The call. I was sitting at my desk working from my home office when I received a call from my active duty service member. With a lilt in his voice, he asked, “So, how’d ya like to move to _____? Uncle Sam is sending us to ____ and I have to report by _____.” Since I was in ‘work mode’ my business owner mind gave the first response, “sure,” and I smiled with the full knowledge from where I work is moot for my clients as my whereabouts are seamless for the work I do for them. A “Permanent Change of Station” (PCS) for a military spouse who is a Virtual Assistant (VA) has zero impact on service continuity and delivery. I’m extremely thankful for a portable career that offers such great flexibility.
Military spouse mode. After I ‘clocked out’ from my day job, then thoughts of moving launched my milspouse mind into PCS mode formulating mental checklists for pack up and transit of household goods and our furry family member while simultaneously, my business owner mind kicked in to PCS mode visualizing a checklist for packing up my home office. This is a critical time for a military spouse business owner. One must determine if/how to notify clients; if the office will close temporarily or remain open; whether to wrap up projects early or prepare work in advance plus handling all back-office issues such as change of address notifications, updating form documents, etc. My small business category is that of “solopreneur.” Transition planning compounds for military spouse business owners whose small business has on-site staff, a storefront, etc.
I typically work through each move, which coincidentally have been my most revenue generating periods. (Things that make you go “hmm.”) Working through each move keeps me grounded and stimulated professionally distracting me from the chaos of relocating and all it entails.
As a military spouse, I know I’m not alone on this course so in the attempt to keep myself organized through these transitions, I’ve created a checklist exclusively for military spouse business owners who work from home as a tool to help you plan for a smooth move! Grab a copy here: PCS Checklist by PC.
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