Instant Teams

Hi, I’m Nadia. I was born and raised in Mexico; I came to the United States as a teenager. I did not speak a word of English when I first arrived. I knew since day one that I would face challenges, but rewarding experiences at the same time. I was a senior in high school, and I was expected to pass a writing test and exit interview, to graduate. That gave me only a year to learn a new language, which I did for the most part. I graduated from high school with an honor GPA, and I went straight to a community college where I decided to finish learning English. Because I am an overachiever, I decided to learn a second language simultaneously. English & Italian.

I married my husband at 21, and we became parents in the same year. We now have two daughters; ages nine and four. We are stationed in Long Island, New York on recruiting duty. My husband has been serving his beloved Marine Corps for 13 years.

I founded Kallie & Co., a Not-Just-For-Profit-Company. Our mission is to to provide trendy and cruelty-free products that never sacrifice style. We take pride in giving back to our communities. Our efforts have reached wounded veterans from the Semper Fi Fund, women victims of human trafficking, women veterans in need,  homeless teenage mothers, women in need in Nigeria & Uganda, Africa.

What was your first move towards working in a remote capacity and/or becoming a military spouse entrepreneur?

The first step was making the decision to go for it. I knew that once I committed myself to pursuing this goal, there would be no going back.

I was pregnant with our second daughter when I decided to make the jump and open my online business. The adventure began while stationed in Beaufort, South Carolina, and my husband was away at Parris Island. The planning took one year. I saved to get started while keeping a part-time job from home. I have manufacturing capabilities, so I have the flexibility to design, make changes in the product as needed.

One of the scariest days of my life came when the store had to go live. I opened it and closed it about six times before I could leave it open for good. Entrepreneurship is not something I chose; I’ve always felt like this adventure chose me instead.

What is your definition of military spouses as an ‘untapped resource’?

A military spouse is an individual with extraordinary capabilities and abilities. Unfortunately, this often goes unnoticed by the “outside” world, and in some cases, by us as well. A lot of the opportunities that we receive as spouses are related to volunteer work. While many are appreciative of the volunteer work we do, our skills as often overlooked by people in our own communities. My opinion is, know you have the ability to be just as successful as your friends or acquaintances who aren’t military affiliated. Don’t allow a part of your identity hold you from being seen as an expert in your field.

What would you tell other military spouses looking to start a professional career?

Something I wish someone would’ve said to me in my early years as a military spouse is, get clear on what you want to achieve. Don’t allow other people’s aspirations become yours, just because they look like they are working out for that person. Hold yourself accountable for your results. Embrace your achievements, but also learn from your mistakes. Despite being a military spouse, you still are your own person, and you still possess an individual mind. If you have to plan your professional aspirations around your service member’s career, do it. Some of us have done so for over a decade, and it’s worked out. It is possible.

If you were put on a panel involved in an initiative to improve military spouse employment opportunities and corporate awareness of the MadSkills that professional spouses bring to the workforce, what suggestions would you make?

First, companies should understand that hiring military spouses is not just about being the right thing to do. We qualify for these jobs because of our of educational backgrounds and expertise.

Second, with remote jobs on the rise, I would suggest being open remote positions that military spouse can do from anywhere. I have a growing team, and everyone is in different states, and two are in the various countries. It’s almost 2017, we often only need a computer and a Wi-Fi connection to work. Remote work is an excellent initiative in any company that wishes to connect and hire talented military spouses.

Connect with Nadia at kallieusa.com or nmartinez@kallieshoes.com.