Ep. 33 What It Really Looks Like to PCS as a Military Spouse With an Online Business
Military life is full of acronyms, cardboard boxes, and curveballs. I do not talk about it a ton, but it touches everything in my business. If you are a fellow military spouse, or you simply relocate often, here is a candid look at how I plan for a Permanent Change of Station, keep projects moving, and protect my sanity and my family in the process.
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Why I feel lucky to run a portable business
Military spouse unemployment is a real problem. Many jobs are tied to a location, licenses, or in-person networks that do not transfer easily. An online business is not a magic wand, but it is portable and flexible. That has been the biggest blessing for our family. I can take my clients, offers, and systems with me. I still feel the disruption, but I do not start from zero every time.
Since 2022 we have moved three times. Idaho to Colorado, then back to Idaho, and most recently to California. Two of those moves happened while I was pregnant. The tempo has been high and the logistics have been intense. I am three months into our latest move and finally feeling settled enough to share what has helped.
The hardest part no one prepares you for
The routine disruption is brutal. Pre-kids, it was annoying but manageable. With kids, it is another level. The second hardest part is losing your support system overnight. In Idaho I had a babysitter on speed dial, friends nearby, and a mental map of our doctors, gym, coffee shop, and favorite park. In a new town, none of that exists yet. For a while, my work hours were early mornings, nap times, late evenings, and weekend pockets while my husband took the kids out of the house. It is doable, but it is not easy.
There is also a tug-of-war between taking a real pause to settle your family and keeping momentum in the business. I had just returned from maternity leave when we got new orders. I did not want to lose traction, but I also needed to set up a home, secure childcare, and help my kids adjust. Even if you do not plan to slow down, a move will slow you. Accepting that reality up front makes everything less painful.
What I do before a PCS to keep the business steady
I wish I could hand you a magic template, but a move is still a move. These choices make it easier and protect client experience.
Start client communication early. As soon as orders are likely, I give active clients and members a heads up. I share the general timeline, what will stay the same, and any temporary changes to response times or call availability. If a project will wrap before the move, I do not over-communicate. If work will overlap the move, I make a simple written plan and set expectations.
Front-load your marketing. The week you arrive will not be the week you draft an email sequence. I batch podcast episodes, pre-schedule social content, and write a handful of newsletters well before boxes arrive. The goal is to stay visible while your hands are full so you return to warm leads rather than a cold start.
Lean on your team like you mean it. My studio manager and designer carried nearly everything the two weeks before and the two weeks after our latest move. If you do not have a team yet, consider even short-term help for inbox triage, client scheduling, and file wrangling. Give people clear checkpoints and ownership so they can move work forward without you.
Tighten your SOPs. Your team needs searchable, step-by-step processes when you are offline or halfway up a moving-truck ramp. I keep checklists for onboarding, offboarding, edits, launches, and recurring admin. Screenshots and short Looms save a thousand back-and-forth messages.
Automate anything that repeats. Proposals, contracts, invoices, welcome emails, proof reminders, folder creation, testimonial requests, renewal nudges, delivery of digital files. If it has happened twice, it can probably be automated. Automation lightens your team’s load during the move and keeps paying dividends when you are settled.
How it actually feels to start over, again
We do not talk enough about the mental part. I am introverted, routine-loving, and deeply allergic to last-minute changes. A PCS asks you to rebuild basic life systems immediately. New pediatrician. New vet. New gym. New grocery store. New daycare. New parks. The invisible load is heavy and it often lands on the spouse at home. Give yourself grace for delays. My son’s nine-month checkup happened two weeks late. He is fine. I needed that reminder.
There is also guilt. No client has ever scolded me, but I still felt it when I was slower to reply or had to push a call. Ask for grace and offer it to yourself. You are not “dropping the ball.” You are doing what is necessary to move your family safely.
And then there is the sadness. Our last PCS from Idaho to California was our toughest goodbye. We expected two years and got one. I had a house I loved, friends down the street, a gym that felt like a second home, and a mountain that held a lot of memories. Driving out of town with two kids and a dog, I cried. You can be grateful for new opportunities and still be sad to leave. Both can be true.
A mentor once told me every base is the best base and the worst base. It sounded cheesy. It has been accurate. Your experience follows your perspective and the community you build on purpose.
Practical mindset shifts that helped
Proof over panic. When I start spiraling, I list evidence that things work out. Moving to Idaho after college with no plan. Leaving my nine to five. My husband rejoining active duty. Having kids. Every time I thought, I have no idea how this ends, it still ended okay.
Redefine done. On day one, beds get assembled and toothbrushes come out. Wall art can wait. A functional kitchen beats a curated pantry. Your kids care more about where the crayons are than whether the gallery wall is perfect.
Return to values. My business exists to give my family time together. If the way I am working is stealing that time, it is a red flag. I adjust capacity, push a timeline, or ask for help. The value is the north star, not the to-do list.
If you are preparing for a PCS right now
You are capable. Tell your clients early. Pre-schedule the bare minimum of marketing. Give your team clear SOPs and autonomy. Automate the obvious. Expect a temporary slowdown and plan cash flow with that in mind. Protect sleep and food. Lower the bar on everything that is not urgent. The goal is not a perfect move. The goal is a family and a business that come through it intact.
Final word of encouragement
Having a business you can carry with you is a gift. It does not remove the chaos, but it gives you agency. You will get overwhelmed. You will find your footing. You are allowed to feel all of it. If you are a military spouse staring down orders or brand new to this life and wondering how on earth to run a business through it, come say hi on Instagram. I would have loved a friend to ask these questions when we were getting started. I am happy to be that person for you.
🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned In The Episode:
➡️ Follow me on Instagram @spechtand.co
➡️ Grab The Stand Out Brand Foundations Workbook
➡️ Book Your Stand Out Brand Strategy Session (use code SFBPOD for $100 off)
➡️ Check out episode 7 How to Use Client Feedback to Improve Your Online Business
🎧 Listen to episode 33 of The Six Figure Brand Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube
