MSBA is Globally Connecting Military Spouse & Veteran Entrepreneurs
History
The Military Spouse Business Association, MSBA, was launched in 2006 by three military spouses that were friends discussing their challenges as mobile entrepreneurs. MSBA offered resources and tools to encourage military spouses and Veterans, to successfully operate their business, through the military lifestyle and while transitioning. MSBA expanded further and in 2014 the Military Spouse Business Academy, MSBAcademy, was launched.
Present
MSBAcademy provides online educational awareness, training tools and support to Military, Veterans and their spouses interested in starting and/or growing their business. Tiered membership is available to Active-Duty, Retired, Reserve, Veterans and their spouses whether they are enlisted or an officer. MSBA is now an online marketing platform for Military, Veterans and their spouses interested in expanding their reach and growing their business.
Registered members of MSBAcademy can obtain access to resources such as peer-to-peer mentoring, business counseling available via a Small Business Incubator, legal and tax advice, Continental United States and Overseas tips and guides, a list of seminars and webinars, and mastermind groups.
MSBA promotes its members businesses to the civilian community on the local and national levels via media channels, tradeshows, exhibitions, networking events and online.
Impact
Have you heard of the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, MSRRA? The co-founders of MSBA approached members of Congress on an issue that not only impacted military spouse business owners but ALL military spouses, residency. The result of the meeting was the birth of MSRRA. MSRRA was introduced as a bill in 2007 and after three years of work via a growing online coalition, MSRRA became law on Veterans Day 2009. MSBAcademy and MSBA volunteers are able to assist military spouse entrepreneurs with questions in regards to how residency impacts their business.
Follow
You can learn more about MSBAcademy and MSBA by following them on social media via MSBAcademy Facebook page, MSBA Facebook page, Google+ and Twitter.
Rikki Winters
Rikki Winters volunteers as Operations Director for MSBA. She has been a member of the Association since 2007 and owned and operated two businesses. Rikki led over 5000 Coalition members in calls of support for the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act.
