Localvest: Supporting Small Business & Military Spouses

Sarah Clarkson • Feb 08, 2022

Localvest is a SaaS (software as a service) issuer/investor communications platform that invests in military founders.


Localvest shares Freedom Maker’s mission to raise awareness about the challenges military spouses face when seeking employment, and we were thrilled and honored to be featured by them on their website!

localvest logo

At Localvest we are proud to have a large community of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors who have served our country in all branches of the military.  We are also really proud of the military spouses in our community, including the military spouse supporting our team! Raising awareness about the challenges military spouses face when seeking employment is important to us. That’s why we’re excited to introduce you to Freedom Makers, a growing veteran-founded company that is leading the way in creating flexible, remote work opportunities for military spouses.


INTRODUCING FREEDOM MAKERS VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICES


Freedom Makers was founded in 2015 by Laura Renner, an Air Force Academy graduate who served as a Public Affairs Officer in the U.S. Air Force before earning an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Laura and her team, many of them military spouses, are passionate about helping small businesses succeed and know firsthand that active-duty spouses understand how to provide a high level of support while remaining flexible and adaptable. These qualities make military spouses a perfect fit for growing businesses and solopreneurs needing an extra pair of hands to help them juggle various tasks.


Herein lies the genius of Freedom Makers, the company connects business owners and entrepreneurs with reliable, high-skilled and trustworthy virtual assistants. These virtual assistants (also known as Freedom Makers) are professional and experienced military spouses who are eager to work and passionate about striving for excellence. A Freedom Maker can provide business support with everything from executive and administrative assistance to social media management and almost anything in between. Laura’s company not only gives business owners and entrepreneurs the freedom to focus on growing their businesses, but also provides military spouses with meaningful, remote employment, which gives them the freedom to work wherever the military sends them. It’s truly a win-win scenario for everyone involved.

A group of women are sitting at a table looking at a laptop computer.

WHY MILITARY SPOUSES?


We know that military spouses are educated and experienced individuals who are eager to work. Despite this, nearly 35% of military spouses report they are not employed, but need or want employment. Child care needs and education requirements, service members’ long hours, unpredictable work and travel schedules, and the demands of frequent moves are among the top five reasons why military spouses are unemployed. While the military spouse unemployment rate is currently at 20%, the civilian unemployment rate is only 3% and spouse employment is one of the biggest concerns for active duty military families. Nearly 40% of military families consider leaving active-duty service due to spouse employment issues, making it a national security imperative.

An infographic about military spouse employment facts and statistics.

In 2021, Freedom Makers grew 2.5 times over their 2020 growth rate. In quarter four alone, the company brought on 49 new Freedom Makers and broke a record for monthly hours worked.   Freedom Makers’ phenomenal success highlights the pressing importance of the company’s mission, a growing demand for the virtual services they provide, and the positive impact they are making on the well-being of military families. At this rate, Freedom Makers is quickly becoming part of the national solution to reduce military spouse unemployment. 

A woman is wearing a gray turtleneck sweater and smiling.

MEET OUR FREEDOM MAKER, REBECCA!


Localvest is proud to support Freedom Makers’ mission. A few months ago, we hired our very own Freedom Maker, Rebecca Huckstep! Originally from the United States, Rebecca now lives in the United Kingdom with her husband who serves on active duty in the British Armed Forces. It’s a good thing she loves travel, adventure and meeting new people because Rebecca moved three times in the last three years, living in Wales, England and Scotland. Prior to her UK move, Rebecca spent six years studying art and fashion and worked in museums where she helped look after some of the world’s largest and most well-known fashion and textile collections. Along the way, she developed a passion and skill for writing, communicating and storytelling and won an award for her research on American fashion designer, Elizabeth Hawes. 


When Rebecca began life as a military spouse in the UK, she knew she wanted to find a job that would give her the freedom to prioritize her family while continuing to develop her professional skills, but she didn’t know what that would look like. She joined Freedom Makers as a Virtual Assistant in January 2021 after a good friend recommended her and never looked back. Freedom Makers gave her the opportunity to expand her skillset and advance her career in a way she never thought possible as an active-duty spouse:

“Being a Freedom Maker means I now have a job that moves with me and fits into my schedule. I can be honest and transparent with Freedom Makers and with my clients who understand my lifestyle. This freedom is not only helping me support my family, it’s also helping me engage more effectively with my work and realize what I am passionate about. I’m really grateful for everything Freedom Makers is doing on behalf of military spouses and I’m thankful to be part of a supportive, like-minded team at Localvest.”


Learn more about Localvest by visiting their website!

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