MILMO Show

It's National Veterans Small Business Week, and I thought this was a great time to have a conversation with someone who knows firsthand what it takes to build a business while serving in the military. Having a great business idea is one thing, but turning it into a business that actually makes money is another. There are a lot of things to figure out along the way, and sometimes the things you don't know about running a business can end up costing you the most. In this episode, I'm talking with Charlynda Scales about her experience building Mutt's Sauce from a family recipe while serving in the Air Force. We get into the financial lessons she's learned, why sales don't always mean success, and how having the right systems and people in place can make a difference. Charlynda is an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the 6888 Kitchen Incubator. She's also using what she's learned from her own businesses to help other entrepreneurs better understand their finances and build businesses that can last. For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/business-sales-vs-profit 

If you've served in the military and now work for the federal government, or you're considering a federal job after your military career, you'll have important retirement decisions to make. From buying back military service time to managing two TSP accounts, there are benefits and trade-offs you might not realize you need to consider. In this episode, I'm talking with Amy King about how military and federal retirement benefits work together and some of the financial decisions that can have a lasting impact on your retirement. We get into when buying back military time might make sense, coordinating healthcare and survivor benefits, and why having two pensions could mean paying more in taxes during retirement. Amy is an Army veteran who served more than 22 years and is now a financial planner specializing in military and federal civilian families. She also has personal experience navigating both systems, which brings another perspective to the conversation. For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/military-federal-retirement-benefits   For more MILMO, follow at: https://MILMO.co ItsMILMO on YouTube @itsmilmo on X @itsmilmo Instagram @itsmilmo LinkedIn @itsmilmo Facebook  

October 26 is Day of the Deployed, a day to recognize the service members who have deployed or are currently deployed and the families supporting them back home. Having experienced deployments myself, I know there's a lot that happens during that time that people don't always see. Life keeps moving, unexpected things happen, and families find ways to manage it all while they're apart. In this episode, I'm doing something a little different to recognize Day of the Deployed. I talked with four military spouses about their experiences, the challenges and unexpected moments they've faced, and what deployment has taught them about family, community, and supporting one another. Each has a different story, but together they offer a look at what deployment really means for military families. You'll hear from Christine Fallon, a Navy veteran, Accredited Financial Counselor, and active duty military spouse who's experienced 10 deployments; Carol Pittner, a Navy veteran, active-duty military spouse, and personal finance professional; Tonya Skelly, who grew up in an Air Force family, married a career Army officer, and spent 35 years working with children and families; and Laura Voyles, an active-duty Army spouse of 16 years who works with soldiers and families on wellness, resilience, and family readiness. You can find more about each of them and links to connect in the show notes. For information on all our guests today, visit the show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/what-deployment-means-for-military-families   For more MILMO, follow at: https://MILMO.co ItsMILMO on YouTube @itsmilmo on X @itsmilmo Instagram @itsmilmo LinkedIn @itsmilmo Facebook  

Military life has a way of changing your career plans, especially when you're the spouse. Between moves, deployments, and raising a family, it's easy for your own goals and interests to take a back seat. But finding your way back to those things can open up opportunities you never expected. In this episode, I'm talking with Jessica Cunningham, the military spouse behind the social media brand CAPT + Jess, which she built with her husband, retired Navy SEAL Brian Cunningham. We talk about how a simple video turned into a business, finding your identity outside of military life, and why military spouses shouldn't undervalue their skills. For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/social-media-strategy-military-spouses 

Social media can create opportunities to make money, grow a business, and build a personal brand, but that doesn't mean you need a massive following or should start chasing brand deals right away. In fact, sometimes focusing too much on monetizing can get in the way of building the trust and community that make those opportunities possible in the first place. In this episode, Kendall Mariah and I talk about how she built her social media following, what she thinks people get wrong about becoming a content creator, and how to know when you're actually ready for brand deals. We also get into practical ways military spouses can use social media to support a business, what brands are looking for, and why your follower count may not matter nearly as much as you think. Kendall is an author, content creator, entrepreneur, and military spouse who has built an audience across social media while using it to support bigger goals in her work and life. We recorded this conversation live on Podcast Row at the Military Influencer Conference, so you'll hear some of the conference happening around us in the background as we talk.   For more MILMO, follow at: https://MILMO.co ItsMILMO on YouTube @itsmilmo on X @itsmilmo Instagram @itsmilmo LinkedIn @itsmilmo Facebook For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/build-social-media-following-business