entrepreneur. Megan has a wonderful community tailored to helping woman called Inspired Women Community.

Megan talks about her journey as a military spouse to becoming a successful entrepreneur and helping women through life coaching.

Important topics they discuss:

• [01:30] Megan’s backstory
• [03:08] About Life Coaching
• [04:23] How to connect with a life coach
• [05:03] What makes Megan stand out
• [06:43] Megan’s journey as a military spouse and as an entrepreneur
• [09:22] Coaching clients
• [10:40] Megan’s advice to other military spouse entrepreneurs
• [11:55] Running a business at home
• [15:36] Two years from now, where will Megan Hall be
• [16:06] Building a team

Quote:

"So with military spouse and being an entrepreneur, it was about finding my people - finding the people I can connect with, I can resonate with and those who are going to support me, but also maybe I can support them as well." - Megan Hall

Social:
Inspired Women Community
Inspired Women Podcast Website
Inspired Women Podcast Facebook 
Inspired Women Podcast's Instagram
Megan Hall's Website
Megan's Facebook Profile
Megan's Instagram
Megan's Twitter
Megan's Linkedin