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Hi, I’m Michelle! My husband is in the Air Force with 15 years of active-duty service to our nation. We have two amazing kids who we are honored to guide and support as they figure out how they want to live in this ever-evolving world. In 2016, Military Spouse magazine named me the Armed Forces Insurance Air Force Spouse of the Year.

I am a fitness enthusiast so you can often find me off for a quick run or flinging sweat instructing cardio kickboxing classes. The stress relief is fantastic!

If I was a manual car, I would not cruise in any one gear for very long. I enjoy accelerating and shifting those gears quickly, and I am not afraid to downshift when needed because it often means it is time to reorient and start accelerating once again.

I need to contribute to a better world, so I am always seeking ways to leverage my talents and engage myself to the fullest extent possible. I am willing to step out of my comfort zone even if it means risking failure. Looking back, I have failed more times than I succeeded but I never would have succeeded had I never failed. I am extremely proud of my successes but I learned the most from my failures, so I am not so sure I would even consider them failures but more as learning opportunities

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

I started my professional career as an engineer. I worked incredibly hard to open every door possible so I could continue advancing my career despite the challenges I confronted as a military spouse. I was successful in many aspects, but I reached a point when I decided that the challenges could and should be alleviated, so I consciously stepped away from my career to dedicate my energy to changing the situation. I jumped into business ownership committed to figuring out a way to make a real and positive difference for those who were qualified, capable, and interested in satisfying careers.

I felt compelled to engage with my local community because I am most effective when I engage face-to-face with people. I enjoy being around and working with people in the same room. I wanted to build strong relationships, and I wanted to serve and contribute to the growth of my community. As we moved, my investment in the local community proved to be a hindrance to my short- and long-term success as a business owner. So, I evolved, and my business changed to be remote and virtual in most aspects. Working remotely is difficult for me so I am constantly seeking alternate ways to engage face-to-face with people.

Though my successes with that business were extremely rewarding, I knew that I needed a business partner and a new business if I wanted to reach my potential and contribute to the world in the way that all of my experiences set me up. So, I began extending invitations to discuss teaming up with some of my trusted colleagues. One thing led to another, and I ended up developing a new business concept from scratch with my now business partner.

Our company, Cerno, not only serves an important need but does it in a really innovative and fun way! Plus, by the very nature of the business model, I can continue working remotely as needed but can still contribute to our permanent physical presence where we can develop strong relationships, serve and contribute to the growth of the community, and engage with people face-to-face.

Leaving my original profession – the profession I loved, and still love, to make a difference – was the first step to becoming a military spouse entrepreneur. I am on route to living out my purpose, and although this is not my preferred profession, I know it is exactly what I need to be doing to leverage all that I have to offer.

On that note, I will never quit advocating for change that is needed for military spouses in STEM professions to have successful careers without having to overcome tremendous and unnecessary obstacles. My desire to make a change in that arena has not faded nor will fade until there are sufficient improvements. As a co-founder and a director of Society of Military Spouses in STEM, I will continue to push for progress.

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

I have said this for a long time – military spouses are an undervalued and underutilized talent pool! The transferable skills in the typical military spouse’s toolbox is quite impressive. However, until we can communicate how they transfer and translate AND others see and appreciate the value, military spouses are going to continue to see alarming unemployment and underemployment numbers.

I know that this is a controversial topic but I not afraid to say that I am also a proponent for reducing the dependence on military spouse volunteerism for DOD-funded military community support programs. Military spouses should get compensated for their work. Period. With this, military spouses should absolutely be integrated into more of the DOD-funded military community support activity because we are a significant portion of the end customers. Including military spouses will lead to improved solutions for the community that aren’t possible without them. Hence, military spouses are untapped resources in this aspect as well.

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

I would ask several questions first because there are so many variables when it comes to satisfaction and success. We all walk our own paths. Although military spouses encounter many of the same challenges and obstacles, they manifest themselves differently. My best advice – talk to other military spouses who are in the professions that you are considering.

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn. View Michelle’s MadSkills here.