Why Military Spouse Virtual Assistants Are a Smart Choice for Small Businesses

If you're a small business owner, you've likely dreamed of finding that perfect team member or partner in support. You would love to have someone who is dependable, adaptable, and committed to getting down in the weeds with you and helping your business grow. Someone who doesn't just complete tasks but shows initiative and brings calm to chaos. That kind of support can make all the difference between simply surviving and actually thriving as an entrepreneur.

Those qualities you're searching for are already deeply embedded in a remarkable group of individuals whose lifestyle has them set up perfectly for remote work: military spouses.

As we approach Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 9th, it's the perfect time to explore how the life experience and the mindset of military spouses make them uniquely qualified to be exceptional virtual assistants. 

Who Are Military Spouses?

Military spouses are a diverse and highly educated group. According to Military One Source, there are over 600,000 active-duty military spouses in the United States. Most are women, averaging 32 years old, and many hold advanced degrees or professional certifications.

What's surprising, though, is how often these smart, driven, and skilled individuals face challenges in the job market.

Despite their qualifications:

• More than 1 in 3 military spouses have a four-year degree or higher, making them more educated than many of their civilian peers.
  
• Their unemployment rate is about 20-25%, which is nearly seven times higher than the national average.
  
• Even when employed, many are underemployed, working in jobs that don't match their experience or skill set.

Frequent moves, irregular schedules, constant change, and the strain of long deployments are difficult things to navigate. But military spouses have what it takes to rise to the challenge. These experiences have shaped them into incredibly capable, proactive, and adaptable professionals.

And that's precisely what makes them ideal candidates to become virtual assistants for small businesses.

Why Military Spouses Make Outstanding Virtual Assistants

Being a virtual assistant is more than just answering emails or managing a calendar. It's about providing crucial support in a way that is reliable, efficient, and tailored to the unique needs of a growing business. This is where military spouses shine.

Their dynamic lifestyle aligns perfectly with the demands of virtual assistant work.

Flexibility: Built for the Job

Flexibility is a must-have character trait for military spouses. They are continually asked to adjust their daily routines to accommodate their spouse's unpredictable military schedule. That often means solo parenting, last-minute travel, or sudden changes in location.

Because of this:

• They're used to managing shifting schedules and responsibilities. When you bring a military spouse virtual assistant into your business, you can be confident you are working with someone who can jump into new tasks and pivot quickly when priorities change.

• They often prefer freelance or contract roles. They are committed to and grateful for flexible opportunities because they allow them to work around family responsibilities and adjust their workload as needed.

• They don't need the traditional 9-to-5 to be effective. Many are available outside conventional business hours, which can be a huge asset to business owners working across time zones or with evening clients.

For example, a small business owner in New York can easily delegate off-hour tasks to a military spouse virtual assistant living near a base in California or even overseas. This time zone advantage can provide businesses with almost 24/7 coverage without the cost of hiring multiple employees.

Portability: Work That Moves With Them

One of the biggest hurdles military spouses face when looking for traditional employment is that they often move every 2 to 3 years. That means starting over again and again: new homes, new communities, new jobs, new obstacles.

Working as a virtual assistant solves this challenge.

• Military spouses can take their work with them, no matter where the military sends them. Whether stationed in Texas, Japan, California, or Germany, they can keep serving the same client. No gaps in employment means no loss of income.

• All they need is a laptop, Wi-Fi, and a plan. With access to tools like Zoom, Slack, Google Workspace, and task managers like Asana, they stay super productive and in sync with their clients from anywhere.

• Online learning platforms like Udemy and Skillshare allow them to build skills between moves, giving them even more value to offer.

These online tools and platforms make continuous work not only possible but sustainable. And because military spouses are so used to solving problems on their own, they often take the initiative to learn new software or systems quickly when needed.

Service-Minded and Resilient: The Ethos Advantage

Military spouses don't just bring skills. Those associated with the military bring an entire ethos built around service, sacrifice, and strength.

The everyday life of a military spouse includes things many people can't imagine:

• Being both mom and dad during long deployments
• Managing households through stress, uncertainty, and isolation.
  
• Supporting their spouse through physically and emotionally demanding military roles.

This experience builds a mindset that's ideal for business:

• They show up even when life is hard. Military spouses are used to pushing through unpredictable and stressful situations while staying calm and focused.
  
• They're emotionally intelligent. Years of balancing relationships, change, and sacrifice make them highly empathetic and thoughtful communicators.
  
• They're proactive. They don't wait to be told what to do. They are problem solvers who find solutions, take initiative, and stay organized even when everything around them is in flux.

Our Freedom Makers Virtual Services clients frequently comment on how their military spouse virtual assistants not only get the job done but often anticipate business needs before they're even spoken.

What This Means for Small Business Owners

If you're a business owner juggling too many tasks, a military spouse virtual assistant could be your best investment this year. Here's what you can expect:

• Cost-effective support. Bring on a military spouse virtual assistant for a few hours to start, to help with specific recurring tasks or even a one-time project. You can get the support you need without paying for the overhead of a full-time employee.

• Consistency and commitment. Military spouses are grateful for meaningful work and build deep connections with their clients. Our Freedom Maker/client pairings often stay together for years.

• Fresh perspective. Military spouses come from diverse backgrounds and varied experiences, so they bring new ideas and fresh energy to your business.

They don't just help you run the admin side of your business. Military spouses can help you grow it.

Final Thoughts: A Win-Win on Military Spouse Appreciation Day

On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we should all take a moment to thank these remarkable individuals for their quiet service behind the scenes. 

And, if possible, consider giving them an opportunity to contribute financially to their families in a way that works best with their service-driven lifestyle.

Bringing a military spouse virtual assistant into your business gives you more than administrative, operational, and/or creative support. You're investing in someone who knows how to stay strong through changing circumstances, brings empathy and intelligence to the table, and is committed to making a difference.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we are proud to connect clients with virtual assistants who show up and elevate everything they touch.

If you're ready for reliable, mission-driven support, contact our Discovery Team today. A military spouse virtual assistant may be the best teammate you never knew you needed.